The McEllis Boys

Chapter Twenty-Six

Chapter Twenty-Six

Andrew began to stir on the swing when he heard a car door slam but then the loud boom of a shot gun being fired had him leaping from the swing, throwing a startled Bethany behind him and pulling his revolver.

Through blurry, sleep filled eyes he realized that it was Silas standing there in the drive with his gun pointed straight at Andrew's chest, "Bethany, get on down here now." Silas growled.

Ian and Cavanaugh both came bursting from the house with their own guns drawn and Silas shook his head. "This don't concern neither of you," he stated.

"Papaw, what are you doing?" Bethany exclaimed as she tried to come around Andrew but he kept her held in place firmly with his arm.

"I should ask you the same question, girl!" Silas exclaimed.

Nicole came onto the porch then and Cavanaugh noticed that she too had a gun. A rifle of some sort. He couldn't help but smile. She certainly wasn't a helpless damsel that was for sure.

"Papaw, nothing happened. I just came to talk to Andrew is all and we fell asleep on the swing."

"You're gonna come with me now, girl, and you ain't never gonna see that boy again," Silas ordered.

Nicole stepped forward, lowering her gun, though Cavanaugh didn't relax his own. Nicole might trust Silas but the fact remained that the man had a shot gun and he seemed damn angry enough to use it. It would be a cold day in hell before Cavanaugh let him use it on her.

"Uncle Silas, calm down and put the gun away," Nicole urged soothingly and Silas seemed to think hard about the request for several moments before holstering the shotgun.

"Papaw, I don't want to leave just yet," Bethany added, trying hard to get enough courage to face down her papaw and speak her mind. Both were things she had no experience in doing.

"You're leaving," Silas countered.

Bethany finally managed to push past Andrew and came to a stop on the porch steps, "Papaw, I'm a grown woman now," she reminded him.

He snorted as yanked off his baseball cap, "I failed with your mama, girl, but I won't fail with you. That boy won't do nothing but ruin your life."

"Andrew ain't that bad," Ian countered. "He might make her a bit of a nervous wreck but I don't think he'd actually ruin anything."

"Not helping," Nicole stated through clenched teeth and Ian grinned.

"Papaw, I care about Andrew. I can make my own decisions."

"He can't support you. Hell he ain't even from this time! He can't get a job or take care of you! You need to go to college and marry a man who can give you security."

"I'll take care of her just fine," Andrew countered, growing angry as he holstered his gun.

"How?" Silas demanded and Andrew remained silent because he didn't have an answer right off hand. "Now come on, Bethany."

"No," Bethany replied.

Silas's face turned nearly purple with his anger, "You either come with me now or I'll wash my hands of you," he threatened.

"Uncle Silas...." Nicole scolded.

He glared at her, "You don't speak to me. If you hadn't brought that good for nothing boy to my ranch this wouldn't have happened."

"Hey now, watch how you talk to her, sir," Cavanaugh warned.

"Papaw, don't make me choose. That isn't fair. You know I'm grown up and I'm mature. This isn't some rebellious streak I'm going through. I want to be with Andrew and he is a good man."