A Headstrong Woman

chapter Sixteen

“I have had a wonderful time today,” Alexandria told her parents as her father helped her lower herself to the ground and onto their blanket.

“The evening isn’t over yet; go dance,” her mother urged.

“I think I’ve pushed the bounds of polite society enough for one day,” she argued.

“Nonsense, besides you owe him a dance,” her mother nodded to Jonathon as he approached.

Alexandria watched his long legs eat up the distance between them; her heart accelerated at the idea of dancing with him.

“May I have this dance?” Jonathon asked her.

“I can’t, Jonathon.”

“Can’t what?”

“Dance.”

“You can’t dance?” his brow rose inquisitively, while his tone became incredulous.

“Of course I can dance but…,” she replied in irritation at being misunderstood; then blew out an exasperated breath when he smiled.

“Great, so let’s dance,” he tugged her to her feet.

Alexandria was laughing; she knew he had claimed the upper hand. “Mom, Dad, I’m going to dance,” her tone was one of amusement.

Jonathon led her onto the makeshift dance floor and pulled her close.

“I’ve enjoyed today.”

She smiled, “Me too. You dance quite nicely.”

“You don’t have to be so surprised,” he teased.

“You’re a surprising man, Jonathon. I’ve never met anyone like you.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment.”

“I figured you would, and honestly it was meant as one.”

“Alexandria, are you angry with me over last night?” his eyes searched hers.

“No. I was a little uncomfortable this morning but I decided not to let it affect our friendship,” she assured him.

“Thank you. Emily would have liked you,” he told her and watched her smile a small perplexed smile.

“How’s that?”

“Emily wanted to be a strong person but she wasn’t; she admired strong people, especially women.”

“She sounds like a fascinating person.”

“She was,” he admitted.

“Do you still miss her?”

“I do, don’t misunderstand me, but I’m moving on, it’s not as hard as it used to be when I think of her: just some fond memories and bittersweet nostalgia.”

“That’s good. Maybe one of the women at church will steal your heart yet,” she teased.

Jonathon smiled; he suspected that Alexandria might have already done so. “It’s doubtful but not impossible I suppose,” he answered as the song ended. “I guess I have to give you up now huh?” he asked her.

She smiled and nodded. Jonathon handed her off to Tristan who was waiting at their elbow.

“Good evening, Mr. Price.”

“Good evening, Mrs. Morris how are you?”

“I’m well, thank you, and you?”

“I would be better if I’d had the pleasure of sharing your meal with you. How selfish of your foreman to not share when he gets you all week,” Tristan said lightly.

Alexandria smiled. “Jonathon and I are good friends.”

“How good?” he asked; she frowned. “Never mind, I was hoping that after this song you might be persuaded to accompany me on a walk?”

“That’s kind of you but I’m enjoying dancing,” she responded politely. “I failed to thank you for your assistance in Jasper. It was appreciated.”

“I’d be glad to help any time I’m needed,” he assured her.

He had been shocked to see her in his establishment, but had managed to hide his ire that a lady like herself would go to such a place. When he won her hand in marriage he would see to it that she never set foot near a brothel again. It was a men’s establishment and irritated the ladies when their territory was invaded by the marrying kind. They spent the remainder of the dance silent; neither was certain what to say. She thanked him politely as he handed her off to the next partner.

“Hi, Sparky,” she smiled.

“Hi, Alex…Mrs. Morris.”

“Alex is fine. Are you having a nice time?”

“Yeah, realized from the first bid that I couldn’t afford your basket,” his cheeks were as red as his hair.

“Who did you eat with?”

“Nancy Holston.”

“She’s nice.”

“She is,” he agreed. They continued to talk comfortably, Sparky relaxing more and more as the dance continued until Alexandria turned to face her next partner.

She found herself face to face with a tense Lane.

“Hello, Lane.”

“Hello, Alexandria, what’s going on you with you and your foreman?”

“Nothing,” she answered, though her mind automatically flickered to the kiss she had shared with Jonathon.

“I’ve got a better question. What is he after?”

“Excuse me?” Alexandria’s tone was clipped.

“Why would a man hang around and do your bidding if he wasn’t after something?”

“Maybe because he promised Elijah he would look after me,” she was growing angry.

“Or maybe he thinks he can get himself a ranch through you,” Lane countered.

“He already owns a successful farm, besides; Jonathon isn’t that kind of person.”

“You don’t know him, Alexandria, not really.”

“Actually, I do know him pretty well, Lane. We work together daily, we’re friends, and I’ve watched him in his dealings with other people.”

“You see what he wants you to see,” Lane predicted.

“That could be applied to everyone, Lane; you included,” she pointed out and watched him color.

“People think…some people think that there are…inappropriate things going on between you two,” Lane all but whispered in her ear. Alexandria was saddened but not surprised by Lane’s news. “There will always be people who talk, Lane. I know the truth, he knows the truth, but most importantly God knows the truth.”

“That’s all you have to say about it?” Lane demanded.

“What else do you want me to say? Jonathon is my foreman that means we’ll continue to work together. But more than that Lane, Jonathon is my friend and I choose not to let vicious gossip change that!” Alexandria said without apology.

“You are ruining your reputation,” Lane informed her rather loudly before he turned and stormed off and left her alone in the middle of the dance floor. Alexandria was aware that several people had stopped to stare.

“There you are, Alexandria; your Mom asked me to fetch you,” Jonathon said as he appeared from nowhere and claimed her by her elbow to escort her from the floor. Alexandria knew that her mom hadn’t really asked for her and she could have hugged Jonathon right there for rescuing her from an embarrassing situation.

***

Anna scanned the crowded dance floor and looked for Jonathon. She had seen him dance with three women so far: her sister, her mother, and Millie. It was infuriating, especially in light of the fact that he had bid an outrageous amount on Alexandria’s basket. Anna had been hearing about it ever since she rejoined the crowd. Not to mention the scene Lane had made and then Jonathon swooping in to play hero to her sister again. Anna left the dance floor in disgust. She had been dancing all night and her feet were aching. She approached her parents’ blanket and blew out a frustrated sigh when she found Jonathon, with her sister of course.

“I’m exhausted,” she commented as she plopped down between Jonathon and Alexandria.

“It looks like you’re quite popular with the men,” Jonathon teased her.

Anna searched for an appropriate joke but failed to come up with one. She wanted to hurt him.

“Are you enjoying yourself?” Shirley asked her youngest.

Anna shrugged, “I guess.”

“I am; I can’t remember the last time I had so much fun, well except for Lane and his implications.” Alexandria frowned as she recalled his accusations. She had long since abandoned her hat and jacket and was enjoying relaxing in her pleated shirt and skirt; a wide black belt accentuated her small waist and dipped over the front of her skirt.

“What exactly did Lane say, before the last I mean; that we all heard?” Jonathon’s brow was drawn.

“It doesn’t bear repeating; let’s just say that my dance turned into a lecture.”

“Be careful of him, Alexandria. He hides it well most the time, but he’s volatile. I don’t want you anywhere near him when he explodes and he will,” Jonathon cautioned her.

“A square dance!” Anna exclaimed as a familiar tune reached them. “I love square dances!” Anna’s tone held just the right amount of wistfulness.

“They’re my favorite, though I haven’t danced one in so long I doubt I remember how to,” Alexandria laughed.

“I bet you can remember,” Jonathon smiled and pulled her to her feet.

“Jonathon…” Alexandria hesitated; her eyes strayed to her sister. She wanted to go with him very badly but had no desire to intentionally hurt her sister. Before she could form a reason not to, Jonathon had pulled her onto the dance floor.

“I think Anna was hinting…” her comment was cut off as she swung away from Jonathon. “Anna wanted you to ask her to dance,” she finished when he pulled her back to him.

“I know,” he acknowledged. “I would rather make it clear that I’m not interested in her as more than a friend than to unintentionally lead her on and she would see a dance as confirmation that I like her,” Jonathon reasoned.

Alexandria nodded before swinging away again. “You’re right,” she admitted. They danced two dances before Alexandria said she needed to get Lilly home and into bed.

“I’ll escort you,” Jonathon offered.

Alexandria smiled. “Thanks, but Mom and Dad said they would be leaving about now and offered me an escort to the ranch. I’ll be fine,” she assured him as they rejoined her parents. “You just stay and enjoy yourself, oh, and stay out of trouble.”

“I’m not the one with knack for getting in trouble,” he teased her. Clay laughed.

“Good night, Jonathon,” Alexandria said primly as she turned to leave; she was trying not to smile.

“Let me get that; I’ll escort you to your buggy,” he took her basket from her.

“Thank you,” she smiled and tried to ignore her sister’s angry glare. Alexandria moved forward ahead of Jonathon and he watched as every man in the vicinity turned to track her progress through the crowd. He shook his head; he knew she was completely oblivious to their stares.

“She is totally unaware,” Clay’s comment caused him to jump. Jonathon felt heat climb into his cheeks at the realization that her father had caught him staring.

“I know,” Jonathon agreed. “Sometimes I fear dangerously so,” he added with concern as he hurried to catch up with her before she moved off down the dark streets by herself.

They reached her buggy and Alexandria started to get into the buggy, stopped, frowned, tried again, and burst into laughter.

“What is so funny?” Jonathon asked her. Alexandria raised her leg as high as her skirt allowed, without pulling it up and exposing her leg at least and still couldn’t get her foot onto the buggy.

Jonathon laughed with her, “You’re stuck.”

Alexandria looked for a way to get into the wagon and let out a startled cry when Jonathon swept her up and deposited her onto the buggy seat.

“You sure I can’t see you safely home?” Jonathon offered again, his expression was slightly concerned. Alexandria smiled down at him. He seemed to think that if he let her out of his sight for even a moment she would end up in trouble.

“We’ll be fine. Go make a nuisance of yourself somewhere else,” she teased.

“A nuisance? Fine, go on then,” he laughed and stepped away from the buggy so she could leave. Her parents were waiting for her to follow them from town.

Alexandria waved and started out of town behind her parents.

“You had to open your mouth didn’t you?” Anna asked in a clipped tone as soon as they were on their way.

“Excuse me?” Alexandria was lost.

“’They’re my favorite,’” Anna mimicked. “He would have asked me to dance…”

“Don’t start on me!” Alexandria snapped back. “Jonathon is a grown man with a mind of his own.”

Anna turned on the seat and ignored her sister. Alexandria focused her attention on Lilly.

Her parents stopped at the end of the drive upon reaching it and waited until she had pulled alongside them.

“Want me to escort you to the house?” her father offered.

“Go on, we’re fine,” Alexandria waved to him and started down the drive.

They reached the end of the long drive where she parked the buggy, took Lilly into bed and stepped into her room to change. She stripped her beautiful new dress and carefully put it away. She removed her corset and rubbed at her sides where the corset had been pinching her all-night and stood dressed only in her shift for a moment as she considered what to wear to see to the horses. She finally pulled on a plain button down and simple skirt after deciding not to bother with the multiple layers of under clothes she usually wore. There would be no one around to see her anyway.

Alexandria opened the barn doors, pulled the buggy in and released the horses from their harnesses before closing the doors. She started grooming the horses, her mind on the evening she had just enjoyed. She was more than a little put out with her sister’s attitude. Spunky stepped back and snorted.

“What is it boy?” she asked a moment before a hand closed over her mouth.

Jonathon returned to the dance but found that with Alexandria gone he wasn’t interested in remaining. He mounted Raven and started from town; he found himself contemplating his actions this day and what he intended to do about his feelings for Alexandria. She very well might order him off her property if he told her how he felt. She had made it clear she wanted her independence despite admitting she needed help. Jonathon chuckled. She was spirited and he admired her for it. He liked watching her chin come up in challenge, liked the way her eyes sparked when she was mad, and he liked the way she felt in his arms. But what to do about it, Jonathon mused as he rode into the yard.

He let himself into the barn and frowned. Why was there a lantern burning? He dropped Raven’s reigns and moved through the barn. When he heard a muffled sound from the back, he moved toward it. The lantern was hung from a nail on a post not far from the last stall. Spunky and Sparky, the matched pair who pulled the buggy were stabled almost in the back. Had Alexandria simply forgotten to extinguish it after she turned them into their stalls? That seemed unlikely.

His heart accelerated when he noticed Spunky loose from his stall and enjoying his fill from the feed bin. He stepped into the door of the last stall. The sight that greeted him made his stomach churn with fury. Nick had Alexandria pinned and his hand clamped over her mouth. Jonathon reacted in anger and grabbed the man by his shirt to slam him against the wall of the barn.

He released the man who stumbled for his footing and charged at Jonathon. Jonathon caught him under the chin and sent him sprawling to the floor. Jonathon grabbed him by his shirt before he could scramble up from the floor and again slammed him into the wall. Jonathon released Nick and watched the man struggle with his falling pants and the sight made him angry all over again. Jonathon grabbed him by the neck and pinned him to the wall and watched with satisfaction as the man’s face turned red and then purple; his hands were clawing at Jonathon’s hold on his neck.

“I ought to kill you,” Jonathon threatened in a voice that was deadly calm.

“Jonathon, I don’t know what he’s done and I’m sure he deserves to die, but don’t do something you’ll regret,” Chris said from behind him. He had just returned from the dance himself.

Jonathon slowly loosened his grip on Nick’s neck and watched the man gasp for breath. Jonathon kneed the man in the groin and Nick sank to the floor in a heap.

“If you show your face around here again or so much as look at her wrong I will make you wish you were dead or worse,” Jonathon threatened.

Jonathon entered the stall where Alexandria sat huddled in the corner with her knees hugged to her. Jonathon squatted in front of her and fought to rein in his emotions. Blood trickled from one side of her nose and her busted lip and a bruise was starting to color her cheek. Her eyes, filled with tears, still showed the terror she felt.

“Come on, Alexandria, let’s get you inside,” Jonathon reached his hand out to her but let her make the decision to come to him. Slowly she placed her hand in his and he pulled her up as he stood and swung her into his arms. Alexandria wrapped her arms around him and buried her face in his neck unable to look at Nick’s form where he lay in the floor.

Jonathon was crossing the yard with Alexandria when a rider approached. He recognized Sparky and waited. Sparky’s gaze flickered over Alexandria before his eyes darkened with anger.

“What’s going on?” he demanded.

“Nick attacked her. He’s still in the barn; would you escort him off the property please?”

“I’ll do more than that!” Sparky swung from the saddle and started for the barn at an angry pace.

“Don’t do anything you’ll regret!” Jonathon called after the younger man. Knowing Sparky’s temper as he did, he feared he might kill the man, though Jonathon was struggling to care at the moment.

Jonathon entered the house with Alexandria and called for Millie. When he tried setting Alexandria down, she clung to him more tightly and made a small sound of protest. She was starting to get heavy. Jonathon looked around the dark parlor and finally eased onto the settee with Alexandria still in his arms.

“Alexandria, I need to know…I don’t know how to ask this did Nick…did he…” Jonathon hesitated; he hated to even say it. Alexandria shook her head without ever looking at him, but Jonathon knew she had understood and sighed in relief.

Millie entered; her eyes widened.

“Millie, I need your help and possibly Anna’s as well. Nick attacked Alexandria. I’m sure she’ll want a bath but first we need some ice if it hasn’t all melted. Rouse Anna and have her gather clean clothes. I suppose the ice should come first.”

“I’ll get right on it,” Millie lit a lamp and bustled from the room.

Alexandria felt weak with relief that Jonathon had shown up when he had. No one had to tell her what would have happened if he hadn’t. Yet again her foreman had come to her rescue. Jonathon was right, she attracted trouble. And yet again here she sat clinging to her foreman while demanding she wanted to be independent. The irony was not lost on Alexandria but nothing she had yet to experience had scared her as badly as what had just happened. She could still feel Nick’s hot breath on her face, feel his hands on her body; Alexandria shuddered and clung harder to Jonathon as she fought back nausea. Jonathon laid his cheek against her head and stroked her back seeming to understand that there was nothing he could say that would make her feel any better at the moment.

Millie returned with the ice; Anna was right behind her. Anna looked to have been crying, but her eyes widened, her face becoming alert when she spotted her sister. Alexandria had recovered somewhat and now sat up, held the ice to her eye and cheek before resituating herself against her foreman. If anyone found it improper they weren’t saying so.

“Did….did he hurt her?” Anna’s voice and hands were shaking.

“He hit her as you can see, otherwise, I think she’s okay,” Jonathon answered her query.

Anna, her face pale, sat down hard on a nearby chair. “Have you sent for the sheriff?”

Jonathon shook his head. “No, there is no way I’d ever convince Alexandria to press charges and I know it.”

“But she has to!” Anna protested.

“Anna, put yourself in your sister’s shoes for just a moment. Would you want what had almost happened and what had happened aired?” he asked her and watched her frown.

“Well, no, but he can’t get away with it. Send for Mom, she’ll talk sense into her.”

“No!” Alexandria spoke for the first time since the incident. “I don’t want Mom knowing anything about this. I can’t deal with her pleading for me to come home right now,” Alexandria said firmly.

“Lexie, don’t be a fool, the man would have raped you!” Anna yelled at her sister.

“Anna, I know that better than you do; I will not go through the humiliation of a trial!”

“Ladies, this is getting us nowhere. Alexandria, I’m sure you would like a bath; why don’t you allow Millie or Anna to help you?” he proposed. Alexandria nodded and stood. Several minutes later she sat in a deep tub of hot water while her sister washed her hair.

“I’m sorry I was angry with you earlier,” Anna apologized.

“I know you’re right but I can’t stand the thought of a trial,” Alexandria sighed.

“I was referring to the trip home from town, and, well, most the day really,” Anna admitted. “It was unfair of me. I’m not certain what is going on between you and Jonathon, if anything is, but I’ve placed blame on you that isn’t deserved,” Anna explained.

“I love you, Anna. I have no desire to hurt you,” Alexandria assured her sister.

“I know that, I just forgot,” Anna admitted as tears streamed down her face. Alexandria wrapped her damp arms around her sister and the two women hugged.

“I’m sorry; I got you wet didn’t I?” Alexandria laughed after she released her sister.

“It’s okay; I’ll dry,” Anna told her as she helped her dress in a gown and dressing gown.

After Alexandria was presentable, Anna led the way to the kitchen where Millie was waiting to help with Alexandria’s hair. Anna grabbed Alexandria’s brush and started working on brushing out her hair. Anna started shaking her head. Alexandria’s hair seemed to be one large tangle.

“I hate to, but I’m going to have to cut at least some of this,” Anna told her sister.

“It’ll make it easier to manage anyway,” Alexandria said with forced lightness.

Jonathon moved into the kitchen just as Anna raised a pair of scissors to cut Alexandria’s hair.

“Stop!” he protested as he entered the room.

Anna looked up wide-eyed and held the scissors out to him as though afraid he would wrest them away from her otherwise.

“I’m sorry,” Anna backed away from her sister.

Alexandria frowned at Jonathon.

“It would be a crime to cut her hair; why would you?” Jonathon demanded.

“It’s hopelessly tangled,” Anna explained.

“Have you got a comb?” Jonathon asked them.

Anna nodded and went to retrieve it.

Jonathon studied Alexandria as she tilted her head back to look up at him. He suddenly knew why she kept her hair up; she looked much younger with her hair framing her face and at the moment so vulnerable it made his heart ache. He reached out and gently ran his knuckles down the discoloration on her cheek; he would give anything to turn back the clock and escort Alexandria home himself.

Anna returned with the comb and Jonathon dropped his hand and stepped away from Alexandria.

Anna claimed a seat and watched curiously as Jonathon began gently working tangles from her sister’s hair; he started at the bottom. She was amazed that his large, broad hands could be so gentle. Jonathon was, for all she knew about him still an enigma to her. Hadn’t her sister suggested as much?

“What happened to your hands?” her gaze focused on the split skin on his right knuckle and the scratch marks on both hands.

Jonathon glanced down at his hand. “I guess Nick’s bones were harder than I realized,” he shrugged.

Anna’s eyes widened. “And the scratches?”

“Oh, well it seems he didn’t appreciate my hands around his neck,” Jonathon offered with a sardonic smile.

Anna’s eyes widened further if possible as she swallowed hard.

“What did you think he’d done, Anna? Admonished Nick politely and Nick neatly apologized and went on his way?” Alexandria’s tone was mildly amused.

“Of course not!” Anna snapped. She shuddered inwardly. She had never seen Jonathon angry and imagining him angry enough to hit someone seemed incongruous with the rest of her opinion of him. Would he have reacted the same with any woman? Would he stand in another’s woman’s kitchen untangling their hair or would he have allowed their hair to be cut? They were questions that were nagging at Anna.



Alexandria blinked against fatigue; her eyelids felt too heavy to hold up. She and Anna had often brushed one another’s’ hair at night before bed as a way of relaxing and it was having the same effect on her now. Jonathon’s hand seemed impossibly large and warm on the back of her head when he placed it there to work at a particularly stubborn tangle. She was on the verge of falling asleep sitting up when Jonathon spoke.

“There, all done. Your hair is tangle free,” Jonathon informed her. Alexandria’s eyes opened and she reached back to feel her smooth hair. Remarkable, how had he done that?

“Thank you,” she said on a yawn.

“Go get some rest. If you don’t mind, I’m going to lock both doors and lay down on your settee for a while. Sparky sent Nick on his way but I don’t want him coming back,” Jonathon told her. “I think Millie will be an adequate chaperone were anyone to question our motives later.”

“There are three spare rooms that are empty where you would be more comfortable,” Alexandria told him.

He shook his head. “That would be taking it a bit far, the settee is fine.”

“You won’t fit very well,” she cautioned as her eyes traveled the long length of his body.

“Perhaps not, but in the long run, I will be much more comfortable on the settee. The throw pillow and light blanket on the back will work fine. Good night, ladies,” he said and stepped from the room. Alexandria wearily climbed the stairs to her room; she wished her sister a good night over her shoulder.

***

Anna lay in her bed and staring at the ceiling. She should be too exhausted to think but her mind seemed unaware of this. All she could think about was how much she wished it had been her hair Jonathon’s hands had been in. How she wanted him to search her out of the crowd and spend an entire evening at her side and to pay one hundred dollars for the honor. She wanted him to come to her defense. Anna sighed. Not knowing how he felt about her was eating her up. Would he have treated her as he had treated Alexandria if she were in the same circumstances?

Anna finally tossed aside her covers, pulled on her dressing gown, and started down the stairs. She had to address this if she was to ever have peace. She stood in the doorway to the parlor a moment, Jonathon unaware that she was there. She studied him in the dim light from a nearby lantern. She knew he was awake by his movements. Jonathon was rubbing his forehead as though his head was hurting.

“Jonathon,” she said as she entered the room.

Jonathon frowned and sat up abruptly.

“Anna! What are you doing in here?” he demanded as he came to his feet.

“I need to talk with you,” she stopped in front of him.

“Have a seat and let me turn the lamp up,” he was unnerved by both her nearness and the way she was watching him.

“No, I need to say this now before I lose my nerve. I love you, Jonathon!” she blurted. “You must know that.”

“I know that you’re infatuated with me, Anna,” he said gently.

“Infatuated? No, Jonathon, I love you,” she insisted.

“Anna….”

Anna leaned forward and pressed her lips to his and waited for him to kiss her back.

He didn’t.

Jonathon gently took Anna’s arms and pushed her away, himself taking a step backwards to put more space between them. “Anna, you’re a very sweet young lady and I have no desire to hurt you,” Jonathon started; he was uncertain how to continue.

“You’re still in love with Emily, aren’t you?” she asked with understanding.

Jonathon frowned. “No, I mean, I still love her but that isn’t why…”

“Of course you still love her, I understand…”

“I don’t think you do. I will always love Emily, but she no longer stands in the way of my moving on,” he could see that he’d confused her. “I really like you as friend, Anna, you’re interest in me keeps us from a closer friendship but that is all that will ever be between us,” he explained gently.

Anna felt her eyes begin to sting and quickly nodded.

“I see,” she turned and all but ran from the room.

Jonathon sighed and reclaimed his position on the settee. He really had not wanted to hurt her. How had he gotten in this mess anyway, he wondered as he twirled his hair around one finger in an agitated manner. He was in love with one woman and being pursued by her sister. Jonathon stilled in his fidgeting. Was he in love with Alexandria? That he found her attractive and was interested in her he had no doubt, but did he love her? He thought of her smile, her teasing him, her chin coming up in that stubborn tilt, and he smiled. He did love her. He didn’t know when it had happened but he loved her. What was he to do about it? Alexandria had made it clear that she wanted nothing to do with men. Could he change her mind? Would he lose her entirely if he tried? Jonathon sighed; he didn’t know.

Jonathon had been dozing on and off for a couple of hours when a noise in the kitchen woke him. He cautiously made his way down the hall to the dim light in the kitchen and peered into the room. His eyes first fell on the water pump, a forgotten glass of water still beneath it. In the floor in front of the stove sat Alexandria; the door was open, and her knees were drawn to her chest. She was shaking all over and crying.

“Alexandria,” he called softly so he wouldn’t startle her.

She glanced at him; then resettled her gaze on the fire in the stove. “You okay?” he asked as he approached her.

She shook her head but still did not speak.

“Bad dreams?” he asked.

She sighed, gave him an annoyed glance, and nodded.

“Come to the parlor and I’ll build you a fire if you want but you’re going to wake Millie if you stay in here much longer,” he told her. She glanced at him, then back to the fire. Jonathon frowned at her. He knew she’d had a disturbing night and he would do nothing to play that down but he wasn’t about to let her stew in it either. He claimed her hand without permission and pulled her to her feet before shutting the stove door and extinguishing the lamp.

He built a fire in the parlor fireplace even though it was much too warm for one and handed her a light blanket from the settee to wrap herself in. Alexandria settled in front of the fireplace; Jonathon settled into the floor against a wing back chair nearby.

“What happened, Alexandria?” Jonathon asked; he dreaded the answer but knew she needed to talk about it before she could work through it herself. Alexandria turned her head to study him a moment before moving to sit beside him, her shoulder touching his. Jonathon had about given up on her sharing when she slowly began to recount the events of her evening. She was shaking again by the time she had finished. Jonathon took a moment to absorb it.

“You’re fortunate it wasn’t worse,” he said gently.

“I know,” she admitted. “Had you not shown up when you did, it would have been.”

“Sorry I wasn’t here sooner.”

“You have nothing to apologize for, I’m the one who turned down your offer of an escort home,” she reminded him.

“Yeah, but it wouldn’t have been the first time I ignored your protest,” he teased her. To his surprise she laughed, only to a moment later, dissolve into tears.

“I’m so scared and I feel so dirty…”

“Alexandria, that’s natural I think but you have no reason to feel dirty. Are you afraid he’ll come back?” he asked her.

“I guess or just scared that someone, anyone, might try it again,” she admitted.

“They’ll find it a lot harder; I’ll be watching you and this place awfully close now.”

“Jonathon, I appreciate everything that you’ve done and do, but maybe you should move on, it seems I’m a bad luck charm. Maybe Anna’s right; maybe I should move back home.”

“Alexandria, I can’t believe you just said that. First of all I’m not going anywhere and neither are you. You mean to tell me that you’re going to let some drunken cowboy do what rustlers and robbers couldn’t?” he asked her.

“This was different, Jonathon, he put his hands on me and…”

“That’s more frightening and harder to ignore. I can’t say that I know how you feel but I can certainly understand it. Let me ask you this, Alexandria. Would moving back to your parents mean that no one could ever hurt you again?”

“No,” she said irritably.

“So why would you?”

“I’m tired of fighting to hold it all together,” she said miserably as fresh tears threatened.

“You’re tired and you need rest.”

“It’s more than that.”

“You’re a coward?” he asked and watched her chin snap up.

“How can you even say that?” her eyes filled with hurt.

Jonathon smiled, “There’s that stubborn tilt, you’ll be okay,” he reached out and brushed his knuckles across her jaw.

Alexandria shuddered, “Jonathon…”

“Don’t?” he tone was mildly amused.

“You have the most annoying habit of taking the words right out of my mouth,” she told him.

“I’ll work on that,” he assured her as he traced the curve of her ear.

“I shouldn’t be here alone with you,” she said absent-mindedly. “And I shouldn’t feel so safe with you,” the words were uttered on almost a whisper.

Jonathon felt his heart flip. As much as he respected her, he decided it was time for her to return to her room. “Good night, Alexandria. You need to get some rest,” he forced his hands to his sides.

Alexandria looked momentarily hurt. “You’re right,” she finally agreed as she stood. “Goodnight,” she hurried from the room.

“Goodnight,” he called after her. Good morning would have been more accurate, but he didn’t correct her.

Jonathon stared at the fire. He felt overly warm but he suspected the fire wasn’t to blame. He was going to have to remember to keep his hands to himself where Alexandria was concerned. He didn’t want to put either of them in a position that they’d later regret.