Sweetheart Dance

by Paige Mallory

  Junior nodded, and left the room smiling, and Abby was impressed with Monty for apologizing to Junior. It made him a better man in her opinion. And, she was more than a little relieved to know she’d never have to deal with Ralph Peterson again.

  Monty shut the door, and came to sit on the corner of his desk to look down at Abby. “I’ve a bone to pick with you, young lady,” he said firmly, and she was shocked at the serious look in his eyes. He reminded her of her Papa right then, when Papa was about to scold and punish… “I want to know why on earth you didn’t tell your father that Ralph Peterson was giving you a hard time.”

  Abby felt her face turning pink, and cursed her redhead’s complexion. Becky never blushed! “I don’t believe that is any of your business, Mr. Fairchild.”

  Monty folded his arms across his chest. “I don’t want to give you the wrong impression, especially after what you endured with Ralph Peterson, but I am very attracted to you, Miss Abigail. I am interested in pursuing that attraction… with your permission, of course. If you agree to let me come calling, then it is my business why you didn’t speak to your father and ask for his protection.”

  Abby didn’t know what to think. On one hand, she was excited that Monty felt the same attraction she did… and on the other, she didn’t appreciate being taken to task for something that happened before they met. She got to her feet and said, “I feel an attraction for you, too, Mr. Fairchild, and you are welcome to come to the ranch for dinner tonight. You will need to ask Papa’s permission to call on me, however. Those are his rules, and I respect them.” She headed for the door, only to stop as he moved to stand in front of her.

  “I’ll be happy to join you for dinner, Miss Abigail… and if I learn that you haven’t told your Papa about Ralph Peterson by the time I arrive, I will take you over my knee and give you the spanking you deserve for not asking for his protection.”

  “How dare you?” Abby was incensed.

  “I believe I care about you…” he answered simply, then took her hand and kissed it. “I love your scent,” he raised his eyes to hers, and inhaled again… “It’s definitely the right fragrance for you.”

  Abby fled the bank and rode home… her senses all in a whirl. She debated on whether or not to speak to her father, and decided against it. After all, Monty wouldn’t dare spank her…! Especially with her entire family around her. She informed her Mama that she’d invited a gentleman to dinner, and answered a myriad of questions from her concerned parent.

  “I think you were very wise to ask him to dinner to meet your Papa, Abby,” Lenora praised her daughter. He will want to meet him anyway since we do our banking there.”

  “I don’t think Papa will have any concerns in that regard, Mama,” Abby smiled, and then added, “He is very kind to Junior and gave him a raise today.”

  “That’s nice; Junior has been there for a long time,” Lenora answered. “What do you plan to wear tonight, honey?”

  Abby asked her Mama’s opinion, and listened as Becky immediately disagreed… Franny suggested something else, and Abby left them in the kitchen while she went to choose for herself. When she came downstairs, her Papa called her into the study.

  “Your Mama tells me you’ve invited a young man to supper tonight?” Connie asked. “How did you meet him?”

  Abigail answered, and something made her decide to tell her parent the whole story… Connie’s eyes narrowed in anger a couple of times, but he heard Abby out… smiling a bit when she told him that Monty promised to spank her himself if she didn’t tell her Papa about Ralph Peterson’s improper behavior. “Why didn’t you come to me, honey? You surely didn’t think I’d permit that bastard to treat you that way, did you?” Connie was concerned. He wasn’t like some people who thought it was a woman’s fault when a man acted badly towards them… He felt the blame went square on a man for not controlling himself.

  “At first I thought I could handle it, Papa. Then, I was afraid you wouldn’t let me ride into town alone if you knew he was hassling me… I really need that bit of time alone, Papa… I love everyone here, but sometimes it’s nice to get away for a bit…” She looked at him and asked, “Do you understand? I just didn’t want to lose my private time because you were worried about me…”

  “I wouldn’t have punished you that way, Abby. I would have rearranged Peterson’s face for him and told him to leave you alone or die…” Connie said so vehemently that his daughter giggled. “You think that’s funny?” he grinned sheepishly.

  “I know you love me, Papa. I do. I should have told you and asked you to help me… but I honestly thought I could handle it myself.”

  “Well, he’s gone now… but if something like that ever happens again, I expect you to come and tell me right away, Abigail. Is that clear?”

  “Yes, Papa.” She got up and gave him a big hug.

  “So, do you like this Monty Fairchild? Am I supposed to say ‘yes’ to his courting you?” Connie asked. He was aware that his girls expected him to tell certain guys to get lost… and he wanted to be sure Abby wanted Fairchild’s attention before he gave permission… IF he decided to give permission…

  “I like him, Papa… A lot,” Abby confessed. “He makes me feel special when he smiles. He has kind eyes, too. Like yours.”

  Connie smiled. “I’ll try not to eat him alive tonight,” he said gruffly.

  Monty arrived early, and Abby was right there to introduce him to her parents, her five sisters, and her little brother. She added that Sam was out of town, and did her best to make Monty feel at home. Monty was relieved when they were joined by two other men, and he learned that Franny and Nattie were also seeing young men. At least Connie Webster found some men acceptable, and it got his hopes up that he would pass inspection, too. Everyone seemed to accept him, and he did his best to handle his end of the conversation, doing his best to remember names.

  Abby was excused from helping in the kitchen since she had a guest, and she was happy to go outside for a walk with Monty.

  “Did you talk to your Father about Ralph Peterson?” Monty inquired.

  “What if I said ‘no’?” Abby asked in a saucy voice, then wished she hadn’t when Monty pulled her over to the front porch steps, took a seat, and promptly turned her over his knee and swatted her backside. “Stop it! Monty! Don’t!” Abby pleaded. “I told Papa… I did! Stop!”

  Monty stopped spanking her, and lifted her to her feet to look her in the eyes. “You did tell him, Abigail?”

  “Yes!” She ruefully rubbed her bottom.

  “So, you were testing me?” he asked with a grin.

  “I guess I was,” she looked at him. “It wasn’t a very smart thing to do. You have a hard hand!”

  “I worked my way through college by working on the docks,” he admitted, and added, “I always keep my promises, Abigail. If I promise you a spanking, you can bank on the fact that you are going to have a sore bottom. I don’t like being tested, either. You can let tonight be a lesson to you.” Then he kissed her gently, and asked, “What did your father have to say to you?”

  “Papa made me promise to tell him if anything like Ralph happens again,” she replied.

  “Will you keep that promise?”

  “Yes. I always keep my word,” Abby smiled.

  “I believe you…” He gave her another kiss, then asked solemnly, “May I ask your father for permission to court you, Abby? My intentions are marriage and a large family…”

  “I would like that very much, Monty,” Abby’s eyes were sparkling.

  Connie was positive he was going to go crazy. It was the second time he thought he was going to have to rescue a daughter, only to learn that she was the one testing the boundaries… It was easy to see that he was going to lose half of his daughters very soon… but at least all of the young men were settled close by… He went back into the house by the kitchen door, thankful that he hadn’t been caught snooping. Hell, it was his job to snoop. A man had a right to keep his girls safe… He like
d Monty… and when the banker came and asked permission to court Abby, he gave it, along with his standard warning about stomping him into the ground if he hurt his little girl… and a reminder to his daughter to remember the rules… or he’d cut a switch. His Abby blushed, but Monty chuckled and announced to Abby that he really liked her dad. Connie liked him, too, but he wasn’t going to let Monty know it just yet.

  Chapter Five

  Paul Alexander, Newspaper Man

  The knock on the door startled Dottie because she was on her hands and knees right in front of the door, scrubbing the floor. She was pretty sure it was one of the hands because she hadn’t heard a buggy or a wagon… but it was odd for them to come to the front door… Besides, her Papa was out by the corral. She rose to her feet, slipped, and landed on her bottom, sending the bucket skidding across the floor and getting water everywhere. “DAMN! DAMN! DAMN!” she swore, and the door opened suddenly, hitting her abused posterior just as she was attempting to get to her feet, and she landed face down in the wed sudsy puddle of water.

  “I’m so sorry!” a male voice said contritely. “I heard you fall, and thought I should help…”

  Dottie whirled around to see who spoke to her, and she could see the man was openly laughing… at least his blue eyes were laughing… He was doing his very best to keep a straight face, however, and she couldn’t help giggling. Some imp within her reached out and gave his pant leg a tug, and since his boots were right in the middle of the soapy water, he ended up sitting in the sudsy mess right along with her. “I’ll teach you to laugh at me!” she giggled again.

  “You little brat! This is my best suit!” Paul Alexander had to chuckle at her antics. She was uninhibited and fun. “I ought to spank you!”

  “You wouldn’t dare!” Dottie taunted him.

  “Yes, I would!” he insisted.

  “No, you would not! My Papa would whip you raw!”

  “I’m not scared of your Papa,” Paul promptly announced, and he grabbed the little redhead and pulled her over his lap. “This is going to hurt me a lot more than it will you!” he stated the old line in a solemn tone of voice, and the pretty girl giggled even more. He gave her a swat, then another. “Are you sorry now?” Giggles were his only reply, and so he gave her a few more smacks that were hardly more than taps.

  “You let me go!” Dottie was breathless with laughter… and suddenly she realized that she was behaving most inappropriately and with a complete stranger! Why, she didn’t even know the man’s name!

  “Dorothy Jean Webster! What in the world is going on in here?” Connie Webster’s voice boomed out, and Paul looked up and saw his death looming in the big man’s dark eyes.

  “Sir, I can explain…” he said.

  “Damn right you are going to explain.” Connie reached down and grabbed his daughter by the waist and lifted her to her feet. He was angry and didn’t care who knew it. Franny had come running for him, yelling that a stranger was hitting her sister, and Connie came on the run to save his child, whichever one it was. And where in hell was Lenora?

  “Papa, Mr….?” she looked at the man sitting on the floor helplessly… “He wasn’t hurting me, honest. We were being silly. I was scrubbing the floor… He knocked… I tried to get up, and slipped, and knocked the water over… He heard me cussing…” her cheeks turned a vivid pink at the admission…”…and he opened the door to see what was wrong, and knocked me down again… with the door… and then… well, I was giggling and pulled him down, so he could get all wet too… He was laughing with his eyes… and it seemed the thing to do… and I am so embarrassed…” she exclaimed. “He wasn’t really spanking me, Papa… Just teasing me back…” Dottie turned to run for the steps, on the verge of tears…

  “My name is Paul Alexander… I think I’m in love with you, Dorothy!” Paul struggled to get up and stop her before she could flee.

  Dottie turned to look at him in shock, her brown eyes full of tears. “I’m such a… mess!” she burst into tears and went running past a shocked Franny and upstairs to her room.

  Paul heard the door slam, and slumped down on the wet floor. “I don’t think I impressed her much.”

  “You sure as hell haven’t impressed me,” Connie growled. “Who the hell are you, and what are you doing here…?”

  “I’m starting a weekly newspaper in Red Scarf, sir. I came to speak with Mrs. Webster about the Sweetheart Dance. I apologize for the bad impression I made.” Paul finally managed to get to his feet, just as Lenora came from the direction of the kitchen.

  “Oh, look at this mess! Where is Dottie?” she asked.

  “She’s upstairs crying… and where have YOU been?” Connie growled.

  “I was in the garden, weeding… and don’t you take that tone of voice with me, Connie Webster. Who is this young man, and why is he dripping all over the floor?”

  “Ma’am, I’m Paul Alexander. I came to ask you for an interview for my newspaper… I want to do an article on the Sweetheart Dance… but I think it would be best to go home and change, and come back another time… when it is more convenient. I’ve made a mess of this visit,” he winced at his unintended pun.

  “Nonsense. You are about Sam’s size. I’ll get you some dry clothes to put on. Franny, would you please take care of this mess… I’ll come back and help you in a few minutes, after I check on Dottie. Why is she crying?” she looked directly at Connie.

  “She’s just embarrassed, Mama,” Franny decided it was best to help out her Papa. “I think she really likes Paul, and she was a big wet mess… She’ll tell you all about it…” Franny smiled.

  Lorena could see that her husband wasn’t happy, but she didn’t have time to deal with his temper at the moment. She ran upstairs, found clothing for their guest, and brought it downstairs. She showed the young man to the back porch, where he could change with some privacy, then she hurried up the back steps and found Dottie in her room, crying.

  “I’ve made such a mess of things, Mama…” she wailed, and Lorena listened as Dottie told of meeting Paul, doing her best not to laugh. “Papa is mad at me, and he’ll never even give Paul a chance.”

  “I’ll talk to your Papa; don’t you worry. Honey, he was just frightened… He thought some maniac was in the house hurting you… Franny just saw Paul grab you, and didn’t hear the conversation, and she went for your Papa, which was the correct thing to do. Papa will be fine. You get yourself dried off, and fix your hair and come downstairs. I’m going to invite Paul to stay to supper.” She gave Dottie a hug and a kiss, and then hurried downstairs. To her surprise, Connie was helping Franny clean up the mess in the large foyer, and the job was nearly finished.

  Connie smiled when Lenora kissed him. “You are such a good father, Connie Webster,” she whispered. “I know you were frightened, but try real hard to let it go. It was all a misunderstanding, and Paul seems to be a nice young man. Dottie really likes him.”

  “Is she all right?” he asked gruffly.

  “She’s embarrassed, and upset that you were worried.”

  “These girls are making me crazy, Lenora,” he said with feeling.

  “I know, dear. I know.”

  ********************

  Paul felt self-conscious as he came through the kitchen and into the main hallway by the front door. He was embarrassed that he’d responded to Dorothy’s playful nature in the way he had… She would probably never give him the time of day… and damn it, he really liked her… more than a little.

  “There you are… Yes, I thought you and Sam were about the same size. Come on into the parlor, Mr. Alexander, and have a seat,” Lenora took charge. She was well aware than Connie was sticking to her side, and she had to refrain from smiling as she wondered if her husband thought she needed protecting from the young man. Perhaps he thought Paul would try to spank her bottom! She bit her lip to keep from laughing at the idea, and only the fact that Paul was incredibly nervous kept her from giving in to her amusement.

  “Thank you for
the dry clothes, Mrs. Webster. I’ll have them laundered and return them soon.”

  “There’s no hurry,” she smiled kindly. “Did I understand that you have questions about the Sweetheart Dance?”

  “Yes, ma’am. I’d like to write an article for the newspaper I’m starting in Red Scarf.”

  “A newspaper! Oh, that is wonderful. Connie, we’ll have a paper right here… Won’t that be nice?”

  Connie grudgingly had to admit that it was something needed for a long time. He nodded in agreement with Lenora. “We need a paper. Folks will be pleased.”

  “I sure hope so. I’ve put almost everything I’ve got into buying a press and a building for my office… There’re rooms upstairs to live in… but I’ll be doing all the writing, setting type, and printing all on my own.”

  “It sounds very interesting. You will need advertisers… perhaps Connie and I can suggest to some of our friends to place ads… What will you are charging for your paper?” Lenora asked.

  Paul answered her, and was relieved when she nodded.

  “That sounds quite fair. What day of the week will you publish? We’ll want to make sure you hold a copy for us each week.”

  “Thursdays, ma’am,” Paul responded. He was happy to have at least one bonafide customer.

  “There you are, Dottie,” Lenora called to the doorway, and Connie was amazed yet again how the woman seemed to know exactly which of her eight children was coming down the steps when she couldn’t see them. “Come in and join us, honey.”

  Dottie was embarrassed, but she had no choice but to make an appearance and make her apologies.

  Paul smiled when the pretty little redhead entered the parlor, and stood politely. She was simply beautiful, and he felt his heart beating rapidly for the second time that day. His smiled brightened when she looked up at him. “You are so pretty…”

  Dottie couldn’t help it… There was something about this man that brought out the imp in her, and she started laughing… “At least I’m not wearing old clothes and dripping wet!”