Maureen McKade (18 page)

She blinked, startled by his audacity. “My name is Miss O’Hanlon, Mr. Pearson.”

His lascivious gaze raked over her. “I’ll bet the sheriff doesn’t call you Miss O’Hanlon.”

“What the sheriff does or doesn’t call me is none of your business. How much do I owe you?”

“Forty-five cents.”

Libby paid him, ensuring her fingers didn’t touch his palm. “Thank you.”

He stuffed the coffee can in a sack for her. “Here you go, Miss O’Hanlon. You just let me know if there’s anything else you need. Anything at all.”

Libby’s stomach churned at the blatantly obscene offer. She grabbed the package from him, twirled away, and hurried out of the suffocating store. Outside, she paused, dragging in gulps of fresh wintry air. After regaining her composure, Libby scurried in the direction of Matt’s sheltered home.

The buggy in front of the cabin brought a groan to Libby’s lips.
What now?
On leaden feet, she nearly entered without knocking. She caught herself and rapped her gloved fist against the wood.

Dylan swung the door open and grinned. He grabbed her hand, pulling her inside. “Guess who’s here?”

“Hello, dear,” Lenore greeted, and wrapped her arms around Libby.

Briefly, Libby closed her eyes in relief. “What are you doing here?”

Lenore stepped back and planted her hands on her generous hips. “What do you think I’m doing here? I’m being neighborly.”

“She brought cookies and bread and soup,” Dylan said.

Libby brushed a few crumbs from the front of his flannel shirt. “I can see you haven’t been shy about helping yourself to the cookies. I hope you didn’t eat so many that your appetite is ruined for supper.”

“He could eat a whole barrel of cookies and still put away more than you and me for supper,” Lenore remarked. “He’s a growing boy.”

Libby laughed, knowing she couldn’t win a food argument with the chubby woman. She glanced toward
the open door of the bedroom. “Has Eli examined Matt?”

Lenore nodded. “They’re just chewing the fat now. Why don’t you and me go warm up the soup?”

“I’m going in with the men,” Dylan said, and disappeared into the bedroom.

Steam from the coffee swirled upward to thaw Libby’s cheeks and nose. She sipped the hot liquid, which soothed her throat. Lenore sat across the table from her.

“Eli tells me you’ve been spending the nights here since Matt sickened,” Lenore said.

Libby narrowed her eyes. “That’s right.”

After a few moments of uncharacteristic silence, Lenore threw her hands in the air. “No reason for me to be beating around the bush. There’s talk, Libby.”

A fist to her stomach couldn’t have taken away Libby’s breath faster. “What kind of talk?”

“About you spending so much time here with Matt. Mind you, no one but Eli and I know about you staying the nights, but it’s bound to get out, the way peoples’ mouths flap and all.”

“Why can’t everyone just mind their own business?” Libby demanded. “My God, Lenore, Matt could’ve died and no one would’ve known.”

Lenore patted her hand. “There, there dear. I didn’t mean to get you all riled up, but I want you to know what you’re up against.”

Libby stood to pace.

“I should’ve realized it, the way Mrs. Olson treated me at the store. You’d think I was a leper the way she acted. And Mr. Pearson …” She shuddered with disgust.

“Mrs. Beidler’s bound and determined to get you fired. Why don’t you just quit, honey? Eli’ll take you on right away, and you won’t have to worry about the
old busybodies who got nothing better to do than liven up the boring winter at the expense of innocent folks like yourself.”

Libby shook her head. “I can’t, Lenore. If I quit, she’ll think she won, and I refuse to give her the satisfaction. Besides, Dylan needs to attend school and if I leave, he won’t be allowed in the classroom.”

“I thought you’d decided to tutor him after school?”

“I can’t do that. It would kill him if he couldn’t come to school any more. I know he’ll still be teased, but he needs to be around others his own age and play like a normal boy.”

Lenore sighed. “You’ve got a mighty tough battle ahead of you, and you’ve got two strikes against you already.”

“I haven’t been a real strong person in the past, Lenore, but this time I promise I will hold to what I believe is right, and damn the consequences.” She paused as the terrible memories battered her conscience. “If I don’t, I’ll have nothing left.”

“Well, can’t say I’m surprised, and I want you to know you got me in your corner. It’s time folks peeped out of their self-righteous shells and got smacked by a little compassion.” She laid her palms against the tabletop and stood. “I’d best get Eli and head back to town.”

“Aren’t you staying for supper?”

“I’d like nothing better, but I got folks to feed at the boardinghouse.” She studied Libby a moment. “Hold your head up and don’t let those gossipmongers get to you, honey.”

Libby closed the door behind them, but Lenore’s words hung in the cabin like the wispy smoke from the kerosene lamps. All Libby had wanted was a nice, quiet town where she could remain anonymous as the prim and proper schoolmarm.

Fate had fooled her.

Again.

“Go ahead, Matt. Sound it out,” Libby said.

He stifled his irritation at her pragmatic tone and read the word on the slate. “Dog.”

“Good.”

After three days of lessons, he’d graduated to one-syllable words. Matt didn’t feel like he’d accomplished a major feat, but Libby was pleased with his progress.

Pleased.

The teacher was pleased with her student.

Matt ground his teeth. She treated him like one of the children, and maintained the same remote reticence. Since the morning they’d shared a kiss, Libby had retreated both physically and emotionally. Although she continued to doctor him, that too was done with a detached air.

“Matt.”

Libby’s impatient voice cut into his thoughts. “What?”

“If you don’t want me to tutor you, say so,” she said. “It’s not as if I’m forcing you to do this.”

Matt’s imposed bedrest and Libby’s constant nearness of the past week made him testy. “No? Then why did you use Dylan to get me to agree to these lessons?”

“I didn’t use him. Dylan wants you to be able to read and write, too.”

Exasperation colored Libby’s face, and remorse flashed through Matt. “I’m sorry. It’s just that I’m blamed tired of laying in this bed. I ain’t used to doing nothing.”

Libby sighed and set the slate aside. “I know. I think you’ve graduated to getting up and dressed tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow’s Saturday, ain’t it?”

“Isn’t it?” Libby corrected. “And yes, it is. I’ll come by if you’d like me to.”

“You’re not staying the night?”

She shook her head. “You’re well enough to take care of yourself now.”

“What about Dylan? Will he be over tomorrow?”

“I doubt anyone could keep him away. It’s apparent you’re his hero.”

“Where’d you get a fool idea like that?”

“Dylan thinks you can do no wrong.” Her eyes twinkled. “He probably thinks you can walk on water, too.”

Matt smiled absently. “Has his ma left him alone since I been sick?”

“I think so. I’ve been watching him pretty closely, and he doesn’t act like he’s hurting. I don’t want to ask him straight out if she’s hit him, though.”

Matt nodded thoughtfully. “Good idea. He can clam up faster’n a politician in a bawdy house.”

Libby laughed softly.

Her amusement warmed Matt, and a familiar shaft of desire furrowed through him. “Where’d Dylan take off to?”

“Lenore baked a pie for you and Dylan went to get it,” she replied.

“You and Dylan are going to eat supper here, aren’t you?”

Libby nodded. “There’s corn bread baking in the oven, and I’d better get to frying the chicken.”

“You’ve spoiled me,” Matt said. “I don’t know how I’m going to eat my own cooking again.”

“I’m sure you’ll manage.”

“Nothing says you can’t come over whenever you’d like and make a meal for us.”

Libby stood and wiped her hands on her apron. “I don’t think that would be a wise idea.”

“It won’t be any different than what you’ve been doing.”

“There’s a world of difference, Matt. You’ve recovered from pneumonia, so there’s no reason for me to come here any longer. There’s folks who would say I had no business being here at all.”

“Has there been talk?” Matt demanded.

She shrugged and studied the pathetically plain curtain covering the window. “You know how people can be.”

Matt stroked his scar. Yes, he knew how people could be. “I’m sorry you got mixed up with me, Libby. If you hadn’t, they wouldn’t have anything to talk about, and your reputation wouldn’t be hurt.”

She planted her hands on her hips. “Dang my reputation. The alternative would’ve been to let you die of pneumonia, and nothing is worth more than a life.” She paused and glanced at Matt. “Did Eli tell you he offered me a job?” Surprised, he shook his head. “He thinks I would make a good assistant, after seeing how I cared for you.”

“What about your teaching?”

“After the term ends in the spring, I’ll start working for Dr. Clapper.”

Elation caught him unaware. “So you’ll be staying?”

“I suppose so.” The ghosts returned to shadow her face.

“You don’t sound excited about it.”

“No, I am. I’ve always had an interest in medicine, and I’m honored that Dr. Clapper thinks I’m good enough to help him.”

Was the memory of her father the source of her haunting sadness? “You must’ve learned quite a bit working with your pa.”

“I did. I wish you could’ve met him, Matt. You would have liked him.”

He smiled wryly. “I doubt he would’ve liked me, being a Reb, and your brother being a Blue Belly.”

“That wouldn’t have made any difference to him.
He could read a man like a book and could always tell what kind of person he was. He would know what I know, that you’re a good man, Matt.”

A good man?
Matt cursed to himself, knowing that if she could read his mind, she wouldn’t think he was such a good man. During the long nights, he’d listened to her toss restlessly on the floor in front of the fireplace and imagined her sleeping beside him as she had the one night. However, his imagination didn’t stop at their impassioned kisses, and Matt had grown hard with the tantalizing images. If Libby knew of his lustful urges, what would she think of him?

He thought again of her flowering response to his caresses that morning. Hadn’t she been a willing participant after she’d overcome her initial shyness? But what of her peculiar behavior in front of the fireplace, after she’d escaped his embrace?

He patted the mattress next to his hip and tilted his head so she couldn’t see his disfigurement. “Sit down, Libby.”

“I should get supper on.”

“It’ll wait a couple minutes.”

After a moment of indecision, Libby lowered herself beside him, but her rigid back revealed her unease.

Matt lifted her flowing curls over her shoulder. “I’m glad you’ve started wearing your hair down. It makes you look younger, not so serious.”

She kept her spine as stiff as a plank and tried to ignore the flare of desire sparked by his softly spoken words.

“I don’t even know how old you are,” he said gently.

“Twenty-six,” she replied to the unasked question.

He gathered a handful of her thick tresses and smelled deeply of the fresh scent. “Twenty-six and she thinks kisses are just ‘all right.’ Seems to me we were interrupted last time we were testing that theory.”

“Please, don’t.” Libby’s lower lip trembled, though she couldn’t have moved away if she’d tried.

Matt’s brow creased. “I told you that you didn’t have to be afraid of me. Don’t you believe me?”

His thumb caressed her cheek.

Libby shuddered. Could she trust him? Her heart cried yes, but her instincts screamed no. With his light touches, he enticed her to leave her fears behind and allow the lava that pooled in her stomach to spread to her limbs. She heard a soft moan and recognized the sound as her own.

She gazed into his smoldering eyes, and the heat threatened to consume what remained of her soul. His fingers brushed her neck, then followed the slope downward. Below her blouse her skin tingled in his trail, and the knotted tension grew. She shifted on the bed and her breast slid into Matt’s cupped palm. Through the material he flicked her nipple, shocking Libby with the wondrous sensation.

“Kiss me, Libby,” Matt whispered hoarsely.

Instinctively heeding the sensual command, her mouth descended to his—and flames threatened to erupt. Dizzy from his skillful virtuoso across her lips, Libby allowed the heart-stopping music to press the fear into a far corner of her mind. She placed a tentative hand on his solid chest, where springy curls tickled her fingers. Matt groaned beneath her hesitant exploration. Delighting in her power over him, she grew bolder in her tactile survey of his torso. His increased breathing told her he was as affected as she by the mutual caresses.

Her shirtwaist opened beneath Matt’s skillful fingers, and his hand slipped inside her blouse. She inhaled sharply. The feather-light brushes skimmed over the swell of her breast, only her sheer camisole preventing his complete invasion. She’d never known such sweet ecstasy existed.

“You smell so fresh, like a crisp winter morning,” Matt murmured against her neck.

His wispy breath fanned desire’s flames and Libby thought she’d melt in the turbulent inferno. Cool air brought a moment of lucidity, and alarm found a niche in the moment of sanity.

She rolled away from Matt, yanking her blouse closed over her heaving bosom. Ashamed by her body’s betrayal, Libby refused to look at Matt. With shaking fingers she attempted to put the buttons through their holes, but ended up misaligning them and starting over.

Matt studied her with frustration marring his rugged face. “I won’t apologize for what I did, because I think you wanted it, too.”

He thinks I’m wanton, and I haven’t done anything to prove him wrong. Harrison was right. I’m not a proper lady.

On her wedding night, Harrison had punished her for her body’s desires, telling her a wife was not supposed to enjoy the act of mating. After that, he’d beaten her for imaginary transgressions and had never taken her until she’d been “disciplined.”