Aundy (Pendleton Petticoats #1)(29)
Author: Shanna Hatfield

“Ashton? Now isn’t a good time for a social call,” Aundy said, rinsing her hands and drying them on a dishtowel.

“I realize that, my dearest Mrs. Erickson,” Ashton said, sidling next to her and taking her hand. Leading her to the table, he held out a chair for her. When she reluctantly sat down, he gallantly dropped to one knee, looking at her with tender eyes. “I heard about the tragedy that befell one of your sheep and rushed right over knowing how distraught you’d be.”

“I appreciate your thoughtfulness, but as you can see, I’m fine,” Aundy said, annoyed to have Ashton fawning over her. He wasn’t normally quite so…attentive. It irritated her that the men all seemed to expect her to fall to the floor in a faint or sob until she lost the ability to function coherently.

As the owner of the farm and the sheep, she wouldn’t allow herself the luxury of giving in to the urge to cry until she drained the well dry.

“My dear, you look anything but fine. You seem quite distressed,” Ashton said, getting to his feet and pulling a chair so close to hers their knees brushed. Aundy drew back her legs and frowned at Ashton.

“Truly, I’ll be fine, Ashton. Please don’t worry yourself on my behalf. Someone from the sheriff’s office will be here soon, so it’s probably best if you leave now,” Aundy said, getting up from her chair and taking the cookies out of the oven, glad to have something to keep her busy. If she had to sit still with Ashton patting her hand and consoling her one more minute, she might give in to the urge to slap him.

“If you’re certain,” Ashton said, sounding hurt as he got to his feet and started toward the front door.

“I’m certain, but thank you again for thinking of me,” Aundy said, tilting her head toward Glen, indicating he should walk Ashton to the door.

Putting the last of the cookies in the oven to bake, Aundy was washing the dishes she dirtied to make cookies when Glen returned to the kitchen.

“Do you like Ashton?” Glen asked, picking up a hot cookie then juggling it from one hand to the other until it was cool enough to eat.

“Of course I like him, just like I do all the neighbors,” Aundy said, drying the bowl and putting it away.

“No, I mean like him…you know?” Glen asked, wondering why he brought up the subject in the first place. It was clear Ashton’s presence annoyed Aundy and she wanted him out of the house as quickly as possible.

“If you mean would I consider giving my heart to a man like him, then the answer is no,” Aundy said, watching Glen snitch another cookie. She poured a cup of coffee and handed it to him as the kitchen door opened and Dent walked in with Kade.

The deputy took the two notes and asked Aundy questions about any threats she received. She told him about Marvin Tooley, including taking him home when he showed up drunk the previous afternoon.

“Why in tarnation didn’t you find one of us?” Dent asked, trying to keep from yelling. He couldn’t believe Aundy hauled the filthy drunk home all by herself. She might be the boss, but she was still an innocent woman who shouldn’t be dealing with some of the things she’d resigned herself to managing as the owner of the place.

“You were busy, I handled the situation and that was that,” Aundy said, offering Kade a cup of coffee and a plate of cookies, which he gladly accepted.

“That isn’t that. That is asking for a whole lot of trouble, Missy. You can’t be going around hauling home drunks. You just can’t,” Dent said, slapping the hat he’d been twisting around in his hands on his leg, stirring up a cloud of dust.

“We’ll discuss your thoughts on that subject later,” Aundy said, turning her attention back to Kade. He asked her a few more questions, took another handful of cookies and left. Dent gave him the bloody knife, along with the lamb carcass to take with him.

Lem decided to stay with Nik out by the sheep. No missing or wounded animals were found when they checked the pasture, other than the dead lamb.

“Missy, you and I are going to have a long conversation about what is acceptable for you to do and what is not,” Dent said, waggling his finger at her.

Aundy was gearing up to let him have an earful about doing whatever she deemed necessary when the back door opened and Garrett stepped inside.

“Aundy, are you okay?” Garrett asked, his silvery gaze focused on hers. Walking toward her, he opened his arms and she rushed right into the warmth and comfort they offered.

Despite her attempts to keep her emotions tamped down, to keep her fear and hurt from overwhelming her, the sight of Garrett opened the floodgates and she couldn’t hold back any longer. Although she’d kept her back straight and chin up throughout the evening, as soon as Garrett touched her all the starch went out of her spine and she melted against him.

When the first sob wracked her shoulders, Garrett sat in a chair and pulled her onto his lap, cradling her head to his chest.

Stroking her back, he murmured softly to her. “It’s okay, darlin’. It’s okay,” Garrett said, handing her the dishtowel Dent held out to dry her tears.

“It’s not okay,” she said between sobs. “They killed my lamb, Garrett. They killed my poor little lamb.”

“I know, honey. I’m sorry,” Garrett said, noticing Glen sitting at the table, grinning at him as if he knew some big secret.

“We’ll just um…Come on, Glen,” Dent said, hurrying out the door with Glen right behind him.

“I’ll leave them alone for a minute or two before I go make sure he ain’t doing nothing he shouldn’t be,” Dent said as they walked toward the bunkhouse.

“Ol’ Garrett better be sure he wants Aundy because she’s plumb sold on him. She would barely give Ashton Monroe the time of day and fairly ran him out of the house, but she sure don’t seem to mind Garrett being there,” Glen said, deciding Aundy had better taste in men than most of the female population around town. Garrett Nash could have his choice of women, but Ashton had the looks, money, and suave manners that made the ladies practically fall at his feet.

“When was Ashton here?” Dent asked, coming to a stop outside the bunkhouse.

“Just before you and Kade came in. Aundy didn’t act none too pleased he showed up. She told him she was fine and to go home. He finally got the idea she wasn’t of a mind to visit and left.”

“Did he know something had happened or was it a social call?” Dent asked.

“He knew all about it. Said news travels fast. Suppose that’s true enough. I heard some busybodies round here can’t get any of their housework done cause they spend all day listening in on the phone line.”

“That so,” Dent said distractedly, looking toward the house and deciding to give Aundy a few more minutes alone with Garrett.

Knocking on the kitchen door half an hour later, Dent walked in to see Garrett drinking coffee and eating cookies while Aundy sipped a cup of tea. She was no longer crying and had her straight spine and determined look back in place.

“Everything alright?” Dent asked, coming inside and pouring himself a cup of coffee.

“For now,” Aundy said, looking at Dent and mustering a small smile.

“Lem’s gonna stay with Nik and the sheep for a while. Hank’s gonna catch a few winks then head out to pick up the second shift. Fred and Bill will keep an eye out around here tonight,” Dent said, letting Aundy know someone would be watching to make sure she was safe.

“Why don’t you come back with me to Nash’s Folly, Aundy? No one will know you’re there and you can rest easy,” Garrett said, reaching across the table to take her hand in his.

Once she stopped crying, he’d been trying to convince her to stay at his place where Nora could fuss over her and he could keep an eye on her until they caught whoever was making the threats.

Adamant she wasn’t going to abandon the farm, the sheep, or her men, Aundy refused. Like she was doing now.

Squeezing his fingers, she smiled with a grateful look but shook her head.

“That’s exactly what someone wants me to do, isn’t it? Run off scared. I think someone wants me off this place and they’re trying to frighten me into leaving by harming my sheep,” Aundy said, glancing from Garrett to Dent who sat passing some unspoken message with lifted brows and nearly imperceptible nods of their heads.

“You two agree, don’t you?” Aundy said, getting to her feet and pacing around the kitchen again. “Why? What did I do? Who did I offend?”

“No one, Missy,” Dent said, shaking his head. “Some folks, men, just don’t cotton to the idea of a woman running her own place and doing it quiet well.”

“Their way of thinking may be better suited to the days of cavedwellers, but you aren’t going to change their minds,” Garrett said, glad his parents raised him to think everyone should have equal opportunities regardless of gender or race. “Are you sure I can’t convince you to stay at our house tonight?”

“No, Garrett. I thank you for your concern, but I’ll be fine,” Aundy said, getting to her feet and rinsing out the cups in the sink. Garrett and Dent added theirs and Dent mumbled something about seeing them later and ambled out the door, leaving Garrett leaning against the counter, watching Aundy fuss with wiping off the table and storing the cookies in a tin.

“Aundy,” he said, pulling her against him as she walked by.

“Don’t, Garrett. Please,” Aundy said, tears filling her eyes as she looked into his silvery depths. If he offered more gentle assurances, she would break down sobbing again and that wouldn’t help anyone. “I’ll be fine. I promise.”

“I know you will be. You’re one of the strongest women I know,” Garrett said, giving her a loving smile. Lowering his head to hers, their lips connected in a fiery kiss and Aundy wrapped her arms around his neck, clinging to him, to her dreams, to her desires. Pressed against him with his lips moving insistently against hers, she could easily forget about the farm, the sheep, and everything else.

Unfortunately, she didn’t have the luxury of forgetting and abruptly pulled back, pulled herself down to earth and reality.

“Thank you, Garrett. You can’t know how much I appreciate your coming over,” Aundy said, meaning every word. Although she refused to let Glen call him, Aundy hadn’t realized how desperately she needed to see Garrett until he walked in the door. She wanted to go with him to Nash’s Folly where Nora would make her tea, J.B. would offer sage wisdom, and Garrett would keep her safe. Instead, she had to stay, take a stand, and let it be known that nothing was going to run her off Erik’s land.

“Anytime you need me, I’ll be here,” he said, settling his hat on his thick hair and disappearing into the evening darkness enveloping the farm.

Chapter Sixteen

Exhausted after answering endless inquiries about what happened at the farm following church services, Aundy declined Nora’s offer to stay for lunch and instead went home to spend the afternoon in the peace and quiet of her own house.

Unable to sleep the previous night due to being both frightened and angry, Aundy wanted nothing more than to curl up on her bed and take a nap.

Removing her church dress and shoes, she pulled on one of the old calico dresses she’d altered to fit her taller, thinner frame, took the pins out of her hair and braided it, fastening the end with a ribbon.

Flopping down on the bed, she tugged a quilt over her legs and was soon asleep.

Rapping, loud and insistent, woke her from her dreams of Garrett and she got to her feet, hurrying to the door feeling a little disoriented and half-awake.

“My gracious, Aundy, are you unwell?” Ashton asked, pushing his way inside the front room.

“I’m well,” Aundy said, realizing she probably looked like a rumpled mess and not caring.

Ashton had been fun to visit with on numerous occasions, it was interesting to see his huge, stately home, but he’d never be a close friend, someone Aundy could count on. Something about him seemed secretive. Even she could tell Ashton wasn’t always telling her the truth. With no idea what he wanted or why he’d dropped by unannounced, she really wasn’t in the mood to visit with him. “May I help you with something?”

“Goodness, no,” Ashton said, motioning for Aundy to sit down. Instead of sitting on the sofa Ashton indicated, Aundy choose the rocking chair. A sense of foreboding settled over her and she studied Ashton sitting in the armchair across the room.

Fidgeting with his pocket watch, he kept taking it out of his vest, then shoving it back without ever looking at the time. One of his polished boots tapped out an erratic rhythm and he looked like he’d buttoned his collar too tight.

“Are you well?” Aundy asked, thinking he looked quite unlike himself.

“Quite, my dear,” Ashton said, settling back in the chair. “I realize you’ve had a time of it the last few days and I wanted to offer my assistance. If there is anything I can do to help you, please let me know.”

“That’s very kind, Ashton. Thank you,” Aundy said, offering a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes.

“It isn’t kindness, Aundy,” Ashton said, looking at her with a probing gaze. “It’s quite selfish on my part. You see, I’ve been meaning to ask you something and well, with things like they are, now seems like the perfect time.”

Confused as to what Ashton was talking about, Aundy was surprised when he strode across the room to her chair and dropped to one knee.

“Let me care for you Aundy. Let me keep you safe from harm. Let me love and cherish you. Become my bride,” Ashton said, bringing Aundy’s hand to his mouth and kissing the back of it fervently.

Resisting the urge to jerk her hand away and wipe it on her skirt, Aundy worked up a smile. She had no idea why Ashton would propose to her. He needed some dainty beauty for a wife, one whose only concern was making him comfortable. Aundy was most definitely not the woman for the job.