Chapter Forty-Two

Audrey stared down at her daughter and smiled. Penelope was sound asleep upon the cot in the room. She had her own room here at Madge's but had insisted that she had to sleep in the same room as her mama and Ance for tonight because she didn't want them to get lonely.

Audrey had curled up in the cot with Penelope and held her until she'd been snoring peacefully. Penelope was all curled up to the doll that Audrey and Ance had gotten back for her. Her big brown eyes had lit up brighter than the sun when she'd seen that ugly, ratty old thing--it made Audrey happy they'd endured those scents and sights to retrieve it.

The door opened behind her and Ance slipped into the room as silently as always. Audrey kissed Penelope's smooth brow, pulled her blankets up to her neck and then stood slowly and stretched out her legs.

"Where have you been?" Audrey teased. "Out sampling what Madge's Irish Paradise has to offer?"

Ance snorted. "You know better than that. I had things to take care of," he replied as he flopped down in the chair beside the fireplace and slid out of his boots.

Audrey was fighting back her smile as she walked to the chair and laid her hand on his shoulder. "You're avoiding me aren't you?"

"Why would I do that?" Ance grumbled without looking at her. He pretended he was too busy examining a hole in his sock but Audrey knew the real reason he wouldn't look her way.

"The same reason that you've avoided being alone with me all day," Audrey stated. "You're scared that I'm going to hurt you."

Ance chuckled. "Woman, I ain't scared of a damn thing in the world. Why would I be scared of a little thing like you?" Audrey crossed her arms over her chest and glared down at him. He glanced up, met her gaze and then sighed. "Okay, yes, I've been avoiding being alone with you. I don't look forward to getting my ass jumped for doing the best I could damn well do."

Audrey sighed and sat herself down upon his lap. Ance's arms snaked around her as she put her hand on his bearded cheek and traced the scar there. "I'm not going to lecture, get mad, yell or complain, Ance. What I am going to do is thank you."

"Thank me?" Ance frowned. "Really?"

"Yes," Audrey kissed him tenderly and laughed at his unhappy frown when she pulled away without letting him deepen the kiss. "I'll admit when I first realized where you'd left Penelope I was angry but it was an anger born of concern for my daughter. I was worried about what types of things she would see, hear and learn while being in a place like this... But now that worry is gone. Penelope is healthy, happy and still quite uneducated in the goings on between men and women. Now, I'm just relieved and a million times thankful for you, Ance. You have saved my daughter and myself so many times.... We would have never made it without you."

Ance shifted in the chair and Audrey knew that her praise was making him uncomfortable. That was too bad because he was going to hear it. The man had spent his whole childhood unloved and his entire adult life so far believing himself unlovable and bad. Audrey was determined that he know he had just as many good qualities and that he was indeed, quite lovable.

"Don't be bragging on me just yet, woman," Ance grumbled. "I ain't got you two home yet. There's still plenty of time for something to go wrong."

"But even if it does, we'll be okay."

Ance chuckled. "If you say so." He frowned as he looked down at her. "I would have swore by that iciness in your voice outside at the steps that you were gonna wring my neck when you got me alone. Why'd you act so damn angry if you weren't?"

Audrey smiled and batted her lashes innocently. "Because it's fun to watch you squirm, Ansel Adams. You know for a big, tough outlaw you sure do scare easy."

Audrey saw the amusement in his eyes. He laughed quietly, hauled her up out of the chair as he stood and carried her to the bed. "I'll show you just how big, bad and scary I can be, whiskey lady."

Audrey felt herself tremble. "I'm not scared of you."

Ance's grin flashed in the darkness as he blew out the light. "You should be," he assured her, just before he descended on her and made all thought impossible.

***

Ance woke early the next morning and felt a smile pulling desperately at the corners of his lips before he even opened his eyes. "What are you doing, Penny?"

"Watching you sleep. Waiting on you to wake up so we can do something together," Penelope replied simply.

Ance opened his eyes and took in the sight of the beautiful girl. A girl he saw as his. A girl he'd do anything for. "What did you have in mind?" he asked her.

She shrugged a shoulder. "I don't know. Maybe we could go for a walk. Mama is still snoring."

Ance glanced over at Audrey and this time the smile couldn't be stopped. She looked as if she were a train wreck victim. Her arms and legs were sprawled in every direction, her hair was a tangled mess and the side of her face was smashed against the pillow as a bit of drool gathered on the fabric. Thankfully they'd had the good sense to put their nightclothes on before they'd gone to sleep--Penelope probably would have had a lot of questions had they not.

"Alright. Let me get up," Ance sighed. He threw off the covers and stood slowly, stretching out his arms and legs as he did. He had to admit that a bed sure felt better than the ground..... He'd never really thought so before. It was strange how things were changing--how he was changing. He now preferred a bed instead of the ground and he didn't much like being alone without Audrey and Penelope by his side.

Ance pulled his trousers and shirt on over his underclothes and slipped on his boots. He grabbed up his hat and gun belt and opened the door for Penelope. "Ladies first."

"You should go first," she countered with a grin. "Age before beauty."

Ance was shaking his head as he stepped out. "Who taught you that?"

"Elsa. She also taught me to always get money upfront. Cuz once a man is done playing games he might leave without paying."

Ance nearly choked on his tongue. He looked down at Penelope as they stepped out the back door and into the morning sunlight. "How about we don't tell your mama about that particular lesson Elsa taught you?"

Penelope frowned. "Why not? It's important for her to know in case she ever plays games with a man."

Ance shook his head and rubbed at his neck. "She ain't the type to play games, Penny, and I'm sure she already probably knows about that rule since it's an old one. We'll just not tell her and if it ever comes up and I think she needs to know, I'll fill her in."

Penelope shrugged. "Okay."

Ance noticed that she wasn't limping nearly as badly today as she had in the past. "Your leg feel good?" he asked.

"Yes," Penelope put out her arms and smiled as the wind whipped her dress. "It doesn't hurt much."

Ance knew it was because she was settled down in a home and not constantly being jostled around on a horse and abusing her leg. Just another reason why Audrey and Penelope wouldn't fit in with the life he'd had before they'd come along.... Could Ance go back to that life if it meant not having them beside him everyday?

"Ance, when are we going to go back to the ranch? I really miss my horses and I miss my kitty and my puppy. Sunshine and Blackie probably miss me too..."

"We'll go back whenever your damn mama says she ready," Ance snapped as he strode to the well and clenched his fists. Damn, why did life have to be so hard? If Penelope and Audrey had never come along he wouldn't feel so torn!!

Ance felt a tiny, soft hand wrap around his pinky and he glanced to the side to see Penelope looking back up at him with a sad smile. "Are you sad, Ance? What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong, Penny," Ance assured her, forcing his bad mood to stay at bay. It wasn't right to take out his frustrations and fears on an innocent girl who wouldn't understand. "You'll have to wait 'til your mama wakes up and talk to her about going back to the ranch. I'm sure she's just as ready to get back as you are."

And Ance had no idea what would happen once he had the women home sweet home.