The others didn't realize it, but Jack was happier and felt freer than she had since leaving England three years before. They had not been around to see the Jack with the veil of cautiousness always in her gaze, the Jack with her guard always up, always on the defensive. The Jack they were beginning to know and like had bright, friendly eyes and willingly melted at the merest hint of kindness. She was interested in everything and everyone. She moved about the grounds of the station, practically skipping on her crutches. If you were to look up from shoeing a horse, she would be there, watching as if she had never seen it done before, and asking a million questions. She rode into town with Teaspoon one afternoon and fired questions at him like there was no tomorrow, wanting to know how he had become a sheriff, and why and when.

"That girl is a blithe spirit," Teaspoon said later that same day. It was a phrase he had read in a book once, and he liked the sound of it. He liked the sound of it so much that he said it again. "Yessir, that girl is a blithe spirit."

To no one's surprise, Lou and Jack took to one another greatly, and strolled around town talking together rapidly. Though she didn't have to, Jack would dress in her riding clothes on these occasions, feeling once more a kinship with Lou when she did. Besides, she teased Lou, she didn't want the townspeople to think Lou McCloud had himself a gal.

Lou and Jack had developed the habit of teasing one another mercifully, and the bunkhouse often rang with their hysterical laughter. Jack could send Lou into fits of giggles, and Lou grew to love it when her new friend would suddenly fix on her with twinkling eyes and fire off a joke that hit as squarely and as surprisingly as any Cody could ever hope to make.

Within a fortnight Jack had settled in thoroughly, and by then the Express was up and running again. A few days after that, she tossed her crutches aside and gamely made her way around the station unaided. Though everyone watched with delight and gave a hearty round of applause when she was successful, each of them was more than a bit wistful with the realization that a now-mended Jack would soon be leaving Rock Creek. It had been strange at first to have her here, but now it didn't seem possible that she would be leaving.

Lou smiled at Jack as Jack smiled triumphantly back. "That's real good, Jack," she said, "I'm really glad for you."

Jack laughed happily and gave a little bow. "I'm going to take a walk -- my first unassisted walk in nearly three weeks. Hooray!" She threw her hands up in the air and hopped gingerly down the porch steps, sauntering carefully away to enjoy her once more appreciated freedom.

The others went about their chores and errands, and it was only Lou and Jimmy left on the porch. Lou sat on the bench and propped her heels up on the railing in front of her. The wind whipped her brown hair about her face, but she didn't seem to notice. She looked pensive as she sat. Jimmy leaned over the railing and scanned the horizon, watching as Jack's silhouette disappeared over the hill. They were silent for a few minutes.

"What are you thinkin', Lou?"

Lou smiled vaguely and turned to look at him. "I guess I was thinkin' how much I'm gonna miss Jack when she finally goes."

"It don't seem like there was ever a time before she was here, does it?" Jimmy admitted, still watching the horizon.

"No, it don't. I wonder why that is."

"She's pretty full of life, I guess. Somehow she just fits right in."

Lou studied Jimmy for a moment. There was something new in his tone that made her curious, but she said nothing.

Jimmy sighed. "We'd better get used to it, I reckon. War's on the way and we're all gonna be scattered to the four winds. Might as well get used to losin' each other now."

Lou was startled. "Jimmy, don't talk like that."

"I ain't tryin' to think bad, Lou, I'm just statin' facts."

"I know." Lou shivered. "But I just don't like that kind of talk."

Jimmy went back to the original subject. "You'd like it if she stayed, wouldn't you?"

"Yes, I would." Lou gave a firm nod. She grinned. "I'd really like it a lot."

A moment passed, and then Jimmy began a slow descent down the steps. On the last step he paused, his eyes focused elsewhere. "So would I," he said, and continued on his way to the barn.

As much as Lou might wish otherwise, the time had come when Jack felt sure she had overstayed her welcome. Her ankle was well-healed, and she knew there was no other reason for her to stay. She had made excuses, but it had been over a month now, and she knew in her heart it was time to go, no matter how much she didn't want to. These people were far too kind to say so, but she was an extra mouth to feed, an extra bed to provide, and one more person to worry about.

But it was so difficult to make herself leave. The ever-present smile on Ike's face, the sound of Rachel's warm laughter, or the quiet ease of Jimmy's company all served to remind her that here was a place she wanted to stay, here was a place that made her happy. She hadn't been truly happy since setting foot on the boat in Southampton that had taken her away from the land she loved so much. The thought of going back to her own station now filled her with the utmost dread. How could she go back there and hide once more, when the old Jack she remembered herself to be had emerged again at last?

One evening as she lay in the barn on a heap of straw, hands clasped behind her head, staring up at the rafters, Jack heard footsteps. She assumed it was Lou, who had taken to joining her sometimes, but when a shadow fell across her, it was Jimmy's.

He smiled down at her. "Hey, Jack."

"Hey, Jimmy."

"Mind if I join you?"

"Not at all." Jack's voice perfectly masked the jittery nerves under her skin. As Jimmy settled in beside her, working himself a place in the hay, her face was pink with embarrassment. She couldn't help thinking how shocked and horrified her proper grandmother would be if she knew. It was a great trial sometimes to be the product of such a prim English upbringing and having it crop up in the free-spirited American West at the most inconvenient times. Mostly Jack was fine around the boys, but sometimes if the Kid smiled at her a certain way, or Buck teasingly put his arm around her, she would inwardly dissolve into girlish mortification.

But slowly, as their mutual silence persisted, Jack's flush faded away, and she and Jimmy both lay there contentedly. The one thing she could never figure out was just why she always felt so comfortable around him. She was fond of them all, but being around Jimmy seemed to bring out the most calm, relaxed side of her, and she was thankful for it.

"Jimmy, I think I'll be leaving Rock Creek tomorrow."

He turned to his head to look at her, the hay rustling softly beneath him, then he turned back. "You think so?"

"Yes," she nodded firmly. "It's time I went on my way. You've all been overly generous, and I really can't impose upon you any longer."

Jimmy chuckled, rolling his eyes good-naturedly up at the ceiling of the barn.

"What?" Jack demanded, raising her head to glare at him.

"Aw, nothin'," Jimmy replied. He paused. "You. You and that accent." Then he spoke in a fair imitation of Jack, "You've all bean ovah-ly gen'rous and I really cahn't impoze upon you enny longah."

Jack laughed in outrage and doused him with an armful of hay. "Very funny."

"How the hell did you manage to get away with that accent?" he asked, still grinning.

She shook her head. "I don't know, probably because I don't say too much."

"Teaspoon said you're from England. Is that right? What's it like?"

Jack sighed wistfully. "Parts of it are beautiful, incredibly beautiful. And London is an exciting place." She paused. "But I don't want to talk about it."

Jimmy's eyes narrowed in confusion. It was the first time Jack had been unwilling to discuss anything. But, as was his way, he didn't push further. Instead he said, "You know, you don't have to go."

"Jimmy, how can you say that? You know I do. Listen, Buck may have said that my station manager took the news calmly, but I know the man, and he was fit to be tied. He doesn't understand anyone who takes the time to rest up if they've been hurt, he pushes us on no matter what. If I had pneumonia, or two broken legs, he'd throw me up on a horse himself if that's what it took. If he didn't have the fear and respect he does for Teaspoon I promise you he would have ridden over here himself and hauled me back."

"Sounds like a rough character."

"No, no, he's a good man. He just gets too focused. He doesn't tend to see the big picture."

After another moment's silence, Jimmy spoke quietly, "Lou says I'm like that."

"She knows you very well." Jack spoke assuredly, as if she were well aware of the truth of her statement.

"Yeah, I guess she knows us all pretty well."

Jack wrinkled her nose playfully. "Woman's intuition?"

Jimmy laughed again. "Somethin' like that, I guess." He looked at her as their laughter did down; looked into her dark blue eyes and felt a dangerous stirring in his chest. She didn't seem to notice: her eyes danced merrily, still lit by their moment of laughter, and she sighed and collapsed back on the hay.

"I love it here," she breathed. "I really do love it. I wonder why?" She paused and sighed again. "I suppose it's lots of things, everything, perhaps."

"You don't have to go," he said again.

"No, I do." This time her voice was lighter. "But you can rest assured, James Hickok, I will be back."