Nettie and Kirsty were about a mile away from reaching the small Town of Four Corners when a speeding horse screeched to a halt blocking their path.

“Miss Nettie, it’s Elizabeths time and she’s hollering fit to bust, so was heading towards your place when I spotted you on the trail.”

“Sounds as if that baby is rushing into the world.? Out you get girl, you can walk to FourCorners from here.? She pointed towards the town in the distance as Kirsty jumped out of the buckboard

She did not mind walking but found the terrain a bit dusty and was glad to find a water pump to the rear of the Livery.? She wiped the dust from her face and hands and tried to tidy herself up a bit before entering the town proper.? She hid her bag containing her personal bits and clothing at the back of one of the stalls in the livery, she’d collect it later..

She could hear people laughing, chattering and getting along with their daily business. She got a few nods but no one asked her business.? She was glad of that.? She spotted a Saloon and instantly thought of Ezra.? She wondered if Saloons were open all day. She did not know much about them.

She? peered? in through the closed main door and thought she had seen movement from within. She shifted across? to one of the large windows, although? it had been frosted the big letters of the word Saloon remained clear.? She had to stand on her tip toes to see through the lettering but she could not see anyone inside, the place seemed empty of people.

Lily Deveraux? approached her new business enterprise to see ? a young woman? peering in through its windows. She prodded the young woman with a gloved finger.

Off balance, Kirsty got a fright and ended up on her bottom next to the skirts of a beautiful woman who looked down at her? with a raised eyebrow of enquiry.? The only thing she could think of to say was to speak the truth.

“I’m looking for work, I can clean and cook too.” She shot forth? in a rush her Scottish accent thicker than usual. ?She looked up at the woman and put on her bst smile.

.? ?