The Devil and Miss Julia Jackson Read online

  Table of Contents

  CHAPTER 1

  CHAPTER 2

  CHAPTER 3

  CHAPTER 4

  CHAPTER 5

  CHAPTER 6

  CHAPTER 7

  CHAPTER 8

  CHAPTER 9

  CHAPTER 10

  CHAPTER 11

  CHAPTER 12

  CHAPTER 13

  CHAPTER 14

  The Devil and Miss Julia Jackson

  By Cheryl Pierson

  The Devil and Miss Julia Jackson

  Copyright© 2017 Cheryl Pierson

  Cover Design Livia Reasoner

  Prairie Rose Publications

  www.prairierosepublications.com

  All rights reserved.

  This is a work of fiction. The characters, incidents, and dialogues are products of the author's imagination and are not to be construed as real.

  No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

  DEDICATION

  A heartfelt thank you to Michelle Reed, whose input has been invaluable! Michelle, your insight into the characters of the story was much appreciated. Thank you for sharing your thoughts with me.

  CHAPTER 1

  The pond was covered with a glaze of ice on this miserable December day. It wasn’t frozen solid—not by a long shot. But…it looked like it could be. Devlin Campbell stared at it, his eyes narrowed against the blast of snow the wind kicked up into his face.

  Probably looked just this way when Heather ventured out on it…

  He shook his head, clearing away the haunting memories. His daughter, gone two years, now. It had been his fault. He’d given her too much freedom. But, she’d known better—

  No. She was just a kid. Didn’t children always believe they were safe? That nothing so horrible—so final—would ever happen to them? Five years old wasn’t really old enough to understand…even though the pond looked solid enough to walk on—it wasn’t.

  Now, his little girl was gone, and her mother had lasted only a few months beyond her death—long enough to give birth to the baby boy she carried and see him through his first half-year. Then, she, too, had passed.

  Dev turned his horse around and skirted the pond in search of another mother and baby—the cow he’d spent the better part of the day searching for—fearing she may be in distress. The calf she carried had been conceived at an odd time, but Daisy had always been contrary.

  That thought brought a smile. Dev would find her, and if he knew Daisy, she and her newborn—if it had been born, yet—would be safe and sound. But with the blizzard moving in, that wouldn’t last long unless he could get them back to the shelter of the barn.

  Tomorrow, the new nursemaid would arrive—Mrs. Julia Jackson. He wrinkled his nose. Julia. Such a stately name. There would be no joy in that one, he was certain. But, at least, he wouldn’t have to hear any more false complaints from Elmer or Pete, or any of the others, about taking their turn caring for baby Jamie. Woman’s work, they said. And, maybe it was. Maybe he should’ve found someone months ago—

  The faint bawling of a cow came to Dev on a blast of icy air.

  “C’mon, Red,” he muttered to the big buckskin he rode. Heather had named him. Red was her favorite color. Dev’s smile was grim at the memory. He should’ve known what Heather’s choice of a name might be.

  But what was done was done. He sighed. “You’re sort of red,” he said, giving the horse a pat on the neck.

  The bawling sounded louder, and then Daisy and her new baby came into view, huddled together by a stand of trees.

  Relief surged in Dev’s chest, and Red picked up the pace to get to them as quickly as possible.

  “Well, you’re a sight, little lady,” Dev told the calf softly as he dismounted and made a quick assessment of mother and baby. “Let’s get y’all home.”

  Dev took his slicker off, turning it inside out, then wrapping the calf in it. He knew Daisy would follow. Swinging up into the saddle, he held the shivering calf close and started back toward the ranch.

  • ♥ •

  Charlie came toward Dev quickly as he rode into the yard close to the barn. Jack opened the barn door and greeted Daisy as Charlie took the calf from Dev’s arms and, without a word, headed toward the relative warmth of the barn.

  Dev dismounted and followed, noting a wagon parked near the side of the structure he didn’t recognize. As he led Red inside, he saw two black horses put up in clean stalls at the far end of the building.

  “Jack?” he questioned, giving a nod toward the animals.

  Jack looked up from where he stood beside Daisy as she settled down with her baby in the straw. “She’s here,” he responded bluntly. “The new nursemaid you hired. She and the little girl.”

  Little girl? There’d been no mention of her having a child. Dev scowled. If he’d known that, he might not have given her the position. He didn’t want to be reminded every waking minute of what he’d lost. Another child was something they didn’t need at the Flying C!

  “Thought they weren’t comin’ ’til tomorrow.” Dev began to loosen the cinch, but Jack came toward him and took over.

  “You best git on inside, Dev. Make the new nursemaid feel at home.” He gave an appreciative nod, then sobered, seeing Dev’s black look. “You could-a done worse. Miss Julia Jackson is one helluva lady, through and through.”

  For some reason, Jack’s reassurance didn’t put Dev at ease.

  • ♥ •

  Julia Jackson held little Jamie Campbell close as he snuggled next to her. And no wonder! Being held by a passel of rank cowboys couldn’t have been as comforting as—well, as being cuddled by a woman.

  Jamie would never know his mother. But, he would know love as long as Julia remained employed here!

  Oh, and what a dear he was! When he had looked up at her with those big chocolate eyes as she took him from the cowboy who was tending him, her heart was lost. She hoped…well, she hoped that she and Lauralee would have a home here forever.

  She allowed herself a brief moment of relaxation, letting her spine touch the back of the settee as she sat holding Jamie.

  What choice did she have in her life? Despair gripped her. She was trapped—a woman past marriageable age with her niece in tow…most men wouldn’t be interested in a twenty-two-year-old spinster who was the sole caregiver for her five-year-old niece. The life of a nursemaid or governess would be all she’d ever have—and she’d be fortunate to enjoy what small comforts that existence might provide.

  She had Lauralee to think of now. She must provide for her as well as she could.

  I hope Mr. Campbell will forgive my deceit in not mentioning Lauralee. Surely, he will. No decent man would expect me to turn my back on my sister’s child.

  “Aunt Julie, I’m hungry,” Lauralee said, breaking into Julia’s thoughts.

  Julia gave her niece a bright smile. “I’m sure Mr. Campbell will be here soon, Laura. Then, I’ll start a good supper—maybe we’ll have breakfast for our meal tonight.”

  “Biscuits?” Lauralee clapped her hands.

  “Well…maybe. We’ll see what Mr. Campbell likes for his supper.”

  “Who wouldn’t like breakfast?”

  Jamie gave a baby-snort as if he completely agreed.

  Julia laughed aloud. “You think we should have a breakfast-supper, Jamie?” She kissed the top of his head.

  The door banged open behind the three, a gust of icy wind howling in before the tall man who’d entered could get it shut.

  Lauralee hugged herself and shivered, then ran to the blazin
g hearth to the warmth. She eyed the man warily as she crouched before the fireplace.

  Julia turned the baby away from the cold, until she heard the door shut behind her.

  “What the devil—” the man bit out savagely.

  When Julia’s gaze shot to his, her heart sank. This must be Mr. Campbell, her employer. And he was bending the fiercest glare she’d ever seen on Lauralee, who cowered by the fireplace.

  • ♥ •

  Julia quickly gathered herself. Over the past few years, she’d had more than her fair share of life-changing surprises. Her parents had been killed in a runaway carriage accident when she was ten. Her older brother, Jerome, and sister, Helena, had tried to hold onto the family’s holdings, but Jerome’s penchant for gambling had ended up landing them all on the street.

  It hadn’t been too much longer before Jerome had been found in an alley with his throat cut—and Helena had had to marry quickly to give herself and Julia a home. Now that Helena was gone, Julia knew she could never be parted from her niece. Helena had provided for Julia when there’d been no one else—now, Julia would keep Lauralee safe from the world—including the likes of the very unpleasant Mr. Devlin Campbell!

  “I assume you are Mr. Campbell?” Julia asked uncertainly, as she stepped toward him, extending one hand. She shifted Jamie to her hip. “I’m Miss Julia Jackson,” she continued primly, “up from Savannah way—your new nursemaid for young Jamie, here. And this—” she stepped to the side as Dev took her hand— “is Miss Lauralee Redmond.”

  Lauralee, it seemed, had recovered, as well. She had risen to her feet, and stood glaring at the man, her hands on her hips.

  He glared right back at her, barely sparing Julia a glance.

  “We’re not the Debbil! You are!” Lauralee said, pointing at him with an accusatory finger.

  Oh, Dear Heavenly Father… Julia’s throat constricted as she stepped forward. They were going to be tossed out into this blizzard for sure! “Lauralee—” Julia began, her heart pounding.

  But silence filled the room as her employer took a step forward, causing Julia to lose her voice completely and forget that she needed to chastise Lauralee for her insolence to an adult.

  Perhaps she’d been too lax on the child during the time Helena had been ill, and subsequently passed. It hadn’t been that long. Just a few months. First, Helena’s much-older husband, Zion Redmond, had taken ill with the influenza. Then, Helena had contracted it. Zion had passed quickly, but Helena had lingered. Julia had taken heart that perhaps her older sister might be spared, but in the end, Helena had passed, as well.

  Mr. Campbell hunkered down on the floor in front of Lauralee, studying her. Jamie kicked and smiled, holding out his arms to his father, but the man ignored his son, watching Lauralee intently.

  “Well…I supposed you might be right about that, Miss Lauralee,” he finally allowed.

  Lauralee took an uncertain step back—but from the defiant thrust of her little chin and the challenging fire in her blue eyes, she wasn’t afraid of him. Julia’s heart clenched. The girl was loyal…so loyal…and so fierce in her defense of Julia.

  Swiftly, the rancher stood to his full, towering height and turned to face Julia once more. Her heart skipped a beat at the serious, sad look in his dark eyes.

  They had not gotten off to the best start.

  She smiled uncertainly as Jamie tried to hurl himself toward his father. “If you want to warm up by the fire, I’ve got fresh coffee made. Jamie’s so glad to see you.”

  But he turned away from her and Jamie with a harshly bitten-off curse, rapidly brushing at his blue shirt before the snow could melt. It was already managing to do a fine job of it from his near proximity to the fire, turning to wet spots on the warm, woolen material. Julia could have sworn he was making a show of brushing off the snow to divert her attention from the scalding greeting he’d give them when he came in. Maybe he regretted it. Maybe he was too proud to say so.

  “Where’s your coat?” Julia asked, surprised that he’d be out in this weather without the protection of outerwear. “You must be frozen—”

  “Coffee would be welcome, Mrs. Jackson. I’d appreciate it.” He finally reached for his son and took him from Julia’s arms without meeting her eyes, and her earlier suspicions were confirmed. He was not a man given to being rude.

  “It’s Miss,” she corrected softly as she turned away to go for the coffee.

  CHAPTER 2

  Miss Julia Jackson was not at all what Dev had expected. The warmth of welcome gleamed in her eyes—and what a thought to have! “Welcome” into his very own home? But it hadn’t seemed like a home for a long time now—not since Heather and Annella had both been taken from him. And, after that greeting he’d given them, he’d probably never see that light in her eyes again. Not that it mattered.

  Most days, it seemed he’d just been going through the motions, more for Jamie’s sake than anything else. And, he’d felt…guilty. He missed his little girl. He longed to hold Heather close one more time; to feel her small arms around his neck, and hear the childish smack of her lips as she kissed his cheek.

  Annella had had a choice. She should’ve fought harder to live for Jamie. And for him.

  It was damn hard to get up every day and heave his butt out of bed to do the same thing over and over again and try to be a good father to Jamie when he came through the door bone-tired. Should’ve hired a nursemaid a lot sooner.

  Maybe he shouldn’t blame Annella for dying—but he did. He couldn’t help but let the bitterness of her departure boil up and over into his everyday life—because that life would’ve been so much easier if he hadn’t had to do every blessed thing by himself. Alone.

  Now, he carried Jamie to the great room from the kitchen doorway and sat down on the settee, close to the fire. Jamie looked at him with somber chocolate eyes, and muttered something that sounded like “da”—but Dev wasn’t sure.

  “He’s trying to talk to you,” Lauralee stated, having followed him. She stood close by, as if to protect Jamie.

  Dev forced himself to smile at her, but she didn’t return it. He found himself at an utter loss as to what to say to her. Every time he looked at her, the reminder of losing his daughter struck deep in his gut.

  “You should at least tell him hello,” she prompted.

  Dev gave Lauralee a perplexed look, then glanced at his son who sat on his lap, staring up at him with adoration. Dev smiled at him, but his grin faded, as he realized, for the first time, how little interaction he truly had with his son. At nearly a year-and-a-half old, Jamie hadn’t been one to speak, crawl, or walk as quickly as Heather had.

  But…Dev hadn’t had the time to spend with him—not like Annella had spent with Heather.

  “Hello, Jamie,” Dev said, bouncing the boy on his knee. “You been settin’ the place on fire today?”

  Just then, Julia re-entered the room with a coffee cup on a saucer. “I wasn’t sure if you liked it black, or with cream and sugar—”

  “Black’s fine. Thanks.” Dev put Jamie on the floor and took the saucer and cup from her. He took a sip, nodding in appreciation. “’S good, Miss Jackson.”

  “Aunt Julie makes a lot of good things,” Lauralee said.

  “Like what?” Dev asked, not really wanting to know. The pair of them most likely wouldn’t last long enough here in Indian Territory for him to get used to any of Miss Jackson’s “good things”. If he remembered right, Miss Jackson was from near Savannah, Georgia. Her manners spoke of a genteel upbringing, and he idly wondered what circumstances had put her into this precarious situation. Not that it really mattered. She’d be out of here soon, he figured. One look at her said she was too fine a lady to be hired help.

  This blizzard was, most likely, the first snowstorm she’d ever seen. Winter promised to be a bear this year, sweeping in early, and with a vengeance. Not for the faint of heart—or those unused to such weather as this.

  Maybe they’ll stay through Christmas…then
I’ll offer them a ticket back home, if they want to go.

  “She makes the best biscuits and pancakes…they’re—uh—melting!” Lauralee bragged.

  At that description, Dev chuckled. “‘Melting’, huh?”

  The little girl nodded vigorously, her blonde curls bouncing.

  Julia said, “Well, in all honesty, I think her praise could be because we’d talked about maybe having breakfast for supper tonight.”

  Dev’s mouth watered at the very thought. A good breakfast was something he never tired of, any time of the day or night.

  “That sounds great,” he said, then quickly added, “but, I’m sure you’re tired from your travels—”

  “Oh, no,” Julia said brightly. “I mean—a little. But I’m looking forward to making a good home-cooked meal for us all.”

  “Anything I can do?” he offered.

  Miss Julia gave him a surprised look. “No, Mr. Campbell, but thank you. Why don’t you rest? And warm up. You made me shiver just thinking of you outside in this weather with no overcoat.”

  Dev shrugged, unable to fight the feeling of enjoyment that her caring brought him—no matter that it was just—well, just the normal, everyday concern that one person would feel for another.

  “Daisy had her calf out in this storm. Fool cow.” He shook his head. “I had to wrap the calf up in my slicker to keep her warm and get her back to the barn safe.”

  “Oh! A calf?” Lauralee looked up from where she sat on the floor playing pat-a-cake with Jamie. “Could I visit her?”

  “Well—sure—” Dev wasn’t certain how to respond. If Lauralee had been his, he’d have bundled her up first thing and taken her to the barn to meet the new calf—but she wasn’t his. He looked to Julia for permission.

  “Laura, let’s wait until tomorrow,” Julia suggested.

  But tears welled in the little girl’s eyes, and Dev stepped in, unthinking. “I won’t let any harm come to her, Miss Jackson. Might make dinner preparation go a mite faster.” He shot her a meaningful glance, and she nodded her agreement.