Still, as he watched Katie help the triplets wash up in the creek, an odd desire began to rise in him—a sensation he’d tried to fight off since the first day he’d met the little Flower Princess of Custer’s Creek. He found himself wanting to ride over to Bart Matthew’s house, toss Katie over his shoulder and ride off with her—whether she was willing or not. And Heaven forbid he should ever slip up and tell Pillar that he’d dreamed about the little Matthews girl the night before! She’d think he was plum loco!
“Come on girls,” he called to the triplets. “Time to get ya on home. Pillar will be worried sick.”
Stover chuckled quietly when he saw the look of embarrassment spreading across Katie’s muddy face. She was a beauty, this Katie Matthews. Covered in mud or not.
Katie sat in the mouth of the barn loft, letting her legs dangle as she gazed at the stars in the night sky. It had felt good to get cleaned up once she and Jared had drug their father out of the wagon and into bed. And now the crisp night air and the soft chirping of crickets made for a wonderfully relaxing evening.
“So? Ya gonna take to usin’ some of Hillary Westover’s ways and win yerself that Stover Steele?” Jared said, as he sat down beside her.
“You gonna find a little ounce of courage in that cowardly heart of yours and win yourself that Pillar Steele?” Katie asked him.
“I bet he’d make a mighty fine lover,” Jared countered.
“I hear Pillar is a wonderful cook and even better at ironin’,” Katie giggled.
Jared laughed. “I tell ya what, Katie Matthews,” he said. “You flirt around a bit and win over Stover, I’ll flirt around a bit and win over Pillar…and once we’re married…we’ll swap the little girls off every other week. What do ya say?”
Katie smiled at her brother. She knew he meant well, was just teasing to lighten her mood. But he would never know how perfectly dreamy his suggestion sounded. He would never know that every time Katie thought of Stover Steele, the very same thoughts bounced around in her mind. He would never know how, even after only two meetings with him, Katie was falling in love with Custer’s Creek’s handsome newcomer.
Smiling, she said, “Okay. But you go first.”
Jared chuckled and gazing up at the stars said, “It’s a deal. You just watch me then. You just watch me, Katie Matthews.”
An odd nervousness washed over Katie as she realized Jared was sincere in his threat. He did mean to court Pillar Steele. She sensed he meant to marry her. She smiled, bittersweet heartache rushing through her as she was happy for Jared. She wanted nothing more than to see him happy. Well, maybe there was one thing she wanted more. Gazing up into the night sky, Katie smiled remembering the way Stover Steele landed a fist in her father’s midsection, the way he’d wiped at her mud-stained face with his handkerchief. Stover Steele was definitely the stuff of dreams and fairy tales—the perfect vision of a prince—of a prairie prince.
Chapter Four
Over the next few weeks Katie watched, often amazed, as Jared pursued Pillar Steele. Never having seen Jared so attentive to a woman before, Katie was astonished at how carefully and yet how deliberately her brother handled the young woman. He wasn’t overly attentive, but at the same time somehow exceedingly so. It hadn’t taken long for Katie to realize Jared was very serious about winning Pillar.
Still, sometimes Katie’s young heart would ache, wishing she were as sure as Jared seemed to be. It took every ounce of courage Katie could muster just to make eye contact with Stover Steele when he said, “Hello,” to her in passing. She’d seen him many times since the day in town when she’d ended up in the mud puddle with his little sisters. Yet, she knew by the way he smiled at her, a rather mischievous, amused smile, he still thought of the incident each time they met.
Hillary Westover, on the other hand, seemed to have all the confidence and self-assurance of a queen! Each time Katie witnessed the way Hillary gushed over Stover, the manner in which she found every conceivable way of touching him, she envied the young woman all the more. Hillary’s grace and poise, beauty and confidence, only served to destroy any hope Katie had of being near her equal when it came to knowing how to win a man. The more Katie watched Hillary try to win Stover, the more Katie knew the chances were slim she’d ever catch his attention in any regard. Yet, Stover Steele had become Katie’s obsession. The more Katie tried not to think of him, the more she thought of him. The more often she tried not to go to town with Jared, the more she went.
And so it was that Katie found herself sitting on the bench in front of Mr. O’Malley’s General Store one hot afternoon. Jared had asked Pillar for a walk, and Katie waited for them to return, hoping to catch a glimpse of Stover.
Katie was delighted when she saw the Steele triplets running down the street toward her. Seeing the triplets in town meant, not only was Stover more than likely nearby, but entertainment was only a breath—or rather three breaths—away!
“Did ya hear the news, Katie?” Berty asked, leaping up onto the boardwalk.
“Did ya?” Bunny said.
“What news?” Katie giggled, amused by their excitement.
“There was a murder over in Summerville!” Bonnie squealed. “A real live…well, I guess ya’d call it a real dead murder!”
Katie wrinkled her brow, disbelieving. Still, she couldn’t help but smile as all three sets of eyes continued to widen with fear and excitement.
“A murder?” she said.
“A real one!” Bunny assured her. “And it must’ve been perty gruesome ‘cause Stover won’t give us any particulars!”
“He says we’ll have nightmares,” Bonnie said.
“But it happened all right. Seems some girl got murdered! They found her with her throat slit clean from ear to ear and a-layin’ in the middle of the street,” Berty explained.
Katie frowned again and said, “I thought ya said yer brother wouldn’t give ya the particulars.”
“He won’t,” Berty said. “Just the part about her throat being slit.”
“From ear to ear,” Bunny repeated, nodding in unison with her sisters.
“I have some friends in Summerville,” Katie said. “Did your brother tell ya what the girls’ name was?” Katie felt fear and panic rising in her bosom. What if she knew the girl who had been murdered?
“Her name was Stella Nelson,” Bunny offered.
“She was all of sixteen,” Bonnie added.
“Slit clean from ear to ear,” Berty whispered.
Katie sighed, relieved she hadn’t known the girl, and sad for her all the same. “Did they catch whoever did it?” Katie asked.
“Nope,” Berty answered. “The Sheriff over there ain’t got no idea at all.”
“Don’t it all just give ya the willies, Katie?” Bunny asked.
Katie nodded as the hair on the back of her neck prickled. Summerville wasn’t more than fifteen miles north. It seemed any murderer running from the law might well pass through Custer’s Creek.
“Why, Katie Matthews! Aren’t ya ever gonna find some friends yer own age?” Katie closed her eyes for a moment and tried to calm her nerves as she heard Hillary Westover’s all too familiar voice.
Drawing every ounce of determination not to be intimidated by the beauty, Katie turned and said, “Why, Hillary Westover! What brings you to town? Husband huntin’, no doubt.”
Hillary glared at Katie and said, “Well, at least I’m pretty enough to attract whatever man I choose. Ya don’t see me rollin’ in the mud with a bunch of children.”
“Did ya hear about the murder in Summerville, Miss Westover?” Bonnie asked.
Katie could tell the girls were all so wound up with excitement about the murder, they were willing to talk to anybody about it.
“Yes, I did,” Hillary said. “Stella Nelson was a very homely girl, but I do feel badly for her.”
Katie rolled her eyes, disgusted by Hillary’s shallow, unfeeling nature. “You do beat all,” Katie mumbled.
; “I expect I do,” Hillary said, smiling. She leaned closer to Katie and whispered, “That’s why I’ve got Stover Steele wrapped around my little finger—and you can’t even hope to have one moment of his attention.”
Katie felt like bursting into tears. Hillary was so cruel—and yet, in this case, so right. Swallowing hard, Katie held back her tears.
“I know yer sweet on him, Katie,” Hillary continued. “Why—every woman in town is. And I’m glad yer not ignorant enough to think ya might have a chance at a man like Stover.”
“What’s that yer sayin’, Miss Westover?” Berty asked.
Hillary smiled down at the child and said, “Oh, nothin’, sweet cake. Just chattin’ a little girl chat with Katie.”
The tears in Katie’s eyes were welling heavy, begging release, but Katie knew she couldn’t cry in front of Hillary. Yet the envy, jealousy, and pure loathing in her heart toward the young woman found her tongue too loose.
“He’s not ignorant like the other men you’ve had yer eye on in the past, Hillary,” Katie mumbled. “He’ll see through you—eventually.”
Hillary giggled and said, “Oh, how ya do go on, Katie!” Then lowering her voice she added, “I’ll have him to the preacher and be carryin’ his baby before Christmas. You just wait and see.” Hillary’s directness and the visions it planted in Katie’s mind were too much.
Knowing she would lose her composure and burst into tears at any moment, she said to the triplets, “Will you girls please let my brother know I’ve decided to walk home?”
“Sure, Katie,” Berty said. “But—but what’s the matter? Ya seem upset about somethin’.”
Katie looked to Hillary, who triumphantly smiled at her and said, “You run on along now, Katie. Yer as pale as a ghost.”
Katie moved to step past Hillary, but the young woman caught her arm and whispered in her ear, “Don’t worry—I’ll be sure and let ya know when Stover and I have had our first kiss.”
Without another word, careless of Hillary’s wicked giggle, Katie fairly leapt off the boardwalk and began walking toward the creek. She was angry at herself for letting Hillary get the best of her again. She was angry with herself for never being able to outwit her and for being so weak as to not say mean things in return.
Still, as she turned the corner and headed out of town she lifted her skirts and began running, allowing the tears to freely stream down her face. Why couldn’t some new rich man move to Custer’s Creek? Katie was convinced that, if the choice between a handsome man and a rich man were handed to Hillary, the wench would undoubtedly choose the rich man. Then Katie wouldn’t have to wait to be invited to Stover’s wedding to Hillary. She thought again of Hillary’s assurance she would be carrying Stover’s baby before Christmas and it made her stomach wrench—caused a terrible sobbing to escape her throat as her heart experienced an excruciating pain.
As Katie reached the banks of the creek, she knelt. Cupping the cool creek water in her hands, she began to splash her face in an effort to stop the terrible tears and sobbing wracking her body. It was ridiculous to be so completely undone by a man who was so completely out of reach. Why couldn’t she just let go of the dream of winning Stover Steele’s attention? It was, after all, only that—a dream. Yet, he was a beautiful one! A perfect one! A princely man the kind poets wrote about. Compared to every other man Katie had ever known, Stover Steele was king—strong, competent, compassionate, confident, and incapable of putting up with any kind of villainy. His large frame and good looks only served to complete the heroic package.
Katie splashed more water on her face, held her breath for a moment, trying to stop her tears and sobbing. Yet, the moment was brief and she quickly melted into a worse state of emotional upheaval. Katie shook her head, baffled at how deeply she loved a man whom she’d not only known for such a short time, but who also was so obviously out of reach. Where had her good sense gone?
Suddenly, she heard a rustle in the bushes nearby and an ominous feeling of danger began to wash over her. Three men stepped from the bushes then, smiling friendly smiles though they were strangers to her.
“What’s the matter there girl?” one of the men asked as he approached. “Ya hurt or somethin’?”
“N-no, sir,” Katie stammered, slowly rising to her feet.
“Oh, come on now, missy,” another said. “We been watchin’ ya and ya seem to be perty upset.”
“I’m—I’m fine,” Katie told them. “Just headin’ on back to town to meet up with my brother.”
“Do ya live in Custer’s Creek?” the third man asked.
“I-I’m sorry, but I’ve gotta get back,” Katie told them. “My brother will be awful fumin’ if I’m late again.” Katie swallowed hard however, as she watched the three men move between her and the direction of town. Something deep within her told her if she didn’t find a way to escape them, she’d end up like the murdered girl in Summerville. So, without any further talk or any indication of her plans, she whirled around and started running as fast as she could.
“Get her, boys!” she heard one of the men holler. “Don’t let her get by ya!”
Katie’s voice was silenced with fear and as much as she wanted to scream, tried to scream, only a weak sobbing escaped her throat. Knowing she couldn’t afford to waste any energy on trying to call for help, she simply ran as fast as she could in the direction of the Sutter farm. It was only about half a mile through the woods to the Sutter’s and Katie knew she was a good runner. If she could just outrun the men long enough to find the Sutter’s farm in sight, maybe the men would be too scared to follow her any further.
Glancing behind her, Katie saw the men were gaining on her. Slowly, perhaps, but gaining all the same and she feared they might overtake her before she reached Sutter’s. Still, she ran, her lungs burning, her legs becoming tired, and tears still streaming down her face. She could hear the men shouting at her and at each other, but couldn’t understand what they were saying. All she could do was run, and she knew it was for her life.
She stumbled once and fell to the ground, one hand pressing mercilessly into a sharp rock as she caught herself and struggled to her feet once more. The palm of her hand throbbed with pain and she could feel blood trickling between her fingers, but still she ran. Glancing back, she was finally able to scream as she saw how much closer her fall had enabled the men to get to her. She cried out and tried to increase her speed, but her body was frightened and tiring.
And then, seemingly out of nowhere, she saw a rider approaching on a buckskin gelding and she cried out for help. Katie’s eyes blurred with tears, and she felt as if her heart might actually cease to beat as she watched Stover Steele rein his horse to a halt and fairly leap from his saddle.
“Help me,” Katie panted in a whisper as he ran to meet her.
As she reached him, her tired legs gave out beneath her and she collapsed against him. Quickly, he lowered her to the ground and she breathlessly watched through her tears as he pulled a knife from his boot and flung it at one of the men chasing her. The knife buried itself deep in the man’s thigh and he fell to the ground. Stover ran toward the other two men, driving a merciless fist to one man’s nose causing him to fall as well. Katie screamed as the third man, the leader of the villainous filth, pulled a knife from his own boot. Wielding the knife at Stover, the brute lashed out, wounding Stover’s shoulder.
Katie covered her mouth with one hand, sobbing as she watched crimson blood begin to soak Stover’s shirt. Stover was undaunted however and threw an elbow into the man’s midsection. As the man doubled over, his breath knocked from his body, the first man, who had, by now, pulled Stover’s knife from his leg, charged Stover. Stover caught hold of the man’s arm, twisting it backward at the man’s back until Katie heard the gruesome crack of breaking bone. The man cried out in pain as Stover threw him to the ground. Turning, Stover took hold of the arm of the man with the bleeding nose, performing the same brutal injury thereby leaving two of the men helpless and writhi
ng in pain.
“What were yer plans?” Stover growled as the leader of the group recovered his breath and stood facing him. “You boys are the ones who killed that girl over in Summersville, ain’t ya?”
“Yer gonna pay for this, boy,” the man said, still out of breath.
“Make me pay, then,” Stover said, motioning with one hand, a gesture of taunting the man to come at him.
Katie screamed as the man lunged at Stover. The man’s face met with the force of Stover’s fist, however, sending him reeling on his heels and tumbling to the ground. Stover advanced on the man, kicking him squarely in the stomach once more.
“Stay there,” he mumbled as he walked past Katie and to his horse. Once he’d retrieved a length of rope, Stover proceeded to tie up the men, restraining them and making escape impossible. Once he’d ensured the men were sufficiently restrained, he walked to Katie, gently but firmly taking her by the shoulders and raising her to her feet.
“Ya all right?” he asked rather gruffly. He frowned, studying her face and holding her away from him as he looked her over. The ground beneath her feet seemed to begin spinning and Katie felt dizzy and nauseous.
“I think…I think I’m gonna…” she said a moment before everything around her went dark. She felt Stover Steele catch her in his strong arms before consciousness was lost to her.
Stover was somewhat thankful Katie had fainted for the emotions pounding in his mind and chest were overwhelming. So much so, he sensed excess moisture gathering in his eyes as he looked down at the unconscious, precious girl in his arms.
The Prairie Prince Page 5