by Annie Boone
Reaching out to place a hand on his arm, Elizabeth comforted him.
“I think she was a fool, Clayton. Any woman would be out of her mind to give you up. You’re one of the nicest men I’ve ever had the opportunity to meet.”
Clayton’s eyes softened, then his head moved forward ever so slowly, his face inching closer to Elizabeth’s. For a moment, she thought he might kiss her. She didn’t know if it was the intoxication of the night or simply the closeness they shared after revealing their secrets, but she found herself wishing he would do just that. She wanted desperately for him to take her in his arms and press his lips against hers.
But instead, Clayton leaned back, cleared his throat and said the words she least wanted to hear.
“Well, it’s getting late. I’d best get you back to the Mrs. Jennings’ before she wakes up and wonders where you went.”
A sudden rush of disappointment assailed Elizabeth as the magical moment was destroyed. Not knowing what else she could do, she nodded her agreement, unwilling to let it show that she had hoped for so much more.
“Yes,” she said as watched Clayton pull himself to his feet.
“Yes, I need to get to bed. My ankle has probably had about as much as it can take for one night.”
“Do you think you can walk?”
Concern showed in Clayton’s eyes as he reached down and gave her a hand to pull her to her feet. Feeling her emotions catch in her throat as she thought about how considerate he truly was, Elizabeth only nodded her head. Yes, she could walk. And she did need to get back to the dress shop. The night had been too much for her and, obviously, she was growing dangerously close to losing her good senses.
Taking Clayton’s arm, once again, they started the journey back toward Mrs. Jennings’ dress shop. This time, Elizabeth tried to keep more distance between them.
How could she be thinking of kissing Clayton? The idea was completely preposterous, and she found herself blushing that such an idea had even entered her mind.
“You know.”
Clayton’s voice came out little more than a whisper and she had to lean closer to hear him.
“We’ve got to do something to catch Mason Reeve. If he’s really the one stealing the livestock, I need to put a stop to him before he ends up bankrupting the local ranchers.”
Nodding her head in agreement, Elizabeth tried to focus her energy on her deep disregard for her ex.
“Yes, we need to do something. I’m beginning to think that the best way to prove Mason a thief is to make a move rather than continue to wait on him. He’s not going to leave any evidence that might convict him so we’re going to have to do something to force his hand.”
Clayton had to nod in agreement, and Elizabeth allowed her mind to travel back to Mason and possibilities of putting him in his place.
Chapter Fifteen
Sitting at the table in his sister’s house, Clayton tried to enjoy the meal she had prepared for him and her own family. Despite his best efforts, Clayton realized he was only picking at his food as his mind traveled far away.
Just the night before, he had been sitting on the creek bank with Elizabeth Brown at his side. And he had almost kissed her.
The entire experience seemed so surreal now, almost as if it had been a dream rather than reality. Had Clayton truly been that close to the beautiful young woman? Had his heart truly beat so loudly in his chest he could hardly hear over it?
“How is Elizabeth doing?”
Amy’s question made Clayton jump and almost knock his drink over. Hurrying to recover himself, he felt an embarrassing hint of blush start to rise to his cheeks because of how easily he had lost his composure.
“Oh,” he managed to stammer. “She’s all right, I guess.”
“Do you get to see much of her?”
Amy pressed as she worked to cut her roast into smaller pieces.
Looking up to view his sister, Clayton caught sight of Bart. He could see that his brother-in-law wore an amused expression as he stared down into his plate. Clayton was sure that was a tricky grin he saw on Bart’s face.
“Hmmm.”
Clayton allowed his voice to trail off as he wondered how to tackle her question. He replied, “I check on her occasionally.”
Silence feel around them, giving Clayton hope that the interrogation was over. His hope was not to be so. In an instant, Amy was back at it.
“When was the last time you saw her?”
Letting out a sigh, Clayton ran his hand over his chin and tried to determine how much to tell her. Considering the likely possibility that Elizabeth would repeat the entire interrogation if she suspected he was lying. Clayton decided that lying was pointless.
“I saw her last night,” he said, trying to make it sound as normal as possible.
“I stopped by the dress shop to see how she’s doing, and then we took a walk so she could get some fresh air.”
“A walk?” Amy repeated, her own eyes sparkling at the thought of it. “That must have been nice. Did you two have a good time?”
Throwing up his hands in irritation, Clayton exclaimed, “Amy, we weren’t out sparking. We were just going on a walk because she’s been cooped up in that shop for so many days.”
And yet, as soon as the words rolled off Clayton’s lips, he wondered if they weren’t lies. Had it been sparking? Certainly not? And yet, when he considered how close he had come to touching her lips with his own, he had to rethink his statement.
“You enjoy her company, don’t you?” Amy pressed, her question feeling more like an accusation and making Clayton feel rather embarrassed. He thought he might be forced to crawl under the table if she didn’t stop this.
Looking up to see if he could gather support from his brother-in-law, Clayton let out an exasperated breath. “Bart, tell her how ridiculous that is.”
Bart lifted a hand and shook his head with a laugh. “I’m staying out of this one. I’m not a man to get involved in matters of the heart.”
“Matters of the heart?” Clayton repeated. “What matters of the heart? The woman and I just have business together.”
Amy was smirking as she replied.
“Then why is your face getting so red? Clayton, you obviously have feelings for her.”
Clayton had a good mind to get on his feet and leave, but he wouldn’t give his teasing sister the satisfaction of seeing him go. Instead, he stood his ground and asked, “Amy, if I did have feelings for Elizabeth, and I’m not saying I do, what would you expect? For all purposes, she is still engaged to Mason Reeve. They were planning their wedding and she even ordered a wedding dress. Do you expect me to just swoop in and steal her away from him without so much as even giving it a few days?”
Clapping her hands together with excitement, Amy’s entire face lit up as she exclaimed, “So you do love her.”
Clayton didn’t bother trying to play things cool.
“I’m saying that I can’t love her. For pity’s sake, she’s still smarting from the beating her last beau gave her. I don’t think she’s interested in anyone else right now.”
The room became silent and it felt like all the joy had been sucked from everyone as they considered Clayton’s announcement.
Amy gave her adopted brother a hard stare and said, “Clayton, I don’t think you’re holding back on account of trying to be proper or because you think Elizabeth is still fresh from her bad relationship. I just think you’re scared. You’re scared of letting another woman into your life after Sylvia hurt you so bad. You’re scared of getting hurt again. You’re not trying to protect Elizabeth and her reputation. You’re just trying to protect your own heart.”
As much as he hated to admit it, Clayton couldn’t argue with her words. Perhaps Amy was right. Perhaps he was holding back from getting a relationship started with Elizabeth simply because he wanted to protect himself.
“I won’t say anything else about it,” Amy said, before taking a sip of her tea.
“But just so you
know, burying yourself in that sheriff’s office isn’t going to ever heal your heart. If you don’t do something different now, you’re going to be smarting from Sylvia for the rest of your life.”
Choosing to ignore his sister’s comments entirely, Clayton was glad when Bart redirected the topic of conversation toward matters surrounding the ranch.
When supper was finished, Clayton told Amy goodbye and gave her a hug. He could tell she was still irritated with him, but he thought it best to say nothing else about the entire situation. As he made his way toward the front door, he signaled for Bart to come with him.
Stepping out into the warm evening, Bart pulled a cigar out of his pocket and lit it before sticking it in his mouth.
“I’m sorry about Amy, Clayton,” Bart apologized with a laugh.
“I never know how to tone that woman down when she gets started on something like this. You know how she is.”
Not wanting to renew the embarrassing topic, Clayton simply stated, “Yeah, I know”, before plowing ahead with his more important topic of discussion.
“Bart, I’m ready to see Mason Reeve put in jail and I’ve got a plan to do just that. But I’m going to need your help to accomplish it.”
Bart stepped forward closer, blowing out a stream of smoke.
“I’m ready to do anything to get that man behind bars.”
Thankful for his brother-in-law’s willingness to help, Clayton lowered his voice as he spoke.
“It’s going to take a bit of fibbing and I don’t think Amy needs to know anything about it.”
Bart nodded silently, obviously anxious to hear Clayton’s plan unfold.
Clayton didn’t want to see Elizabeth Brown. He really didn’t. After all that had transpired at his sister’s house and the embarrassment Amy had so proudly poured on him, Elizabeth Brown was the last person on Earth he wanted to even think about.
And yet, as he made his way back to town, she intruded on every thought he had. It felt like he would go mad if he didn’t see her. No matter how much a part of him wanted to avoid her, another part of him seemed almost addicted to her presence.
Deciding that it would be sensible to just check on her, Clayton tried to devise a good excuse to stop by the dress shop.
Knocking on the dress shop door, Clayton was relieved to find her alone once again.
“Sheriff Clayton!” she exclaimed with a smile as she pushed the door open wider. “I hadn’t expected to see you again this soon.”
Clayton was hit by a wave of self-conscious nerves. All of his sister’s taunting words played in his mind and he felt as ignorant as a school boy.
“I see you’re working on something,” Clayton commented awkwardly as he pointed toward a pile of fabric where Elizabeth had been sitting.
Nodding her head, as she laughed, Elizabeth replied, “Oh, yes, it’s my first dress. It’s for me to wear.”
Lifting it up and holding it against her body, she asked, “Do you like it?”
Her pleasure in discussing the cloth was apparent and sincere but her smile had Clayton thinking other thoughts that forced him to look down at the ground. He had to get a grip of his emotions whenever he was with her
“Looks fine.”
Seemingly undaunted by his lack of enthusiasm, Elizabeth put the dress aside.
“You know, I wasn’t thrilled with the work when I first started here, but it’s certainly coming better now. Give me a few more weeks, and I think I might be a professional.”
Her voice sobering, she added, “I just hope I won’t have to be in hiding for too many more weeks.”
Stuffing his hands down in his pockets, Clayton brought up his newest idea.
“That’s actually why I stopped by here. I wanted to let you know that Bart and I have devised a plan to catch Mason. I can’t explain all the details right now, but we both think this might be what it takes to put him behind bars.”
Clayton could instantly see a spark of hope flash through Elizabeth’s eyes and her smile grew even larger. There was something about her that seemed especially charming that night, as if the pain of the past few weeks with Mason were slowly fading away.
“I’ll be so glad when he’s in jail,” Elizabeth admitted with a shake of the head. “I know it’s silly, but I still have times when I’m, well, I suppose a little scared when I think of him.”
Clayton’s heart broke when he imagined the brave girl feeling afraid. He hoped so desperately he could put the evil man in jail so she could, once again, experience some level of peace.
“What will you do once Mason is behind bars?” Clayton asked. He found himself almost afraid to know the answer to his question.
Shrugging, Elizabeth looked down at the floor.
“I’m still working on that. Mrs. Jennings told me I could stay here as long as I wanted. I’ve been thinking I might stay on as an apprentice to her until I learn how to make dresses then I might go back to Georgia and open my own shop.”
The thought of her leaving was almost more than Clayton could bear. He wanted to beg her to stay, but instead he just forced a smile.
“That would be nice for you, I’m sure.”
“I just know I don’t want to have to depend on any man, ever again,” Elizabeth told him with a shake of her head.
“First, it was my uncle who was in control of me. Then I traded him in for a worse situation with Mason. I don’t want to keep making bad choices because I have no other option. If I can make my own money, I won’t need a man at all.”
The words sounded harsh and final in Clayton’s ears. How could he feel so much for her when she obviously felt nothing for him? While his entire world had been consumed by her since she’d come into his life, she was simply looking for ways to make a life on her own. She wanted nothing to do with him.
“Well, I wish you all the best in the world,” Clayton replied, in a voice so shaky he was scared to speak again. He reached for the door handle before looking back. “I’ll let you know when things progress with Mason and our plan.”
“Are you leaving already?” Elizabeth asked. “I’d hoped you might stay and talk for a while.”
As much as Clayton wanted to stay with Elizabeth, he knew it was pointless. The more time he spent around her, the more he would hurt when she left. Shaking his head, he took a step away. “I have work waiting for me at the office. I’ll see you later.”
Stepping out into the night, Clayton wished he’d never developed any feelings for Elizabeth Brown. He wasn’t sure when it had happened, but she had certainly managed to catch his heart completely. Now he just needed to figure out how to get it back.
Chapter Sixteen
Sitting in a chair in the dress shop, Elizabeth was carefully winding a ball of lace so it would be ready for the next dress Mrs. Jennings sewed. While the shop was locked up tight, Amy had stopped by to visit and the three women were enjoying a visit as they worked.
While Elizabeth had always enjoyed her friend’s company, she had to secretly recognize that her presence was bitter sweet now. Amy was so closely connected to Clayton that she brought him to Elizabeth’s mind more than ever which certainly wasn’t pleasant.
It was becoming obvious that Clayton felt little, or nothing for her, and she felt like a fool for even entertaining any ideas about him. She could only hope he hadn’t been able to sense her tender feelings the night they were sitting together out by the creek. She didn’t think she could stand any more embarrassment.
Elizabeth had mentioned leaving Plainsville in an open attempt to see what he would say. She had hoped for a great revelation of his feelings and she had been sadly disappointed. It was obvious that Clayton Ward viewed her as nothing more than just a job and it was time she pushed aside all feelings she might possibly have for him.
“Bart is driving me insane,” Amy said as she picked up a piece of thread and spun it between her fingers.
“The man is going around town telling everyone that he’s purchased a prized stallion and
he’s keeping it in the barn by the house.”
Rolling her eyes, she continued, “I’ve never known my husband to be a liar and yet it seems he’s trying to prove himself to be one now. Honestly, I’m getting embarrassed by his behavior. It seems like it’s some sort of joke between him and Clayton. I’m keeping my mouth shut for now, though. I hate to see him lying but I certainly don’t want to call him out in public, either. That would embarrass him and that wouldn’t be the proper thing to do.”
Elizabeth laughed silently at her friend’s naive thoughts. It instantly made sense to Elizabeth that Clayton and Bart were simply setting a trap for her ex-fiancé. By claiming he had a valued horse, they were baiting him to come and steal it.
“I think I’d just let Bart and Clayton take care of it all,” Elizabeth suggested, unsure how much she should tell her friend about her suspicions. “I tend to think they probably have a plan.”
Amy shook her head and snickered softly.
“Oh, I’m sure that’s right. They generally have a plan I just don’t understand.”
Looking up at Elizabeth, she spoke firmly.
“Men are certainly trouble and whenever Clayton gets involved in a situation, you can bet he has something up his sleeve.”
All the talk about Clayton was making Elizabeth nervous and she found herself fidgeting in her seat. She could only hope she wasn’t bringing attention to herself. It seemed as if those around her were able to read her thoughts and understand what she was feeling.
“I heard Clayton took you for a walk by the creek the other night,” Amy said. Her eyes ran over Elizabeth, studying her in too obvious a manner. “How’d things go with him?”
Elizabeth’s hands trembled despite her best efforts at stilling them.
“Oh, it was fine. Clayton’s a nice enough sheriff. I certainly respect the work he’s doing as he tries to keep me safe.”
Amy didn’t seem too thrilled with her answer, and her expression assured Elizabeth that she had managed to pull off an innocent front once again.
