A Headstrong Woman (6 page)

“Congratulations,” Jonathon grinned at his boss and friend.

“For what? Last night I suddenly realized that my wife is a woman and now I feel like a gangly teen age boy and you’re congratulating me?” Elijah wasn’t amused.

“Sorry,” Jonathon’s smile belied his words. “How old are you, Boss?”

“Thirty-seven.”

“Hardly a gangly teenage boy.”

“Thanks but that doesn’t stop me from feeling like one.” Elijah was quiet for a moment as he filled a bucket with feed. “How old are you, Jonathon?”

“Twenty-six.”

“Still young; appreciate it while it lasts,” Elijah offered a self-depreciating smile before disappearing into a stall. He reemerged shaking his head. “I take back what I said about feeling like a gangly teenage boy beside her; most the time I feel more like an old man.”

Jonathon smiled; he was curious as to just how much of an age gap there was between the newlyweds but he didn’t dare ask.

“Tonight I plan to take your advice and spend some time with her. We talked last night but that was more me apologizing for being a jerk since she arrived.” Elijah scooped the bucket into the feed again as Jonathon began cleaning one of the stalls.

“Good luck.”

“Thanks, I’ll need it. I have to tell you, I’m very glad you showed up here, Jonathon, you’re proving to be a good friend.”

“Thanks, everyone can use a friend.”

“How are you holding up, Jonathon? You don’t say much about it but I know firsthand the first few months are the hardest.” Elijah paused outside the stall.

“I’m alright most the time, especially when I’m busy. Others…others are hard. Yesterday would have been her birthday.”

“That was a hard day for me too,” Elijah acknowledged.

“It was a hard one, Boss,” Jonathon nodded.

“Call me Eli, Jonathon. You may be my employ but as I’ve already stated; you’ve come to be a good friend to me.”

“Thanks, Eli,” Jonathon returned before both men concentrated on their chores.

***

Alexandria entered the barn later that afternoon while Lilly was taking her nap and carried an apple to her favorite team horse. Spunky snorted and greeted her affectionately before claiming the offered treat from her out stretched hand. The door opened and Alexandria nodded at one of the hands she didn’t know as well.

“Afternoon, Mrs. Morris,” the man tugged his hat brim in greeting.

“Afternoon,” Alexandria returned with cool politeness.

“You sure are a pretty thing; how’d that old geezer pull that off?” the man had come to lean on the stall next to Spunky’s. “How old are you anyway, sweet thing?”

Alexandria glowered at the man and studied him a moment before answering. He looked to be in his early twenties, his hair dirty blonde and eyes brown. His face was sharp and cruel; she shuddered.

“Old enough,” she responded.

“Why’d you up and marry an old man?” The man’s gaze raked over her as he talked.

“I married my husband because I love him,” she bit out impatiently before turning and moving to the stall of the other team horse. She hoped that the man would take the hint and leave her be.

“Then you must be disappointed. I was under the impression that he married you to care for his brat by his sainted wife,” Nick threw the barb at her and watched it hit its mark. She visibly flinched. “Aware of it are you? What a waste; you’re so beautiful,” the man reached out to brush his knuckles up and down her arm.

Alexandria’s nostrils flared in indignation as she yanked her arm away from him. “I don’t recall giving you permission to use my given name Mr…”

“Name’s Nick,” the man smiled.

“Sir! And I’d appreciate it if you’d keep your hands off me,” she spat at him before moving to step around him. She realized her mistake too late.

“Feisty are you?” Nick grabbed her arm.

Alexandria stiffened. “Please remove your hand from my arm or I will be forced to go to my husband.”

“Is that a threat?” Nick was amused.

“What’s going on here?” a familiar voice demanded. Nick quickly released Alexandria’s arm and stepped away.

“Nothin’,” Nick turned and rushed away.

“Are you alright, Mrs. Morris?” Jonathon asked as he stepped toward her.

“I’m fine, Mr. Stewart; thanks for your aide. He was being…rude is all.”

“Listen, Mrs. Morris, I don’t exactly trust Nick and I’m not sure Eli does either. You need to watch your step around that one and you need to tell Eli what happened,” Jonathon advised as he searched her pale face.

“Thank you for the warning, Mr. Stewart,” Alexandria offered a tense smile before she hurried from the barn.

She wouldn’t tell Eli, he had seen it in her face.

“Head strong,” he muttered as he turned to the task that had brought him to the barn in the first place.

Alexandria, her limbs still shaking, collapsed onto her bed. Never had anyone made her feel so cheap in her life! Alexandria shuddered as she rubbed her arms and wished she could erase the memory of how he had looked at her and the way he had touched her arm. That he had known the state of her marriage only added insult to injury. Did everyone know? Was it obvious?

Since she and Elijah had spoken things had been less strained between them. Breakfast and lunch had actually been pleasant but she had already made up her mind not to expect anything from her husband. That way she didn’t risk being disappointed.

Alexandria stood, checked her appearance, and decided to go work on Lilly’s dresses. She had no time to sit around feeling sorry for herself. What had happened in the barn had come to nothing and she was fine. Regardless what Mr. Stewart had advised she had no intention of telling Elijah what had happened.

Chapter Five

If there was one benefit to the extremely cold Montana winter, it was that Elijah was in the house more often. Being in the house more often meant he could observe his wife and get to know her better. Once they had agreed to get to know each other and she had relaxed, he found her company to be delightful. She had a way of telling stories about Lilly’s antics throughout the day that kept him laughing in the evening. She kept the house graced with greenery or color of some nature all through the bleak days and her smile could easily light a room. Just before Christmas he cut a tree and brought it in for her to decorate.

Watching her and Lilly made him feel old. Alexandria was full of energy; she turned the tree decorating into a game. She and Lilly cut snowflakes from paper, Alexandria knit angles; together they all strung popcorn for a popcorn chain. Elijah wasn’t certain if he would call what he was feeling for his wife love, but he was certainly more drawn to her by the day.

It was on a blustery cold evening in late March that Elijah first kissed his wife. Lilly was already in bed and he was escorting Alexandria upstairs for the night. She had stopped at the door to her room and turned to him with a smile.

“Thank you for the beautiful hair combs. They were a wonderful present,” she told him. He had intended to give her the combs for Christmas but had chickened out. Seeing her hair pulled up on the sides with the rest hanging down her back in soft curls had impacted him more than he feared. He was learning not to fear his growing attraction to her. He had come to realize that learning to like her, perhaps even love her was not a betrayal of Martha at all.

“They suit you,” Elijah’s hand came to her jaw to tilt her chin as he stepped forward. He kissed her gently, then again more ardently. It took Elijah a moment to register that Alexandria wasn’t responding. He broke the kiss and looked into her tear filled eyes.

“I’m sorry, Elijah; I’m not ready,” she whispered.

He released her and took a step backward. “I understand.”

“I am so sorry,” she repeated before hurrying into her room and shutting the door behind her.

Elijah was surprised at the sting the rejection left.
Your pain is only a fraction of what she felt when you left standing alone on her wedding night,
a voice taunted. Elijah winced; then nodded his agreement with the words. His heart heavy, he turned for his room.

Alexandria sank against her door as tears streamed down her face. She hated that she had hurt her husband and her friend, but a friend was all he was to her. After months of getting to know her husband she had come to count him as a friend but felt none of the attraction she had initially felt for him when she had married him. It was as though the more she got to know him the less attractive he was as a mate but that was what he was, her mate. She had just turned her husband away from her bed and if her mother knew she would give her a tongue-lashing. She should go to him and invite him into her room or herself into his but couldn’t do it, not yet; she needed time to adjust to the idea.

***

Elijah pulled his coat closer and wondered if he could possibly have chosen a worse day for a trip to town. It couldn’t be helped though and he knew it. They were out of supplies that just couldn’t wait. Jonathon, his own coat pulled tight, sat beside him.

“What’s on your mind? You’re awfully quiet,” Jonathon initiated conversation.

“You were right, Jonathon; there is a difference between physically knowing someone and really knowing them. The more I get to know my wife the more I like her. I’m falling for her.”

“That’s great, Eli.”

“I got a small glimpse last night of just how deeply I hurt her…” he paused, seemed to consider sharing more then obviously decided against it.

“What about you? You have to be aware that you have quite a throng of admirers at church. Have you considered moving on, maybe marrying again?” Elijah didn’t mention that his own sister-in-law was at the head of the pack. When he and Alexandria had dined at the Cannons the previous Sunday, she had managed to corner him and ask at least a dozen questions about his foreman.

“No, I haven’t, not yet. Emily’s been gone only eight months; I don’t think I’m ready to look at women like that yet.”

“I completely understand,” Elijah nodded. “The ladies at church, however, aren’t quite so understanding.”

“Trust me I know. If it isn’t the daughters it’s the mothers.”

“I know. After Martha died I avoided all the mamas like the plague,” Elijah was finally able to laugh about it.

“Wealthy rancher with a young daughter; I bet they were relentless,” Jonathon grinned at the man next to him.

“Alexandria and her mother were the exception. They were over all the time trying to help with Lilly; Alexandria is great with her. It took me a moment to catch on that Alexandria was interested.”

“She wasn’t aggressive like the others I take it.”

“No, nor could I picture her being. At first I was completely shocked but the more I thought about it the more sense it made to marry her. I wish I had kept thinking in retrospect. I know I hurt her badly,” Elijah shook his head in regret.

“From the few conversations I’ve had with her she seems to be a pretty reasonable woman, Eli, and it seems to me you two are making progress.”

“We are; I just wish I had waited to remarry; until I had worked through it all.”

“Can’t go back,” Jonathon reminded him.

“Isn’t that the truth?”

“It is cold!” Jonathon pulled his collar up higher on his neck.

“Come on gidup!” Elijah encouraged the team to pick up their pace. It was either his imagination or it was getting colder.

By the time the men were ready to return to the ranch the wind had picked up in intensity and seemed to slice right through their coats and gear to pierce their skin.

“What a lousy day,” Elijah muttered. He had no need to encourage the horses on this time; they seemed anxious to return to their homes in the barn.

“We’re almost there,” Jonathon offered as they neared the turn off for the ranch.

“Glad for that. Whoa….” Eli pulled the horses to a stop as three men rode to a stop in front the wagon. “Can I help you, gentleman?” Elijah eyed the group cautiously. Their faces were nearly hidden in their clothing, understandable, but their manner suggested trouble.

“You can put your hands where I can see them,” the two outside riders pulled guns as the middle man dismounted.

“I’ll take whatever money you got but don’t you think of trying anything funny. Both these two men here are crack shots and they won’t hesitate to put a bullet through ya,” the man on the ground ordered.

“You take what you want, just mind those triggers,” Elijah reached for his money and handed it over; Jonathon did the same.

“Only nine dollars and twenty-two cents. You want I should search the wagon?” the man turned to his companions.

“Naw, we’re being paid well enough; just mount up,” one of the men responded. “You two get down; no funny stuff now.”

Elijah and Jonathon both climbed down from the high seat.