A Niece for Christmas Page 5

  They browsed around choosing what they wanted. She didn’t want to spend too much, on the other hand, making Jessica’s clothes was much cheaper than buying them ready made. Amongst her purchases was soft white cotton to make new nightgowns. “Pink trim do you think?”

  “No, blue,” Jessie said. “It will match my eyes.”

  Clemmie laughed. “All right, blue it is. I want to buy something for your Uncle Ethan. What do you think he’d like?”

  “A hairbrush set. He uses an awful old brush and the comb has got teeth missing on it.”

  “How about that one over there.” Clemmie pointed. “I’ll get the brush, you get the comb.”

  The child nodded. “Ooh, what about the one in the leather case.”

  “Um….”

  “For when he goes away.”

  Your uncle never goes away, she nearly said. “Good idea.” If it made the little girl happy what did it matter if it was expensive? It was nice, solid and masculine looking in a mid-brown leather case with a gold clasp. “Yes, let’s get it.”

  She enjoyed taking her time, picking things up, putting them down then changing her mind, something you couldn’t do with a man accompanying you. After adding their purchases to Ethan’s they set off for the diner which was only a short distance away.

  Daisy’s Diner. Best steak in Texas, was written in large red letters on the curtained window. She pushed the door open and backed in pulling the wheelchair.

  A young man jumped up to help her. It was Lonnie from the ranch.

  “Thank you.” She smiled even though there was something about the young man she didn’t like. He was handsome in a flashy kind of way and rather than walk he seemed to strut. His smarmy smile had the hairs on the back of neck standing on end.

  “Howdy, Miss Jessica.”

  “Howdy, Lonnie.”

  “We’re fine now, thank you for your help.”

  “Mrs. Douglas.” He moved away as a motherly middle-aged woman came up to show them to a table near the back of the room where it was more spacious.

  “How you doin’, honey?” Can we expect your Uncle Ethan too?”

  “Yes, Clemmie and me got here early.”

  “We’ll wait until Ethan comes before ordering,” Clemmie said.

  “Okay.” The woman smiled and walked off.

  The diner was larger than what it appeared from the outside, with eight or more tables set up. Spotlessly clean by the look of it. Her eyes were suddenly drawn to the table where Lonnie sat, his head close up to that of Mary-Lou, and they were deep in conversation.

  Mary-Lou glanced up and gave them a poisonous stare. She forced herself to smile and waved her hand. This woman was dangerous and she didn’t want her causing any trouble for Ethan, who chose that moment to arrive.

  He nodded to Lonnie and Mary-Lou. “Have you gals ordered yet?”

  “No, we waited for you, Uncle Ethan.”

  “You didn’t have to do that. I’m having steak like I always do. Daisy does the best beef steak you’ll ever taste.”

  The woman who had seated them bustled up. “The usual, Ethan?”

  “Yes, thanks, Daisy.”

  “The usual for you, Miss Jessica?”

  “Yes please.”

  Daisy glanced at Clemmie. “Have the steak. I can do you a medium rather than a large one like this man has.”

  “Sounds perfect. I couldn’t put away a large steak like Texas men do.”

  “Coffee?”

  “Yes thanks,” Clemmie said.

  “I know you like yours strong and black, Ethan, and Mrs. Douglas?”

  “Call me Clemmie, please. Medium with cream thanks.”

  “Your usual, Miss Jessica?”

  Clemmie raised her eyebrows.

  “Weak and milky,” Daisy said.

  Mary-Lou minced over to them both, ignoring Lonnie’s call to come back.

  “You owe me, Ethan Douglas.” She stood with her hands planted on her hips.

  “I would say you owe me. I was the one left standing at the altar.”

  “Well, I’m back now and ready to make amends. You know you still want me.” She lowered her voice until it came out in a seductive purr.

  “I’m married now and I have no interest in any woman other than my wife.”

  “Her? That, that, gold digging harlot.”

  Clemmie couldn’t believe the hatred dripping from this woman’s mouth.

  “Where did you get her from?”

  “None of your business. Now, if you’ll excuse us, looks as if our food is coming.” He turned his head away.

  “You’ll be sorry you spurned me, Ethan.”

  He ignored her and she stormed off.

  “I don’t think she’s impressed with me,” Clemmie said.

  “Take no notice, she’s acting like a spoiled brat. I can’t believe I didn’t see past her beauty to the ugliness beneath.”

  Mary-Lou and Lonnie walked out of the diner together and Clemmie knew the food would taste better once they left. When Daisy delivered their steaks they were still sizzling. Fried potatoes, greens and plenty of gravy, her mouth watered. “It looks delicious.”

  “Wait until you taste it.” He smiled, even though there was tension about him now that hadn’t been present when they first arrived in town.

  It was that Mary-Lou creature who caused it. The woman was poisonous.

  “Well, I guess we only see what we want to in a person sometimes,” he said.

  “Yes. Take Harold. I couldn’t see past his veneer of respectability and sophistication to discover how unscrupulous and dishonest he was.” She had confided in Ethan about what had transpired in New Orleans. She would never forgive herself for wasting ten years of her life on the likes of him.

  “We should learn from the mistakes of our past and not repeat them,” he said.

  She couldn’t believe how much Ethan meant to her, especially after such a short time. Dare she risk mentioning to him that she had feelings for him? What if those feelings weren’t returned? If he spurned what she was prepared to offer him? Then what? No, better to say nothing.

  “You aren’t eating your steak, Clemmie. Don’t you like it?” Jessica asked.

  “Of course I like it, sweetheart, I was just thinking.”

  “Of what?” Ethan stared intently at her.

  “Nothing much.”

  “It didn’t look like nothing much to me.”

  “Ghosts from the past. I don’t like nasty confrontations with angry women, well, men either for that matter.”

  “I think you can handle yourself.” He smiled and her heart galloped in her breast.

  “Clemmie and me have got a secret.”

  “What is it, darlin’?”

  “It won’t be a secret if you tell, sweetheart. Remember it’s a surprise for Christmas Day.”

  “Oh, yes. You are going to be very surprised, Uncle Ethan.”

  “I’m sure I will, darlin’, I can’t wait to find out. Anyone for dessert?”

  “No thanks.” Clemmie groaned. “I’m struggling to finish this, you order something if you want to, though.”

  “I don’t want any dessert,” Jessica said.

  “Okay, ladies, no dessert.”

  After they had finished eating, Ethan paid the bill, and pushing the wheelchair, with Clemmie’s arm through his they stepped out into the street. The wind had picked up a little.

  “What was Lonnie doing in town?” she asked.

  “He had time owing, and told Jake he needed to go into town on business. I didn’t expect him to see him all cozy with Mary-Lou.”

  They strolled around to the back of the mercantile. After he helped them into the buckboard he said. “I’ll just go in and settle my account. I’ll only be a couple of minutes.” He strode off.

  Chapter Seven

  That evening after everyone else was in bed, Ethan sat behind his desk to get the ranch accounts into order. He normally didn’t mind bookwork for a change. “Tarnation!” why could
n’t he concentrate? One word – Clemmie.

  Her presence was driving him crazy. How could he have been so stupid as to suggest, no insist, on a marriage in name only. It must have been what she wanted or she would have objected to it. Wouldn’t she?

  The night he had dashed into Jessica’s room and Clemmie had fallen into his arms, he had been shocked at how pretty she looked in a nightgown with her beautiful hair flowing down her back. The scent of her skin had infused his nostrils, her soft warmth, like enticing fingers, had curled around his heart, and he wanted their marriage to be a real one.

  Should he have said something then? She probably would have thought it was lust and not a true feeling of….What? Love? He had missed the chance to find out how she felt about him. Her sweet lips had been so close, he should have kissed her and seen what happened. A slapped face most likely.

  After Christmas he would have to say something. He couldn’t go on like this. He wasn’t made of stone. He had the usual male urges. They got on well. He enjoyed the comradery they shared with Jessie. Clemmie was so good with her, genuinely loved the child and the feeling was reciprocated. Jessie laughed now, whereas before she was a sad little girl.

  Agnes and Jack had taken Clemmie into their hearts. The men liked her as she was always polite and friendly toward them.

  How often had he watched the dark and fair heads touching as they bent over the sewing or the pair of them giggling at the stories Clemmie read. She was a sweet, beautiful woman. He desperately wanted her in his arms and his bed.

  If only she would give him some sign about how she felt about him? He didn’t want to confess his love for her in case she didn’t feel the same way about him. It would be embarrassing, spoil the rapport they had built up.

  The only smart thing he did was marry her quickly. She wasn’t the type of woman to break her marriage vows – to love and honor only him, until death parted them.

  “Your marriage is unconsummated,” a voice inside his head reminded him. It wouldn’t take much to get an annulment. His heart lurched. If she left him what would he do? What would Jessica do? He couldn’t push her into a corner by declaring his love and frighten her away, if the feeling wasn’t mutual, and she’d given no indication of feeling anything except friendship.

  Taking a deep breath, he started on his accounts again. The figures blurred before his eyes and he realized it wasn’t defective eyesight, but tears impairing his vision. A whiskey would go down well, impossible because Jessica might need him.

  He wanted to lie down somewhere quiet and cry like a baby for the loss of his brother, Jessie’s paralysis and his unrequited love for his wife.

  ****

  Christmas Eve

  The weather was cloudy and cool with no rain clouds on the horizon. Rugged up warmly, they would go down to their “secret” place by the creek, Clemmie decided. The little girl loved going there and even though Ethan didn’t like the idea, he went along with it.

  As she prepared to push the wheelchair to the front door, she glanced back into the sitting room. Decorated with colorful paper chains, red and green bows and a large Christmas tree in the corner, the room had a festive air.

  “Our decorations look beautiful,” Jessie said.

  “They certainly do, sweetheart, and the house has been smelling divine with all Agnes’cooking.”

  “This is going to be the best Christmas ever.” The child’s eyes suddenly clouded over. “Except Ma and Pa won’t be here.”

  She leaned over and gently squeezed the little girl’s hand. “Don’t be too sad, sweetheart, they wouldn’t want you to be, just remember the good times. That’s what I do. Now let’s go.”

  “Make sure, you’re well rugged up Agnes,” instructed. “Don’t stay away too long. Jack is taking me to my church ladies meeting, so I mightn’t be here when you get back.”

  They set off and soon arrived at their usual place. The fresh air was invigorating and did the little girl good; her cheeks were rosy now, whereas before she had looked pale and pinched from being inside too much. Ethan was too busy and so was Agnes for them to take her outside for walks very often.

  “My legs are getting stronger, aren’t they?”

  “Yes, I think they are. You’re much steadier on your feet now. A few more days and I think you can try to walk a couple of steps.”

  “Uncle Ethan will be surprised.”

  “Yes, it will be his best Christmas present ever.”

  They were at the creek in their “secret place,” when a small covered wagon drove toward them. As it came up closer, fear shot through her. The driver was masked. His hat pulled down so only his eyes were visible. She turned to run, then realized she couldn’t because of Jessica.

  The man drew his gun. “Don’t move or I’ll shoot the kid,” he growled.

  “What do you want with us?”

  “None of your business, Mrs. Douglas.”

  So, he knew who she was.

  “Get in the wagon.”

  “If I don’t?”

  “The kid gets a bullet between the eyes.”

  “Leave her alone and take me.”

  He jumped down from the wagon, picked Jessica up and slung her over one shoulder like a sack of flour, before stepping over to the wagon and dumping her inside.

  She couldn’t run for help and leave the child with this brute of a man. Who knew what he was capable of? She scrambled up on to the wagon and was shocked when the man produced a rope and tied her hands behind her back. Jessica was sobbing in fear.

  “You bully. You filthy vermin.” She hurled the words at him. “Ethan will kill you for this.”

  “Shut up,” he growled.

  There was something familiar about him. She had met this man before, but when and where? “Shush, sweetheart, don’t cry. Uncle Ethan will come.”

  The next thing she knew, a hood was placed over Jessica’s head, followed a few seconds later by one being dropped over her head.

  “If you touch those hoods, kid, I’ll kill you.”

  She felt the wagon move as the man climbed up, then with a snap of the whip, followed by a jolt, they lurched forward.

  “Clemmie! Clemmie! Where are you?” Jessica cried out piteously.

  “I’m still here, don’t worry. I want you to be brave like Uncle Ethan, so we can make a plan to escape when we get the chance. Don’t take the bag off, no matter what. Promise me.” If they saw the man’s face he would surely kill them.

  The bag was loose, so there was no chance of suffocating. Poor little Jessica would be terrified, any child would be. Inwardly she quaked with fear yet couldn’t show it. If she went to pieces they were doomed.

  Who would want to kidnap them and why? Money most likely. Was Ethan wealthy? Revenge maybe? For what? Her heart slammed against her rib cage. Had Harold hired someone to find her? It went without saying he would never do dirty work like this himself.

  How could he have found out where she was? No-one except Ethan, Agnes and Jack knew where she came from. Her teeth chattered, she didn’t know whether it was from fear, cold or a combination of both.

  The ground they were passing over was rough and rutted going by the swaying and bumping of the wagon. Jessica’s sobbing had subsided. What kind of fiend would do such a thing to this little girl?

  Time passed, she had no idea how much, at least an hour or more. Suddenly the wagon slowed. She didn’t know why except she was sliding a little. They were on a slope.

  Suddenly they stopped. A short time later she was roughly dragged out of the wagon and dumped on the ground. A whimpering Jessica soon followed.

  “Stay there, bed faggot,” the man snarled. “While I get the kid inside.

  She bent her head trying to get the bag off, all to no avail. Within a short time she was roughly grabbed and hauled to her feet, then dragged along. She was being pushed into a building because the surface under her feet felt smoother somehow, and she could smell fire. What kind of building it was she had no idea?

&nbs
p; “Sit,” the sharp command, combined with a shove had her tumbling to the ground and her head hit something hard. A wall maybe.

  The bag was removed from her head and her frantic eyes alighted on Jessica who was huddled in the corner of the room in a log cabin. The floor was of packed clay.

  A fire burned in a small fireplace, and a blackened coffee pot hung from an iron tripod. There was a small table and two chairs, one with the back broken off.

  Suddenly she realized the man was Lonnie. How could she forget his strutting gait? Why would he kidnap them? Money. It had to be.

  “Lonnie,” Jessica said.

  His head shot up. If he knew they recognized him they would be killed for sure. She shook her head and mouthed the word - no.

  “I’m sure Lonnie wouldn’t let anyone hurt you. You told me he was your friend.”

  Jessie must have realized what she was getting at. “Lonnie would save me from the bad man.”

  “Do you think he would, little gal?”

  “Yes, he likes me.”

  “Why are you doing this to us? We’ve never caused you any harm. Let Jessica go and keep me.”

  “I can’t do that, I’ve got me orders.”

  “Who from?”

  “You’ll find out soon enough.” He gave an evil chuckle.

  Not long afterward they heard the sound of a horse. A couple of minutes later the door flew open and a man entered. She quickly corrected herself. It was a woman dressed in male clothing. Not any woman – Mary-Lou.

  “You horrible creature,” Clemmie yelled at her.

  Mary-Lou minced over and swung her hand backward and forward across Clemmie’s face. “Ethan is mine. You stole him from me, now you have to pay.”

  “Don’t hurt, Clemmie,” Jessie yelled.

  “Shut up cripple girl or I’ll slap you as well.”

  “I brought them here like you told me,” Lonnie said. “Now what?”

  “Kill them.”

  “You didn’t say anything about killing. You said ransom.”

  “I changed my mind, didn’t I?”

  “How much is she paying you? I’m sure Ethan would double it for our safe return.”

  “I’ve got something he hasn’t, haven’t I, handsome?” She picked up Lonnie’s hand and placed it on her breast.