The Demure Bride

by Joannie Kay

  Rob decided he would forego shaving and give the mark on his cheek a chance to heal a bit before he scraped over it with a razor. He went downstairs and shook his head once again as realized he was going to have to hire someone to clean house for him. The parlor needed dusting yet again and he did not have time to spare for the task. He joined the men for breakfast and then assigned chores for the day. Running a ranch was never ending work. He was saddling up and preparing to ride out to make sure the work was all getting done properly when he heard a buggy approaching. He turned to see who was approaching and suddenly wished he had taken the time to run a dust rag over the parlor. His visitors were his neighbors, Matt Chambers and his feisty daughter. He walked over to greet them with a smile.

  "Good morning, Matt. Miss Chambers," Robert greeted them.

  "G'mornin', Matt. Mandy has something to say to you," he said, but his dark eyes were on his daughter.

  Amanda wanted to throw a fit, but her Papa was not in a reasonable mood this morning and it was best to get the apology over with so they could return home.

  "Would you like to come inside?" Robert offered politely, trying not to wince as he thought of his dusty parlor.

  "No thanks, Rob. I know you've got work to do, and so do I. Mandy...?" His meaning was clear.

  Amanda felt Robert Thorne's dark eyes on her and she wanted to grab the buggy whip and... "Papa insists I apologize... So, I apologize for striking you yesterday."

  Robert couldn't help snickering. "That is a most gracious apology, Miss Chambers."

  "Gracious?" Matt exclaimed in disgust. "Girl, I am disappointed in you!" His face was red and Robert didn't know if it was from anger or embarrassment, or perhaps both.

  Amanda refused to say another word, although she did feel a bit guilty when she saw the mark she'd left on Robert Thorne's left cheek. It had to hurt... every bit as much as the ones he left on her tender bottom! The drive here had been exceedingly painful and her Papa refused to allow her the small consideration of a pillow to sit upon.

  "Amanda, if you can't do any better than that, then it's sure and certain I didn't do a good enough job tanning you myself!"

  "Papa!" she whispered in a strangled voice as her face flooded with color.

  "I sympathize with how Miss Chambers feels, Matt, and I assure you I understand her position. She is not the least bit remorseful for her actions, and since I am not the least bit remorseful for mine, we are at what you westerners refer to as a 'stand off'. I fear that neither of us has made a good first impression upon the other, but given time I hope to remedy that."

  "We can start that by invitin' you to supper tonight, Rob. Amanda can and will cook us a nice meal. Will you come?"

  "Of course; I would be delighted." If looks could kill, the lovely redhead's green eyes would have sliced both him and her father to ribbons. "May I trust you will not poison our food, Miss Chambers?" he couldn't resist teasing her.

  "Oh, I am sure I can come up with something more clever than poisoned food, Mr. Thorne!" Amanda retorted.

  "I shall look forward to dining with you tonight then." He grinned at her, and then bid them a good day as Matt turned the buggy and headed home at a brisk pace. Robert saw Amanda wince in pain and suddenly realized she was truly in pain. He felt little sympathy for her. If ever a young lady needed taming, it was Miss Amanda Chambers! He looked after them for a while and then headed out to check on his men.

  * * *

  "That was not an apology, girl."

  "Because I am not really sorry, Papa! You saw the mark on his cheek! I have at least twenty of them on my bottom, especially where I sit! My clothing was wet, and it made the blows extremely painful. I am not an animal to be used so!" She was still insulted by the fact that Robert Thorne used the small riding whip on her backside.

  "You shouldn't have hit the man, Mandy. He didn't deserve it."

  "I struck him twice; he shouldn't have done what he did, either!" She refused to back down. "Seriously, Papa, I was already smarting from the fall. I told him not to touch me, but he put his hands all over me; what was I to do?"

  "He wasn't tryin' to take advantage of you, Mandy. He was checkin' to see if you broke any bones. It's what I would have done," Matt insisted, defending Rob. "Your Mama put all that nonsense in your head, girl, and it's just plain silly. You don't hit a man when his intentions are good ones."

  For the first time Amanda found herself wondering if her father was right. She looked at him, confusion in her eyes. "In Boston a gentleman wouldn't dream of doing something so improper. He would have asked if assistance was needed, and then gone for help."

  "In Boston you aren't out on open range and there are people all over the place to ask for help. Out here you do what you need to do to help, and that is what Rob did. You owe the man a sincere apology, Amanda. I expect you to fix a nice company meal and behave tonight. Don't think I won't take you from the table and tan your hide if you act like a spoiled brat!" he threatened.

  Amanda was quiet all the way home. Sitting on the hard seat of the buggy was extremely painful on her tender bottom... and she couldn't help but wonder if her parent was right. Was she wrong to strike Robert Thorne? In Boston it would have been expected, but things here were so different. When they finally reached the ranch, Amanda was relieved to jump down from the buggy. She headed for the house but Matt called to her and she turned to face him.

  "Best you fix a decent meal, Mandy, and behave yourself tonight." He turned then and walked off, his meaning very clear to the pretty redhead.

  Mandy walked inside and hurried upstairs to rub more of the salve on her aching posterior. She had lied to her father, wanting his sympathy; she only had two red marks on her bottom, but she was very tender and sitting was a constant reminder that she'd been soundly spanked twice! She wasn't going to do one thing to earn another... And all it would take was careful planning. First things first, she said as she put on an older dress and an apron. She went down to the kitchen and said with a smile, "Goldie, we are having a guest for dinner tonight and Papa expects me to do all of the cooking. The house is clean as can be, so why don't you take a day off and go and visit with your sister in town?"

  Goldie looked at her in surprise, but then smiled and nodded. She left without saying goodbye.

  Amanda went to work, a wicked smile on her face...

  Chapter Three

  Robert Thorne shaved carefully and put on a suit before leaving for the Circle C Ranch. The evening promised to be entertaining, and he grinned in anticipation as he mounted his stallion. Miss Amanda Chambers was full of spirit and he could not help but wonder if she would bring all that fire and passion to bed with her, not that he was likely to bed her anytime in the near future. She was thoroughly angry with him for turning her backside up for a solid thrashing, even though she richly deserved the chastisement. His fingers went to the red mark that she left across his cheek with the little riding whip she persisted in carrying when she went riding. It was still very tender, and shaving over the area had been tricky and somewhat painful. Hopefully her posterior was sporting a few matching marks that ached when she tried to sit her chair. While it certainly was not considered gentlemanly to manhandle the fairer sex, the hot-tempered redhead had earned every stroke he administered, and he was no sorrier for spanking her than she was for striking him.

  Yes, the evening ahead would prove amusing. He was fairly certain that Miss Chambers would not be able to resist retaliation of some sort, and he was prepared for an ill-prepared meal at the very least, and barely concealed sarcasm that would pass her father's attention. Rob was still very surprised to learn that morning that Matt Chambers had given his daughter the spanking she deserved for trying to jump her skittish little mare. He'd heard from the well-meaning gossips in the area that Matt had a blind eye for his girl, but in truth, he was trying to make up for not being involved at all in his daughter's upbringing. Rob liked Matt Chambers, and to be honest, he found it hard to believe his likeable neighbor had
such a spoiled brat for a daughter.

  Rob chuckled out loud, and nudged his stallion to a faster pace. He was looking forward to the prospect of matching wits with the little redhead, even if the meal was totally inedible.

  * * *

  "Somethin' sure smells good, girl!"

  Matt Chambers came into the house by way of the back porch and the kitchen, and Amanda knew her father was checking to make sure she was doing as he ordered, preparing a 'company meal' for one Mr. Robert Thorne. Her bottom was still very tender from the spanking Matt gave her on top of the thrashing the despicable Thorne administered yesterday, and Amanda was careful to smile and say, "I made fried chicken, Papa."

  "Well, now, that is real special." Matt nodded proudly. "I'm sure that Rob is gong to appreciate a good meal. Where's Goldie?" he asked curiously.

  "I gave her the day off to go into town and visit with her sister. She won't be home until morning," Amanda replied. "She works hard, Papa, and since you wanted me to do the cooking myself, there was no reason for her to stay."

  "That was real nice of you, Mandy. Goldie is a fine woman, and sometimes I forget to tell her it's okay to take off now and then." He looked her over head to toe. "You'd best go change into one of them pretty dresses you got, honey. You look a bit messy," he said without a bit of tact.

  "Papa! I've been working!" she scolded, and then added, wrinkling her nose, "And you smell bad!"

  "Well, we can't have that, now can we, girl?" he asked, chuckling in good humor. Matt was pleased to see his feisty daughter's mood was much improved. If he continued to be firm with her then she would come around and stop being so darn snooty. The girl needed a husband and she could do worse than Rob Thorne. He might be a foreigner, but he'd settled here and he was the kind of man to take a stand and stick to the land. Matt liked the idea of having his daughter right next door. He wanted grandkids to spoil.

  Matt took the time to clean up well, and when he was finished, he decided he'd best do some more checking on his hot-tempered girl. Food could smell real good and be terrible. He was on his way to the kitchen when there was a polite knock on the front door. He turned to go and answer it, just as Amanda appeared from the dining room. "I didn't hear you come down, Papa," she said with a smile.

  "I'll get the door, Mandy. Is the food all ready?" he asked.

  "It will be in a few minutes. I have some last minute things to do." She wasn't planning to give her parent one bit of reason to suspect anything was suspicious. Amanda had no desire to end up over his lap for another spanking, especially while her bottom was still so tender. Hopefully he wouldn't discover the soft pillow on her chair at the dining table, either. She would need it if she had a prayer of sitting without squirming all through dinner.

  "Good of you to come, Rob," she heard her father welcoming her enemy, and put a false smile of greeting on her pretty face.

  "Good evening, Miss Chambers," Rob said politely, well aware that the smile on her face didn't meet her eyes. Her green eyes were issuing him a challenge and he just knew the food would be terrible. He predicted that she would serve the courses already plated, and he wondered what he had let himself in for.

  "Good evening, Mr. Thorne. I hope you are hungry? I've made Papa's favorite... fried chicken."

  "I love fried chicken," he answered, wondering if he would still want to eat it again after this meal.

  "Come on in and have a drink, Rob. Mandy said supper will be finished in a few minutes," Matt said with a wink. The evening was going very well, and he was mentally patting himself on the back for settling his girl down in a big hurry. A bit of firmness was exactly what Mandy had needed. She went on back to the kitchen while he took their guest into his study and poured him a drink.

  "How are things on your spread?" Matt asked.

  "Doing well, although I seem to have misplaced a few head of cattle," Rob answered.

  "Rustlers?" Matt was immediately alert.

  "I am not sure if it is that, or if a couple of my hands decided to turn a quick profit for themselves at my expense. I am keeping my eyes open."

  "Did you see the Sheriff?"

  "Yes. He is investigating quietly. I do not want to tip off the guilty person or persons," Rob explained.

  "I'll keep my eyes open and if I see anything, I'll let you know, Rob. And if you need my help, I expect you to let me know."

  "Thank you, Matt." Rob knew his neighbor was a good man to turn to if he needed help, and he seriously appreciated the offer. It wouldn't have been extended if Matt Chambers didn't like him.

  They discussed a few other things and Amanda came into the room and waited until her father finished speaking before saying, "Papa, I have dinner on the table."

  "Good. I am hungry," Matt said enthusiastically. "I hope you are, too, Matt.?"

  "Working on a ranch gives one a healthy appetite," Rob agreed.

  "Mandy is a great cook."

  Rob was surprised when he saw the food was served family style, the fried chicken was arranged on a platter, and there were mashed potatoes, chicken gravy, and green beans in bowls, and there were sliced tomatoes, and biscuits. It looked and smelled wonderful, and if the food was served to Matt, too, then Rob was fairly certain it was safe to eat. Not even Amanda, as spoiled as she was, would dare sabotage her father's food. He helped himself and actually enjoyed his meal.

  Amanda spoke when spoken to, but she mostly sat back and enjoyed listening to the men talk. Robert Thorne was starting to feel a false sense of security and her plan was working well. She waited until they were finished eating and then smiled sweetly, "I certainly hope you saved room for a piece of apple pie."

  "Now that sounds good, honey!" Matt was delighted.

  Rob put a smile on his face, and wondered how the older man could fail to see his bratty daughter was up to something. Amanda had been very quiet throughout the entire dinner, but her green eyes were silently laughing and waiting in anticipation. Yes, the redhead was up to something, and Matt did not have the first clue.

  Amanda tried not to giggle as she cut the pieces of pie. Two from one pie, and one from another pie. She made sure she kept the special piece in her right hand, and the other two in her left. She served Robert Thorne first, and her father and herself last. She took her seat once again, and Robert looked at her and asked with a smile, "Miss Chambers, might I trouble you for another cup of coffee?"

  "I'd like another cup, too, Mandy," Matt agreed with Rob, and Mandy got to her feet to go to the kitchen and fetch the pot from the back of the stove where she was keeping it warm.

  While she was in the kitchen, Rob took his plate and exchanged it with hers. Matt looked at him in surprise, but Rob whispered, "Your daughter is devious. If nothing at all happens, I will apologize."

  "Yes, you surely will!" Matt was offended, but decided to keep his mouth shut and not say anything that would spoil the evening for Mandy. She'd worked so hard on making a good supper, and he didn't want her feelings hurt. He could always punch his young neighbor in the nose later... when his little girl wouldn't get her feelings hurt.

  Both men waited until Mandy returned and filled their coffee cups before starting to eat their pie. She smiled sweetly at Robert Thorne, watching his reaction to his pie. When he said, "This is most delicious, Miss Chambers," she nodded coolly, absently taking a bite from her own piece of pie. Her reaction was immediate. The pie was terrible! Somehow she'd switched the pieces of pie! She started coughing, and her green eyes filled with tears. "Is something wrong?" Robert Thorne asked in amusement.

  "No, of course not!" she immediately replied, catching the glimpse of disbelief and anger on her parent's face. She was not going to suffer the indignity of another spanking!

  "Are you sure?" Rob asked again. "My pie is delicious," he commented, taking another bite.

  "I'm just not hungry. I ate too much chicken," she lied.

  "Girl, what did you do to that pie?" Matt asked.

  "Nothing, Papa!" Amanda lied again.

&n
bsp; "I ain't stupid, girl. You tell me the truth right now, or you're goin' to sit right there and eat every last bite." Matt's own temper was showing. "You're about this close to another tannin', girl!" he threatened, holding his thumb and forefinger a scant inch apart.

  "Papa! Why are you being so mean to me?" Amanda asked tearfully. "Don't you like your pie?"

  "My pie is fine, but Rob was smart enough to switch his with yours. If I taste it, what am I going to find? Salt instead of sugar?"

  "No, of course not! Papa, what has gotten into you? There is nothing wrong with my pie."

  "Good, you just sit right there on that chair and eat every last bite," Matt ordered firmly.

  There was no help for it, Amanda took another bite of the nasty, soap laced pie. She felt she was going to be sick, but she chewed and swallowed, and tried to appear as though nothing was wrong. Why on earth had she done such a foolish thing? Mandy asked of herself.

  Robert couldn't believe that the feisty redhead was willing to eat the doctored pie rather than own up to the truth. He watched as she attempted a third bite, but her face suddenly turned green and she jumped up and ran from the room.

  "What am I goin' to do with that girl?" Matt asked in disgust, his face red with embarrassment and anger. "I'm sorry, son. I can't believe she tried somethin' like this."

  "Amanda is angry with me for thrashing her yesterday, Matt. It is between us, and I'm sure she is going to somehow blame this on me as well." He did not seem the least bit upset at the prospect, either, Matt noted.