Courting Faith

by Kay Stuart

  “Mother will be here in a few minutes,” Faith replied. Color stole up her face. The glow from the lamp turned her hair to spun silver. She was unable to explain that it was not appropriate for her to stay any longer now that his students were gone. Ill or not, Mr. Hargadon was still a man and should know as much.

  “Did Doctor Thomas say how long I must stay in bed.” Royce was thinking his investigation was rapidly drawing to a conclusion. He was now certain Ferguson was Barlow. The only question remaining in his mind was who shot him.

  “You know what you’ve come to discover,” Faith asked taking the chair again and leaning towards Royce in her eagerness. “This outlaw Barlow you know his identity,” she whispered. “Can you tell me,” Faith asked fascinated beyond all reason. The Barlow Gang had little or nothing to do with her.

  Royce shook his head slowly. “The less you know the safer you will be.”

  “They could have killed you just like they did poor Mr. Dean. How many more have to die,” Faith demanded, “While Barlow remains free to kill and rob.”

  Royce stretched under the covers. Faith was beautiful in her earnestness. “Are you worried about my dieing or Barlow going free,” he lightly teased. Faith gave him a deeply disturbed frown.

  “You! I am worried about you,” Faith admitted shyly. “I don’t want to stand over your grave wondering who is Barlow! I want to know so he can’t get away with another murder!”

  “If you promise to tell only Marshal Tinsley what I am about to say,” Royce replied. Faith leaned towards him. Her brown eyes living fire. She held up one hand as if taking an oath. “Milton Ferguson,” Royce whispered.

  Faith collapsed back onto the chair the name coming as a total surprise to her. “Milton Ferguson!” She whispered in disbelief.

  “He is not the halfwit he pretends to be. I followed him last night on Get-a-long. He is no different than you or me. His pretense has served him well. No one gives the man a second look.”

  Deep in thought Faith nodded her head in agreement. “It makes sense,” she admitted after giving what Royce told her consideration. “I won’t say a word.” Faith leaned over and kissed Royce on one cheek. When she stood she was so hot she thought she might flame to a crisp.

  “Faith,” Royce said catching hold of her hand. “I . . . I have something to say once this thing is finished.”

  Faith smiled shyly. Her heart hammered against her ribs. She leaned down and placed her lips over Royce’s mouth. “Now you will have to marry me,” she whispered her eyes bright with feelings.

  “Faith,” Royce asked. Lifting his left hand he circled Faith’s waist and pulled her against his chest. His lips covered hers in an exploratory kiss. He felt the jab of pain in his shoulder and ignored the intrusion. He tasted her sweetness and groaned softly as desire sliced through him. Faith was trembling in his arms. He breathed deeply her scent and longed for more time with her in his arms.

  Faith pulled away and placed one finger over his mouth. “Mother is coming,” she whispered against his lips. She gave him another quick kiss before standing and adjusting her shirtwaist. Color was blooming red on her cheeks. Her brown eyes were dreamy looking.

  “Your mother is going to suspect something is up,” Royce warmed. “You look delicious enough to eat,” he added.

  “Mr. Hargadon,” Faith sputtered flabbergasted by Royce’s impudence.

  Royce laughed at her look of outrage. The dreamy look was gone from Faith’s eyes as he intended. To ensure Faith’s safety no one must suspect what had just taken place between them. Not even her family.

  “Hello,” Mary Gaines greeted as she reached the top of the stairs. “How is our patient,” she asked coming into the room.

  “I am much better,” Royce replied. Noting Faith was across the room placing firewood inside the stove.

  “Hello Mother,” Faith greeted refusing to look in Royce’s direction. “Did Lydia and Elizabeth make it home alright?”

  “Bobby and Johnny walked all the girls to their homes. It was kind of them,” Mary said softly. “You have a fever,” she continued, looking at Royce. His face was flushed and his green eyes looked overly bright.

  Royce was always struck by the likeness of Faith to her mother. Mrs. Gaines was still a very beautiful woman. Not a hint of gray was in the woman’s light blond hair or a wrinkle on her attractive face. In appearance she could have been Faith’s older sister not her mother.

  “The fever will soon pass,” Royce explained. “I am feeling better already. Ranching makes a man tougher than rawhide.”

  “All the same,” Mary retorted. “A piece of lead no larger than the size of a pea has stopped many good men. We are not going to take any chances with losing you.” Having made her proclamation Mary tucked the covers around Royce’s shoulders. “Doctor Thomas says you can have clear broth if you are hungry.”

  The thought of food brought a low rumbling to Royce’s stomach. He would have to be content with broth. Mary Gaines might look like an Angel but she had the spine of an Arkansas Razorback.

  “Sheriff Walden is waiting downstairs to walk you home,” Mary said turning towards her daughter. “He walked me over saying until this shooter can be brought to justice it’s not safe for a woman on the streets after dark.”

  “Good night,” Faith said holding her winter coat over one arm. She kissed her mother’s cheek.

  “Don’t worry,” Mary said. “I will take good care of Mr. Hargadon. See that Lydia and Laurie get to bed on time. They were fretting when I left. Laurie wanted to come with me. The child has taken a liking to our schoolteacher.”

  * * * * *

  Still weak, Royce made his way downstairs the following morning and sat quietly behind his desk while Elizabeth taught classes. She was a gifted teacher. Royce closed his eyes, relaxed and listened. Elizabeth’s voice was soft as she challenged the rest of the class to answer her questions.

  Royce was surprised when he looked up and found Faith standing in the open doorway. He ran his tongue over his lips and swore he could taste Faith’s kiss from the evening before. “We will have an early dinner break,” Royce said coming to his feet.

  “I am sorry my presence has interrupted your teaching,” Faith told her sister. “You were doing splendidly.”

  “I like teaching,” Elizabeth replied humbly. A flood of new feelings prevented her from saying more. Her eyes told Faith how much she appreciated her sister’s praise.

  “What is all of this,” Faith asked looking with disapproval at the stack of food on top of Mr. Hargadon’s desk. She placed her hands on her hips and glared at Royce. Sure he was over doing it. His color looked washed out.

  “My students think I need fattening up,” Royce responded. “Either that or they heard Doctor Thomas has me on clear broth and took pity on me. Miss Randall’s cookies are good,” he added scooting a box of cookies across the desk. “Mrs. Dial’s fried meat pie does look a little heavy,” he added.

  “Mrs. Dial’s fried pies are delicious,” Faith remarked and was rewarded by Royce’s wide smile. The man was being impossible as usual. He had probably already eaten several meat pies and knew they were delicious. Faith could feel Royce’s green eyes caressing her lips and marveled at the array of feeling heating her from the inside out. “Stop that,” she leaned over the desk and whispered.

  “What,” Royce asked innocently.

  “You know what,” Faith replied glancing towards Elizabeth. Hoping her sister could not over hear their conversation.

  “My kissing you with my eyes,” Royce asked.

  “Mr. Hargadon,” Faith began in shocked tones.

  “Isn’t it time we dropped the Mr. and Miss,” Royce interrupted. “After all . . .”

  “After all! What,” Faith demanded befuddled by Royce’s open admiration. Not to mention the way he was teasing her. Faith’s nerves responded and were tingling with awareness.

  “I do have to marry you,” Royce reminded his voice honey sweet. “You were practically in m
y bed last evening.”

  “I was not,” Faith shouted, blushing from head to toe. Her brown eyes flashed fire at his insinuation. “We merely kissed,” she whispered.

  “Have you ever kissed anyone before,” Royce asked. He knew the answer to his question.

  Faith pouted at Royce’s open teasing. The man was incorrigible without an ounce of shame. Her color deepened at this new revelation. “Someone will hear us,” she whispered.

  “I am sorry for teasing you,” Royce replied softly. “As for the rest? I was in bed and you nearly so,” he challenged. “It would have taken very little to get you the rest of the way,” he added.

  Faith’s eyes opened wide with shock before she smiled at the innocent look Royce gave her. He was incorrigible and she was drawn to him like a moth to a flame. Her eyes skimmed over his lips and a longing started in the pit of her stomach. An ache she did not understand spread through her limbs. She wanted Royce to kiss her and knew he saw the longing in her eyes.

  “Mother sent you a jar of warm chicken broth,” Faith said placing her basket on top of his desk. It was time things got back to normal or she was bound to embarrass herself further.

  Royce let Faith change the subject. He knew all he needed to know about her feelings towards him. That would have to suffice for the time being. He was living a dangerous game and must not draw Faith into harm’s way.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Thunder rumbling overhead woke Royce in the early hours of Saturday morning. Lightning lit up the sky and a loud boom shook the Secondary School building. “That was close,” Royce said out loud. Swinging his legs over the edge of the bed he padded across the floor to the window and looked out over the schoolyard. The smell of sulfur was in the air.

  Ringing of the Church Bell brought Royce to the other side of room. The bell ringing in the middle of the night could only be an alarm of some sort. As far a Royce could see the town was quiet. If there was cause for alarm it was beyond Royce’s range of vision.

  Sure there was trouble somewhere Royce hurried over to his bed and picked up his discarded denims. He quickly dressed and took up his winter coat before heading downstairs. His heart was racing as he reached the bottom of the stairs. He stopped to lean against the doorframe taking in deep breaths and cursing his weakness.

  The smell of charred wood was strong on the air when Royce opened the front door of the school. A light rain was falling. The night was as black as the Pit of Hades. Sounds of shouting came from the east side of Junction City. Shouldering into his coat Royce ran towards First Street. The roadbed was wet and slippery under foot. He crossed the blocks of houses and came to Fourth Street. Men stood in a group holding lanterns high above their heads. Shouts reached his ears.

  The dark clouds overhead were lit up by flashes of long jagged lightning. The boom of thunder was deafening. The ground shook beneath his feet. During the next flash of lightning Royce saw a giant oak tree was split in half. One side was still standing with flames licking around the splintered wood sending sparks into the air. The other half of the tree lay across a house flattening the roof.

  Sheriff Walden was directing a bucket brigade filling the town’s Fire Wagon. Men standing along both sides of the wagon were lowering and lifting the pumping apparatus. Water streamed from the long hose shooting water into the air aiming for the burning tree.

  “Anyone hurt,” Royce asked a stander by.

  “Don’t know yet,” the man replied. “First things first, that tree goes up in flames and half the town will burn to the ground. I’ve seen it happen before.”

  Royce moved through the crowd towards the house. “Anyone inside,” he asked the man standing on the front porch wearing a long white nightgown. His feet were bare. The man turned dazed eyes towards Royce. His face was pasty looking and his eyes glazed. He just looked at Royce as if he did not understand what was said. “Anyone inside,” Royce asked again this time his words were urgent.

  The man scratched his head.

  “Mr. Runyan where are your two children,” Faith asked standing next to Royce’s elbow. Her pale yellow hair was plastered to her head. The row of buttons down the front of her coat was mismatched. She took Mr. Runyan’s arm between her fingers and turned him towards her. “Your children! Where are your children!”

  Royce did not wait for the man’s replied. He dashed inside the house and up the stairs to the second floor. “Children,” he called out. He heard crying coming from one of the bedrooms. “Where are you,” Royce asked as he stepped into the dark room. He heard the timbers overhead creak. Rain was dripping through a hole in the roof. “I am Royce Hargadon the new schoolteacher,” Royce identified himself hoping this would soothe the frightened children. They were not likely to respond to a stranger. “I’ve come to help.” He heard scratching under the bed and knelt down. “Are you under there,” he asked trying to keep panic out of his voice.

  “Yeah,” a child’s voice answered. A moment later a ghostly figure crawled out from under the bed and Royce lifted the child in his arms.

  “Do you have a brother or sister,” Royce asked calmly while his nerves tingled in alarm. The smell of smoke was growing stronger. The crackle of flames was louder.

  “Lucy,” the little boy said. The child turned in Royce’s arms and pointed under the bed. “She won’t come out,” he sobbed.

  Royce did not wait for the boy to say more. He took hold of the bedstead and drug the bed across the floor until another white ghostly figure appeared underneath.

  “No. No. No,” the child squealed as Royce reached for her. Lucy came off the floor kicking and screaming as Royce lifted the child in his arms. The beams overhead groaned as the tree settled deeper into the room. Royce ducked his head as debris fell from the roof. Glancing up he could see flames shooting into the sky. The smoldering tree had sparked into flames.

  The little girl kept screaming as Royce headed from the room towards the top of the stairs. He felt the heat of the flames and heard the roar as the house caught fire and went up like a tinderbox.

  “Close your eyes,” Royce told the children bringing them close against his chest. His wounded shoulder was burning jabs of pain still he held on to Lucy. The child was kicking and screaming and wiggling to get free. Royce never before realized how difficult it was to hold onto a frightened two year old.

  He stumbled down the stairs stopping once to hoist Lucy back into his arms. The child had managed to wiggle out of his grip. He grabbed the back of the girl’s nightgown and held her suspended in air as he rushed down the remaining steps. The room below was in total darkness. He bumped into a table and sent it toppling. The room was filling up with smoke. The boy was coughing. Lucy’s wails were interrupted by bouts coughing.

  Royce felt cold air coming through the open front door and blindly headed in that direction. The roar overhead strengthened as timbers crashed around him. The boy hugged him tight around the neck choking off his breath. His lungs burnt while the pain in his shoulder was numbing his hand holding onto Lucy’s nightgown.

  Bursting through the front door Royce took a deep breath of cleaning air. Everyone had moved back away from the house. Royce stumbled across the lawn and went to his knees. Hands reached for Lucy. “Shush,” a women’s voice whispered. Royce looked up and saw Faith hugging Lucy. “You are safe,” Faith soothed as she rocked the child gently back and forth. Mrs. Gaines reached for the boy and Royce released him into the woman’s caring arms.

  “Mama,” the boy wailed looking back at the house now engulfed in flames.

  Royce felt the painful thud of his heart. Was someone still inside the house. He turned and knew it was hopeless to try and find out. Royce read the answer on Faith’s tragic face and bowed his head. He drew in deep breaths and felt tears on his cheeks. A lost life was never an easy burden to carry. “You did your best,” Faith said touching Royce’s shoulder. “You saved Lucy and Pete.”

  “I didn’t know,” Royce whispered and leaned his head against Faith’s
hip. Her warmth spread like wildfire through his soul and revived him.

  Another house smoldered into flames. Shooting sparks into the sky. Bits of red ash floated to earth and people started slapping at their clothing. The house across the street roared into flames. Everyone ran down the block to get away from the heat and flames.

  “We will take Lucy and Pete home with us,” Mary Gaines said. “This is no place for children.” As she spoke the Church Bell began ringing again. “Imogen has opened the church for women and children to take shelter. They will need blankets and hot drinks.”

  “Royce, be careful my Darling,” Faith whispered before turning away. Her heart tapped rapidly at the boldness in which she had addressed Royce while fearing for his safety. The man she loved had not hesitated before running into the house to save Lucy and Pete. What other hazards awaited him before the fires could be put out. She would not think of this now, Faith admonished as she followed her mother home through the light rain.

  Thunder rumbled overhead and lightning lit the sky. Lucy grabbed Faith around the neck. The child sobbed as she hid her face. “It is alright,” Faith whispered. “You are safe.”

  “No. No. No,” Lucy sobbed, her voice rising in fear.

  “Shush,” Faith whispered kissing Lucy on the forehead. “You know me,” Faith insisted. She began to sing softly knowing what hymn Lucy would know and recognize. Giving the child something that was familiar in a time of tragedy. Lucy tightly hugged Faith around the neck clinging to her as Lucy shivered with cold.

  In the Gaines’ parlor Mary sat Pete on the sofa next to Faith. The boy scooted as close to Faith as he could, leaning against her shoulder. Mary shook out a crocheted coverlet and wrapped it around Pete and Lucy. “There is so much to do,” Mary said distracted.

  “You go on,” Faith replied. “I can see to Lucy and Pete. As soon as we stop shivering we will make hot chocolate to drink.”

  “You need to get the children out of their wet clothes,” Mary said hurrying from the room.