Peppermint Sticks for Susie (7 page)

She put her shawl around her shoulders, grabbed her handbag, and told Alma and Susie goodbye. She was almost to the store when Jeffrey stepped in front of her. He was wearing a frown on his normally handsome face. "Jeffrey, you startled me," Jennifer said. She wasn't happy to see him.

"I wanted to be sure that you are alright, Miss Jenny. I am worried about your soul, permitting a strange man to haul you off the way he did! You should have turned to me for assistance," he stated, clearly upset with her.

"Why would I do that, Jeffrey, when you are the one who created the problem for me? Now excuse me; Mr. MacGregor is probably wondering where I am."

"You might find that you no longer have a job, Miss Jenny," the man told her with a smile that was simply evil.

"Mr. MacGregor isn't as easily fooled as Mrs. Neely, Reverend." She pulled her skirts aside and walked past him and on into the store. "Good morning, Mr. MacGregor," she called out.

"Lassie, I thought for a moment that the Preacher might be right," he admitted.

"Right about what?" she asked.

"He said that you ran away with a stranger in town, and that he was verra worried about you?" Angus' dark eyes looked at her intently.

"The only thing the Preacher is worried about is himself," a deep voice resonated behind Jennifer.

"Alex! Did you forget me?" she asked.

"No. I was mistaken about the time you needed to be here. I apologize, Miss Jenny," he said quietly. "But, I gave you explicit orders to wait for me, didn't I?"

"I couldn't wait or I would have been late!"

"Now you're going to get that switching I've been promising you. I'll be here to take you to lunch..." He turned and left the store, and Jenny heard Angus chuckling.

"I see you've met a mon who loves your fire, lassie!"

Chapter Five

Jennifer looked at Angus in surprise. "You think Alex loves me, Mr. MacGregor? What makes you know that for sure?"

"The way the mon looks at you, lass. Is he the one that the Preacher was talkin' about ye runnin' off with?" he asked directly, and listened intently as Jennifer told the story and what really happened. "I wish I'd been there to see the Preacher take a dunkin' in the lake!" he said with a hearty laugh. "I ken this Alex is a good mon."

"You don't like Jeffrey, either, Mr. MacGregor?" Jennifer wanted to know.

"I've not much use for the mon, Jenny, and now we have a customer. We should get to work."

"Yes, sir," Jenny answered. She needed time to ponder over everything that Mr. MacGregor had said... and she also needed to think about how she could keep Alex from switching her. It really wasn't fair since he was late coming to walk her to work. Alex didn't know Mr. MacGregor as well as she did. Her Scottish boss did not tolerate his employees coming late, unless there was a very good reason. She would have to make Alex understand that she couldn't afford to lose her job, and it was unfair of him to punish her for something that wasn't deliberate. Satisfied with her decision, Jennifer threw herself into her work as she always did. It was a very busy Monday morning and she was shocked to look up and find Alex standing there!

"You go on with your mon, lass. I can manage on me own for a while." Angus seemed only too anxious to send her out the door with Alex, and Jenny decided she was going to have to have a word with him when she came back from lunch later.

Alex took her arm and marched her to the restaurant just a few doors down the street. "I heard the fried chicken is very good here."

"It is. But, it depends on what the special of the day is. You might be better off ordering the special." Jennifer spoke with the wisdom of experience. She had lunch in the restaurant nearly every day... except for Sunday, when she used to eat at the boarding house. Mrs. Neely didn't offer lunch to her boarders... except for Sunday.

They were seated immediately since the waitress recognized Jennifer and knew she needed to get back to work as soon as she finished eating. When one of the cowboys loudly complained that he was there first, Stephanie gave him a look and said, "You're in town for the day to pick up supplies, Buck. Miss Jenny has to get back to the store in a flash. You've got plenty of time."

"Yeah, I do," Buck agreed, then added mournfully, "But I'm hongry, Miss Stephanie!" Everyone in the restaurant laughed, including Buck.

"Someone throw this man a bone to chaw on!" Stephanie called over her shoulder, and there was laughter as another cowboy from a different ranch tossed Buck a biscuit.

"Glad y'all took me at my word," Buck said happily as he promptly took a bite of the biscuit while he waited for the next seat to open up.

"The special today is baked ham, with mashed taters, biscuits, and red-eye gravy," Stephanie leaned down to tell them. "You'd be best to order the fried chicken today, Miss Jenny. That gravy is too salty for my taste!"

"We'll both have fried chicken then, ma'am," Alex spoke up. Stephanie nodded and took off before he could ask for anything else.

Jennifer couldn't help but laugh at the expression on his face. "Don't worry, Alex. Stephanie will bring us what is good. She's been taking care of me every day for lunch for the last few years now... since my folks were killed and I went to work for Mr. MacGregor."

"It's none of my business, but why did you move out of your home? Didn't your parents leave it to you?"

"Papa had a mortgage, and since I was only sixteen, the bank insisted the house be sold to pay off the bank. It sold for a bit more, and after I sold off the furniture, I built up a nice little nest egg. I try very hard to live on the money I earn working for Mr. McGregor, and keep a bit back, too. That was what I had to get out of Mrs. Neely's house before I left. I had a small purse hidden with close to two hundred dollars in it," she whispered.

"Why didn't you put that in the bank, Jenny?"

She shrugged. "Banks are robbed. I have a pretty large account there, but I don't believe in having every cent I own in the same place. And, what if I need some money in a hurry? This way I can just go home and grab it."

"So, you have a large amount in your bedroom at the Beckley's?" Alex demanded. "What if the house burned to the ground?" He was exasperated with her.

"Then I have money in the bank I can fall back on," she said calmly, then smiled at him when he rolled his eyes upward.

"Jenny, if you have that much money, then why are you stealing peppermint sticks for Susie from Angus?" Alex demanded.

"He needs to learn to be more generous; and the mon can afford it!" she said, imitating his brogue. "If he was having troubles with his business, I would pay him. And, I will make sure he is paid from now on. He wasn't interested in the fact that YOU paid for the last ones. He thought I was committing a crime and I needed a lesson with his tawse. You were right when you accused me of being angry that night. I was... and embarrassed, too. I also want to talk to you, Alex."

"I'll hear you out, but I doubt you are going to change my mind. You flat out disobeyed me and earned yourself a switching in the process."

"Shhhhhh!" she whispered, hoping that Stephanie didn't hear what Alex said since she was rushing toward them with a tray of food.

"Now, y'all eat up. I'll bring out pie and coffee later...?" She looked at Alex questioningly. "That's the way Miss Jenny likes hers...?"

Alex looked at the tall glasses of milk the woman brought and nodded happily. "You do it up proud, Miss Stephanie. Thank you kindly."

She smiled at him and then winked at Jennifer. "He's real sweet, sugar. Hang on tight now!"

Jennifer felt her cheeks turn a bright pink, and she noticed that folks were openly staring at her and Alex Martin. Of course, they didn't know he was a U. S. Marshal, sent here to deal with all the rustling that was going on, and thought him a rancher looking to buy and settle down... with her! He would leave soon, and she had to remember that so she didn't get her heart broken.

"You said you wanted to mount your defense, Miss Jenny, so go for it. I'm in a great mood right now since this food is excellent."

Jennifer shook her head, but between bites she said, "What happened this morning was entirely your fault, Alex. I waited until the last possible second to leave; you can ask Alma if you don't believe me. But, when I knew I would be late if I waited any longer, I left and practically ran to get here on time. I didn't see anyone, except Jeffrey, and he had been in the store badmouthing me to Mr. McGregor and told me I didn't have a job anymore. The beast tried to get me fired, but fortunately Mr. McGregor didn't believe him! Anyway, Mr. McGregor cannot abide tardiness, and after Saturday, I didn't want to upset him again so soon. I never believed he would take that tawse to me, but he did, and I don't want that ever again. It was too upsetting to have my employer treat me like he owned me in some way. He isn't a parent... or close to me... not like you are. Does that make sense?" She looked at him hopefully.

"It makes sense, Jenny," he agreed. When she visibly relaxed, he warned, "But it still doesn't change anything, honey. I didn't give you that order to wait for me just on a whim; I gave it to you to keep you safe. I expect to be obeyed, and after work today you are going to get a good switching."

"But, that is so unfair!" she argued and then pouted.

Alex found her adorable, but knew he needed to remain firm. "Eat your food," he bossed. "It's really good." He changed the subject and soon Jenny was giggling and acting like herself. The waitress brought coffee and cherry pie, and when they were finished with the meal, Alex was stuffed. "Now that was good food," he told Stephanie as he paid her for both meals.

"Martha is a good cook.... Most days," Stephanie said quietly. "You don't ever want to order the meatloaf, though," she whispered. "You working this afternoon, Jenny?" she asked the redhead.

"Yes, until close."

"Tell Angus I'm saving a big ole steak for him."

"I'll do that. I'm sure he's starving by now," Jenny said with a big grin,

Alex walked her back to the store, frowning, and wondering if Jenny was going to tell him that she would be alone in the store while Angus was taking his noon meal? If she asked him to stay, then he would forget all about the switching and simply spank her with his hand. If she didn't, he would be cutting a second switch and wearing it out, too.

"How was your lunch, lass?" Angus asked from behind the counter as they walked in.

"Wonderful. Stephanie said to tell you she is saving a big steak just for you."

"I'm on me way. We've been slow all morning, so I sent Gert home, lass," he called as he hurried to go and eat. He was a hungry man.

"Oh," Jenny looked up at Alex. "Mr. McGregor almost never leaves me alone in here, but the bottom line is money with him. I'm sure you don't want me here alone, do you, Alex?" she asked with dread and certainty.

To her absolute surprise, he bent his head down to kiss her tenderly. "I'm proud of you, Jenny. You told me what I needed to know. I'll stay right here until Angus returns. Is there anything I can do to help you out?" he asked, and then grinned when she handed him a feather duster.

"I'll happily put you to work, Alex," she giggled. "All those knick-knacks need dusting."

"What will you be doing?" he asked suspiciously.

"Refolding the shirts that someone went through and messed up, and then making sure the yard goods table is neatened. Those are my normal tasks because Mr. McGregor says I do it better than he does, which is the truth," she said with an impish grin. They set to work, talking across the store. When a customer came in, they ceased talking of private matters and Jenny waited on them.

One farmer came in and urgently needed feed and Jennifer knew she couldn't lift the heavy bag. The man was in a big hurry and Jenny called out, "Alex, could you help me with this?" She explained what she needed and where it was located and he went to find the feed while the farmer ran to the bank across the street.

"Now I've got you all alone, bitch, and you're gonna pay for Mort dyin' like he done! You come with me." Lefty Bridges reached for her with his bandaged hand and Jenny slapped his injured hand with all her strength. He screamed loudly and then took a swing at her with his right hand. Jenny ducked, and ran from him. Lefty knocked things off of the counter to reach for her again, this time with his right hand, which was now holding a knife. "I'll cut you up right here and now, bitch. I don't care who sees you underneath me, neither!"

He slashed at her again, only to scream in frustration as Alex put the bag of feed between his knife and Jennifer. "Drop the knife!" Alex firmly ordered.

"Damn you! Damn you to hell!" Lefty swore at Alex. He knew he was no match for the other man. "She's got to pay!"

"You're the one who is going to pay. Attempted murder should get you at least forty years in the state penitentiary."

"I ain't goin' to no damn prison! Not over no damn woman!"

"Want to bet?" Alex said softly. He put his gun to Lefty's back and said quietly and firmly, "Start walking to jail. I'm sure the Sheriff has a cell all primed and ready for you."

Jennifer was shaking now that the danger was over. The farmer returned and saw the store and his eyes widened in shock. "Miss Jenny, are you alright?" he asked.

"Friend, will you stay with her until I take this one over to the jail?" Alex asked, concerned for Jenny.

"Sure I will," the man promptly answered. "Now, don't you cry, Miss Jenny. You're safe now. Lucky that man was in here with you while Angus is out."

"I'm sorry about your feed," Jennifer stammered. "It's all over the floor, and I know you are in a hurry!"

"Not in so big a hurry I need to rush off while you're scared," the man said softly. When Jennifer started crying, he put his big arms around her and hugged her as he would one of his own daughters.

Angus walked in then and roared, "What be going on here?"

"Calm down, Angus. One of the cowboys came in here and tried to kill her; that new fella in town took him off to the jail. I promised to stay with Miss Jenny until he comes back."