Much Ado About Marshals (Hearts of Owyhee) (2011) by Jacquie Rogers Page B
Authors: Jacquie Rogers
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problems.
“He’s still not awake.” She walked into the kitchen so she wouldn’t have to talk so loud. “I dosed him with laudanum last evening, but he should have awakened by now according to the label.”
Her mother plopped the potato she’d just peeled into the pot and glanced at Daisy. “Was he in pain?” She grabbed the salt shaker from her sister. “I’ll do that. Like Cyrus says, we don’t want to kill a prospective suitor.”
“He hadn’t come to yet,” Daisy went on, ignoring her mother’s battle to keep Aunt Grace from cooking. “But I figured when he did, he’d be in lots of pain and we’d all be in bed, so I gave him a good stiff dose—you know, trickling it down his throat.”
“Daisy Marie Gardner, you didn’t!” She sprinkled salt on the spuds and put the pot on the stove.
“I didn’t mean any harm.”
“I’ll have your father send someone to fetch Doc after we eat.”
“I’ll do it now,” she offered as she inched toward the door.
Her mother brandished a wooden spoon. “You, young woman, will stay right here and entertain my future son-in-law.”
Chapter 7
Daisy finished setting the table, all the while wondering where on earth Sarah was hiding herself. Probably dawdling again. That girl could fool around more than anyone she’d ever met, and managed to be late everywhere she was supposed to go. Daisy pulled the curtain back and peered out the window for the dozenth time. Still no Sarah.
Near panic, Daisy swore silently. She simply could not withstand the onslaught of yet another unwanted courtship without reinforcements. Besides, with Sarah’s beauty, Mr. Dugan would most certainly be drawn to her, and Daisy would be spared. After all, no man in his right mind would prefer Daisy over Sarah, with her blonde curls, womanly curves, and huge blue eyes. Daisy’s own auburn hair and plain looks would work to her advantage, for once.
Someone rapped on the door, and she nearly jumped out of her skin. This Dugan fellow was five minutes early! She checked to make sure her chignon was still slightly askew as her mother nearly flew from the kitchen. “Daisy, go in the sitting room, and I’ll ask our guests to chat a bit before the meal’s on. You’ll have to do the honors because I’m still cooking.”
“Aunt Grace, will you please come and sit with us?”
“No,” her mother answered. “Grace is helping me. Git on with you!”
Daisy sighed, but dutifully took her post in the sitting room. Aunt Grace’s humor would have been a welcome addition. Everyone knew she couldn’t cook a lick, so her mother clearly wanted Daisy to do the flirting stuff.
Knowing the ritual well, she chose to sit in a chair, rather than on the sofa, so that Mr. Ideal Farmboy could not sit next to her. Her remote demeanor had been quite effective on the other prospective grooms her parents had foisted upon her.
But this time she was especially nervous, and she barely had time to blot the beads of dew from her forehead before her unwanted guest entered the room.
And enter, he did. The fellow was big as a moose, and handsome enough to turn the ladies’ heads in any town this side of the Atlantic . She quickly averted her gaze from his strapping body, thick brown hair, and strong jaw in case he noticed and came to the wrong conclusion. She had to wonder why such a specimen as he was actually wife-shopping. Not to worry, though, Sarah would turn his head. Besides, Sarah needed someone other than the nefarious Mr. Flynn to set her cap for. Just where was she?
“Daisy,” her mother announced, “ please meet Mr. Patrick Dugan.” She gave Daisy the mother’s eye that meant don’t make a fool of yourself or you’ll hear from your father . “Mr. Dugan, my daughter, Daisy.”
“How do you do, Miss Gardner?”
Daisy gulped. “Very well, thank you.” Since her mother still watched, she offered her hand, and he kissed it in a courtly way. Yes, Sarah would definitely be smitten by this
“He’s still not awake.” She walked into the kitchen so she wouldn’t have to talk so loud. “I dosed him with laudanum last evening, but he should have awakened by now according to the label.”
Her mother plopped the potato she’d just peeled into the pot and glanced at Daisy. “Was he in pain?” She grabbed the salt shaker from her sister. “I’ll do that. Like Cyrus says, we don’t want to kill a prospective suitor.”
“He hadn’t come to yet,” Daisy went on, ignoring her mother’s battle to keep Aunt Grace from cooking. “But I figured when he did, he’d be in lots of pain and we’d all be in bed, so I gave him a good stiff dose—you know, trickling it down his throat.”
“Daisy Marie Gardner, you didn’t!” She sprinkled salt on the spuds and put the pot on the stove.
“I didn’t mean any harm.”
“I’ll have your father send someone to fetch Doc after we eat.”
“I’ll do it now,” she offered as she inched toward the door.
Her mother brandished a wooden spoon. “You, young woman, will stay right here and entertain my future son-in-law.”
Chapter 7
Daisy finished setting the table, all the while wondering where on earth Sarah was hiding herself. Probably dawdling again. That girl could fool around more than anyone she’d ever met, and managed to be late everywhere she was supposed to go. Daisy pulled the curtain back and peered out the window for the dozenth time. Still no Sarah.
Near panic, Daisy swore silently. She simply could not withstand the onslaught of yet another unwanted courtship without reinforcements. Besides, with Sarah’s beauty, Mr. Dugan would most certainly be drawn to her, and Daisy would be spared. After all, no man in his right mind would prefer Daisy over Sarah, with her blonde curls, womanly curves, and huge blue eyes. Daisy’s own auburn hair and plain looks would work to her advantage, for once.
Someone rapped on the door, and she nearly jumped out of her skin. This Dugan fellow was five minutes early! She checked to make sure her chignon was still slightly askew as her mother nearly flew from the kitchen. “Daisy, go in the sitting room, and I’ll ask our guests to chat a bit before the meal’s on. You’ll have to do the honors because I’m still cooking.”
“Aunt Grace, will you please come and sit with us?”
“No,” her mother answered. “Grace is helping me. Git on with you!”
Daisy sighed, but dutifully took her post in the sitting room. Aunt Grace’s humor would have been a welcome addition. Everyone knew she couldn’t cook a lick, so her mother clearly wanted Daisy to do the flirting stuff.
Knowing the ritual well, she chose to sit in a chair, rather than on the sofa, so that Mr. Ideal Farmboy could not sit next to her. Her remote demeanor had been quite effective on the other prospective grooms her parents had foisted upon her.
But this time she was especially nervous, and she barely had time to blot the beads of dew from her forehead before her unwanted guest entered the room.
And enter, he did. The fellow was big as a moose, and handsome enough to turn the ladies’ heads in any town this side of the Atlantic . She quickly averted her gaze from his strapping body, thick brown hair, and strong jaw in case he noticed and came to the wrong conclusion. She had to wonder why such a specimen as he was actually wife-shopping. Not to worry, though, Sarah would turn his head. Besides, Sarah needed someone other than the nefarious Mr. Flynn to set her cap for. Just where was she?
“Daisy,” her mother announced, “ please meet Mr. Patrick Dugan.” She gave Daisy the mother’s eye that meant don’t make a fool of yourself or you’ll hear from your father . “Mr. Dugan, my daughter, Daisy.”
“How do you do, Miss Gardner?”
Daisy gulped. “Very well, thank you.” Since her mother still watched, she offered her hand, and he kissed it in a courtly way. Yes, Sarah would definitely be smitten by this
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