Faith (23 page)

The air was electrically charged with raw, masculine
power. Faith kept her head bent, carefully working the rag
along the railing, thanking the good Lord that Nicholas was
a Christian man, able to keep his anger in check.

Pride might prevent him from saying he was disappointed
and angry with her, but she could see it in his stance-stiff,
unyielding. And in the stubborn set of his jaw. Why didn't
he just put the bull back himself? Why bother her at all? He
certainly hadn't troubled himself to come around all week.
Why now?

"Tell Dan his bull will be in the north pasture."

"Thank you. I will tell Dan his bull is safe the moment I
see him, which may not be until tomorrow," she returned
in a voice as stiff as a bullwhip. When she glanced up, he
was gone.

Dropping the rag, she sat back on her heels, fighting tears.
She would not cry! She wouldn't. Nicholas Shepherd was a
stubborn man who would go to his grave lonely and alone!

She reminded herself of that when she bumped into the
arrogant rancher a few days later. She'd used the last of the cleaning supplies and several of the church ladies had promised to help with the cleaning Saturday morning.

Nicholas was rounding the corner of the livery when
Faith collided head-on with him. Packages flew in all directions as she dropped to her hands and knees, her head spinning. She sat for a moment, trying to orient herself. Color
flooded her face when she realized the noisy collision had
drawn a crowd.

Strong hands latched on to her waist and effortlessly lifted
her up, allowing her feet to dangle in midair. For a moment
she stared into amused cobalt blue eyes.

"Shopping again, Miss Kallahan?"

Aware of the chuckles around her, she gritted her teeth
and ordered, "Put me down."

"Why, of course, Miss Kallahan." He stood her back on
her feet, none too gently, then knelt to pick up the scattered packages. Stacking parcels like cordwood in her arms,
he stepped back, removed his hat, and affected a mock bow.
Faith felt like a ninny. Every time he saw her lately she was
either on her hands and knees or in the process of getting
there.

"Might I be of further assistance?" he inquired.

Hugging the packages to her chest, she hurried off,
sourly eyeing him over her shoulder. "May I be of further
assistance, Miss Kallahan," she mimicked. Oh, she'd tell
him exactly how he could be of further service if she
weren't afraid of the Lord's wrath. The-the arrogant
buffoon!

Saturday night, Community Hall was unusually crowded.
Faith arrived late with the Finneys.

She caught herself searching the crowd for Nicholas. Liza
was standing on the sidelines, vigorously fanning herself as
she visited with friends. Faith's gaze traveled the room,
stopping when she found her point of interest. He was
standing in a group of both men and women. Rachel was
standing beside him, smiling as she listened with rapt attention to what he was saying.

Envy sliced through Faith's stomach, and she prayed for
understanding. Nicholas was free to talk to whomever he
wanted, but Rachel wasn't. She was a married woman, yet
she'd heard Liza mention that Joe refused to attend socials.

Seeing the Walterses arrive, Faith hurried over to help
out. Taking Adam's and Sissy's hands, she ushered them to
the bench lining the wall and seated them.

"My belwee hurts," Sissy complained.

Adam instinctively turned his head in the direction of the
refreshment table. "May I have some punch?"

"I'll bring you a cup," Faith promised, recalling the chaos
he could incite when left to his own devices.

When the children were settled with cups of punch and a
cookie in each hand, Dan pulled Faith toward the dance
floor with a teasing light in his eye. When she protested,
Vera Hicks offered to hold Lilly, promising she'd keep an
eye on the two older children.

Faith realized it would only cause a scene if she refused
Dan this dance, but she didn't feel right about it. The whole room would be watching, including Nicholas and Liza, and
the last thing she wanted to do was cause the Shepherds further humiliation. Thanks to Molly and Etta, the town was
already buzzing with the news that she had moved off the
Shepherd ranch.

She could hear the murmurs and speculations now. "Does
Faith Kallahan intend to throw Nicholas Shepherd over for
Dan Walters?" "Didn't Nicholas bring Faith to Deliverance
to be his bride?" "Is her insistence on opening the blind
school causing the problem?"

Before Faith could make a polite refusal, the band struck
up a lively reel, and Dan swung her onto the dance floor.

"Really, Dan, I'm a little tired tonight!" she called out as
the fiddlers instituted a lively rendition of "Turkey in the
Straw. "

"You'll get your second wind soon!"

Faith whirled, then began the allemande left, threading
her way through the dancers. When her hand came in contact with a solid steel grip, her heart tripped like a drum, but
she kept her head low, trying to keep her composure.

"I trust you're enjoying yourself, Miss Kallahan?"
Nicholas inquired as they passed.

"Exquisitely so, Mr. Shepherd. And you?" She smiled,
determined to be pleasant if it killed her.

"Couldn't be better. Thank you for asking." They continued to allemande, completing a full circle.

A moment later they passed again. Faith bit her lip; she
would not fire a return volley. He was only trying to
antagonize her, and she wasn't about to fall for it.

"Mrs. Lanner looks lovely tonight, don't you agree?" She
bit her tongue hard. Drats and double drats! Did she have to
say that?

As they rounded a corner and were forced to join hands
to dance through a tunnel of widespread arms, Nicholas
returned quietly, "Funny, I was just about to comment on
Dan's appearance tonight. He looks mighty dapper."

They reached the end of the archway where he gracefully
twirled her, then caught her to him. She landed against the
solid wall of his chest. Their eyes met, and for a moment
she couldn't catch her breath.

His eyes made his point. "At least Rachel is obedient to
her husband."

"As I will be," she volleyed, aware the conversation had
just taken a personal turn, "but surely you've forgotten."
She leaned closer and whispered, "I'm not married yet."

He whirled her a second time, and she moved on.
Seconds later she was back.

"Perhaps if you weren't so stubborn, you would be," he
observed nicely.

"Perhaps if you weren't so thickheaded, you would have
asked to hear my side of the story." She smiled prettily,
locking hands with him as they joined other dancers to
form a bridge.

The caller shouted for the dancers to change partners.
Faith whirled with first one man, then another, until the
caller reversed the instructions and she returned to
Nicholas's waiting arms.

"You, Miss Kallahan, have gone back on your word."

"And you, Mr. Shepherd, are allowing your mother to
control your life."

"Nonsense."

"Truth." If only he'd come after her, she would have
apologized from the bottom of her heart! She wouldn't
promise to give up on the school for the blind, but she
would listen to his concerns and address them.

They whirled, then whirled back to face each other.

"Don't deny it. You have your cap set for Dan-have had
since the day you got here," he accused.

"I do not!" She stopped, tripping a row of dancers close
on their heels. Men reached out to steady women who staggered clumsily to regain their balance. How dare he accuse
her of disloyalty! Dan was a good friend, and she didn't like
Nicholas talking bad about him. Had Nicholas asked, she
would gladly have explained her relationship with Dan, but
now, now wild horses couldn't drag it out of her. "Sorry,
Papa," she muttered, "but you've never dealt with a man
like Nicholas!"

Nicholas drew her closer, his eyes riveted with hers. "May
I remind you I brought you here to marry me, not Dan
Walters?"

"It's the money, isn't it?" She sighed. She had never seen
two stingier people in all her born days, these Shepherds.
"Well, I'll pay you back."

He scoffed. "Where would you get that kind of money?"

"I'll use my nest egg!" she shouted.

He blanched, and she realized she'd struck a nerve.

Lowering her voice, she apologized. "I'm sorry ... it's just that I feel I owe you an explanation-" She wavered as
Nicholas took her arm and ushered her off the dance floor.
Dancers looked momentarily confused, but quickly confiscated a couple standing on the sidelines to replace the void.

Bursting outdoors, Nicholas marched Faith to a corner of
the porch where a lantern burned low.

"Let me go!"

"You are, undoubtedly, the most stubborn woman I've
ever had the misfortune to meet!"

"And you are the most stubborn man." She tried to rub
feeling back into her wrist.

Nicholas started to pace. "Is this any way for a grown man
and woman to act?"

"You started it."

Her anger gradually dissipated as Papa's voice singed her
conscience. "Faith Marie! That temper's going to earn you
a good switchin'!"

"Sorry, Papa," she muttered. Forgive me, Lord. "But he just
makes me so mad."

Nicholas turned. "What?"

Faith jerked the bodice of her dress into place. "I was
talking to Papa. "

Running a hand through his hair, Nicholas paced the
length of the porch. Faith supposed he was sorting through
his thoughts. She turned to face the road, crossing her arms.
Well, he had a powerful lot of sorting to do. Did he intend
to marry her or not? Was he going to stand up and tell Liza
that he meant no disrespect but he was the man of the
house, that he'd brought Faith here to marry her, and he darn well was going to live up to his end of the bargain? Or
was he not?

"Faith. Are you interested in Dan?" Nicholas asked the
question so softly, reluctantly, Faith wasn't sure she'd heard
it correctly.

"Am I interested in Dan?"

He looked up, and their eyes met in the moonlight. A soft
breeze tossed his hair, making him look boyish. Her anger
melted.

"No," she whispered, then wiped a strand of blowing hair
out of her eyes. Clearing her throat, she repeated more
firmly, "No. I like Dan, and I love his children, but there's
nothing romantic between Dan and me."

Relief flooded Nicholas's features but vanished so quickly
she wasn't sure it had ever been there. "Are you certain?"

She looked down at her hands, at the empty space, third
finger, left hand. "I'm certain. I came here to marry you. If
that can't be, then I want to go home, back to Michigan."
She closed her eyes, waiting, praying he would say there
was no need for that. That he didn't want her to go.

But he didn't.

The silence stretched. Overhead a hoot owl called to its
mate. The moon slid behind a cloud, shadowing the
honeysuckle-scented porch. It seemed like an eternity
before he finally spoke.

"They'll be wondering what's keeping us."

Nodding, she whispered, "Well, we can't have that,
can we.

She turned to leave and suddenly felt his hand on her arm. Turning her gently to face him, he gazed at her for a very
long time. "I'm sorry if I've been anything other than a
gentleman."

Her voice caught as she took a deep breath, reminding
herself that love and respect must be earned, and she didn't
warrant either from this man. Papa would have been
deeply ashamed of her behavior, and in the stillness of the
soft summer night, she regretted her outburst on the dance
floor. The Lord would be even more disappointed with
her. How could Nicholas love a woman who embarrassed
him? "You haven't ... been so bad."

Cupping her face between his large hands, he gazed at
her, then kissed her lightly. The kiss was simple, reserved,
mysterious, but so utterly galvanizing that it struck a cord
deep inside Faith. Why did happiness flood her very being
with the touch of his lips? Could she possibly be falling in
love with this man? She knew God's plan for her life was
perfect, without flaw, but, oh, how her faith needed reassurance.

How was she to take that kiss? she wondered, as Nicholas
took her arm and ushered her inside. Was it his way of saying good-bye?