Author's note: Many thanks to Jantallian for letting me use the original character, Eleanor Jackson, who just flies off the page in the story 'When Sparks Fly' and makes memorable appearances in 'Silence is Golden' and 'Shirt Tales'. While you don't need to read those to understand this story, you'll be glad if you do as the interactions with Jess are delightfully described.

Chapter 1

Miss Eleanor Jackson, known to all as Eli, had lived near Laramie for longer than she cared to remember. She was about 70 years old, she figured – she had quit counting when she hit 55.

Been a good life – so far, thought Eli, when I think back on my time on this earth – school teacher back east, satisfied my wanderlust by coming west with my sister and brother-in-law to a ranch when this country was right and truly wild, knowin' folk of all stripes through the years. Some better than others. Some worse. Now, got a first-class seat to watch all the good and bad.

She had watched families move into the Laramie valley and had attended the ceremonies when the town was christened. Her sister didn't have any children who lived to adulthood, so when she and her husband passed with a fever a few years ago, Eli had sold their little ranch and set up the seamstress shop. This suited her better than the isolated life on the ranch. She reveled in company and gossip. Sure, she had managed to keep up with all the goings-on out there. She had set up sewing circles, quilting bees, and made a regular circuit of neighboring farms and ranches. But as town seamstress, she was at the center of Laramie's social scene without hardly any effort. She was the confidant of most of the women and girls who bought from her. Her shop was up on the small hill near the doc's place, with the front door and window enjoying a view right down main street. She had her sewing machine and the chair she sat in for hand work set up facing that big window. She told folk it was to catch the good light, which was true enough with her dwindling eyesight, but mostly, she wanted to watch what was happening in town.

Eli had been among the first to visit with the Sherman family when they had arrived in the valley and set up housekeeping with their young son, Slim as they called him. She had a particular fondness for Mary Sherman. Mary was tall and straight, with mahogany eyes and dark hair. The love between her and her husband was obvious from the start. For the most part, Eli didn't envy married women, preferring as she did independence, but this little family made her the tiniest bit jealous. In a good way, though. Could never hold nothin' against folk who were so giving of themselves and welcomed all and sundry into their hearts with the slightest provocation.

Eli was a constant comfort Mary at the repeated loss of their children through miscarriage or early death. Each loss tore at Mary's heart and pained Matt Sr and Slim almost as much. Eli had seen many families who turned their grief into anger at one another, tearing each other apart bit by bit. But the Shermans seemed to pull together in their sorrow and their bond grew stronger. There was a lot of loss in this valley. Hardship, hunger and disease took children of all ages, young women passed in childbirth and young men from accidents or violence. It's the death by violence that bothers me the most, Eli thought. There was enough pain and suffering in this world, it hardly seemed necessary to inflict it on one another. There's been a lot more violence since the war, like some men just have a hard time letting go of the habit of it.

Eli rejoiced with the Sherman family when Andrew was born and celebrated every birthday that he reached strong and healthy with them. Slim was growing up to be the picture of Matt and loved the ranch just as much. Father and son worked the land together as one with Slim becoming practically Matt's equal by the time he was 16, while little Andy continued to grow and thrive. The family seemed complete at that point, as if nothing could hurt them.

But that's never the way of it, is it? Thought Eli. Life never seems to content to just let ya be.

When the war came and Slim joined up, Eli had spent quite a bit of time with Mary and listened to her worry and fret. Not only did Mary worry that Slim might get hurt or killed, but he had joined up against his father's wishes. Mary was not sure that their relationship would ever be the same.

Jonsey, an old friend of Matt from his trail riding days, had come to help out on the ranch after Slim left for the war. Eli smiled to herself Why, that old man and I never could see eye to eye. We both cared so much about the family, but just couldn't agree on what was best for them. Not that it mattered, of course. Matt and Mary were perfectly capable of making their own decisions and running their own lives, but Jonsey and Eli kept up their silent competition to assist.

After Matt died, a cloud of suspicion fell over the family that he had been helping the Confederates steal Union gold, even though Slim was an officer in the Union. Eli and Jonsey had called an uneasy truce in their little war. With Slim still away with the army and then taking off as so many young men did after to exorcise whatever demons followed them, Mary and Andy needed them more than ever.

Why, Jonsey and I practically became friends after Mary died. We were both stricken to the quick, crying in each other's arms with Andy between us. Thank goodness, Slim had come home as quick as he did. Course, I'm not sure Slim ever had a proper cry of his own, what with takin' care of Andy and pickin' up runnin' the ranch on his own. Matt had big dreams for the ranch he was going to run with his sons and had kept picking up bits of land and stock as they came open. It sure was a lot of work for Slim to take over singlehanded. He hired hands but one after the other didn't work out. Small wonder that the boy don't have any time for socializin' and findin' himself a wife.

Eli had less occasion to visit the ranch and catch up after Mary died, but she kept up from afar, feeling a certain attachment to Slim and Andy after watching them grow. Gossip about Slim was never in short supply. Pretty much every eligible young woman, as well as their mothers, had something to say about Slim - what he was up to, how good he looked doing it, how well the ranch seemed to be doing, how brilliant he was to add the stage relay business on, what a good – and handsome – head he had on his shoulders, what a good father he'd be, seein' how he took care of Andy. All the while remarkin' on how tired he looked and how much he needed takin' care of by a good woman. Eli smiled to herself, knowing she played her part in making sure all the young women in Laramie thought about Slim as they considered eligible bachelors.

When Slim hired on a drifter and, supposedly, former gunslinger, the town talked about nothing else for weeks. Everyone was sure Slim had lost his mind and was going to regret an uncharacteristically rash decision when the low-down piece of work robbed him or brought harm down on the little family. The most upstanding members of Laramie society were pressuring the sheriff to run the drifter out of the territory before that happened or he drew an unsavory element to their peaceful community. Early on, Eli'd stayed out of it. She saw the new hand, one Jess Harper, around town and had to admit, he did look a mite dangerous. Yet again, she trusted Slim's judgement. So far, Eli had only seen this Harper in passing on the street. He always seemed strung taut as a wire fence, like he expected trouble to rise up behind him, or slam him in the back, at any second. From the front, he looked alert but not menacing, tipping his hat politely to anyone he passed on the boardwalk, whether they returned the greeting or looked away. And more turn away then greet the fellow. He must have a powerful thick skin to put up with that. Guess it's better than being challenged. But still, must get mighty lonely.

That black hat seemed to have a personality of its own. Eli knew a thing or two about hats. When her friend Amelia, who ran the milliners, was too busy, she'd send folk over to Eli to shape or reshape their hats. It got to where Eli could tell the brand, quality and where the hat was first shaped just by looking. Eli figured this one was a Stetson, not the lowest quality $5 version, nor the fancy $30 one. Somewhere in between. She guessed from the style it had been bought in Texas, which made sense given the rumor mill had him hailing from there. There were sweat stains all along the hat band. The band itself was a modest leather strip with silver studs. The hat's original black color was mellowed with water stains and dust. The sharp lines along the brim and crown had become irregular and soft, probably from repeatedly getting wet and then dried again. Might've had to be reshaped a time or two as well. Most folk who'd bought a hat at that price would likely have replaced it by now. It was either sentiment or fallin' on hard times that's kept him wearin' it, Eli thought. She only ever saw him wearing it pulled low over his eyes, Wonder if that's the because of the sun, to shield him from other people's lookin' or shield them from him. Hard to guess. Eli mused with a slight grin.

She felt protective of the Sherman family but decided to reserve judgement on Harper for a bit longer. There was something she just couldn't put her finger on that made her hesitate.

0-0-0-0

Eli didn't get a real good look at Jess Harper until he appeared in the doorway of her shop one day, asking "Can I be a trouble to you, ma'am?" My my, Eli thought, if folk could hear my thoughts now, would they be in for a shock. Most think as a spinster, and old to boot, I have never known the love of a man. That I don't have full appreciation for form and function. I'm sure seein' and appreciatin' right now. Memories popped back into her head as she took in the young man leaning against the door frame. He was in the full flower of youth, as the good book says. Built compact and proportionate. You could tell from looking at him that he was aware of his capabilities and was enjoying every second of it. Eli could also tell that he was used to the effect he had on women. Well, she thought, that is what youth is for, after all. For the first time, she saw the black hat pushed back on his head, releasing some dark curls across his forehead and revealing his dark blue eyes. Those eyes sparkled with mischief as he stepped into the room, a smile pulling up the corners of his mouth.

Eli pulled herself together, pushing away those spicier memories from her youth until tonight when she'd be alone with them. She wondered briefly if he could see her thoughts and the mischief in his eyes was because he was making fun of her. She quickly dismissed that notion. He seemed nothing if not sincere.

She had herself well enough under control by the time she tended to the cut on his arm to avoid being distracted by his bare arms and chest. Well, too distracted anyway. Oh, to be 50 years younger, Eli thought, I would sure give the young ladies of Laramie a run for their money. 40 years would do. Ah, who am I kidding, if I were 30 years younger, I'd make a try.

He had left for other errands while Eli tended to the repair of his jacket. By the time Jess came back and helped her with the hand crank to finish the jacket, she barely flushed up when his hand covered hers on the crank. She returned his smiles with some mischievous ones of her own.

The warm feelings Eli was developing in her gut for this stranger spread to her heart when Jess came out of her kitchen with 2 cups of coffee and sat her down. There seemed to be more to this young man that the physical attractiveness. While they chatted, she found a sweetness, and perhaps an unexpressed longing, that none of the gossips had mentioned. It was certainly not what you saw in him out on the street. No, here he was letting his guard down just a touch and she felt privileged to get to see beyond the surface. Guess he ain't worried I'm goin' to draw on him here in my front room. I wonder how often this man can ever truly relax. Mind, he ain't said a thing personal, not a single detail about his past or his family. But when he talks about the Sherman Ranch and bein' taken on as a hand, you could just tell it had been a long time since he'd been invited to stay a while.

As they were finishing up their coffees, Jess seemed to be contemplating his cup.

"Can I ask, Jess, why do you stay in Laramie when the folk are so unfriendly? Don't it bother you none?"

Jess looked up, startled at the change from light-hearted banter. "Ain't as bad as some towns I been in. Guess I'm just used to folk bein' skittish around someone of my reputation. You get used to it. And they ain't run me out yet. Enjoyin' present company in the meantime." He said this last with a wink, lifting his empty cup in her direction.

Later in the day, when the new sewing machine was delivered with a note from Jess, Eli knew she'd made him as comfortable and welcome as the Shermans had. She resolved to make sure the town knew there was more to this Jess Harper than a gun, a temper and a reputation.

The year Jonsey went away to St Louis with Andy, both boys seemed to lose weight from their own cooking. Slim somehow managed to maintain his usual clean, upstanding look but Jess' clothes were more disheveled then ever. That worked out for Eli, as Jess got in the habit of bringing things by for mending. Even though Jess had gifted her the sewing machine that first year he was in town, Eli made sure to charge hima few pennies for each job to preserve their relationship.

They shared coffee any time she did a repair job for Jess. Eli marveled at the changes that were coming over him. He seemed more settled and at ease. It was a fact that the town had become more comfortable with his presence, even having him serve on posses and as deputy sheriff. True, folks didn't always back him, like that time they left him to stand on his own for Sum Campbell. And he and Slim had had a few disagreements, as he'd confided her during their catch-up sessions. But it always seemed to make the bond stronger. As surprising as it is to see Slim Sherman putting' up with someone with Jess' past, it's just as much of a shock to see how many times someone with Jess' temper has forgiven the town. And Slim. They always came together when it was important, no matter if they'd disagreed before. And the two of them sure do make a formidable presence when someone dares cross their line. At least, they never seem to be competin' for the same girl. I hope that never comes between 'em. Not to mention, how ever would a girl choose between the two? The mental image of Slim and Jess cleaned up for a Saturday dance had kept Eli warm an evening or two. It's a wonder they've managed to avoid matrimony so far. She shook her head running through the inventory of young available women in town, trying to guess which would eventually keep the attention of the most attractive men in the valley.

Eli's first thought when she'd heard that Slim had hired on a housekeeper to help out with the place and the young boy, Mike, was that she'd lose the chance to mend Jess' shirts. Her second was that, as a duly self-appointed protector of Slim and Jess, she needed to make sure this woman was appropriate. She made the rounds of the ladies of the community and gathered them up into a welcome committee. Within 3 days of hearing about the new arrival, Eli, Marcy from the dry goods store, Mrs. Kirkpatrick, the pastor's wife and Amelia who ran the milliners, loaded up in a buggy with about a months' worth of food, preserves and seeds they had assembled from other leading ladies of the town and headed out to the Ranch and Relay without waiting for an invitation.