The Demure Bride (21 page)

"You don't understand, Whitey." The man's face crumpled with emotion, and a sheen of tears appeared in his blue eyes. "The bastard has Milona. He said he'd let her go unharmed if I brought Miss Amanda to him. He brought me a piece of her hair, and said the next time he took out his knife it would be her fingers he started cutting off! I had to do it! He told me exactly what to say to trick Miss Amanda into coming with me, and it worked, I'm ashamed to say."

"You mean that Rob is okay...? He hasn't been shot...?" Amanda asked, hope in her green eyes.

Jimmy nodded in affirmation. "He's just fine, ma'am. He went into town early this morning. I'm sorry to put you through this. He's got my wife, and he said he'd torture her... I know that what I done wasn't right, but I love Milona." He hung his head in shame. "Now I don't know what will happen to her," he whispered, anguished by the thoughts torturing him.

"Where were you supposed to take Mandy?" Dave asked quietly, holstering his gun.

"He was to meet me with Milona over by the creek that crosses Thorne Ranch."

"Then we'll go and meet him. Mandy, do you think you can handle this? I promise we won't let anything happen to you." Dave was pretty damn sure that Matt Chambers and Rob Thorne would take his head off and hand it to him for allowing Amanda to help capture Flockton, but the opportunity was here and he was going to take it.

Amanda nodded her head and then said, "I want to get this man... before he
does
shoot Rob. I couldn't bear to lose him, Dave." The tenor of her voice spoke of her determination to take part and do everything she could to help the Rangers in their job. She trusted them, and she loved Rob too much not to help!

Dave reached out and patted her shoulder comfortingly. "I understand. I feel the same about my Helene. Jimmy, we're going to get Milona out of this, too," he spoke kindly to the worried man. You've got to help us out, though, and just pretend that everything is normal. We'll be right behind you, just out of sight, and when Flockton produces Milona, we'll take him. Can you hold it together that long?"

"Yes. Thank God for your help. Miss Amanda, I hope you and your Pa and Mr. Thorne can forgive me for what I done. I don't like myself right now."

"I understand why you did this, Jimmy, and I am sure Papa and Rob will, too. You wanted to rescue your wife, and Flockton is a mean bastard. We all know that. We'll get her away from him and send him to prison for the rest of his life. We will have the last word on what happens today."

* * *

Matt and Rob didn't waste any time getting to the ranch, and the men were right behind them. Once they arrived, Matt wasted no time in telling the cook to put together provisions for ten men for three days on the trail, and the cook nodded his head and went right to work. He wanted to do his part in finding the ones responsible for beating those two men, too.

"Now we have the hard part, Rob. Telling Mandy," Matt said. "She won't like being left behind and told to stay put inside the house." They walked up to the house and went inside.

"Mr. Rob! You're alive! Praise be!" The usually quiet Gloria declared, smiling happily, only to frown mere seconds later. ""Your man came for Missy and said you'd been shot and was dying. Missy went with him...!"

Rob felt icy hot rage take over his normally composed emotions. He swore viciously. "If that bastard harms one hair on Mandy's head I swear, before God, I will kill him as slowly and as painfully as is possible!"

"You think Flockton has her?" Matt was sick with fear for his little girl.

"I am positive he does. How long ago did Mandy leave, Gloria?"

"At least at hour ago, Mr. Rob." It was easy to see how worried and upset she was. "I was to send Mr. Matt over to your place when he got back from town."

"Was Amanda armed?" Matt asked hopefully. Gloria nodded. "Good. Maybe she'll take him down."

"She won't be watching out for herself, Matt; her thoughts will be on me. We need to hurry."

Matt didn't argue, but ran after Rob, trying to keep up.

* * *

Now that Amanda knew Rob was unhurt and alive, she was furious with herself for being so gullible. She also felt sorry for Jimmy. He was a decent, hardworking guy, and he loved his wife and treated her like a Princess. Sir Gregory Flockton had much to answer for, and she was going to see he paid for all the horrible things he'd done. When they were about a mile from where they were to meet with Flockton, Dave and the other two Rangers made themselves invisible and she and Jimmy went on alone. She had no idea what to expect, but if given the opportunity, she would shoot and take no chances on letting him escape to once again haunt them. She just prayed that he hadn't harmed Milona in any way.

They finally reached the spot where Flockton arranged to meet up with Jimmy. There was no sign of the man but they'd already discussed the possibility he wouldn't be waiting for them... at least not where they could actually see him.

"Why are we stopping here, Jimmy? I want to get to Rob. Let's go!"

"Not yet, Miss Amanda. I think my horse has picked up a stone in his shoe." Jimmy dismounted and just as he bent down to pick up his mount's foot to look at it a shot rang out. Jimmy hit the ground and just then Sir Gregory Flockton came riding from behind some trees, his gun pointed right at Amanda.

"We meet again," he said with a wicked smile. "Drop the gun or I will shoot you right here."

"I am not going anywhere with you, you lowlife scum!" Amanda told him.

"You will pay for that," he stated coldly, raising his gun. "Drop the gun
NOW
!" His eyes glinted with rage. He was so positive he had the situation under control and to his advantage that he didn't see the Texas Rangers. Dave took aim and shot, sending the gun flying from Flockton's hand and wounding him in the process! He tried to whirl his mount to flee, but the Rangers were ready for that and Flockton knew he would die if he made a run for it!

"You are under arrest, you despicable animal!" Amanda told him. "Where is Milona?"

"She is dead, of course!" He delivered the news with deliberate cruelty and Jimmy started sobbing with uncontrollable grief.

"I don't believe you; but if she is dead, I promise you will hang," Dave told him.

They heard riders approaching, and all of them drew their guns to be ready in case Flockton had men riding to his rescue. It didn't take long for Amanda to recognize her Papa's stallion. "It's Papa... and Rob!" she cried out, and then rode to meet them and share the wonderful news, that they had Flockton.

"Mandy, are you all right?" Matt demanded, looking her over head to toe in a split second.

Rob lifted her off her mount and simply held her close in front of him. She wrapped her arms around him and allowed herself to cry. "I thought you were dying!" she said so emotionally that Rob couldn't mistake the anguish in her words. "I was so stupid to believe Jimmy."

"I would never have thought he would betray me in this manner."

"Flockton took Milona and threatened her life if Jimmy didn't help him. Flockton says that Milona is dead... Jimmy is beside himself."

"We will go and look for her, Mandy. Right now Flockton does not know that we are aware he owns a home around here."

"Girl, you left the house without one of us, and if Rob doesn't spank you good and proper, I'm going to do it myself!" Matt threatened.

"Oh, Papa, I am so sorry you were frightened! I simply had to go when I thought Rob was dying."

"You should never have listened, Amanda," Rob told her firmly. "We will discuss this later, when we are alone. Right now we need to see this bastard locked up for the rest of his hopefully short existence."

Flockton's eyes were full of hatred as he looked at Rob. He refused to speak, his jaw clenched as tightly as possible. The group rode into town surrounding the evil man and Matt had three of his men stay behind to guard the prisoner.

Matt tried to order Amanda to go home, but she refused. "Papa, Milona might need another woman if she has been mistreated." Matt realized she was right, and permitted her to ride along, but he was afraid of what they would find. Once they reached the place it didn't take them long to take the men Flockton hired into custody. One of them talked and talked, and they soon had enough information to lock all of them away for a very long time. Milona was locked in an upstairs bedroom. She was frightened, but unharmed, and Jimmy hugged her so tightly that she told him he was going to break her ribs.

"Thank you all!" Jimmy emotionally told them. "I know I am in trouble, but now that I know Milona is safe, I can face going to jail."

"You aren't going to jail if I have anything to say about it, Jimmy!" Amanda said firmly, looking at Rob and her Papa. "You both will help, won't you? When it came down to it, Jimmy helped us."

"He was forced to do this!" Milona spoke for her man. "The evil one thought it great fun to tell me what would happen to me if my husband did not bring Miss Amanda to him. He is so awful. My Jimmy is a good man, but I knew he would do what he had to do to keep me safe. I am so glad you were all there to help him."

"I think this matter is settled," Matt Chambers spoke with authority. "As I see it, Jimmy was working for us. When it came down to it, he did the right thing, and told Dave what was going on. There would be no benefit in sending Jimmy to prison when we know what an evil bastard Flockton is. Rob, do you agree?"

"Yes, sir, I do." The kiss Amanda gave him was all the reward he needed. He was anxious to get her alone. Once he dealt with her foolishness in going with Jimmy, he was going to go down on one knee and formally propose to her. And, when she said yes, he was going to ask her to set the date for as soon as possible. He was anxious to make his ranch house a real home.

Once everyone was locked up, and complaints lodged. Rob told Jimmy to take his wife home and take a couple of days off with pay. He knew that the couple needed time together, just as he and Amanda did.

The rest of them hurried to Doc's to check on the injured men and learned that both of them were recovering. Matt was relieved and spent a few minutes talking to the two. Once he was finished with that, he sent the extra men on back to the ranch and then turned to Rob. "Would you see Mandy home, Rob? I have some business here in town that can't wait."

Rob immediately agreed.

"Do you know what Papa is up to, Rob?" she asked once they were out of Matt's hearing.

"No, I do not, young lady, but you should be more concerned about yourself. I cannot believe you were foolish enough to leave the house with Jimmy after you had been repeatedly warned that Flockton would attempt something of that sort. What were you thinking?" he asked, his tone scolding as could be.

"It was
Jimmy
, and I fell for it, Rob. I know now how foolish I was, but right then I was heartbroken." Her lovely green eyes filled with tears. "I love you."

"I love you, too, and I am going to show you how much when we get back to your house." He frowned. "And do not think I have not noticed that you are wearing those detestable pants again."

Try as she might, Amanda could not refrain from giggling.

"You think this is funny?" Rob was not amused.

"Yes, my darling, I do. I thought you were going to die, and now you are growling at me...? I am so happy I can't keep from giggling." She reached out and he took her hand in his and they rode that way all the way back to the ranch.

Rob asked one of the hands to take their horses, and then they went up to the house. Gloria came running and was delighted to see that her 'Missy' was safe and well. Rob gave them a few minutes to talk and once she was assured that the threat was now over, Gloria said she had work in her garden to tend to.

Rob took Mandy into the parlor and promptly removed her gun belt. He then unfastened her jeans and pushed them down past her knees, and finally, he untied the pink ribbon on her drawers. He deliberately pushed them down, and then gave her bottom a little slap. "Why are you getting this spanking?"

"Because you love me?" She reached out and caressed his unshaven cheek.

Rob suddenly realized that Mandy wasn't fighting or arguing with his decision to turn her over his knee. He nodded. "Yes, I am spanking you because I love you." He gently turned her over his knee and started spanking. The spanks were fairly gentle. "You should have recalled my words and listened to what you were told, young lady."

"Yes, Rob. I should have," she agreed. He continued to spank, and while the swats were stinging a bit, they were nothing like the other spankings he'd given her. He was treating her gently, and she was delighted. "I'm so sorry I frightened you and Papa."

Rob gave her a few more half-hearted spanks, and then stood her up. "Go and put on something pretty and hurry back down here, Amanda. I wish to speak seriously with you."

Amanda leaned forward and kissed him sweetly before pulling up her pants and running out of the parlor and then up the steps to her bedroom. Her heart was smiling and happy, even though her bottom was smarting a bit at the moment. It didn't take her long to change her clothing and fix her hair. She dabbed a bit of her favorite perfume behind her ears and then she hurried downstairs to find Rob pacing he floor in the parlor. He appeared to have the weight of the word on his shoulders. "Rob? What is wrong?" she asked.

"Nothing is wrong," he immediately replied, taking her hand and leading her over to the settee. "Sit down please," he ordered in a gentle tone of voice.

Amanda did as she was told, suddenly nervous. When Rob got down on one knee in front of her she felt her eyes fill with tears of joy.

"Amanda, I love you more than life itself. Would you do me the honor of becoming my wife? I promise to love and cherish you for as long as I live." His dark eyes were filled with love as he gazed at her.

"Oh, Rob! Yes! Of course! Yes, yes I will!"

"As soon as possible?" he begged.

"Yes, as soon as possible!" Rob kissed her then, passionately, and then he swore lightly under his breath! "I left the ring at home!" He looked at Amanda, clearly upset with himself, only to have her laugh and put her arms around him to hug him tightly.