A Headstrong Woman(35)

“I’ve hesitated to bring this up because the sheriff doesn’t have any leads, but I think you need to know. It was the only thing that gave your dad and father-in-law any pause in allowing you to run this place.”

“What’s that?” her arms came around herself. She had the unsettling feeling that whatever he was going to say wasn’t pleasant news.

“I think those men were paid to kill Eli. When they were robbing us and only found a few dollars on us, one of them asked if he should search the wagon. One of the others told him that they were being paid well enough,” Jonathon related.

“Why? Why would someone want Elijah dead?” her voice was full of hurt and confusion.

“The ranch, Alexandria; I don’t want you coming out here unarmed and alone in the dead of night, okay?” he asked and watched her nod. “Good, are you alright?”

“I don’t know,” she admitted.

Jonathon claimed her arm and led her to one of the rockers on the porch.

Alexandria, her thoughts troubled, stared into the dark yard a moment. Who had murdered her husband in cold blood? Who wanted the ranch badly enough to kill an innocent man for it? She closed her eyes a moment and reopened them to find Jonathon squatting in front of her.

“Eli asked me to give you a message. I’d forgotten until this moment. He wanted me to tell you that he was sorry for hurting you; that he did come to love you. He said he heard you crying that first night…it was kind of jumbled but the point was he wanted you to know that he did love you and he was sorry for hurting you,” he related and watched as tears started streaming down her face.

“So he realized it huh? When it was too late and…” Alexandria jumped up and started pacing.

“Go ahead and let it out. I won’t think any less of you,” Jonathon encouraged.

“Do you know how many nights I lay awake wondering why I was so different from other women? Why my dreams of a loving husband and a family were impossible when others weren’t. I was stupid enough to think that I was rescuing him and Lilly.”

“In ways you did, Alexandria.”

“Noble of me huh? I’m sorry; I shouldn’t be burdening you with…”

“I offered. Everyone needs someone to talk to and sometimes it’s harder to talk to those close to us, we don’t want to hurt them.”

“Why are you being so nice? Why do you hang around here and put up with all of this?” she demanded.

“Elijah asked me to promise to look after you and I did. His last thoughts and words were of you.”

Alexandria considered Jonathon’s words. She felt angry, confused, relief…. she shoved the thoughts aside, whatever Jonathon’s reasons for being there, she had an ally and she needed one.

“Mad at me?” he asked.

“No, it explains why you put up with a stupid woman.”

“On the contrary, you are one of the most intelligent women I’ve met,” Jonathon countered.

“I’m sure flattery wasn’t part of the agreement,” she said dryly.

“I don’t flatter. I would think my treatment of your sister would prove that,” he commented.

Alexandria smiled and made a sound that might have been a repressed chuckle. “Thank you, Jonathon. I suppose that I should go get some rest.”

“You’re welcome, Alexandria. I’ll see you in the morning,” Jonathon told her and watched her disappear into the house.

Jonathon leaned against the porch railing for some time. His thoughts strayed from his last days with Emily to his conversation just passed with Alexandria. His life had certainly taken an unexpected turn over the past year. He finally pushed off the railing and started across the yard to the bunkhouse. He had a long day ahead of him on the morrow. Teaching a woman how to use a lasso should prove interesting.





Chapter Nine





Jonathon watched Alexandria swing the lasso in a sloppy circle and shook his head. They were not off to a good start.

“Loosen up!” he called to her.

She shot him an impatient glance and started again.

“We’re having a single’s picnic at church; you should come,” Anna urged Jonathon. Anna and Lilly had taken up post at the fence to watch Alexandria’s progress, if one could call it that.

“Thank you for the invitation, Ms. Cannon, but I’m not interested in a singles picnic. I think I’m a little old for that,” Jonathon responded politely.