By Melissa and Lisa
Copyright 2000
“Sidney!”
As Buck’s voice boomed from below, Sidney quickly gave herself the once over in her mirror. That morning, at breakfast, Sidney mentioned that she was going to be going in to town to start picking up supplies for the triplets’ birthday party. Buck, who had already planned to go to town, offered her a ride.
“Sidney!” Buck bellowed again.
“I’m coming, I’m coming!” Sidney called out the window as she turned to walk out of the bedroom. On her way down the stairs she practically collided with Angel, who was on her way up.
“Siddy!” Angel squealed with delight as she grabbed on to Sidney’s skirt. “Are we gonna play?”
“Not now sweetheart…your daddy’s waiting for me to go into town.”
Angel’s eyes lit up. “You and daddy?”
“SIDNEY!”
“Oh dear,” Sidney sighed. “Yes darling, I promise we’ll play when I return, okay?”
Angel smiled and nodded. “Okeee.”
Sidney bent down, kissed the little girl’s head and ran out the front door. “I’m…so…sorry!” She struggled to catch her breath as she apologized to Buck. As she climbed up onto the buckboard, she was met with his annoyed gaze.
“It’s about time.” He told her gruffly. “It’s not like I have all day. I do have work to do.”
Sidney bit her lip. “I already said I was sorry. What more do you want from me?” Sidney could have sworn she saw Buck blush as he turned his face away from hers and pulled on the reins to get the horses moving.
Ten minutes later they pulled up into town. Buck jumped down off the buckboard and walked around to help Sidney down.
Oh, so there does lie a gentleman somewhere deep inside that gruff exterior, she thought to happily to herself. “Will you be accompanying me to the general store?” She asked Buck.
Buck shook his head. “No, I have to see Teaspoon about some things, but I’ll meet you back at the buckboard in say, thirty minutes?”
“Very well.” Sidney nodded, turned away and started walking towards Thompkins’ General Store.
Buck let out a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding. He couldn’t get the image of Sidney naked out of his mind. This is ridiculous, he thought to himself. She works for me…that’s all.
“Buck? Buck, heeeeelloooo?”
Buck turned around and found Teaspoon standing behind him, a curious expression on his face. “Teaspoon, I was just on my way to see you.”
Teaspoon squinted and raised a crooked eyebrow at him. “Oh really? Looked to me like you was gazin’ at a lovely sight, if you know what I mean.”
Buck took a deep breath. “Well Teaspoon, that’s kinda what I wanted to talk to you about.”
Teaspoon grinned. So Rachel was right, he thought happily to himself. “Oh yeah? What do you say we go into my office and talk son?”
Sidney hummed softly to herself and she sorted through various wrapped candies. Buck didn’t allow the children to eat candy on a regular basis, so Sidney decided that she was going to give them each a little bag of sweets as an extra birthday treat. She added the candy to her basket of goods and walked over to the hat display. She was just about to try one on when the front door opened, triggering the chimes to play their melodic tune.
“Why Good Mornin’ Mr. Thompkins!”
Sidney gritted her teeth. She knew that she would forever have the sound of that sugary sweet voice etched in her mind. Quickly ducking behind the display, she crouched down and held her breath. She would do anything to avoid a meeting with Millicent.
“Good morning Miss Pennypacker, Miss Daniels.” Thompkins greeted the young women as they walked into his store.
“Ooh, Teresa! Look at the new hats! I simply must have one.” Millicent squealed as she pulled Teresa Daniels over towards the display.
Sidney ducked down even farther and prayed that she wouldn’t be caught in that embarrassing situation.
“I like this one on you,” Teresa told Millicent, as she adjusted the hat on her friend’s head.
Millicent gazed at her reflection in the mirror on the table. “Mhmm, I agree. Just wait until Buck sees me in this!”
Teresa laughed. “You’re not still planning on pursuing Buck Cross, are you?”
Millicent turned towards her. “Of course I am. Why wouldn’t I?”
“I’ll give you four reasons. His kids.” Teresa held up four fingers and wiggled them in Millicent’s face.
Millicent laughed wickedly. “Oh please. Those brats?” She shook her head and sighed. “They are not the problem. They will be shipped off to boarding school and that will be the end of that.”
Sidney gasped, then covered her mouth quickly. Please don’t let them hear me, she prayed silently.
Teresa raised an eyebrow at her friend. “Does Buck know about this little plan of yours?”
“What do you think I am, stupid? Of course he doesn’t!” Millicent grinned. Once I get Buck to realize that I’m the woman he’s been waiting for and marry me, I will be in control of all that money. Then I can ship the brats off and tell Buck that it’s for the best.”
“And you think that’ll work?”
“I’m positive. As long as I can get rid of that whiney nanny that Buck hired.” Millicent spat out the words, almost as if it disgusted her to speak them.
Sidney growled silently.
“And I suppose you have a plan for that too, don’t you?” Teresa smirked.
“Well, actually, no I don’t.” Millicent took the hat off and turned towards Teresa. “I’m not going to have to do a thing. It’s obvious to everyone that Buck detests that woman’s presence in his house. Once he realizes that he’s in love with me, he’ll see that there’s no need for Miss Bennet anymore.”
The two women laughed and turned to walk out of the store. “Wait, aren’t you going to buy that hat?” Teresa asked.
“Nah, I think I’ll just drop a hint or two around Buck.” Millicent giggled girlishly and walked out. Teresa just laughed and followed.
Sidney jumped up from her hiding place, her face burning with fury. “Why that low down, dirty, scummy rat! I’ve got to find Buck!” she exclaimed as she ran out of the store. That Millicent! She thought angrily to herself.
Chapter Seven
“Millicent?!?”
“Millicent.”
“Millicent?”
Buck sighed. “For the hundredth time, yes, Millicent. Millicent Pennypacker.”
Teaspoon shook his head. This conversation was not taking the turn he had expected. When Buck told him that he was thinking about dating again and asked Teaspoon for some advice, Teaspoon was more than happy to oblige. That is, because he thought that Buck was asking because he was sweet on Sidney. The last thing Teaspoon had expected was for Buck to tell him it was really Millicent!
Suddenly the door was thrown open and Sidney came flying through. “Oh thank goodness Buck, you’re here!” Sidney stopped and held her chest, trying to catch her breath.
Both men were up and out of their chairs in a flash. “Sidney, what’s wrong?” Buck asked, his face a mask of concern. “Did Thompkins say something?”
Sidney shook her head.
Teaspoon put his arm around her. “Miss Bennet, what happened?”
Sidney looked up at Buck, her eyes wide. “It’s Millicent!”
Buck’s eyes widened. “Is something wrong? Did something happen to her?”
Sidney shook her head. “No, no, she’s fine. But you can’t see her anymore!”
Buck’s eyes hardened. “I thought we made an agreement.”
“An agreement?”
Buck nodded. “The night you came back. So far I’ve kept my end of the bargain, now it’s time for you to fulfill yours.”
Sidney shook her head. “But Buck! You don’t understand-“
Buck held up his finger, silently mocking her. “Uh uh. You mind the children. Not me.”
Sidney bit the inside of her cheek. She had to get him to understand!
“Now, will you be returning home soon?” Buck asked her, completely changing the topic.
Sidney took a deep breath. “No. I still haven’t finished my shopping.”
“Fine. I am going to ask Miss Pennypacker to lunch. I can meet you back here in an hour if you’d like.”
Sidney protested. “But-“
Buck turned to her. “No buts.”
Teaspoon felt it was time to intervene. “Buck, why don’t you go on. Either me or Rachel can take Sidney home when she’s ready.”
Sidney turned to Teaspoon. “Are you sure?”
Teaspoon nodded and smiled warmly. “Why, I never pass up the opportunity to spend time with a beautiful woman.”
“Fine. I’ll see you back at the house Sidney. Thanks for your help Teaspoon.” Buck said as he walked out of the office.
“Why that thickheaded oaf!” Sidney exclaimed once the door was closed.
Teaspoon nodded in agreement. “Yeah well, he can be a bit stubborn at times.” He then turned to Sidney. “You want to tell me what’s gotten you so upset?”
Sidney sighed and sat down. “It all started when I was in Thompkins’ store…”
An hour later, Teaspoon and Sidney pulled up in front of the ranch. As Teaspoon was helping Sidney with the packages, Mrs. Collins came running out of the house.
“Let me help ye lass!” Mrs. Collins struggled with Sidney until she let up and allowed her to take the packages.
Sidney laughed. “You’re too sweet Mrs. Collins.”
Mrs. Collins shook her head. “Nonsense child. Now go on inside. The children are just about to eat their lunch.” At the mention of lunch, Sidney’s stomach growled as if on cue. The three adults laughed.
“Well, I do have to get back to the office. I got a town to protect.” Teaspoon said.
“Don’t ye mean a nap to take?” Mrs. Collins asked with a smile as Sidney and Teaspoon laughed again.
“That too.” Teaspoon grinned. He pulled Sidney aside before climbing back on the buckboard. “We’ll talk more about our, er, problem, tomorrow, okay?”
Sidney smiled. It felt good to have a friend. “Thank you Teaspoon.” She watched Teaspoon ride off and then walked inside. She found the children all at the table eating their lunch.
“Come sit next to me Sidney!” Angel cried out happily. Sidney sat down and helped herself to a sandwich as conversation resumed around her.
“Yeah well, I wanna be an Indian.”
“You can’t just be an Indian. There are rules you have to follow. Just ask Dad.”
“Why not?”
Sidney swallowed. “What are you guys talking about?”
Star smiled. She was beginning to accept and even like Sidney. “We’re talking about what we want to be when we grow up. We have to give a speech in school.”
“Oh really?” Sidney smiled. It was great to be able to sit down and talk with the children without having to worry what she was going to end up wearing next. "So, have you all decided what you want to be?”
The children nodded.
“I want to be a doctor so that I can help people and keep people from dying. Like my Mom.” Ike said solemnly.
Sidney reached over and squeezed his hand. “I think that’s a wonderful idea.” She turned to Miguel. “And you?”
Miguel smiled. “I want to be an Indian warrior, like my Uncle Red Bear.”
Ike spoke up. “And I told him he can’t just be one.”
Sidney smiled. “Well, I think you have quite a while to figure out how one goes about becoming an Indian warrior, but it sounds quite exciting!”
Miguel beamed.
Sidney looked at Star. “What about you?”
Star smiled widely. “I want to take over the ranch and be a trick rider like my Mom was.”
Sidney shook her head in amazement. “You all have such wonderful plans! And you know what the best part it?” The children all shook their heads. “I know you’re all going to be the best at what you do,” Sidney told them honestly and smiled warmly. The children all smiled back and continued chattering amongst themselves.
“Siddy?”
Sidney felt a tugging at her elbow and looked down into Angel’s sad eyes. “What’s the matter sweetheart?”
Angel sniffled. “You didn’t ask me what I wanted to be when I was big.”
Sidney smiled and pulled the little girl into her lap. “I’m sorry darling, what do you want to be?”
Angel smiled brightly. “A princess!”
Star giggled. “She remembers that you told her in England they have Kings and Queens, so she figures there must be princesses too.”
Sidney smiled. “Well, umm, Angel…”
Angel looked up at her with innocent eyes.
Sidney hugged her. “I think you’d make a fine princess.”
Angel smiled then jumped down. “Come on Siddy! You promised to play with me when you got home!”
Sidney sighed then smiled again. She had planned on trying to come up with a way to talk to Buck about Millicent, but she guessed that would have to wait until later. She was in for an afternoon full of “ring around the rosy” instead.
On to Chapter Nine
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