The heady aroma of venison stew, set Teaspoon’s mouth to water. He knew Rachel would wait and not serve dinner until the boys had returned from town. He ambled out onto the porch, just in time to see the riders approaching. “Good” He thought to himself. “I’m starving.”

    He squinted to see the figures on the horizon. There was an extra horse. It wasn’t until they got much closer that Teaspoon noticed the other rider was a woman. Aside from Lou, he hadn’t seen too many women ride a western saddle, and it was a sight he was not sure he would ever be fully comfortable with. Never the less, he admired their ambition. He knew he would have never hired Lou if she hadn’t masqueraded as a boy to earn her position. But now, she had become one of the Pony Express’ most reliable riders. The west certainly was full of suprises.

    A small crowd formed around him.

    The four horses rode right past the porch, on their way to the barn. Ike smiled and elbowed Buck as the woman passed. Rachel wiped one hand on her apron as she waved with the other. Cody waved back. Jimmy rode along side Josephine. Noah slowed down as the others continued on towards the barn. He dismounted and dug into his pack for Teaspoon’s provisions.

     “Cody has the flour.” Noah noted. “Tompkins was fresh out of the ten pound so he gave us a twenty.”

    “Maybe I’ll just have to make more pies then.” Rachel smiled.

    “No objections here.” Noah smiled back.

    “Who’s the girl.” Rachel nodded her head towards the barn, finally asking what they had all been thinking.

    “New friend of Jimmy’s I guess. He said back in town that she had some sort of problem he thought he could help her with. But, he really hasn’t said very much.”

    “Well she’s welcome to stay for dinner. Right Teaspoon?” Rachel clarified.

    “Absolutely.” Teaspoon cocked his head at the three coming out from the barn. Cody wobbling with the big burlap bag swung over his shoulder, and Jimmy smiling and laughing with this beautiful new stranger.

    Rachel rang the supper bell as they all came into the big house. Jimmy introduced Josephine to Rachel, as they passed.

    Inside, Jimmy introduced her to everyone, making some sort of silly comment about them as he went around the table. Rachel came out with a caldron full of a wonderful smelling, bubbling, thick stew. They boys could hardly wait to sink into it. As she set it down on the middle of the table Cody, bowl in hand, reached towards it.

    “Ah ah ah...” Rachel scolded.

    He drew back his bowl. Allowing their company to go first.

    Teaspoon decided to break the ice. “So Josephine, what brings you to Sweetwater?”

    She smiled hesitating a moment than began to respond. She told of being married to a man who was a shop keeper in Denver. And how one day, as he was about to close up shop for the night, a stranger comes in off the street, asking for a tin of tobacco. As her husband turned to get it the man shot him in the back and emptied the register’s cash drawer.

    “I must have made a noise. Because he turned and looked right at me.” She explained, fighting off the tears welling in her eyes. The pain of recalling the whole event was apparent.

    Josephine continued, “I ran. I ran as fast as I could, out the back way into the street.”

    She paused, lifting her spoon to her lips, gently slurping the thick broth.

    “I ducked into the back of the blacksmith’s booth, and hid there for what seemed like hours.”

    “After that I went back to my house, gathered up a few belongings and my horse.”

    “Where’d you learn to ride like that anyways?” Noah cut in.

    Teaspoon seemed taken aback by the whole thing. “Did you tell your Denver Sheriff?” The lawman in him was a firm believer of town and county appointed justice.

    “Well,” She flustered. “I wasn’t exactly in my right mind at the time.”

    “Understandable.” Teaspoon was quick to agree.

    “So you say he’s followed you here? To Sweetwater?” Cody questioned.

    “All right.” Rachel cut in with a stern motherly voice. “Enough from all of you. Let the poor woman eat her meal. Plenty of time for chit chat later.”

    Josephine smiled. She admired the way that they all seemed to listen to Rachel, even Teaspoon.

    Dinner wound down, and Ike excused himself to help take the dishes into the kitchen. Jimmy saw the confusion in Josephine’s eyes as she watched Ike sign as he stood up.

    “He’s mute.” Jimmy explained. Ike motioned a few things back at Jimmy. Jimmy chuckled. “That however doesn’t seem to keep him from having plenty to say.”

    “Oh.” She seemed surprised. “What is that language he uses?”

    “Indian sign language.” Buck answered. “At least that’s how it started. It’s kinda evolved from there, into something only we can understand now.”

    “Heck I don’t even understand him half the time.” Cody blurted out. Ike motioned a series of characters at Cody. Buck and Jimmy both laughed.

    “See!” Cody exclaimed.

    “You certainly have an interesting group here. I had no idea the Express was this diverse.” She was obviously referring to Ike, being a mute, Buck being a half-breed, and Noah being Negro. She meant no disrespect so none was taken.

    As though on cue, Lou came thumping through the door. “Still some supper left Rachel? Or did these animals eat it all?”

    Rachel smiled. “Sure is Lou. should still be warm.” As an after thought she added, “How was Fort Laramie?”

    Lou rolled her eyes. “Don’t ask.” She had obviously had a rough run.

    Kid and Jimmy sat on both sides of Josephine on the chesterfield in the sitting room. Kid had not even noticed Lou come in.

    The beautiful blonde woman looked up Lou. “Well who do we have here?” Josephine’s sultry tone gave her the chills.

    “Lou!” Kid jumped up.

    “Save it.” Lou snarled, storming back off towards the kitchen, Kid close behind her.

    “Well he sure is in a foul mood.” Josephine concluded out loud.

    Jimmy chuckled to himself. “Yeah Lou has his moments.” He emphasized the word ‘his’.

    “I can’t figure you out, Jimmy Hickok.” Josephine started, setting her teacup down on the floor, moving in closer to Jimmy.

    “What’s to figure?” He asked.

    “Well you were such a gentleman helping me out back there in town...”

    “No need to thank me for that. I couldn’t very well leave a helpless woman there in danger.” He explained.

    “I’m not entirely helpless.” Her voice raised with her defenses.

    “I didn’t mean to imply you were, I just meant that...”

    “It’s Okay. I think I know what you meant.” She smiled. “Now Noah he’s a nice fella but certainly he has alot of pride. Not that he shouldn’t. He’s come along way.”

    Jimmy didn’t like her racial perceptions. “Noah is my friend.”

    She continued, “Cody, now he’s a character. Wasted no time sidling up to me. Ask him anything and he’ll tell you what he thinks, even if it makes a fool of him...”

    Jimmy had to agree with the ‘fool’ part.

    “But you Jimmy Hickok , I can’t figure you out. You haven’t let me out of your sight since meeting me, but you don’t seem to care one way or another that I’m here. Now maybe it’s that you don’t find me attractive..”

    “You're very pretty, there ain’t a man here that would argue that you're not.” Jimmy cut in.

    “Or maybe you have a girl already that’s caught your eye?” She wondered out loud. “Sweetwater is a nice town. Once I am safe from my dangers, who knows, I may decide to stay. I have no home to go back to.”

    “Teaspoon and I will do our best to help ensure your safety.”

    She sighed deeply “Don’t you ever have any fun?” Seeing his confused face she decided to spell it out for him. “What does it take for a girl to turn your head Jimmy?”

    “I’m not really lookin’ for love.” Jimmy answered honestly. “It doesn’t work well with my job.” After a pause he added, “besides, love is often more trouble than it’s worth.” He reached to brush a strand of hair from hanging in his eye.

    “It doesn’t have to be.” She said softly, her hand intercepting his, she gently swept his hair aside.

    Despite everything he tried to tell himself he found he was unable to think about anything else as he stared into the most beautiful emerald eyes he could ever recall seeing. His lips met hers with a tenderness he had only dreamed about.

    Jmmy startled, looking up to see Teaspoon standing in the doorway.

    “You are welcome to be our guest tonight. Your horse will be watered and well taken care of.” Teaspoon offered.

    “Thank you. I really hope I’m not imposing.” She smiled meekly.

    “No imposition. Then in the morning we can wire Denver and see if we can track down that man that’s been following you.” Teaspoon stated.

    “Oh.” She flustered. “Yes that would be good Mister Hunter.”

    “Marshal Hunter,” he corrected, “but please call me Teaspoon.” He grinned. “All my friends do.”

    “Marshal.” Josephine said, hanging on the word. “Yes Thank you.”

    Teaspoon started to leave the room, but then turned back, “Rachel will come and help you put together a bed.”

    “I really should be heading to the bunk myself.” Jimmy explained.

    “All right.” She said reluctantly.

    “G’night Josephine.” Jimmy politely excused himself.

    She smiled back, “Until tomorrow Jimmy Hickok.”

    Teaspoon caught Jimmy on his way out. “She’s a nice girl.”

    "She is.” Jimmy agreed, keeping the conversation as simple as he could.

    “I saw the way you was looking at her.” Teaspoon observed.

    His words spun Jimmy around, he had almost made it out the door.

    “What are you meaning by that?” Jimmy was obviously angered, but he kept himself controlled. If it had been Kid or Cody or any one of the riders that had said that, it would have been easier to lose his patience.

    “Sometimes our good lord works...” Teaspoon began.

    “In mysterious ways.” Jimmy finished it for him.

    Teaspoon smiled. He knew he had said it many times to the boys, but it was always nice to know that they had been listening. He grabbed one of the unopened bottles of whiskey the boys had brung him from town and motioned towards the porch. “Got a few minutes?”

    Jimmy consented “Sure why not. Beats bed.” He turned towards the kitchen. “I’ll grab the glasses.”

    It was a beautiful clear night. The sky was a deep inky blue, speckled with thousands of gleaming white pinpricks of light. Teaspoon was sitting in his rocking chair when Jimmy came out from the house.

    “A bit chilly tonight.” Jimmy commented with a shiver.

    “That’s what I like about spring...” Teaspoon started. “You get days hot as most summer ones, but instead of them muggy nights, there’s the cool crisp air to end it off.”

    “I never rightly thought of it that way.” Jimmy chuckled. He had never known how Teaspoon was able to always manage to see the bright side of things. A tree was never just a tree, nor was a horse just a horse. To Jimmy things were alot simpler.

    “I ain’t saying what I saw was bad.” Teaspoon clarified.

    “It’s not what you're thinking.” Jimmy corrected.

    “Okay, I’ve been wrong about love a few times.” Teaspoon smiled.

    “I ain’t said nothing about love.” Jimmy protested. “I just want to help find this man who is after her. That’s all. It ain’t right for a woman to be all alone and have to watch her back like that.”

    Teaspoon sipped hard from the tin mug and put his arm around Jimmy’s shoulder.

    “No one said you had to be a hermit either Jimmy. Nothing wrong with just getting to know her a little.” Teapoon nudged.

    “I don’t think a guy like me is what a woman like that really needs,” Jimmy justified.

    “No one’s perfect. We all got some shadows in the past.” Teaspoon looked him straight in the eye. “ Only most people don’t punish themselves for it the way you do.”

    “I ain’t punishing myself.” Jimmy interrupted.

    “When you first arrived here,” Teaspoon reminisced. “All I saw was your guns. You had the filed down sights, and hair trigger. You were a gunfighter. Despite my better judgment I gave you a job anyways. You’ve never made me regret that. Sometimes Jimmy we gotta take chances.” He concluded.

    “You’ve been married what now,” Jimmy paused playfully scratching his chin, “five times?”

    “Six.” Teaspoon corrected.

    “I prolly shouldn’t be taking advice from you then.” Jimmy cracked. “Hey maybe Cody is still up.”

    “Cody.” Teaspoon rolled his eyes.

    “Or Kid.” Jimmy quipped. “He does real well with Lou.”

    “Go to bed.” Teaspoon smiled. He laughed, and Jimmy laughed with him.

    Morning's first light shone in through the windows of the bunkhouse. Jimmy rolled over with a grumble. He had never really been a morning person. When he remembered Teaspoon saying that they would wire in to Denver today, he sat up. He didn’t want to miss the trip into town.

    Rachel had a coffee pot in her hand as she peeked around to see who had come in. “Jimmy!” She exclaimed, teasing him. “You're certainly up early.” Rachel smiled an all-knowing smile.

    “Yeah well I couldn’t really sleep.” Jimmy lied.

    “I was just putting on some coffee.” Rachel offered.

    “Coffee would be great. Anything I can help you with?” Jimmy offered.

    “Well you could throw some wood in the stove.” She suggested. “And if I recall you still make the best eggs I’ve ever tasted, I wouldn’t stop you if you happened to start cooking some.” Her eyes twinkled mischievously.

    “How could I say no after a compliment like that.” Jimmy smiled, turning the heavy iron handle of the stove cover lifting it to expose the flame beneath. Setting the lid aside, he bent to throw a few logs in. He reached across Rachel for the cast iron pan.

    “I think that Josephine girl might be sweet on you Jimmy.” Rachel tried to be as casual as possible.

    Jimmy cracked the egg too hard sending a tiny piece of shell swimming into the slippery insides. “People around here just can’t seem to mind their own business.” His voice reflected his evident frustration.

    “I’m sorry Jimmy, I didn’t mean anything of it.” Rachel was sincere in her apology.

    “I suppose there ain’t nothing much else happening around here for you all to talk about.” He replied.

    “No I suppose you're right.” Rachel smiled slyly. “ You boys are a pretty boring bunch.”

    Jimmy feigned offense. They both laughed.

    “The eggs!” Jimmy suddenly yelled. He saw the smoke rising from the pan. Grabbing the heated handle he let out a yelp reaching for the nearest thing that he could lift the pan with, Rachel’s apron hanging near the stove, suited his needs.

    He slipped out the backdoor and disposed of his charred attempt at breakfast. He tied the apron loosely around his waist, so he could inspect the burns on his hand. He mumbled a curse to himself. Looking down he saw a small folded up piece of paper on the ground. He picked it up. Unfolding it he noticed it was a handwritten letter. Maybe reading it would help him determine who he could return it to.

    “My Dearest. You are always in my heart, even though the time we spend together has become only a few brief glimpses of a love that used to burn like a brush fire. Two hearts passing each other like coaches in the street, day after day. I remember how you toss your chestnut hair when you laugh, how your eyes twinkle when we touch, and how it comforts me to know that even when I am gone for days I will be returning to you...”

    The rest had been smudged to illegibility by the puddle it had been sitting partly in when he found it.

    "Must be Kid’s.” Jimmy concluded out loud with a chuckle, tucking it into a pocket.

    By the time he had come back into the kitchen the smoke had subsided. Lou was sitting with Rachel at the big oak table, drinking coffee. Both women broke into a giggling fit as he came in.

    “What?” He asked innocently. They just laughed harder.

    “Oh, I get it...” He started, wiping his hands on the frilly white lace apron. “It’s my cooking.” He concluded. They laughed even harder. “I just got distracted is all.” He explained. Lou’s eyes had welled up with tears, she was laughing so hard. She took her glasses off and set them on the table beside her cup. Rachel managed to point to Jimmy’s waist. He suddenly realized what was so funny. He had forgotten he had tied on the apron, and visualized how silly he would look wearing it. He yanked at it firmly, but it seemed to snag on something. He yanked again but that seemed to make it even more stuck.

    “Here.” Rachel offered standing up, still laughing. “Let me help you.”

    Josephine wandered into the kitchen. “Good morning.” she smiled to Lou. “I thought I heard voices from down here.” She then looked over and saw Rachel taking the snagged lace apron off of Jimmy’s belt.

    “Oh my.” She seemed startled. “Seems I missed all the fun.”

    This sent Rachel and Lou back into hysterics. Jimmy flushed deeply.

     “There you go.” Rachel said pulling the apron free. Jimmy fumbled with his belt.

    “Maybe I should make breakfast.” Rachel offered.

    Jimmy grabbed the coffee pot and poured the steaming black liquid into his tin mug, a little splashing out onto his hand. He cursed again. “I need some air.” He escused himself.

    As he slipped back out the kitchen door, the room erupted in laughter again.

    “Poor Jimmy.” Rachel sympathized, wiping her own now tearing eyes.

     “Now Cody I’d expect those kind of antics from.” Lou added.

    “You don’t suppose we’ve hurt his feelings?” Josephine seemed genuinely concerned.

    “Who Jimmy?” Lou responded, “He’ll just fume awhile then go back to his same old self.”

    “You seem to know him pretty good.” Josephine concluded. “Are you close?”

    Lou fumbled. What had she meant by close? “We’re friends.” She quipped.

    “Does he know you're..” Josephine struggled, trying to be as tactful as possible. “Well, a woman!”

    Lou’s head whipped around to Rachel. Rachel shrugged.

    “Rachel?” Lou questioned.

    "I didn’t say a thing!” Rachel defended.

    “No one told me anything.” Josephine clarified. “ A woman just knows these things.”

    “The riders know, and Teaspoon.” Rachel answered her initial question.

    “Rachel!” Lou exclaimed.

    “Well she already knows.” Rachel explained, breaking fresh eggs into the hot pan.

    It was nice to have another woman around the house, thought Teaspoon as he came into the kitchen. Breakfast was made and the smell of fresh coffee invaded his nostrils. The sweet sounds of feminine laughter echoed through the room, as they shared stories and gossip.

    “Morning ladies.” Teaspoon tipped his hat. “Er, and Lou.” He was quick to catch his error.

    “It’s Okay.” explained Rachel, “She knows.” She nodded her head towards Josephine.

    Teaspoon raised an eyebrow. “ Well then.” He smiled.

    Jimmy came in and set his empty cup on the counter by the door. “Oh good.” He spotted Teaspoon. “I was beginning to feel out numbered.”

    “Once the boys wake up, we’ll head into town.” Teaspoon got right to business.

    “I’ll have to figure out who I can spare to come along...” Teaspoon sipped at his cup.

    "I’m free if you need me to come.” Jimmy interjected.

    Teaspoon had been expecting Jimmy’s offer. He teased Jimmy with his pause, “...are you sure you got nothing to be done here?”

    “Nope not a thing.” Jimmy responded.

    Lou rolled her eyes at Rachel.

    “And my next run isn’t for a few more days.” He added. He had been thinking alot about what Teaspoon had said the night before. What harm would it do to just open up a little to Josephine? If it didn’t work, then it didn’t work. Girl like that he figured he better not let the chance slip by. Besides, he had found Kid’s letter and knew that once Kid gave it to Lou, the two of them would be happy lovebirds again.

    “There’s no telling when the others will wake up, okay, you might as well come along.” Teaspoon grinned

    Jimmy hungrily scarfed down his breakfast then grabbing a roll from the basket on the table he stated “I’m ready.”

    Josephine smiled. Jimmy Hickok was certainly an interesting character.

    “We’ll be out in a few minutes.” Teaspoon explained. “I’m going to see if we can find this girl some riding gear.” Teaspoon smiled. Lou and Rachel both went to help him.

    Jimmy passed by the bunkhouse on the way to the barn. Kid had just woken up. “You're up early.” Kid commented.

    “Yeah.” Jimmy mumbled, continuing on his way.

    He approached the big palomino, softly patting it’s nose in greeting. “Hey boy.” He grabbed a fresh saddle blanket and placed it carefully on the animal’s back, then he lowered the heavy black conched saddle onto it. Reaching under the horse’s girth he tightened the cinch. He then fastened the bridle, fitting the bit into the large horse’s mouth.

    He went to get Josephine’s horse, a beautiful appaloosa. Passing by Lightning he checked the big dusky horse’s hoof, he was calm and let Jimmy dig at his foot. He wasn’t favoring it anymore. He guessed that Lou probably could have rode him yesterday, but he figured with Kid’s loaning of Katy, he was reminding Lou that they were still courting. If she needed reminding in the first place obviously he wasn’t doing something right, Jimmy concluded. He tacked and brought around Teaspoon's mount.

    As he lead the gelding out he spotted Teaspoon, Josephine and Rachel coming out from the house. Josephine was wearing a pair of tan slacks and knee length riding boots. Jimmy recognized her white blouse as one of Lou’s, and he suspected the brown vest she wore was Lou’s also. Her hair looked much different swept back and pulled into a fancy braid, with some loose wavy strands gently framing her face. To top it all off she had on one of Rachel’s cowboy hats. It was brown and well worn, Rachel reached over and tucked a daisy into the thick cloth band of it, giving her whole look a soft feminine touch.

    “It’s not polite to stare.” Rachel teasingly scolded Jimmy. Josephine smiled and blushed. Teaspoon jumped up onto his horse, leaving Jimmy to help Josephine onto hers.

    “That’s a nice animal you got there.” Jimmy took a second to admire the beautiful mare.

    “Thank you.” Josephine’s pride reflected in her smile. “I bought her in a fair in Boulder.”

    “I used to know a man who sold horses there.” Jimmy smiled.

    “I hate to interrupt this little tea party, but shall we?” Teaspoon cut in.

    Jimmy nodded. Josephine adjusted herself in the saddle, then nodded. The three horses trotted off.

    Kid had come into the kitchen. Lou was reading a piece of paper she had found in the apron pocket. She folded it and shoved it quickly into her pocket seeing Kid enter.

    “Good morning sunshine.” He greeted her with a warm smile.

    “Good morning yourself.” She smiled back. She wondered if the letter she had found was for her. It had said chestnut hair, and her hair was chestnut. She wondered if Kid had written this to her because things seem to have turned distant for them lately. She knew she had feelings harbored for Jimmy, but now seeing how Kid really felt she couldn’t help but feel enamored by his relentless affections. Besides Jimmy was obviously distracted by Josephine, who could blame him.

    He reached in to kiss her. She let him. He was surprised, she had been avoiding him for days. Maybe what ever it was had passed and things would go back to how they were. He smiled.

    “Coffee should still be warm, if you want some.” She offered.

    “Okay, Thanks.” He reached for the pot on the knit warmer in the middle of the table.

    “Do you really feel like we are two coaches passing in the street?” Lou blurted out.

    “Huh?” He almost dropped the coffee pot.

    “Two coaches passing in the street.” She repeated.

    Confusion filled his face. “Did I say that?” Kid wracked his brain.

    “Nevermind.” She said sweetly.

    Kid shook his head. He could never figure women, even Lou.

    “Jimmy and Teaspoon went to town with Josephine. Teaspoon asked me to ask you to fix the fence.” Lou relayed.

    Kid grumbled. “That was supposed to be Jimmy’s job.”

    “Well now it’s yours.” Lou smiled.

    Kid took a hard swallow of coffee. His face soured. It had gone cold. What he had thought would be a good day was turning out to be quite the opposite. Lou’s mind drifted, wondering who if not Kid could have written the letter.

On to Chapter 3!