Amelia loved riding more than almost anything. She'd grown up with horses back in Australia when she'd spent a lot of her time in the outback that made up most of the country.

Australia would never be entirely settled she knew and she knew one day she'd leave it. She wondered if she'd go back one day but she'd bought a one way ticket on a freight ship. After surviving that arduous journey she had been ready to turn her back on the ocean that separated her new home from her old, forever.

When she took off to travel, she'd been tempted to buy a ticket, to travel on the seas for a couple months until she reached the port city. Once on dry land, she'd make her way back to her family home from there, what was left of it anyway. But then she had been in San Francisco when it hit her suddenly that she hadn't left Paradise to see the world around her but to run away.

But now riding her mare through the meadow towards the lake, she remembered back when she'd done this every morning to her favorite spot by the waterfall. She'd shed most of her clothes and swim to the rocks to sit while the water poured over her.

If only she'd known that a pair of eyes had been watching her cavorting in the water. They belonged to a certain gunslinger turned rancher and surrogate father who had shared that information with her when he'd been driving her home in her buggy. It started off as a slip of the tongue and when it sunk in what he had revealed, he was so busted especially when he admitted that he'd seen her by the lake.

Bass fishing was his excuse but she knew better. She'd been putting on a show for him and she didn't know how to feel about that. It hadn't been her intent after all. The point of doing it was to have no one see her, to give herself a chance to allow that other side of her that most people didn't see to break the surface and be embraced.

She didn't want to only live the life of a stylish, corseted woman of obvious intellect and wealth, a female banker in a man's world. She wanted to be carefree for a change and enjoy herself at least for a little while.

Though she still rode by the lake, she didn't feel much like swimming. Today she had worked with the younger horses in the paddock and checked on the pregnant mare, a bay due to give birth soon. Clara took special care of that horse including walking her around the pasture closest to the barn.

"How's she doing?"

Clara looked over at Amelia.

"She ate well this morning and seems very happy."

Amelia smiled as she got aboard her own mare and took off to get some more of the horses. She saw Claire pull up with the wagon and Ben and George jump out and head towards the barn with the puppies.

Claire walked over to her.

"You need help?"

Amelia looked at her group of horses.

"You can use Bella's horse," she said, "He's saddled up near the barn."

Claire went to get him and then she joined Amelia to herd the other horses. She'd grown to be an excellent rider and was able to work one side keeping the horses from straying until they could funnel them into the corral.

"That'll work," Amelia said, "Now let's go get the last bunch."

So they rode over to where they were in the corner and managed to prod them in line towards the paddock. Another woman Helena shut the gate behind them leaving all the horses standing in the paddock.

Amelia and Claire got off of their horses to take a closer look.

"They're beautiful horses," Claire said, "Are you going to sell them?"

Amelia nodded.

"Some of them," she said, "They'll make good ranching horses."

"You're good with them."

"I grew up around them, worked with them," Amelia said, "I forgot how much I enjoyed it until I came back here."

She climbed up on the railing and looked at them. Claire joined her.

"I like the buckskin," Claire said, "She looks like a good one."

"Her mother's an excellent cutting horse," Amelia said, "She's the one I've been riding."

Claire looked over at the house and saw that another couple of horses had been tied there. She saw two women talking with Bella on the porch.

"Is that Scarlett and Rosie?"

Amelia looked over.

"Yes…yes it is. They're going to be starting with the garden today."

"What did Sam say?"

"He's not happy about it but they're still putting in time for him."

Claire paused.

"Why…this is a much better job for them."

Amelia sighed.

"Claire…they don't know that yet," she said, "they've been working as saloon girls for so long, it's all they really know."

"But it's so…degrading…once I knew what it was really about."

Amelia nodded.

"Yes it is but sometimes it's what feels familiar to you that feels safe," she said, "Even bad things."

Claire looked out at the horses.

"I still don't understand…but then I've never had to worry about not eating or having a place to live….thanks to Uncle Ethan."

Amelia smiled and looked as Bella walked on over.

"I got the women started on the garden," Bella said, "Turning the soil over to get it ready."

"Good…"

"How are the horses doing," Bella said, "Claire that's some nice riding you did there."

Claire just smiled.

"Nice horses."

Bella nodded.

"I've got some cold tea inside the house," she said, "if you'd like to join me."

Both Amelia and Claire thought that sounded like what they needed.

Martha followed Ethan as he walked to meet Dakota in the saloon.

"Ethan, you heard what my father said."

He turned to face her.

"Yes I did but I told him that I will handle the peace in this town."

Martha twisted her hands.

"Axelrod and Amos said that a traveler told him that there were some robberies in a nearby time."

Ethan remembered reading a wire about the increase of thefts and other crimes but no robberies in the nearby town of Gold Nugget. The railroad had added a new leg to its route to the port cities and so the town had boomed overnight. Ethan knew while that brought prosperity, it also brought outlaws looking to take advantage of people's being distracted by it.

"I believe they caught that gang in the act."

Martha shrugged.

"Another one will take its place and with Founder's Day coming…"

Ethan saw Darrin walk up to them. The man smiled at him.

"Good to see you…my extra security men are arriving today," he said, "They should be patrolling the streets by tomorrow."

Ethan put up a hand.

"Now hold it there. I told you that I make the decisions about who takes care of this town. If I need your help…"

Darrin just shook his head.

"You and Deputy Dakota can't handle the riff raff by yourself," he said, "and I want this celebration to go off without a hitch."

"I can recruit other marshals to join us that day."

"No point in doing that since my men will already be taking care of business," Darrin said, "That will spare you the trouble…now will you join my daughter and I for a drink?"

Ethan shook his head.

"I'm meeting Dakota at the saloon."

Darrin nodded.

"Yes I spoke with Sam and he's most unhappy with what happened in his bar the other night."

Ethan knew that had been the night that Amelia had pulled her gun and some other person had fired a gun and then left before being seen.

"What with two of his top saloon girls going off and working for Ms Rogers…"

"They'll be helping here with her garden."

Darrin snorted.

"Hardly…didn't you know that Bella used to be a…madam?"

Yes Ethan knew that but that had been some time ago. Now she'd been trying to give Rosie and Scarlett a chance to do something different than entertaining men.

"She just offered them a job and they're still working at the saloon."

Martha smiled.

"We'll see won't we," she said, "but Bella might have something else in mind…and did you read the latest wire? That reporter from San Francisco will be in town tomorrow and staying at the hotel."

Ethan figured they'd be showing up soon since he'd heard about it.

"Might be good for the town," he said, "Give it some publicity."

Martha just stared at him.

"That we're harboring one of the most notorious outlaws?"

"Hardly," Ethan said, "That Daggett gang is much worse."

Darrin scowled.

"They'll probably show up next," he said, "Who knows maybe they'll have a score to settle with her going back."

Ethan didn't agree.

"Daggett's pretty new and she's pretty much quieted down before he showed up…and they're still south west of here."

He didn't go into the situation with Clara, not wanting to give Darrin any ammunition. Dakota came over and joined them.

"I was waiting at the saloon."

"I was just on my way there," Ethan said, "What happened?"

Dakota sighed.

"Sam says if Rosie and Scarlett don't come back, he'll lose most of his business."

"They're still working there at night."

"Not good enough according to Sam," Dakota said, "and he blames Bella."

Ethan set his jaw.

"I'll have to have a talk with him then."

He turned towards Darrin and Martha with a nod.

"Good day…"

They watched him go. Martha shook her head.

"Ethan can be so stubborn," she said, "How do we get him to do what's best for the town?"

Darrin looked at his daughter.

"That's up to you," he said, "You've been seeing him haven't you?"

"Sometimes when we're both free but not very much…"

"You need to make more time," Darrin said, "Talk to him, get him to see that our plan is really the best way."

Martha frowned.

"I don't think that's possible since his ex-fiancée is working with Bella and she might influence him."

"Only if you let her Martha," Darrin said, "We can't let anyone interfere with our plan for prosperity and Ethan's an important part of it. Now you know what you have to do…"

Dakota and Ethan walked to the office.

"You are heading home early?"

"No out to Bella's ranch to look at some horses."

Dakota smiled.

"Yeah right…"

Ethan gave him a sharp look.

"What's that mean?"

Dakota shrugged.

"Just that Amelia happens to be out that way too."

Ethan went to look at the latest Wanted posters but didn't see the Daggett gang in any of them.

"She's been working for Bella."

"I know that. But why not admit you're there to see her and not the horses…which aren't a dime a dozen here not like pretty women."

"She never thought I was going to marry her."

"Can't blame her for that," Dakota said, "Every wedding did get interrupted by some gunfight or vendetta breaking out."

"Wasn't my fault," Ethan said, "I had a job to do."

"No it wasn't but a woman's only got so much patience even Amelia."

"I know that but there's nothing I can do."

Dakota went to go dig up some jerky.

"Plenty you could do Ethan if you really wanted her…Maybe just keep the ceremony real short like the guest list. That way people don't know where to find you."

Ethan considered that. Maybe he and Amelia should have just gone off and found a minister and done it that way but they'd wanted family and friends there. Anyway it was moot now. He looked at her and didn't see that future anymore.

But he also sensed that she hadn't shut the door entirely.