The brook babbled gently as Timothy led Lucy down the bankside, further away from the activity back in town. The wind began to pick up, rustling through the leaves, adding to the tranquil rhythm surrounding them both.

"So, my mother and father both died when the flu spread through the neighborhood, when I was eleven. My brother and I both got it, but we both survived. He was a lot older than me, and married, so I lived with him and his wife for a while," Lucy explained to her new friend.

"What made you leave and get work in a boarding house?" Timothy asked.

Lucy shrugged. "My brother and his wife had twins, two loud little boys. I was just another burden on them all, so I left when I was sixteen. Also, I didn't get along with my sister-in-law. She thought I was an attention-seeker, and she would always try and exercise authority over me. I never let her, so that only made things worse."

Timothy nodded silently, thinking on this for a moment while Lucy continued on.

"After nine years of being a maid, I watched a lot of people traveling through the city and heard their stories. I decided that I wanted to do that too. I heard a lot of stories about people who'd found adventure, romance, and memories in the West. So I chose to try California on for size. But I could only afford a train ticket that would take me as far as Kentucky, that's why I got booted off," she concluded her story.

"So, where will you go from here?" Timothy finally asked.

Lucy paused and stopped in her stride, looking pensively over the brook. "I really can't say. I'll get out to San Francisco someday. But I need to make some money while I'm here so I can get there…legally."

Timothy smiled. "Well, Colorado Springs isn't New York, but it's got everything you need in the short term. Good people with good faith—"

"—that's the other thing, Reverend," Lucy interrupted. "I was raised without very much of a religion."

Without religion? Good Lord! The Reverend thought to himself. Not that it's completely unimaginable…look at how I was before I found God.

"Wh…what do you mean?" he decided to ask.

"Growing up in Brooklyn, especially in Hell's Kitchen where everybody is either Catholic or dead, my family decided our faiths were better left up to our own devices. We would attend services in Manhattan whenever we could afford to travel onto the island, but that was usually not more than once a year for Christmas," Lucy explained. "I don't think my father even believed in it at all. My brother sure didn't."

"And yourself?"

Lucy smiled up at her companion, and then back out into the surrounding natural world. "I guess I believe a little. I mean, how can you not with all of this splendor around you every day? I just have a hard time compromising the idea of a benevolent God with what I grew up seeing around me. You know, between the warring Irish gangs, the poverty, and the fact that I lost both of my parents in the same fortnight."

"God brings us many trials to test our faith," Timothy began to mention. Lucy shook her head.

"If God is so all-knowing, why doesn't he just know how true a believer someone is? Why doesn't he intervene more? I'm not one to be tested!"

Poor woman, Timothy thought. She's been tossed around so much she's lost her way.

Yet, there was something about Lucy's passionate rant that made her cheek go redder, her breath quicken, and her chest heave. The way she was getting flustered was inciting some odd thoughts into the man's mind…

Perhaps a dim room lit by a single candle…a large bed in the corner…the shadows of the two of them flickering against the far wall. A tight embrace as the world outside went away and was replaced with the blackened winter's night…he in his night shirt and she in just a corset and pantalets. Her hands gently lingering over his clean-shaven face before wandering down his chest and abdomen…her wet lips moving from his own to the nape of his sensitive neck…him gently lying her down on the bed and undoing her corset strings as her legs wrapped around his hips…

Suddenly, Timothy snapped back into the present as he realized what his lustful thoughts were doing to him. Without looking down, he knew he had to make sure Lucy didn't either, or she would see how just a few moments of wandering daydreams could arouse him so fully. His 'member' was fully erect and barely concealed under his black trousers. Sinful and humiliating…

"I should get back," he suddenly cut off. Lucy jumped a little at the sudden interruption of the silence.

"I'm sorry if I made you feel bad about your religion—"

"—no, no! Not that. I just think a church picnic wouldn't be complete without the Reverend there, right?" he said quickly. Lucy looked hurt.

"I let my mouth run away with me all the time!" Lucy scolded herself. "I really am—"

"—I'll see you around town, then," Timothy sighed before quickly spinning on his heel and walking away without even offering Lucy herself an escort back to the social.

Dearest Lord, please forgive my wandering mind…

The next day, Timothy went to see Dr. Mike for a check-up of his eyesight, as well as the hole in his mouth where his infected wisdom tooth had been. He usually had the woman check up on him yearly ever since he had it pulled by Jake Slicker a few years back…in case something hadn't healed right and an infection could flare up.

"Well, Reverend," Michaela said cheerfully, putting her glass away after examining his eyes. "I'll put in the order for your spectacles, and they should be ready in about two weeks. I order glasses for my patients from Denver, so they will be here shortly."

"Thank you, Dr. Mike," Timothy said, blinking. "Even if I never get spectacles, I don't think I'd mind too much now that I know what it's like to not have any sight at all."

"I think you might be right. But it would probably be better if you did have them!" Dr. Mike's broad smile was contagious, and Timothy couldn't help but reciprocate. "Well, we'll just examine your tooth socket quickly and we'll be finished!"

"Should I lean back?"

Michaela nodded. Timothy obeyed by leaning back on his arms, giving her a better angle to examine his mouth. Usually, dental surgery was Jake Slicker's domain, but seeing as this was just a brief inspection, Dr. Mike could take care of it. She took a white towel and draped it over Timothy's chest, around his neck. He took this as a signal to open his mouth. Michaela took a small probe and used it to find the empty tooth socket.

"I saw you walking with the new young lady in town yesterday," she said. "I haven't had the pleasure of meeting her yet, but she is quite lovely."

Timothy couldn't respond orally, so he indicated his agreement with a slight nod.

"I didn't think anyone could have hair redder than Dorothy's, nor be quite as tall as some of the men around here, but I suppose it's a bit more common in women from cities. I can hardly remember how tall women got to be in Boston—"

Timothy rolled his eyes to the side to look out of the window, as if Lucy would be outside waiting for him.

"—I saw that Preston has certainly taken a liking to her. I've never seen him interested in any one person besides himself!" Michaela said before removing the probe. "Your socket is a little red…have you been having any pain lately, Reverend?"

Timothy shook his head, unable to get his mind off of the idea of Preston courting Lucy. Dr. Mike was right…Preston was behaving noticeably more courtly with Lucy than he had ever done before.

"Well I'm going to apply a bit of antiseptic to it just to be safe, it will take just a moment," Michaela assured. As she did so, using a tamper instrument, Timothy's mind flashed back to yesterday, and how abruptly he'd broken away from Lucy after his…indiscretion (which, of course, disappeared before he even made it back to the social). She probably thought he was incredibly rude.

The Doctor finished her work and removed the towel from the Reverend's neck. "You're all set now, Reverend!"

"Lucy, you're doing very well for your first day," Grace said cheerily as she and Lucy whisked up soiled plates from tables at the café. "I don't think I've ever seen Loren Bray tip so well in my life!"

"Thank you," she said quietly. She hadn't been able to get her mind off of what she'd done at the picnic. Her first Sunday in town, and she'd offended the preacher!

"There will probably be some slow time before the dinner rush, so if you'd like, you can get an hour's rest! I can handle things here," Grace suggested. Lucy smiled and bowed her head.

"That sounds nice, actually. I'll be back to do dishes around four," she promised.

However, before she could walk more than thirty feet, she saw Preston Lodge III walking towards her, holding a small bouquet of daisies. He was smiling confidently at her as he approached.

"Miss Lucile?" he asked.

"Yes, Mr. Lodge?"

"Please…" he asked, holding out the yellow flowers to her to take, "…call me Preston."

"Oh, thank you," Lucy said softly. "To what do I owe the honor?"

Preston removed his hat and looked her in the eye with an uncharacteristically genuine demeanor. "I was hoping you could meet me this Friday evening for supper, and perhaps a moonlit walk?"

Lucy shrugged. "I have work here—"

"—it can be after the usual supper time, around eight-thirty?" Preston badgered.

Lucy looked over her shoulder, hoping to see if Grace was listening. Instead, she saw the Reverend coming out of the medical clinic, lightly massaging his lower jaw with two fingers. He happened to notice her at the same time, and stopped in his tracks. He looked hurt just looking at her.

Lucy whipped her head back around to face Preston. "Preston, I would be honored to join you Friday night."