by Patty Devlin
The rest of the morning was spent dusting and cleaning. Annie read through some of Rose's recipes and marked down the ones Matt liked. She was outside weeding the flower garden when she heard her name. Swinging around, her heart skipped a beat at the sight of Matt striding toward her. He was so big and handsome in his light blue chambray shirt and tight denims. His shoulder length black hair was tied back with a leather string and his hat was low on his forehead. He was absolutely gorgeous and he was all hers.
"Come on, girl, let's go into town and get that ring."
Annie ran and jumped into his outstretched arms. Matt picked her up and twirled her around.
"What in the world is going on out here?"
Matt tossed Annie over his shoulder and smacked her bottom. "We're heading into town, Aunt Rose. I need to get a ring on this woman's finger so everyone knows she belongs to me. Be a good girl and wave to Aunt Rose, Annie." Annie waved and bounced along as Matt walked over to the buckboard. He set her gently on the seat and climbed up. He gathered the reins and winked. "Let's go, Darlin'."
Once they arrived in town, Annie remembered to wait for Matt to assist her from her seat. He escorted her inside the small mercantile which carried everything from bolts of cloth to canned goods and other sundries. His hand at the small of her back steered her to the glass case by the cash register. "Pick out whichever one you want, Annie."
She was nearly bursting with excitement.
"What can I do for you today?" Harvey Wegman addressed Matt.
"I'd like to buy a ring for my wife."
A grin split the man's round face. "Congratulations. The missus told me all about it last night." He reached under the counter and set a box of assorted rings in front of Annie. She spotted the one she wanted right away and Matt placed it on her finger. "Are you sure? You can still look for a bit."
"I'm sure."
"Take some time and look around. I'll be outside for a spell." Annie stood on tiptoe and kissed his cheek. Matt left the store and Annie went straight to the bolts of material.
Harvey called out, "Hold on, Matt, I'll join you for a bit. You mind the store, daughter."
Annie smothered a groan at the mention of her archenemy's name. She hadn't seen Mary Beth when she had first entered the store, but her attention had been on focused on the rings. It would be best to avoid the woman at all cost. That way she could stay out of trouble. A swath of fabric that would be perfect for a homemade dress caught her eye and she reached out to touch it only to have it yanked away.
"This one is probably more suitable to your taste."
Annie cringed at the bland pattern. She bit the inside of her cheek to keep her temper from boiling over. "I don't like this one." She went over to the perfume. Mary Beth Wegman was about to get a punch in the face if she continued to agitate her.
"But it's so you," Mary Beth replied caustically and gave her a shove. Caught off guard, Annie fell against a barrel of molasses and a splinter pierced the palm of her hand. Damn! Being a lady was beginning to wear on her nerves. She glared at the blonde and hissed. "Back off, Mary Beth." She hurried in the opposite direction, but the aisle was blocked by assorted canned goods that needed to be placed on the shelf. She took a deep breath and spun around. "Let me pass, please."
"Let me pass, please," Mary Beth mimicked sarcastically. "Matthew Caine is too good for you. You're nothing but a 'soiled dove'.
"I am not."
"Sure you are. My Ma said so. He probably married you because he felt sorry for you and now wishes he hadn't." She fingered her long blonde tresses adorned with silk ribbons. "You look like a boy with that short mop of hair."
Annie gritted her teeth and counted to ten. There, now she felt better. She clamped her lips together, straightened her shoulders and brushed roughly past Mary Beth. She got as far as the door when something hit her in the back of the head. She bent down and picked up the broken peppermint stick. She had tried to keep a hold on her temper, she really did, but the need to strike back was too overwhelming. Mary Beth stood behind the counter with a sneer on her face. Annie marched right up to her and snatched the fancy green ribbons out of her hair, tossed them on the floor and stomped on them. It was a childish thing to do, but boy it made her feel good.
Mary Beth wailed and slapped Annie hard across the face. Soon the two were rolling on the floor, scratching and pulling hair. Mary Beth matched Annie wallop for wallop, but Annie was more agile. In no time at all she had the other girl face down and was sitting on her.
"Ma!" Mary Beth screamed at the top of her lungs. People burst inside and that's how Matt found his wife.
Chapter Thirteen
Annie remained silent and sullen on the ride home. Each time she glanced in Matt's direction she swore his jaw would set tighter and his left eye would twitch faster.
"How could you act like such a brat, Annie Caine?"
"She started it."
"That's no excuse. You could have walked away."
"I tried. She wouldn't let me."
Matt stared straight ahead. "Where were you when she threw the candy at you?"
She frowned. "At the door, why?"
"So, you're telling me that after she hit you, she pulled you all the way back to the counter and fought with you. That's where both of you were when I came in."
Annie huffed and crossed her arms over her chest. "I know exactly where you're going with this, Matt."
"Good, then you admit you had the chance to walk away, but you chose to fight instead."
Annie threw her hands up in the air. "Yes, I chose to fight. Dammit, Matt! First she shoved me and I walked away, but when she called me a 'soiled dove, I had to do something."
Matt veered from the worn path and steered the buckboard toward the thicket of trees in the distance.
"Matthew Caine, what do you think you're doing? Why are we stopping here?"
Without a word, Matt locked the hand brake and yanked her across his lap. "What sort of husband would I be if I didn't correct my wife?"
"Right here, right now?" Annie shouted as he tossed up her skirts.
"Would you rather I wait until we get home where everyone within a mile can hear you screaming your head off?" He laid two firm whacks to her backside. Annie bit her lip to stop from crying out. "Blast, you can't be feeling a thing with all this padding, can you?"
She'd be an idiot if she answered that question honestly. Matt tugged down her drawers and was peppering her bare bottom with hard smacks. Her eyes widened in shock. She kicked and shrieked. "Matt, you stop this instant," she cried. What if someone happened to pass by and saw her naked? He showed no sign of stopping and she reached behind to grab her dress, but he caught both her wrists and pinned them to the small of her back.
"The only way you'll feel this spanking is on the bare. You've got too many clothes on."
"You're the one who wants me to dress like a lady," she informed him snidely, even as more spanks fell. She wailed at the burn spreading across her cheeks. "You son of a bitch." She threw more momentum into her fight.
Matt adjusted his hold and directed his spanks to her sit-spots.
"Stop, Matt, please! It hurts too much." She burst into tears. He had punished both cheeks and was now applying his big hand to that tender area. It was as if he hadn't heard her begging him to stop. Annie hung her head and accepted defeat. He wouldn't stop until he was ready.
When she was once again sitting on her side of the buckboard, Annie said, "I'm sorry I embarrassed you."
Matt stared straight ahead. "It's okay now. What you should have done was come out to me instead of going after Mary Beth."
Annie sniffed. "I'm sorry. I'm so used to looking out for myself."
"You don't have to fight your own battles anymore. I'm here to help you." He reached in his shirt pocket, pulled out a handkerchief and held it out to her. "Enough, now. No more fighting with Mary Beth or anyone else for that matter. The next time I'll take off my belt. Understand?" He flicked the reins. The discuss
ion was closed.
They arrived home much more subdued than when they had left. Matt escorted Annie to the house. "I want you to go upstairs and think about what happened today."
Annie's face fell. "We forgot to stop for Diablo."
"Tomorrow, now git."
* * * * *
Annie woke up the next morning and slowly rolled out of bed. She rubbed her backside and winced. Damn that Mary Beth for being such a troublemaker. She performed her morning absolutions and went downstairs into the kitchen. "Good morning, Aunt Rose."
Rose welcomed her with her usual smile. "Did you sleep well?"
"I slept okay." She held her breath and sat down gingerly. Not too bad. She reached for a piece of toast and slathered it with butter. "You must wake me up so I can help you with breakfast."
"That's quite all right. If you must know, it's the cleaning up I don't like and you help me with that."
Annie took a sip of her coffee and set the cup on the table. "Matt's supposed to take me to the Lazy D and fetch Diablo today."
"I'm not too sure if it'll be today. One of the ranch hands stopped by earlier. There are a few cattle missing. If I know Jeb, he won't rest until he finds them."
Annie hid her disappointment, even though she was on the verge of panicking. She had this awful feeling in the pit of her stomach about Diablo. Robbie could be intentionally cruel and she wouldn't put it past him to harm her horse just to get even with her for marrying Matt. Word of their quick nuptials must have reached him and Eva by now. She could sneak over to the Lazy D and just check on her horse to make sure he was okay. "Did Matt ever tell you how he proposed to me?"
"I know he found you working in Sally's saloon."
Annie bit her lip. "Does that bother you, Aunt Rose? I mean, that I was a saloon girl?"
Rose shook her head. "Of course not. You did what you thought you had to do, although I wish you would have come to us. Jeb dotes on you just as much as I do, you know that. We enjoyed your visits in the past."
"I was so scared Matt would insist that I go back to the Lazy D. After I found out what they were planning to do to me I couldn't stay there any longer." Annie lowered her eyes. "I was the one in the stables the other night. I'm sorry I upset you all."
"Matt told us it was you. Don't worry, Annie. Everything will work out, you'll see." A rumble outside ended the conversation. Both women jumped up and went outside on the porch. Annie cried out in surprise as Sally gave her a big wave.
She rushed over to the small buggy. "Hi, Sally, what are you doing here?"
Sally clicked her tongue. "Now what kind of greeting is that?" she chided and handed Annie a small package. "You forgot to take these with you when you left the other night." She winked. "How's that man of yours doing?"
Annie cheeks heated. "He's just fine, Sally."
"And you?"
"I'm fine, too."
"Good." She peered over Annie's shoulder and nodded at Rose. "Morning, Miss Caine."
Rose was quick to welcome Sally. "Please call me Rose. I thank you for taking care of our girl. Would you like to come inside for a cup of coffee?"
Sally appeared surprised at the invitation. "Aren't you afraid word will get around that you had a harlot in your house?"
Rose threw back her shoulders and tilted her chin in the air. "I'll invite whoever I want in my house. If some people don't like it, well then so be it."
Annie thought she saw tears glisten in Sally's eyes. She blinked and they were gone. She must have imagined it.
"Thank you, Rose. I sure do appreciate your kindness. I most definitely will take you up on that offer of coffee, but it'll have to be some other time. As for taking care of Annie, it was my pleasure. She's a sweet girl." Sally gathered up the reins. "You have a wonderful life with that handsome husband of yours."
"Thanks and I will." Annie held the package tightly to her chest. She didn't need to open it to know what it was. She'd wear these pants one more time and burn them herself.
She waved until Sally's carriage was out of sight, before going back inside the house. Her new home might not be as large as the Lazy D, but it was comfortable and homey. She had learned long ago that it wasn't the size of a house that made it a home, but the love of a family inside and she had all the love she needed right here at the Circle C. Once Diablo was safe, she'd concentrate on being Matt's wife. She disliked deceiving Rose and Matt, but she had to check on Diablo. She'd have to wait until she was alone.
The rest of the morning was spent cutting material for dresses and by the afternoon Annie's fingers were sore from sewing and her back ached, but that didn't stop her from baking a apple pie for Matt.
She and Rose were sitting on the porch when Matt and Jeb came home and headed straight for the barn to unsaddle the horses. Heedless of the dust covering his body and his sweat stained shirt, Annie threw herself into Matt's arms as soon as he dismounted. Laughing loudly, he picked her up and swung her around.
Chapter Fourteen
Shortly after breakfast the next day Rose suggested a trip to town. "I know it's spur of the moment, but we can stop at the mercantile and see if there's any new material."
Annie could barely keep her excitement from spilling over. This would be the perfect opportunity to check on Diablo. "Um, no, not today, Aunt Rose. I think I'll spend some time in the garden and tackle those weeds." Her voice wavered and she prayed Rose wouldn't press the issue. Her anxiety over her pet had been increasing with each passing day.
Rose tied the ribbons of her bonnet under her chin and picked up her reticule. "If that's what you want to do, but don't stay out in the sun for too long."
Annie accompanied her outside and remained on the porch as Doug brought the carriage around to the front of the house. He touched the brim of his hat. "Mrs. Caine."
"Good morning, Doug."
Rose patted Annie on the cheek. "I'll see you in a bit, dear."
Annie longed to race to her room, tear off her dress and change into her pants and shirt, but she forced herself to stay on the porch until the buggy was out of sight and Doug had disappeared into the barn. Once the coast was clear she went into the house and was back downstairs within minutes. Her conscience nagged her as she circled to the back of the house and made her way to the stream. Lying to Rose had been a necessary evil. As for Matt, she'd cross that bridge went she got to it. She had to see Diablo. Something was wrong, she just knew it.
She didn't bother taking a horse. Doug would just ask questions and she wasn't prepared to admit she was acting on a whim. It was a nice day for a walk anyway. The sun promised to heat up the land soon enough and turn the slight cool breeze hot, but Annie planned to be back home before lunchtime.
She tilted her face and relished the sun as it warmed her cheeks. It felt so good to be alive. She had married the man of her dreams. Sometimes she'd pinch herself to make sure it was real. He might be stern and unyielding at times, like yesterday when she had gotten into that fight with Mary Beth and he spanked her, but he only acted that way because he loved her.
She had been so mean to him by playing all those pranks and had deserved every spanking he had given her over the years. Guilt stabbed at her conscience. She was kind of pulling a stunt right now by going to the Lazy D on her own after she had promised not to. Hopefully everything would work out and he'd be so happy that she was safe he wouldn't punish her. Annie quickened her pace. The sooner she got there, the faster she could return home to Matt.
The Lazy D appeared to be deserted, which wasn't normal during the day. With nobody around, it'd be much easier to take Diablo, but it seemed odd. Annie crept forward and kept alert for any sign of riders approaching. As she neared the barn, she heard loud shrieks. Chills zipped down her spine. She darted inside and looked on in horror as Robbie held a riding crop in his hands. He brought the crop down on Diablo's hindquarters. The horse shrieked again and stomped.
"Stop it!" Annie cried.
"Mother said you'd come back for this stinking h
orse," Robbie remarked nonchalantly without turning around. "You think more about this animal than your own family." He raised the crop again and Diablo kicked and bucked in the stall. Heedless of her own safety, Annie lunged at her stepbrother and knocked him to the ground. They grappled for the riding crop, rolling back and forth on the hay-strewn floor. Annie kneed him in the groin and raked her fingernails across his face. He dropped the crop and doubled over, howling in pain. "You fucking bitch."
Annie flung the crop angrily out of his reach. "I should use this thing on you." Robbie continued his tirade as she hurried over to Diablo. She burst into tears at the bloody stripes crisscrossing the horse's hindquarters. "You filthy son of a bitch. How could you be so cruel to a helpless animal?"
"Helpless?" Robbie held a handkerchief to his face. "The devil tried to bite me."
"Serves you right," she tossed over her shoulder. Annie cooed softly as she inspected the wounds further. "I'm taking Diablo home with me. I don't care what you do from now on. Just leave me the hell alone." With tears in her eyes, she fumbled with the latch on the stall door and swore as she struggled to get it open. The sooner she was out of here the better.
The bite of the crop landed squarely on her back, searing the skin through her shirt. She reeled from the pain and fell to her knees. The next strike came down across her shoulders.
"You're not going anywhere, dear stepsister of mine. We've got some unfinished business, you and me." Robbie continued to lash her. Annie crawled on her hands and knees, trying to escape the sting of the crop. The pain was intense, but she had enough sense to reach for her gun only to find the holster empty. Her gun had to be somewhere. She flung her arms over her head and cried out as fresh pain coursed throughout her body. She shook uncontrollably. "Why are you doing this to me? I said you can have the Lazy D." Robbie threw the crop aside and laughed. Annie blinked against the pain. "Are you insane?"
"The Lazy D isn't yours to give," he shouted.
