have no intention of telling anyone in town anything. I’m Maggie’s teacher.”
He froze, then his gaze impaled her. “You’re the schoolmarm? You?”
Heat Hushed her cheeks and ran the length of her as his bold gaze covered her. At once she was conscious of the mud on the hem of her skirt, the mend in her cloak, the press of her blouse against her throat, the wisps of her light brown hair loosened by the breeze. She felt her cheeks pinken and heard her heart pound in her ears.
Determinedly, she squared her shoulders and inched her chin higher, reminding herself that at age twenty-five and with several years’ experience, she was well qualified for the job; surely, that was the reason behind the look he gave her.
“Yes, Mr. Logan, I’m the schoolmarm. And I am here because today, for the third time this week, Maggie has come to school without a proper meal.”
His brows furrowed. “I sent her lunch pail today.”
“It was empty.”
His shoulders sagged farther. “I forgot to put food in it?”
“If you’re unable to send her with adequate nourishment, I will talk to the school board and see what can be arranged.”
His back stiffened again. “Now just a damn minute. Don’t you go talking to—”
“That’s all I came to say. Good day, Mr. Logan.” Nose in the air, Sarah glided out of the kitchen.
The cool, damp wind hit her square in the face as she rounded the house and went through the gate. What had gotten into her? What had she been thinking? First, offering to help with supper, then threatening to go to the school board? She’d broken her own rules—something she’d sworn wouldn’t happen.
Keep to herself. That’s the promise she’d made when she’d taken this job. She’d been lucky enough to find this position out here so far from everyone she knew—everyone who knew her—that she wouldn’t risk losing it. If that happened, where would she go next?
Sarah lifted her skirt and hurried down the road less concerned about the puddles than putting some distance between herself and Mr. Jess Logan. A man with a past. That was the rumor she’d heard. She shouldn’t provoke him. She was a woman with a past and she had far more to lose than Jess Logan if the good people of Walker found out what she’d done.
After all, who would want her for a schoolmarm once they found out how she’d killed her own husband?
Chapter Two
Golden rays of sunlight sifted through the pristine priscillas, rousing him gently. Jess groaned and rolled over, punched his fist into the pillow and snuggled deeper into its softness. He closed his eyes, ready to drift off again, then shot straight up in bed.
“Good God! What time is it?”
Tangled in the quilt, he scrambled out of bed, reaching for his trousers with one hand and his pocket watch with the other. Nearly nine o’clock. Damn.
“Maggie! Maggie, get up!”
Jess hopped into his trousers, fastening them as he hurried down the hall. At the door to the bedroom the children shared, he stopped. Both Maggie and Jimmy were gone.
“Dammit. Maggie!”
“I’m here, Uncle Jess.”
He ducked into his own bedroom again, grabbed his shirt and boots and followed his niece’s voice to the kitchen. Maggie. and Jimmy sat at the table.
“I slept too late, Maggie. We’ve got to hurry or you’ll be tardy for school.” He shoved his arms into his pale blue shirt and rummaged through the sideboard. “You’ll have to eat quick, then get dressed.”
“We already ate.”
Jess looked back at the bread and jam on the table. “Oh, yeah. Okay, then, get dressed and—”
“I am dressed.” Maggie slid from the chair. “See? So is Jimmy.”
“Okay. Yeah, that’s good.” Jess raked his fingers through his hair. “Get your books, then.”
Maggie disappeared down the hallway as Jess balanced beside the table, pulling on his socks and boots. Outside, the school bell began to clang. He mumbled a curse and looked at Jimmy. “Let’s go, partner.”
The boy bit into a slab of bread; strawberry jam squished out and dripped onto his shirt. He chewed slowly, making no move to leave.
“Maggie! Hurry!” Jess grabbed a towel from the sideboard and wiped at Jimmy’s shirt. The child grunted, pulled away and shoved the rest of the bread into his mouth.
Jimmy still hadn’t spoken and only occasionally tolerated Jess’s touch. Jess tried to wipe the child’s sticky hands, but Jimmy grunted again and slid them both down the front of Jess’s shirt, smearing jam all the way down.
“Jesus....” Jess jumped back and looked down at the mess. He ran the towel across his shirt, but only managed to make it worse. Outside, the school bell clanged again. Resolutely, he lifted Jimmy out of the chair. “Come on, we’ve got to go.”
Jimmy ran down the hallway ahead of him.
“Maggie!” Jess tossed the sticky towel aside. The last thing he needed was to be tardy for school and have the schoolmarm poking her nose into his business again. He headed down the hallway. “Come on, Maggie, let’s get going.”
She came out of her room, books in one hand and two red ribbons in the other. “Braid my hair.”
Jess stopped dead in his tracks. “What?”
She shook the ribbons at him impatiently. “Yesterday, Mary Beth Myers had her hair all braided and she said her hair was prettier than mine and it’s not. I want my hair braided today.”
His jaw slackened. They were already going to be late for school. There was no time to braid hair, even if he knew how.
Jess pulled the ribbons from her hand and tossed them aside. “It doesn’t matter what Mary Beth Myers says. Come on, now, we’ve got to hurry.”
He shepherded her out the back door, then nearly stepped on her when she stopped suddenly.
“Where’s Jimmy?”
Jess slapped his hand over his face. Jesus, he’d nearly forgotten the other kid. He yanked open the back door again. “Jimmy! Come on!”
Seconds ticked by and finally Jimmy appeared, licking his fingers. Jess led the way around the house. At the gate he stopped, remembering to shorten his strides so the children could keep up.
In the house across the road the curtain in the parlor window parted ever so slightly and Jess saw Mrs. McDougal peek out. He cringed at the sight of her. Not once since he’d moved into his sister’s house had the woman come outside and spoken to him, but she kept constant vigil
