WANTED

Chapter Seventeen

Nickolas never thought he'd be excited to go dress shopping, but the smile on Elizabeth's face when they stepped through the doors sent his mind on fire. What style would she prefer, what colors would bring out her eyes?
"Good morning, folks. What can I do for you?" Marry Ellen gave a fake smile and looked Elizabeth up and down.
Nickolas chose to ignore the snooty woman. "We need a few new dresses, but first some measurements."
"Of course, right this way." She led Elizabeth behind a curtain, and Nickolas began browsing. He found a cream colored two pice he thought would complement her red hair, a simple light blue dress for every day, and a nice sage green.
The ladies returned before he could browse more, and Elizabeth looked perfectly miserable. What did Marry Ellen say to her? Nickolas slipped his arm around Elizabeth's waist. "You okay?" He whispered so only she could hear. She nodded but kept her head low and her eyes on her shoes. "Why don't you go pick out a few more dresses?" He kissed her head and released her.
Marry Ellen gave her best fake smile as Nickolas approached her at the counter. He placed the dresses on the counter. "Do you have these in her size?"
"I don't have anything in her size." She turned up her nose, eyeing Elizabeth, who was busy looking through the merchandise.
"Then I'll need you to take these in." Nickolas was very matter if fact, he knew Marry Ellen was a snob but he never expected her to be so openly rude to a customer. "My wife will also need two night dresses and four sets of undergarments. All tailored to her measurements, of course."
"Of course." Marry Ellen repeated with obvious displeasure.

Elizabeth picked two more dresses, and they started home. "You wanna talk about what happened back there?"
"Where?" Elizabeth still hadn't looked up from her feet.
"You know where." He admonished. "You were excited until you went into the dressing room. When you came out you were completely different."
"I-im sorry."
"I'm not mad, sweetheart, I just want to know what happened. Was Marry Ellen rude to you?"
Elizabeth nodded but didn't say a word.

Marry Ellen was the towns biggest gossip. The woman had an opinion about everything and everyone and she wasn't ashamed to tell the world either. Nickolas hated to think what vicious things she had to say about Elizabeth.
They pulled up to the ranch and Marcus, Nickolas' foreman, met them at the barn.
"Have a nice trip?" He said with a smile.
"For the most part. We saw Miss Marry Ellen."
"Ah." Marcus knew all about the notorious gossip. "Howdy missus Tate. It's nice to finally meet you." He tipped his hat to Elizabeth, letting the Marry Ellen subject die.
"Elizabeth, this is Marcus. If your ever in any trouble and I'm not around, you find Mark, I made him foreman for a reason. He's a good man and a good friend, you can trust him."
"Nice to meet you." Elizabeth gave a tiny smile.
"I've got the monthly supplies in the wagon."
"I'll get the boys on it. What's this crate here?" He gestured to the large crate at the end of the wagon bed.
"That one goes to the house. Feel like giving me a hand?" Nickolas jumped down and reached for Elizabeth. Holding her tiny waist as he lifted her from the wagon he wondered again what that vicious gossip said to hurt her.