Sarah's Heart (25 page)

“It’s a simple yes
or no question,” he said, when she didn’t reply.

“I would really love
to go, but I have so much to do to get ready for the students. Can we celebrate
my good fortune another day?”

He shrugged. “Maybe
that’s a good idea. I really don’t have much cause for merriment at the moment.
It seems that the bank is legally bound to honor your friend’s agreement on
that parcel of land I want. I have to wait until the allotted time expires to
see if he honors his end of the bargain. If he defaults, then I can step in.”

The sad look on
Jonathan’s face almost made her want to apologize, but she didn’t. Instead, she
found it hard to hide her glee. Wolf still had time to come up with the
remaining money. She wondered where he was and what he was doing. Had he scouted
enough to satisfy his advance wages
?By
her
calculations, he had until the middle of August to remit the balance owed.
Darn, why hadn’t she asked how frequently she’d be compensated? She’d rather
help Wolf than repay Jonathan. Of course, she felt certain Wolf would never
agree to take money from her.

She’d been so lost
in thought she hadn’t noticed Jonathan cross the room. “We might have to wait
for lunch to toast your success, but…”

Sounding so close,
his voice startled her. He tossed his hat on a table. “I can show you how happy
I am for you right now.”

He gathered her in
his arms and lowered his mouth to hers, stifling her surprised gasp.

Stunned by
Jonathan’s boldness, Sarah pulled away. She peered up at him and swiped the
back of her hand across her mouth, too conflicted to react. Part of her wanted
to chastise him for taking such liberties but, strangely, she enjoyed the
fleeting kiss. His soft lips, fresh smell, hard body pressed against her—all
overpowered and enticed her. She silently cursed her traitorous body, strode to
the window and gazed out.

 
A rope swing, suspended from a large tree,
swayed in the breeze. A weathered seesaw, erected not far away, had apparently
been made from wood left over from building. It all looked so desolate.

Catching her
reflection in the glass, she stopped nibbling her bottom lip. Her knuckles
whitened from clutching the windowsill. “I…I’m not quite sure how to react.”

“Are you angry with
me?”

Not ready to face
him, she stared through the spotted glass.
“No, just surprised.
I don’t believe we’ve progressed to the point of being so familiar with one
another. I’m sorry if I’ve given you the wrong impression.”

Jonathan’s boots
clicked on the plank floor as he closed the distance between them. He stood
behind her. His hands rested on her shoulders, warming her skin through the
fabric of her gown. “I’m very attracted to you, Sarah, but I’m sorry if I acted
inappropriately. I promise I won’t be so impulsive in the future. I’ll let
you
decide if and when you want to be kissed.
Fair enough?”

She turned and
nodded. “Thank you for understanding. It’s not that I don’t find you
attractive. I just…”

He silenced her with
two fingers across her mouth. “No explanation necessary.
Now,
about the social.
It’s a week from today, and I’m hoping my brashness
hasn’t caused you to change your mind.”

Uncomfortable with
his closeness, she went back to her desk.
“Not at all.
I’m looking forward to meeting the townsfolk. Now that I’m the new teacher,
I’ll most likely be interacting with them on occasion. The festivities couldn’t
have come at a better time.”

Jonathan picked up
his hat and plopped it back on his head. “I’ll leave you to your planning,
then.”

She took a deep
breath, watching his broad shoulders barely clear the slim doorway.

* * *

Sarah snapped the
padlock shut on the classroom door and hurried toward the boarding house with
her bonnet swinging from her arm. Thankfully, she still had a small amount of
cash stashed away. She couldn’t show up in school without supplies of her own,
so she made a mental list of things she needed from the mercantile. Her
petticoats swished with each rapid step.

Crossing the side
yard, Sarah entered through the kitchen door. Maggie hovered over a large pot,
slicing potatoes into it. She looked up. “Did Jonathan find you?”

“I’ll say he did.”

“I hope I didn’t
create a problem by telling him where you were.” Maggie picked up a big purple
onion and began peeling it.

“Nothing I can’t
handle. Our Mr. Montgomery is a little impetuous. But I think he’ll keep his hands
to himself from now on.” She placed her bonnet on the table.

Maggie blinked
watery eyes and crinkled her nose in a sniff. “Tell me you didn’t slap him
again.”

Sarah laughed and
plopped down at the table. “No, he was actually apologetic and quite nice. He’s
still escorting me to the social, and I’m very excited about it.”

“So how was the
schoolhouse?”

 
“Oh, Maggie,” Sarah leaned onto her hands and
sighed. “It’s so exciting and scary at the same time. My desk looks so big and
empty. I viewed the size of the seats and realized I’ll be teaching children of
all ages. Do you really think I can do this?”

“Of course you can.”
Maggie put down the knife, gathered up her apron, and wiped her hands. “You’ll
be a wonderful teacher.”

“Do you need help
with anything at the moment?
Anything from the mercantile?”

“Not that I can
think of. Why?”

“I’m going to pick
up a few things for school. I don’t even have pencils or a slate. I did notice
a stack of primers in the corner of the room, but I wish I had asked Judge
Larson a few more questions. I feel so… so unprepared.”

“Don’t fret so,”
Maggie tutted. “I told you the youngins’ will help you out.”

“I guess you’re
right. I’ll be back soon.”

Sarah lifted her
skirt and dashed upstairs. She took a quick glance in the mirror, tucked a
stray lock beneath the ribbon at the back of her neck then grabbed her money.
The gun in the bottom of her valise reminded her of Wolf. His handsome face
flashed through her mind, reeling her with memories of his kiss. Jonathan’s had
been nice, but there was no comparison. What she wouldn’t give…

Stop!

She almost yelled
the word. Why did she keep wishing for what couldn’t be? She closed the
armoire, and with the steps hidden by her full petticoats, she made the trip
downstairs much slower. Sarah pulled the front door closed behind her and
breathed in the fresh smell of a fleeting rain shower.

Moisture hung in the
area as the short storm drifted past; it did little more than clear the air and
create
a few puddles that dried rapidly. The walkway
soaked up the water, turning the planks a darker color. Only the area beneath
the covered porch remained the same scuffed and dusty brown. Seeing the clear
sky, Sarah hastened toward the mercantile, anxious to complete her school
shopping.

The opening door’s
friendly tinkle announced her arrival. The clerk looked up from stocking the
shelves. “Good day to you again, miss.”

“And
to you, too.
Could you
point me to your school supplies?”

He rose from
kneeling, wiping his brow with the hem of his apron. “Certainly is humid
today.”

Sarah smiled. “I
suppose I’ve gotten used to it, or perhaps I’m too excited about my new job to
notice.”

“Hmm, school
supplies, new job? I’ll bet you’re the teacher I heard about.”

“That’s right, and I
need a few things to get me started. My name is Sarah Collins. I heard that
elderly… lady, call you Clarence the other day. It’s very nice to meet you. I
imagine we’ll be seeing each other on a regular basis.”

“Clarence Bagwell is
my full entitlement. Pleasure is all
mine
. I’m still
chuckling over how you put that cranky ol’ Edwina Goodwin in her place.” He led
Sarah to a shelf holding tablets and books. On the end, an empty coffee tin
held an array of pencils. “
You stayin’
at Miss
Maggie’s place?”

“Yes. Maggie has
been a godsend. She’s the one who told me about the teaching post.”

“From what I hear
tell about their last experience, I’m sure the youngsters will consider
themselves lucky to have you.” He mopped his brow again. “I’ll leave you to
your shopping now.”

The bell over the
door sounded. Sarah, engrossed in thumbing through the assortment of books,
didn’t bother to look up.

“What do you want?”
Clarence snipped.

Curious at his tone,
she turned. Her heart seized. Wolf, looking virile in his buckskins and longer
braids, stood at the counter, his knife sheathed against his left leg as
always. A ridge of tension ran along his jaw, visible even from where she
stood. She remained quiet and unnoticed, hidden in the shadows for the moment.

“I need some canned
goods, coffee, flour, and salt pork.” He managed to keep a civil tone despite
Clarence’s unfriendly glare.

“I’ll sell you what
you need as long as you pay up and move along. People don’t like shopping with
your
type
hanging around. You’re not good for business.”

Sarah stepped into
view. “Mr. Bagwell! I’m surprised at you.

Wolf’s eyes widened.
“Sarah?”

She trained her gaze
on the clerk, waggling a finger at him. “You’re sounding an awful lot like Mrs.
Goodwin.”

Confusion creased
Wolf’s brow. “Who’s Mrs. Goodwin?”

“It’s not important.
Clarence knows what I mean. Honestly!” She flashed an exaggerated frown in his
direction.

Clarence’s jowls
hung in humiliation. He turned and started gathering the things Wolf had named.
Ignoring the patter of her heart, Sarah peered up at Wolf and tried to act
cordial. “So… I heard your shopping list. Can I assume things are going well
with your note at the bank and you’re not stocking up for a trip?”

“Actually, I
am
leaving
for a while. I have to earn that advance the army gave me, so work on my land
will have to wait. There’s been some unrest with the Pawnee tribe and white
settlers up along the Platte
River. Since no one else
speaks their language, I’m pretty handy to have around.” He laughed, but it did
little to calm her fears.

What if he was
injured, or worse… killed? “How long will you be gone?” She had no right to
ask, but the words spilled from her mouth.

“Never
can tell.
All the tribes
are feeling pressured to move or sign treaties with the government. The army
has to step in and keep the peace or wars flare. It’s not pleasant for me
because of my tie to both sides, but it’s a way to earn the money I need. The
bank has granted me another six-month extension at the request of my commanding
officer, so I’ll be gone for as long as necessary, I reckon. The Colonel did in
one visit what I’ve been begging the bank to do for months.”

His tone was
emotionless, but his hazel eyes softened when he looked at her. She hated the
thought of him making such a perilous journey, but perhaps not running into him
for a while would finally put an end to the emotional whirlwind that swept her
up whenever he came near. She fought the urge to kiss him goodbye—even if only
a peck.

Clearing her throat,
she offered her hand. “Please take care of yourself.”

His grasp radiated
warmth up her arm and into her chest, his smile weakened her knees. “I will,”
he promised. “You do the same. And uh…Sarah….”

Clarence slammed
Wolf’s goods on the counter. “Here you go. That’ll be nine dollars and thirty
three cents.”

Wolf released her
hand, pulled money from his pocket and paid for his purchases. He gathered the
bundle beneath one arm and faced her again.

Sarah’s heart
pounded. “You were saying?”

“It’s nothing.” He
cleared his throat. “Please tell Maggie I’ll see her when I can.” He gave a
parting nod and strode toward the door.

Sarah watched him
leave. Her heart ached to run after him, but she forced herself back to the
shelf to pick out her needed supplies. Tears burned the back of her eyes and
blurred the words in the primer she viewed. Somehow, she had to sever her
emotional tie with him. Clearly, it was one-sided.

She finished making
her selections and carried them to the counter. “I’ll take these, Clarence. I
hope you aren’t angry with me. Wolf is a friend, and seeing him mistreated
greatly disturbs me.”

“Nah, I’m not mad. I
deserved your reprimand. I didn’t like the way Mrs. Goodwin treated you, and
then I turned right around and… Would you like me to put your supplies on your
account?”

Sarah flashed a
wide-eyed look. “I didn’t know I had one.”

“You do now. A
teacher has needs and I know you’ll be getting regular pay.” He chuckled.

“Then,
on my account, sir.”
She
scooped up her items and turned. “Have a nice day, Clarence, and remember
everyone deserves to be treated with respect.” She grimaced at the preachy
words she called over her shoulder. When had she gotten so self-righteous? Was
she really naïve enough to believe she could change people’s view of Wolf, one
person at a time?