Page 32 of Her Gentle Protector
“Remember what I said,” she called after them, her voice strained. “Behave, or we’re leaving!”
As she stepped onto the Chapman property, Midge steeled herself for the night ahead. With a deep breath, she followed her siblings into the whirlwind of music and laughter, unsure of what the evening would bring but determined to make the most of it for her family’s sake.
As she took in the lively scene around her, she searched for the familiar sandy-brown hair among the sea of cowboy hats. She couldn’t shake the image of Baxter’s face from her mind. She hadn’t seen him in nearly three weeks, and her heart ached with longing.
“Oh! There’s Rex.” Petunia passed Olive to Midge and took off after the handsome man in the middle of the room. She noticed his eyes opened wide as Petunia hugged him and then twirled, showing him her dress.
Midge’s eyes narrowed as she watched her sister animatedly converse with the handsome stranger. He was tall and broad-shouldered, his deep voice filling the room. Midge couldn’t help but feel a pang of envy as she observed Petunia’s uninhibited gestures and carefree expression. She wished she could be that confident and carefree in social situations, instead of constantly worrying about what others thought of her. But then she shook off the thought and refocused on the present moment. After all, it didn’t matter who this man was to her sister. He was just another brief encounter at a party.
“I’m hungry,” Jenny complained, tugging at Midge’s skirt.
“Let’s go find you something to eat, then.”
“Miriam!” Marmee called her name, waving her over. “Let me hold the little one while you get something. I bet the children are hungry.”
“Are you really cooking a whole pig?” Josiah asked.
Marmee laughed. “Well, we cooked it earlier. You can find all the choice bits on the table over there.”
“Hi. I’m Hart.” A boy around the same age as Josiah came up to them. “Wanna see my frog?” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a slimy creature holding it out to Berry.
“Hart Chapman,” Marmee admonished. “How many times have I told you not to bring those things up here? Take it back to the creek and come get something to eat.”
“I was just showing...” Marmee gave him a look and Ma Hartman hid her face in her hand, trying not to laugh. “Yes, ma’am.” Looking at Josiah, he asked, “Do you want to go with me?”
“I wanna go too,” Berry said.
“Me, too,” Ira said.
“I can show you my puppies when we are done,” Hart said, leaving the barn with a skip and a jump.
“I’m hungry.” Jenny tugged on her skirt again. “Midge. You said I could have something to eat.”
“Let me have Olive,” Marmee insisted, holding her arms out. “You go get something to eat and come back and visit with us.”
“There you are.” A handsome older man with silver hair walked up and placed his hand on Ma Hartman’s shoulders. “I was hoping to get a dance with my best girl.”
Ma looked around. “Why? Is she here?”
“Verna, get off that chair before I put you over my shoulder and carry you to the dance floor.” His eyes twinkled as he spoke to her.
“Oh, Clayton,” Ma Hartman said, her cheeks red. “You know I don’t dance anymore.”
“Well, I’m not taking no for an answer. I saved this dance just for you.” He held out his hand, a charming smile on his face.
Midge couldn’t help but feel a pang of jealousy as she watched Ma Hartman and Clayton move to the dance floor. They looked so happy, so content. She couldn’t remember the last time she had felt that way. As she scanned the crowd, she saw Baxter standing on the edge of the dance floor, his eyes fixed on her. Her heart skipped a beat as their eyes met, and she felt a warm feeling spread through her chest. She felt a sudden urge to run into his arms and never let go.
“Midgeeeeeeee!”
Jenny’s whining brought her out of her thoughts. “I’m sorry, love. Let’s go grab you something to eat.” After making sure Jenny was comfortable next to Marmee with a plate of food, she went back to the table to get plates for her other siblings. As she returned to the table, Petunia appeared again and took hold of her elbow.
“Come on, Midge. I want you to meet someone.”
Before Midge could protest, Petunia dragged her across the dance floor to where the man she called Rex was standing with a long-haired cowboy, and a younger man around Midge’s age. The man with the long blond hair smiled at Midge, his eyes lingering on her for a moment too long.
“This is Rex,” Petunia said. “He’s been teaching me to hunt.”
“Pleasure to meet you, Midge,” he said, extending his hand out for her to shake. “Baxter has told me about you.”
