Dancing with the Devil

Chapter Forty-Two

Chapter Forty-Two

Audrey stared down at her daughter and smiled. Penelope was sound asleep upon the cot in the room. She had her own room here at Madge's but had insisted that she had to sleep in the same room as her mama and Ance for tonight because she didn't want them to get lonely. 

Audrey had curled up in the cot with Penelope and held her until she'd been snoring peacefully. Penelope was all curled up to the doll that Audrey and Ance had gotten back for her. Her big brown eyes had lit up brighter than the sun when she'd seen that ugly, ratty old thing--it made Audrey happy they'd endured those scents and sights to retrieve it. 

The door opened behind her and Ance slipped into the room as silently as always. Audrey kissed Penelope's smooth brow, pulled her blankets up to her neck and then stood slowly and stretched out her legs. 

"Where have you been?" Audrey teased. "Out sampling what Madge's Irish Paradise has to offer?" 

Ance snorted. "You know better than that. I had things to take care of," he replied as he flopped down in the chair beside the fireplace and slid out of his boots. 

Audrey was fighting back her smile as she walked to the chair and laid her hand on his shoulder. "You're avoiding me aren't you?" 

"Why would I do that?" Ance grumbled without looking at her. He pretended he was too busy examining a hole in his sock but Audrey knew the real reason he wouldn't look her way. 

"The same reason that you've avoided being alone with me all day," Audrey stated. "You're scared that I'm going to hurt you." 

Ance chuckled. "Woman, I ain't scared of a damn thing in the world. Why would I be scared of a little thing like you?"  Audrey crossed her arms over her chest and glared down at him. He glanced up, met her gaze and then sighed. "Okay, yes, I've been avoiding being alone with you. I don't look forward to getting my ass jumped for doing the best I could damn well do." 

Audrey sighed and sat herself down upon his lap. Ance's arms snaked around her as she put her hand on his bearded cheek and traced the scar there. "I'm not going to lecture, get mad, yell or complain, Ance. What I am going to do is thank you."

"Thank me?" Ance frowned. "Really?" 

"Yes," Audrey kissed him tenderly and laughed at his unhappy frown when she pulled away without letting him deepen the kiss. "I'll admit when I first realized where you'd left Penelope I was angry but it was an anger born of concern for my daughter. I was worried about what types of things she would see, hear and learn while being in a place like this... But now that worry is gone. Penelope is healthy, happy and still quite uneducated in the goings on between men and women. Now, I'm just relieved and a million times thankful for you, Ance. You have saved my daughter and myself so many times.... We would have never made it without you." 

Ance shifted in the chair and Audrey knew that her praise was making him uncomfortable. That was too bad because he was going to hear it. The man had spent his whole childhood unloved and his entire adult life so far believing himself unlovable and bad. Audrey was determined that he know he had just as many good qualities and that he was indeed, quite lovable. 

"Don't be bragging on me just yet, woman," Ance grumbled. "I ain't got you two home yet. There's still plenty of time for something to go wrong." 

"But even if it does, we'll be okay." 

Ance chuckled. "If you say so." He frowned as he looked down at her. "I would have swore by that iciness in your voice outside at the steps that you were gonna wring my neck when you got me alone. Why'd you act so damn angry if you weren't?"