A/N - Just thought it worth mentioning that, as with all my stories, POVs run rampant and without warning. If you read as an editor it may drive you nuts so readers be advised.

"After a full review, Miss Bleeker, my office has waved any and all charges against you in the death of Blake Wellman; you are free to go with that in writing and signed by me, Willard Covey, Mayor of Parkerville." With a small display of pomp, Willard presented the aforesaid document and an envelope to hold it. He sat back beaming beneath a framed certificate of authority presented by a crony at the county seat who happily provided the document, if only to appease a nagging wife. Seemed Willard had relatives touting his cause with great effect.

"Thanks, Mayor." Nathan stood and held Allison's chair. "I'll see you back to the hotel, Miss Bleeker."

She stood and showed the Mayor a timid smile along with a murmured appreciation, turning and catching Nathan's eye with relief.

"Told you. Never had a doubt," he said, handing her down the step from the mayor's office onto the road. "Watch those ruts."

"I wasn't sure . . . Doctor Howard seemed so- so . . ."

"Amos is an old fuddy with old fuddy notions." He guided her around the back of a passing wagon. "He has his opinions but his medical practice is straight up facts, no nonsense."

"I might have given up if it hadn't been for you and Margaret."

"Don't know about my part but Margaret would never have let that happen and you have recovered pretty well in a few short days it seems." They stepped up from the road and made their way to the hotel.

Margaret hurried from the dining room arms out to receive her adopted ward.

"Well? What did that old fool say?" They embraced and did a slow rotation.

"Don't be harsh now, Maggie. Willard took the opportunity to be Willard - magnanimous to the end." Nathan twirled his hat in his fingers, observing the obvious attachment that had rooted between the women.

"Oh, Allison . . ." Margaret's eyes glistened and she closed in for another hug.

"Uh- guess Miss Bleeker would like to get her things togeth-"

"Oh for heaven's sake, Sheriff what is your rush, you have some actual work to do that can't wait?"

"Well the next stage is this afternoon, I just thought-"

"I doubt that. C'mon dear, we'll get you organized and then have some lunch."

Nathan wondered what was so different about his suggestion- aside from the lunch. He waited until they reached the end of the hall then spent a moment or two looking in different directions for some clue as to his next move.

************

"What are you going to, dear?" Margaret asked as she folded the dress Allison had first arrived in town wearing..

"I really don't know. I won't have much money left after I pay for the hotel and a stagecoach fare."

"Are you really going back east then?"

"What else can I do? There's nothing here for me now . . ." She leaned against the window frame. "Seems there never really was." She slipped down to her haunches and clasped her hands. "How could this all have happened, Margaret?" Her voice cracked. "I killed a man-"

"Stop that right now." More roughly than intended, Margaret hauled Allison to her feet and plopped her on the bed. "You defended yourself against a vicious animal and were declared free. Just stop this self recrme- re- blame!"

More hand clutches, tear dabs and muttered assurances then the packing continued and when they finished they headed to the dining room.

***********

"I'm not really who you should be talking to, Mister Gregorio . . . Louis . . . the Mayor and Mr. Ashbridge at the bank made the arrangement."

"They are too- " a hand flapped loosely. "I was hoping you might speak for me." The man looked defeated. Nothing about him had a sense of care - clothes, hair, ratty beard. Nathan felt for him.

"All I know is they have sent out letters to the addresses we found among his things. He has a brother; I met him but he rode off not too happy at the time. You're being compensated for the cattle, right?"

"Yes but it's an extra thirty-one head plus a couple of dairy cows; it's more work than I find I can manage and I get nothing for it. The money I get doesn't leave much over for me."

Nathan huffed a breath and cleared his throat. Louis Gregorio was a small local rancher, barely making ends meet who had agreed to take Wellman's cattle for a fee until the property was settled and now he wanted out. Nathan couldn't blame him; the extra cattle meant longer hours and heavier wrangling not to mention neither of the herds had been fully branded and mixing might prove awkward.

"I'll see what the bank has to say- if they've heard anything- but I can't do much else, Louis." He stood and shook an unimpressed hand. "Say mind if I ask you a question?"

"What's that?" Louis' expression stayed flat.

"Ever heard of an Ansen Playford?"

"Nope." Louis turned and Nathan walked the man out of the office and onto his wagon.

He sauntered up the street, greeting several residents while reflecting on Maggie's comment about the work he actually had to do. Parkerville was a mainly local farming town with a couple of cattle ranches a few miles away; crime was pretty much confined to rare saloon brawls or animal trespass disputes.

"Nathan!" He broke his stride and paused as Maggie waved from the hotel door. "Come in here for a minute."

"Give me ten minutes, Maggie' I have to go to the bank. Some of that other work I actually have to do." He grinned at her sour expression and went into a little jog.

Morely Ashbridge rose like a balloon from behind his desk, hand outstretched, flushed face with white mutton chops brushed out for effect.

"Sheriff! Don't see you very often in our bank." He floated around to the front, indicating a chair then standing with chest out and thumbs hooked in his vest pockets.

"Just need a minute, Mr. Ashbridge." Nathan told him all about Gregorio's complaint asking if the banker might look into some way to relieve the man's stress.

The brow furrowed with suggested concern. "Haven't heard anything from the letters yet; maybe I could check into the taxes owing. We might have an avenue there; always ready to support our law keeper." The smile was unctuous.

"Appreciate that. Thanks. Say, you ever heard of a man named Ansen Playford?"

Morely assumed a thinking face and pose then apologized with a sadly delivered no. Nathan shook the pudgy hand again and left, a cloying scent of talcum powder lingering in his nose.

Maggie was still at the door when he got to the hotel and she led him by the arm to a quiet corner of the lobby.

"Something wrong?"

"It's Allison, she's afraid she won't have enough money to get back home."

Money! Again! Why was this my problem for everybody all of a sudden. "Why are you telling me? What can I do?"

"You like her don't you?"

"Well- I- what's that got to do-?"

"You'd help someone you liked if they were in trouble, wouldn't you?"

"Yes- but I hardly know-" He stumbled as Maggie dragged him by the same arm toward the dining room. "Maggie! Wait a minute here. There's nothing I-"

"Just talk with her. See what she says-"

"About what?"

"Just listen to her, Nathan." The request was thin on tolerance. They reached the dining room and the struggle ended for the sake of decorum.

Allison looked up and an embarrassing tint crept up her neck.

"Mr. Tessler . . . hello again." She glanced at Maggie questioningly and received a wink in return.

"Ma'am . . ."

"Sit for heaven's sake, Nathan. Buy the lady a lunch."

Both heads snapped up at Maggie but she was already beating her retreat to the dining room kitchen. They looked at one another then away and back again.

"That's not necessary, Mr. Tessler; I don't know why she-"

"No! No, I mean that's fine; I'd be honoured to buy you a lunch."

"I feel so embarrassed." Allison looked at hands in her lap, hoping her ears weren't as red as they felt.

Nathan set his hat on an empty chair and smiled at her. "Please don't feel that way, Allison." His use of her name and the way he said it brought her eyes up to his and for a few seconds they both swam in the shared pools. "And I'd rather you called me Nathan; Mr. Tessler sounds awfully stuffy." Allison relented with a tiny smile and agreed.

"Maggie tells me you are planning on going back east." A dining room server came and they both sat back while she took their order.

"That was my plan."

"Was?"

Her face pinked again. "I'm not sure I'll have enough money to get there. The hotel and all have taken quite a bit."

"Nobody back east you can turn to?" He asked. Her head shook slowly. "Have you considered a bank loan to get you home and then you could wire-?"

"I have nothing back home either. I wouldn't be able to pay anything . . ."

The food arrived and they both sat staring at it as if it might provide a solution. Nathan picked up his fork and moved bits around his plate. He suddenly had an urge to tell her he didn't want her to go and when he looked up she was staring with curiosity.

"What?"

"You look like you are in some kind of internal struggle."

His neck grew hot and he stared back. How the hell would she know that? "No- uh- I'm just wondering . . ." He put his fork down and grabbed his water glass.

"Wondering?"

Nathan took a breath. "Why'd you come out here as a bride? I mean . . . well, you're a real handsome woman, Allison it just doesn't seem right somehow."
"That I should be a bride?" Her curious expression slipped away.

"No, no- not what I mean. Look, this is none of my business, please just forget I said anything." He continued picking at his food, his mind grappling with what he wanted to say and what he knew could mean a lot more than he bargained for. "The good thing is you are back on your feet and- and uh . . ."

"At least I can feel sorry for myself on a lovely lunch. Thank you, Nathan."

******************

The idea hadn't been thought through nor had he envisioned where his action might take him. Margaret had championed his move and, fortunately for Nathan she stood by him when he broached the idea. Ledger's General store was the largest business in Parkerville aside from the hotel and made its home in the second largest building in the town - two stories in height, the hotel being the first with the top third floor reserved for Jennie Christie's soiled doves.

Even though Parkerville was small it had the advantage of being a railway stop for cattle trains heading north. Each year drives would head from Texas, pick up the Goodnight Loving trail and terminate outside the town to load into cattle cars. Consequently, Ledger's took a lot of the drover's pay in new clothing, accessories and replacement trail equipment while the third floor of the hotel took most of the rest.

Nathan's idea was to get Edward Ledger to hire Allison to help in the store. He didn't really need help, he had a local boy who did all the stock moving and cleaning up and that seemed to Edward to be plenty of help. With the formidable Margaret riding point, Nathan suggested that the ladies of Parkerville might be happier to have a women discuss their personal purchases and might even consider additional articles that only women could discuss.

More afraid of Margaret than an interest in more help, Edward relented and said he would take Allison on in an trial capacity. Nathan was pleased, excited and worried; he still had to sell Allison.