by Danni Roan
Meg’s color deepened as she remembered that one kiss on the night she’d locked Clayton out of his house. “Leave it be Katie.” She said. “You have enough to deal with right now. Worry about yourself and I’ll worry about me.” She stood from the tub, water shimmering on her soft white skin and reached for a sheet of toweling.
Katie sighed, but let the subject drop. Quickly the girls dressed then headed out the door. Will was waiting for Katie in the parlor and offered her his arm before escorting her outside. Even with the law in town it wasn’t a good idea for a woman to wonder the town alone.
Meg waited in the parlor while Fiona gathered up Hank and Eric then set out to the general mercantile to place their order for supplies. Before they had kept a running order for supplies that were delivered to the ranch by mule team, but now with Hanks oversized team and massive wagon they could come to town two or three times a year and return with the stores they needed.
Once everyone had gone, Meg threw her wrap around her shoulders and stepped out onto the wide boardwalk that ran along the dusty street. Looking both directions before crossing the dirt track she made her way straight to the sheriff’s office and opening the door walked in unannounced. The small office was a dingy place; a half-light filtered through the one window at the front next to the door illuminated dark wood-planked walls and a battered desk. A small cook stove and two cells complete with iron bars at the back filled the room out, but what caught Meg’s attention was that Clayton Allen was leaning casually against the desk talking to a lean mustached man who sat tilted back in the only chair in the room, a badge pinned to his chest.
“You?” She scolded, planting her hands on her hips and glaring at the young cowboy. “What are you doing here?” she eyes flashed lightning as she leaned toward him, then cast her eyes toward the man who could only be the sheriff when he chuckled.
“I see what you mean there, Clay.” He said. “She’s a real fire cracker.” He smiled again and Meg gaped at both men. “You sure you want me to put that order in for an annulment with the judge when he passes through? She’s mighty pretty.”
Meg blinked at the sheriff then at Clayton. “A… annulment?” she stuttered. “I.” she gulped trying to bring her thoughts together. “I was just…”
“I take it you had the same idea.” The sheriff said. “Clay here was just explaining things to me but like I told him I can’t do anything until the judge comes through and he might not be here until May.” He paused looking between the two of them, gauging their uncertain stares, then scratched his jaw. “I’m afraid that’s the best I can do.”
“Oh.” Meg whispered the first to find her voice. “I see.” She added, her startled eyes never leaving Clayton’s face.
“Despite what you think of me Muiread, I would not have kept you bound to a man you didn't love.” Clayton said softly. “That’s why I came to see the sheriff. Unfortunately for you, I’d say you’re stuck with me for just a bit longer.”
“Young Clay explained your situation to me as soon as he got to town.” The sheriff began but stopped when Meg’s eyes grew round.
“He means how we had an arranged marriage an all and that we just don’t think we’ll suit.”
“Oh.” Meg said again, then as comprehension dawned. “Yes, yes, of course.” She played along.
Clayton turned back to the man behind the desk. “I guess we’ll just have to wait and see what the judge says though, but we’re well chaperoned in the meantime so…” he let his words run out letting the sheriff fill in any gaps with his own imagination.
“For now how about we go and get us a cup of coffee somewhere and have a little chat.” He said looking at Meg as he offered her his arm.
Still looking at him as if she’d never seen him before Meg, slipped her arm through his and together they walked out the door of the small office.
The soft chink of spurs was the first warning Clayton had of trouble. They'd been walking along the board walk and had just turned up an alley that would take them directly to the little restaurant he had in mind. He pulled Meg closer to him and dropped his hand over hers where it rested on her arm. She looked at him surprised.
The soft scuff of a boot on dry earth just behind him made the hackles stand on Clayton’s neck. Gently he turned his body to the left, forcing Meg behind him and toward the side of the building that made up the walls of the alleyway.
A big, scruffy man stood blocking the entrance, two other men flanking him with evil grins on stretched across dirty their faces.
"I reckon a dandy like yerself could spare a few coins." the big man said, his dark beard and dirty clothes making his words seem ominous.
Clayton cocked a hip, and tipped his hat back on his unruly head of hair. "Well now that's where you and me will have to disagree friend." He drawled, his words pooling slowly in the empty air. "See you look like you're plenty healthy enough to have yourself a job so I reckon I'll just keep what's mine and take this pretty little lady out for a nice cup of coffee and a piece of pie."
The big man leered at Meg causing her heart to pound in her throat.
"I guess we'll just have to take it then." the big man snarled and took a step toward the dark cow poke.
Clayton's fist connected so swiftly with the big man’s jaw that the sharp snap seemed to arrive seconds later. The big man reeled and stepped back a pace or two but his companions moved in. Like lightening Clayton's wide balled fists, flashed driving the breath from one man and turning the head of the other with a crack.
The big man, regaining his balance lunged for the smaller puncher, but Clayton sidestepped, swinging and upper-cut to the man's exposed chin with a sound like thunder. The other two men tried to dodge past the young man, but he delivered a one-two punch to the smaller one’s midriff, before turning and punching the other in the eye, the big man staggered forward fists flying and his knuckles grazed Clayton’s cheek drawing blood.
Meg, watched in horror as this usually smiling joking cowboy, turned into something feral and deadly. His fist flew, punctuated by grunts and cries from his three attackers as they made contact with any exposed and venerable flesh. His eyes, normally a soft glowing amber now raged like a wild fire and a grin, set like rigor never left his face.
The whole thing was over in a rush. The three attackers lay sprawled on the ground, while Clayton, eyes still glowing with a deep anger, stood over them, fist clenched tight and at the ready.
Meg shrank back into the building unable to breath. She'd never seen anything so terrifying and had to bend at the middle to pull air into her starving lungs. Her soft gasp drew the cowboy's attention and he swiveled on the balls of his feet.
The look of terror on Meg's face hit Clayton harder than any of his assailants had been able to deliver. He glanced over his shoulder, but none of the men stirred, then with an effort he unwound his tightly clenched hands and reached toward her.
Meg huddled away from the man before her. His anger, his rage was like a living thing, a monster, and it frightened her. Who was this man? She blinked at him afraid to move, then watched as suddenly the dangerous light faded from his eyes and was replaced with worry and hurt.
"Are you alright Meg?" he asked, his voice husky, his breath coming fast. "Did they hurt you?" True concern tinged his smooth drawl as his eyes ran the length of the girl before him.
With a shaking hand Meg reached out and took his batter, bloodied one. With an effort she shook her head.
"We'd... we'd better go see the sheriff again." she whispered pulling him back the way they'd come.
"The doctor's office is across the street." Meg said drawing Clayton with her as she stepped out of the sheriff's office and into the chill afternoon.
She glanced at her raven-haired companion as together they opened the door of a small house and stepped over the threshold. The little house had a small corridor straight down the middle of it and Meg could immediately see two rooms off to the sides.
To her right she was shocked to
see Deeks, standing next to a cot where a short man wearing spectacles, his white fuzzy hair sticking out in every direction was leaning over the dirty form of a frail woman. She blinked but the sound of Will's happy whoop drew her attention to the room on the other side of the hall.
Her brother-in-law stood, a bright smile on his face, holding Katie at arm’s length.
"A baby," he whispered as his eyes flicked between his wife's beautiful face and her still flat tummy. He hugged her to him, then pushed her away again.
"We'll have to tell your Pa." Will said excitedly grabbing her hand.
Turning together they saw Meg and Clayton standing in the hall smiling at them.
"We're havin' a baby!" Will practically shouted, then grasped Claytons hand shaking it vigorously, completely unaware of the state the cowboy was in.
"Congratulations." Clayton smiled, pumping the other man's hand just as enthusiastically as Katie threw herself into her sister’s arms.
"Oh Katie." Meg said softly, squeezing her tight. "It all makes sense now." Together they laughed. "You'd better go find Pa quick before he finds out from someone else." she added chivying her sister toward the door.
Katie looked at her Meg then at Clayton questioningly but didn't say anything at the slight shake of her younger sister's head.
Meg turned bright eyes to Clayton, her fear, anger and frustration gone in the joy of the moment. He smiled back at her his grin wide and for once it reached all the way to his eyes.
"I'll be right with you." a man's voice called from the room where Deeks bent form leaned over the cot of the bedraggled woman.
An older woman, her gray hair in a tight bun at the top of her head hustled toward them from a room at the back of the building.
"I've got this one Joseph." She called. "Looks like a brawler again." She eyed the couple disapprovingly a minute then turned back the way she'd come. "You come along with me and I'll get you fixed up." she said taking a determined step that brooked no argument.
Meg, still holding Clayton's arm walked into a simple but spotless kitchen. The older woman pulled a basin out from under the skirt covering a set of shelves and plunked it on the table. She then poured water from a big kettle into the basin, added some cold water from the pump at the sink and poured a clear substance into the basin.
"Put your hands in that young man." she ordered then hustle about gathering soft towels and linen.
"Looks like you've been in a real dust up." the old woman bustled toward him again. "I'm Madge and Joseph is the Dr. but he's got a worse case than you to deal with." she shook her head and Meg wondered about Deeks being there.
"I'd say by the looks of your knuckles, young man, the other one took the worst of the beating." He sharp brown eyes bore into his.
"Three." Meg said feeling suddenly defensive at the accusation in the old woman's eyes.
"Three!" the woman called Madge turned to her. "What in thunder's been going on out there today?"
"Three men tried to rob us." Meg's voice quivered slightly as she suddenly realized the real danger she could have been in if Clayton hadn't been with her. The wide wonderful world around her somehow dimmed.
"You'd best sit down and tell me the whole thing." the older woman said. Her voice now kind as she pulled a chair out for Meg then hustled to the stove for cups and tea.
Once she'd finished pouring three cups of tea, she dipped a soft rag in the warm bloodied water where Clay sat soaking his hands and began dabbing at the small cut trickling crimson blood down his dark cheek, while Meg recounted the events of their earlier stroll.
"Witch Hazel will help to sooth the abrasions." Madge said nodding her head toward the bowl of warm water, once Meg had finished. "I'll give you a bottle to take along with you and you keep soaking those hands so they don't swell so bad." Finally, she pulled Clayton's hands out of the basin and dabbing them softly with a cloth examined them closely.
"They'll heal but you might have a scar or two from this donnybrook." she smiled at the young wrangler. "Good to see a young man who'll go all the way for his woman." she said and began binding soft strips of linen around his battered hands.
"All done." Madge finally announced." looking first at Meg then at Clayton. "You two just passin' through or are you settling here?" she asked.
"Oh, my family owns the Broken J a few days ride west of here." Meg said. "Well Joe and I've only been here about year now so everyone's new to me. Did you say the Broken J?" she then asked.
"Yes."
"Well that young couple who were just here said they were from the same spread."
"Yes, ma'am. That's my sister Katie." Meg replied with a smile.
“It’s nice to meet you." Marge said. "You're all done now though, unless you need to see the Dr. to." she said eying Meg thoughtfully.
Meg blushed. "No ma'am." she squeaked.
"How about that coffee?" Clayton said cheerfully as he rose from the chair where he'd been sitting quietly, "I know a place from when I was here before." he winked and offered Meg his arm.
Meg only nodded, her mind full of the events of the day and absently she slipped her hand back into the arm of the handsome puncher as together they left the little building.
Arriving at the small diner without incident Clayton seated Meg, then pulled out a chair for himself. The tiny restaurant was a simple one room affair with a kitchen at the back, but was bright and clean. Small tables set for four were placed close together but with enough room to allow a bit of privacy and space for the women servers to move about.
"What would ya like." A pretty plump girl of about fifteen asked, looking at them intently.
Clayton smiled his best smile at the girl, "I'll have some of that dried apple pie ya'll make so well here, and a cup of black coffee." he drawled.
The girl’s cheeks glowed as she jotted down his order then turned to Meg, a shy smile on her face.
"I'll have the same please." Meg replied schooling her face as something wriggled inside her.
"Yes Miss." The girl answered then taking one more glance at Clayton turned toward the door at the back of the room.
Clayton watched as something stirred in Meg's eyes. Was she angry at him again? What would she tell her father about his loss of control in the alley way? His mind bounced from thought to thought as they waited for their order. His eyes wandered to Meg's face again. The sheriff was right, she was pretty. It was a shame she couldn't stand him.
Their pie and coffee arrived and he watched the girl with bright strands of copper in her deep russet almost brown hair stir in milk and sugar.
"What are you thinking?" she asked calmly after taking a sip. Her azure eyes, met his over her cup.
"I'm just wondering what you'll tell your pa." his voice was low.
"I'll tell him the truth." again she paused, cutting of the sharp tip of her pie and lifting it toward her soft lips. "that you defended me when I was in danger." She slipped the sliver of pie into her mouth and Clayton licked his own lips wondering Meg’s would taste of sugar and cinnamon; his mouth went dry. He remembered how soft the sassy woman’s lips were.
"You have quite a temper." Meg said casually as she lifted her mug. "Has it always been that way for you?" Her voice was calm but inside she shivered.
Clayton pondered the question thinking back over the last few years and the changes that had shaped his life during that time. It seemed like he'd lost everything; all direction, all control. The only decision he'd made on his own had been agreeing to the job at the Broken J and quiet suddenly he felt tired.
"No." he answered. Sipping his coffee and saying no more.
"I thought you might kill those men." Meg's voice had dropped to the softest whisper.
"I'm sorry if I frightened you." he said, his eyes boring into hers, willing her to understand, willing her to believe him. To his surprise she smiled at him and reached her hand across the table laying it on his bandaged knuckles.
"You didn't hurt me."
Clayton
Allen leaned back in his chair and pondered her words. He hadn't hurt her, but perhaps he had wronged her.
"I'm afraid I've been a real jack...daw." he began. Meg smiled knowing that was not the word he had been thinking. "I don't rightly know what I did to offend you when I first arrived but whatever it is I'd like to apologize." He rushed his words seeing her draw away from him, heat filling her eyes.
Meg pulled herself upright in her chair and looked hard at the dark haired stranger across the table from her. Did he really not know how his arrogant behavior had wheedled its way under her skin. From the first moment he'd arrived on the ranch he'd been nothing but cock sure of himself.
"I'm just saying." Clayton continued "that I'd like a chance to start over. We're stuck together for a bit longer so we might at least try to be friends.” His eyes were sincere. “Then when the annulment comes through we'll call it quits and leave it there." His eyes blazed with hope that indeed they could at least get along.
Meg picked up her cup and sipped the bitter brew. He was trying to be civil, trying to back down and give her room to start anew. He had been the first one at the sheriff's office that day and he had protected her when they were both in real danger. Should she give him a chance?
"Well I suppose it won't hurt to be civil to each other. Truce?" she stated extending her hand. His smile caused the bright sunlight to dim, as he clasped her hand in his.
Chapter 13
Two days later they headed for home. The proceeds from the sale of the cattle had been banked or distributed, supplies had been purchased, mail had been collected and the girls, with the help of their Aunt Cathleen, had even been able to pick out new fabric and items that were needed to help Katie set up her new house.
The whole crew was delighted when Will and Katie announced the eminent arrival of the little one to the family sometime in October. Joshua James seemed to glow at the prospect of a new grandchild. His old vitality and energy reasserting itself.