The Demure Bride(34)

"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.         

     

"We're still engaged, Mister," she whispered, and Rob smiled. He loved this wildly unpredictable woman and he always would.

Matt was delighted with the news waiting for him at home and agreed that  they could have the wedding soon. Amanda and Rob were delighted with  Matt's news, too. Dave was the new Sheriff, and would be marrying Helene  soon and settling down in town. Amanda was almost as happy for her  friend as she was for herself.

The Chambers' home was a whirlwind of confusion and planning for the  next couple of weeks as everyone worked hard to make the wedding happen  and on time. For the most part Amanda's temper was kept in check, but  when she showed signs of exploding all over the place when it was  obvious that the flowers she wanted couldn't be found anywhere in the  area, Rob simply took her aside and planted a few well-placed spanks on  her rounded bottom. It was amazing how quickly her good mood was  restored.

The day of the wedding dawned to be a beautiful day. Amanda was filled  with joy at the knowledge their waiting to be together would end today.  She was happier than she thought she ever could be and all thoughts of  returning to the East were gone forever. Her life was here with the man  she loved.

Rob was delighted that he'd found a bride that was nothing like what  he'd thought he wanted. Amanda certainly wasn't a demure bride, but she  was his bride and he loved her with all his heart. His heart was filled  with pride when Matt walked her down the aisle, a lovely vision in  white. As they spoke their vows, everyone else in the room ceased to be.  They only had eyes for each other. And so, Amanda Chambers became his  demure bride.