Flynn touched her chin. “I would wait for you till the end of the world.” A sparkle of humor touched his eyes. “But I hope I won’t have to wait that long.”
She felt her shoulders relax and did step over to the stove this time. “For now, we’d better get this coffee out to the meeting before they revolt and leave Charlotte to do all the work herself.”
Flynn chuckled. “Right. We can’t have that.”
He held the door for her as she passed, and she felt like she was making an escape when she hurried into the dining room. She had just been freed from her ties to one man. Did she so quickly want to tie herself to another? Yet this was Flynn she was thinking of. He wasn’t anything like Steven. Still… She’d never suspected Steven to be a monster in disguise either.
Lord, what am I to do?
She wasn’t sure what she had expected after the prayer. She’d never really heard God speak other than through gentle urgings when she read the Bible. But the moment she finished the prayer she quite clearly heard an audible response.
Hope in me.
It startled her so that she nearly dropped the tray. She glanced around. Had Flynn heard the voice? He didn’t seem to have.
He stepped up beside her and studied her for a moment. “You’re certain you’re all right?”
“Yes.” Dixie smiled. “I truly believe I am. For the first time in a long while.”
Hope in the Lord. That was something she was more than happy to do.
That and deliver coffee.
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
Liora still felt as though she were walking on clouds as she descended the stairs.
After the sheriff had given her the amazing news about her property, she had run to her room and cried tears of happiness and amazement and thankfulness to God. She’d gone from being unemployed and penniless and hungry, to gainfully employed and well fed. And now she was a bona fide property owner. She’d hardly come out of her room other than to eat and work for the past few days.
She still hadn’t fully decided what she would do with the property, but she’d prayed and knew that God would help her figure it out from here. And just that realization made her eyes prick with tears again. She was so thankful to be able to rest in the knowledge that her Savior wanted only good for her and would direct her steps.
And speaking of steps… She picked up her pace. She was late for the meeting about the Christmas festival. She hoped that it was okay for her to join in. She so wanted to help. But she was a bit leery of how other members of the town might view her presence. She hadn’t felt any animosity directed her way when she showed up for the last meeting that had been canceled by Steven’s death, but Ewan hadn’t yet been present at that meeting. He was the one she worried might raise objections to her presence.
She paused at the side of the doorway and peered quietly into the room.
Across the room, Ewan sat in conversation with Marshal Holloway. Her disappointment rose. She couldn’t risk a scene that might once again delay Charlotte’s meeting. She would just go back to her room and ask Charlotte later if there was any way she could help.
She started to step back from the doorway.
“Liora? Is that you?” Joe’s voice rang out from the end of the table. “Come in. There’s a seat for you here.”
She hesitated. Stuck. She could already hear that Ewan had quit talking mid-sentence. She could almost feel his squinted eyes drilling holes into her back through the doorway.
“Liora, I’m so glad you’ve come!” Charlotte’s voice from just inside the room was all warmth and welcome. “I’ve just the perfect job for you. Please come right in. And, oh look! Coffee. How thoughtful of you, Dixie.”
Thankful that Charlotte had so quickly diverted attention from her, Liora slipped into the room and took the chair between Dr. Griffin and Joe.
Joe gave her a nod and slid the tray of coffee mugs closer to her. He did a double take of her face. “You okay?”
Her eyes must still be showing evidence of her emotions. She gave him a quick nod and a smile that she hoped would alleviate his concerns, but then quickly turned her scrutiny elsewhere. After all the times she’d thrown herself at Joe in her former life, she didn’t want him to think she was doing so again.
Liora studied those gathered as Charlotte stepped to the head of the table with a list as long as her forearm in her hands.
Mr. Heath sat closest to the head of the table with a serious furrow in his brow. Perhaps he was feeling the weight of the fact that he’d been the cause of a man’s death? And yet… She followed his gaze across the table to Sheriff Callahan, who was watching Miss Brindle with a soft light of yearning in his blue eyes. Liora suppressed a smile. Could it be that the town founder was not happy to discover that his sheriff had feelings for his teacher?
Ewan sat next to Mr. Heath, his condescending gaze fixed on her.
She squirmed in her seat, but refused to let him cow her into retreat. She would just carry on as normal.
Next to Ewan sat Marshal Holloway. She was thankful to see the man joining in to participate in a community event. Maybe he would stay in these parts and take some of the weight of lawing from the sheriff and his deputy. They both put in such long hours, she felt sure they would appreciate the help. She wouldn’t allow herself to linger on the reasons she hoped for them to receive it.
Mrs. Callahan sat next to the marshal with Mrs. Kastain and two of her daughters, Belle and Zoe, next to her. Then came Joe, herself, Dr. Griffin, the new minister, Kin Davis, and Reagan.
Charlotte cleared her throat. “Right. Well, first I want to say how thankful I am to have you all here today. I know I’m asking for you to invest time into something that isn’t a regular occurrence here in Wyldhaven, and I appreciate your willingness to help.”
Those gathered around the table nodded to her.
Charlotte smiled. She set about explaining how she envisioned the festival starting out at the logging camps and then ending here in town once the men had unloaded the last of the logs from their wagons. “I’d like for us to decorate a Christmas tree in the lot by the river.” She smiled at the minister. “If all goes according to plan we’ll have a warm church building next year. But for this year we’ll just have to make do. We can set up brick fire boxes throughout the field for people to warm themselves by. And I’ll have a present under the tree for each of the children in town.” She held up the long list that Liora had noticed earlier.
Liora felt her appreciation for the woman grow another size. She was making a list so she wouldn’t leave any of the children out.
Charlotte had started to go on, but Marshal Zane Holloway leaned back in his chair and spoke. “Actually, I’m sorry to say, but just yesterday I heard that there was a large landslide over the tracks in Montana. Word was that all train shipments will be delayed for quite some time. It will be at least three weeks before they can get enough men in there to get the tracks cleared was the way I heard it.”
Charlotte dropped the list of children’s names onto the table in front of her and leaned her palms on either side of it. “Say it isn’t so!” Her alarm was clearly evident to all.
“I’m afraid it is.” The marshal looked like he wished he hadn’t needed to tell her.
Charlotte sank back into her chair as though all the strength had just left her legs, and there was such a look of misery on her face that before she could think better of it, Liora offered, “Don’t despair. I’m sure we’ll come up with something to give the children.” Every eye in the room turned in her direction, and she wished that she could sink under the table and disappear. Instead, she took a breath, hoping her voice would remain steady. “When I was a girl I used to carve little animals from pieces of wood. We could make something like that for all the boys. And maybe sew new aprons for all the girls?” In the moment of silence that followed, Liora held her breath. She fully expected everyone in the room to dismiss the idea out of hand.
Mrs. Callahan spoke up. “I think
that’s a fabulous idea! I’ve lots of scraps of material that I’d be happy to donate for making the aprons.”
Joe leaned forward and peered past her toward Kin. “I know Kin is some handy with his pocket knife. I bet he could carve animals just about as well as any of us, and I’d be happy to help do that too.”
Liora didn’t dare look at Ewan. He would surely condemn the plan as stupid at any moment.
But Charlotte spoke again before Ewan had voiced any denunciation. She stood to her feet and some of the color seemed to have returned to her face. “Very well. Yes. We can still carry this out. I think those are splendid ideas. Thank you, Liora.” She offered a genuine smile, and Liora gave her one in return.
Charlotte glanced at a much shorter list that she pulled from her apron pocket. “Now let’s see… Who would like to decorate a Christmas tree for the center of the field?
Mrs. Kastain offered. “The girls and I would be most happy to do that.”
Charlotte nodded her thanks and pressed ahead. “And building the fire boxes? I think four should do.”
Ewan lifted a hand. “I’ll build those. I have extra bricks out back of the alehouse I’ve been meaning to use to build an ice house.”
Charlotte smiled at the man. “Thank you, Mr. McGinty.”
Liora almost laughed aloud at the pleased smile on Ewan’s face when Charlotte called him ‘Mr. McGinty.’
And so the evening went.
By the time Charlotte called her little planning meeting to a close, everyone had a task or two ahead of them and Liora felt certain that this was going to be the best Christmas festival anyone had ever experienced—of course she had to keep in mind that most of the residents of Wyldhaven had never yet been to a Christmas festival. No matter. This one would outshine any future ones they might attend.
Charlotte smiled her thanks to all of those who were leaving the room. Despite her disappointment over the fact that the toys she had ordered would not arrive in time for Christmas, she couldn’t help but feel great relief that the Christmas festival was actually going ahead as hoped. With all that had happened in the past few weeks, she’d feared that her plans would get shoved aside.
She gathered up her papers and studied her list once more. People had signed up for every item that she had thought of. She felt a little thrill race through her. The only problem would be if she had forgotten to put something on her list. But she had gone over and over the events, and she felt fairly confident that she had covered every aspect of the evening. As long as she hadn’t overlooked anything, the evening should go off without a hitch.
Someone came to stand beside her. She looked up to see Reagan twisting his Stetson through his hands. Her heart thumped just like it did each time he took a moment to speak to her.
He glanced over the emptying room. “Feels to me like the meeting went really well. How are you feeling about it?”
Charlotte gathered up her papers and hugged them to her chest. “Yes, I’m very pleased. I’m hopeful that we’ll have a lovely Christmas festival.”
Reagan leaned a bit closer and lowered his voice. “Now would be a good time to talk to him, don’t you think?”
Charlotte felt her eyes widen. She glanced up to see Mr. Heath watching them with a great deal of interest. She swallowed and started toward the door, whispering to Reagan. “I’m still not certain. What if we both lose our jobs?”
Reagan followed her. “That’s a risk I’m willing to take, are you?”
She hurried her steps. If they could just escape Mr. Heath’s scrutiny, maybe they could have a moment of solitude to make this decision.
But escape was not to be. Behind them, Mr. Heath cleared his throat rather loudly. “Miss Brindle, Sheriff Callahan, if I might have a word with you please?”
Charlotte’s eyes fell closed for just a moment before she turned slowly toward Mr. Heath. She tried her very best not to look guilty, but probably managed about as well as Washington Nolan did whenever she caught him gawking at Zoe.
Still…she and Reagan had done no wrong. So what could Mr. Heath want with them? Had she done something wrong in the meeting? Yet Reagan had hardly spoken during the meeting, so why would he want to speak with Reagan also?
She lifted her brows and pressed her lips together, waiting for the man to speak. She willed down the trembling deep inside. She loved her job here. And it would make her most discouraged, indeed, should he require her to step down.
As the silence stretched, she considered the evening past. Perhaps Mr. Heath, who had also been very quiet during the proceedings, did not approve of her trying to entice the town into enjoying a Christmas festival?
Beside her, Reagan leaned into his heels and waited silently for Mr. Heath to state the reasons he’d asked to speak with them.
Mr. Heath seemed to be waiting for the room to empty, for as soon as the last person had exited, he folded his arms and bounced an assessing glance between them. “You two have anything you would like to tell me?”
Charlotte looked to Reagan, feeling all her dread and befuddlement rising like cream on fresh milk. There was no skirting the conversation now.
“Sir?” Reagan asked, obviously stalling for time. He tossed her a glance, and she appreciated that he hadn’t just barreled into the conversation without gaining her permission to do so.
Mr. Heath blew out a breath of disgust. “Don’t go and give me that innocence and ignorance blather. I see the way you two are looking at each other.”
This was it then. After all their care to avoid each other since learning of Mr. Heath’s rules, they were still going to be in trouble. “Mr. Heath, I promise you we haven’t…” She felt at a loss for how to go on and simply let the sentence die.
Reagan shot out a hand and settled it against the small of her back. It was a gesture that calmed her and filled her with courage.
He raised one brow, seeking her permission.
There was nothing for it now. She gave him a small nod.
Reagan returned his attention to Mr. Heath. “Sir, we are attracted to each other, true. But I assure you that ever since we received your rules by telegram and post we have both put loyalty to you and duty to our jobs ahead of our feelings.”
Mr. Heath pursed his lips. “So the damage was already done before you received my rules? Well…I suppose that is my fault then.” A twinkle sparked to life in his rheumy eyes. “Young people these days seem to move mighty fast.”
Charlotte didn’t know how to respond to that. It was true that she and Reagan had fallen into an attraction rather quickly after her arrival.
Beside her, Reagan shuffled his feet, obviously at a loss for a response also.
Mr. Heath leaned onto his cane and scratched his chin through his long white beard. “So I don’t have to worry about losing my sheriff or my teacher, then?”
Reagan removed his hand from her back, glanced at the ground, shuffled his feet, and then returned his gaze to Mr. Heath’s. “Not unless you are going to fire us for being attracted to each other.”
Charlotte felt like her heart might just beat right out of her chest. She watched Mr. Heath intently, searching his face for any hint of how he might respond.
Mr. Heath waved a hand and started walking out of the room before he replied, “As long as both of you are abiding by my rules I don’t see as there’s anything I need to do about it.”
Charlotte felt all at once elated and deflated. They hadn’t been dismissed, but neither had they gained permission to court. She waited until the sound of Mr. Heath’s boots had shuffled away into the distance. Then she widened her eyes at Reagan. “Well at least we haven’t been discharged.”
One side of Reagan’s mouth lifted in a sardonic grin. “I figured that as long as we were abiding by his rules he wouldn’t make a fuss about it. But you sure are making it mighty hard to abide by those rules right now. You are a fearsome attractive woman when you’ve just narrowly escaped dismissal, Miss Brindle. All pale and needy looking.” His grin gre
w to maddening proportions. “Ah, but there comes your color returning now.”
Charlotte gave him a huff of disgust and, lifting her skirts, spun away from him. “At the very least Mr. Heath has spared me from having to spurn you myself.”
His laughter floated from behind. “Do have a care, or you’ll find yourself walking home alone in the dark.”
She wrinkled her nose at him over her shoulder, knowing he was too much of a gentleman to actually mean the threat.
His twinkling gaze never left her face as he leaned past her to open the door to the street. “But then again… Perhaps a gent can sneak a quick kiss in the dark as he escorts a lady home?”
It was all Charlotte could do to maintain the stern schoolmarm look she leveled on him. “Not if he wants to keep his job.”
Reagan pressed his hat to his chest as he pulled the door closed behind them. He gave her a mock bow and a bold wink. “Yes, ma’am.”
And as she stepped out before him, she was left to wonder whether he’d been agreeing to not kissing her, or to the fact that he might lose his job if he did so.
Her face blazed warm enough to heat the street.
Heaven’s mercy! The man was going to cost her Wyldhaven’s teaching position of a certainty. And she was likely to enjoy every moment of the process.
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
Dixie bent to pull another sheet of cookies from the oven. She tried to push her concern for Rose to one side. For the past few days, Dixie had hardly been able to coax any food down her, and Rose had wanted only to keep to her rooms. Just as a precaution, Dixie had finally called Flynn, and he was upstairs seeing Rose now.
She pushed aside her worry by thinking through the final plans for the Christmas festival.
It had been two days since Charlotte’s planning meeting. Two days in which the town had kept very busy putting all the plans into place. Excitement was running high, so high that one could almost reach out and touch it like snowflakes in the air.
On Eagles' Wings (Wyldhaven Book 2) Page 23