Chapter 2

Trey rubbed his eyes as Clayton brought a young lady into his room. Clayton did better on looks this time. The young lady was positively stunning. Her blonde curls hung lose around her shoulders, set off by the light blue dress she wore. Her big blue eyes would be the envy of every woman he had ever met.

“Mr. Shannon, meet Miss Lauren Hilton. Miss Hilton, Mr. Trey Shannon” Clayton introduced.

Trey couldn’t help staring at Lauren, and he forgot to reply.

“Nice to meet you” Lauren held out her hand for an open-palmed handshake.

Trey shook it and gave it a light shake, surprised at her grip.

“Likewise” Trey finally found the words.

There was a moment of silence, in which Trey simply took in Lauren’s appearance. He found only one problem. She was so young. He guessed her to be around seventeen. Sure, she could probably handle Quinn, but Trey knew Mariah wouldn’t have a girl so young in the house with their stable boy around.

Just then, Mariah entered the room.

“Come with me, dear. We’ll talk about this” Mariah took Lauren by the arm and led her out of the room. Trey inwardly scowled at her.

“There goes another one” Clayton sighed.

“You’re getting there, Clayton. Keep heading in that direction, just a little older” Trey winked and grinned.

Clayton pushed his lips into a thin line and turned on his heels to leave the room.

Trey opened the bottom drawer to his desk and took out his small bottle of whiskey. Taking a drink, he stood and walked to the window.

The miles of wasted farmland made him question his line of work. The land had been put to good use when his folks had owned it, now it was just miles and miles of weeds and grass. His five horses put the first field to good use, while the rest just sat, overgrown due the years of neglect.

Trey sighed. One day he was going to restore that land to it’s former glorious state.

*****

After a week of Clayton’s failed attempts of finding a nursemaid, Trey took the man into his study and sat him down.

“I have a question, Clayton” he said.

“Yes, sir?”

“What are you trying to pull? I mean, so far my only two options are a British woman or that old woman who looks like roamed with dinosaurs that you brought in yesterday” Trey took a seat behind his desk.

“I think they are very good choices” Clayton said.

“The old woman looks like she would break her back trying to pick the kid up!” Trey said.

“Well, then I see nothing wrong with Miss Andria” Clayton said.

“Clayton, I want my son to grow up like an American, with an American voice. I won’t have him walking around saying things like ‘poppycock’” Trey feigned a British accent on the last word.

“We’re fast running out of options, Mr. Shannon” Clayton explained.

“I have an idea. Why don’t you bring the woman that you think I would dislike the most, and we’ll see where that goes” Trey suggested.

Clayton didn’t look convinced.

“Very well” he stood and walked out.

*****

Millie used up her last penny for flour at Eli’s store. She felt like crying.

“Have a good day, Miss Millie” Eli smiled.

Millie smiled a fake smile back at the man.

She turned on her heel and walked out, pushing the door open with her hip.

“Excuse me, ma’am” a voice said.

Millie turned around and saw a man there, about in his late forties, with salt and pepper hair and wearing a fine suit. She recognized him from Eli’s store last week.

“Yes?” Millie asked slowly.

“Forgive me for my forwardness, but I understand you are looking for a job?” the man asked.

Millie stared at him. When a strange man walks up to you and, without even giving a name, offers you a job, it was good to be cautious.

“I’m sorry…” Millie tried to imply that she wanted a name.

“Oh, yes. I’m Clayton Jamison. I saw you last week in the general store. You seemed desperate” the man said.

Millie put her head down. The whole town must view her this way.

“Um… I guess one could say that” she never felt easy when talking to strangers.

“Well, ma’am. I’m desperate too. My job depends on finding someone to take this job. I know that sounds confusing and, this is awkward for me too” Clayton said.

“But you don’t even know me” Millie said.

“Neither did I know the other ladies I’ve brought in either. I simply posted an advertisement in the general store and they started answering. My employer is in charge of the ‘get to knowing’” Clayton said. He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a folded up paper. “Here are the details. Please think on it and get back to me. I’ll be in town for a few more days at the hotel”.

Millie took the paper.

“I’ll give it some thought. Thank you, Mr. Jamison” She said.

“Please, call me Clayton. And you are?”

Millie extended her hand. “Millie Williams”.

        Millie sat at the kitchen table and stared at the sheet of paper in front of her. The job she had been offered was nearly too good to be true. The pay was decent, and there was room and board. The only problem was that it was half a day’s ride from Casden, just outside of the county. Was she really willing to sacrifice being away from all she knew and loved?

It wasn’t like she actually had a choice. It was obvious that God had provided her with a job.

“I trust you, Lord. I hope I’m making the right decision”.

*****

Trey carried Quinn down the winding staircase to where Mariah was staring out of the front window.

“Mariah?”

Mariah twisted around quickly. “Clayton’s back”.

“Already? It sure didn’t take him long to find someone I wouldn’t like” Trey smiled. Quinn started bouncing in his arms, so Trey set him on his feet. Watching Quinn walking around and playing with the dog that roamed around the house made Trey smile in pride. The big German Shepherd that Quinn had named “Dog” barked and wagged his tail as the front door opened.

Clayton appeared to have came in alone, buy a glimpse of green behind him told there was someone else with him. She peeked around him, her stature so small she was hidden by Clayton’s muscular build. Her deep, dark red hair fell in curls around her shoulders as a strand or two fell over her brown eyes. The way she bit her lower lip told him of her nervousness.

“Ah, Mr. Shannon. This is Miss Millie Williams” Clayton put his hand on her back and pulled her forward.

Then Trey realized just how small she really was. Her green floor length dress set off her red curls that fell just below the scooped neckline. She dipped in a curtsey, and Trey nodded and smiled at her.

“Miss Millie, this is Trey Shannon… and his son Quinn” Clayton smiled.

Trey felt Quinn clinging to his pant leg at the sight of a stranger as Dog barked.

“Mariah, will you get the dog out of here?” Trey asked.

Mariah pulled Dog by the collar out of the room. Trey bent to pick up Quinn.

“Are you gonna say hi, Quinn?” Trey asked him with a smile.

Quinn shook his head.

“He’s a little shy” Trey said. “Let’s go up to my study”.

*****

Millie followed Clayton and Mr. Shannon up the winding staircase in the fancy Shannon Plantation. The shiny waxed floors were bound to be slippery, so she stepped carefully. Mr. Shannon wasn’t at all like she had expected. He was a big man, tall and ruggedly handsome. He looked like he had done his fair share of work out in sun, sporting a deep tan and broad shoulders. His shock of raven black hair matched his eyes. To Millie, he was severely intimidating, even though his smile softened his features.

The front door of the home opened into the foyer, where a platform sat at the end of the staircase in front, and a doorway off to the left.

Mr. Shannon’s study was nothing short of spectacular. An entire wall was one big bookshelf, filled with books from the ceiling to the floor. The far wall boasted a long oak desk with a leather chair behind it. Up on the wall there was a large portrait of a young family. She found herself intrigued by the family. There was a mother, a father, and a young boy she suspected to be Mr. Shannon.

“So, Miss Williams. Have you had any experience with children?” Mr. Shannon asked, sitting behind his desk, his son in tow.

Um…Yes, sir. I worked for a year at the orphanage back in Casden” Millie explained.

Mr. Shannon’s face turned a lighter shade for a moment as his eyes widened. She figured he must have heard about the murder.

“I see” was all he said.

Millie took a few steps up to the desk where he sat. “The owner wrote a recommendation out for you”. She handed him an envelope.

After he had asked a few more questions, Mr. Shannon sat there contemplating for a moment.

“I’ll tell you what. I’ll give you a week. If I don’t like you, I can fire you. Is that okay with you?” he asked.

Millie nodded.

“You can start whenever you like” Mr. Shannon said.

“I…I have all of my things now” Millie said.

Mr. Shannon looked confused.

“I had high hopes” Millie felt herself blush as she smiled.

“Very well. You can start today”.

“Thank you, Mr. Shannon” Millie said.

“It’s Trey from now on” Mr. Shannon smiled.

*****

After Millie left to get her things, Trey held Clayton back a moment.

“What made you think that I wouldn’t like her?” He asked.

“She was quiet and timid and shy. You don’t typically like people like that, sir” Clayton said.

“I don’t know. Something about this one seems… different” Trey said as he situated Quinn in his arms.

Yes, there was something he felt he needed about Miss Millie Williams