For the Love of Annie Page 6

  "I done spent over an hour ironin' them clothes, Cooper Matthews. Don't you go and get her all wrinkled," Lizzie admonished. "I done het— up the water and poured your bath. Git on in there and git cleaned up. You don't, you gonna be late for your supper with that lady."

  Cooper set Annie on her feet. "All right, Lizzie. I won't be a minute." He patted Annie's head. "Be a good girl for Papa and try to stay clean until I get bathed and dressed, Okay?"

  Cooper sank gratefully in the tub of hot water and frowned. He was a little nervous about tonight. He'd been more than a little surprised when Miss Markham had asked him to have dinner with her at the hotel. In his thirty— five years he'd never had a woman ask him out to supper. He'd been invited to supper at a lady's home on occasion, but that was when her entire family would be present. But an invitation from a lady for supper in a hotel with only a child to chaperone? Never in all his days.

  Mary Louise was waiting in the hotel lobby when Cooper and Annie arrived. She stood up and clasped her hands to keep from snatching her niece from Cooper the moment they entered the wide front entrance.

  "I hope we didn't keep you waiting," Cooper said and nervously pulled at his tie. "It took me a little longer than I thought it would to get ready."

  Mary Louise smiled. "I've only just come downstairs. Your timing was perfect," she lied, and beamed at Annie. "You look absolutely beautiful this evening, Annie."

  "Ah— nee pincess," Annie replied and pulled at one of the starched ruffles on her pinafore.

  Confused, Mary Louise glanced at Cooper who chuckled and interpreted, "She said she's a princess."

  Mary Louise laughed softly. "I guess that makes you King Cooper?"

  "Only in my daughter's eyes." Then he grinned and offered Mary Louise his free arm. "Shall we go into the dining room?"

  "Why yes, Your Majesty," she replied, and made him laugh when she curtseyed before taking his arm. They found a table near a window and sat down. Cooper quickly got Annie settled in the high chair the hotel provided and to Cooper's relief, Annie behaved like a little lady. In fact, she was so well behaved that several nearby diners commented on the child's good manners.

  "That must make you very proud," Mary Louise said as Cooper sat down after chatting with one of the diners.

  Cooper replaced his napkin in his lap and grinned crookedly. "Yeah, it does. I'm kind of new to this parenting thing so it's always heartening when people compliment Annie's behavior. Of course, I can't take all the credit. Lizzie deserves most of it."

  "You've done a wonderful job with her." Mary Louise lifted her water glass to her lips and looked thoughtful. "Still, Cooper— er,— may I call you, Cooper, Sheriff Matthews?"

  He shrugged. "Sure."

  She smiled. "Good, and I'd like you to call me Mary Louise."

  He nodded. "If you like."

  She smiled at his doubtful expression. "I know it's not considered proper, but I do hate formality between friends, don't you?"

  "Well, I— "

  "Now then, where was I? Oh, yes, we were talking about parenthood. It must have been difficult getting used to being a parent." She gazed at him over the rim of her glass. "I'm sure taking care of a child every night must be terribly confining for a single man."

  Cooper looked at Annie. "I don't mind." He handed Annie a cracker and smiled at her. "Every day she does something amazing— she learns another word, or discovers something new. Since Annie's been in my life, I've begun to see things from a different perspective."

  "Oh? What sort of things."

  He smiled sheepishly. "Well, take bugs for instance."

  Mary Louise wrinkled her nose. "Bugs?"

  "Yeah, Annie loves bugs. I never really paid any attention to bugs before Annie came along. I just thought of them as a nuisance more than anything."

  "And you don't now?"

  "No, at least not all of them. For example, have you ever watched a click beetle?"

  Mary Louise sat back and smiled. "No, I can't say I have."

  "They're fascinating creatures. They jump by snapping their backs. That's what makes the clicking sound. And they can jump high, let me tell you."

  Mary Louise coughed behind her napkin. "I'll try to pay more attention the next time I have the opportunity to observe a click beetle."

  "You think I'm crazy, don't you?"

  She chuckled softly. "No, I don't think you're crazy." Mary Louise noticed that the burnished skin over the sheriff's cheekbones had taken a rosy hue. Was this man actually blushing?

  "I'm sorry." he said, giving a little smile, " I don't suppose bugs is an appropriate topic for dinner conversation."

  Mary Louise laughed, waving her hand in dismissal. "Oh, please, don't apologize. I can't remember the last time a gentleman spoke about anything that interested me nearly as much as your click beetles."

  He lifted a brow. "I find that hard to believe."

  "It's true, honestly. Most of the gentlemen of my acquaintance are terribly boring. All they ever want to talk about is the weather, their racing stock, or the latest crop statistics— all of which, needless to say, are subjects designed to put me to sleep." She took another sip from her water glass. "So, you see, I rather enjoyed your treatise on bugs."

  Cooper laughed. He seemed about to say something else when an elderly woman stepped up to their table. She placed her hand on Cooper's shoulder when he started to rise from his chair.

  "Oh no, please, I don't want to interrupt your supper. I was just remarking to my husband about your lovely family and I had to come over." She smiled at Mary Louise. "My dear, your little girl looks exactly like you."

  Mary Louise bit her lip and shot a quick glance at Cooper as the woman continued to speak. "You are a lucky man, sir. Both your wife and daughter are absolutely beautiful."

  Cooper could only stammer in surprise. The woman smiled with understanding. "Please forgive me for intruding."

  Mary Louise smiled at the woman and spoke before Cooper could respond. "There's nothing to forgive. You were very sweet to come over to say those things. Thank you."

  "Oh, you're quite welcome, my dear." She glanced over her shoulder. "Oh, my," she tittered. "My husband is motioning that he is ready for us to go to our room. We must rise early to catch the train tomorrow. We just stopped over on our way to visit our grandchildren."

  "How nice for you. I hope you have a safe trip."

  "Thank you, my dear." She patted Annie's cheek. "So beautiful," she murmured. "Well, good night."

  "G— good night," Cooper said when he was finally able to choke out a few words.

  When the woman and her husband left the dining room, Mary Louise laughed softly. "I thought your were going to have an attack of apoplexy, Sheriff."

  He chuckled self— consciously. "I guess she did take me by surprise. You handled it well, however."

  "She was sweet. I didn't think it was necessary to embarrass her by telling her we weren't a family."

  Cooper seemed to be studying her. "You know," he said thoughtfully. "There is one thing she said that until now I hadn't realized. Annie does look like you— so much, in fact, that I can't believe I haven't noticed it before. You have the same color hair, and your eyes and Annie's are the same sapphire blue. The likeness is rather astounding."

  Mary Louise hesitated and then, mentally preparing herself for the worst, she drew a deep breath and said, "It's not really so astounding that we look alike. You see, Cooper, Annie is my niece."

  Chapter 6

  "SHE'S WHAT?" Cooper's angry voice carried clear across the room so that the other diners looked around, searching for its origin. Even little Annie gaped at her Papa in surprise.

  "Calm down, please, people are staring."

  "I don't give a damn..." But he paused then, and after covertly glancing around, perceptibly lowered his voice. "Tell me I didn't hear you correctly."

  "It's true. Annie is my niece. She's my brother William's child."

  Cooper glared at her and crossed his ar
ms. "I don't believe you."

  Mary Louise leaned forward and whispered angrily, "Why would I lie about something this important? I'm telling the truth, Cooper. My brother and Marietta Blake were— "

  "Matthews."

  "Excuse me?"

  "Her name was Marietta Matthews. She was my wife, remember?"

  "Yes, of course I remember. But Willie and Marietta...were..."

  "Not married," Cooper finished for her.

  "No, no they weren't married, of course, but...." She blinked rapidly, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment. "However, they did love each other, I'm certain of that. And, I believe they would have married, eventually. But, as it turned out Willie died of yellow fever about a month before Marietta succumbed to it. Willie loved both Marietta and his child. His last words were of his concern for them."

  Cooper glared suspiciously at her. "It's been nearly a year since Marietta and your brother died. Why did you wait so long to come for Annie? If my niece had been suddenly left an orphan, I would have fetched her before my brother's corpse was cold."

  "Because I didn't even know of Annie's existence until Willie lay dying, and when he told me about her he was in the grips of the fever and talking out of his head. He died before he was able to tell me where to find Marietta and the child. I hired a Pinkerton agent right away, but he wasn't able to find them. Finally, I investigated on my own and was able to run down an attorney named Atkinson who told me she'd been placed in your care."

  Cooper frowned. "Why didn't you know about Annie and Marietta before your brother got sick??"

  Mary Louise sighed. "Willie and my father had a falling out a couple of years ago. It all seems so silly now, but at the time...well, you know how it is with fathers and sons. Willie wanted to write novels and Papa wanted him to study law. Finally, one night they had a big argument about it and Willie stormed out of Belle Rive. We later learned he went to Memphis and took rooms in a boarding house. At any rate, he cut himself off from the family— even from me— and I didn't see him for nearly a year and a half. He might have died without my ever seeing him again if a friend hadn't brought him home when he became ill. There was nothing anyone could do for him, of course." Mary Louise bit her lip to hold back tears that threatened to overwhelm her. "The fever kills so quickly."

  Some of Cooper's anger seemed to abate. "You don't have to go on. We can talk about this some other time."

  She shook her head. "No, I want you to understand everything. Just before he died, Willie told me about Marietta and their child. With his last breath he begged me to find them and bring them to Belle Rive to live. He wanted them to be a part of our family. I swore that I would honor his wishes and I've been searching for them ever since."

  "I see."

  "Do you? Do you really understand why finding Willie's child was so important to me?" Mary Louise searched his face, hoping to see some sign that he was softening, but his expression was unreadable.

  He leaned back and studied her as his fingers toyed with the silverware. "So, now that you've found Annie, what do you intend to do?"

  Mary Louise, unable to look at him, looked at her hands instead. "I— I want to take Annie back home with me. I want to raise her at Belle Rive."

  Cooper's eyes glittered with outrage, and Mary Louise thought she detected a hint of fear in them as well. "You're crazy! Do you really think I'm going to sit back and just let you waltz in here and take my little girl just like that?" He snapped his fingers.

  Mary Louise gripped the edge of the table and leaned toward him. "Cooper, she's not your little girl. She's my flesh and blood."

  "And you think that matters to me? I couldn't care less about whose blood flows in her veins. I love her and I don't care if her father were the devil himself! Who sired her doesn't matter. Annie is legally my child and there's nothing you can do about it."

  "But she should be with her real family."

  A vein in his temple bulged as Cooper leaned forward and whispered hoarsely. "I am her real family, damn you! As far as Annie's concerned, I'm her papa. I'm the one who walked the floor with her when she was sick! It was to me that she took her first steps and spoke her first words. I'm the one who's picked her up and kissed her when she hurt herself. And who do you think reads a story before tucking her in bed every, single night?" He pointed a thumb at his chest. "Her Papa, that's who."

  Cooper's voice shook with rage. "You can talk about flesh and blood all you want, Miss Markham, but the most important thing in Annie's life is love— and By— God, she's got plenty of that." Then he stood up and threw several bills on the table. "I think that should cover the cost of Annie's and my supper."

  "Cooper, please, wait..."

  In spite of Mary Louise's pleas, Cooper lifted Annie from the high chair and prepared to leave. But even in his anger, he remembered his manners. "I hope you'll understand and forgive my sudden departure, ma'am." The words were polite, but his tone said he couldn't care less how she felt about it. "Annie, say good— bye to Miss Markham."

  "Bye— bye." Annie waved over his shoulder as Cooper angrily strode from the dining room.

  HE WENT straight to his attorney's home. Eli was having dinner with his family, but he must have noticed Cooper's agitation, for he invited Cooper inside without question. Eli's wife, obviously used to this sort of interruption, offered to take Annie to the kitchen for a cookie so that her husband and Cooper could talk without any distractions.

  "Annie, you be a good girl," Cooper said, as the child went willingly into Darcy Davis' arms. When they were out of sight, Cooper turned to his attorney. "Thanks, Eli, I hate I interrupted your supper, but something's happened and I just couldn't wait until tomorrow to talk with you about it."

  "It's all right, Cooper." Eli led Cooper into a small library at back of the house. While Cooper paced the room, Eli crossed to a liquor cabinet and poured two snifters of brandy. "Here," he said as he handed one to his friend. "Take this and then sit down and tell me what's got you so upset."

  Cooper took the drink and sat down. He took a long swallow of the brandy and then leveled his gaze on Eli. "I just met a woman who claims to be Annie's aunt. She says her brother is Annie's natural father."

  Eli arched a brow. "I see. And does the father want custody of Annie?"

  "He's dead— died of yellow fever during the epidemic that killed Marietta. I'm not worried about him, of course, but what about the woman?" Cooper braced himself. "Does she have any legal claim to Annie?"

  "No. You were married to Annie's mother when the child was born and therefore you're still Annie's legal father. Nothing will change that unless, of course, you want to deny she's yours. If that's the case then— "

  "That's not the case, Eli, I assure you. So you're saying I don't have anything to worry about?"

  "Not a thing."

  Releasing the breath he hadn't known he'd been holding, Cooper sighed. "Thank God. I can't tell you how relieved I am to hear that." He set down his glass and stood up. "Well, I'll let you get back to your supper. Sorry I had to bother you so late."

  "Glad I could reassure you." Eli walked with him to the door and watched as Darcy returned Annie to her father. "How is Lizzie these days?" he asked. "I haven't seen her in a while."

  "About the same. Bossy as ever— you know Lizzie."

  Eli smiled. "That I do. I owe the woman an enormous debt, Cooper. I can't forget that she saved Arabella's life when that snake bit her last summer."

  "I remember. That was a big snake."

  "And if not for Lizzie's quick thinking my daughter would not be safely tucked in her bed tonight." Eli said, shuddering at the thought of what might have been. "I wish she'd let me pay her, or do something show my appreciation. But she won't take anything— not a nickel."

  "Lizzie's proud, Eli."

  "I know." Eli shook his head. "But if she should ever need anything, anything at all— you'll let me know, won't you?"

  "You know I will."

  Cooper's step was lighter a
s he headed for home. He kissed the sleepy child in his arms. "Everything's fine, Annie. You're mine and nobody can take you from me."

  MARY LOUISE paced her hotel room for hours after her altercation with Cooper Matthews. The nerve of the man! He was not the child's father, so why was he being so bull— headed about this? She sighed heavily. She knew why, of course, she had seen the way Cooper looked at Annie and she recognized that look. She should. She's seen the same look of adoration in her own father's eyes.

  Mary Louise groaned. How would she ever convince the stubborn man give up his child? No, she amended, not his child— Willie's child. Annie was Willie's child. She must not forget that. And if Cooper Matthews wouldn't give her up willingly, then she'd have to find another way to get her. She wished Papa were here. If there were a legal way to gain custody of Annie, Papa would know it. But Papa wasn't here, so she'd just have to retain a local solicitor first thing tomorrow.

  PERRY WILCOX, senior partner of Wilcox, Dallas, and Hale, Attorneys at Law, listened quietly as Mary Louise told him of her year— long search for her brother's child, and of her recent confrontation with Sheriff Matthews. "Surely what he said isn't true? Annie can't be legally his, can she?" Mary Louise searched the lawyer's face, hoping to hear him refute Cooper's assertion, but it was not to be.

  "According to the law, Miss Markham, when a couple is married, any child born during that marriage is considered a legal heir," Mr. Wilcox explained. "Now, in a case like this, if Sheriff Matthews wanted to refute the claim and give custody to you, he could give evidence that he and his wife had not seen each other for five years, thereby proving it highly unlikely that the child is his heir. But in this instance the legal father does not wish to refute the claim." He shrugged. "So there you are."

  "But that isn't fair, Mr. Wilcox," Mary Louise argued. "That child is a part of my family— she's my flesh and blood, not his."

  Perry shrugged. "I'm sorry, Miss Markham, but blood has no bearing in the eyes of the law."

  Mary Louise stood up. "I can't accept that."

  "I'm afraid you must. Unless Sheriff Matthews is willing to relinquish his claim, and it appears that he is not, there is no way you can get custody of the child."