Clayton’s stomach rumbled and clenched tightly, the growls it was giving out seeming extra loud inside this damned trunk he was still locked up in. Hungry didn’t begin to describe what he was and his mouth was so dry he could barely open it… His tongue felt swollen and it was sticking to the roof of his mouth. He needed something to drink but, true to his word, the big man hadn’t given him any food or water.

                Clayton didn’t even know how long he’d been in this trunk, though he had been removed from the train a while back and was now being bounced and jostled around painfully in the back of a cart or wagon. Every part of him hurt but he was determined not to cry anymore.

                He’d been told by more than one person that he was a genius. He hadn’t known what they were calling him at first but he had later figured out it meant he was really smart. He knew that most children his age were still picking their noses and chasing chickens, (which was actually kind of fun), but Clayton was more like a little grown-up, least that’s what his mama always said.

                It made him different. It made the other children in towns not want to be around him. The children his age were too immature and the older children saw him as a baby. It had always shocked the grown ups that he and his mama met as well. Clayton had always kinda liked being different but right now…. Right now he felt like a baby.

                He had cried for hours. He wanted his mama. His belly was hurting.  And the worst part was he had peed in his pants because he hadn’t been able to hold it any longer. What would his mama and pa say? They’d probably be ashamed of him. He was supposed to be tough. He was Clayton Winchester! Right now though he felt anything but tough.

                The lurching movement of the cart stopped and Clayton listened intently to the voices around him.

                “We got that package for Miss Scarlett.” The big man’s voice rumbled.

                “She’ll be happy about that, Bear.” Another man replied. Bear? What kind of mama named their child Bear? Clayton would have giggled if he hadn’t been so thirsty.

                “Let’s get his gate opened and y’all can come on in.” a third voice spoke up.

                Clayton whimpered when the cart began to move again and he was once again jostled against the trunk. It wasn’t long however before the cart stopped again and Clayton felt the trunk being lifted.

                “Should we let him out?” a man grunted.

                “No. Let the bastard stay in there until Scarlett decides to let him loose.” Bear replied with a growl. Clayton hated that man. Hated him. Hated him. Hated him.

                It seemed like forever that Clayton was carried. The wetness on his pants was starting to make him burn…. He squeezed his eyes shut tight when his stomach growled and clenched painfully once again.

                He heard a knocking sound and then a door opened.

                “Bear!” A woman exclaimed. Her voice was smooth and proper… She sounded rich. Clayton wasn’t sure how a person sounded rich but she sure did. “What’s in that trunk?”

                “That thing you asked for.” Bear replied.

                “How long has he been in there?” the woman demanded, sounding angry as the trunk once again began to move. Clayton cried out when suddenly the trunk was tossed down roughly on the ground and he felt the impact in his bones.

                “Since we grabbed him. I was gonna let him out but the little monster attacked me.” Bear replied. Clayton heard the woman laugh.

                “Honestly, Bear… He’s four years old. All they do is pee on themselves and cry for their mamas.”

                “This one does a bit more than that I’m afraid, Miss Scarlett.” Bear grumbled.

                Scarlett? This was the woman he’d heard his mama and pa talking about. She is the woman who sent those men who had hurt his mama. Clayton wasn’t sure exactly why she wanted to hurt his family but he was going to teach her a lesson about it just as soon as he got out of this damned trunk!

                “Give me the key.” Scarlett ordered.

                “I don’t…..” Bear began.

                “Don’t argue with me, Bear.”

                “Yes ma’am.”

                Clayton was preparing to fight when suddenly he realized that would be pointless just now. He was too weak and tired to do any real damage and so what if he did manage to hurt her? He had no idea where they were and it sounded like she had at least a few men around to help her. They would just get Clayton if he managed to get away from Scarlett.

                She seemed to think he was a baby so he would be a baby. He would make her think he was as stupid as she apparently thought he was and then later, when things were a bit more in his favor, Clayton would get away.

                The lid opened and Clayton’s eyes immediately squeezed shut against the bright light that flooded them.

                “He’s bigger than I thought he’d be….” Scarlett stated.

                “From what I saw of his pa, Jonah’s a fairly tall man.”

                Clayton opened his eyes just a crack and couldn’t believe how pretty this woman he’d thought was a monster was! She looked like some kind of princess or queen from a storybook. Her skin was pale, smooth and flawless.  She had pretty painted lips and her eyes were brown and friendly as they looked down at him and the scent of cinnamon drifted down to his nose.

                “Hello, there….. What is your name?” she asked, her voice kind. Clayton was confused. Wasn’t she supposed to be a bad guy? Bad guys weren’t supposed to be pretty or smell good or talk to you nice.

                “Clayton.” He replied quietly.

                “Oh dear, Clayton! You’ve had an accident!” Scarlett exclaimed with sadness. She stood up straight, tossing her dark hair over her shoulder as she looked at Bear. “Yes he seems very deadly….. Go find the boy something to wear.”

                “And where am I supposed to find clothes to fit him?” Bear grumbled.

                “Somewhere.” Scarlett snapped, her brown eyes flashing as she pointed toward the door. Clayton couldn’t help but feel happy to see Bear put so thoroughly in his place.

                “Scarlett, I was kinda hoping…..”

                “Later, darling.” Scarlett purred, laying her hand on Bear’s cheek. “Now go find the boy something to put on. He cannot go around covered in his own urine.”

                Bear nodded and left the room, closing the door behind him. Clayton realized he was alone with Scarlett. She held out her hand and he took it as she helped him from the trunk.  “While we’re waiting on him, how about I get you something to drink?” Scarlett asked with a warm smile.

                Clayton nodded and watched her glide across the room to a crystal decanter full of water. Gliding was the only word for how she moved… It was like she was floating off the ground. It was really pretty.

                Scarlett filled a glass with water and placed it in Clayton’s hand. Clayton began to gulp at it greedily and Scalett was smiling as she led him to two chairs beside a window. Clayton looked around the room once he was sitting. There was a desk toward the back wall and a fireplace beside it with a fancy stone mantle.

                The room was full of dark woods and dark paint. The furniture was all real shiny and costly looking… It was all polished real nice just like Scarlett. Clayton’s house hadn’t had nothing polished in it. Mama had always said that polish just made ugly things look pretty. That if things were already pretty they didn’t need any polish on them.  All polish did was hide the ugly.

                Looking at Scarlett, it was clear she had a lot of polish….

                Scarlett went to the door and opened it. Clayton couldn’t see who she was speaking to as she spoke in hushed tones, but she was smiling as she closed the door and walked back to sit down in the chair beside his.

                “I have someone fetching you something to eat.” She assured him as she smoothed out the thick satin folds of her fancy purple dress. Clayton couldn’t believe how fancy her dress really was. It was covered in beads and lace and it hugged her body up top while flaring out at her waist.

                She looked like a queen. But why would a nice, beautiful, kind woman like Scarlett want to kill his mama and his pa?

                “Poor child, I’d say all of this has been scary for you hasn’t it?” Scarlet asked gently.        

                Clayton didn’t trust this woman but he had to make her think he was just a regular four year old and he had a feeling that a regular four year old would be fooled by being talked nice to.

                “Yes, ma’am.” He replied quietly. Scarlett’s hand patted him on the back lightly and then she smoothed his blond hair from his brow.

                “Don’t you worry anymore. We’re going to get you cleaned up, fed and then I’ll take you to your own special room.”

                “Where are my mama and pa?” Clayton asked and he saw something flash in Scarlett’s brown eyes. Something that caused her to not look nearly as sweet or kind as she had just a moment before. Then just as quickly as the temper had appeared it was gone.

                “I’m expecting them within a few days, Clayton, and then we’ll all talk and sort all of this out. I’m sure that we’re going to have a wonderful time together until they get here.”

                Clayton had his doubts about that but he kept them to himself. His mama and pa would be here eventually and when they got here he had to make sure he was strong enough to help them. Which meant he needed to eat, drink, rest and try to keep this beautiful, yet clearly a little insane, woman happy.

***

                Scarlett watched the boy, Clayton, as he sipped at the glass of water and stared out the window at the tall log fence surrounding the house and  bunkhouses. It was clear that this was Jonah’s son. He had the same hair as his father and those eyes…. It was like looking at Jonah nearly thirty years in the past.       

                Scarlett could see Joe as well. The boy had his whore of a mother’s lips and there was something in the way he sat in that chair that reminded Scarlett of Joe. He also had dirt streaked across his face just the way his mama always had.

                Scarlett had wanted to hate this boy. She’d had every intention of doing everything she could to make him miserable and cause him pain before his parents arrived…… But when she had opened that trunk and seen that little face looking back up at her, she’d realized that was no longer what she wanted. Clayton was young. He was only four. Scarlett knew next to nothing about children but surely a child that was only four wouldn’t have any lasting bonds with his parents….. .

                Perhaps if Scarlett had his parents killed and then kept the boy and cared for him, he would forget all about those monster parents of his and see her as his mother.

                A knock sounded on the door and Clayton jumped. “It’s okay, dear.” Scarlett purred as she patted his shoulder.

                His gray eyes met hers and she thought she saw something in them that unsettled her. Some awareness or intelligence that she hadn’t expected to see in the eyes of a child so young. But then just as soon as she had seen it, it was gone and he was blinking innocently at her.

                “I’m hungry.” He stated as he covered his stomach and Scarlett heard it growl loudly.

                She nodded and quickly went to the door to find Bear standing there with an outfit that appeared to be about the right size for Clayton. “Where did you find them?” Scarlett asked.

                “Prescott had them. He has a fondness for little boys and keeps their clothes.”  Bear replied with a shrug. Scarlett felt her stomach turn a little at the mental image those words brought to mind but she quickly shook her head to clear it.

                “Thank you, Bear.”

                “Scarlett, can we get some alone time?” Bear growled and Scarlett rolled her eyes when he reached down one big hand and fondled himself through his pants.

                “Later, I promise.” Scarlett replied, running her hand down his arm. “I know I owe you your payment for your services. Just allow me to get the boy settled in and then I will send for you.”

                Bear glared at Clayton over Scarlett’s shoulder and then he nodded with defeat and slumped his massive shoulders. Scarlett took the clothes from him and then smiled when Clayton’s food arrived.

                “I’ll be bringing the boy down to the water closet shortly. Please ensure that there is plenty of warm water.” She told the short china-man after she took the tray of food from him. The man bowed and then quickly walked away.

                “I want to come in with you.” Bear admitted. “That boy aint’ safe.”

                Scarlett had her hands full with the clothes and food tray and so she fixed Bear with a look that could have frozen hell. “That boy is an innocent child and there is nothing dangerous about him.”

                Bear pointed to a long cut on his cheek and then held out his arms so Scarlett could see the dozens of cuts marring his forearms. “Bear Bear, what happened to you?” she whispered and he pointed at Clayton.

                “That boy. He ain’t no normal boy, Miss Scarlett. Just be careful….” Bear’s hand caressed her cheek gently and Scarlett leaned into it as her body trembled. She had to admit that Bear got to her like no other man since Harmon.  She felt her clit pulse when Bear’s thumb caressed her bottom lip and she gazed up into his eyes.           

                “Just let me get him settled in, Bear, and I’ll call for you. I’ve missed my big man.” She whispered, longing to press her body against his but not wanting Clayton to see her act that way. Bear appeared to be in pain but he nodded slowly and then turned and walked away, though Scarlett could see him adjusting himself in his pants.

                She turned back to Clayton and smiled as she held up the clothes and food. “You can eat and then I will take you to get a bath. Tell me, Clayton, have you ever used a shower?”