There she stood, her back to the room writing on the blackboard. Her hair was up, a style she didn’t often do on the Island. Her dress was brown and he knew without seeing her face, a shade that showed off her dark eyes. Some of the students in the room had looked to his direction upon his entrance to the room. For now he paid them no mind, focused souly on the object of his desire at the front of the room. He opened his mouth and the words he knew he’d say upon their meeting again spilled from it.

“There she weaves by night and day, a magic web, the colors gay…” at the sound of his voice Molly turned from her task at the blackboard. The smile on her face froze. The book she was coping out of fell from her hands onto the floor. “…she has heard a whisper say, a curse is on her if she stay to look down on Camelot.” It couldn’t be, it just simply couldn’t be. Professor Hartman was standing in front of her, in her class room, a million miles away from where he should be.

“Miss Gallagher?” Violet Potter called to her. “Miss Gallagher,” she said again this time getting Molly’s attention. Molly shook herself and turned to her student.

“Yes, Violet,” she answered her.

“Are you sick? Should we get Mr. Jackson?” she asked, noticing their teacher’s face had gone nearly white. Molly took a moment to find her voice, doing her best to keep it level.

“No, I’m fine, thank you. I think that perhaps we’ll end class for today.” Her student’s looked at each other as though they’d all heard wrong. They had just gotten back from their dinner recess. She had never let them out early. Some of them turned to look at the strange man that stood in the back of the class room. “All right off with you then,” she said to them. Quietly they gathered their things and filed out the door. Billy Travis passed by the man and instantly didn’t like him. He reminded him of the man that had shot his father and he didn’t like the way he stood and looked at his teacher. The students all walked down the street and he saw Chris sitting outside the saloon.

He’d been lost in thought over what had just happened with Lily after he’d asked her about the death of her husband. But he sat straight up at the sight of the students coming down the street. He knew that it was too early in the afternoon for them to be out for the day already. He called Billy over.

“What’s going on, why aren’t you all in school?” he asked him.

“Miss Gallagher let us out early. Some man came to the school, I think she knew him from where she lived before,” he answered him. Chris looked past him up the street to the church. The stage had come and gone and several people had gotten off. He hadn’t noticed anyone who would cause any trouble.

“I’m sure she gave you school work though, you’d better get home and get to it,” he said to the boy tousling his hair. Billy smiled at him and ran toward the newspaper office with several other children.

Molly waited until the last child left before focusing on the man in front of her. He answered her question before she asked.

“I’m here to see you of course. When I heard that one of my best students had been given her own post I had to come and see for myself,” he said walking up the aisle toward her. Molly noticed he hadn’t changed much. He was the same height and build of Mr. Sanchez with black hair and sky blue eyes. He was dressed in typical traveling clothes for a man of distinction out East, but showed his place as an outsider here. “You certainly didn’t have to dismiss classes on my account. I would have enjoyed seeing your methods.”

Molly finally found her voice, “You came all this way, hundreds of miles just to watch me teach?” she asked.

Molly couldn't believe what was standing in front of her. How could this be? her mind screamed. The only comfort in leaving her beloved home was knowing she wouldn't need to face this man for a long time. And now he stood in the one place of solitude she had found in this place.

"Since classes are dismissed perhaps you could escort me to the hotel?" Professor Hartman said to her. Molly didn't know what to do. If she went with him perhaps he would then leave her be for the rest of her stay. Molly took a step down from the front of the room. Did he even remember that night and what had happened, what he had done? If he didn't, as the case seemed to be then it would be all right, Molly reasoned in her mind. Still she was hesitant as she walked up to him and took his offered arm.

Together they walked out of the church and up the street toward the hotel. He talked of the weather and his travels but Molly couldn't listen. Up the street sitting outside the saloon was Buck Wilmington. He'd protect her, Molly thought. She had to tell him this man was here but she had to do it subtly. The professor couldn't know what she was doing. Molly turned to him.

"There is someone I would like you to meet," she said to him.

"Of course," he smiled at her. Molly led them over to where Buck was sitting. When he saw them he smiled and stood up.

"Heard you gave the kids nearly the whole afternoon off," Buck said jovially to Molly. Molly forced herself to smile at him.

"Yes, well someone's arrived in town from the Island," she said to him. Buck seemed to notice that her smile seemed forced. "Someone I'd like you to meet." Molly said to him. "Buck Wilmington, this is Gregory Hartman, Professor Hartman, this is Buck Wilmington," Molly said.

The professor put out his hand to shake Buck's. The name wasn’t lost on Buck as he smiled at him , took his hand and then punched him with enough force to knock him to the ground nearly taking Molly with him. Molly jumped out of the way. Buck advanced to the stunned man who was still on the ground dazed. Molly saw that he was going to hit him again.

"Mr. Wilmington please," she begged him. A small crowd had started to gather to see what the commotion was about. Josiah and Chris emerged with several other people from the saloon. Chris stepped in between the two men while Josiah helped Professor Hartman to stand up.

“I want that man arrested,” the professor loudly demanded, pointing at Buck while using a handkerchief to wipe the blood from his mouth.

“What the hell’s going on?” Chris asked Buck.

“I’ll tell you what’s going on, that man assaulted me for no reason, you can ask Miss Gallagher she saw the whole thing,” the professor interjected. Chris and Josiah both looked at Molly and then the man that had spoken. Neither one of them had ever seen him before but he clearly knew Molly.

“And who are you?” Josiah asked him.

“Gregory Hartman,” he replied, straightening his jacket. Chris and Josiah both shared a look and once again looked at Molly each recognizing the name. Molly’s eyes were to the ground. “I mean it, I want the sheriff summoned and I want him thrown in jail,” he demanded.

“We’re the law here,” Josiah explained to him.

“Fine then, you can see it’s taken care of,” the professor answered.

“So is he,” Chris told him indicating Buck who was still behind him.

“I don’t…” the professor’s words were cut off by the appearance of Judge Travis.

“What is going on here?” he demanded. He had heard the commotion from the newspaper office and had made his way over to the small group. As the four men began talking at once the Judge held up his hands. “Alright, enough!” he nearly yelled. “Mr. Larabee, take Mr. Wilmington over to the jail, Mr. Sanchez you and Mr…”

“Hartman,” the professor filled in for him.

“Mr. Hartman go to the newspaper office I want to talk with you. And you young lady,” he said turning to Molly who sheepishly looked up at him, “go with Mr. Larabee.” The tone of his voice suggested to the group that they simply do what they were told. “As for the rest of you,” he addressed the small crowd that still remained, “go about your business.” The crowd dispersed as the Judge made his way over to the newspaper office behind Josiah and the stranger.

“Wait here,” Chris told Molly before walking Buck into the jail. JD came across the street. He had seen part of what happened and knew somehow Molly was involved.

“Are you okay?” he asked her. Molly simply nodded and tried to smile.

“What happened?” he asked her gently. Molly took in a shaky breath, she didn’t know how she was going to explain this. Before she could answer the door opened again and Chris stepped out.

“JD,” he nodded at him with a tone suggesting that he leave them. JD gave a look to Molly before walking down the boardwalk. Chris took a few steps away from Molly before turning back to look at her. He remembered the night of the tornados that had hit the town when she had needed to stay with him, he watched her sleep and heard her call out his name in her sleep, telling him to stop. Stop what, he didn’t know but he got the feeling it wasn’t good. “You wanna tell me what happened?” He asked her.

“It was…it was just a misunderstanding,” Molly hurriedly explained. Chris looked at her knowing she wasn’t telling the truth.

“Some misunderstanding,” the Judge’s voice came from behind Chris. “Let’s go inside,” he said leading them into the jail. Molly caught her breath as she walked in and noticed that Buck was in one of the cells. “Mr. Hartman is adamant that Mr. Wilmington assaulted him for no reason,” the judge started. “He insisted on filing charges but I convinced him that a lose of a day’s wages would be sufficient as well as remaining in jail until tomorrow but I still wanted to hear your side of it,” he finished waiting for an explanation. Buck looked at Molly, he had made the girl a promise. Something in him wanted to tell the two men exactly what Hartman had done to Molly but the look on her face stopped him. Her dark eyes were begging him silently to keep his word.

“He wasn’t treating her like a lady should be,” Buck blurted out. Chris and the judge shared a look. Chris glanced over at Molly who still had her eyes pointed to the floor. It was clear that Buck wasn’t going to elaborate anymore and that Molly was quite embarrassed by the whole ordeal so taking in a breath the judge decided to just let it be. He didn’t like the idea of one of his men being locked in jail for the night but his hands were tied. He could only hope that trouble didn’t appear in the town and that if it should, the other six could handle it.

“Have you anything you want to say to me?” the judge asked Molly. She looked up at him and shook her head.

“No, sir, I don’t,” she said simply. Once again the judge felt as though there were a great deal more to the story and vowed if there were more trouble involving any of them while Professor Hartman remained in town that he would make damn sure the whole story came out.

“I suggest then that since you let your students have nearly a whole afternoon off without warning that you pay a visit to the man that caused you to do so,” the judge said to her before walking out the door. Chris stayed in the room. Something wasn’t right. He’d known Buck for years and knew enough to know when there was a woman involved that Buck didn’t always think with his head. If he didn’t know better he’d think that Buck was jealous but he knew that wasn’t the case.

When she first got to town she may have been on Buck’s list of conquests but he also saw that the longer she remained the more most of the men saw her as more of a little sister. Though he knew as far as JD and now it seemed Vin was concerned, they saw her as something more. He looked over at her. Molly’s eyes avoided him. He hadn’t had a chance to clear the air between them after what had happened at his house. He wasn’t really sure how but knew that he wanted to.

“I think that maybe you’d better do what the judge says,” Chris said to her, trying not to keep his voice harsh with her. “He’s up at the hotel. You want someone to go with you,” he asked her. She looked at him for the first time and for a moment he thought she’d say yes. The look on her face for a brief second was almost as if she were begging him not to make her go to him.

“No, I’ll be fine,” she said turning and walking out the door.

Chris waited until Molly’s footsteps faded away up the boardwalk before turning to Buck.

“You wanna tell me what really happened?” Chris said to him.

“I just did,” Buck countered. Chris took a couple of steps a way and drew in a breath before turning back to the cell.

“You remember the night of the tornados?” Chris asked him. Buck just looked at him. He remembered that Molly had gotten caught and ended up staying with Chris. “She’d fallen asleep and after awhile I could tell she was dreaming. She started talkin’ telling someone to stop doing something. The person she was telling to stop was Professor Hartman. I asked her when she woke up what she meant and she wouldn’t tell me. But I get the feeling it wasn’t good,” Chris finished. Buck looked down and looked back at his friend. Chris waited another minute before turning and walking out of the jail.

Molly walked briskly up the boardwalk to the hotel. She took in a breath and stepped inside. She was expecting that the professor would be waiting inside for her. He wasn’t in site. The clerk seemed to notice who she was waiting for. “He went upstairs miss,” he said to her. Molly smiled and nodded thanks at him. She certainly wasn’t going to go upstairs to his room. Not only was it not a proper thing to do but she was also not about to place herself in a vulnerable position.

“Please inform the gentleman when he comes down that I’ll be waiting in the restaurant,” Molly told the clerk. She walked to the restaurant that was attached to the hotel. Only a few people were in there that late in the day. Several pairs of eyes were on Molly as she was shown to a table near the window and ordered a pot of tea. Gossip ran through this town faster than the wind sometimes, Molly thought knowing that most of them had heard about what had just occurred outside the saloon and that the story of what happened more than likely had been exaggerated greatly. Professor Hartman arrived shortly after the tea was brought to the table. He sat down across from Molly and gave her a smile. Molly could feel the eyes on them more intently now that he’d made his appearance and sat with her.

“This place seems to suit you,” he said to her. “I’d hardly have thought it but it does.”

“It’s come to grow on me,” Molly responded pouring the tea.

“Of course now I truly understand what they mean when the refer to this area as ‘the wild west,’” he said, placing a hand to his jaw where a bruise was beginning to form. Molly didn’t respond but just sipped at her tea. “But to more pleasant things, I was hoping we could have dinner together this evening,” he said to her. Molly nearly dropped the tea cup that was in her hands. She needed to use both hands to place it back on the saucer lest it tumble to the floor, creating another spectacle.

“I’m afraid that I’ll have to decline,” Molly said to him. “I’ve already made plans for this evening.” She hoped that would be the end of it; that he’d say he was bound for his destination on the stage to come tomorrow.

“What about tomorrow evening then?” he asked. “I’m hoping that you will allow me the pleasure of your company to fill you in on all the news of the Island and as a way to make up for…for a past indiscretion,” he finished. Molly simply blinked at him. So he did remember. She wondered what would happen if she declined his offer. Would word get back home that she’d all but ignored her former professor, and a top member of Charlottetown society? She longed to return home someday and didn’t want to be the topic of scandal once there. Aside from that it was only dinner, she reasoned. Dinner in a perfectly crowded restaurant with many people nearby. He would hardly dare to do anything to her in public.

“Very well, tomorrow evening then,” she said. A wide smile crossed his face.

“I’m so pleased,” he said. “You’ll forgive me if I depart now. I am quite tired from my journey and would like to freshen up and rest.”

“Of course, not at all,” Molly said to him. He stood up the smile still on his face. He picked up one of her hands from the table and held it in one of his own. His thumb absently ran back and forth over the top of it. He reveled in the feel of it – how soft it was, how small and delicate. He wanted to imagine her hands running over his body but he had to control himself. This wasn’t the time and certainly not the place.

“Until tomorrow then,” he said, bringing her hand to his mouth he kissed the top of it. Molly tried to restrain herself from pulling her hand away. He let go of her hand, half bowed to her and walked out of the restaurant. Molly squeezed her eyes shut and turned to the window so no one could see the tears that had formed in them. Across the street sat Chris Larabee a coffee cup in his hand. She saw him great Mr. Sanchez and the two began talking. Molly wanted nothing more than to run out of the restaurant and across the street and tell both of them the whole horrible story. The thought of what they might think of her afterward kept her from moving. What sort of a person was she, to agree to dine with the very man that had assaulted her? It was her fault, the whole thing, he was a married man, she had to have done something to make him do such a thing.

“Molly?” a voice to the side caused her to jump from her thoughts. She turned to see JD standing next to the table. She quickly tried to wipe the tears from her eyes but he’d already noticed and sat down at the chair across from her and pulled it closer to her. “Tell me what’s wrong,” he gently demanded of her. “Tell me and I’ll try my best to fix it,” he said to her. Molly gave him a smile and covered his hand that rested on the table with her own. His automatic reflex was to place his other hand on top of hers. She looked at him. Dear, sweet John, she thought. He’d become a confidant of sorts to her. Almost a best friend. She knew he cared a great deal for her, she knew he wanted more than a friendship. Thoughts of the kiss Vin Tanner had given her at her father’s house ran through her head. She shook them from her head as she struggled for a way to respond to JD’s plead.

“I don’t think you can,” she said softly. “It’s…it’s home, I miss home, the Island,” she lied though it wasn’t a total lie but one just the same since that wasn’t the reason for her being upset. Sounds of laughter and playful screams up the street caught JD’s attention. The children had gathered at the far end of the street and were playing a game of dodge ball. He took her hand and pulled her to her feet.

“Come on,” he said to her pulling her out of the restaurant.

“Where are we going,” she said, almost needing to run to keep up with him. He lead her to the children and broke ahead of her to Billy and motioned for him to give him the ball. Billy tossed it to him and they all waited to see what he’d do. Suddenly, without warning he tossed it at Molly’s direction and it hit her leg causing her to be ‘it’.

“John Dunne,” she scolded picking up the ball. He playfully backed way

“You wouldn’t” he said, challenging her.

“I most certainly would,” she said, throwing the ball as hard as she could at him. The children squealed with delight and the game ensued with the two grown up’s.

Later that evening Molly made her way back to the saloon. The dodge ball game had lifted her spirits but only temporarily. She knew that seeing Lily would make her feel better but she hoped that she could hide how she was really feeling from her friend. Lily was just starting to recover and Molly didn’t want to add any more strain on her. She had felt guilty that afternoon when Lily noticed something was on her mind with regard to Vin. While it had made the girl feel better talking about what had happened between them, she still felt like she was burdening her friend. She had a stop to make before reaching the saloon. Molly walked up to the jail and inside. No one but Mr. Wilmington was there. Usually if someone was in the jail one of the men would be on guard.

Being it was one of their own that appeared to not be necessary. He looked strangely at Molly when she entered as if not knowing what she could possibly be doing there. She walked up to the cell he was in. “I hope that you’re not angry with me, though you have every right to be,” she said to him. He stood and walked up to the door.

“No, not you,” he said softly to her.

“It should be me in there, not you,” she said shame in her voice, her head to the floor unable to look at the man that she’d trusted with her secret and who had tried to be her avenger. He reached through the bars of the cell and lifted her chin with his finger.

“You listen to me, never, ever say that,” he scolded her gently. “He is the only one that should be in here.” Molly tried to smile at him. She took his hand from her chin and placed something into his palm and closed his hand into it.

“You are one of the kindest men I have ever known,” she said to him. He opened his hand to reveal what she’d pressed inside it. Two half dollars starred up at him. “The wages you lost because of me,” she explained.

“Molly, I ain’t taken’ this,” he said holding his hand back out to her. She took a step back.

“Stuff and nonsense. You lost your pay because of me, I’m simply paying back a debt,” she said to him.

“Molly, tell them,” he said softly to her. She shook her head at him.

“I can’t, he’ll be gone soon and it will be over,” she said to him. The door opened cutting off anything else he was going to say. Molly turned to see Josiah Sanchez walk in.

“Didn’t mean to interrupt,” he said trying to sound good natured.

“Not at all,” Molly said, finding her voice. “I was just leaving, good night gentlemen,” she said walking out of the jail. She walked across the street to the Saloon. She walked quickly through to the stairs nodding at both Mr. Standish and Bo Jun who were busy behind it. She walked up the stairs to Lily’s room and knocked.

“Who is it?” Lily’s voice asked. Molly thought that odd, she normally just invited the person inside.

“It’s Molly,” she answered.

“Come in,” Lily called out and Molly opened the door. Lily was sitting at her dressing table brushing out her hair. She gave Molly a sad smile through the mirror.

“Is everything alright?” Molly asked her.

“Of course, why wouldn’t it be,” Lily answered a bit quickly. Molly took a step toward her.

“Are you feeling ill again?” she asked her friend. Her face was pale in the mirror and it looked as though she may have been crying. Lily turned to face her.

“I’m just fine,” she said to her.

“Here, let me do that,” Molly said, walking up to her and taking the brush from her. Lily turned back toward the mirror and allowed Molly to run the hair brush through her hair. “You have such beautiful hair,” Molly said to her as she brushed the long, light brown locks. “You should wear it down more.” Lily looked at the young woman in the mirror as she stood behind her. Something wasn’t right with Molly. She seemed jumpy and edgy. She knew exactly what the response would be from the girl if she asked her what was wrong. Lily turned to face her.

“What has happened?” she asked Molly. Molly wondered if she’d heard about Mr. Wilmington and the commotion that had occurred that afternoon. Molly’s reply was interrupted by a knock on the door. Lily sighed, got up and walked over to open the door to Bo Jun who was carrying a tray. Lily let her in and she set it on the dresser.

“Bo Jun, why don’t you join us?” Molly invited her. She hadn’t seen her in a while. Bo Jun just half bowed to her.

“I am needed downstairs,” she said. Molly noticed she was dressed in a silk evening dress.

“Thank you, Bo Jun,” Lily said to her, shutting the door behind her. Molly preoccupied herself with removing the towels that covered the plates.

“You haven’t answered my question, cherie,” Lily said to her. Molly turned back around. For a moment she wanted to tell her the whole horrible story. Lily looked so tired, so worn out she knew she couldn’t burden her with this.

“Nothing…happened,” she said to her. “One of my professors, Gregory Hartman is here from the Island. He’s stopping here on his way to California. There was a misunderstanding with him and Mr. Wilmington this afternoon but it’s been cleared up,” Molly answered her. Lily looked at the girl knowing that wasn’t the whole truth. For a couple of seconds a look had passed her face, it was a look that she’d seen her wear only once, when Bryn Callaghan had come back to town after being missing for several days. Rumors had passed through town that her captor had done some unpleasant things to her. Molly had asked her if they were true and had the same look on her face when she asked.

The look had startled Lily then as it did now – almost as if she were remembering something. But it came and went so quickly that Lily thought maybe she’d imagined it. The name though she recognized but she couldn’t place from where. Molly brought the plates over to the bed where they each scooted a chair over and used the bed as a make shift table to eat their dinner.

“He and I are having dinner tomorrow evening,” Molly continued.

“Well that will be nice,” Lily said to her. Each woman did their best to make small talk but for the most part it was silence between them as they ate. Molly offered to bring the empty dishes downstairs on her way out. She hoped that Lily wasn’t going to get ill again. Lily had assured her she was fine, just a bit tired and run down. Molly hesitated at the door as she was leaving. “I just over did it, too much too soon that’s all,” Lily assured her. She gave the girl a kiss on the cheek and made her promise to have someone see her home. She shut the door behind her and leaned heavily against it. She placed her hands against her face and began to sob.

Molly made her way downstairs with the tray to the small kitchen in the back of the saloon. She placed the dishes in the sink and debated on whether or not she should wash them. She had nearly made up her mind to do so when a figure in the doorway caught her attention. It was Cheyenne and Molly could tell she was angry.

“He is here,” she said to Molly, a statement not a question and Molly knew who the ‘he’ was that she was referring to. “He is in this town and Buck is locked up because of him and you still say nothing!” she nearly shouted at the girl. Molly took a step back, the woman in front of her’s rage catching her off guard.

“Cheyenne please, keep your voice down,” Molly said to her. “I spoke with Mr. Wilmington, I apologized to him.” Cheyenne cut her off.

“Why is he here?” she asked her.

“He’s only stopping here on his way to California. This was simply on his way there,” she said to her.

“You believe that?” Cheyenne asked her.

“Why wouldn’t I?” Molly replied back.

“You must stay away from him, promise me that,” Cheyenne said to her. Molly’s eyes went to the floor.

“I can’t I’m so sorry Cheyenne but I can’t promise you that,” she said looking up at the woman with tears in her eyes.

“Why?” Cheyenne asked her stepping toward her. Molly bit her bottom lip.

“Because I’ve agreed to have dinner with him tomorrow evening,” she said. “It’s only dinner, in a crowded restaurant. And he’d never think about escorting me, it isn’t proper. And then he’ll be gone, he’ll leave and it will be as though this never happened,” she said to her.

“It will never be that way for you. You will never be at peace,” Cheyenne said to her. Molly shut her eyes. She was so tired. She just wanted to go home and crawl into bed and get this horrible day over with.

“Please, Cheyenne, I just want to go home,” she said to her.

“I will walk you,” Cheyenne said leading her out through the saloon. Chris, JD and Vin watched the pair leave.

“She say anything more about what happened,” Vin asked Chris. He shook his head.

“Nope, and Buck ain’t saying anything more either,” Chris said. Vin watched Cheyenne and Molly through the window walk up the street toward Molly’s house. He knew Molly’d be safe with Cheyenne. Royal’s men were still around.

“I don’t like it, Chris,” Vin said out loud. “I don’t like it at all.” Something was wrong, he just knew it. There was something going on with this professor of Molly’s and he just felt that something about it wasn’t right.