The Johnson's were indeed at church the next morning. Charlie was already sitting on the Lancer's regular pew, in between Teresa and

Scott, with Murdoch on the other side of Teresa. Johnny had elected to not attend church that morning.

The Johnson family came in, filing into a pew ahead and on the opposite side of the Lancer's. Charlie watched, as Mrs. Johnson came in first,

followed by their daughter, who was considerably older, then Monte and John, and lastly, Mr. Johnson, bringing up the rear.

Charlie found herself spending most of the service, watching the Johnson's, instead of listening to the sermon being preached. To her, it seemed

as though the two boys were more settled than usual. They didn't wiggle, or squirm, or whisper to each other, but stared straight ahead.

They weren't behaving like themselves at all. Charlie felt an immense satisfaction at that. They must have, she told herself, gotten

it good from their father.

The sermon seemed to drag on and on. It was warm, too, and Charlie had trouble focusing at all. She blew out her breath, upwards towards her

forehead, in an attempt to cool herself. It didn't really help, only caused her bangs to flutter, and also caused Teresa to nudge her ribs from one

side, and Scott to give her a mild look of censure.

There was a visiting missionary this morning, as well, and at first Charlie was glad about it. Thinking that it would be interesting to hear about

the travels of the man to faraway places. But, it turned out to be not so interesting after all. He had traveled to the Smoky Mountains, and spent his

time this morning recounting the differences in the church practices there amongst the mountain inhabitants.

Charlie found herself thinking longingly of a cold lemonade to drink, and being on her swing with the wind blowing thru her hair. The stockings she

was wearing were nearly insufferable. Charlie could feel the back of her legs sticking to the wooden pew. She squirmed, trying to get more comfortable,

and sighed. Monte, too, was squirming a bit now, and got the back of his head thumped by Mr. Johnson. He immediately stilled himself.

Charlie couldn't help the quick burst of humor she felt at that exchange. She leaned forward to see more efficiently, thinking there might be

more action from Monte or John, and found her humor failing as Scott, with the arm that was resting on the top of the pew behind her, touched

her shoulder.

When she flicked a glance up at him in question, he shook his head, just very slightly, and leaned to say, "Sit still", softly in her ear.

Charlie felt her face flame in embarrassment, but she sat back against the pew, determined to sit like a statue for the rest of the

service. When it was finally over, and people were standing, preparing to file out, Charlie found that her shoulders hurt from sitting so

stiffly. Once outside, she looked around for some of the kids from school to talk to. Lucy was standing beside her parents, and she waved.

Charlie waved back, but was glad to see Rebecca and Jason, standing with their older sister and her husband.

She waited until Scott took a break from speaking, as he was in conversation with one of the neighboring ranchers and Murdoch.

"Can I go and talk to Rebecca?" she asked Scott, and then before he could answer, she amended her request. "May I?"

Scott nodded, and Charlie ran to where her friends were at.

Rebecca was talking about how hot it was, and saying she wished they could go swimming at the creek.

"Or at least go wading," Charlie agreed.

"Maybe we can go," Rebecca said, hopefully, looking at Jason for confirmation.

"Not today," Jason denied. "Pa has chores for us. Remember?"

Before they were all called back to their respective adults, to head home, Charlie quickly told Rebecca and Jason about what

happened the day before, with the old man, and Monte and John shooting rocks. And, how Johnny and Scott had gone to the Johnson's,

to talk to the boy's father.

"I'll bet they got a good licking," Rebecca said, her eyes wide.

"No more than what they deserve," Jason said.

It was time to go. Rebecca's sister and mother were both calling to her, and Charlie said goodbye, walking back slowly

to where Murdoch and Scott stood, still talking.

Finally, as the foursome prepared to head back to Lancer, Charlie took the choice to ride home behind Scott on horseback,

as opposed to a seat in the buggy with Murdoch and Teresa.

They were traveling slowly, behind the buggy a bit, when Charlie made her request.

"Can we go swimming today?" she asked Scott.

"We'll see."

Charlie found that she was beginning to hate that phrase. It was so, well, so neutral! What did it mean?!

"It's hot," she complained., "And it will be cooler down by the water. Please, Scott?"

"I said that we'd see," Scott said.

Prickly with heat, and bad temper, Charlie found herself being, for what was now much less common of her to be, sassy.

"Why do you say that?" she asked, though not loudly. "Does it mean yes or no?"

Scott, though still urging the horse forward, turned his head just to the left to look behind at her.

"It doesn't mean yes. And it doesn't mean no. It means that we'll see," he said. "Or, would you rather I say no right now?"

Thinking of the cool water, and the shade of all the trees at the creek, Charlie shook her head.

"I wouldn't rather," she said, in honesty.

"Then stop," he ordered.

Charlie met his eyes, and then subsided, her sassiness gone, with just those few words from him.

Moments later, passing thru the midst of town, Charlie thought she was seeing something that wasn't there. An apparition, perhaps?

No, it was all too real!

"Scott!" she said, in utter horror.

"What?" he asked, sounding startled.

"It was Katherine-she went into the hotel!"

Scott slowed the horse's steps, but didn't come to a complete stop. "I don't think it could have been," he said.

"It was! She's wearing a blue dress-and she went inside. She's carrying a parasol-"

Now, Scott did pull to a stop. He leaned forward in the saddle, and turned to look at Charlie.

"It's likely someone who looks a bit like her-" he began.

"No," Charlie insisted, looking at him, her eyes wide. "I'm sure of it, Scott!"

Scott turned to study the front exterior of the hotel, as if he would find an answer there.

"Well," he said, in resignation, walking the horse to the hitching post in front of the hotel. "Only one way to find out, I guess."

He offered an arm to Charlie, and she grasped it, swinging to the ground. Scott dismounted after her, and then handed

her the reins to hold.

"I'll be right back," he said, and Charlie nodded, grasping the reins tightly in one hand.

It seemed an eternity to Charlie that Scott was gone. She saw various townsfolks that she knew pass by, who said hello

to her and then walked on. But, she was ever so glad to see Val, striding down the wooden sidewalk, his boots clicking on the

boards.

"Mr. Val!" she called.

Val looked to her, and smiled, walking over to where she stood. "Well, good morning, Just Charlotte! Although it's practically

the afternoon, isn't it? Pastor Curry must have gone over his time this morning by a bit, did he?"

Charlie nodded in agreement, and then looked up at the sheriff, her eyes wide with worry. "Scott went into the hotel," she

relayed to him. "I saw Katherine!"

"Oh. Is that right?" Val asked, looking first at Charlie, and then towards the door of the hotel. "Well, I wasn't around to

see the stage arrive this morning, so I wouldn't know." He looked down at Charlie again, correctly assessing that

expression of concern on her face. "I wouldn't worry," he said.

"I can't help it!" Charlie defended. "And, it must be her for certain, because Scott's been gone an awfully long time!"

"Well," Val said, taking the reins from her hand, and tying them to the post. "Let's sit down over here in the shade

and wait, alright? It'll be a lot cooler than standing there in the street."

They went to sit on the bench in front of the hotel doors, and, Val, with an intent to distract Charlie, took out his pocket

watch, and showed her the engraving on the back. He'd received it from the men under him in the war, and he regaled Charlie

with a long-winded story until such time that Scott came out again.

Seeing Val sitting there with Charlie on the bench, Scott paused, and Charlie leaped up.

"It's her, isn't it?" she demanded.

"Morning, Val," Scott said, as Val replied, "Morning, Scott."

Then, to Charlie, Scott said, "Yes. It's her."

"I knew it!" Charlie said, feeling her heart pound. "As soon as I saw her-I knew-"

"Settle down," Scott said, calmly. "There's nothing to get worked up about."

"What's she doing here?" Charlie demanded. "She's got no reason to be here!"

Scott rested a hand on the back of Charlie's neck. his fingers rubbing lightly thru her hair. "She's not here to cause any

problem to you, or to me," he clarified.

Charlie eyed him, in disbelief. "Then, why-" she began.

"I've got rounds to make," Val said, interrupting. "I'll talk to you later, Scott. And, to you, too, little miss," he said, to Charlie.

"We'll see you, Val," Scott said, in reply.

Charlie managed a nod at Val. "Bye," she said.

Left alone there, on the sidewalk, just the two of them, Charlie looked up at Scott. "I don't want to go for a visit with her, Scott-" she began

her protest.

"I didn't say anything about you going for a visit with her," Scott corrected. "Did I?" His look was intent, and Charlie subsided a bit.

"No," she admitted.

"Alright, then." He kept his hand at the back of her neck. "She's traveling with the group she's working with. The one with the friend of

my grandfather's, remember?" At Charlie's nod, he went on, "She's passing thru, and decided to spend the night here at the hotel. She planned

to send a message out to the ranch, and let us know she was here."

Still suspicious, Charlie eyed him, waiting.

"She would like to have supper with you," Scott said, and immediately, Charlie's face flushed with color.

"I don't want to!" she burst out.

"I meant, with all of us," Scott clarified. "Murdoch and I, Teresa and Johnny-all of us."

"Why?" Charlie asked, flatly, with cynicism. "What's her angle?"

For a moment, Scott was surprised into silence. He recovered, with a mild, "Charlie." In reproval.

He stepped off the sidewalk, going to untie the reins from the post. "Let's go," he said, as Charlie stood where she was.

She walked slowly over, and, after Scott had mounted, he held out an arm, and pulled her up behind him.

They were at the edge of town, when Charlie spoke. "Did you tell her we would?" she asked. "Have supper with her, I mean?"

"I told her to come out to the ranch at six o'clock tonight," Scott confirmed.

"So, you did say it was alright?" Charlie said, her tone accusing.

"Yes, I did."

"I don't see why," Charlie muttered, into the center of Scott's back.

"I do have my reasons for agreeing," Scott said, shifting in the saddle slightly to look back at her.

Charlie met his eyes, and then, resorting to past personality behavior, she turned her head, tossing it a bit, and looked

the opposite way, to the trees and houses to the right. Feeling stubborn. And self-righteous.

"Would you like to hear my reasons?" Scott asked, his tone still mild.

Charlie refused to look at him, still keeping her gaze to the right. "I'm just a kid," she said, the fury just barely concealed. "I don't have

anything to say about it. Grownups can do whatever they want."

Even though she wasn't looking at him, Charlie could still feel the intenseness of his gaze on her.

Then, not sounding mild, but almost angry, himself, Scott said, "Alright. Have it your own way."

And, with that, they continued the ride home to Lancer in silence.

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