High Stakes Bride, Men of Stone Mountain Book 2

by Clemmons, Caroline

  Holly Dalton glided in just the way Mama had shown Alice, and exactly as Alice had never mastered. The woman smiled as if she were calling on family or close friends. She wore a beautiful gray poult de soie dress with a lace casque. She carried herself as if she wore a crown.

  With one hand she reached for Lizzie’s fingers and with her other grasped Maggie’s. “Oh, you dear ladies. I just had to call when I heard the news that poor Zach had finally found a fiancée. How lovely for you.”

  Her mother smiled, but her mouth forgot to send the message to her eyes. More sedately dressed, Mrs. Jordan wore a pale green foulard dress with dark green satin trim.

  “And this must be Zach’s intended.” Holly rushed over to Alice, and surveyed her head to toe.

  Maggie looked as if she might explode, but then she smiled. “This is our very dear Alice Price from Atlanta. Alice, this is Mrs. Angie Jordan and her daughter, Mrs. Holly Dalton from Radford Crossing.”

  Holly looked so superior that it riled Alice no end. That prissy Holly looked at her as if Alice were a clump of Harry’s droppings stuck to her shoe. “Oh, you look like just the sweetest thing. You’re so fortunate to have snagged Zach Stone.”

  “Aren’t I lucky you jilted the finest man in Texas when he was injured and down and needed encouragement and nurture?” Alice plastered on her sweetest smile. “Oh, ladies, do sit down and join us.”

  Holly had the grace to look flustered momentarily. “Oh, I’m sure he’s happy with you to look after him. I have my own dear Howard.” She flounced over to Zach’s customary chair by the fireplace. “Do you not find Mr. Stone’s disfigurement a bit...off-putting?”

  “What disfigurement?” Alice pretended to consider. “Oh, perhaps you mean the scar on his cheek. Why no, I don’t even notice it any longer. Besides, a mark doesn’t change who he is inside, and he’s a wonderful man. So brave, trustworthy, strong, and possesses all the qualities that are important.”

  Mrs. Jordan sat in the matching wingback. “Holly and Howard have recently returned from an extended honeymoon. Howard spared no expense to insure Holly had a lovely trip.”

  Without waiting for encouragement, Holly launched in to a lengthy description of their trip to Savannah. Finally she slowed, “We had such a lovely visit with Howard’s family.” She turned to Alice. “We stayed in Atlanta for a week with Howard’s sister.”

  She leaned forward and smirked. “Speaking of lucky, she married into the Hardeman family of Jonesboro.” Settling back in the chair, she appeared to consider Alice. “You know, I don’t believe we met anyone named Price while we were there. What part of the city are you from?”

  Panic wrapped around Alice’s throat and near choked her. The Hardeman family! The room whirled and her vision clouded. She couldn’t speak. What could she say to avoid giving herself away?

  Dear Lord, help me.

  Lizzie leaped to her defense. “Talking about Atlanta makes Alice sad, so we absolutely never discuss her life there. Oh, here’s Mrs. Hammond with coffee and apple pie.”

  Maggie poured coffee while Mrs. Hammond served the pie.

  Thank heavens no one expected her to act as hostess. Her hands trembled so she would have disgraced herself. She wanted this horrid woman to think so highly of her that she’d be jealous and plenty sorry she’d hurt Zach. Surely she could do that much for the man who’d saved her life.

  Mrs. Jordan forked in a bite of pie, then truly smiled. “This is the best apple pie I’ve ever eaten. Where did Mrs. Hammond find the fresh apples?”

  “They were dried, but our housekeeper didn’t bake this.” Lizzie beamed. “Our nephew loves apple pie, so our dear, sweet Alice made a couple for dinner.”

  “I love baking for family. Although the apples were dried, I have a secret to make them plump up and taste fresh.” Alice couldn’t help herself. She disliked these two women and the way they put on airs. After all, didn’t Mama warn me about nasty socialites.

  Holly raised her cup daintily. “Of course, Howard and I have a cook, but I’d love to learn your secret so I can share it with her. Howard would love this pie.”

  “I’d like to know too. Mr. Jordan and I have dried apples from last fall.”

  Both women looked expectantly at Alice.

  She smiled, deciding to let her devilish streak ride a little longer. “I’m sorry, but that secret is reserved for my fiancé and his family. After all, that’s where any woman’s loyalty lies, so I’m sure you understand.”

  Holly and her mother looked as if she’d thrown water in their faces. Good. She couldn’t make them feel as hurt as Zach had been, but she wanted them to feel slighted. She only hoped she hadn’t gone too far.

  “Oh, dear.” Holly dabbed at a bit of crust on her lap. “Alice, I hope meeting me wasn’t a shock. I’m sure Zach told you all about our engagement.”

  “He mentioned you briefly once, but said only he’d been jilted by a woman he hadn’t loved but thought he could settle for. He’s never mentioned you again, so I reckon he’s about forgotten you.”

  “Settle for?” Holly spluttered. “Me?”

  Mrs. Jordan glowered and set down her cup. “You must be mistaken. My daughter had no end of beaus and was considered the catch of the county, even of several counties. That is, until she married Mr. Dalton.”

  “I reckon there’s no accounting for taste.” Alice pretended to ponder a moment. “Hmm, I suppose there’s a shortage of women in the county. No doubt that’s why Zach sent for me. He said he loves a woman with Southern charm. Could I pour you more coffee? ”

  Dear heaven, what is wrong with me that I can’t stop talking and baiting these awful women?

  “None for me.” Holly glared at Alice. “I believe I’ve had quite enough.”

  Apparently unable to let the subject go, Mrs. Jordan said, “Since you’re new, you probably don’t know that my son-in-law has purchased the Radford Crossings bank.”

  “I reckon Zach will soon be his largest depositor. He has big plans for this ranch, and he’s a man who accomplishes what he sets his mind to.” She looked around the room. “Of course, I love the house, and the grounds are so pretty. Reckon living here is much nicer than being stuck in town. In fact, there’s no place else I’d rather be than right here with Zach and his family.”

  Quickly, the visitors gathered their wraps and scooted back to town as if they had singed tail feathers.

  Mrs. Harmon closed the door behind them. When she turned around, she actually grinned. “Guess you sent her off with a bee in her bonnet. About time that woman met her comeuppance." She gathered up the plates and cups and headed for the kitchen.

  Lizzie hugged Alice. “Thank you, dear. I think you put that Holly in her place.”

  “I sure hope I wasn’t too rude. I don’t want to embarrass Zach among his friends back in town.” Alice bit at her lip, worried about backlash from townspeople when Holly Dalton spread news about her.

  Maggie patted her shoulder. As if she’d read Alice’s mind, she said, “Don’t you worry about that. If she says a word against you, it will seem as if she’s jealous.” She chuckled. “And I’d say she is.”

  “No, she couldn’t be jealous of me. She’s so beautiful and graceful.” Alice looked down at herself. “My dress looked like a potato sack compared to hers.”

  Lizzie shook her head and smiled just the way Mama used to when she was pleased with Alice. “Dear, you have something she can never acquire. You have a natural grace and inner strength as well as your outer beauty. All she has is a pretty face, and that will soon fade. I noticed pout and frown lines already forming. You’ll be a lifetime beauty.”

  Alice hugged Lizzie and then Maggie. “You two are nicer than I ever imagined women other than Mama could be. Thank you for helping and cheering me.”

  Maggie said, “Thank you for not kowtowing to those two who just left.”

  “What is Howard Dalton like?” Alice asked.

  Lizzie chuckled. “He’s not exactly bad looking, but he�
�s average height and has a receding chin. If I don’t miss my guess, he’ll be bald by the time he’s forty. My husband was bald and it never bothered me a second, but Howard going bald will upset a woman like Holly.”

  Alice considered for a second. “I’ll bet her Howard has a lot of money, doesn’t he?”

  Maggie nodded. “That he does. But just as you suggested, our nephew will be wealthy one day in the near future. For now, he will be pleased when he learns you defended him from that woman.”

  Would he? Or would he be angry she’d insulted his former intended? He’d said he knew she hadn’t cared for him. But he hadn’t said if he treasured Holly’s regard?

  Alice hoped what he’d felt for the beautiful Mrs. Dalton had been only desire for a family, not passion. Lord knows the woman didn’t deserve the devotion of a man like Zach.

  But did Alice deserve him?

  Chapter Twenty Three

  Alice and Seth had sewn seeds in the garden for spinach, lettuce, sweet snap peas, green beans, and onions. Once again she carried that cumbersome rifle.

  “You finished needin’ my help? Me and Harry got to get busy with my ranch job, Miss Price.”

  “Thanks, Seth, you were a big help, but you can go do your other chores now. I believe I’ll take a walk down by the orchard.”

  “I already had to milk them two old cows. They sure are ornery. Harry don’t much like ‘em. Now I can practice lassoin’.” He and his dog leaped off the porch and took off running toward the barn.

  Even though she’d be gone by the time they were ready to harvest, she wanted Zach and Seth to have plenty of healthy food to keep them going. Mrs. Hammond had mentioned she planned to preserve all the food she could. The house had a good root cellar, and Alice saw a small orchard back of the large barn. No matter what happened to her, she wanted to be certain Zach would be all set with a year’s food.

  A cold wind blew, but she walked toward the orchard. Maybe she could tell what kinds of trees were there. Wandering among the rows of trunks, she spotted Zach walking toward her. She halted and leaned the rifle against a trunk and waited for him.

  “Wanted to thank you for the new shirt. Best fitting one I’ve ever had.” He offered his arm and they strolled.

  “I’m real sorry about the dye, Zach. I didn’t set it. We tried a mixture of sal soda, borax, and slacked lime. When that didn’t work, we mixed a batch of amonia, ox-gall, and fullers earth, but nothing worked on the color.”

  “Now it’s starting to seem funny. Especially since you made me a nice new shirt that fits so much better than the...the brighter one. In fact, it’s the best one I’ve had since Mama died. Where’d you get the cloth?”

  “Rabbit bought it in town last Saturday.” She giggled. “He said he would this time since it was for you, but he wasn’t buying any women’s foofaraws.”

  They laughed and continued their stroll.

  “Maggie and Lizzie are hosting a quiltin’ bee tomorrow. They said it will be just like the ones Mama went to back in Atlanta.”

  “Guess you remember Micah and Hope from Seth’s birthday. Hope is a few years older than you, but you’ll enjoy her.”

  “I didn’t have a chance to ask at the party. How old is she?”

  “She’s twenty-seven now. Micah’s the same.”

  “I’m twenty-three, almost twenty-four. How old are you?”

  “I’m twenty-nine, Joel’s the oldest at thirty-one. Micah’s the youngest, but he married first. He already has a son and his older brothers aren’t even hitched.”

  “Seth’s like a son, isn’t he?” He could be for her. She loved that boy and his dog, too.

  “Sure he is, but I’d like more.”

  “So you plan on having lots of kids?” Why did she ask his plans? Hearing him talk about the life he’d have with another woman made her insides ache.

  “Three or four. Maybe more if my wife wants them.” He looked down at her and grinned. “First, I have to find a wife.”

  She wanted to volunteer, but he didn’t talk like he planned on her staying. She’d better steer talk another direction.

  “This is a nice orchard. Looks like a nice variety of trees.”

  “You probably recognize the peach, pear, crabapple, and apple trees. I plan to add some persimmons and figs near those pecans.” He gestured to the barbed wire fence separating the orchard from grazing pasture. “Those are wild grapes on that fence, but they’ll make good jelly.”

  “We had the same trees, though not so many of each. Mama taught me to dry fruit or store it in the cellar, and to put it up in jars. Sure is nice to have fruit and vegetables from your garden all year round.”

  Zach stopped and leaned against the pecan tree where she’d left the rifle. “My aunts told me about the visitors this morning.” He didn’t look at her. “Thank you for defending me. Can’t imagine what those two were thinking by coming here.”

  She wanted to touch him, to reassure him against the damage that horrible woman had done to his pride. “Curiosity I reckon, wanting to see what I look like and if I was a threat to their social standing. Guess they went home feeling secure.”

  “My aunts said when Holly mentioned the Hardeman family near Atlanta, they thought you were going to faint. Why does hearing that name upset you so?”

  Alice wanted to lie, to say his aunts were mistaken, but she was tired of all the dishonesty. She took a deep breath. “Mama’s maiden name was Hardeman.”

  “But you said you didn’t have any kin left in Atlanta.”

  “That’s true. When Mama married my father, her own parents disowned her. Her father had already picked out a man for her, one of his friends. He told her if she married my father, she was dead to him.”

  “So your grandparents could be alive?”

  “I reckon so, but I won’t ever find out. When my father died and Mama and I were left with nowhere to turn, she wrote her father.” Alice’s hands fisted and her chest ached with Mama’s pain. “He had his man of business send her a letter. All it said was, ‘Mr. Hardeman doesn’t have a daughter.’ If ever I was to meet him, I’d blister his ears.”

  “What a cold-hearted sonof...man. He cheated himself out of a wonderful granddaughter.”

  “Pa fell in love with Mama and he took care of us. But we lived away from town on his ranch.” She looked at Zach. “Not like this one. We never saw any other women. In over twenty years I lived there, I only went in to town once, and that was when Mama first took ill and needed to see a doctor. Reckon that’s why I’m so clumsy and backward up side of women like Holly Dalton.”

  He reached out and gently grasped her shoulders. “Alice, don’t compare yourself to Holly. You’re a wonderful, brave woman. Be proud of who you are.”

  “Me? Right nice of you to say so, but you don’t have to say nice things to me. I know you’re ready for me to leave. Reckon I could have already. There’s been no sign, not hide nor hair, of Frank and Rusty.”

  He slid his hand to cup her cheek, lightly urging her gaze to meet his. “Do you have to go? Do you hate it here that much?”

  “Here? I don’t hate it here at all. I meant what I told your ex-fiancée. This is the prettiest place on earth, I’m sure of it.”

  “Then is my scar? Am I too ugly to tolerate?”

  She smoothed her fingers gently along the puckered skin from the corner of his eye curving along his strong jaw to stop near his mouth. “When I see this, all I can think of is how painful it must have been. Your aunts said you were shot in the chest and the leg at the same time, and almost died.”

  As of their own direction, her fingers traced his full lips. “Zach, I don’t see the scar when I look at you. All I see is the best man I’ve ever known.”

  She saw his head dip, knew he was going to kiss her. She tiptoed to meet his mouth. He brushed his lips softly against hers. For so long now she’d wondered what his kiss would be like, but she had never imagined the warmth shooting through her.

  She slid her arms around
his neck and leaned into him. His strong arms encircled her and his kiss deepened. No longer soft as a butterfly’s touch, he opened his mouth and his tongue danced with hers. Before her knees buckled, ringing sounded in her ears.

  He broke the kiss, but his arms still encircled her. “Dinner bell’s ringing.”

  She rested her cheek against the soft nap of his coat. “Reckon we’d better go in then ‘fore we scandalize your aunts and Mrs. Hammond.”

  When she pulled away, he held her shoulders. “Will you think about staying?”

  Staying with Zach and Seth was all she’d thought about. “Yes, I’ll think on it.”

  But what would happen if her stepbrothers learned her whereabouts? They’d always be a threat to Zach and his family. She’d brought enough trouble on him. She couldn’t bring her stepbrother’s danger to his door.

  Chapter Twenty Four

  Hope Stone sat next to Alice. “Andrew is finally taking his nap. Honestly, I never knew children had such energy.”

  “He’s a beautiful child, and his eyes look like he’s smart.”

  Hope smiled and shrugged. “People tell me so. I’ve never been around children, so I can only guess this is correct. Unfortunately, he always shares his meals.” She dabbed a glob of Andrew’s food from her lovely light gray foulard dress with violet silk trim. “Aunt Sofia is sad that she cannot be here today. You will meet her and Uncle Jorge another time. And their son, my cousin Eduardo.”

  “I hope I can keep everyone straight. Being around people is kind of new to me.”

  “Micah told me how you nursed your parents these many years. What a good daughter you are.”

  “No more than any other. But being around new faces takes practice. Mama would be real happy I’m meeting people, but disappointed I’ve forgotten so much of what she tried to teach me.”

  “It is a lot to take in suddenly, yes, but do not worry. These women all will like you.”

  “I reckon they’ll be wondering what Zach Stone can be thinking, getting engaged to a woman like me in out-of-style clothes and clumsy as a new calf.” Alice pushed her stray curl back into its bun and re-anchored it with a comb. Thank goodness, at least her unruly hair wasn’t green now. “Still and all, you should have seen me before the aunts helped me. I reckon I was a sight.”