Compromised Cowgirl (23 page)

He didn’t yell, but that could be because his head hurt too much. His expression was a lot like Hugh, who liked to punch her in the chest and belly. Fin preferred to use his boots. Their father used a belt or the back of his hand.

She slapped the reins and took off before he could tan her hide. Ace yelled something, but she kept on riding, leaving the danger behind, for now.

On the MacDougal spread, if you ran from their pa’s punishment, you got it worse. Fin and Hugh didn’t have that power. As long as she got away from them at the time, she was safe for a while.

She pushed Trouble west, toward the place she’d found the cigarette makings. If she found more evidence of someone watching, she’d have an excuse to go into town and talk to Frank Chambers. Then she’d head to the Rocking E. Trace said she was to stay with Beth tonight. They’d adopted three children who were eager to meet her.

Maybe by tomorrow Ace would have calmed down. Or would he be like The MacDougal, and punish her worse for running?

* * * *

“I found more tracks, Sheriff,” said Jessie, settling in the extra chair in front of Frank Chambers. “Someone’s been watching the Double Diamond. The tracks lead along the ridge to the east, then down to Tanner’s Ford.”

“Good to know, but there’s not much I can do about it.”

Frank nodded for Jessie to drink her coffee. Mary was back, which meant he didn’t have to drink black sludge. He would never offer a tin cup of jailhouse coffee to a lady in a dress, gloves and parasol, but he couldn’t imagine Jessie dressing that way. Though, from what he’d heard, she spent two years covered in frills and bows.

Even dressed in pants, shirt, and boots, she was a lady from the tip of her nose to her tiny feet. But, like Beth and Amelia, she was strong and proud. She reminded him a bit of his wife when they were first sparking. Of course, Mary had never worn anything but a dress.

“What’s this I hear about a fistfight between your brothers, cousins, and the Double Diamond?”

Jessie groaned and dropped her head back. “Don’t ask me. I think the whole thing is ridiculous. Grown men beating each other up in the name of friendship? Gah!”

“Mary and a few other women are trying to raise money to build a schoolhouse and church. One building, used for both.”

Jessie sat up. “Beth was saying she hoped there’d be a school in the next few years. Amelia’s teaching Daniel how to read, but Meggie and Bridie need more.”

“What would you think if we charged a couple dollars for people to watch the fight? The money would all go to the Tanner’s
Ford
School
and Church Fund.”

“Then their fight would actually have a purpose.” Jessie nodded. “Five dollars each.”

Frank thought about the high cost of the needed building and nodded. “Instead of a free-for-all, we could set up matches. Maybe draw names.”

“What if we charged a fee for others to join in? Ten dollars, with a cash prize for the winner.” Jessie had dimples when she smiled coyly. “Of course, the ladies would suggest a
real
man would donate his winnings to the fund.”

“All weapons get locked up in there.” Frank pointed to the lone jail cell. “I don’t want any beer or whiskey until the show’s over. Maybe the ladies could sell lemonade.”

“We could have other competitions as a warm-up. Roping or riding greenbroke horses, winner gets a few ounces of gold.”

Jessie laughed when he nodded in agreement. He knew she planned to win at least one of the prizes. She jumped up and hugged him. He held her just as hard, thinking of how much he missed his daughters.

“Bloody hell! There you are!”

Ace stood in the door, a tall, black shadow. Frank felt Jessie sag before she straightened like a flagpole.

“We’re planning a fundraiser for the Tanner’s Ford school and church building,” she said. Her voice, instead of laughing, sounded brittle.

“Is there a purpose to this demonstration of affection, Sheriff? Or are you staking a claim on my fiancée?”

Frank gave her arm a friendly squeeze before letting her go. “Get off your high horse, Langford. I’ve been hugging Jessie Elliott since she first rode into town in front of her pa.”

“Why are you here?” The fun-loving young woman was gone, replaced by a hard, cold cowgirl.

“You are not to leave the Double Diamond without my permission. Do you understand?”

Jessie gaped at him for a moment. She shut her mouth and stuck her hands on her hips.

“No, I don’t. I’m not your wife, and I don’t need your permission to do any damn thing.”

“But you are going to be my wife. That changes everything.” Ace stepped forward. Though he spoke and moved quietly, Jessie backed up. “I will not allow my fiancée to be seen in public unless she is decently dressed, acting like a proper wife. And you will never swear again.”

“I hate dresses,” she blurted. “I can’t ride in them, and they twist around my legs when I walk.”

“Then I guess you won’t be going far from the cabin,” replied Ace, quiet and sure.

Frank could almost feel the heat generated by the two young people as they stared at each other. There was anger, but also a different type of burn.

“If I have to marry someone, I’ll marry Sin, not you. At least he likes me.” She panted as if she’d run all the way from the river, uphill.

“You no longer have the right to a decision.”

Frank winced. Instead of August heat, the temperature in the room dropped to a mid-January freeze.

“You agreed to marry me, Miss Elliott. Therefore, everything about you is under my control.”

“No!”

“This is for your own good. I won’t be made a laughingstock because my wife flaunts her body to every roustabout and miner like a two-bit whore. You can, and will, do that in private. But in public you will show respect by obeying me in every way.” He looked over her body. “At least you wore a long coat to cover your bottom. Otherwise I’d have to punish you.”

She blanched. She looked right and left, but the jail had only one door, and he stood in the way. He jerked his head.

“Get home before anyone else sees you.” He stepped to the side. “Go!”

She scrambled past and out the door, pulling it closed behind her as if to keep him from following. Ace stood tall for a moment and then sagged onto the stool Jessie had vacated. No longer the outraged husband-to-be, he dropped his head on his hands and groaned.

* * * *

“You’re in a heap of trouble, son. That woman will never forget how you humiliated and scared the hell out of her.”

Frank tossed the remains of Jessie’s coffee out the window and poured another cup. Ace shook his head at the offer, keeping his hands deep in his pockets. Frank suspected they were tightened into fists.

“If she’s afraid, she’ll follow my orders,” said Ace. His voice shook. “How else can I keep her safe?”

“Keep her safe?” Frank sighed and settled his hip on one corner of his scarred desk. “Your fiancée is almost as good as Ross with a knife, her roping is some of the best I’ve seen, and I’d bet on her shooting over Jack. She’s a ferocious pixie, fast and sweet and deadly.”

“Thank you,” said Ace. His eyes proved the words were only a polite form of speech. “I’m aware she can kill me in many ways. Is that supposed to encourage me to let her wander around town whenever she wants?” He stood and paced across the jail. “I heard how Beth had to kill two men right in front of her own home. Two more kidnapped Amelia, again from her home. If she hadn’t burned her prison down around herself and Ross’s ravens hadn’t shown the way, Amelia would be worse than dead.”

Ace turned to Frank.

“The Elliotts and MacDougals had enemies who attacked their women at home. Jessie will be safe at the Double Diamond’s cabin. But her coming into Tanner’s Ford is dangerous. There’s all kinds of rough men who could grab her from behind one of these buildings.” He held up his hands in a shrug. “If she comes to town, she must be with me, Sin or Henry, and she must behave like a perfect wife. We’ll keep her safe.”

“You think if she puts on a dress and spends her days cooking and cleaning that everything will be fine?”

“Of course. The only danger to her is in town.”

“Have you forgotten how you acquired your land and cattle?” Frank shook his head. “You’ve got at least one enemy, son.”

Ace tossed his hand as if dismissing the idea. “You people seem to think Smythe’s the devil incarnate. He’s just a lower-class braggart. A bully, hiding behind his money.” Ace smirked. “I understand the man has a fear of horses. Any man who is afraid to sit astride a horse is not worthy of my attention.”

“Smythe may have come from a lower class that you, but now he has money, and money means power. He’s cozying up to the governor and the railroad men. Don’t dismiss him just because he wasn’t born with your privileges.”

Ace dropped his head. Frank noted his quick breathing, the fists on his hips. Even the cords of his neck stood out as he fought to control his temper. Frank watched the boy calm himself. Whatever he’d said had hit Ace hard. The boy might be the son of an Earl, but something about his past was stuck in his craw.

“Some ‘privileges’ come at a very high price, Sheriff,” said Ace quietly. Frank saw a flash of pain and betrayal in Ace’s eyes. “But we were discussing my fiancée. The one who will behave properly if I have to chain her to the bloody stove to keep her safe!”

Frank had a good idea Ace would never follow through on the threat, made out of frustration. It was obvious the two of them shared a passion that they wouldn’t admit to. He and Mary would have a good chuckle tonight. Young love, when both parties denied its existence, was always a source of entertainment to those well-married.

Watching Jessie tame the three lordlings would brighten his days. With the older Elliotts and the MacDougals settled with their wives, he was looking forward to Ranger trying some shenanigans. The Circle C men were too mature for that, but he had hopes for the J Bar C cousins. The Flying X had Southern boys, too gentlemanly to cause much ruckus.

Damn, he was looking forward to that fight! He bet Jessie’s men would want to squash their in-laws to prove their worth. Be interesting to see if Jessie would holler for her brothers, or her husband and his partners. She was ornery enough to do both. As soon as she started walking she followed Trace everywhere, tripping over her skirts to keep up until her ma finally let her wear pants right after Patrick was born. Jessie was demanding as all get-out, but a hard worker. Ace had to learn she was smart as well.

“You think Jessie wandered into town because she had nothing better to do?”

Ace shrugged as if he didn’t give a damn. Frank scrubbed his face with his hands.

“She came to me because she found proof someone’s been staking out your place.”

Ace straightened up. “What proof?”

“Tracks high on the ridge. Cigarette makings. That sort of thing.”

“Today?”

Frank nodded. “She first saw them the day she found the Sinclairs. She says someone comes every day or two. They watch from above the cabin, to the east. The ones today were fresh.”

“And why, pray tell, didn’t she tell me?”

“The way you’ve been acting, why would she?”

Ace drew himself up like Frank expected the lord of the manor chastising a servant would do. Frank shook his head at the boy. He walked around the desk and settled himself on his chair. Mary had sewn a cushion for him. He pretended he only used it because it was from his wife, but he was secretly glad to ease his old bones. He sighed at Ace’s indignant look.

“Son, I’ve been married longer than you’ve been alive. This is not the way to start a marriage.” Frank held up a finger before Ace could speak. “You gonna beat her if she won’t listen?”

“Good Lord, no! That’s why she has to obey me.” Ace curled his lip. “What kind of man do you think I am?”

“I don’t know, Mr. Kenrick Langford. But Jessie looked mighty scared of you just now.”

Ace exhaled in a blast of disgust. “I lost my temper with her a couple times when I thought she was a boy. It didn’t seem to bother her at all. But now…”

Frank knew the reason. Jessie would not have given herself to Ace unless she loved him, even if she didn’t realize it. Having the man she loved behave like one she hated would tear her apart. Ranger must not have told Ace much about her. He leaned across the desk.

“That tiny gal survived ten years with The MacDougal and his brutal sons. She knows what a raging man can do. She’s been beaten, whipped and worked harder than a hired hand. She was damn near raped by a man she couldn’t escape seeing every day after.”

“Who?” Ace jumped to his feet “I’ll kill him!”

Frank shook his head. “Jessie took care of him in her own way. She’s had to take care of herself most of her life. Ranger, Ben, and Patrick did what they could, but most of her life, Jessie’s been alone. Maybe she saw something in you which reminded her of all that.”

Ace stared at the wall over Frank’s head. Frank slurped his coffee, letting the boy work things through. Finally, Ace slumped on the stool. He rubbed his hands over his face. After a moment he snorted a laugh.

“If I even thought of harming Jessie, I’d be dead an hour after her brothers found me.” He shuddered. “Better a bunch of Elliotts after me than Ross MacDougal. He’d take a week to skin and gut me.” He frowned. “Why would Jessie think I’d hurt her?”