"I'll help you all I can, Rob." Matt suddenly pushed his plate away. "I feel like a jackass right now," he muttered angrily.
"I understand," Rob said softly, getting to his feet and picking up his hat from the sideboard and putting it on his head. "Thanks for dinner, Matt. Keep an eye out, and I will keep you informed if I discover anything."
Matt watched the young man leave and then smiled. Apparently a pie made of soap wasn't enough to turn the Englishman away from his feisty Amanda. He got to his feet and went upstairs. He knocked on his daughter's door and turned the knob and walked right in. Amanda let out a squeal of embarrassment and too late Matt realized that he should have waited for her to give him an invitation to enter. She was in the process of changing her clothing, and was dropping her nightdress over her nude body. Matt got a good look at her bruised backside before the gown hid her from view.
"Papa!" Amanda scolded, humiliated.
"Good God, Mandy!" Matt whispered in shock. "I'm sorry!"
"Ohhhhh!" She stomped her foot in outrage as she put her wrapper over her gown and tied it with angry motions. "Will you please wait for an answer before you barge in on me?" she demanded, her temper flaring. She raised her eyes to look at him, and saw tears in his eyes. "What's wrong, Papa?" she asked, walking over to where he stood staring at her.
"Oh, Mandy, how can you ever forgive me for bruising you like that? I was brutal! You're black and blue!" He reached for her and pulled her close to hug her tightly. "I'm so sorry, baby girl. Papa is so sorry! I'll send for Doc. He'll help you, baby."
"No! Don't you dare send for the Doctor, Papa! I will be fine," she insisted, mortified at the mere thought of her father sending for the Doctor to treat her because of a spanking! "I was already sore when you strapped me... and I had a few marks from when Robert struck me. Besides, what I did was deplorable. I am still smelling and tasting soap," she confessed. "I would safely say I have learned my lesson."
"I meant to give you a lesson, but I didn't mean to go as far as I did, honey. I will never take a belt to you again. You have my word on that," he said firmly. "Goldie was right when she told me a strap was too harsh for a delicate girl. Can you forgive an old fool, Mandy?" he asked so sincerely that Mandy was hard-pressed not to smile.
"Papa, how many times have you forgiven me?" she asked. "Of course I forgive you; you only spanked me because I was horrible, and it was my own fault for acting like a spoiled brat. If I'd served a normal piece of pie I wouldn't have ended up over the table for a strapping. Can we put this behind us now, please?" she asked. "By that I mean, please don't punish me further by asking me to sit at the table right now. I promise you I am not sulking and pouting or trying to punish you for punishing me."
"We'll put some pillows on your chair, Mandy," Matt promised. "And I'll ask Goldie what we can do to make your belly feel better, and if she knows of something to help with the bruises," he added guiltily.
"I already have something for that, Papa," she admitted, blushing. "Please don't be angry. I bruise easily," she told him matter-of-factly. "I wasn't trying to be defiant by asking Goldie for something... It just hurt so much after you spanked me the first time."
"I wish I'd paid attention to that. Your Papa made a big mistake, honey. I'll take better care of you now, I swear to that."
"I feel much better already," she said, smiling at him. "I couldn't bear having you so angry with me. That hurt more than my bottom."
Matt gave her another hug, and he was relieved when she hugged him back. He knew he was forgiven, too. He gave her a kiss on the cheek and told her goodnight before strapping on his gun and going out to hunt rustlers.
Two weeks! Amanda fumed. She had been cooped up for two weeks now, and she didn't like it one little bit! Her Papa was adamant that she not go riding alone, and then said he couldn't spare anyone to go with her. He was staying up most of the night hunting for rustlers and his mood was grouchy as could be. Amanda had seen Robert Thorne twice, and both times he practically ignored her. That did not do one thing to improve her mood. She was going crazy, and she was not going to stay inside this house with nothing to do one more day!
Goldie said nothing as Amanda entered the kitchen, but got up to fix her something to eat. "Where is Papa, Goldie?" Amanda asked, pouring herself some coffee.
"Out already today."
"That tears it," she muttered angrily. Amanda ate her breakfast and thanked the older woman for cooking it. Just as she was ready to leave the kitchen, Goldie spoke.
"Better not do what you're thinking, Missy."
"I'll consider myself duly warned, Goldie." Amanda hurried upstairs and changed her clothing. She remembered her father's scathing remarks about her riding habits, the ones she wore back in Boston, and wondered what he would say now. She grinned as she pulled a pair of denim pants over her drawers. She added a white shirt, which she tucked into the pants, and a jacket that hid her curves from view. She plaited her hair into one braid, and then tucked it under her new hat. She pulled on her boots and then surveyed herself in the mirror. She looked exactly like a young boy, and she doubted her father would recognize her if he spotted her, and that suited Amanda just fine. If he wanted her to dismiss her upbringing, then she would do so.
She took the time to arm herself and then made her way to the barn. The hands were all busy and there was no one there to prevent her from putting a saddle on Glimmer and riding out. Sweet freedom! Amanda felt joy in the simple pleasure of riding her little mare. Unconsciously, or consciously, she headed for Robert Thorne's ranch. All of the rustling incidents had occurred on his ranch, and no one else seemed to be affected. Perhaps she might see something she could report and make herself useful to the investigation, Amanda reasoned. She did not stop to consider that she just might be putting herself at risk. If the rustlers wanted cattle, they certainly wouldn't notice one small woman going for a ride!
"Where is Mandy, Goldie?" Matt asked as he walked into the kitchen. He was agitated and if that fool girl didn't have a damn good excuse for taking her mare out for a ride, he was going to warm her backside.
Goldie shrugged.
"She didn't tell you where she was goin'?" he demanded, wishing for once his housekeeper was more like other women and talked too much!
Goldie looked at him and shook her head no, and the look in her eyes warned him to leave her alone. Matt wasn't a fool. Besides, he had to find his disobedient daughter. He mounted his stallion and went looking for Amanda, three of his men trailing along in case there was trouble. God knows Amanda had a talent for getting in over her head.
Amanda tried and tried to work her hands free of the ropes binding her so she could untie her feet. The men had taken her by surprise and she hadn't been able to get to her gun before one of them swept her from her saddle and held her. Two of them tried to catch Glimmer, but her little mare was fast and she ran for her life. Amanda hoped Glimmer went back to the ranch and caused her Papa to come looking, like the last time she was unseated. Of course, he couldn't come if he wasn't home to know that Glimmer returned without her. She cursed under her breath when the ropes proved stubborn.
"She's seen us; we have no choice but kill her," one man said, his voice low.
"I don't hold with hurting females," another replied.
"The boss said no more killing."
"The boss isn't the one who's going to hang," the first man sneered. "If you two are afraid to do the job, then it falls to me. But I aim to have me some fun first," he told the other two. "You boys can ride on out. I'll make it look good and no one will connect us to her."
"You ain't gonna hurt that girl, Amos."
"You gonna stop me, boy?" Amos asked in a surly voice.
"If I got to, yes." Those were the last words the man would say; Amos shot him between the eyes and he fell over, dead.
"What about you, Striker? You got any objections?" Amos demanded, the meaning behind his words clear.
"Nope. But I ain't having none of it on my conscience, either. You shouldn't of killed off Willie. The boss is going to be mad." He tossed down the piece of grass he'd been chewing on and headed for his horse, half expecting the other man to shoot him in the back. Luckily, he mounted and rode off. But, instead of waiting at the appointed meeting place, Striker kept right on going. He was done with Amos... and with the man behind the rustling and murders. Taking a few cattle was one thing, but killing was something Amos enjoyed too much. Striker felt sorry for the poor girl; she didn't have a chance against Amos, but he wasn't a fool. If he tried to help her he would end up like Willie. He kicked his gelding and rode even faster, trying to put a lot of distance between himself and what was happening back there.