by Amelia Rose
Jenny stepped closer to him and his pulse rose a little as her rosewater scent tantalized his nose. “Do you personally disapprove of women holding important positions?”
Another tricky question. “Um, well, I wouldn’t say ‘disapprove,’ but...” The way her eyes narrowed just a fraction made him hesitate. “I’d have to say it depends on the woman and the situation.”
Although she’d been prepared to argue, Jenny couldn’t find fault with his response. It was true that not every woman would be suited to sitting on the town council and, since Mason didn’t know her, he wouldn’t know whether she was capable of the task. If she were honest, she wasn’t sure she was qualified, either, since she’d never done such a thing.
“I agree, and since I’ve never been a schoolteacher before, I think it’s best if I concentrate on running a school first before I get lofty ideas about being elected to council,” Jenny said.
Mason held back a sigh of relief. “That’s probably wise, but that doesn’t mean you can’t tell me your ideas. I ain’t taught school before, so I don’t know much about it.”
“You haven’t taught school,” Jenny said.
Mason chuckled at her correction. “No, I haven’t.”
“You catch on fast, Mr. Crawford,” Jenny said.
He moved a little closer. “Does that mean I’m the teacher’s pet?”
Jenny couldn’t think for a moment. Her eyes lowered to his mouth for just a second, but the way his eyes darkened said that he’d noticed it. A slow smile curved his lips, further addling her brain.
She regained her composure and looked at him through her lashes. “I didn’t plan on having a teacher’s pet. But in your case, I might make an exception.”
Mason took another step. “What do I get if I’m a good student?”
“Perhaps a few pieces of candy.”
Mason considered that for all of two seconds. “I was thinking of something a lot more exciting and even sweeter.”
Never had Jenny considered herself the kind of woman to be affected by a man so much, but then she’d never met a man like Mason before. “And what would that something be?”
“I’d rather just show you.”
Voices from outside cut through the spell he’d woven around her, but she didn’t want him to think she wasn’t interested. “I might let you do that... In a more private place.”
They heard footsteps ascending the steps. Mason stepped back, but he sent Jenny a smile that made the room feel almost sweltering.
Three children ran through the door; two young boys and a little girl.
“You’re our new schoolteacher!” the tow-headed girl said as she ran up to Jenny. “You’re pretty.”
“Well, thank you.” Jenny chuckled. “Yes, I’m Miss Carson. What’s your name?”
“I’m Betty and these here are Ethan and Lenny. Them’s my brothers.”
Jenny ignored Betty’s bad grammar. There would be time enough for instruction once school began. “It’s so nice to meet you all.”
The oldest boy scowled. “I can’t come to school. Pa needs me at home too much.”
“You can come, Ethan,” Betty protested. “At least sometimes.”
“You don’t know anything. You’re too little to understand,” Ethan said. “We ain’t rich like some people and can’t hire hands to help. I’m all Pa’s got.” He shot a look of animosity at Mason.
The other boy, who seemed a couple of years younger, spoke up. “I can help at home, too.”
Ethan put a hand on the younger boy’s shoulder. “You know you can’t do the heavy stuff yet, Len. Best you get some learnin’ while you grow.”
Lenny fell silent, but his expression sank gloomily.
“How old are you all?” Jenny asked.
“I’m seven. Ethan is twelve, and Lenny is ten,” Betty replied.
“I see,” Jenny said. “Your sister is right, Ethan. You could come a couple days each week and you could also work with Lenny on his lessons.”
Ethan fixed her with a stubborn look. “I don’t mean no disrespect, ma’am, but I ain’t comin’ to school, and that’s that. C’mon, you guys. We gotta get our stuff at the store and get back home.”
Betty stuck her bottom lip out. “But I want to...”
“Now, Betty,” Ethan said. “There’s too much to do at home to stand around jawin’.”
Betty stuck her tongue out at him but took the hand he held out to her. “Bye, Miss Carter,” she said, giving Jenny a jaunty little wave as Ethan pulled her along. Lenny looked down at the floor as he followed his siblings out the door.
Jenny smiled to herself over Betty’s mispronunciation of her name. When Mason let out a heavy sigh, she turned to him. “What’s wrong?”
“I worry about those kids,” he said. “Their father, Andy Franklin, is about as pleasant as a cornered raccoon. Our families have never gotten along. His parents passed up our land and bought another piece of property because they thought it was better for farming since there weren’t a lot of trees on it.”
Jenny said, “I take it that the land wasn’t ideal.”
“You’d be right. Turned out that it was rocky ground and most of the good topsoil had been eroded by some heavy spring storms.” Mason walked over to one of the windows. From there, he could see the Franklin kids as they walked down the path that led to the main street.
“My parents, Uncle Herb, and Aunt Cecilia went together and bought our ranch, which borders the Franklin land. The land had a lot of trees, which was one of the things they liked most about it. Clearing it wasn’t a problem since they needed the lumber for building the house and barn and fencing.
“Plus, there was plenty of firewood. But Pa and Uncle Herb were smart about the way they cut the trees down. They did it right as planting season began and planted as much grass as possible. Ma and Aunt Cecilia put in a big garden and, by harvest time, we had more produce than we needed and enough hay and straw to get us through the winter.”
Jenny came to stand beside them. “So, they’ve been jealous of your family all these years?”
“Yeah. Once they saw how fertile our land is, they accused us of stealing it from them. They tried to get us in trouble over it. But we didn’t do anything wrong, so the circuit judge tossed the case out after less than five minutes,” Mason said. “But that’s not all they hate us for.”
Jenny grew even more concerned. “What do you mean?”
“As I told you in my letters, Grandpa and Grandma were the first people who settled around here.”
“I remember,” Jenny said.
“Well, when more people started making their homes here, everyone decided to name the town after them. The Franklins wanted to name it something else, but they were way outnumbered.”
Jenny shook her head. “They sound like very unpleasant people, who unfairly blame people for their own misfortune.”
“Yeah, well, they don’t see it that way. And judging by the way Ethan acted with me, it seems like Andy’s been passing that hate down to them,” Mason said.
The regret in Mason’s eyes made Jenny feel sorry for him. He was clearly a caring man, and she wished that things were different between the two families.
Mason shook off his dark musings. “But that’s enough of that. Are you about finished up here?”
Jenny took a last look around, her excitement returning. “Yes. It seems as though everything is in order.”
“Looks like it,” Mason agreed, smiling at the happy light in her eyes. “Let’s go pick up our supplies and I’ll introduce you to everyone. Folks have been mighty curious about you, so be prepared for lots of questions.”
“I assure you that I’m up for the challenge.”
Mason could believe that about her. Even though he’d only known her for a day, it was clear that Jenny could handle herself in social situations. As they left the schoolhouse, he knew that she’d have the citizens of their little town eating out of the palm of her hand in no time.
; Chapter Five
Sitting at the dinner table with Mason’s family that night, Jenny held a hand to her aching stomach. It turned out that Pastor Gibbons had a great sense of humor and liked telling amusing stories about his years as a clergyman. His current story was about the worst fruitcake he’d ever been given.
“The generous soul who made it was well-intentioned, and I couldn’t refuse her gift. However, once I bit into it, I could barely open my mouth because it was as strong as any glue created. It took quite a while to get it down. I’m afraid that it was inedible, but I didn’t want to throw it out and waste it.” His warm chuckle made Jenny smile. “At the time, my wife Annette and I had a couple of pigs. We ended up giving the cake to them. They must’ve thought it was delicious because they gobbled it up in minutes.”
Laughter filled the room when he finished his tale. When it subsided, Cecilia and Jenny went to get dessert for everyone.
As they plated up the cherry crumb pie Cecilia had made that afternoon, she said, “It’s wonderful that Pastor Gibbons will be here permanently now. We’ll make a donation toward building a new church, and we have plenty of trees at the edge of the western pasture that would make nice boards.”
Jenny was starting to learn her way around the kitchen. She put a pot of coffee on the stove and took some cups out of the cupboard. “I’m sure he’ll be very grateful to you for your kindness.”
“It’s the least we can do. Everyone will benefit from having him in Spruce Valley.” Cecilia sent a sly glance Jenny’s way. “It also means that he’ll be available to marry you and Mason whenever you’d like.”
Something between excitement and fear made Jenny’s stomach drop, but she forced a bright smile. “Yes, that’s right. Mason and I haven’t had a chance to discuss our exact plans yet.”
Cecilia chuckled as she filled a creamer and put it alongside a sugar bowl on a tray with the dessert plates. “I’d be surprised if you had since you’ve only just gotten here. I’m just joshing you, but I’ll be happy to help you with anything you need.”
“That’s so kind of you, but I may ask you for so much help that you’ll regret your offer,” Jenny said.
“No, I won’t. Herb and I were never blessed with children, so we doted on Mason. But I’ve always wanted a daughter,” Cecilia said. “So, having you around will sort of feel like I have one.”
Her sentiment brought sudden tears to Jenny’s eyes. “I can’t tell you how much that means to me.”
Cecilia patted her shoulder. “No need to. Well, let’s get this out to those men before they come looking for us.”
Since her mother was so far away, it comforted Jenny to have someone like Cecilia to rely on. That Cecilia was Mason’s aunt, and that she approved of her, made Jenny feel even better. With a warm glow inside, Jenny wiped away a tear and helped take the dessert to the dining room.
HEAT LIGHTNING FLICKERED several miles away from the Crawford farm as Jenny sat on the porch later that night. She’d helped Cecilia clean up after dinner while the men had talked in the parlor. Pastor Gibbons had left about an hour ago, and Mason and Herb had gone to the barn to check on the stock for the night. As she looked out over the lawn and listened to the crickets, Jenny felt a sense of contentment.
Although she’d been worried that things would go wrong once she’d reached Montana, her concerns seemed to be unfounded. The Crawfords were a good family and Mason was a good man. Easy on the eyes, too, Jenny thought with a smile.
“You look happy.”
Jenny startled at Mason’s voice, making her chair rock a little. “I swear you’re like a cat!” she scolded.
Mason laughed and lowered himself into the chair next to her. “Sorry. I wasn’t trying to sneak up on you.”
He briefly touched her hand, and Jenny’s pulse jumped.
“You had such a pretty smile on your face. What were you thinking about?”
Jenny was glad he couldn’t see the blush his compliment brought to her cheeks. “All sorts of things. How pretty it is here, how excited I am about teaching...”
“Anything about me?”
“I had maybe one or two thoughts,” she teased.
“And what were these couple of thoughts?”
“That you eat enough for three men and have a nasty habit of scaring people.”
Mason laughed at her witty remark. “I only eat so much because I work hard every day. What’s your excuse?”
Jenny gasped and promptly pinched his forearm. “Cooking and serving a meal is certainly work, Mason! Besides, your aunt’s cooking is delicious, so who could blame me for taking a second helping?”
Mason’s laughter made her giggle. “Boy, it sure is easy to get you riled up.” He placed his hand on her forearm. “But I like spirited women.”
“Do you? And just how many spirited women have you known?” she asked, trying to ignore the heat that seemed to be spreading up her arm.
Mason understood exactly what she was asking him. “I’ve courted a few girls, but it wasn’t anything serious. A couple of them were pretty spunky.”
Jenny had no right to be jealous of these other women, but a little green-eyed monster seemed to dance around her. “Did you love any of them?”
“They were all nice enough. But no, I never fell in love with them.”
Trying to sound nonchalant, Jenny asked, “How well did you know them?”
“A couple of them grew up around here, so pretty well. The others had moved here, but they found husbands and they moved away.” He leaned a little closer to her. “But if you’re asking whether I knew them in the biblical sense, the answer is no.”
Jenny turned to look at him. His eyes were a lighter shade of silver in the moonlight and his hair moved slightly in the lazy breeze. His broad shoulders and strong arms filled his shirt out in a way that made it hard to look away. Mason was the kind of man who drew female eyes without even trying.
It was impertinent, even rude of her to ask, but she needed to know. “Have you ever known any woman in the biblical sense?”
Mason wasn’t offended. He liked her courage and, even though it was a little embarrassing, he smiled. “No, I haven’t. I came close a couple of times, but I got myself reined in before things went that far.”
His answer surprised Jenny. She’d been expecting him to either refuse to answer her or to tell her that he’d slept with at least one woman. He was so handsome that it was hard to believe that he hadn’t a slew of women chasing him.
“I’m glad,” she blurted. “I mean, that is... Why? Never mind. It’s none of my business.” Jenny was embarrassed for being so nosey about something so personal.
“It’s all right,” Mason said, wanting to make her feel better. “Since we’re getting married, we should know everything about each other, even the stuff that’s hard to talk about.” He took her hand. “I didn’t go past a certain point with a woman for several reasons. First, I’d never want to have a child out of wedlock, and I didn’t want to have a shotgun wedding.”
Jenny liked the feel of his strong hand around hers. “I can certainly understand that. That’s one reason I’ve resisted that temptation. The other is that I was waiting for marriage.”
Mason would’ve still married Jenny if she hadn’t been a virgin, but knowing she’d never been with a man made him happy. “I feel the same way, and I’m glad you do, too.”
He stroked his thumb across the back of her hand and Jenny almost shivered from the contact. It amazed her that a man she’d just met could have such a strong effect on her. She squeezed his hand back and smiled.
Their gazes locked and she couldn’t look away, mesmerized by the heat in his eyes. Instinctively, she knew he wanted to kiss her, and she wanted the same thing. Growing bold, she leaned a little closer and tipped her face up to his in a clear invitation.
Mason’s blood ran hotter as he looked down at her. She was so beautiful and smelled so good. His hunger was stirred too much to resist her offer. Lowering his head, he b
rushed his mouth against hers. When she didn’t pull away, he brought his hand up to cup the back of her head as he deepened the kiss.
Never had he kissed such soft, sweet lips. She tasted of cherry and coffee, a heady combination. She moaned against his mouth, fisted a hand in his shirt, and pulled him closer. Mason had never had such a swift reaction from a woman before, but he wasn’t complaining.
With his free hand, he pulled her chair against his and wrapped his arm around her. His ardor rose higher and he plundered her mouth with urgency. If she’d signaled him to stop, he would’ve immediately heeded her request, but she seemed as lost as he was.
The feel of his arm around her and his firm chest under her hand assaulted Jenny’s senses in a most delicious way. He smelled of hay and horses, two scents she’d never thought she’d like on a man. But Mason wasn’t just any man. He was confident and strong, yet kind and thoughtful, and so gorgeous that it was sometimes hard for her not to stare at him. She ran her hand up his chest, marveling at the way his muscles flexed under her palms.
The chair arm cut into her ribcage, making her grunt in pain. She drew back, breaking the kiss. Her rapid breathing was echoed by Mason’s as she stared into his eyes. “I’m sorry. The chair was hurting me.”
Concern joined passion in his gaze. “Are you all right?”
“Yes. I’m fine, just disappointed that it interrupted us,” she replied.
Caressing her cheek, Mason struggled to regain control, but Jenny had brought out something primal in him. “Maybe it’s best that it did. I didn’t mean to get so carried away.”
Jenny leaned back in her chair, grateful for the breeze that helped cool her heated cheeks. “Yes, I think you’re right. Goodness, Mason.”
Mason chuckled. “I agree. It’s improper to say this, but judging by that kiss, I don’t think it’ll be too long before youngins come along.”
Pressing her fingers to her lips, Jenny tried to contain the giggle that rose in her throat, but it was hopeless. “Agreed,” she choked out before lapsing into laughter.