Unsurprisingly, Uncle Fritz had never married.
And when Posey had shown up on his door as a twelve-year-old orphan, the daughter of his deceased younger brother, he'd rolled his eyes, sighed excessively, but eventually opened the door and did his duty.
He'd done not much more than that in the six years she'd been a resident of his house.
He was not a talkative man. Not warm in the slightest. She often wondered how he and her father had ever been related for she remembered him as a gentle soul who had liked to take her for walks in the park on Sunday afternoon where he listened to her with rapt attention and looked at her as though she was his entire world.
She tried to be charitable. Uncle Fritz had never struck her, for that she was thankful. But, words would do a great deal of harm themselves. And Uncle Fritz was quite the master of hurtful words.
The one good thing she could say about Uncle Fritz was that once she had finished her copious chores each day, he did not care what she did or how she spent her time as long as his meals were on the table in a timely fashion and the house was spotless.
Not only was Uncle Fritz stingy with affection and kind words, he was tight with his coins as well. At the time Posey arrived he’d employed a maid and cook, but once Posey had learned all the chores and became a passable cook, he'd fired the women who had taught her.
The meager allowance he gave her was a fraction of what he'd paid them. And still he could rarely be bothered to converse with her during meal times. It was a cruel existence for a girl who longed for affection.
Was it any wonder she'd taken to roaming the streets of Juniper Junction in search of companionship?
She knew what people said about her and it hurt, but she was so desperate for human contact that she overrode the hurt and looked for people to talk to. Fortunately, Juniper Junction was a town of friendly folks.
But right now, she felt lonely and hopeless.
Jake. Sigh. So kind and gentle. When she talked, he focused his deep brown eyes on her like she was the most interesting person in the whole world, his gaze warming as she continued to talk.
And, the more intently he listened, the less she felt the need to talk. So she asked him questions. He wasn't much for chit chat, but over time she'd found out quite a bit about him. Not only was he a man of large stature, but he had a huge heart and cared deeply about his friends, his job and especially her.
It was such a comfort to her, walking next to him, his big shadow enveloping her with a sense of safety and acceptance.
But today...where was he?
She knew she'd been looking forward to Sundays way too much. And not because she was such a fan of singing hymns. It was the one time she knew for sure she'd see Jake. It was all she could do to not weep as the service went on and he was nowhere to be seen. Of course, she'd never dare to ask any of the hands from Windy River about Jake. She had some pride, weak though it was at the moment.
During one particularly long prayer, she'd opened her eyes and peeked around the sanctuary, just in case he'd arrived late. But when she'd turned her head, she found herself looking directly into Uncle Fritz's censuring gaze.
After that, she'd not dared to try again.
On the way home, Uncle Fritz said, "That fella, Jake is it?... he stopped to see me this morning. All dressed up in his nicest clothes, as though that would make a difference. Asked if he could court you."
Posey gasped and stopped dead in her tracks, shock mixed with happiness bubbling up inside. "Really?"
"I told him no. I've made it plain you are too silly and foolish to marry and as long as I am your guardian, you will remain under my roof."
Black dots danced in front of Posey's eyes. "Wh-what? Ho-how could you?"
Several people had stopped to take in the scene, so Uncle Fritz grabbed her arm in a not so gentle manner and continued their trek toward his house. Posey never referred to it as home. It was not her home.
"I could because it is my duty as your guardian to do what is best for you, even if you do not agree. If the law believed a young woman of your age and temperament could make important decisions for herself, it would say so. But the law does not. In fact, it specifically states that until you are of age, you shall abide by my instructions."
"B-but, that's three more years." Posey tried to keep the panic from her voice, but had little luck in doing so.
"Well, if he is a gentleman as he says he is, then he'll wait," Uncle Fritz said with a sniff. He entered the house in front of her, not even bothering to hold the door or allow her to enter first. Who was he to opine on the gentlemanliness of another?
Posey managed, as she always did, and entered the house to find her uncle waiting in the foyer.
"I'd like to have dinner soon," he said with a sniff. "It has been a trying morning."
Posey changed out of her good church clothes and put on something more in keeping with kitchen duties. She was just as glad to be alone in the kitchen. She'd left the chicken in the oven while they were at church. Gazing at the bird as it roasted, she felt another jab to her heart. She'd hoped that this week her uncle would deign to invite Jake to dine with them, which was why she'd put some extra effort into seasoning and preparing the meal.
She dashed at the tears threatening at the corners of her eyes with the hem of her apron. That had been a fool's errand.
She hadn't allowed the full import of her uncle's statement to penetrate her heart just yet. She didn't dare for she knew she would have a complete breakdown and she had vowed long ago not to let her uncle see her cry.
She'd gone to him once, soon after her arrival at his house, seeking solace in her loneliness. "Crying?" he'd said. "There's no crying around here." And he'd sent her to bed without her supper. That pattern continued every time she went to him for comfort and it did not take too many long, lonely, hungry nights for her to learn that lesson.
She managed to get through the silent meal. She forced herself to consume her food, not wishing to hear a lecture on waste. When he wasn't looking, she'd slipped some of the food into her napkin in order to give the impression she'd consumed more than she actually had.
Posey did not like being deceitful but sometimes Uncle Fritz left her no choice.
She'd ladled on an extra scoop of pudding over his apple pie, knowing the warm milk would ease him into a deep sleep. If anyone asked, Uncle Fritz always told them that he spent Sunday afternoons reading his Bible, though the truth was that he napped. This day was no different, thanks to the tasty meal and warm pudding in his belly. Once she heard his deep breaths from his library, Posey exited the stifling house.
And so Posey found herself wandering along the trail next to the river. It was so clear, she could see the fish swimming over the smooth stones that covered the floor of the river.
She'd often walked this path when she needed time to think. Everyone in town thought all she did was chatter. What they didn't know was about her loneliness.
She honestly wasn't sure if she'd be able to survive three more years with her uncle. Jake, and her daydreams about life with him, had been all that had kept her sane in recent weeks.
And now, her uncle had sent Jake away.
In all the darkest hours of her life, and there had been plenty in eighteen short years, Posey had always been able to make herself see at least one tiny glimmer of hope for the future. When her parents died, she reminded herself that at least they would no longer suffer the pains of illness. When she was told she'd have to live with an unknown uncle in a place called Juniper Junction, she had told herself that she'd make new friends.
But, the years of her uncle's neglect and disregard had been chipping away at her soul. Jake, and hopes for her future, had helped to fill in those empty places. But without Jake...
She sniffed back her tears and stared at the river, seeking the calm that usually came with the sights and sounds of the gently moving water.
Something caught her eye. Movement and a flash of color.
; Curious, she stepped off the path to get a better look. Then reminded herself that she was no longer Nosey Posey. She needed to act grown up and maybe she'd be able to convince Uncle Fritz to see sense.
Assuming Jake even wanted anything to do with her. He was a proud man and being turned away by her uncle would have been hard on Jake. On any man. He hadn’t come to church or wanted to walk her home after her uncle rejected his request for her hand. He’d obviously given up. She wasn’t worth the wait.
She couldn’t blame him. There were many other girls who were nicer and prettier than her. Who came from nice families who would appreciate a man like Jake.
She drew in a shuddering breath and returned her focus to the water. It was probably just some kids out fishing on a pretty Sunday afternoon. She didn't want anyone to see her in her distressed state anyway, so she returned to the path and left them to whatever they were doing in the river.
In the distance, she caught sight of Myrtle and Aggie, two women from Windy River Ranch. They were known to be gossips. Yes, so was Posey, but these two were mean spirited and took a fair amount of glee from making others uncomfortable, particularly, it seemed, Posey. They just had a way of getting under her skin and they knew it and pressed their advantage.
Myrtle and Aggie were busy talking to each other and she didn't think they'd seen her yet. Oh, she did not want to encounter them. No doubt they had noticed Jake's absence from church and would take great pleasure in mentioning it to her. Other days, she could muster the sweetness necessary to put up with them, but not today.
She had only a moment to make her decision and she took it, scurrying down the side of the bank through the brush to the river. She ducked down, grateful that her dreary brown dress not only matched her mood but blended in with the scenery. She just needed to stay hidden for a few minutes until they'd passed and then she could continue on her way unmolested by their cattiness.
A splash to her left made her turn. She couldn't make out what had caused the noise, but along the river bank, a man's clothes were laid out. A shirt, boots, hat and... gasp... a pair of pants.
Large clothes. The kind of clothes someone the size of a bear might wear, including a blue-checked shirt that she’d found particularly attractive on Jake. Oh, mercy. Her heart pounded.
Could this get any worse? Much as she was desperate to see Jake, the last thing she wanted was for him to think she was chasing after him. Especially if he was... well... naked.
She had to get out of there, but a glance to her right showed Myrtle and Aggie were directly above her on the path.
Settle down, Posey. Just stay calm and no one will see you, then you can get back on the path and be on your way.
It would have worked, but for the snake.
If only she'd never seen it, but she did. Doing her best not to make a sound, she clamped her hands over her mouth and searched desperately for a path away from the dreaded reptile.
Oh, how she hated snakes.
Keeping her eyes on the evil serpent, she took a step backward.
And that's when she lost her footing and tumbled into the river with a squeal and a splash.
The cold water shocked her system, causing her to gasp and in the process take water into her mouth and lungs. Her dress wrapped around her legs and pulled her downward. Flailing her arms only made matters worse. She opened her eyes but couldn't even tell if she was upside down or right side up. She'd somehow managed to fall into the river in one of the deeper spots, it seemed.
Could nothing go her way?
She stopped fighting the pull of the river. Maybe this was for the best...
Strong arms wrapped around her waist and lifted her face out of the water. She gasped greedily for air and coughed up water. Whoever had hold of her struggled to get her to the shore, but in the deep waters of the Windy River, her skirt became entangled by a tree branch.
The person attempting to save her gave a mighty wrench to free her and in a flash, she was loose from the branch, tossed upon the shore and turned on her side to expel any water that remained in her lungs.
What was that scratchy feeling on her legs? She glanced down. Oh good lord. Her skirt had torn off and all she wore was her bodice and drawers, though they were soaked through and transparent.
Then she was rolled onto her back and all she could see was Jake. His beloved face hovered over hers, covered in worry.
"Posey, Posey, darlin'. Are you hurt?"
She blinked and tried to gather her senses. Jake loomed over her and his shoulders were bare. She swallowed hard.
"Posey!" he demanded. "Speak to me."
"Oh Jake," she cried out and threw her arms around his neck, holding on to him with all the love in her heart. She felt him chuckle and pulled her against his chest. Maybe she was in heaven.
"What the blazes?"
"Oh my lord!"
Both Posey and Jake turned in the direction of shocked voices. Aggie and Myrtle. Followed by Mr. Conners and Pastor Ellis.
Jake reacted before she did, grabbing his shirt and tossing it over her. Then he hurried to don his pants.
"Just what is going on here, Jake?" Mr. Conners, the owner of Windy River Ranch and Jake's boss, demanded to know.
"It's not what it looks like, Mr. Conners," Jake said, standing in front of Posey to block their view of her.
"I was going for a swim and Posey fell in the water. Her skirt got caught on a branch in the river and I had to tear it away to get her to shore."
Though she knew it was the truth, it sure sounded preposterous, even to Posey.
Still, Posey’s Uncle Fritz was not about to let her go. "You tricked me. Both of you!" he shouted at them when Jake brought her home. She was quite a sight, wearing one of his shirts over top of the remnants of her dress. It was nearly as long on her as a dress. Seeing her in his clothes made Jake feel even more possessive of her.
"Sir," Jake said, "I have done my best to abide by your demands regarding your niece, but if you aren't concerned about her reputation enough to give your approval for us to marry, so I can make it right...well, I hate to think what that might do to your accounting business once word got around town."
Apparently Posey’s uncle cared more about his own reputation than his niece’s, which ought not to have been a surprise, though it angered Jake to no end that the man had so little concern for sweet Posey. It made him all the more determined to take care of her, protect her from the slings and arrows of those who would treat her cruelly.
With a begrudging nod, he said, “Fine. Get married if you want. But don’t expect me to foot the bill.”
Jake didn’t know whether to cheer that his desire had finally been granted or to punch the man in the nose for his rudeness.
Posey’s uncle gave her five minutes to change her clothes and pack her things. In the meantime he had stayed on the porch grumbling and keeping a wary eye on Jake. Jake knew he could easily overpower Fritz Parker, or nearly any man in the county. But that was not his way. His whole life people had assumed he was a brute simply because of his size. Nothing could be further from the truth. Perhaps that was why he had such tender feelings for Posey. People made a lot of assumptions about her without bothering to get to know the sweet, lonely girl underneath.
Once Posey had collected her few personal belongings she stood on the porch. “Good-bye Uncle Fritz,” she said. “I am sorry to have caused you any trouble. But thank you for consenting to our marriage.”
The man simply grunted, turned his back to them and entered the house, slamming the door in their faces.
Posey drew in a shaky breath as she stared after him, then looked up to Jake, her big brown eyes filled with worry. “He’s really angry,” she said.
“Yes, he is,” Jake said. “And I’d like to say that I’m sorry for whatever I did to make him angry too, but the truth is, I’m not. He was cruel to you. And you’re my girl.”
They went to the home of Sheriff Cal Watson and his wife, Tassie. Jake knew no one would dare t
o think anything inappropriate had happened while Posey was in their care.
Besides, the damage had been done.
Myrtle and Aggie had spread the word like wildfire. If Posey's uncle actually had any friends, no doubt they'd have informed him before the two of them had even arrived at his house.
Posey got settled in and had a hot bath, while Cal, Jake and Tassie waited on the porch. When Posey joined them, Tassie and Cal decided they needed to go inside, leaving Jake and Posey alone in the cool evening air.
Suddenly they were both shy with each other. He tapped the chair next to his and she sat down.
"Before you say anything, Jake, I got something I want to say first," she said, looking him straight in the eye.
"A'ight," he said.
"I appreciate you wanting to do the right thing, but it was my own fault for going down there and it was all an accident. I know nobody believes us, but we know the truth and I just don't want you to think you have to marry me. I'll be fine. Tassie says I can stay here with them and Mrs. Campbell over at the boarding house is looking for a new—"
He covered her mouth with his and her words ended. Oh lord. It was even better than he'd imagined, her sweet lips, hesitant at first, then they responded to his as she sighed and clutched at the front of his shirt. He lost himself in her, the only girl for him.
When the kiss ended he continued to hold her in his arms and gazed deep into her eyes. "I know I ain't asked you proper, Posey, but, will you marry me?"
Chapter 3
The party was winding down, though a few die hard revelers kept the band playing for their dancing. Even Mr. Conners had taken a turn around the dance floor with Mrs. Campbell. It was a day of unusual events, that was for sure.
But the most wonderful thing was that he had finally achieved his goal. Jake's sweet little Posey was finally his. He sighed contentedly as he watched her walk in his direction. His wife.
He wondered if his heart might burst open right there with happiness.
Cowboy's Orders (Brides of Juniper Junction Book 2) Page 2