Brokken Pursuit

by P. Creeden

  Oliver stepped just under the overhang and called in, “Hello, there.”

  Jake turned and smiled, waving a hand. The farrier stopped, wiping the sweat from his brow even though the air had turned a bit chilly, and waved as well, his deep baritone saying, “Ah! If it isn’t the teacher. I don’t believe we’ve met yet. I’m Peter York.”

  “Oliver Holt.” He took the man’s offered hand and shook it. The blacksmith was a bear of a man, the definition of brawny. His exposed arms glistened from the light of his lamps and the fire of the coal forge nearby. His hands were rough from hard work, making Oliver feel smaller than usual. “Do you have any children in school?”

  The man laughed and shook his head. “Getting on near thirty-two and haven’t been married yet. Seems like every girl who catches my eye is either married or fixin’ to be.”

  Oliver nodded. Though he’d not had that problem yet. At only twenty-two, Oliver had met plenty of girls in his home town, but none of them tugged on his heartstrings. He’d just not had much interest in feminine wiles. Maybe that’s what he’d liked so much about Hannah. Feminine she was, but she seemed to lack the usual supply of wiles.

  The three men fell into comfortable conversation for a short bit while Peter finished tacking on the last shoe on the mare’s hoof. Once he’d finished the task, he stood, stretched his back and begin returning his tools to their usual places. Jake held the chestnut’s lead rope and turned toward Oliver. “Have you eaten yet, Teacher? I’m about to head back to the livery with this one and then stop in the main house for supper. The Walsh family has heard a great deal about you but haven’t yet met you in entirety. I’m sure they’d like to put a face with the name.”

  “That’s a generous offer, Mr. Wheeler. Are you certain I won’t be imposing? It’s getting late, and they’ve had no notice of company arriving.” Oliver walked alongside Jake while he returned to the livery stable, not much more than fifty paces away.

  Once Jake had returned the mare to her stall in the livery, he led Oliver toward the house, just as Hannah and Missy were stepping out onto the back porch. Hannah’s step faltered as soon as she met eyes with Oliver. Oliver’s heart skipped a beat to see her with her hair down instead of pinned up as it normally was. Soft curls framed her cherub cheeks in the light of the gas lamps.

  “What are you doing here?” She blinked and blushed at the harshness of her words. “I mean, lovely to see you, Mr. Holt. Is there something the matter?”

  Missy peered between both Oliver and Hannah, but Oliver was happy to see she appeared to be in better spirits than when last he saw her.

  Oliver removed his hat and bowed slightly. “Actually, Mr. Wheeler has just invited me to dinner. I hope you and your family don’t mind the imposition.”

  She gasped, the color draining from her face as she shook her head quickly. “You can’t!”

  Chapter 7

  Hannah’s heart sank. She swallowed. No. She wasn’t ready for Oliver to meet Lydia. Hannah wasn’t ready for how her heart was going to break when he saw her. Maybe after Lydia got married. Maybe then, but no, not now.

  “What do you mean?” Jake frowned.

  What was she doing? How could she be so rude? “Um. I beg your pardon. I just mean it’s not the best time for us to receive company. Much of the family has already eaten. My mother wasn’t feeling well and had just said she was going to bed. I didn’t mean to be rude. I just believe it would be best if you came another day, that’s all.”

  Oliver’s expression went from one of confusion to one of understanding as he nodded and offered her that crooked smile. “You’re right. I’d much rather not come unannounced. But you do promise to invite me over and soon?”

  Lydia’s lilting voice grew closer to the door, and panic struck Hannah as she rushed forward.

  She lightly touched his arm. “Yes, I promise, but it’s gotten later than I realized, Mr. Holt. Would you mind escorting Missy and me to the sheriff’s office?”

  She didn’t stop to wait for an answer but passed by him, hoping it would turn him around. She fully expected him to acquiesce to her request since he was very much a gentleman, and what gentleman would deny escorting women in the dark?

  “Of course,” he said and fell in step beside her.

  Jake called out after them, “I’m sorry, Mr. Holt. I hope to see you soon for supper.”

  “Thank you for the offer, anyway. And I hope so as well,” Oliver called back.

  A light breeze blew, and overhead, the clouds hung low, reflecting the light of the gas lamps that lit up the town with an orange hue. Hannah’s heart still fluttered in her chest. Why did she feel it would break if Oliver liked Lydia? All men liked Lydia. Even Jake had seemed taken with Lydia, at least for a short while, before Rebecca managed to steal his heart. But that was strong, capable Rebecca. Could Hannah manage to steal the heart of a man from Lydia? She almost huffed a laugh at the thought. Ridiculous. And then her throat squeezed as she suddenly wanted to cry. Why would any man choose her? She shivered.

  “Are you cold, Miss Walsh? Should we turn back?” Oliver asked, his brow furrowed with worry.

  “Oh, no. I’m just fine. The breeze just caught me off-guard. It’s not too far to the sheriff’s office, anyway.” She pulled her shawl tighter around her shoulders.

  It was because of the way Oliver looked at Hannah now. That was the reason she didn’t want him to look at Lydia. He looked at Hannah as though he cared about her. He cared whether she was hot or cold. He cared what she thought about the desks and the plans for the day at school. He listened to her and smiled at her. He made her feel something that she hadn’t dare to feel for any other man. And she didn’t want it to end. She didn’t want him to look at Lydia in the same way. Because then, she feared, he wouldn’t look at Hannah that way again.

  “This is it,” Missy said, pulling Hannah from her thoughts. “I’ll talk to Sheriff Vic tonight about moving my things tomorrow. Thank you so much, Miss Walsh. I can’t ever thank you enough.”

  Hannah smiled at Missy. “Don’t thank me at all. It’s honestly no trouble. You’re doing us all a favor as well.”

  Missy smiled wider and then headed inside the sheriff’s office. The girl’s smile gave Hannah a warm feeling. She wanted Missy to feel at home in her house and not like a stranger. She wanted her to feel welcome and not as though she needed to repay anything. Hannah hoped that Missy would learn to feel that way in time.

  “It looks as though you figured out what put our student in melancholy and fixed it. How did you manage that?” Oliver’s deep voice was behind her, and Hannah shivered again, suddenly realizing they were alone.

  She turned around slowly and brushed her gaze over his. “Her family back east rejected her. She was going to have to live in an orphanage if someone from town wasn’t willing to take her on.”

  His smile widened, and that dimple appeared in his cheek. “Your family has opened their doors to her?”

  She nodded as they started the walk back toward the livery. “Of course. Missy is a lovely, polite young lady. She’s never been any trouble and always works hard. And my family is dwindling, so it will be nice to have her company.”

  “Dwindling?”

  “My sister Rebecca and Jake will soon have a family of their own in their own house. Rebecca just told us tonight she’s expecting.”

  He huffed a laugh. “That’s excellent news. I thought I saw an extra shine in Jake’s eye tonight that wasn’t there when last I saw him.”

  Hannah nodded. “They only just found out today after talking to Miss Abby, the doctor… the doctor’s wife.”

  “Then it seems your family is growing, not dwindling. I’m certain Jake and Rebecca will visit often with their new child.” Oliver said with a smile.

  Hannah shook her head. “It’s more than that. I mean that Rebecca isn’t always there like she used to be. And then Lydia’s also getting married, too.”

  “Lydia?”

  Heat rushed to Hannah’s che
eks. Why had she even mentioned her? “My other sister. She’s marrying Fritz Brokken come spring. So, then Noah and I will be the only ones in the house to take care of Mama.”

  Slowly he nodded. “I see what you mean now by dwindling. Even though all your family will still be in town, it will feel more like an empty house than it ever has before for you and your brother and mother.”

  “Precisely.”

  “And if you or your brother should marry, it will be that much emptier.”

  She frowned and shook her head. “Noah won’t marry any time soon. He’s a bit young. And none of the men have shown any interest in me—it’s why I was best candidate for schoolteacher, since I’d be unmarried.”

  He lifted a brow. “I wouldn’t say that.”

  She blinked up at him. “Say what?”

  “I’ve seen a few men in town eye you as you walk by. It wouldn’t surprise me if you were married before long.”

  She scoffed as they reached the hotel. “I doubt that very seriously.”

  He inclined her head toward her. “Don’t doubt it too seriously, Hannah. I know of at least one man in town who may have designs on your heart.”

  She wanted to ask who or scoff again, but his eyes smoldered when she met his gaze, and her breath caught in her throat. Did he mean himself? Surely not. He reached forward and pushed a stray lock away from her face, his fingertips light as a feather against the skin of her forehead. The heat of his touch lingered long after he pulled his hand away. Finally, she swallowed, her heart thundering in her chest. He leaned toward her slightly, and for a moment she wondered if he might kiss her. They’d only known each other two days. Would he really be so forward?

  “Goodnight,” she called as she spun on her heel and dashed across the street toward the livery, alone.

  His voice called after her, tinged with the slightest bit of mirth. “Goodnight, Miss Walsh.”

  Was he making fun of her? Anger welled up within her stomach, heating as if coals of fire sat inside her chest. He was making sport of her. It was the only thing that made any sense. Maybe he didn’t mean anything he’d said to her at all the last two days. Maybe he’d lulled her into a false sense of security so that he could then yank the position of teacher out from under her when she wouldn’t be able to protest it so readily.

  Oliver was smart. He was craftier than Hannah could ever be. She’d been a fool to believe that he cared. She swiped the tears from her eyes as she reached the back door. The last thing she needed was for anyone to ask her why she was upset. After plastering on a subtle smile, she opened the door and headed inside, making the decision that she’d not let Mr. Oliver Holt make a fool of her again.

  Chapter 8

  Over the next few days, Oliver couldn’t help but notice the change in Hannah’s attitude toward him. She’d become cold again, but not a hateful kind of cold. This time, the cold was indifference. He shouldn’t have tried to kiss her. What was he thinking when he’d followed his heart in that moment? This sudden chill from Hannah had to be her way of rejecting his advances. He’d acted a fool and deserved it. He’d pushed her much too fast. Even though her doe eyes had seemed to say they had feelings for him, too, she barely looked at him now.

  So, he gave her space for a few days. Then on Friday, when class let out, he approached her with a smile. “Miss Walsh, I hope that you have a lovely weekend.”

  She blinked up at him, her softened features gaining a bit of hardness around the edges before she looked back down at the slates she washed. “You, too, Mr. Holt.”

  “I was wondering what I might do over the weekend. I thought that perhaps someone who’d promised to ask me to supper might decide to do so.” He wanted to be subtle with his prodding, but knew he was being about as subtle as a copperhead snake.

  Her shoulders stiffened for a moment, and she hesitated on the slate she was cleaning, but she didn’t look up and continued cleaning. “Hopefully someone might.”

  He lifted a brow at her. She refused to take the bait. His jaw tensed a bit while this feeling between them squeezed at his heart. He let out a breath slowly. “Perhaps I’ll run into Jake Wheeler again, and he’ll invite me.”

  Her eyes suddenly met his, widened. She shook her head. “No need. Let me talk to my mother and see if you can come Sunday afternoon after church.”

  “That would be lovely. Let’s make it a date.” A smile tugged at one side of his lip. He wasn’t certain why Hannah didn’t want to have him over at her house, but now he knew it wasn’t entirely about the undesired advances he’d made toward her. Something else bothered her and kept her from wanting to invite him over. But no matter, he was proud of himself for manipulating the situation.

  He winced as he walked away from her and returned to the desk to get his belongings. The one thing he hated about the women in his past was their power of manipulation—of doing exactly what he’d just done. He didn’t want to manipulate Hannah, but he needed to have her acknowledge him, even if she was flatly rejecting his advances. He wanted her to either tell him plainly she wasn’t interested, or to give him a chance to redeem himself. He hoped she would give him a try.

  “Lydia, didn’t you say that you wanted to make time to spend with Fritz soon, but felt you had too much to do?” Hannah asked as she sat at the dinner table that evening.

  With a fork lifted partway to her mouth, Lydia stopped and nodded. “Yes.”

  Hannah swirled around the stew on her plate. “Well, I was thinking that if it would help you, I could make supper on Sunday afternoon and give you the chance to spend time with him and possibly even make him supper at the Brokken Arrow Ranch.

  A light sparkled in her sister’s eyes. “Do you mean it?”

  Hannah nodded.

  “I’ll be happy to help, too!” Missy cried from across the table. She’d been an enormous help to Lydia already and often got up early to do chores that Lydia had put off to the next day. Hannah wanted to tell her that it was okay, that she didn’t need to help her make dinner, but Hannah knew that things would go better if she just accepted Missy’s offer.

  Hannah nodded over to her new sister. “Thank you. You would be an enormous help.”

  Missy smiled and continued to eat her stew. Occasionally, Hannah saw Noah peering at Missy and turning away, his cheeks reddened. It was only then she wondered if her brother might be developing feelings for their ward.

  “Since I’m making dinner, Mama, is there anything in particular you’d like me to make?” She turned toward her mother who still sat at the head of the table in her father’s old seat.

  Her mother met eyes with her. “Anything you want to make would be lovely, Hannah Beth, but if you don’t mind making collards? I do have a hankering for some greens.”

  “I can do that, Mama,” Lydia said suddenly. “Tomorrow if you want.”

  Mama set her hand on top of Lydia’s. “No dear. Let Hannah Beth do it. Somehow, she makes greens just like my mother used to. You’ll have to get her to show you how she does it someday.”

  Lydia scrunched her nose. “I already know her secret, Mama. She likes to use too much lard and adds a bit of brown sugar.”

  Her mother huffed a laugh. “If you know, child, why don’t you do it that way?”

  Lydia rolled her eyes slightly in an exaggerated blink. “Because it takes away the healthy purpose behind eating the collards in the first place.”

  Her mother’s hand fluttered over her chest. “Yes, well, at least let Hannah make them on Sunday. Don’t you worry about it. I may not approve of you marrying Fritz, but I guess I can’t stop you from spending time with him.”

  Lydia’s lips tightened in a thin line. “Fine, Mama.”

  “Mama,” Hannah started in again. “Since I’m making supper on Sunday, may I invite a guest to come?”

  “A guest?” Lydia suddenly sat up straighter. “Who is it that you are going through the trouble of cooking for?”

  Hannah shook her head vigorously. “It’s not that I want to
cook for him. I’m only trying to help relieve your burden for the day, Lydia, so you can make other plans.”

  “Him? You’re cooking for a man?” Lydia leaned in and whispered loudly, “Do you have a gentleman caller?”

  Heat rushed to Hannah’s cheeks at her sister’s tease. “I do not! It’s Mr. Holt, the other school teacher.”

  Lydia lifted a brow. “I thought the two of you were rivals for the same position. Why ever would you want to invite him here if you are enemies?”

  “We’re not enemies.” Hannah put her spoon down and shook her head vigorously. “I just thought it would be nice for him to get a homecooked meal.”

  “Isn’t he at the hotel?” Lydia scoffed. “I’m sure Lavender is better at making home cooked meals than you are.”

  Hannah’s jaw clicked as her teeth clacked together. She tensed. Why was Lydia making her plan so hard? She glared at her sister.

  Lydia rolled her eyes. “Fine. Thank you for the offer of cooking supper on Sunday. I do want to spend some time with Fritz that afternoon.”

  “And, yes, Hannah Beth, your gentleman caller can come by for supper,” her mother said around a mouthful of stew. Noah chuckled.

  Heat flushed her cheeks again. “He’s not a gentleman caller, Mama.”

  Her mother waved a hand. “Whatever he is, it’s fine for him to come by Sunday for supper.”

  Hannah let out a slow breath and picked back up her spoon. At least this way, she could get Lydia out of the house while Oliver visited. That was the only thing she wanted. The heat slowly left her cheeks as she finished her plate, wondering what she might make for supper on Sunday to please him.