Aundy (Pendleton Petticoats - Book 1)

by Hatfield, Shanna

  “You what?”

  Aundy shook her head and swiped at the tears that were spilling from her eyes. Garrett tried to hug her, but she pushed at his chest until he let her go.

  “Please, Garrett, I think it’s best you leave now.”

  “Fine, but let me give you one thing to mull over while I’m leaving you alone,” Garrett said and caught her roughly to him, kissing her like he’d never have the opportunity to do it again. Her arms wound around his neck as she held him close, returning every ounce of heat and hunger he poured out to her.

  Letting her go abruptly, he grabbed his hat and gave her one last, longing look. “I meant what I said last night. Anytime you need me, I’ll be here.”

  Slamming the door on his way out, Aundy was sure Dent and the boys could hear it at the bunkhouse.

  Leaning against the counter to brace herself, Aundy didn’t think her legs could hold her without support. Not when she watched every dream she’d ever had for a happy-ever-after walk out the door. Forcing herself to stay away from Garrett was going to be the hardest thing she’d ever done, especially when her heart kept whispering he was the one she could love for a lifetime.

  Chapter Seventeen

  “It says, ‘Titus gave the city of Jerusalem over to his soldiers with orders for them to sack, burn and raze. More than a million people died in the siege with those kept alive turned into slaves. Many were sent to be fodder for the gladiators and beasts in the Roman arenas.’” Nik stopped reading the history book in his hand and looked at Aundy as she mixed up a cake recipe handed down in her family for many generations. “What do you suppose it was like, being in one of those arenas?”

  Pouring the batter into a pan and placing it in the oven, Aundy sat down across from Nik and thought about his question.

  “I suppose it would have been loud, for one thing. Think of all the people there, not to mention the noise from beneath the arena where they kept the men and beasts. From what I understand, there were vendors selling all sorts of things, so they were probably calling out to people, trying to get them to buy their wares. It probably smelled pretty bad with all the blood and animals there, and the sheer number of people watching. It was probably hot, standing on the sand they used in the arena,” Aundy said, trying to remember her ancient history lessons. “What do you think it would have been like to be a gladiator? What if you were in your own country, minding your own business, when one day the Roman army shows up and declares war against you. You fight, but despite your best efforts, you’re captured. Resisting is futile and you’re forced to comply. After days, maybe weeks of journeying, you find yourself at a ludus where you’re told you’ll train to fight in the arena or you’ll be killed.”

  “What’s a ludus?” Nik asked, enraptured with Aundy’s perspective of ancient history and the interesting way she shared it with him.

  “It was a training school for gladiators. They would break the men down and then build them back up as fighting machines,” Aundy said. She’d always liked history lessons. When they finished studying Roman history, she’d move Nik on to the Vikings. Tales of her ancestors’ battles often stirred her blood.

  Thinking of her blood stirring made images of Garrett come to mind, so she slammed the door on those thoughts, much like he’d slammed the door on her several nights ago.

  “How do you know so much about history, and everything?” Nik asked, sweeping his hand across the table to emphasize his point with the piles of books and papers covering the surface.

  Aundy smiled, straightening a stack of the boy’s homework. “I always enjoyed school and learning. Books were a way to travel to faraway places I knew I’d never see in my lifetime.”

  Nik looked at her, balancing what she was saying against what some of the men told him about book learning being a waste of time for a poor shepherd boy.

  Sensing his hesitation, Aundy grabbed his hand and pulled him to his feet.

  “Come with me,” she said, tugging him to the front room. Studying the bookshelf, Aundy pulled several titles from their places and set them on table in front of the sofa. Pushing Nik down to the seat, she grinned at him.

  Picking up the first book on the pile, she handed it to Nik, then grabbed a parasol from the hall tree by the front door. Holding it like a sword, she prepared for an imaginary battle. “Dumas’ The Three Musketeers lets you engage in sword fights and great battles for honor and truth,” Aundy said, jumping around the room, lunging at Nik with her pretend sword, making him laugh.

  Grabbing the next book, she tossed it to him. Catching it, he read the title From Pole to Pole. “What’s this one about?”

  Pulling a quilt off the arm of the sofa, Aundy draped it over her head so it fell down her back and stuck her hands in front of her like claws. “You can read all about the adventures in the torrid and frigid zones of both poles. How else would you get up close and personal with a polar bear?”

  Leaping at Nik like she was going to eat him, he jerked back against the sofa with an astonished look on his face.

  “What if you were stranded on a deserted island for years and years like Robinson Crusoe?” Aundy said, plopping on the chair across from him, looking around forlorn, like she was lost and alone. “Just think of what it would be like. The things you’d see and smell and taste and hear.”

  Nik sat up, anxious to see what she’d do next. She handed him the last book from her stack and grabbed the pail by the desk she used to collect discarded paper. Upending it, she beat on it like a drum and marched around the room, pretending to have a gimpy leg while humming Yankee Doodle.

  “What if you could walk right beside General George Washington as he defended our great country during the Revolutionary War?”

  Setting down the pail and picking up the scattered papers, dumping them back inside, Aundy collapsed on a chair and blew the tendrils of hair out of her eyes that escaped the braid around her head.

  “Tell me, Nikola Zorian Gandiaga, don’t you think books are a wonderful, magical thing?” Winking at the boy, Aundy thought she might have gone too far with her antics as he continued to stare at her, not saying a word.

  When Nik finally jumped to his feet and clapped enthusiastically, she decided perhaps not.

  “That was amazing!” Nik said, excitement filling his face. “Wait ‘til I tell the guys about this.”

  “Now, hold on a minute,” Aundy said, grabbing Nik’s arm before he could rush out the front door. “There will be no telling of tales, my young man. None at all. That performance was just for you, so you best keep it to yourself. I’ve got a dignified reputation to uphold you know.”

  Aundy thrust her nose in the air with an exaggerated haughty demeanor until she smelled cake.

  “Oh, gracious! I forgot the cake,” she said, running to the kitchen to pull the pan from the oven, letting out a sigh of relief it hadn’t burned.

  “The cake would have been a worthy sacrifice for all that,” Nik said, giving Aundy a teasing smile.

  “Oh, go on with you,” Aundy said, helping Nik gather up his books and papers. He finished the glass of milk he’d been drinking and snatched a few cookies to take with him. “You can have a big piece of cake tomorrow, but only if you promise to be quiet about your lesson this evening.”

  “I promise,” Nik said, wishing like everything the men could have seen Aundy in action. She would have made a great teacher, if she wasn’t so busy trying to learn to be a farmer. “Night, Aundy.”

  “Night, Nik. Be sure you get some sleep,” she said, giving him a hug on his way out the door.

  Watching him saunter to the bunkhouse in his gangly stride, Aundy smiled. He was such a bright boy with a good heart, she couldn’t wait to see what kind of man he was going to grow up to be. She hoped one every bit as kind, strong, and handsome as a certain neighbor whom she couldn’t keep out of her thoughts.

  Since she’d pushed Garrett out of her life, she forced herself to stay away from Nash’s Folly. She picked up the telephone at least
once a day to call and apologize, realizing those who listened in would have a heyday with the gossip if she did that.

  Out riding the fence yesterday, she thought she saw him in the field and started to wave, then thought better of it.

  If her traitorous heart had just listened to her head and not fallen for Garrett Nash, she wouldn’t be feeling so heartbroken and desolate.

  Going to the front room and putting the books back on the shelf, she grinned, thinking of the fun she’d had with Nik this evening. It reminded her of happy times she’d shared with her brother and sister when they were younger. Lars never liked school, always more interested in something that involved activity, so Aundy would act out some of his lessons in an effort to help him learn. Ilsa liked to join in, and the three of them had a high time studying and playing together.

  Wishing Ilsa had been able to join her, Aundy frowned as she thought about the letter that arrived from her sister. Although Ilsa was more than ready to come, their aunt kept finding reasons to keep her there. The girl thought she might have to steal away in the night to escape. Aundy certainly hoped it wouldn’t come to that.

  Folding the quilt and putting it back on the sofa, she checked the lock on the door and extinguished the lamp.

  Falling into bed exhausted, sleep was a long time coming as she thought about her farm, her family, her duties, and her love for Garrett.

  Standing at the kitchen sink early the next morning, she heard several loud pops and dropped the glass she was holding, shattering it in the sink.

  Racing out the kitchen door, she was half-way to the barn when Dent and the hands poured out of the bunkhouse.

  “What was that?” she asked, her eyes wide with fright. She thought she knew what it was, but hoped she was wrong.

  “Gun shots,” Dent said, running in the direction of the sheep, yelling orders as he went. “Fred, Bill, saddle up and meet us in the pasture. George and Glen, get out on patrol, see what you can find. Li, keep an eye on things here. Hank’s with me, we’ll check on Nik and Lem.”

  Aundy picked up her skirts and ran after Dent and Hank. Her side ached and her lungs burned, but she kept running.

  Topping a rise, they could see five dead sheep in a pool of blood that stained the grass crimson. Not far from them was a motionless dog, a bleating lamb and the unmoving form of Nik.

  “No, not Nik,” Aundy whispered, willing her legs to carry her to the boy. Dent reached him first and carefully rolled him over. Blood poured from a wound in his upper chest.

  Dropping to her knees, Aundy held Nik’s head on her lap and brushed her hand along his forehead. “Oh, you poor baby. Nik, you’ll be okay. We’ll take care of you. Nik, please be okay.”

  Aundy turned her head to wipe her tear-stained cheek on her shoulder, while Dent ran to Fred, who arrived on horseback. “Call the doc and the sheriff. If they don’t answer, ride for town,” Dent yelled at Fred as he spun around and took off to house. Turning to Bill as he arrived, leading another horse, Dent mounted as he sent him to get the wagon so Nik could be moved to the house. The cowboy raced off, following Fred.

  “I need to find Lem, Missy. I’ll stay here, but I’m gonna look around,” Dent said, turning to Hank, who stood nearby, his face blanched white at the sight of all the blood. “Hank, walk over to that grove of trees and see if you find anything.”

  Dent rode off in the opposite direction, studying the ground.

  Aundy fished her handkerchief out of her pocket and wiped Nik’s face. He had lost all color and the fact he hadn’t stirred worried her. This reminded her too much of the day Erik was injured.

  She should never have let Nik stay out with the sheep after she had the first threat. Looking at the boy, she knew he would have snuck out to be with the sheep regardless of what she said.

  Bumped from behind, Aundy lifted an arm and Butter wedged his little body next to her side, bleating pitifully.

  “I know, Butter. I know,” Aundy said, rubbing her arm over the lamb’s head. He flopped down on the grass next to her and sniffed at Nik, bleating again.

  Forcing herself not to look back at Bob, Aundy knew the dog was beyond helping.

  Hearing the jingle of harness and the pounding of hooves, Bill and Fred topped the rise in the wagon, bouncing wildly as they urged the horses to go faster.

  Aundy saw Dent dismount behind a tree and wondered if he found Lem. She prayed the cowboy was alive.

  Sending up prayers for Nik and all her men, Aundy held onto Butter as the wagon creaked to a stop beside them. Bill and Fred had grabbed a few saddle blankets to cushion the bed of the wagon. Aundy scrambled to climb in the back, sitting down so the men could place the boy with his head resting on her lap. Fred picked up Butter and set him beside her.

  “Thank you,” she said, glancing up at him with tear-filled eyes. She knew how much Fred disliked the sheep. To see him so tenderly pick up the lamb threatened to unravel the few threads keeping her from falling apart.

  Dent was waving at them from the tree, so Bill and Fred guided the wagon that direction while Hank ran over.

  “Help me get him loaded, boys,” Dent said, motioning to Lem. Although unconscious, he was breathing. A bloody cut on his head appeared to be all the damage he’d suffered.

  “Looks like someone knocked him out. Probably clubbed him with a rifle,” Dent said as they placed Lem in the wagon next to Nik. “Head back to the house. I’m gonna do a little sniffing around while we wait for the sheriff.”

  “He’s out of town, but Kade and the Doc both said they’d be here as quick as they could,” Fred said, nodding to Dent as Bill turned the wagon toward the house.

  Pulling up by the front door, Aundy carefully moved and lowered Nik’s head to the wagon bed before accepting Bill's hand and jumping down.

  Running up the porch steps, she raced into Erik’s room, glad she’d aired it recently after sorting through Erik’s things. Now the room looked orderly, if impersonal.

  Flinging the quilt off the bed, she folded back the covers and turned as Bill and Fred carried the boy in the door.

  “Bring him in here,” Aundy said, watching as they gently carried Nik to the bed and carefully placed him on top of the sheet.

  Aundy ran to the kitchen to get some rags and start boiling water while Bill and Fred helped Lem in the house. Disoriented, he managed to walk into the front room with the support of the other two men.

  Returning with a pan of warm water, Aundy held a cloth over Nik’s wound, hoping to stop the flow of blood. Having Bill hold the rag, she took another and wet it, wiping off Nik’s face and hands.

  “Nik, you’re going to be just fine. You’re back at the house and safe now,” Aundy said as she rinsed the rag and washed his face again.

  Bill peeled back the blood soaked rag and Aundy handed him a fresh one. She took a damp cloth to Lem and dabbed at the wound on his head that was already forming a scab.

  The thundering of hooves echoed up the drive and Fred ran outside to greet Kade.

  “Doc’s coming,” Kade yelled loud enough they could hear him in the house. Fred ran out and scooped up Butter from the front lawn before climbing in the wagon and driving it to the barn, following the deputy as he raced ahead.

  “How’s Nik?” Lem asked quietly, looking into the room where he could see Bill bent over the boy.

  “He’s bleeding a lot,” Aundy said, not knowing what else to do for Lem. Going to the kitchen, she came back with a glass of water and handed it to him. He drank it down and leaned back against the chair, closing his eyes.

  “Tried to stop him,” Lem said, shaking his head, then wincing at the pain.

  “Stop who?” Aundy asked, hoping Lem saw the man’s face.

  “Don’t know. He had on a hood that covered his head,” Lem said, holding his head in his hands. “Don’t know who.”

  “Just rest for now, Lem,” Aundy said, patting his arm. “You can tell us what happened later.”

  “Aundy?” Bill called and she hurried
to the bedroom. “I need more rags.”

  Terrified by the sight of the blood-soaked rags in the pan of water, Aundy took the pan to the kitchen and hurried back with another stack of cloths. Nik was going to bleed to death right there on the bed if they didn’t do something soon. Uncertain if the bullet was still inside the boy, Aundy felt helpless.

  Dropping to her knees next to the bed, she took Nik’s hand in hers and prayed. Lifting her head, she saw Bill nod and offer her a tight smile. Before she could get to her feet, the doctor burst in the front door.

  He started toward Lem, but Bill grabbed his arm, pulling him into the bedroom.

  “Nik’s been shot,” Bill said, pointing to the wound. “Lem’s got a bump on his head. Reckon he can wait a spell before you tend him.”

  The doctor began barking orders and put both Bill and Aundy into service helping him. When he dug the bullet out of Nik, Aundy thought she would surely faint, but forced herself to breathe and keep following the doctor’s directions.

  “I can’t promise anything, Aundy. That poor boy lost a lot of blood,” Doc said, staring down at Nik’s ashen face. “We’ll just have to wait and see.”

  Washing his hands, the doctor went to tend Lem, declaring he had a concussion and a nasty cut. Giving him six stitches, he told Lem to take it easy for a while and stay away from any activities that might bump his head.

  Lem decided to go back to the bunkhouse to rest and ambled off that direction, leaving Bill, Aundy and Doc in the house to watch over Nik.

  The phone rang and Aundy went to answer it, not surprised to find Nora on the other end of the line.

  “Oh, honey, George told Jim what happened over the fence a little bit ago. I’ll bring some food over and Garrett is riding to the pasture to see if he can help track whoever did this. Is anyone hurt?”

  “Nik,” Aundy said, feeling her throat tighten with emotion. “Nik was shot.”

  Aundy heard Nora’s intake of breath. “Have mercy! Who would shoot that sweet boy?”

  “I wish I knew,” Aundy said, starting to feel anger overtake her other emotions. Who, indeed, would shoot an innocent boy? “Doc took out the bullet so we’re just waiting.”