To Honor and Cherish (15 page)

“How dare you?” Meg hissed between her teeth, dragging her off into the sitting room where they wouldn’t be heard. “You have no right, you conniving little schemer.”

“I have every right, and when I steal Jax right out from under your ugly little nose and bear him a son, you and father will no longer be welcome on my ranch.” Lizzy punctuated each insult with a finger to Meg’s chest. She turned on her heel and walked away from Meg who couldn’t seem to find her voice.

Meg wanted to throttle her. She and Lizzy had never seen eye-to-eye, but this seemed even beyond her. Meg asked her father and Jax to join her outside to sit on the front porch for some nice cool air, all talk of the meeting forgotten after Lizzy’s outburst.

“Meg, what do you have planned for my ranch?” Gus laughed without any mirth. It was obvious he was trying to get everyone to think about something other than him and Lizzy.

“Oh, Father.” She turned all her attention to him and her eyes lit up. “I hope you’re not too angry about the cattle. I just couldn’t look at them another day after—.”

“It’s all right, girl.” He looked up at her. “I want to know what you’ve planned for me and the others. That way I’ll know if we need to keep all these men.”

Meg told Gus and everyone her plan of making the one-time cattle ranch into a horse spread. She wanted to breed and train Quarter horses. She spoke with such passion and excitement everyone became excited right along with her. When she finished explaining, Lizzy appeared around the corner.

“That sounds like a fantastic idea. Much more pleasant than cows. It really is too bad your dirt farmer of a husband didn’t give you a son. Because he couldn’t, you won’t be here to realize it.” She scowled and flounced toward the corral.

Meg followed her sister with her eyes. First the disappointment of Jax’s homecoming, Lizzy moving in, and the stranger shooting out her window. She needed the onslaught of emotional problems to stop.

Later in the evening, after the all the guests had left, Meg, Margot, Lizzy, Jax, and Gus retired to the sitting room. The mood became charged and no one wanted to break the silence, knowing no matter what was said, an argument would probably ensue.

Margot yawned behind her hand. “As much as I would love to stay and chat, I think I’m off to my room. I have a bit of a headache. Good evening, everyone.” Meg, Gus, and Jax warmly bid her goodnight and she left the room, taking a second to give Meg a smile of encouragement on her way out.

“Good.” Lizzy looked back and forth. “Now that the interloper is gone, we can talk. Who is she and why is she here anyway? More importantly, why is she in
my
room?”

“She is…,” said Gus, looking around the table for help.

“She’s a very good friend of mine who will be staying here and you will treat her nicely.” Meg finished, glaring at Lizzy.

“I don’t need to learn manners from the likes of a dirt farmer.” Lizzy narrowed her eyes at Meg.

“Apparently you do.” Gus glared at her. “You know nothing of manners, gentility, or kindness. Your mother has taught you to be brash and rude. You can be good here, or you can go stay in London with your mother. It only takes a few hours to get my will changed, Elizabeth.” Meg crossed her arms over her chest, feeling victorious.

Lizzy fumed. “Don’t call me that. You wouldn’t dare change your will.”

“I would, and I will if you don’t start acting your age. Now Meg, you and I need a private talk in my office. Jax, I’m sorry to leave you alone with Lizzy, but perhaps she is too pouty to bite. We’ll talk about the incident in my office after I speak to Meg. I’ll come back down in a bit.” They left him alone with Lizzy.

~~~

Lizzy scowled at them both as they left, however her mood shifted as soon as they were out of earshot. She stood and sidled over to where Jax leaned against the wall. She’d trapped him and knew it.

“Good evening, Jax,” she whispered, trying to give him a seductive look like she’d learned in London. “Thank you for helping me earlier. I really think with a few more lessons, I could be amazing.” Her gaze slowly made its way up his chest to his eyes, she was certain she could be anything for Jax. “My trunk is still out in the carriage. Would you come to the barn with me to get it? I can show you where it is…and where to put it.” She smiled at him in a way a girl that inexperienced shouldn’t even know.

Jax lifted his arm, still in a sling, “Sorry miss. I can’t lift a trunk for you. I thought John got the trunks earlier. Why don’t you check your room?” He tried to shift his weight to get away from her. Instead, she moved a step closer, brushing her chest against his.

Lizzy touched his forearm, then ran her fingertips slowly up and down. She flexed her fingers, using her nails lightly against the fabric of his shirt. “Are you going to be all right?” She looked at his chest again. She wanted to unbutton the top few buttons, but wasn’t sure just how far she should take this. She had to get his mind off Meg.

“Oh, I’m sure I’ll be fine in a week or so.” She could feel him hold his breath and smiled to herself. She was getting to him.

Lizzy backed up slightly and her hand moved over to his chest gently rubbing a little to the side of the buttons on his shirt. “I could make you more than a foreman, you know. I could make sure you own this ranch. Would you like that, Jax? It would be simple. Come over to my room. We can get married in a few days. And the ranch becomes yours. So…easy.” her eyes had become hooded and his got wide in surprise.

“I don’t think that’ll happen.” Jax took her hand off his chest with his good hand.

“And just why not.” She pushed her body up against his again, trying to make him stay. “We could be very good together.” Grabbing him behind the neck, she yanked his head down while standing on the tips of her toes, far enough to give him a kiss full on the lips. He jerked back almost immediately, and looked back and forth, eyes wild.

“No miss, we couldn’t. You see, I could not put up with you. In fact, if you were my wife and you did to your father what you did today, I’d assume you needed a trip to the woodshed.” He moved over and out of her way.

Lizzy gasped. “My own father wouldn’t even—.”

“Well, maybe he should have. I’ve had quite enough of you today, miss. Good evening.” Jax walked out of the room without evening turning around.

Lizzy stomped her foot, furious. No one ever said no to her. He was supposed to do what she asked. That’s what men do. There had to be a way to get her father and his little Meg one last time. The hands were out of the question. She wouldn’t have a chance alone with any of them and Meg might laugh at her. Lizzy turned slowly, looking all over the room for inspiration. Catching sight of a newspaper sitting on a table, Lizzy walked over to it. She picked it up, shaking off the thin layer of dust. The date was a few months old, but one word in print large enough to catch her eye stood out,
wife
.

Granted, whoever had put that ad in the paper couldn’t spell or make much sense, but that meant he’d be easier to control. No one would have any idea where she’d gone. No one would miss this old paper. By the time they figured it out, if they ever did, she’d be married and perhaps well on her way to providing an heir that would ensure she would own the ranch. Lizzy smiled to herself. Perfect plan. It couldn’t possibly go wrong.

Lizzy went up to the room her mother used to use, humming to herself, planning to get up with the sun and set out for town alone. Soon, very soon, her father would pay. He’d pay for hurting mother. He’d pay for his infidelity, and he’d pay for treating Meg better and loving her more.

~~~

Meg woke up with the crow of the rooster. She’d stayed up late and wanted to shoot it. Her father had spoken to her well into the night to firm up her plans for the ranch. He’d been excited about them, more than she ever could’ve hoped he would be. She was less sad about her parent’s separation than she probably should’ve been. Things had been so bad between them for so long her father now seemed relieved.

She felt torn. Adultery was wrong and so was divorce and two wrongs certainly didn’t make it right, but humans don’t always do what’s right. Sometimes, you have to love them anyway. She could only love her parents and pray they reconciled the situation with the Lord. Meg loved her mother but she’d never seemed interested in caring for Meg, or repenting of her treatment of Meg her whole life.

A noise interrupted Meg’s thoughts, it sounded like a wagon. Before Meg could convince herself to get out of bed, the noise ended and she wrote it off as being Jax, who must be up early doing something. Meg yawned, rolled over, and drifted back to sleep.

Meg awoke for the second time when Margot popped her head into her room. She looked concerned. Margot came in and sat on the edge of the bed.

“What’s the matter, Margot?” Meg asked, sitting up and yawning with a stretch. She should’ve been up earlier.

“I went to Lizzy’s room this morning, the room your mother used to be in. I thought if I was nice to her, she might be nice to me. I knocked and there was no answer. I looked in the room and no one was there.” Margot’s pretty, slender eyebrows knit together in concern.

“That’s really unlike her. She usually doesn’t get out of bed until quite late in the morning.” Meg crinkled her brow, thinking.

“I don’t know her habits, but her bed wasn’t made. There’s no trunk in her room, and she’s not there.”

“How nice of her to leave it messy for us to clean up.” Meg scowled. “We’ll leave it until she gets back. I’m not her maid. Thank you for trying to be sweet to her Margot. You have a heart of gold. I don’t think she’ll be nice to you though, she hasn’t got it in her.”

Meg got up, made her own bed, and tidied her room. As she finished, she smelled coffee simmering on the stove. Meg smiled, Rose must be back to her old routine. She hurried with her chores so she could help Rose, which meant she could chat with her.

The hands cooked their own breakfast, but Jax came in the house to eat. Ever since he’d come and had to stay in the house he’d been spoiled by Rose’s breakfasts. He slipped back into the old habit right away. Meg hoped he liked sharing his morning coffee with her but she suspected it was because the guy they had cooking out in the bunkhouse cooked everything to about the taste and consistency of a well-worn boot. He had to at least have one meal a day that was edible.

Meg found him having a cup of coffee with Rose and waiting for some biscuits, which were almost done. She smiled at him because she couldn’t help it. He returned the smile though it may have been her imagination because he hid it behind his cup of coffee.

“Good Morning, boss-lady.” He joked.

“Jax.” Meg nodded back at him, smiling again, going for a cup of her own. “Rose, so good to see you this morning. How are you feeling?”

“Pretty well,” she answered. “I thought I saw Miss Lizzy leaving this morning?”

“That’s so strange,” Meg answered. “I thought I heard a team go by the house earlier and Margot said she went to see Lizzy, but found her room empty.”

Jax fidgeted and Meg shot him a look, but she turned her attention back to Rose.

“I didn’t know she could drive a team? Maybe she decided to go enjoy the brisk morning?” Rose suggested.

“I don’t know that Lizzy enjoys anything except making father unhappy. I’m not even sure she knows why, she’s just so used to doing the same thing mother does.” Meg winced at her own gossip.

Pete walked in from the barn and tipped his hat to everyone. He grabbed a cup and got himself some coffee.

“Mornin’,” Pete boomed. “Am I too late for breakfast?’

Rose laughed and gave her husband a kiss on the cheek. “No, only a few more minutes.”

Pete moved over to his wife and put his arms around her, squeezing her for a second. Meg watched Pete and Rose interact and a new pang of jealousy arose. She wanted someone to treat her like that. To want to kiss her and embrace, just because. She wanted Jax to be that man more than anything. The few seconds he’d held her yesterday had made her crave more. It hadn’t escaped her notice that her father removed her from it almost at once. She hadn’t considered her father might not approve of Jax.

Rose checked on her biscuits and everyone smiled as she pulled them from the oven. Each person grabbed what they needed to have their breakfast and sat down to eat. All thought of little lady Lizzy forgotten.

Chapter
Seventeen

After breakfast, Meg watched as everyone got to work with the various things that kept them busy all day then got busy with her own tasks. The day wore on into evening, it became apparent Lizzy wasn’t coming back to the ranch. Gus spoke to her and offered to go into town to check his house there. Jax, Pete, Mac, John, and the other hands fanned out across the area to look for her. Meg felt horrified. If she’d cared more, she would’ve started the search in the morning. Now she’d waited until evening, her sister had hours to get wherever she wanted to go, or worse, be taken wherever she was being taken.

It got dark and they could no longer see. All the riders returned empty-handed. Gus had the most information. Meg invited them all to sit around the table. She deferred the head of the table to her father and they all waited for him to speak. Gus steepled his fingers and breathed deeply, then explained, “I found my carriage in my stable, the horses still attached. It appeared she may have tried to unhitch them, because they were not completely hitched or unhitched. It was also possible she simply didn’t know how to hitch them in the first place, and by the grace of God had not injured herself or them on the trip to town.”

“No one I spoken to had seen her all day. I found no sign of her trunk anywhere. It looks like she made it home, then disappeared. I checked with every business and every person I saw on the street. I don’t want to, but if Lizzy doesn’t show up tonight, I’ll have to post a letter to Charlotte, asking if Lizzy had planned to go back to join her in Europe. It might take months to get any response back though”.

He sat back in his chair, looking tired, “The one partial clue I got was the man at the newspaper print shop. He took over the business and said a beautiful young blonde came in that morning asking about an old ad in the paper. I told her he didn’t know anything about it, because he didn’t take the ad. He’d told her she may be able to find out more if she went further north or spoke to the old owner of the paper. I don’t think that person was Lizzy. She didn’t even read the paper, and if she had read one, it would’ve been today’s paper.

With a heaviness and silence they all ate dinner. Lizzy may not have been well-liked, but she was in danger and that worried everyone. When she’d come back from Europe, Charlotte had hired an old lady to come with her so she wouldn’t travel alone. No one but Lizzy appeared to be missing in town who may have gone with her. It seemed like, wherever she went, she’d decided to go alone.

~~~

Meg saw Jax walking toward her in the hallway late that night. She’d been up pacing and needed to get out of her tight room. She thought she’d sensed Jax watching her earlier.

“Jax? What are you doing in here so late at night?”

Jax looked sheepish. “I saw a light on and wanted to come talk to you.”

“Meghan, can I talk to you for a minute?” he motioned her into the sitting room.

“Yes, I’d wanted to speak to you, too.” She followed him, and sat heavily in her father’s upholstered chair. She didn’t wait for him to say what he wanted, she was too frightened. “I’ve been so worried. Lizzy disappeared right after the window was shot…you don’t think that was a warning, do you? Do you think she was kidnapped?”

He touched her arm and it spread warmth from the tiny area of skin he touched, all the way down her arm.

“I don’t know, Meg. I don’t think they would’ve done something so disconnected to warn of an attack on your sister.” He moved his thumb back and forth on her arm. It should have been a comforting motion, but comfort wasn’t the result.

“I’ve been trying to think of anything, any little hint that could help us.”

As he rubbed her arm, she couldn’t help her breath becoming shallower. She didn’t want him to stop, but was so worried he might notice the affect he had on her. Finally, she willed her arm to move behind her back.

“You said you wanted to speak to me, too. Did you find anything?” She looked into his eyes, hoping she was masking what she really felt.

“I may know something.” He looked at the floor, then averted his eyes across the room. He took a deep breath. “First, I want you to remember who your sister is, and that I didn’t give her any encouragement.”

“All right.” She squinted at him trying to decipher what his meaning might be.

He told her the whole sordid story, not leaving out any detail about her
business
offer to him. How she needed him in order to get full control of the ranch. He didn’t even leave out the bedroom eyes and forward behavior. Meg’s first reaction was shock, then embarrassment as the story went on. She’d never even been that bold with Chase and her sister had done that to Jax. Her Jax.

“I really think. After all that. She was mad I didn’t help her and I think she went off looking for a husband. Someone she can marry fast and take this ranch.”

Meg was speechless, not quite sure what to say after hearing what her sister had done in this very room just the night before. Her head reeled from thinking about what her sister had said, much less what she had done. She wondered if Jax had enjoyed the attention, even a little.

“I know you’re probably mad. Mad about the decisions I’ve made in my work and mad I didn’t tell you right away about Lizzy. We’ve spoken about this before, but I understand if you want me to leave. I’ll go pack my roll.” He reached for her arm, but it was just beyond his grasp.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. You haven’t done anything wrong.”

“But, before the drive—.”

“Jax, I said you haven’t done anything wrong.” Meg shifted her gaze away from him. “She must have headed for Europe. She probably had many suitors there. Father is going to town to send a letter tomorrow. We’ll just have to wait for the reply. Maybe he could send a telegraph it would be quicker.” Meg looked away from him, unable to bear the heat of her embarrassment. “I am so sorry for her behavior. I’m just…shocked.” She wrapped her arms around her body. While she may have had more training to take over the ranch growing up, she’d also learned etiquette and if anyone found out what Lizzy had done, it would be an embarrassment to the entire family.

~~~

Jax could see her humiliation at his story, and perhaps a little shame at what her sister had done. Though she had no fault at all in the circumstances. He looked down into those eyes, more blue and turbulent than the sky before a storm. He watched them go wide, but not frightened. It was vital that she didn’t think he was to blame for Mark. She just wouldn’t let him, stubborn woman. He’d taken that infernal sling off this morning for good. It allowed him to put his crooked finger under her chin. He wanted to kiss her more than anything.

“Don’t worry about me.” He whispered, so close to her lips he knew she could feel his breath on her cheek. “I wasn’t embarrassed. She’s only a rude little child who needs direction. It’s a good thing more of Gus’s daughters turned out fine than not.” He looked deeply into her eyes, looking for a sign to proceed. He saw the moment she pulled back. He needed air. Pulling his hand down from her face, he left the house.

~~~

Meg stood there feeling vulnerable, the heat on her skin diminishing, Gus walked in the room catching her.

“Meg, I think Lizzy went back to her mother. The telegraph office will be open tomorrow and I intend to settle this. Do you think this note is enough?” he handed her a scrap of paper with four important words,

Lizzy missing, please advise.

“I can’t wait for a letter. We need to know now.” He waited for some response from her.

“I agree, Father. Do you think Mother will answer?”

“I will pay to have the newspaper man send someone out to the ranch with the reply as soon as one comes. That’s all I can do.” He took the paper back from her.

Meg had never seen her father look so defeated as he went to his room.

She put her hands on her forehead and raked them through her hair. There were too many things to think about. Try as she might, her thoughts kept leaving Lizzy and migrating back to Jax. What he’d said, how gentle that little touch on her chin had been. How that small touch and the gentle caress of his thumb had made her dizzy. How she’d been a little frightened and pulled away. What if she hadn’t? Would he have kissed her? Did she want him to?

She’d been right about Lizzy trying to get him. It had been a good thing she’d warned him in advance. But that deep gaze into her eyes had left her vulnerable and she could hear her heartbeat thundering in her own ears.

~~~

Two weeks before Christmas, Meg let the wood-fired cook stove go out and get cold in order to clean it before the winter. It needed to be blackened before it would be kept blistering hot all day. Cleaning the stove made her filthy, but she needed the hard work to think about something other than her sister. Three weeks had gone by since her disappearance and she thought she may never hear from her sister again.

After finishing the cleaning and blackening of the stove, Meg arranged kindling inside the firebox to get it lit. The kindling had been dampened from being outside and it wouldn’t light easily. She got frustrated and put a few drops of kerosene on the kindling to get it going. It flamed at the worst possible moment, when her hand hovered too near the flame. The fire licked up and got her right between her thumb and palm. She yelped in pain and saw that it began to blister almost immediately.

Jax came running. He looked down on her, sitting on the floor cradling her hand to her stomach. He rushed over and drew her hand out in the open with a gentle tug. Meg whimpered softly. He put her hand back down on her apron and rushed outside. He returned faster than she thought possible with fresh, cold water. Putting a large bowl on the floor, he poured the water from a bucket into it for her to put her hand in.

Meg gasped at the change in temperature as she submerged her hand. It hurt and she grimaced and braced her teeth against it but began to tear up anyway.

“Jax.” she gasped. “There’s a newspaper by the sitting room door. I was keeping it for a few of the articles. There’s one on a plant used to help sooth burns. Please go get it for me?” She tried not to cry out.

Jax ran out to the sitting room, but came back almost immediately.

“I am sorry boss-lady.” His voice soothing, kneeling next to her. “The paper is gone. Do you remember what the article said?”

Meg wrinkled her forehead, thinking hard. “There were a few plants that it mentioned, aloe-vera I think was one, and…lavender?” Where is that paper? It should be there.” Meg grew annoyed.

“Meghan, please, let the cool water work. You can tell me how to wrap that hand up and I’ll do it for you. I am sure I won’t do it as well as the nurse who bound me up when I got a whoopen’, but I’ll do my best.”

Meg tried to smile, but it faltered. He pulled her hand slowly out of the water and took her direction to wrap it. She wouldn’t be cooking or lighting fires for a little while.

“Do you want me to get Rose to help you?” Jax offered.

“No, she’s been staying home now about a week, she’s been too tired to help much. Just let her be.” She protected her hand against her chest.

He finished lighting the stove for her and Margot came in from outside in time for Jax to order her to begin with supper so Meg could go rest.

He led Meg to her room and opened the door to her room, motioning her inside. She laughed at him, and his eyes sparkled back at her.

“Jax, it’s only my hand. I can walk just fine.”

“Boss-lady, I can’t seem to trust you to ever lay down when you’re told. At least if I see you lay down, I’ll know you were there for at least a minute.” He was teasing her and it felt like it was before the drive.

“Fine, I’ll rest for a while, but I’m sure Margot will need my help before long.”

“We’ll see. Rest now.” He closed the door.

~~~

Jax went to check on Margot, who assured him she’d certainly learned enough to make a meal and he shouldn’t worry. He had the dubious thought as he left that she couldn’t possibly cook a meal any worse than the bunkhouse cook.

He trudged back outside to start where he’d left off when he saw a rider coming up the way. He waited to see who it could be, because he didn’t recognize him right off. The rider tipped his hat to Jax.

“Are you Augustus?” the rider asked.

“Nope, I’m his foreman. What can I do for you?” Jax rested his hands on his hips close to his gun belt. Not a direct threat, more of a hint.

“I have a message that is to go to Augustus Whitte.” The man dodged Jax’s question.

Gus came out of the stable, and Jax waved him over. He made his way to the rider.

“Evenin’.” Gus touched his hat.

“Are you Augustus?” the rider asked, all business.

“Yes, I am.”

“A telegraph came for you today, Sir.” He handed Gus a small slip of paper and turned his horse to ride away.

Gus opened the seal and unfolded the paper. He didn’t bother to stop the courier from leaving. Handing the note to Jax, he read,

Not with me. Find her or I come home.

Jax raised his brows. Like Gus needed another threat.

~~~

At dinner that night, choking on potatoes that were barely cooked, biscuits that had the consistency of rocks, and gravy that was more lump than liquid; Meg, her father, and Jax discussed what their next steps were to find Lizzy. They were coming up empty-handed.