The Prairie Prince

by Marcia Lynn McClure

  “You’re trespassin’, lady,” one of the girls said. “But don’t ya worry—we purttied ya up a bit so’s Stover won’t be so mad.”

  “What?” Katie asked, still emerging from the incoherence of a deep sleep.

  “I’m Bonnie,” one of the girls said.

  “And I’m Bunny,” another said.

  “Just call me Berty,” the third said, smiling down at Katie.

  “I’m…I’m Katie Matthews,” Katie stammered, uncertain as to what else she could say in response.

  “Oh! Then you must be the daughter of that Matthews feller Stover bought this here land from,” Bonnie said. “Pleased to meet ya, Katie Matthews,” the girl added, smiling.

  “Pleased to meet you, too,” Katie said.

  “Bonnie? Bunny? Berty Steele! What in tarnation are y’all up to?” At the sound of the angry masculine voice, Katie froze. Realization was quickly seeping into her mind. Realization she’d been caught trespassing by Stover Steele’s three triplet half-sisters, and by the sound of the deep voice hollering at them now, by Stover Steele himself.

  “Why, nothin’ at all, Stove,” Berty said, shrugging her shoulders. “We just found this here flower princess asleep under a tree and thought ya might…”

  “What’re ya goin’ on about, Berty?” the angry voice asked.

  “Just this here flower princess, Stove,” Bunny said, pointing to Katie.

  Katie quickly sat up, her mouth gaping open in astonishment as she saw the purple columbine blossoms that had been placed between each of her toes. Her skirt was simply covered with a blanket of daisy blooms and she reached up to find her hair had been loosened—a dandelion chain adorning her head.

  “What in the hell….”

  “For cryin’ in the bucket, Stove! Don’t swear at her!” Bonnie exclaimed.

  Katie Matthews looked up into the scowling face of the most attractive man she’d ever seen in her life! Even as he stood frowning at her, Stover Steele was uncommonly handsome! His eyes were as blue as the summer sky and, although he wore a hat, Katie could see his hair was the warmest of browns. His jaw, firmly set, was square and in need of a good shave, and his nose was perfectly straight. His mouth captured her attention for a moment, frowning perhaps, but somehow alluring all the same. In his broad-shouldered shadow, Katie was struck completely speechless.

  “What have ya girls done now?” the man sighed.

  “We didn’t do nothin’,” Bonnie told him. “We just found her here, sleepin’ under this tree, and thought she looked like a princess.”

  “Only she needed some fixin’s,” Berty added.

  Katie blushed as the man studied her from head to toe, shaking his head in disbelief. “Well,” he said. “It looks like ya done a mighty fine job of the fixin’s, girls.” He shook his head again and added, “Now get on home. Pillar’s worried sick over you three.”

  “Ah, Stove,” the three girls whined in unison.

  “But we just now met Katie!” Bunny pleaded.

  Stover Steele shook his head and growled, “Home with all three of ya. Now!” Hanging their heads in disappointment, the three girls turned from Katie, dragging their feet through the prairie grass as they left.

  “It was nice to meet ya, Katie Matthews,” Berty called over her shoulder.

  “Matthews, huh?” Stover Steele asked Katie. “Bart Matthews yer pa?”

  “Yes, sir,” Katie answered, nodding.

  “I see,” the man mumbled.

  Katie jumped to her feet, columbine blossoms between her toes and all, and babbled, “Oh, please don’t tell my pa, Mr. Steele! I—I just wanted one more visit with this place. It used to be my favorite place to come and…I’m so sorry…I know I shouldn’t have come…I know…Oh, please don’t tell pa, Mr. Steele!” Katie paused for a moment remembering her father’s warning. “And…and please don’t shoot me either,” she added. The man’s eyebrows arched, displaying his obvious surprise at her outburst.

  Stover studied the young woman standing before him—ebony hair cascading over her shoulders, columbine blossoms between her tiny toes and a dandelion chain setting half-cocked on her head. It took every ounce of self-control in him not to burst into laughter. Another victim of the triplets’ antics, Bart Matthew’s daughter looked nothing like her old bear of a father. In fact, she was very pretty! Far too young for a man such as himself to seriously consider, but very pretty all the same.

  The fear in her eyes told him Bart Matthews had no more sense as a father than he did with business, and he felt pity for the girl. No doubt her father had warned her about trespassing on the land now that it had changed hands.

  The girl’s expression of belief that he might shoot her amused Stover. Yet, there was no good reason to let her worry over the possibility of getting in trouble with her father.

  “Well, I…I don’t see any reason to…” Stover began.

  “What on earth is goin’ on here, Stove?” Katie looked over to see a young woman approaching. “The girls come a-runnin’ up goin’ on about some flower princess and how yer gonna beat her to death and…” The young woman stopped short when she saw Katie. Katie looked from the young woman to Stover Steele, terror gripping her at the suggestion he might intend to beat her for trespassing.

  “I ain’t ever beat nobody, Pillar—not to death anyway—and ya know it,” Stover grumbled. “Them three little hellions have been tormentin’ our neighbor’s girl here, and I just sent ‘em home with their tails ‘tween their legs is all.”

  Even for her fear of being shot or beaten to death by the most handsome man in the world, Katie noticed the way Pillar Steele turned quickly from her, pulling her hair down over the right side of her face. Pillar was such a pretty young woman—Katie was astonished she would be so shy.

  “Well, the girls seemed upset all the same, Stove,” Pillar said.

  “I—I swear I won’t step foot out here again, Mr. Steele,” Katie stammered. “If-if ya please don’t shoot me or beat me or anythin’.”

  Katie was stunned into silence as both Stover Steele and his sister burst into laughter. Perplexed, Katie watched as Stover wiped the moisture from his eyes on his sleeve, Pillar covering her mouth with one hand, attempting to stifle her giggles.

  “Don’t ya worry, none, miss,” Pillar said. “Stove ain’t gonna beat ya.” She paused to giggle once more. “Especially when you’re drenched from head to toe in wild flowers!”

  Suddenly, Katie remembered the columbine blossoms between her toes and reached up to pull the dandelion chain from her head. Intending to brush any remaining flora from her shirtwaist and skirt, she was horrified when she saw the top five buttons of her shirtwaist had been unbuttoned. There, seeming to sprout directly from her bosom was an especially large daisy. Katie plucked it from its place of adornment, tossed it aside and frantically began buttoning her shirtwaist.

  Katie wanted to burst into tears, for Stover Steele was still laughing, even though his sister had regained her composure.

  “Don’t worry, Miss Matthews,” Stover said, again wiping the moisture from his eyes. “I woke up from a nap one afternoon with two strips of bacon a-hangin’ from my ears.”

  His revelation did little to comfort Katie, and she bent down and began to remove the columbine blossoms from between her toes.

  “I’m Pillar,” Pillar said, offering a hand to Katie.

  “Katie Matthews,” Katie managed to mumble, shaking the young woman’s hand.

  “Princess Katie, accordin’ to my sisters,” Pillar said, smiling. “The Flower Princess, that is.”

  Katie smiled. Even for her embarrassment, in truth, the situation was quite amusing. “The princess of disaster is more like it,” Katie said.

  “Believe me you, Miss Matthews,” Stover began. “It coulda been far worse.” He chuckled once more.

  “That’s right,” Pillar agreed. “They coulda decided you were the Cactus Princess!”

  “Heaven forbid!” Katie exclaimed as she plucked the last b
lossom from her toes and tossed it aside.

  “Now, don’t ya go worrin’ about yer pa, Miss,” Stover told her. “I won’t say nothin’.”

  “And you come on out here whenever ya want, Katie,” Pillar added. “Just keep yer ears perked up better.”

  “Thank you,” Katie said, nodding at them both. “It was nice to meet ya…I suppose.”

  Again Pillar giggled, and Katie noticed the way Stover straightened his square jaw in an attempt to withhold his own laughter.

  “We’ll leave ya to get yer shoes back on now,” Stover said. “I gotta get after them three ‘fore they get in any more trouble.” He touched the brim of his hat, nodded at Katie and said, “Nice to meet you, too—Miss Flower-Princess.” With a chuckle, he turned and left.

  “Well, you can give yerself a mighty nice pat on the back, Katie,” Pillar said once he was some distance off. “It’s a hard thing to do these days—make ol’ Stove laugh like that.”

  “Well, I’m glad someone thought it was funny,” Katie said, sitting down and pulling on her stockings.

  “I hope ya won’t think badly of the girls,” Pillar said. “They’re just such silly-hearts sometimes.”

  Katie smiled and said, “Then I should get along with them just fine. I’m always findin’ myself in a scrape, somehow or the other.” Again Katie noticed the way Pillar checked her hair, making certain it was pulled down over her right ear. “Do y’all like Custer’s Creek?” Katie asked.

  “Well, enough so far,” Pillar answered. “We haven’t had a chance to meet everyone in town or anythin’. Still, everyone we have met seems nice and friendly.”

  Pillar was a beautiful young woman. Her brown hair and blue eyes were very much like her brother’s. She was taller than Katie, slender and graceful. Yet, Katie sensed a staggering lack of self-confidence in her. Furthermore, she was very curious as to why Pillar kept pulling her hair down over the right side of her face.

  “Have ya met my brother yet?” Katie asked.

  “I don’t think so,” Pillar answered. “What does he look like?”

  Katie smiled as her mind began to plot and plan. Maybe this young woman would do for Jared. Of course, it was too soon to be fully certain of her character, but Katie had a good feeling about Pillar Steele. Why not play the match-maker a bit. “Oh, you’d remember meetin’ Jared,” Katie said, smiling. “He’s a handsome one. Tall, dark, and handsome—just like he stepped out of a book.”

  Pillar shook her head, pulling at her hair again. “I don’t remember meetin’ anyone fittin’ that description,” Pillar said.

  “Well, then I’ll have to introduce ya to him,” Katie told her. “A body can’t help but adore him. Oh, he can be an ol’ grump sometimes, but mostly just when he’s around Pa.”

  Katie did not miss Pillar’s instant agitation, the way the color seemed to drain from her cheeks, the way she turned her face from Katie.

  “Are there…are there any other interestin’ folks ‘round town?” Pillar asked, obviously trying to change the subject.

  Katie, however, was undaunted. “Nobody any more interestin’ than my brother,” she said. Katie finished lacing her boot and smoothed her skirt. “Jared is certainly…”

  “I’m certainly what?” Jared asked as he approached.

  Katie heard Pillar gasp and saw an expression of horror spread over her face.

  “I was just tellin’ Miss Steele here what a gentleman ya are, Jared,” Katie said. She could’ve sworn Pillar was ready to burst into tears. The girl obviously wanted to escape, but realized turning and running would be rude. “Jared, this is Pillar Steele. Pillar this is my brother, Jared,” she said, smiling.

  “Pleased to meet ya, Miss Steele,” Jared said, tipping his hat in greeting.

  Pillar nodded and said, “And I’m pleased to meet you, Mr. Matthews.” Brushing a loose strand of hair from her forehead, Pillar turned from them. “I’d better be getting’ on home before Stover has the girls tied up on the front porch to keep ‘em out of troubled. It was nice to meet ya, Katie.” She paused and glanced quickly up at Jared. “And you, too, Mr. Matthews.”

  “Ma’am,” Jared said, touching the brim of his hat.

  Pillar began walking away, but stopped and looked over her shoulder at Katie.

  “You can come out here any time ya like, Katie—Stover won’t mind it. Just keep yer ears open in case the girls are up to no good again,” she said.

  “Thank you,” Katie said, delighted at having been given permission to linger again under her favorite pine tree.

  Once Pillar was out of earshot, Jared said, “I take it this Stover Steele is one good-lookin’ feller.”

  “What makes ya say that?” Katie asked.

  “Well, first of all, yer cheeks are as red as cherries. And second—if he’s as good-lookin’ as his sister is pretty then I figure he musta got yer blood racin’.”

  “Oh, he got my blood racin’, all right,” Katie admitted. “He about scared the waddin’ out of me. I fell asleep under the tree and woke up all covered in wild flowers with his little sisters starin’ down at me.”

  “Yer lucky he didn’t shoot ya for trespassin, Kate!” Jared scolded. “If Pa finds out about this…”

  “He can’t find out, Jared!” Katie exclaimed, taking hold of Jared’s shoulders. “Mr. Steele isn’t a bit mad and no harm was done. I just had to come back for one more lovely afternoon under my tree—but ya know Pa would have a livin’ fit if he found out.”

  “I know, I know,” Jared agreed. “He’d take the strap to ya for certain.”

  Katie winced at the thought of being strapped by her pa. Bart Matthews was a mean man, and he saw nothing wrong with a good, sound, and very painful whipping.

  “Promise me you’ll leave Pa soon, Jared,” Katie whispered, suddenly very discouraged. “Promise me you’ll find a pretty wife and move away from him—get out from under the awful way he treats ya.”

  Jared took Katie by the shoulders, turning her to face him. “I’ve gotta get you out from under him and settled safe and sound first, Kate,” he said. “Then I’ll worry about me—and about Ma.”

  “I’m—I’m just afraid if ya stay ‘round him much longer…you’ll…you’ll…” Katie stammered.

  “I ain’t gonna turn out like him, Katie,” he said, pulling her into a loving embrace. “Ya know I’m not like Pa.”

  “I know it,” Katie said, returning his hug. “I just worry for ya.”

  “That’s ‘cause yer a good girl, Katie Matthews,” Jared said, ending their embrace and taking hold of her hand. “Now let’s get ya on home before Pa misses ya and gets suspicious.”

  Katie smiled at her brother. He was such good man, and she was glad to see so much of their mother’s nature in him.

  “Ya better braid yer hair back up, though,” Jared added. “Or else Pa will know you’ve been up to somethin’.”

  From his place behind the nearby rock formation, Stover Steele remained hunkered down, hidden from view. His frown deepened as he watched Bart Matthews’ children walk away hand in hand. From the moment he’d first met Bart Matthews he’d known he was a yellow-bellied coward. And now, having overheard this conversation between his children, coupled with his daughter’s obvious fear of him, Stover was even more assured of the man’s detestable nature.

  Stover couldn’t really think why he’d lingered to eavesdrop on Pillar’s conversation with the Matthews girl. It was probably because he wanted so badly for his sweet sister to make a friend. Pillar hid away from the world far too much, and Stover had known instantly that Katie Matthews might be the friend she needed. He shook his head, smiling at the thought of the pretty, young girl covered from head to toe in wild flowers. Any girl who would find herself in such a ridiculous predicament would certainly be willing to look past Pillar’s insecurities and deformity. In fact, it sounded to him as if Katie Matthews had ideas of fixing her own brother’s attention on Pillar. Yet, Stover was skeptical—Jared Matthews might be too much l
ike his father. Stover certainly didn’t want the likes of Bart Matthews having anything to do with his sweet sister.

  Stover chuckled out loud as he thought again on the Matthews girl and the expression on her face when she’d thought he might beat her for trespassing. She was a pretty little thing; there was no doubt about it. But Stover frowned and shook his head when the thought traveled through his mind that her lips probably tasted like honeysuckle nectar. Stover Steele had no time for fanciful thoughts about women. He had four sisters to provide and care for, and he’d reconciled himself to eternal bachelorhood long ago.

  Still, it couldn’t hurt to think on the pretty little Matthews girl once in a while. She was certainly more appealing than the girl he’d met in town the week before—Hillary Westover. Maybe some men preferred poised and pretty, practiced flirts—young women out to simply capture a handsome husband. But Stover preferred sincere women—not actresses—and there was no doubt Katie Matthews was sincere. He chuckled out loud again at the memory of the horrified expression leaping to her face when she’d seen the daisy blooming from her bosom. Oh, the triplets were impish—but they certainly added amusement to his life. He hated to have to go home and chew them out for running off again, but it had to be done. Still, he chuckled off-and-on all the way home.

  That night, as Katie lay in her bed gazing out the window into the starry night sky, she was uncomfortable with the way her thoughts kept returning to and lingering on Stover Steele. She’d seen handsome enough men before, it was true, but she’d never seen the likes of Stover Steele. He made every other man she’d ever met seem almost homely in comparison. Furthermore, for all his smiles and chuckles over his little sisters’ mischief, he was intimidating in his strength and self-assurance.