“But that spoiled brat slapped you!” She hissed.
Confused, and apparently sensing anger in the adults, Julia-Rose let out a wail. Nate took Angel’s arm and moved them in the direction of the parade. “We’ll talk later. The baby’s getting upset.”
Angel seethed with anger at the red mark on Nate’s face. The nerve of that woman to strike her husband! She had to draw on all her training as a lady to keep from rushing after her and snatching every strand of red hair out by its roots.
The crowd grew louder as they approached the street. Brightly colored signs from various businesses had been attached to wagons, advertising the goods they offered. Much to the children’s delight, riders on the wagon from the mercantile handed out peppermint sticks as they rode by. Clowns did somersaults and carried horns they blew every once in a while, causing small children to cry and hide under their mother’s skirts.
A group of older gentlemen had formed the official town band, and played loudly, if not in tune, while everyone cheered and encouraged them. Nate put Julia-Rose on his shoulders to give the little girl a better view. From her perch, she clapped and laughed at the antics of the clowns.
When they came closer to her, however, she reached for Angel. “Mama.”
As she soothed the baby, her glance strayed to Lucy, who scowled at her from across the street. Glaring right back, she made a note to talk to Nate about the brat the first time they were alone. She took a deep breath, dismissing her for now, and pointed to something in the parade to distract Julia-Rose’s attention from the clowns.
“Papa, wasn’t that the best parade, ever?” John almost barreled into his father as he raced ahead of his brothers.
“It was sure a fine one, son,” Nate said as the boys surrounded him.
Matt studied the tables loaded with food. “Is it time to eat yet?”
Nate looked from one face to the other. “It appears the ladies are unwrapping the food. I want you all to mind your manners. No pushing or shoving when you get in line.”
Dancing around, anxious to leave, the boys listened to their father’s instructions, and then hurried off to the lengthening group snaking around the picnic area.
“I think I’d like to wait until the queue lessens a bit.” Angel strolled to a large birch tree. She handed Julia-Rose to Nate while she spread out their blanket, then sat and tucked her skirts underneath her legs. Once settled, he passed her the baby, and eased himself down, one long leg stretched out, the other bent, his forearm resting on his knee.
Her gaze skimmed the crowd lightly. “Do you want to tell me about her?”
Nate sighed. “I guess it would be downright stupid for me to ask you who.”
Angel laid Julia-Rose on the blanket and rubbed circles on her back. “Yes, it would.”
Nate grinned. “Lucy is the only daughter of Eli Benson, who owns a good part of this town. Lucy’s mother died in childbirth, so she’s had all her father’s attention and use of his money for years. He’s powerful and rich, and it frustrates a lot of the single women in town that he never sought to replace his dead wife.”
He shifted and stretched out both legs. “I’ve known Lucy since she was a young girl. For some reason, she got it in her head after Amy died that she would make me a suitable wife.”
“I seem to remember you saying there were no candidates for the next Mrs. Hale.”
“She’s a spoiled little girl, and the last person I’d want to marry and raise my children.” He shook his head. “Several months ago, when Eli offered her a trip to Europe, I encouraged her to go.”
Angel drew her knees up, and wrapped her arms around her legs. She fixed her gaze on Nate. “And while she was safely out of the way, you sent for a mail order bride so you were beyond her reach when she returned?” She smirked. “You must have done something to encourage her. She was quite surprised to find you’d married.”
“I never considered her wife material. I sent for a mail order bride because there wasn’t anyone in town I thought would suit. You may have noticed the men outnumber the women here.”
“So you preferred a complete stranger, instead?”
Nate gave her a lopsided grin. “Come here.” He pulled her into his arms, so her back rested on his chest. “And darned lucky with how that turned out.”
She glanced at him over her shoulder. “Oh, yes. Think of all the wonderful meals I’ve prepared, and let’s not forget my prize winning cake sitting in the garbage pail at home.”
He placed his hands on her shoulders and turned her to face him. “You’re terrific with the kids, discovered Mark’s reading problem, try hard to learn, and best of all,” he raised one eyebrow, and bent to whisper in her ear, “you keep me entertained at night.”
Heat started in her stomach and rose to her face. The familiar, bone-melting fire in his eyes and deepening of his voice, caused her to wiggle and squirm. She wiped her forehead with the back of her hand. “Sun’s gotten a lot stronger.”
Lucy Benson watched the exchange between the couple under the birch tree. She was so angry, her hands shook as she grasped her parasol. Never in her life had she been denied something she’d wanted, until now. For as long as she could remember, she’d had her eye on Nathan Hale. Handsome, tall, blond, strong, easygoing, he represented everything she wanted in a husband. She’d always resented that mealy-mouthed Amy he’d married.
She’d bided her time, and when Amy finally died last summer, Lucy made her move. She cried daintily into her lace handkerchief at the woman’s funeral, patted Nate’s arm, and consoled him. During the gathering at the Hale house following the funeral, she’d stood by his side the whole time, seeing to the guests, and acting as hostess. She’d even forced herself to deal with his little brats.
After giving him a reasonable time to grieve, she hinted about him re-marrying. In the beginning she stopped by his house, but the noise and chaos unsettled her. Instead, she visited his shop, managing to arrive at mid-day, oftentimes carrying a basket with food Cook had prepared.