A Headstrong Woman (23 page)

“I’m not entirely thrilled to be calling on Tristan,” Alexandria admitted. “Perhaps we should have sent Rusty as you suggested this morning.”

“Maybe, but you’re right about it being, in some ways, more appropriate from a business stand point for you to go.”

“Thanks for coming with me, Jonathon; I feel a little better knowing you’ll be there.”

“I wouldn’t have let you come alone and neither would the others. I was serious at the house, Alexandria; you have gained the respect of those men and more than one or two of them are in awe of you,” Jonathon reiterated his earlier claim.

Alexandria snorted. “In awe of my unseemly behavior perhaps; I’m aware that it is highly irregular for me to run around in men clothes doing men’s work.”

“How is it you turn every compliment into some self-inflicted insult?” Jonathon asked in exasperation.

“It’s a gift I guess,” Alexandria offered him a self-derisive smile.

“Thank you, Alexandria; thank you is the response you give in return for a compliment it. Let’s practice. I’ll give you a complement and you say thank you. Ready?” Jonathon glanced her direction.

“Okay,” laughter bubbled in Alexandria’s voice.

“You’re beautiful,” Jonathon offered.

Alexandria snorted and burst into laughter.

“We’re not off to a great start here, Alexandria. Okay, how about this. You offer me a compliment. Say ‘nice hat’ or something like that,” Jonathon suggested. When Alexandria didn’t comply he turned to her. “Go ahead; I’m going to show you how this is done.”

“Okay,” Alexandria was still smiling at his foolishness. After a moment’s consideration she spoke honestly. “You have beautiful eyes.”

Jonathon looked taken back and at a loss for a moment before speaking. “Thank you,” he finally managed; his tone betrayed his surprise.

“You’re welcome,” Alexandria returned.

“Okay, now you’re turn. You are a very intelligent woman, Alexandria, and pretty as well.”

Jonathon glanced over at Alexandria to find her face scrunched.

“Thank you,” she said primly.

“You look as if someone handed you persimmons,” Jonathon accused.

“I said thank you!” Alexandria protested.

“I’m going to line the men up and instruct them to compliment you and you will be allowed to say nothing but thank you,” Jonathon threatened.

“You’ll do no such thing!” Alexandria scoffed.

“You wanna bet?” Jonathon returned.

“Here we are,” Alexandria was suddenly all business and prim.

“Yes, here we are.” He was going to teach her to take a compliment yet.

Alexandria waited for Jonathon to help her alight from the carriage before mounting the steps and ringing the bell on Tristan Price’s mansion. The man had built a Greek revival structure more suited the pre-civil war south than current day Montana.

“Some place,” Jonathon commented from beside her.

“Isn’t it? I came by here one day with Daddy.”

Any further comment was prevented when the door was opened by a maid.

“Alexandria Morris here to see Mr. Price,” Alexandria announced as she offered one of her seldom used calling cards.

“Please wait in the parlor,” the maid escorted her to the room before disappearing back into the hallway.

“I feel like I’m in Georgia,” Jonathon muttered as he leaned in close to Alexandria. She smiled but said nothing. The room’s décor was over the top.

“Mrs. Morris, to what do I owe this pleasure?” Tristan entered the room.

Alexandria stood to greet him; she colored when he raised her hand to his lips. His gaze flickered over Jonathon before returning to Alexandria.

“I came on a matter of business, Mr. Price,” Alexandria admitted.

“Please, be seated, both of you,” Tristan instructed before seating himself opposite them.

“I know it is rather unusual for a ranch owner’s foreman to accompany them on such business, however, given recent events, and my gender; I didn’t feel it would be appropriate or safe to come alone,” Alexandria answered his unasked question about Jonathon’s presence.

“Most sensible; what business matter did you wish to discuss?” Tristan was now settled into a gracefully comfortable pose, his arm stretched across the back of the settee he occupied.

“You informed one of my hands, Rusty, that you knew of a man looking to sell several head of cattle. I was hoping that you could provide the necessary letter of introduction so that I might meet him and see his stock,” Alexandria explained her reason for coming.

“Of course, I would be delighted to help in any way I can. I must warn you, Mrs. Morris, that while Mr. Kingston keeps a neat ranch and good quality stock, that he is of…shall we say, questionable character. I would suggest that you arrange to meet him on neutral territory.”

“I will bear that in mind, thank you for the warning,” Alexandria offered sincerely.

“I would be happy to arrange the meeting myself,” Tristan offered. “Mr. Kingston and I have a long history and he owes me a favor or two. I believe I could make the meeting more comfortable for you,” Tristan offered.

Alexandria, uncertain how she should reply, hesitated.

“I think that might be a good idea considering how quickly we wish to pursue this,” Jonathon spoke for the first time since Tristan had entered.

Alexandria shot him a grateful smile and nodded, before turning back to Tristan.

“We were hoping to meet with him this coming weekend,” Alexandria explained.

“I could arrange that. I leave for Jasper tomorrow. I can have it all arranged by the time you arrive,” Tristan nodded confidently. “Would Friday be too soon?”

Alexandria bit her lip; that would move their leaving up a day and would mean a lot of frantic last minute packing. Still, they needed this seen to if they were going to do it.

“No, Friday is fine,” Alexandria decided with a nod.

“Very good; do you know where you will be staying?” Tristan inquired.

“With my in-laws,” she offered.

“Of course, I had forgotten they live there. Very well, I will send word there as to when and where to meet,” Tristan offered her a warm smile.

“Thank you, Mr. Price. I’m sure you have a lot to do and I find I suddenly have a lot of arrangements to make,” Alexandria offered him a smile as she stood.

“Until Friday then,” Tristan again raised her hand and pressed a kiss to it.

Alexandria politely removed her hand and made a bee line for the door. She had never been comfortable with such courtly manners. As Jonathon handed her into the buggy he made a show of checking the back hem of her skirts.

“What are you doing?” Alexandria demanded.

“Making sure your skirts aren’t on fire.”

“What?” Alexandria was frowning at him as he climbed onto the seat beside her.

“I thought I should check after the way you rushed out of there.”

Alexandria couldn’t help smiling. “You don’t miss much do you?”

“I’ve been accused of being observant,” he nodded.

“He makes me uncomfortable; I would prefer to not need his help.”

“As would I, but I believe he can be helpful in this instance.”

“Me too,” she agreed on a sigh of resignation.

Chapter Fourteen

Alexandria emerged from the house, her work clothes on and her sister and Millie assuring her that her packing, as well as Lilly’s would be seen to in time for them to leave. She knew that she owed them big time. Jonathon was waiting, negligently leaning against a porch post, one leg crossed over the other. Alexandria took in his long form and enigmatic gaze; it irritated her that he looked so appealing standing there. She wasn’t interested in men and certainly not her foreman.

“Are we ready?” she asked almost sharply.

Jonathon stood and placed his hat on his head. “Yes, Ma’am,” he agreed with a bow.

“Sorry,” Alexandria acknowledged her bad attitude. “I’m not sure what that was about. I suppose I’m nervous about the trip,” she fibbed to cover her real thoughts.

“It’ll go fine and hopefully fast,” Jonathon predicted.

“I certainly hope so,” Alexandria muttered as she swung into Lady’s saddle.

They discussed the details of the trip as they rode to join the men and agreed to make the arrangements in town the next day. That out of the way, they fell silent for a time and Jonathon found himself admiring how well Alexandria sat in the saddle. She made quite a sight, her long hair hanging down her back in a thick braid from under her hat. The denims she wore accentuated just how long her legs were and the deep green of her shirt made her eyes stand out all the more against her light skin. She was truly beautiful.

“What?” Alexandria frowned at him.

“I’m sorry?” Jonathon frowned.

“You’re staring.”

“Oh, sorry.”

“Why are you staring at me?” Alexandria looked suspicious now.

“You don’t want to know,” Jonathon urged his mount forward.

“Why were you staring?”

“If you must know I was admiring you,” he confessed as her horse caught up to his.

“Oh,” she looked completely flabbergasted; it made him smile.

“You sit a horse very nicely.”

“Oh!” that she seemed to understand.

“And you look very nice today.”

“Oh,” the perplexed expression was back, her brows drawn.

“You like that word do you?” he teased.

Alexandria blinked at him; then offered a sticky sweet smile.

“Thank you.”

Jonathon threw back his head and laughed.

“You’re learning,” Jonathon nodded in satisfaction a moment later.

Beside him Alexandria looked rather pleased with herself.

The men and the herd came into view and Jonathon returned the greeting that several men offered in the way of raised hands. Several men sat in a small cluster over the remains of their lunch. Jonathon watched as the two new hands registered that it was their new boss that accompanied him. Their gazes slid over her, surprise registering, followed quickly by admiration. While both men watched her rather closely, he saw no indication that either of them were in any way watching her in an inappropriate manner and he felt himself relax. They needed additional help, but Alexandria’s safety came first.

***

Alexandria leaned forward and waved as the train slowly lurched forward from the Cold Springs station. Lilly was seated in Jonathon’s lap across from Alexandria; Lilly’s eyes were wide as she watched familiar objects and places slide by at a faster and faster speed.

“First time on a train?” Jonathon asked.

“Is it that obvious?” Alexandria asked with a smile.

“Your eyes are almost as wide as Lilly’s,” he smiled back at her.               Alexandria laughed. “Have you traveled by train much?”

“No, except when I went after Emily and the return trip of course.”

“Jonathon, that is terribly romantic,” Alexandria told him.

Jonathon shook his head. “It’s not romantic; I was just claiming what was mine. I had loved her for years; I wasn’t about to let some infatuation steal her away. Had she honestly loved him I wouldn’t have intervened, but I knew her well enough to know she didn’t.”

“It is romantic,” Alexandria argued.

“If you say so,” he shrugged. “What about you? Were you a one man woman or did you fall in and out of love as my brother does?”

“I fell for one boy when I was about fifteen, that was my first broken heart and in retrospect, I realize I was merely infatuated. In fact, in retrospect, so were my feelings for Elijah. So, as it turns out, I have never truly been in love.”

“How unfortunate, it’s a wonderful experience.”

“So they say,” she smiled. “Of course never having been in love hasn’t stopped from making a fool of myself where men are concerned. First when I was fifteen and then Elijah. Men are a troublesome lot.”

Women aren’t?” Jonathon countered; Alexandria smiled.

“Do you miss your family?”
              “I do.”

“Why don’t you go visit, or go home to stay?” she asked and held her breath for his answer.

“At the moment I have no desire to do either. I write often, but I’m content for the time being.”

“Oh,” relief flooded through her. She turned her attention to the passing landscape and fell silent. Jonathon allowed her her quiet and let his own thoughts wander. Lilly had fallen asleep in his arms.

***

Alexandria woke and frowned at the room around her. Where was she? She sat up and her blankets fell away; Alexandria looked down at her shift and her eyes widened as she quickly ran over the events of the evening before. They had been on the train, had arrived late, started for the Morris’ in a buggy… the buggy, she must have fallen asleep in the buggy and then staggered into the house and undressed half asleep. She let out a relieved sigh and hurried to dress. She could hear Lilly talking from the rooms below and followed her daughter’s voice.