by Nann Dunne
Faith huffed a breath. "We're just friends, Sarah. Nothing more."
"And you didn't see fit to tell me what was going on about this ruling?"
"I didn't see any need to worry you about it until it was decided one way or the other."
Sarah stared at Faith until she saw a red blush rising from Faith's neck to her cheeks. "You've already decided. Without even talking to me about it." Iron claws dug into Sarah's heart and twisted it. "You're leaving me."
Faith grabbed Sarah's hand and clung to it when Sarah tried to snatch it away. "I'm not leaving you. We're talking about Benjamin and me moving back into the schoolteacher's house. It's only for the rest of the school year, sweetheart."
Sarah squeezed Faith's hand hard. She knew it had to hurt. "You call me 'sweetheart' with your mouth, but your actions say otherwise. The rest of the school year is eight more months. You say it like it's a week or two. How can you walk out and leave me for eight months, as if my feelings don't matter?"
"Of course your feelings matter. I love you."
"Your actions don't show it." A hard knot formed in Sarah's stomach. She tried to think of Leah's words to her about Faith's worries, but she was too hurt and angry to allow them to sway her.
Faith put her other hand over top of Sarah's and rubbed it gently. Sarah loosened her squeeze but still held tight.
"I do love you, Sarah, and I always will. But until these Ku Klux Klan attacks stop, I'm frightened to death for you, for me, and especially for Benjamin. Two of his classmates, my students, became involved, and that has me petrified with fear. I have to suppose that our relationship was behind this attack. Even before the council meeting, Joel suggested that I move away from you until school's out. We can make plans to leave Bonneforte after that. I think he's right. We'll all be safer if we stay apart."
Sarah untangled their hands and stood and paced. "That's eight damn months." She couldn't imagine living that long without Faith by her side. "We can move right now if you want to."
"I signed a contract. I have a commitment to these children. I can't renege on that."
"I thought you had a commitment to me." Sarah's words sounded totter even to her. They tasted bitter, too, like wine gone bad.
Faith rose, walked to Sarah, and put her arms around Sarah's neck. Sarah didn't return the embrace. She stood as still and stiff as a post.
"I do have a commitment to you," Faith said, "but I can't let Benjamin be a target because of our needs. I don't think you want that, either." She kissed Sarah's cheek. "Moving out of here is only a temporary arrangement." She moved a hand to each side of Sarah's face and caressed her lips with her thumbs. "Please understand why I have to go."
Sarah's chest heaved. She did understand. She hated it like hell, but she understood. She lifted her arms and slid them around Faith's waist. After a slow nod, she pulled Faith close and kissed her, gently at first, then with passion. Faith's arms encircled Sarah's neck, and she melted against her. Desire flamed through Sarah like a brush fire. When they stopped for a breath, Sarah leaned away and slowly moved her hand over Faith's breast and down her side to her hip.
Faith pulled them together and ground her body against Sarah. Her whisper filled every nook and cranny of Sarah's being. "Let's not waste the time we still have."
That night proved to be a short respite from their cares. The next day, Sarah helped Faith and Benjamin pack their belongings in the wagon, then she took them to the new house. She was in a bad mood, and finding Joel Litchfield waiting at the house didn't improve it.
He lent a hand unloading, and when they were finished, he looked from Faith to Sarah. "I think you should stay away from each other for the time being. A certain element in town is fomenting trouble for you, Miss Sarah. I don't know exactly what, but you should stay alert. Meantime, I know you don't want to endanger Faith and Benjamin by being anywhere near them."
Sarah gave him a hard look. "Keeping me out of the way would suit you fine in your plans to get closer to Faith, wouldn't it?"
Faith gasped. Joel flexed his hands and took a step toward Sarah. "I think you better leave, Miss Sarah. You've walked into a quagmire, and you don't seem to worry that you could pull Faith and Benjamin in with you."
Sarah was seething. "What do you know about it? Mind your own business." She moved forward, and Faith slid in between them and put a hand on their arms.
"Stop it, both of you." Faith gave Sarah a little shove. "I think you should say goodbye to Benjamin and go home before there's more violence."
The reference to violence hit Sarah like a slap in the face. She spun on her heel and walked to Benjamin, who had been standing silently next to the wagon. They hugged, murmured a few words, and said goodbye to each other. Sarah climbed onto the wagon and left.
Sarah answered the knock on the door. "Leah, hello. Come on in." She held the door wide. Leah entered, and immediately after Sarah closed the door, Leah stood on her tiptoes and threw her arms around Sarah's neck.
They stood a moment, just holding each other, until Sarah stepped back. She crooked a finger at Leah and led her into the kitchen where they sat down at the table.
"How are you?" Leah asked.
"You want something to eat or drink?" Sarah asked. Faith always took care of making such offers to visitors. Had it been anyone but Leah, Sarah would have felt uncomfortable. But she and Leah had known each other even before Sarah met Faith, and they had lived together in this same house as friends.
Leah patted Sarah's arm. "No, but thanks for offering. If you want something, I'd be glad to fix it for you."
That brought the hint of a smile to Sarah's face. "Still watching out for me, huh?"
"I think we'll always watch out for each other. Now tell me how you are."
Sarah gave a weak shrug. "Lonely. But otherwise all right."
"You know, Sarah, just because Faith isn't here doesn't mean you're out of danger. Some people are really angry with you. You take in a slave family, shoot Ed Putnam, then Hiram Blanton gets killed. Those who blame you might think they have the right to make you pay. A kind of retribution."
"Good word, retribution." Several years ago, Sarah had embarked on a project of expanding Leah's vocabulary, and she had found an apt pupil. Ever since then, Leah had continued learning on her own.
"Stop changing the subject," Leah said. "You drive me crazy when you do that."
Sarah grinned. "Sorry." She pointed to the rifle sitting in the corner. "I keep that loaded and ready all the time. I wear my sidearm when I go out anywhere. And I've been sleeping in the living room so I can be quick to act if I hear anything."
"You trust your hearing?"
"You have a point there. It's sure not what it should be. But it's not terrible either. I heard your buggy coming."
"Umm." Leah didn't seem convinced. She looked thoughtful for a moment then snapped her fingers. "You should get a dog."
Sarah chortled. "A dog?"
"Sure. They hear and smell things way before people do."
"I'll think about it."
Leah stood and picked her pocketbook up from the table. "Come on. My next door neighbor's Irish setter had pups awhile back. Seems the papa was a beagle, so there's a real mixture of choices. They should be more than ready to leave their mama." She started across the room, and when she reached the door, she looked back over her shoulder. "Come on," she urged with a wave of her hand.
Sarah shuffled to her feet and joined Leah. "You're a pushy wench," she grumbled.
Leah's eyes twinkled. "But you love me anyway." She opened the door and started out with Sarah following her.
Sarah flicked her hand against Leah's backside. "Yes, ma'am, I surely do."
Chapter Five
Back at the house, Leah fixed a saucer of milk for the pup and Sarah set the small red creature next to it. The pup sniffed at it for a moment, then lapped at it without stopping. Sarah had chosen a red, short-haired male with a beagle face.
Leah giggled, and Sarah said, "W
hat's so funny?"
"I was just wondering what it is with you and red hair. You have a redheaded partner, a red horse, and now a red dog. Any special reason why?"
Sarah gave that a moment of thought. "Not that I know of. I guess I just like red hair."
Leah's eyes sparkled, and she had a mischievous grin. "I bet you're partial to red, bouncy curls, too, hmmm? Especially at night, when they're dancing along your—"
Sarah felt a blush rise on her face as she stuck her elbow into Leah's side. "Stop it! I miss Faith enough without your teasing me about her."
"All right, I'll be good."
"Humph. That'll never happen."
"Would you want it to?"
Sarah gave her a quick hug. "Never. I love you just the way you are."
"That's good. I reckon I've changed about as much as I ever will. Have you decided what to call the puppy?"
"I think I'll call him Hope. Hope that things will get better."
Leah stuck her hands on her hips and batted her eyes. "You want to call me Charity to fill out the trio?" She lowered her hands and said, "Faith might not agree with you on that name." She and Sarah sat down at the table and watched the little mutt.
"Won't be the first thing she hasn't agreed with me on. But I was only kidding. I'll call him Paddy, an Irish name in honor of his mother. At least he'll be some company for me."
Leah laid her hand on Sarah's arm. "I understand you well enough to know you're really upset about Faith moving out. Do you want to talk about it?"
Sarah just kept staring at Paddy, and Leah continued. "I know it's hard to pick up and leave your home, but why don't you all just move away?"
"Faith doesn't want to renege on her contract. She's afraid they wouldn't find another teacher right away and the kids would suffer. She'd feel guilty about that."
"Are they looking for one?"
Sarah shrugged. "She told the council to look for one, but she made the mistake of saying she would serve the rest of the school year or until they found a replacement."
"Sounds like your girl was too upset to think straight. I'll bet she kicked herself when she realized it."
"Maybe. She's really committed to those kids."
Leah shook Sarah's forearm then moved her hand away. "She's committed to you, too. I'm sure her worry about Benjamin is behind this separation. She has to be sick about him being mixed up in Hiram Blanton's death. He might even have gotten some threats."
Sarah lifted her gaze to Leah and had to force her words past her lips. "I never gave that a thought—that Benjamin could have been threatened." She doubled her hands into fists. "If anyone harms him..."
"I think you should be more worried about yourself. Most of the people don't blame you, but a few do. The wrong few. Morton Blanton's been spouting off, and he has some cronies who always seem to gather around him like sheep. I don't trust them."
Sarah nodded toward the rifle in the corner. "Between my rifle and my Colt, I'll take care of anyone who means to harm me."
Leah stood. "I have to pick up Brendan from Greta Fulton before Amy gets out of school, and Phillip will be finished work soon. He always brings a big appetite home with him."
Sarah stood up and laughed. "Big man, big appetite." Paddy came over and nuzzled Sarah's boot. She reached down, picked him up, and settled him into the crook of her arm. Paddy licked at her fingers. "Thanks for the watchdog."
Leah scratched the pup's head. "You're very welcome. I feel better knowing you have him. He's little yet, but he can still bark at strangers." They walked to the door. Sarah leaned down and they kissed each other's cheek.
"Give Phillip and the children my love."
"I'll do that. You be careful, please."
"I will. I promise."
Sarah purposely waited until 10 p.m. before starting out on Redfire. Dark clouds, heavy with the promise of rain, obscured the moon and stars. She took a deep breath before entering the woods, recognizing the familiar scent of newly mown hay and a tinge of wood smoke. After reaching her destination, she dismounted, tied Redfire to a branch, and crept to the edge of the trees. She tripped over a raised root, and pain surged through her leg from foot to knee. She gasped and smacked a fist into her thigh. "Damn!"
The appearance of a lit window through the dimness lessened her pain. Would she be brave enough to knock on the back door this time? She had come to the schoolteacher's house twice before, but not sure of the reception she would get from Faith, she had hesitated and eventually returned home. She hadn't seen Faith privately for two weeks, and welcomed or rejected, she couldn't stand it anymore.
She crossed the thirty feet of open space and limped toward the house. She tapped on the door, and after a few moments, it opened a crack.
"Sarah!" Faith flung the door wide, grabbed the front of Sarah's jacket, and yanked her inside the kitchen. Without letting go, she stuck her head outside and looked around. "Did anyone see you?" She shut the door and turned her attention to Sarah. With one quick motion, she pulled Sarah close and kissed her.
Sarah embraced Faith and joined in the kiss. After a long moment, Faith broke off, wrapped her arms around Sarah's neck, and lowered her head into it. "I've missed you so much."
"Me, too," Sarah murmured into her hair. She closed her eyes and relaxed for a moment, basking in the relief that suffused her.
Faith leaned into her then stepped back. "Sit down. I have some hot tea on the stove." Sarah hung her jacket on the back of a chair and sat while Faith got cups and spoons and poured the tea. "I haven't seen you for two weeks, not even in town. I had to ask Phillip if you were all right. Why didn't you come over sooner?" She got sugar from the cupboard and a pitcher of milk from the icebox and put them on the table.
"I was afraid."
Faith stopped in the middle of opening a clown-faced earthenware cookie jar. "Afraid? Of what?"
Sarah rubbed her neck. "That you were still angry with me."
Faith removed some sugar cookies from the jar and closed it. She placed the cookies on a cake plate and set it on the table. Sitting cattycorner, she stroked Sarah's arm with her fingers. "Yes, I was angry. You were mixed up in a lot of turmoil, and you got Benjamin involved in it. That really upset me. It still does. But when have I ever stayed angry at you for long?"
Sarah looked down at the table and answered in a low voice. "Never, until this past time." And that had hurt more than Sarah cared to admit—or even think about. "Then you left."
Faith took Sarah's hand in both of hers. "I didn't leave because I was angry. You know that, don't you?" When Sarah didn't answer, Faith loosened one hand and laid her palm against Sarah's cheek. Sarah leaned into the touch then lifted her chin and gazed into Faith's eyes.
Faith said, "I'm worried, sweetheart. Benjamin's upstairs asleep right now, and that's about the only time I feel any relief from worrying about him. I'm afraid for you, too. And I'm afraid for me. Please don't hate me for that."
Sarah stood and moved next to Faith. She took Faith's hands, pulled her up, and they melted together. "I don't hate you," Sarah said. "I love you. I want to kiss your worries away. I want to hold you and make love to you and make all of us safe. Being separated from you and Benjamin is killing me."
"I feel the same—"
Someone knocked on the door. Hard. Faith stepped away from Sarah and moved to answer the knock. Sarah raised a hand then dropped it.
Faith pulled the door open. "Hello, Joel."
Joel Litchfield stepped in without waiting for an invitation, and Faith closed the door. He looked as he almost always did, dressed in a dark brown suit, white dress shirt, and dark green bow tie. He removed his white Stetson, baring a thick head of wavy, light brown hair. Sarah had to admit he was a handsome man and had always seemed pleasant. But that made his presence here all the more disturbing.
He looked directly at her. "I don't think your visiting Faith in the schoolteacher's house was intended by the town council's ruling. In fact, I'm sure they would frown on it.
"
"How did you even know I was here?" Sarah asked. "Have you been spying on Faith?"
"I drive by on some nights to make sure everything's all right. I was coming down the lane in my buggy, and I heard a horse whinny. That seemed unusual to me, so I got out and looked around. I found your horse tied in the woods. It didn't take much to realize you were here with Faith."
"And you just had to save her," Sarah said with a sneer.
He frowned and his voice sounded earnest. "I think I have saved her. If anyone else had come by and found you, she would probably be dismissed out of hand." He turned and looked at Faith. "And you don't want that to happen, do you?"
Faith covered her mouth with her fingers and shook her head no.
"Very well." Joel looked back to Sarah. "I'm not your enemy, Miss Sarah. If you leave now and give me your word you won't return, I'll keep quiet about this."
Sarah stepped toward Faith. Anger made her voice shake. "Do you want me to leave?"
"No." Faith's eyes looked troubled, and she sounded anguished. "But I don't think we have a choice."
With a scowl at Joel, Sarah said, "Give us a moment alone."
He looked at Faith, who said, "Please."
"All right. Two minutes." He opened the door and went out.
Sarah's rage overflowed. It coursed through her like lava from a volcano and seared her to the ends of her fingers and the tips of her toes. How dare he? "So he comes by here every night? And what do you do? Did I interrupt your plans?"
"He doesn't come every night. And nothing happens. We have tea and talk, that's all." Faith reached out, but Sarah pushed Faith's hand to the side and backed away.
"Talk about what?"
Faith clasped her hands in front of her waist. She squeezed them together so hard, her knuckles turned white. Her voice sounded harsh. "He's trying to convince me that we should stay apart. Forever, not just now. He says that our relationship, yours and mine, is against nature. 'An abomination,' he claims. He brought a Bible and read it to me."
Sarah was stunned. "And you...you believe him?"
Faith unclasped her hands. She grabbed both sides of her head and threaded her fingers into her hair. "I'm so mixed up, I don't know what to believe."