“I had a bit of an accident yesterday,” Alexandria admitted.
“Are you alright; what happened?” Lane was alert now.
“I fell off my horse, twice.”
“But you’re an excellent rider!” Lane protested. The whole community knew she could ride; she had made it clear when she had out ridden several of the boys in her class in an after school race.
“The first was my fault, I was careless. The second…” Alexandria wished she hadn’t said anything; he would overreact.
“What, Alexandria?”
“I was investigating some missing cattle when a shot startled my horse,” she hedged.
“Startled your horse? Were you shot at?” Lane was on his feet again.
“I’m fine, Lane and the sheriff already knows about it.”
“A fat lot of good that will do, Alexandria; the man is a joke and you know it.”
It was unfortunately true. The man investigated what suited him and let the rest slide. He was buddies with several town officials; he could be in any of their pockets best Alexandria could tell. Out and out violence in town at least got investigated; otherwise he would never be reelected.
“I’m fine, Lane.”
“What were you doing out there to begin with? I thought your foreman was looking out for you!”
“Excuse me? I said he was helping me.”
“Your father….”
“What?” Alexandria was standing now. “You discussed my business with my father?”
“I was concerned.”
“Lane, I am not your concern. I appreciate your friendship but you have over stepped your bounds!”
Lane, his face red, stood opposite her. Alexandria was still waiting for him to respond when a knock sounded on the door.
“Excuse me,” Alexandria turned and moved from the room; her steps were clipped with anger. She paused to collect herself before opening the door.
“Mr. Price,” her brows furrowed slightly; since when did he pay her social calls?
“Mrs. Morris, I hope you are well this afternoon,” Tristan bowed slightly.
“I am; thank you. Won’t you come in?” she invited.
“Thank you,” he removed his hat as he entered. He was dressed in his Sunday best; Alexandria’s frown deepened. She had only a passing acquaintance with the man, even if he was her closest neighbor. Alexandria led him into the parlor where Lane, his back to them, waited as he peered out the window.
“Lane, I’m sure that you and Mr. Price are acquainted, both being in business as you are,” Alexandria offered in way of greeting.
“Yes, of course, I often see Mr. Price around town and also in Jasper when my business takes me there. Good afternoon, Mr. Price,” Lane offered.
“Good afternoon, Mr. Wilson. I do believe you’ve visited a business of mine on occasion,” Tristan offered in return. Alexandria watched Lane color and wondered at the undercurrents currently passing between the two men.
“Perhaps so,” Lane’s expression became guarded. “I should leave, Alexandria. I expressed my concern; I also want you to know that should you ever need me, you need only make it known.”
“Thank you,” Alexandria acknowledged his offer.
“I’ll see myself out.” Lane, his back rigid, turned and made his way out of the room; the front door closed with a light thud behind him.
“Could I offer you tea or coffee?” Alexandria turned to Tristan.
“No, I have business to see to in town, but I wanted to check on you. The sheriff came by my place after leaving yours yesterday and I understand you had a scare.”
“I did, but I’m alright, I assure you,” she offered.
“I’m glad to know it. I tell you, our town isn’t as safe as it used to be; it worries me some,” Tristan’s gaze was dark.
“It does seem to be getting worse,” Alexandria acknowledged.
“I know that you have friends and family watching out for you, Mrs. Morris, but as your closet neighbor, I want you to know that you can call on me anytime. Neighbors have to look out for each other if a community is going to be safe.”
Alexandria had to bite back a frown. Why was everyone suddenly worried about her?
“I’m glad to know I can count on my neighbors,” she offered instead of the sharp comeback she wanted to hand him.
“I won’t keep you, just remember I’m nearby if you need help.”
“Thank you, Mr. Price,” Alexandria rose to see him out. She turned from the door and shook her head at the two visits she had just received.
“Who was here?” Anna asked as Alexandria entered the kitchen.
“Lane stopped in and then Tristan Price before Lane had even excused himself,” Alexandria’s expression was baffled as she fixed herself a cup of coffee.
“What did they want?” Anna turned from where she was punching down a loaf of bread.
“To check on me apparently,” Alexandria shrugged a dismissal.
“You look exhausted,” Anna noted as she took in the circles under her sister’s eyes.
“I am tired,” Alexandria admitted.
“So go take a nap.”
“No, no I think I’ll just read for a while. I can’t remember the last time I picked up a book other than one of Lilly’s story books.” Alexandria turned and made her way to the parlor to make herself comfortable with one of her favorite books.
Jonathon approached the house that evening; he was wondering if Alexandria had actually rested or if she had worked the day away inside. He had never met a woman as stubborn as that one was. He mounted the back porch and tapped on the door; a moment later Anna let him into the house.
“Hello, Mr. Stewart, if you’re looking for Alexandria, she’s reading in the parlor,” Anna offered.
Jonathon nodded; reading was good.
“Thank you, Ms. Cannon.” Jonathon made his way to the parlor and stopped in the doorway.
Alexandria lay curled on her side; the book she had been reading was sandwiching one hand. She had obviously fallen asleep while reading. He crossed the room quietly and gently tugged the book free. Pride and Prejudice the spine read; Jonathon smiled. He had suspected that despite all her bravado Alexandria had a romantic side; Jane Austin novels were proof. He laid the book aside and claimed a throw from a nearby chair to spread over Alexandria. She looked peaceful, free from the strain and worry that too frequently lined her young face. Jonathon reached forward and smoothed a stray curl from her cheek before he even realized he intended to do it. He watched her shift lightly before settling back in and he turned to leave the room as quietly as he had entered.
“She’s sound asleep,” Jonathon announced when he entered the kitchen.
“Good, she needs some rest,” Anna nodded.
“I was afraid she would find work to do in the house,” Jonathon admitted as he accepted the drink he was offered.
“She was tempted to; I could tell,” Anna grinned as she shared this.
“I imagine,” Jonathon smiled in return.
Anna had to drop her gaze when he smiled; it tied her up inside.
“Did you ladies have a quiet day?”
“We did. Alexandria had a couple of visitors though.”
“Really? Who if you don’t mind my asking?”
“Lane and Tristan Price from next door,” Anna answered his query.
“She’s not even aware that they’re interested in her is she?” Jonathon asked.
“No she isn’t.” Anna’s smile was sad this time.
“Why is that, Ms. Cannon?”
Anna sighed and after checking on the bread in the oven and making sure Millie had the vegetables under control, seated herself at the table. Lilly was busy fussing over a dolly at her small doll highchair in the corner.
“The boys teased Alexandria unmercifully, Mr. Stewart. She could out run them, out ride them…they didn’t take that kindly. Then I think some of them were just too scared to approach her. She has this way of making herself unappro
achable if she’s threatened.
“Then when she was fifteen she actually had what I would say was probably her first crush on this boy at school. He was a couple of years older and staying with his grandparents; we later learned why. Anyway, he offered her a ride home from school one afternoon and I watched her struggle really hard with that decision. He actually had a little buggy his grandparents let him use.
“She came running home in tears a short time later. He had stopped the buggy on this turn off and tried kissing her. He told her if she wanted to capture a man’s attention she needed to learn ways of doing so because her looks wouldn’t.” Anger sparked in Anna’s blue eyes as she fell quiet.
“Who was this?” Jonathon demanded.
“He doesn’t live here any longer, Mr. Stewart,” Anna smiled in amusement; she knew why he had asked. “Our brother beat him up pretty badly the next day. That was the only time my brother was actually in a fight at school. But it turns out this boy was at his grandparents because he had pulled something similar back home, only worse, apparently.
“That was the last time I recall Alexandria expressing interest in a man until Elijah.” The smile she offered now was brittle, “You know how well that went I’m sure.”
Jonathon was quiet as he digested this information.
“Thanks for sharing, Ms. Cannon. I can’t understand her sometimes. She turns heads everywhere she goes but she’s either trying to disappear into the back ground around her or she’s transmitting stay away signals so strong they carry to the next county.”
“I know,” Anna nodded sadly. “I don’t know what it’ll take to convince her she isn’t an awkward, ugly duckling.”
“A man treating her right,” Jonathon predicted.
“Good luck to any man who tries. I think Elijah was the nail in the coffin as they say.”
“I don’t think she’s a lost cause.”
“You think Tristan or Lane will win her over?” Anna asked speculatively.
“I can’t see Tristan being her type and I don’t think she’ll ever take Lane seriously.”
“Well, I know from the buzz around church that they aren’t the only ones interested. Right now most the men are respecting her being in mourning but I figure that won’t last too terribly long. Not out here.”
“Probably not,” Jonathon agreed.
“Do you miss your family, Mr. Stewart?” Anna watched him closely as she waited for his answer.
“I do,” he admitted.
“Why did you stay here?”
“I have my reasons. I made a promise to Elijah for one thing and for another, I don’t think I want to return at this time.”
“I just wondered,” Anna tried to shrug casually. She was relieved that he wasn’t interested in leaving.
Alexandria entered the room still looking more asleep than alert and the conversation ended. Anna returned to the stove feeling exhilarated. That was the longest conversation she’d ever had with Jonathon!
Chapter Eleven
Alexandria startled awake as a hand clamped over her mouth. Before she could react she had been hauled from her bed and her arms pinned against her captor.
“Listen here, I gotta gun it won’t hurt me none to use it; ya hearin me?” the man demanded in her ear; Alexandria nodded. “Good we’re gonna take us a little ride,” the man was forcing her down the stairs and Alexandria managed to struggle free long enough to scream before his hand was back over her mouth. The man was cursing in her ear as they made the yard and she found herself thrust into another set of arms. A handkerchief was shoved into her mouth and her hands tied behind her back; she was no match for the two men combined.
“What are ya doin?” the man who now held her demanded.
“Hand her up!” the man snapped from where he sat on his horse.
“We was just suppose to scare her,” the man argued.
“She is scared and she’ll be even more scared.”
Alexandria had no more than been yanked onto the saddle in front of the man than the horse shot forward. Alexandria was aware of the second man following them, though she could see nothing; not even her captor’s face. At moment, heavy clouds obscured the moon and the night was cast under a heavy pall.
She was sure she would slip from the saddle at any moment and she wasn’t certain that she would mind. She was afraid of what this man’s intent was. She heard shots being fired behind them and suspected that some of her men were in pursuit. She could only pray that none of them would be hurt. A cry rang out from just behind them before the other man’s horse, minus his rider, sped past.
Alexandria decided she had to take her chances; she couldn’t allow this man to escape with her. She stiffened her body and immediately felt herself slip and a moment later hit the ground with bone jarring force. She rolled several feet before coming to a stop. She struggled for her breath and her feet; she knew she needed to move in the opposite direction from her captor. Her tied hands and screaming body, however, prevented her from making it to her feet before her captor returned. She felt the cold barrel of a gun press against her neck as her men rode onto the scene. The moon pulled from behind the clouds to light the tableau.
Jonathon, Rusty, and Sparky, their posture tense, sat atop their mounts.
“Come any closer and I’ll shoot her,” the man ordered. He removed her gag. “Tell them to back off.”
“I’d rather you let him shoot me than leave here with me,” she told her men.
The man cursed and pressed the gun into her chin; she winced. “I’ll shoot her; I mean it!”
“You shoot her and I promise you you’ll be so riddled with bullet holes that your own mother won’t be able to identify your remains,” Jonathon threatened.
Alexandria swallowed; the cold barrel of the gun made it painful. Alexandria could hear her heart beating as life seemed to slow. Jonathon sat tensed, his eyes filled with rage as the muscles in his jaw worked. Beside him Rusty’s eyes scanned the area missing nothing and Sparky’s hands flexed as though on the edge of his self-control.
Alexandria heard a shot ring out moments before her captor’s body lurched and blood splattered her. The man, his face half gone, collapsed against her. Alexandria screamed as she scrambled and stumbled to get away. Jonathon was at her side in a moment and Rusty and Sparky maneuvered their horses to cover them. None of them had fired the shot and they weren’t taking any chances. Until they knew if the unseen gunman was friend or foe, they intended to keep themselves between him and their boss. Jonathon quickly freed her from her ropes and peered down into her face.
“Are you okay?” he demanded.
Alexandria blinked at him. She wanted to answer him but all she could see was the man’s face, or partial lack thereof in her own; she shuddered. Jonathon wiped her face with his handkerchief before remounting and pulling her up in front of him to sit sideways. Her gown made anything else unseemly.
“Here,” he took off his coat and wrapped it around her. Alexandria sank against him, her arms and legs feeling like over cooked noodles.
Jonathon pulled his gun as he watched a man approach.
“Everybody okay?” Tristan called.
“I think so,” Rusty answered as he holstered his gun. “That was a good shot.”
“It was the only one that didn’t put Alexandria at risk as well, how is she?” he glanced to where she sat huddled against her foreman; she was shaking uncontrollably.
“I think she’s in shock but she’ll be okay,” Jonathon predicted.
“My men should be coming to the aide of your men; it was one of my men who saw them taking your cattle and came to inform me. When I heard a gunshot from this direction I decided to investigate. Why don’t you bring her to my place and we’ll get her warmed up,” Tristan suggested.
“She’d rather go home, I’m sure, but thanks for the offer,” Jonathon responded. “And thanks for the help.”
“Sure, any time,” Tristan nodded, though he looked slightly irritated. Jonath
on turned his horse back toward the ranch and urged Raven to a fast trot. As they passed back onto Alexandria’s land, Chris and Ben rode up and surveyed their boss.
“Is she okay; what happened?” Chris demanded.
“She was yanked from her bed and taken on a wild ride,” Jonathon responded.
“Is she hurt?”
“She’s in shock. She took a hard fall but as far as I know she isn’t seriously hurt,” Jonathon reassured them. Rusty and Sparky rode up and joined the group.
“What’s going on out there?” Jonathon nodded in the direction of gunfire.
“We caught some men rustling cattle and went in pursuit; then Tristan’s men joined us and one of them suggested that we check on our boss and we rode this way. I think his men are still in pursuit and a couple of ours. We did manage to reclaim a few head of cattle,” Ben answered.
“Tristan sure turned out to be a much needed ally tonight,” Sparky mused.
“He did, maybe I misjudged him, but I know that Elijah didn’t fully trust him.”
“That’s because he was interested Alexandria as well I would guess,” Sparky suggested.
“Tristan’s alright I suppose but when he pursues Alexandria, and he will; I wouldn’t let him anywhere near her,” Rusty cautioned as he urged his horse forward. “Let’s get this place settled back down so Jonathon can see Alex home,” Rusty suggested.
The men rode off with Rusty and Jonathon considered the man’s words. He had a feeling they had been meant for him. What he wanted to know was what he was supposed to do if Tristan did start coming around? He was in over his head he realized. He looked down at Alexandria and for the first time she met his gaze.
“You okay?” he queried. She shuddered but nodded. “Let’s get you home,” he urged Raven forward.
Alexandria could feel her heart gradually slowing and her breathing leveling off. Never had she experienced anything like this night. Her strength seemed spent, gone; nothing left but numbness of thought and body. Beneath her ear Jonathon’s heart beat steadily and evenly giving some semblance of order to her world. His strong muscles contrasted with her momentarily useless ones and Alexandria allowed herself a few moments of weakness as they made their way home.
A Headstrong Woman Page 12
