Kid spent most of Saturday chopping wood while Ruth visited with her family without him. He'd caught a warm day for December and was able to do it quite comfortably. He had to admit that he enjoyed getting to work out some of the frustration he had been feeling with the ax.

As late afternoon came, so did Saturday baths for church on Sunday. Ruth volunteered to go last since she still had grime from traveling. Then she went to visit with Mrs. Norris. When her family had finished, he emptied the dirty bath water and not only refilled it with water but with water he'd let get warm by sitting on the hearth. He'd brought the metal tub to her bedroom and lay in wait to surprise her with it. He didn't have to wait long because of all the time it had taken to get it ready.

"What's this?" she asked with such a look of delight that it made all the backbreaking work worth it.

"It's a bath all of your own." He shut the door and moved her hope chest in front of it for added protection since there was no lock on the door.

She eyed him suspiciously as she laid her cloak on her bed. "Do my parents know about this?"

"Of course. You didn't think I could sneak a tub and dozens of bucketfuls of warmed up water in here with nobody noticing, did you?"

"Maybe not, but I'm sure that they didn't mean for you to stick around and watch me."

"They only said they didn't want us sleeping together. They didn't say nothing about not taking baths together," he said with a roguish grin. He moved in front of her and began unbuttoning her dress, a move she didn't protest. Then he moved behind her and began undoing her stays. She removed her pantaloons and the pins to her hair herself and then slipped into the tub.

She immersed herself under the water and then leaned back against its rim. "This is heaven. It's starting to get chilly again with the sun down."

He crouched down after rolling up his sleeves and ran his fingers through her hair to smooth it out and remove any grit that might have lingered there. Then he pinned her hair up in a sloppy, but efficient updo. He drank in the sight of her pale, freckled shoulders before placing his hands there. "You're tense, baby," he commented before he began to kneed them in an effort to help her loosen up.

She closed her eyes and craned her neck to help in the effort and because she was enjoying the massage. When it began to work its magic, she responded, "Well, it ain't been quite the homecoming I expected. I'm sorry you felt you had to hide yourself today." She picked up the bar of homemade, lye soap.

He took it from her and glided it down her wet arms and then made his hands into scrubbing tools. "I just thought you'd like to visit with them at least one day without tension hanging in the air."

"So much for that. Things were still tense. I have a feeling it might be that way the whole trip. I thought a couple of days would have given them time to adjust."

He laid a kiss on her bare shoulder and began soaping lower portions of her body. "Maybe I shouldn't have told them about being a gunfighter and hanging out in saloons."

"No, I wouldn't want you to hide it," she said, reaching a hand back and stroking his jaw line. "It's a part of who you are, and your testimony glorifies God, showing the kind of life He can and does save us from. And it ain't just you they disapprove of, it's me too."

"They all love you," he said before nipping playfully at her earlobe.

"I know. It ain't their love I'm lacking. Just their support of my calling. I thought maybe things would be different after seeing I'd survived a year and had some successes."

"Frankly, honey, it doesn't matter what they think. Only what God thinks. And at least you have your grandmother's support. She's a good woman."

"You sound smitten. Should I be jealous?" Ruth teased.

"Well, you know how I like older women."

She laughed and briefly turned to playfully splash him.

"Seriously though. You're lucky to have her. I never knew my grandparents."

"I do thank God for her regularly. I don't know that I would've had the courage to strike out on my own without her. Believe it or not though, my parents are good people too."

"I believe it. Everyone's got their imperfections and I don't blame them for being overprotective with you. You are a treasure," he said, wrapping his arms around her.

She turned around so that she faced him. "I think I've been scrubbed everywhere there is to be scrubbed. You should get in here before the water cools down completely, and I can return the favor. Help you with your bath. Hand me a towel, so I don't drip all over the place."

"I've got a better idea," he said, unbuttoning his shirt. "Why don't I join you?"

"I don't think the tub was made for two," she said with a smile.

"That's what makes it fun," he said unperturbed. He leaned in to kiss her and she responded ardently.

A hesitant knock sounded on the door. "Ruth, are you in there?" Anna called.

Her lips stretched into a smile and Kid groaned against them, not wanting to pull away. She did though and he shook his head to signal she should say no.

"I'm just finishing up my bath. Did you need something?" Ruth asked.

"Momma and Daddy need to discuss something serious with you before church tomorrow. With you and your husband. Do you know where he is?"

Kid started to open his mouth to respond, but Ruth covered it with her wet, soapy hand. "I haven't the foggiest, but I'll find him."

She didn't take her hand off until she heard her retreating footsteps.

"What'd you lie for?" he asked with an amused grin as he put his shirt back on. "And with church only hours away. You ought to be ashamed of yourself, Ruth McKenzie Cole."

"It was either that or let my innocent little sister know you were in here while I was bathing," she said, taking the towel that he handed her.

"And unfortunately, that's all that happened. Whatever this serious thing is, it better be good."