They made it to the mercantile without further mishap. Thompson dashed over to them. “Howdy, Clay. Howdy, Mrs. Moore.”
“Howdy, Mr. Thompson, call me Jennifer.” She gave him such a sweet smile Clay almost ground his teeth. He wasn’t jealous. Was he?
Thompson nearly fell over himself to serve her. He might be a bachelor, but he had to be fifty if he was a day.
“Congratulations on your marriage. And who is this handsome young man?” The storekeeper went to tickle the baby under the chin and Sam arched back in Clay’s arms. At least the kid showed a bit of taste not wanting Thompson to touch him. The man was fawning all over Jennifer and he wanted to yell at him to leave her alone.
“If I’d thought I could find a beautiful young woman like you, I’d have gone over to the agency myself, Mrs. Moore, um Jennifer. The agency has closed down now and moved to Denver.”
“Has it?” she said.
“That’s why the telegram was delivered here. Apparently, the girl running the place got in touch with the telegraph office and postal people and told them to direct their mail here to me.”
“They were incompetent,” Clay snapped.
“It’s awful, playing around with people’s lives like that,” Jennifer said.
“Well, water under the bride now. Give Thompson your order.”
Clay diverted her, in case she felt tempted to blurt out about him getting the telegram by mistake. He couldn’t believe how the baby seemed to be happy being held by him and not squealing for his mother. He didn’t dare put him down as there was every likelihood the kid would wreck the place reaching and grabbing at things.
“You’ve got another customer.” Clay took great delight in telling Thompson. The moment the man left he turned to Jennifer. “I don’t like my wife flirting with other men.” The words were out before he could stop them.
She gave a shocked gasp. “I wasn’t flirting.”
“It looked like you were to me.”
“I was not. I thought he was your friend and I was trying to be nice to him.”
“Well, don’t try so hard.” He clamped his lips together so these words wouldn’t come out of his mouth. He was behaving like a jealous lover. Well, he certainly wasn’t her lover. Only wished he was. Steady on, what was he thinking?
“If you feel my list of things is too long, I could take a few of the less important items off it.”
He hadn’t done more than glance at the list and was happy to let her get whatever she thought they needed. “Yeah, that’s fine, order whatever you like.”
“I was thinking, I could get a few seeds, I want to start a vegetable garden.”
She licked her lips with her little pink tongue and he almost groaned out loud at such a provocative action, even though it was probably unintentional on her part. “I was wondering if….”
“Wondering what?” He hastily stepped away from a pyramid of cans Thompson had created as a display piece as a baby’s hand shot out. “No, you don’t.” He grabbed for Sam’s hand. “I don’t want to pay for any stuff you break.” Not that Thompson didn’t deserve it, flirting with Jennifer, the man was old enough to be her father – well almost.
He glanced up and caught her staring longingly at rolls of lace and flowery material. She had such a yearning expression on her face he knew she wanted something, but she wouldn’t ask for it.
“If there’s anything else you need just ask.” He lowered his voice. “I’m careful with my money, but if there’s something you really want, let me know.”
“It doesn’t matter.”
He was ignorant when it came to women and their shopping habits. The material, that’s what had caught her eye.
“Some of that material looks nice. Why don’t you buy some?”
“It is pretty, I really like the pink one.”
“The one with the flowery things on it? Yeah, I like it, too. Go on, buy it.”
“It’s fifteen cents a yard,” she said, looking worried.
“Don’t worry about the money, if you want it get it. Call it a wedding present if it will make you feel any better.”
“Thank you, Clay.” She nearly floored him with a beautiful smile. “If you’re sure you don’t mind.”
“Yeah, I’m sure. Once we get everything sorted here, we’ll go to the diner for lunch.”
“Could we?” Her eyes lit up like sparkling jewels.
“I usually have a beef steak when I come into town, Polly does the best steak I’ve ever eaten.”
“That would be lovely.”
“I guess we should have gone there after we got hitched, but I didn’t think about it and I should have.”
“You were probably in shock after finding yourself stuck with a woman who had a baby.”
“Hey, don’t do that.” He pulled away the baby fingers that were trying to gouge his eyes out. “I think this kid is trying to kill me.”
“Put him down.”
“If I do, in five seconds flat he’ll have wrecked the place. There’s so much stuff stacked around. He’d be as dangerous as a bull in a china shop.”
Thompson hurried back to them with a smarmy smile plastered on his face, obviously for Jennifer’s benefit. Why hadn’t he noticed before what an irritating varmint he was?
“Here’s our list.” He whisked it out of Jennifer’s hands and gave it to him. “Can you have it ready for us when we get back. I’m taking my wife to the diner for lunch.”
“Sure can.”
“Oh, and she wants some pink material stuff, the one with the flowers on it. How much do you need, darlin’?”
“About, um.”
“Twenty yards is a good round figure,” Thompson said. Greedy varmint knew he could hardly say it was too much or he’d look mean in front of Jennifer.
“Yeah, yeah. Get twenty yards if it takes that much to make a dress. You can always use left-overs to make something else.”
He linked arms with Jennifer, for all intents and purposes a loving husband. He didn’t want anyone to know the true position of his marriage. There again, they would find out when the marriage was annulled. He was like a fish on a hook twitching and turning every which way while he decided what to do.
“I can take Sam now.”
“No, I’ll carry him until we get to the diner, then you can have him back.” He nodded to a few people he knew, although he didn’t particularly like their speculative stares. Why couldn’t everyone mind their own business. Any wonder he didn’t like coming into town.
~*~
When they got to the diner Clay pushed the door open and let her enter first. He was always courteous. His behavior before they got to the mercantile, and once they were there was possessive. Was he jealous of other men paying attention to her because he cared for her? Or because he was possessive and thought of her as his property for the next twelve months?
A plump, smiling woman escorted them to a table in the corner. “Polly, I’d like you to meet my wife Jennifer and her son Sam.”
“Oh, my dear, I’m so pleased to meet you. I’m glad Clay has found himself a pretty gal.” She tickled Sam in the belly causing him to chortle loudly. “Now, what will you have?”
“I’ll have the usual,” Clay said. “Have the steak, darlin’, I’ve told you how good it is.”
“All right, I’ll have the steak, too, but only a small piece, please.”
“Would you like me to mix up potato and gravy for the baby? I’ve got a fourteen-month-old grandson, so don’t worry, I know what to do for the little fella.”
“Thank you, Polly, I’d appreciate it.”
“I’ll have my usual coffee please; Jennifer will have weak black tea.”
“No tea, thank you, a glass of water would be nice.”
Polly bustled off. “I didn’t think about the baby,” he said with a frown.
“I was going to feed him from my plate.” She put Sam down and he toddled around to Clay and
pushed against his legs. “He likes you.”
“Yeah, seems that way.” He picked the baby up, sat him on the table and pulled faces at him. Sam chortled loudly.
“You’re good with him.”
“No, I’m not.”
“Yes, you are, He’s laughing, it means he likes you.”
“I have to admit I don’t feel so agitated now.” He stared straight into her face with those startling green eyes of his. “Maybe it’s because I’m not alone with him.”
“Oh?”
“Well, I can’t do anything stupid that might hurt him with you around.”
It hit her with the force of a battering ram. Clay wasn’t scared of children, only of what he thought might happen to them while they were with him. It showed he was a caring man who had a conscience.
“You’ve paid a terrible price for what happened to your niece. Stop punishing yourself for what was a tragic accident.”
“Do you really think so?” Hope flared in his eyes then quickly died and the shadows returned.
“Yes, I do.”
“Here you are.” The arrival of their food interrupted them. “Two beef steaks with mashed potato and greens and a bowl of mash. I brought a towel, so your young fella won’t make a mess on his clothes.”
“Thank you.” Jennifer was grateful for Polly’s kindness.
“How are you going to feed him?” Clay asked.
“The way I always do.” It was going to be harder here, she realized because she normally cut her meat into bite sized chunks and ate at the same time as him.
Polly scooped Sam up. “It’s quiet in here now, I’ll feed him while you eat.”
“I couldn’t let you do that,” Jennifer said. “Although I’m grateful for the offer.”
“I’ll feed him until I get a customer. How’s that sound?”
Clay grinned. “Go on, eat your meal in peace while you’ve got the chance.”
Polly sat at their table. He handed Sam to her and the baby went without complaint.
Jennifer didn’t know whether Sam was hungry, or he liked the motherly woman, but he sat on her knee without a murmur, and after she wrapped the towel around him, so it covered his clothes she commenced feeding him.
Once Jennifer realized the baby was okay, she cut a piece off her steak and placed it in her mouth. It was so tender and succulent she closed her eyes to better savor it.
“You like it?” Clay asked.
“Oh, it’s delicious.”
“It’s probably one of my steers,” he said.
“How do you know?” Jennifer stopped eating long enough to ask.
“Because I raise the best beef around these here parts, and I sell direct to the local butcher who also happens to operate a small abattoir.”
She had finished her steak and was halfway through her vegetables when Sam finished his food, he sent up a wail. Polly wiped his face, kissed him on the cheek and said. “You can have him back now.” She laughed. “I only handle babies until they cry then I give them back to their mothers.”
“Thanks, Polly, I really enjoyed the meal.” Jennifer settled Sam on her knee.
“Yeah, thanks, Polly, we’re obliged.”
“All part of the service.” With a swish of her skirt she headed toward the door and a couple of customers.
“What a nice lady.”
“Yeah, she is a nice woman. Good cook, too.” He patted his stomach. “I always come here for a steak whenever I’m in town.”
“I didn’t know you could sell your cattle direct to the butcher.”
“Allbright, the butcher, was a friend of my uncle, used to be a rancher himself in the early days. He was forced off his spread by one of the bigger outfits and he hates the large ranchers. He buys direct from me and a couple of other small ranchers as a way of getting back at them. Works both ways. We get a bit more money because it cuts out the middle-man, and he gets it cheaper, too.”
“That’s good. It means you don’t have to drive them to the railhead.”
“Yeah, I still have to do that as well. He can’t take enough for me to make a living. Another reason why I keep a few pigs. He buys them as well.”
Clay paid for their food when they were ready to leave. “Thanks Polly,” Jennifer said. “It was a lovely meal.”
“You come back again real soon Clay Moore, and make sure to bring your wife and Sam with you.”
“I will.” He sketched her a salute and they walked out of the diner and on to the boardwalk.
Once again, Clay carried Sam and linked arms with her. His touch sent a shaft of pleasure winging its way through her body. What was there about this man which affected her so much?
When they got to the buckboard, Clay said. “I’ll drive around to the back of the mercantile, easier to load up from there.”
She glanced around, thankfully there was no sign of the man who had accosted them before. Clay wore twin guns and she didn’t know how provoked he would have to be to use them.
Once they got to the back of the mercantile, he said. “Don’t bother getting down, I’ll get the stuff.”
“Oh?” A spark of mischief asserted itself. “I wanted to see Mr. Thompson again.”
He gave her a hard look. “Well, you can marry him after our twelve months is up,” he snapped before jumping down.
“Clay, stop.”
He swung around.
“I don’t want to marry him – ever. I was teasing you.”
“Well, don’t.” He strode off.
Could he be jealous? Of course he wasn’t. She had gone over this in her mind before. He can’t wait for the twelve months to pass so he can get rid of you. It was a possessive thing. For the time she was his, he didn’t want to share her. Her heart dropped to her boots.
Don’t get too fond of him or you’ll be devastated when he casts you aside. Good advice, but deep down she knew it was too late. She was already too fond of him. All she could do was be a good wife to him and hope he had enough feeling toward her and Sam not to banish them from his life when the time came.
Chapter Ten
The next couple of weeks passed uneventfully. Clay took her for a ride around his ranch on Tess, a mare he said was docile enough for her to ride until he could assess her riding ability.
He rode tall and straight in the saddle, prince of all he surveyed. He was proud of his ranch and had every right to be. Everything was well set up, his pasture and animals well cared for. He had the baby sitting in front of him.
“I know you can ride,” he said. “But I’m not sure how competent you are.”
“I like your ranch, I really do,” she said, riding up close to him. “You like it too, don’t you, baby.”
“I sure do.”
“Not you, Sam.”
Clay laughed. “Ouch.” He had a nice laugh she decided. A pity he didn’t do it more often.
Sam started to grizzle after an hour or so. They decided to stop for a feed of buttered biscuits left over from yesterday. They sat with their backs against a tree looking out over the creek.
“The water level is lower than normal for this time of year,” he said. “I reckon because summer came early.” He skimmed a stone over the water, and she watched it disappear with a plop.
Sam could eat solid foods of the soft variety now, but he loved his milk. He should be weaned but why should she when he certainly enjoyed it and there was nothing nicer than having your baby suckle your breast. Had Samuel not been killed she would probably have been expecting again by now. She sighed for what might have been.
“That was a big sigh,” he said.
“I was just thinking, if Samuel hadn’t been killed, I’d probably be having another baby by now.”
His arm stilled mid-air. “You want another baby?”
“Are you offering to give me one?” The words tumbled out of her mouth before she could stop them. Mortified, her cheeks burned. What on earth possessed her to say
something like that?
His eyes darkened, becoming speculative. A pulse convulsed in his jaw. “I’d sure enjoy trying but….”
“But that would put paid to any annulment so you couldn’t easily get rid of me.” His rejection of her, almost offer, hurt more than she cared to admit even to herself.
“I don’t know.” He gnawed his lip. “There isn’t only us to consider.”
“Oh, no, I forgot, you dislike children. You wouldn’t want to make a baby with me,” she shrilled. “Or any other woman.”
“You know how I feel about children. I told you about little Laura.”
“You’re a selfish, inconsiderate pig, Clay.”
“Now hold on. I’m just being honest.”
“What kind of man are you?” She let her eyes range up and down his body then turned her head away.
“I’m a man with the usual male urges.” He leapt to his feet. “You think living like this is easy for me? I want you so bad some nights I can’t sleep. You think I haven’t imagined what it would be like holding you in my arms, but I’m not prepared to be a substitute in bed for your dead husband.”
She gasped in shock, picked up Sam and hurried toward the horses.
With a curse he strode after her. “Don’t take the baby on that horse.”
“It’s my baby, I can do….”
“You’re not strong enough to hold him and control a horse.”
He was right, her shoulders slumped. What kind of mother would endanger her baby because she was angry with a man? “You’re right.” She handed the baby to him.
Sam didn’t mind, he laughed and gabbled at Clay, making a grab for his hat.
“No, you don’t.” He pried the baby fingers away. “You don’t want to risk me getting sun struck, do you?”
Without speaking again, he helped her on to Tess then easily mounted his chestnut gelding holding Sam. “Okay, Red my boy,” he said to his horse. “Let’s get going.”
Jennifer rode a little ahead. Through a cloud of hurt and shame for her harsh words she stared straight ahead. What kind of woman would cast dispersions on a man’s ability to well, be a man? Was she deliberately trying to goad him into what? They hadn’t even shared a kiss.
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