The Demure Bride(6)

Rob chuckled out loud, and nudged his stallion to a faster pace. He was  looking forward to the prospect of matching wits with the little  redhead, even if the meal was totally inedible.







"Somethin' sure smells good, girl!"

Matt Chambers came into the house by way of the back porch and the  kitchen, and Amanda knew her father was checking to make sure she was  doing as he ordered, preparing a 'company meal' for one Mr. Robert  Thorne. Her bottom was still very tender from the spanking Matt gave her  on top of the thrashing the despicable Thorne administered yesterday,  and Amanda was careful to smile and say, "I made fried chicken, Papa."

"Well, now, that is real special." Matt nodded proudly. "I'm sure that  Rob is gong to appreciate a good meal. Where's Goldie?" he asked  curiously.

"I gave her the day off to go into town and visit with her sister. She  won't be home until morning," Amanda replied. "She works hard, Papa, and  since you wanted me to do the cooking myself, there was no reason for  her to stay."

"That was real nice of you, Mandy. Goldie is a fine woman, and sometimes  I forget to tell her it's okay to take off now and then." He looked her  over head to toe. "You'd best go change into one of them pretty dresses  you got, honey. You look a bit messy," he said without a bit of tact.         

     



 

"Papa! I've been working!" she scolded, and then added, wrinkling her nose, "And you smell bad!"

"Well, we can't have that, now can we, girl?" he asked, chuckling in  good humor. Matt was pleased to see his feisty daughter's mood was much  improved. If he continued to be firm with her then she would come around  and stop being so darn snooty. The girl needed a husband and she could  do worse than Rob Thorne. He might be a foreigner, but he'd settled here  and he was the kind of man to take a stand and stick to the land. Matt  liked the idea of having his daughter right next door. He wanted  grandkids to spoil.

Matt took the time to clean up well, and when he was finished, he  decided he'd best do some more checking on his hot-tempered girl. Food  could smell real good and be terrible. He was on his way to the kitchen  when there was a polite knock on the front door. He turned to go and  answer it, just as Amanda appeared from the dining room. "I didn't hear  you come down, Papa," she said with a smile.

"I'll get the door, Mandy. Is the food all ready?" he asked.

"It will be in a few minutes. I have some last minute things to do." She  wasn't planning to give her parent one bit of reason to suspect  anything was suspicious. Amanda had no desire to end up over his lap for  another spanking, especially while her bottom was still so tender.  Hopefully he wouldn't discover the soft pillow on her chair at the  dining table, either. She would need it if she had a prayer of sitting  without squirming all through dinner.

"Good of you to come, Rob," she heard her father welcoming her enemy, and put a false smile of greeting on her pretty face.

"Good evening, Miss Chambers," Rob said politely, well aware that the  smile on her face didn't meet her eyes. Her green eyes were issuing him a  challenge and he just knew the food would be terrible. He predicted  that she would serve the courses already plated, and he wondered what he  had let himself in for.

"Good evening, Mr. Thorne. I hope you are hungry? I've made Papa's favorite... fried chicken."

"I love fried chicken," he answered, wondering if he would still want to eat it again after this meal.

"Come on in and have a drink, Rob. Mandy said supper will be finished in  a few minutes," Matt said with a wink. The evening was going very well,  and he was mentally patting himself on the back for settling his girl  down in a big hurry. A bit of firmness was exactly what Mandy had  needed. She went on back to the kitchen while he took their guest into  his study and poured him a drink.

"How are things on your spread?" Matt asked.

"Doing well, although I seem to have misplaced a few head of cattle," Rob answered.

"Rustlers?" Matt was immediately alert.

"I am not sure if it is that, or if a couple of my hands decided to turn  a quick profit for themselves at my expense. I am keeping my eyes  open."

"Did you see the Sheriff?"

"Yes. He is investigating quietly. I do not want to tip off the guilty person or persons," Rob explained.

"I'll keep my eyes open and if I see anything, I'll let you know, Rob. And if you need my help, I expect you to let me know."

"Thank you, Matt." Rob knew his neighbor was a good man to turn to if he  needed help, and he seriously appreciated the offer. It wouldn't have  been extended if Matt Chambers didn't like him.

They discussed a few other things and Amanda came into the room and  waited until her father finished speaking before saying, "Papa, I have  dinner on the table."

"Good. I am hungry," Matt said enthusiastically. "I hope you are, too, Matt.?"

"Working on a ranch gives one a healthy appetite," Rob agreed.

"Mandy is a great cook."

Rob was surprised when he saw the food was served family style, the  fried chicken was arranged on a platter, and there were mashed potatoes,  chicken gravy, and green beans in bowls, and there were sliced  tomatoes, and biscuits. It looked and smelled wonderful, and if the food  was served to Matt, too, then Rob was fairly certain it was safe to  eat. Not even Amanda, as spoiled as she was, would dare sabotage her  father's food. He helped himself and actually enjoyed his meal.

Amanda spoke when spoken to, but she mostly sat back and enjoyed  listening to the men talk. Robert Thorne was starting to feel a false  sense of security and her plan was working well. She waited until they  were finished eating and then smiled sweetly, "I certainly hope you  saved room for a piece of apple pie."

"Now that sounds good, honey!" Matt was delighted.

Rob put a smile on his face, and wondered how the older man could fail  to see his bratty daughter was up to something. Amanda had been very  quiet throughout the entire dinner, but her green eyes were silently  laughing and waiting in anticipation. Yes, the redhead was up to  something, and Matt did not have the first clue.         

     



 

Amanda tried not to giggle as she cut the pieces of pie. Two from one  pie, and one from another pie. She made sure she kept the special piece  in her right hand, and the other two in her left. She served Robert  Thorne first, and her father and herself last. She took her seat once  again, and Robert looked at her and asked with a smile, "Miss Chambers,  might I trouble you for another cup of coffee?"

"I'd like another cup, too, Mandy," Matt agreed with Rob, and Mandy got  to her feet to go to the kitchen and fetch the pot from the back of the  stove where she was keeping it warm.

While she was in the kitchen, Rob took his plate and exchanged it with  hers. Matt looked at him in surprise, but Rob whispered, "Your daughter  is devious. If nothing at all happens, I will apologize."

"Yes, you surely will!" Matt was offended, but decided to keep his mouth  shut and not say anything that would spoil the evening for Mandy. She'd  worked so hard on making a good supper, and he didn't want her feelings  hurt. He could always punch his young neighbor in the nose later...  when his little girl wouldn't get her feelings hurt.

Both men waited until Mandy returned and filled their coffee cups before  starting to eat their pie. She smiled sweetly at Robert Thorne,  watching his reaction to his pie. When he said, "This is most delicious,  Miss Chambers," she nodded coolly, absently taking a bite from her own  piece of pie. Her reaction was immediate. The pie was terrible! Somehow  she'd switched the pieces of pie! She started coughing, and her green  eyes filled with tears. "Is something wrong?" Robert Thorne asked in  amusement.

"No, of course not!" she immediately replied, catching the glimpse of  disbelief and anger on her parent's face. She was not going to suffer  the indignity of another spanking!

"Are you sure?" Rob asked again. "My pie is delicious," he commented, taking another bite.

"I'm just not hungry. I ate too much chicken," she lied.

"Girl, what did you do to that pie?" Matt asked.

"Nothing, Papa!" Amanda lied again.

"I ain't stupid, girl. You tell me the truth right now, or you're goin'  to sit right there and eat every last bite." Matt's own temper was  showing. "You're about this close to another tannin', girl!" he  threatened, holding his thumb and forefinger a scant inch apart.

"Papa! Why are you being so mean to me?" Amanda asked tearfully. "Don't you like your pie?"

"My pie is fine, but Rob was smart enough to switch his with yours. If I  taste it, what am I going to find? Salt instead of sugar?"

"No, of course not! Papa, what has gotten into you? There is nothing wrong with my pie."