Unclaimed Bride

The men listened, pushing in their chairs before they left. When the door clattered shut behind the last one, Constance turned to Angel. “You know, sometimes a lady makes a subtle suggestion rather than giving orders.”

Angel cocked her head, as if deeply contemplating the suggestion. “Does it work?”

“Most of the time.” Constance picked up the pot-holders and opened the oven door. “For instance, you could have said, ‘Excuse us, gentlemen, but Miss Jennings and I have things we need to complete. Perhaps you’d be more comfortable in the parlor.’”

Angel laughed. Not just a little giggle, but an outright hee-haw.

Constance lifted a brow, attempting to chide Angel with a stern look.

“Do you honestly think those fellers would have listened to that? They’d still be sitting here telling us how comfortable they are,” Angel said, shaking her head and huffing out extra giggles.

Hiding her smile, Constance basted the ham before pushing the large roasting pan back into the oven. “You may be right. It’s just food for thought.”

“I’ll chew on it for a while,” Angel responded.

This time Constance couldn’t help but giggle. She playfully tossed a pot holder across the room. “You are going to be a challenge, aren’t you?”

Angel plucked the knitted pad out of the air with one hand. “Yup.” Eyes sparkling, she tossed the potholder back. “Life’s full of challenges. They make us stronger.”

Constance tossed the pot holder onto the counter and leaped forward. “You are full of it,” she teased, tickling the girl’s sides.

Twisting and giggling, Angel spun about and dug her fingers into Constance’s side. It had been years since she’d joked around. Her brothers had been masters at tickling. Joyful prickles shot up and down her sides and in and out of her heart as she and Angel playfully attacked one another.

The tickling match continued as they twirled from one end of the kitchen to the other. While both of them were whooping with glee the back door opened.

Ellis shed his coat and stomped the snow off his boots by the door. “Every time I find you two together, you’re giggling up a storm.”

His entrance had stalled their fingers, but while smoothing the wrinkles from the flour sack tied around her waist, Constance bit her lips at the fading bits of laughter now mingling with the flutter flipping her insides.

Angel, still openly giggling, wrapped an arm around Constance’s waist and laid her head on her shoulder. “I know. I haven’t had this much fun in years.”

Touched deeply, Constance hugged the girl back. It was quite profound, this tenderness she felt for Angel.

When Constance glanced up, the scowl on Ellis’s face shattered her joy like someone throwing a rock through a window. She pulled her eyes off him as the not-so-old scar on her abdomen stung with renewed pain, telling her she’d never know the love of a child. Swallowing against the thick glob forming in her throat, she patted Angel’s arm, and moved to the pantry. The ache in her heart wasn’t new, yet it had never been quite this strong.

Months ago she’d dealt with the scar, how it had come about, and how it had changed her life forever. There was no sense in reliving it. Her focus was best used on the present and the situation at hand.

Her mind shift wasn’t any better. She barely knew Ellis Clayton, yet the man had an overwhelming effect on her. Probably because he held her ability to survive in his hands. One word and she was out in the world—alone. She’d been there before, but this time around, she knew what to expect and didn’t want it back again. The path she walked was a rickety one, and she’d best tread carefully. If she had any hope of staying long enough to figure out her next steps, she’d best remember that.

“Can’t you find something?”

Constance spun about, grabbing a shelf to keep from falling.

Ellis reached out a hand, but pulled it back shy of touching her. His eyes latched on to hers though, and his gaze was penetrating, as if he searched for something. Constance was on the brink of suffocation by the time he finally said, “Angel’s been without a mother for a long time.”

Fearful no matter what she said would be taken wrong, she nodded. “I-I assure you, I’m not trying to replace her mother.”

“No one could ever replace her.”

“I know that.”

“You do?”

Believing honesty was her only friend in this instance, she explained, “I lost my mother as a child. No one could ever have replaced her, either.”

He nodded, slowly, silently, and then his hand touched her shoulder. The way he gently squeezed it sent a tidal wave of emotions rippling her system. “You haven’t had an easy time of it, have you?”

There was so much compassion in his words a part of her wanted to blurt out her entire life story, beg him for help.

“What I said last night was true,” he said. “If I believe Angel’s in danger, I’ll step in.”

His hand was still on her shoulder, and she feared he felt the way she trembled.

“But,” he continued, “I’ll also step in if I believe I can help. I have a lot of resources, Miss Jennings, and I’m not opposed to sharing them when needed.”

She had to respond, knew that’s what he expected. “Thank you, Mr. Clayton,” she said as evenly as possible. “Your generosity, what you’ve already provided, is more than I could have hoped for.”

His penetrating gaze was back, and it lingered until her heart pounded against her rib cage.

After another soft squeeze, he lifted his hand off her shoulder. “My daughter, Miss Jennings, is the most important thing in the world. I’ll do anything to see she’s happy.”

“I believe you will,” she whispered.

He didn’t move, yet the air in the pantry that moments ago had felt charged and heavy, grew light. Her heart still hammered, yet dread no longer shrouded her. Confused, Constance glanced around. The only thing that had changed was his expression, a soft smile now pulled on the corners of his mouth.

As he took a step back, out of the pantry, he pointed to a barrel of apples. “Angel loves applesauce.”

Something inside her flipped and stirred up a soft, gentle sensation that cascaded all the way to her toes. No one had believed her in a very long time, yet he did. He believed she only wanted what was best for Angel. “Then we’ll have applesauce for supper.”

Cooking, Angel’s never-ending chatter and the house full of men kept Constance busy the rest of the evening. The meal passed without an event, other than the men showering Angel with compliments on her cooking and applauding Ellis for having such an amazing child. Constance gave Angel a secretive wink, happy the girl was gaining acknowledgment outside of how well she could ride, shoot or rope.

After the meal, Constance insisted she’d do the dishes—alone, wanting the time to determine exactly how much she’d tell Ellis, and when. Of course, sooner would be better, but with a house full of men, she couldn’t very well insist they closet themselves in his office; yet it was her duty to tell him the truth—as much as possible, as soon as possible.

When the dishes were done, after a few interruptions from men offering to help, she made her way to the parlor, still not prepared with her next action step.

Faint music had made its way into the kitchen. She’d assumed it came from one of the men, but for some reason, seeing Ellis strumming on the guitar surprised her. Pausing in the doorway, she rested the side of her face against the arched framework and let the gentle tune fill her soul. She cherished guitar music, and hadn’t heard it in years. Her older brother, Edwin, had played guitar and often serenaded her to sleep.

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