for a shave and a haircut. I picked up some new duds, too, but that isn’t important right now. What’s going on in there?”
“In where?”
He pointed to the sign hanging from the doorknob that read Private Meeting. “In the schoolhouse.”
Land sakes! How could she have forgotten about that? A sinking sensation filled her stomach so she sank along with it to sit on the top step. She rested her chin in her hand with a heavy sigh. “It’s possible that I might be getting fired.”
“Fired?” Quinn frowned at the door then sat one step below her. “Why would they want to fire you?”
“Apparently there are several reasons.”
“But you’re a great teacher.”
She gave a short laugh. “You still say that after your nephew went home with a black eye last week?”
His eyes narrowed. “Is that what this is about? I’ll go tell them it wasn’t your fault.”
He moved to stand but she placed a stilling hand on his shoulder then lowered her gaze to avoid his questioning look. “No. Don’t. Perhaps it’s for the best.”
“The best?” He stared at her then shook his head. “Why? Don’t you want to teach?”
She shrugged as the vague feeling of discontent she’d been ignoring welled up inside of her. “I certainly enjoy it. However, to be honest, it isn’t really what I want to do.”
He frowned. “Then what do you want to do?”
I want to have a family with a husband and children of my own. She sighed and leaned back against the stair railing thinking about how foolish she’d been. Of course, teaching school wasn’t anything like having children of her own. She’d been reminded of that at the end of each day when the students all rushed out the door, leaving her behind.
“Helen?” Quinn’s use of her Christian name for the first time drew her full attention. “Do you mind if I call you that?”
Surprised, she offered a quizzical smile. “I suppose you might as well. Many of the other students’ parents do.”
“I need to talk to you. I know this probably isn’t the right time, but I can’t hold it in much longer.”
“This sounds serious.” She crossed her arms on top of her knees and nodded. “Go ahead and tell me. We may have a few moments before they call me back in.”
He sent a speculative look toward the door. “My eldest nephew and niece are always going on about you and I’ve noticed that you seem to care a whole lot about them, too. That’s true, isn’t it?”
“It certainly is.”
“Well, I’m doing my best for them but anyone can tell that isn’t good enough.” He waved away her protests. “Now, that’s just the plain truth and you know it. The fact is that they need a mother.”
She stared at him, wondering where this conversation was going as he unfolded a piece of paper she hadn’t realized he was holding. He handed it to her. She didn’t bother to look at it. She couldn’t have if she’d tried for his gaze held hers captive with its intensity. “I prayed for a helpmeet and God sent me the Bachelor List. It says you’re my match. I was wondering if you’d be willing to marry me—for the children’s sake.”
Her gaze finally dropped to the paper unseeingly as she tried to make sense of what he’d just said. “Will you repeat that please?”
His hand covered hers. “You’re my match. My nieces and nephews need you. I need you. Will you please marry me?”
The schoolhouse door opened startling them both as Mr. Eldridge stepped outside. “We have reached a decision, Miss McKenna. Please, come in.”
Quinn helped her stand murmuring, “I’ll wait here.”
She gave him a brief nod then stepped inside. The grim faces of the school board members spelled out her not-so-surprising fate. She glanced down at the paper she held. Her attention caught on the sight of her name printed as clear as day next to the name of the man who was waiting for an answer to his proposal.
“Miss McKenna,” Mr. Etheridge began in a cadence that seemed unnaturally slow juxtaposed by her racing thoughts. “On behalf of the school board and the citizens of Peppin—”
Quinn was offering her exactly what she’d always wanted. Well, not exactly—but the closest she was likely to get to the marriage and children she longed for.
“—I would like to thank you for the kindness, energy and time you have devoted to the children of this community.”
Quinn hadn’t mentioned love in his proposal. Of course, she could hardly expect him to since they barely knew each other. Who was to say that it wouldn’t turn into love eventually? Her parents had an arranged marriage and they’d grown to love each other deeply.
“I would also like to apologize for any behavior on our part that would make you doubt our gratefulness—specifically my own.”
Most important, there were the Tucker children to consider—children to whom she could give so much love and care. She and Quinn wouldn’t be able to have children of their own, but she’d learned her lesson and would keep that bit of information to herself. What could it hurt? With four little ones of his own already, he might not have time to notice.
“We would be happy to have you stay with us through the rest of the school year per our original agreement.”
Quinn wanted her. Quinn needed her. She had a chance with him—with them—that she might not have ever again. She wouldn’t walk away from that. She couldn’t.
Her gaze snapped up from the Bachelor List as Mr. Etheridge’s words finally registered in her brain. “You want me to stay?”
“The school board has concluded that I might have been a bit hasty and overprotective as the matters concerned my own children.” The poor man looked as if he’d swallowed a marble. “We will honor our original agreement with you concerning the position.”
“That’s wonderful!” Her smile was returned by the other members of the board then she bit her lip. “You did say that your daughter is willing to start immediately, though. Didn’t you, Mr. Etheridge?”
“Well, yes, I did.”
“In that case...” She took a deep breath then couldn’t stop the smile that spread across her face or the way her chin rose with pride. “I resign.”
Quinn paced in front of the schoolhouse steps waiting for Helen to return. He felt nervous and even a little light-headed. Of course, that might be from the haircut and shave he’d just had but it was uncomfortable nonetheless. He rubbed his hand over his clean-shaven jaw as he remembered the shocked look on Helen’s pretty face at his clumsy proposal. He’d done the best he could. That didn’t mean it would be good enough. It certainly
