“Ma,” Frank said softly. “Take deep breaths and stay calm. She doesn’t want to hurt you. She just wants the food. You need to slowly take the lids off any jars you have in there and then put the basket down and back away from it.”

“Frank, I…”

“Do what he says, Dawn.” Rob’s voice was low behind her. “Once the mama bear has her meal she’ll be content. Just do it slowly and she won’t think you’re threatening her cubs. Frank, you okay?”

“Yes, sir. I’ve been hiding in here. I thought maybe she was gone.”

“Well, she’s probably using one of those caves as her den. She smelled the food your mother brought and came out to investigate.”

The bear had stopped in its tracks, the smaller bears moving forward as their mother sniffed the air.

Dawn slowly reached inside the basket and twisted the lids off the jar of honey and the jar of jam she’d brought. She reached down and put the basket on the ground, making sure that it was uncovered.

“Now,” Rob said. “Come back towards me. Frank, have you laid stuff out?”

“No, sir.”

“Okay. Cody’s coming around the back way. Go back in the cave and grab your stuff. He should be near you when you get back. Get on his horse and go back to the house with him. Your mother and I will be along shortly.”

“No. I’m not leaving my ma.”

“All right,” Rob said. “I can respect that. When you see Cody get on his horse, though. He’ll take off and we’ll meet up with you in the woods. Cody. Do you hear that?”

Cody’s voice was as soft as Rob’s. “Yes, Rob. Come on, Frank, we ain’t got all day.”

Dawn watched her son ease back toward the caves, reappearing moments later with a bedroll and a satchel. He gingerly walked toward Cody, who swung him up behind him and began backing his horse toward the woods.

In the meantime, the mother bear had started to walk toward the basket, sniffing the air around her. When one of her cubs made a beeline for it, she swatted it back and growled. Dawn figured that was bear talk for, ‘let me check, first’.

She took the opportunity to move toward Rob. Her hands shook and her heart felt like it might pop out of her chest.

“Rob, I…” She backed into his chest. The hard feel of his body provided comfort like she’d never felt before. She sighed deeply when he wrapped his arm around her waist.

“Hush. We’ll talk later. Just back up with me. Slowly while the basket’s keeping her attention.”

He held her close while they backed up, his arm tight around her middle.

When they reached the trees she felt more than heard his sigh of relief. Both of them were breathing deeply, their chests rising and falling rapidly.

“I’m sorry.”

“So am I.” They turned toward a sound to see Frank walking gingerly toward them. He stopped inches away and gave his mother a questioning look, as if unsure of his welcome. She held out her hand and he took it.

“We need to head back,” Rob said. “It’ll be full dark in about twenty minutes, which means the last bit of our trip will be tough going. Frank, double up with Cody and I’ll take your mother.”

Frank nodded and headed back the way he’d come.

When he was gone, Dawn and Rob stood still, locked close together.

Finally, she tried to push away, but he wouldn’t let her.

“I’m in trouble, aren’t I?”

“Yes. Big trouble. Morning spankings are going to become a ritual with us, if you’re not careful. And I can guarantee you that this one will be much harder than the one you got this morning.”

The next morning, Dawn woke early and started her chores. When she came back inside from gathering eggs she found Frank sitting at the table. When they came home last night, he’d refused to talk to her, simply slipping off Cody’s horse and heading toward the bunkhouse.

When she’d started to go after him, Rob had pulled her back and told her to let him be for a while.

Now, she stopped in the doorway and stared at him. After a few minutes, she moved into the room.

“Are you hungry?”

“I was serious when I said I wanted to leave here.”

“Why, Frank?”

“I want things to be the way they were.” She could hear sorrow in his voice.

“I know you miss your dad, but he’s not coming back. Leaving here won’t change that.”

Frank snorted. “I know that. But I don’t like the way he looks at you.”

“The way he looks at me, or treats me?”

Frank wheeled on her. “You’ve already had a husband. If you marry him, it would be disrespectful to Pa. That’s why we need to go.”

“Frank, I don’t plan on getting married again. But my life is my life. You can’t control it.”

Dawn could see tears welling in Frank’s eyes. She might be happy that Hank was gone, but she knew it was hard on the boys.

“Frank, you have a little more than a year until you’re seventeen. Stay here until then. Then you can leave if you want. I won’t stop you, although I hope you’ll stay until you’re eighteen.”

“Promise me you won’t marry MacAllister.”

Dawn sighed. Although she had no plans for it, she knew that feelings were growing between the two of them. She could feel it in his looks, in the way that he talked, and in the way he acted around her.

“I’m sorry, Frank. I can’t do that,” she said. “As I said I have no plans for it right now, but you never know what will happen in the future. I won’t make a promise that I can’t keep, because I can’t predict the future.”

“You hated Pa,” Frank said. “He was, and still is, your husband.”

“He is dead,” Dawn said. “I’m sorry that it hurts you to hear that. Please, don’t hate me for still being here and not following your directions, because I won’t.”

Frank glared at her, then he stood and walked out the door without saying another word.

Rob leaned against the wall in the hallway and grinned. He felt bad about eavesdropping on Dawn’s conversation, but he hadn’t done it on purpose. He’d come out of his room and heard her talking to her son.

He’d thought about turning around, but then he’d heard Frank say they had to leave, and he wanted to hear Dawn’s answer. Now, he listened as she told her son that she couldn’t promise not to marry him.

There’s hope yet.

He tiptoed back down the hall, opened the door to his room and then closed it loudly. When he walked into the kitchen, Frank was gone and Dawn was at the counter, mixing batter of some sort.

“Flapjacks?”

“Yes.” She turned to him. “I thought I might bribe you because I know how much you like them.”

“Nice try. See me in your bedroom after breakfast.”

“My bedroom?” He could hear the panic in her voice.

“Yes. It’s quiet and more private than the living room.”

He nodded at her and left the room.

You don’t know it yet, but I’m turning up the heat, Dawn. In more ways than one.

She tried to get the hands to stay around after breakfast, offering more food and more coffee but they’d all politely refused, saying they were full and needed to get to work.

A glance at Rob had shown that he knew why she was stalling. He’d moved his head back and forth to show that her little ruse wasn’t going to work.

She was inside working on the dishes when he came inside.

“You must be the slowest dishwasher on the face of the earth,” he said with a laugh. “Come back to the bedroom, and bring that large wooden spoon you’ve got in your hand.”

Bile rose in her throat as she picked up the spoon. There could be only one reason for taking that back to the bedroom, and that was for the spanking. Once or twice her mother had used a spoon on her when she was growing up. She knew how much it hurt, and she didn’t want to be reminded.

She left the spoon on the counter and hurried back to her room.

Rob was sitting in a rocking chair, calmly looking out the window.

“Listen, I know I shouldn’t have gone after Frank, but that’s no reason to use a spoon on me.”

“I can understand you going after your son,” Rob said, turning to her. “That is a motherly instinct that I’m not going to dispute. What I can’t understand is you lying to me. You promised me that you wouldn’t go after him, and yet you still did it. That’s what the spanking is about.”

Dawn stood in the doorway, trying to come to grips with what he was saying.

“But if you say that going after Frank was a motherly instinct, then you should have known I was going to do it.”

“Yes, I suspected you might do that. That’s why I made you promise not to go. You broke that promise to me.” The silence grew. “Go and get the spoon. Or would you rather I went and cut a switch?”

“No.” Her voice shook at the idea. “Maybe if you’re going to treat me this way I should do what Frank wants. I should take my boys and leave.”

For a moment, she thought he might change his mind. But then he shook his head.

“You won’t do that. You like living here, and whether or not you want to admit it, you like me.”

Despite her fear of the spanking, Dawn grinned. “You’re awfully sure of yourself.”

“Am I? Tell me something, Dawn. Why did you lie to me? Why did you promise me that you wouldn’t go after Frank, that you would let me handle it, then turn around and go into the woods, when it was almost dark?”

“Because Frank is my responsibility. He left because of me, because I wouldn’t get him lemonade.”

“That’s not why Frank left. He left because his life is changing and he doesn’t like it. Change is part of life, though, and you have to learn to deal with it. You’ve dealt with the change. When Hank died you didn’t sit home and let things go bad. You sold the land, and then sought out a job where you heard one was available.”

“But Frank is a child.”

“Frank is almost sixteen years old. He needs to learn that life doesn’t always go the way you want it to go. I know it was hard on him losing his father, but it doesn’t make it any easier by browbeating his mother.”

She looked toward the window.

“Would you like me to tell you what the main change is that Frank sees? It’s a change in you. He doesn’t have control over you, and it drives him crazy.”

“You’re right. You have control over me now.”

“Not like you’re thinking. I’d like for us to have a relationship that goes both ways. I would like for us to respect each other, and care for each other.”

“How can you care for me if you’re willing to spank me with a wooden spoon?”

“Discipline is part of any relationship. You know that.”

When she didn’t answer, he sighed. “Go and get the spoon and come back to me. The sooner we start, the sooner it’s over.”

She wanted to run from him, but at the same time she wanted to show him that she’d heard what he’d said about them having a relationship. She wanted him to know that she felt the same way, and that taking his discipline for lying to him was a huge step for her.

In the kitchen, she took the spoon in her trembling hands. Though she was grateful that he’d chosen the spoon and not a strap of leather, or a switch, she still didn’t want to feel the pain of the spanking.

Once back in the bedroom she gave it to him and he stood.

“Bend over the bed.”

“No, please not that position.”

He looked confused, then nodded.

“Tell me why not.”

“No, I don’t want to tell you. Please, just respect my wishes on that matter.”

“All right. I’ll sit on the bed and you can come across my lap.”

She wasn’t sure she liked that idea any better, but at least she wasn’t in a position that left her feeling totally vulnerable. A position that reminded her of the many times that Hank had taken her and left her feeling used.

After Rob had sat on the bed, she stood next to him and bent over his lap. Her palms were sweating and she fought to keep from crying. She was sure that in a few minutes she would be crying, and it wouldn’t be from fear, it would be from the pain of the spoon coming into contact with her bottom.

Rob lifted her skirts above her waist and rubbed the spoon across her bloomers.

“Since you’ve not fought this, I’m going to spank you over your bloomers today. You’ll still get the effects of the spanking, but it won’t hurt nearly as bad as the bare-bottomed one.”

She nodded, then heard the spoon swoosh through the air before it landed on her behind. She cried out as Rob delivered five swift strokes, each one landing in a different spot and making her wince.

“Stop, stop! I’m sorry I lied and I won’t do it anymore, I promise.”

Rob continued to spank her, each successive swat landing harder.

“How do I know that? You told me that you wouldn’t work on my shirt and you did.”

Ten more swats came down and Dawn began to squirm.

“You told me you wouldn’t go after Frank and you did.”

Five more swats were delivered.

“How do I know that you’re not lying to me again?”

“I’m not, I promise. You have to believe me. Please, Rob. Stop!” She sobbed out the words as the spoon continued to land. She lost count of the number of smacks he delivered, her voice quivering as she begged for him to stop, to believe her, to put the spoon down.

“You do realize that the bear could have torn you apart, to get the food and to protect her cubs.”

“I was just trying to protect my cub.”

The spanking stopped abruptly.

“Perhaps you’re right. But that doesn’t change the fact that it was wrong.”

He landed ten more hard swats on her bottom, five on each side before righting her and pulling her onto his lap.

He held her close while she cried, then kissed the top of her hair.

“Never lie to me again, Dawn. Do I make myself clear?”

“Yes, Rob.”

“Good. The next one won’t be so easy.”

She pushed away from him, a look of dismay on her face. There were still tears rolling down her face, and she felt more hiding behind her eyes.

“You call what just happened easy? It hurt like the dickens.”

“Maybe. But the next one is going to hurt like hell, so behave yourself.”

She wanted to hate him, truly she did, but she just couldn’t bring herself to. After spanking her, he hadn’t tried to kiss her, or paw her, or demand that she service him in any way. Instead, when her crying had ceased, he’d pushed them both to their feet and put his finger under her chin, lifting her eyes to his own.

“Don’t ever lie to me again. If you think you can’t do something that I ask please just tell me and we can discuss it. Do we have an agreement?”

“Yes.”

Now, she was working to get things ready for dinner. She’d spent the afternoon cleaning the house in anticipation of Win and Vanessa coming for dinner tomorrow evening. She wanted to make a special dessert, so she’d decided to open the last of the blueberries that she’d found canned in the cellar.

They would make a great cobbler, and she knew that everyone would enjoy it. She hoped there was enough down there to make some dessert for the hands, too. If not, maybe Rob would be willing to ride into town and see if his brother had any berries for sale at the store.

The mere idea that she could ask him to do that made her realize that the old part of her life was over, and a new chapter was beginning. If she’d asked Hank to go into town, he would have yelled at her for being improperly prepared for whatever event they were hosting.

In this case, she wanted everything to be perfect. When Rob had first invited his brother and sister-in-law she’d been terrified, wondering what she would cook and where she and the boys would eat while Rob ate with his family.

Now she knew that if she suggested that they eat somewhere else, like with the hands in the outer patio, Rob would spank her bottom soundly. Part of her liked that idea, and part of her was terrified by it.

The spanking he’d given her that morning still throbbed, and each time she moved she was grateful that he’d allowed her to keep her bloomers on. It showed a level of respect that she’d never felt before, and it made her feel wonderful, despite the pain of the punishment.

The only sore spot of the day was her morning conversation with Frank. She wondered how her son would react if she and Rob did end up getting married. Not that they were anywhere close to that, but things were moving in the right direction, that was for sure.

Hank had only been dead for eight months, and for her to consider a remarriage went against every custom of mourning. But she didn’t feel like following customs when she’d felt nothing but contempt for the man for so many years.

There were times that she’d considered running from him, but she’d known that she’d never get away with it. He would have found her, and he would have thrown her into the cellar for a week, if not longer.

She put away the last clean dish from lunch and decided that there was no time like the present to see how many jars of berries she could find downstairs. She opened the door and crept down, holding the lamp in front of her and praying that any mice that were down here would run from her.

She needed to talk to Rob about getting a cat. That would help control any pests that might want to take up residence here. He’d said the last housekeeper had kept a cat, but had taken it with her when she’d left.

Maybe that was another thing she would have him pick up when he was in town tomorrow morning.

She knew it wasn’t just the mice, though, that made her dread coming down into the cellar. It was the memories of Hank standing at the top of the stairs, telling her she could come out when he was good and ready. And then shutting her into darkness.

She didn’t have to worry about Rob doing that, she knew, but still, the thoughts were never far from the front of her mind.

Dawn held the lamp up next to the shelves and counted four jars of blueberries. If she were going to make a decent dessert, she would need more. Plus, she needed to make bread in the morning. The two loaves that she’d lost to the bear would hurt them greatly if she didn’t bake another batch tomorrow.

Or maybe she should just do it today. She gathered up a jar of yeast, and a few containers of flour in her arms and was just on her way up the stairs when the backdoor opened. Rob walked inside and ran to take the items from her.

“Making more bread?”

“Yes, since the bear got two loaves.” She returned his grin. “I’d like for you to get some more blueberries from your brother. There’s a few jars downstairs, but I’ll need more to make a cobbler for tomorrow. You should get some more flour and sugar while you’re there, too.”

“I can do that. Anything else you think we might need?”

“No, I think that will do it. I’m going to go downstairs and get the berries, then start on the bread. It might be too warm for it to rise properly, but I still think I might give it a try. If I wait until the morning, the kitchen might still be too hot when your brother gets here.”

“Why don’t you wait until after dinner to make the bread, then, when it’s starting to cool off?”

“That might work. But I’ll be up half the night.”

“That’s okay. I’ve got a terrific way to keep you company.” He moved closer to her and she felt her heart beat faster.

“What’s that?”

“A few good games of chess.”

He headed toward the door. “I’m going into town. If you think we need anything else speak now or forever hold your peace.”

She shook her head and he went outside. The board still nailed to the door reminded her of Frank breaking the window. She needed to remember to pay for it through her wages, if Rob would let her. Something told her that he would tell her not to worry about it, which wasn’t a good thing.

There had to be some way to make sure that Frank paid for it, and not her. He needed to know that there were consequences for his actions, and paying for the window was a big start.

It was after ten that evening by the time the boys left for the bunkhouse. Frank had opted to eat outside with the hands, and Dawn hadn’t pushed the issue. When Anthony and Mark were gone, she planned to ask Rob about making Frank pay for the window.

After it had started to cool off, she’d started baking bread. She was on her fourth loaf, and could probably get two more done tonight. That would hold them for a few days, and she would need to make more on Monday morning.

She’d just switched the pans, putting in the fifth loaf and taking the fourth one from the pan when Rob cleared his throat.

“Hurry up. I’m bored sitting over here.”

“Well, you could help.”

“I could. But the last time I made bread the men hated me for a week. It was truly awful. Kinda like eating rocks.”

Dawn laughed. “I’m not asking you to mix it. Once it’s cool enough I just have to wrap it up in some cloths so that it stays fresh. Can you do that?”

“I can. Leave it a little longer and let’s play another game. You came close to beating me the last time.”

“That’s true, I did. What do I get if I win?”

He leaned back in the chair and looked at her. “How about a kiss?”

Her belly started to flop and she felt like there were a million butterflies inside her. She cleared her throat.

“And if you win?”

“How about…” he thumped his forefinger on his lips and focused on the ceiling. When he turned his eyes back to hers they were dark with desire. “A kiss?”

“Goodness. You have kissing on the brain, Mr. MacAllister.” She turned back toward the counter, then decided the bread could wait and walked toward the table.

“What if I back out of the wager?”

“Then you get a spanking. But I think you already know that.”

“Very well, I accept your wager. Who gets to move first?”

“I do, since I won the last game.”

Their gazes locked and her stomach continued to rumble. She watched with amusement as he moved all his pieces except the king off the board.

Then, he reached across the table and moved her queen, king and rooks into position where his king was surrounded.

“Looks like checkmate to me. You win. Now, where’s my kiss?”