Peppermint Sticks for Susie by Joannie Kay Read Free Book Online Page A

is not needed. Jennifer is to be my wife, and as her fiance, I will be happy to see to her safety." Alex slapped the reins on the horses flank and they moved off at a fair clip. "Moron!" he muttered under his breath, but Jenny heard him.
    "You don't like Reverend Dixon, do you, Alex?"
    "No, honey, I don't."
    "Because of me? Or is it something else?"
    "You are too intuitive for your own good," he said with a smile as he looked down at her. "Yes, it is something else, too. I don't trust him, and I really do wish you'd go along with the fiance story for now. I don't like that man, and if he is really a preacher, he'll back off now and leave you alone."
    "Where am I going to go, Alex?" she asked, crying as if her heart would break.
    "Now, don't you worry, honey. I'll keep you safe."
    "There aren't any other boarding houses that take in women!"
    "I have an idea, and you will be safe there. Trust me."
    Jenny was shocked when he pulled up at the Beckley home. Alma came to the door almost immediately and looked at them questioningly. "Hello, Miss Jenny," she greeted Jennifer.
    "Hi, Mrs. Beckley. This is my fiance, Alex Martin." The lie slid off her tongue as if it was true.
    "Please come inside. I was ready to fix supper, and you are welcome to stay."
    "Thank you, ma'am. Is there anything at all I can do? We didn't mean to barge in on you right at meal time." Alex felt bad.
    "It's fine. We're having a stew, mostly vegetables from the garden," she replied with a smile. "It's really nice to have guests. I miss getting to talk to people," she admitted, lowering her voice so her husband couldn't hear.
    "Good. We'd like to discuss something with you, and I want to assure you right off that I'm not trying to be insulting. Jenny needs a place to live until we marry. I thought, if you have a room to spare, that you might be willing to let her board with you? We'll pay well," Alex insisted.
    "Lord knows we could use the money, and we do have a spare bedroom. It's small, though," she warned Jenny. Would you let me go and ask Peter?" Alma looked almost relieved at their request. She desperately needed money and had been praying that something would come to her. Renting out the spare bedroom would help so much. She hurried into her bedroom to speak to Peter.
    Jennifer got up and started making biscuits to go with the stew since it was more than obvious that Alma was getting ready to do so. All of a sudden little Susie came flying into the kitchen from the back porch.
    "Ma, I found green onions!" she called out, and then her blue eyes widened when she saw Jenny was in her house. "Miss Jenny!" She dropped the onions on the table and then threw her arms around Jenny to hug her.
    "Oh, Susie! No! Look at Miss Jenny's church dress! You got mud from the garden all over her! I'm so sorry, Miss Jenny," Alma apologized.
    "Don't be. I love this special little girl and I love her hugs." Jenny hugged the child close.
    "I didn't mean to get you dirty, Miss Jenny."
    "I know, and it truly is okay."
    Alex knew he loved the pretty redhead even more in that second. She loved children as much as he did and she would make a wonderful mother. She cared more for a child's feelings than she did for what was probably her best dress. He was so proud of her.
    "Miss Jenny, Peter said it would be nice to have you boarding with us. I don't know what to do next, or how much to charge...? What were you paying Mrs. Neely? Jenny replied, and Alex hurried to cut her off.
    "We will pay you more, of course, Mrs. Beckley."
    "Oh, I don't think that would be fair!" the woman replied, shocked. She'd been willing to settle for less since her house wasn't as fancy as the widow's.
    "Yes, it would be very fair since you are going out of your way to accommodate me." Jenny understood what Alex was doing and she smiled at him. "I always paid Mrs. Neely in advance," she said, nodding at Alex.
    Alex nodded in return, and took money out of his pocket and gave Alma a generous amount. "This will