A Headstrong Woman(57)

“Alexandria, are you falling asleep?” Jonathon asked. His chuckle echoed in his chest under Alexandria’s ear. Alexandria leaned back and blinked at him. Jonathon smiled down at her. “Come on, let’s get you to the house, you need a meal and rest,” he grabbed her hat and then swung her into his arms. Alexandria didn’t protest; she wasn’t certain she could have put one foot in front of the other if she had tried.

Jonathon set her down, swung into Ravens’ saddle, and reached for Alexandria. She accepted his help up. She didn’t stop to question why she wasn’t riding her own horse. Jonathon situated her sideways, and covered her with the blanket from his roll to keep her mostly warm and dry.

“Hold on to me so you don’t fall,” Jonathon ordered. Alexandria obeyed and laid her head against his shoulder as they started for the house.

“You’ve got to slow down, Alexandria. You’re taking on too much,” Jonathon told her. Alexandria didn’t respond. Jonathon frowned as he sorted through numbers and dates in his head.

“Alexandria, when were you married?”

“A year ago today.”

“Why didn’t you tell me, Alexandria? You could have stayed home today instead of…”

“I didn’t want all day to think and brood on it. What’s done is done,” she said quietly.

As soon as they reached the house, Jonathon swung down from the saddle and reached for Alexandria and placed her on her feet. He led her into the house.

“What happened?” Anna asked as she came to the door of the kitchen and took in her sister’s pale face.

“We had a rough day,” Jonathon answered before turning to Alexandria. “Go change into some dry clothes,” Jonathon ordered.

With stiff, awkward steps she moved to obey. The steps seemed steeper than usual as she climbed to her room and opened the door. Inside, she stripped and stood shivering a moment before pulling on her underclothes and a light green flannel dress, with cream-colored flowers scattered across it. It was the warmest dress she owned and she refused to wear her mourning clothes this afternoon. She needed cheering and her widow’s weeds would be anything but cheerful.

She sat down at the dressing table and loosened her braid to brush through her thick, wet tresses. Her hair needed to dry. Alexandria reached for a green ribbon and tied her hair off her face and left it hanging down her back in loose curls. Alexandria studied her face. She looked young; she didn’t feel young. Wide, sad eyes stared back her; she wasn’t certain that she recognized the woman in the mirror. Alexandria shook herself and stood. There were people waiting on her.

She entered the kitchen for Jonathon to place her in a chair by the fire.

“I need to help with dinner,” she attempted to stand. Jonathon handed her a bowl, potatoes, and a knife. Alexandria stared at the items a moment before smiling.

“Thank you,” she started peeling.

“How are things going out on the range?” Anna asked her sister.

“More cattle are missing,” Alexandria answered “and…we watched a calf drown, it was stuck in the stream and the water was rising too rapidly.”

“That well then? Alexandria, I don’t want to make you mad, but are you sure you want to stay?”

“Yes,” Alexandria answered without looking up from her work. Jonathon surveyed her, sitting as she was; the fire cast a glow over her and showed off her beautiful high cheekbones, straight nose, and full lips. She put up a good front he mused, but he had seen behind her façade to the delicate person underneath.

Alexandria looked up from under thick lashes and frowned at Jonathon.

“Are you okay?” she asked him. Her eyes were a perfect contrast to her dark hair and pale skin. Some women were everyday beauties, like Anna. Alexandria was a rare beauty, unique, he acknowledged to himself.

“I’m fine,” he assured her and tore his gaze from hers to find Anna watching him curiously. Jonathon turned his attention to Lilly.

Anna wasn’t certain what had just happened, but she had the feeling that something had and it bothered her.

***



Alexandria gasped as lightening forked across the green sky. She was huddled in the corner; someone was coming up the stairs for her. In the distance the calf was bawling and her sister’s words from earlier in the evening rang in her ear: “You two sure are getting cozy these days, Lexie.” Alexandria sat upright in the bed and searched the room for the images and sounds that had been plaguing her. All was quiet, she had been dreaming. Alexandria pushed hair from her face with a shaking hand and threw aside her twisted covers. After the dreams she had been having, she had no desire to go back to sleep. She pulled on the dress she had been wearing before bed, slipped on her shoes and a sweater, and crept down the stairs and into the yard.