Cerridwen Gryfudd turned away from the dark haired young man. "For the last time, Roger, I will NOT marry you! Now drop it! You are not the one I am looking for." She began walking away, back toward the Hopewell Boarding House. She needed to gather her things, it was time to move on.

"CerriAn, wait! You know I'd be good to you. A pretty girl needs a man to protect her out here. Please reconsider. We could get hitched tonight!" he pleaded, following her.

"No!" Cerridwen said, tossing her golden red curls to emphasize her answer.

Roger Talbott grabbed her arm roughly and pulled the beautiful young redhead against his body. Wrapping his arms tightly around her, he kissed her savagely, bruising her mouth. Breaking the kiss, he began pulling her toward an abandoned house on the path they had been walking.

"Roger, don't! This is not the way to get me to change my mind."

"You'll never change your mind. So if you won't marry me, I'll just take what I want."

Dragging her inside, Roger pushed the struggling girl to the floor. He began beating her about the head, punching her and slapping her repeatedly.

Breaking her resistance, he ripped open her dress, exposing her lush body. Hastily pulling and tearing, he stripped her naked. An evil grin spread across his angular face, lighting his gray eyes with desire.

Cerridwen watched, still dazed from the vicious beating, as he hurriedly removed his clothes. Then he was upon her, tasting, touching, drinking in her scent. He licked her soft neck, then bit it, drawing blood to the surface. He suckled her tender, firm breasts, then chewed them unmercifully, leaving teeth prints and bruises everywhere.

Roger Talbott systematically worked his way down CerriAn's body, taking pleasure as he went. When he was no longer able to restrain his passions, he forced her thighs apart and plunged into her, ripping through her innocence with total savagery.

Cerridwen screamed in pain and shock, then fainted. When she came around, Roger was pumping furiously inside her and squeezing her breasts tightly in his fingers. She moaned in pain, but he took it for pleasure and smiled down at her.

"I knew you'd like it once I got past your objections. Well, now you have to marry me. I've spoiled you. No other man will take you after this."

"I don't love you, Roger. I've made that perfectly clear."

"Love don't got nothin' to do with marriage. You'll marry me, or I'll spread word all over Denver about how you couldn't wait to lay with me. No man will look twice at you then. And you know it!"

"You wouldn't! You forced yourself on me, you filthy swine!" Cerridwen was incensed and began struggling to push the dark haired man off her body.

Releasing her left breast, Roger brought his right fist forward and punched CerriAn in the jaw, knocking her unconcious.

When Cerridwen awoke, she was alone. Going over to her clothes, she examined them. They were unwearable. She looked out the window at the sky. From the position of the sun, several hours had passed. She had to get back to the boarding house and get her things, but how? She certainly couldn't walk through Denver naked!

Forcing her stiff and sore body to move, Cerridwen began searching the abandoned house. Finally, in an upstairs bedroom, she found an old trunk. Opening it, CerriAn found a dress of pink cotton with black polka dots and a crinoline petticoat. Praying they would fit, she tried them on. Deciding they must have belonged to a much smaller woman, Cerridwen squeezed her tender breasts into the bodice and managed to secure the buttons.

Gathering up her destroyed clothing, CerriAn cautiously made her way back to the boarding house she had called home for three months.

Quietly she snuck up the stairs to her room, where she bathed and dressed in a modest dress of jade green silk. Packing her belongings into her two valises, Cerridwen put on her bonnet, picked up her orange tabby cat and the valises, then went downstairs and out the door toward the train station.

Looking at a map, Cerridwen chose her destination, Eagle Bend, because she liked the name. Twenty minutes later, she watched as Denver disappeared behind the train. Hopefully, she would never see it or Roger Talbott again.

Two days later, Cerridwen and her cat Boudicca alighted from the train in Eagle Bend, New Mexico Territory. This was not the place. Besides, if Roger was following her, she needed to keep moving. She went to the stage lines and bought a ticket on the next departing coach. Where did not matter, she needed to leave now.

Luck was with her. She was directed to a coach that was loading up immediately. Giving her valises to the driver, CerriAn climbed with the cat into the stagecoach. She took a seat across from a young couple with a small son, settling the cat onto her lap. She was seated beside an older woman. The woman was a beauty, with blonde hair and large blue eyes. Her clothes were immaculate and very fashionable. When she spoke, her voice was soft with a slight southern accent.

The driver collected the tickets from his passengers, noting their destinations as he did so. The young family were headed for Albuquerque and the older woman was going to a town called Four Corners. Cerridwen looked at her own ticket, it said Dutch Gap.

Sitting back as the coach got underway, Cerridwen tried to relax. She closed her eyes for a moment to center herself, while gently stroking Boudicca's soft orange fur. When she opened them, the older woman was staring hard into her face.

"Who you running from, honey? Drunken husband?" the blonde asked with a slight smile on her cold face.

"No, a vicious beast who wants to be my husband." Cerridwen answered tiredly.

The rest of the trip passed quietly and when they arrived at Four Corners, CerriAn got out of the coach so the older woman could get out also. The helper saw her standing there looking around and thought she was departing also. He tossed her valises onto the ground near her feet, then handed down the older woman's various satchels and trunks.

Before Cerridwen realized what was happening, the driver had whipped up the horses and was pulling out of town.

"Hey, wait! This isn't..." she called.

The driver didn't hear her above his own shouts and the sounds of horses hooves.

"Well, I guess this is where I am."

"What's the matter, honey? Not what you expected?" the older woman asked.

"That's not it. I was going to Dutch Gap. They left me here instead."

"All the better to hide yourself. Now he can't trace you. Come on, I'll help you get a room. By the way, my name is Maude. Maude Standish."

"CerriAn Gryfudd. Pleased to meet you, ma'am."

Vin Tanner stopped sweeping the storefront and leaned on his broom watching as the two women headed toward the hotel. The younger one he had never seen before. She carried two valises and an orange cat, while she struggled to keep up with the older woman.

Setting the broom aside, he walked over and spoke. "Afternoon, ladies. Can I help carry these?"

Cerridwen looked up into the bluest eyes she had ever seen. She did her best to smile, but her face hurt.

"Well, Mr. Turner. It's nice to see someone in this town with manners. Could you arrange for my things to be brought to my hotel room? Miss Griffith and I are tired from our long journey." Maude said as she extended her hand to the young man.

"Sure, ma'am. Let me see to it while I escort you both to the hotel."

He took the valises from Cerridwen and offered each lady an arm, walking between them.

Once in the hotel, Vin approached the clerk. A slender young woman with dark brown hair and soft brown eyes smiled from behind the desk.

"Afternoon, Miss Eunice. Could you send somebody out to fetch Mrs. Standish's luggage?"

"Sure, Vin." she clanked a small bell and three young men came to the desk.

"Tony, Joe, Stephen. Go out to the stagecoach drop area and retrieve Mrs. Standish's luggage. Bring it here and then take it up to room 3 for her." She watched the three young men disappear before she continued. "Mrs. Standish, if you'll just sign our guest register, then I'll escort you up to room 3."

"Why, of course, my deah." Maude said as she signed in. "This is Miss Griffith. I believe she needs a room also."

"Hello, Miss Griffith. Our rates are one dollar per day and our meals are twenty five cents each. We offer a hot bath and laundry service. May I check you in? But you'll have to leave the cat outside. We don't accomodate animals."

"If you won't take Boudicca, then I'll not be staying. She is my pet and goes where I go." Turning to Vin, CerriAn continued. "Mr. Turner, could you show me to a place where both my cat and I could get a room?"

"Actually, Miss Griffith, my name is Vin TANNER. There's a boarding house for ladies down the street. I'll bet Mrs. Williams will take your cat, too. Come with me. See you later, ma'am." With that, Vin picked up the two valises again and led Cerridwen and Boudicca out of the hotel.

On the way to the boarding house, Vin stopped at the tavern and, poking his head inside, spoke to Ezra.

"Got some bad news for you, Ez. Just took your mama to the hotel. From the amount of luggage, looks like she's here for a while."

"Oh, Lord! Not again. Just when my life is going to my liking, she appears to wreak havoc! Well, I suppose I had better go and greet her." Sighing deeply, the handsome green eyed gambler rose to his feet and slowly began walking toward the hotel.

Vin continued with CerriAn on toward the boarding house. Walking up the steps and opening the door, he called out, "Mrs. Williams, are you here? Got a gal needs a room."

"Hello, Vin." A blonde woman in her late 30's with gentle brown eyes came toward them from the kitchen area.

"Mrs. Williams, this is Miss Griffith and her pussycat. They would like a room."

"Hello, Miss Griffith. Let me guess. Eunice at the hotel wouldn't take your cat. She hates animals. Of course I'll take both of you. My rates are two dollars a week without meals or three dollars a week with meals. Breakfast is served at 7 a.m., lunch at noon, and supper at 6:30 p.m.. I will heat water for a bath and do your laundry. The door gets locked at 10:30 p.m. on weeknights and 11:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. ABSOLUTELY no men upstairs and no tobacco or alcohol. If these rules are agreeable, I'll show you to room 7."

"Yes, ma'am. Those rules are fine. Boudicca and I won't be any trouble." Turning to Vin, Cerridwen smiled and continued. "Thank you, Mr. Tanner. You've been most helpful. I hope to see you again."

Setting Boudicca on the floor, CerriAn picked up her valises and began following Mrs. Williams up the stairs. The orange cat meowed at Vin then she followed the women up the stairs.

Vin chuckled, then went back outside to finish sweeping the steps of the merchantile.