Page 28 of A Convenient Heart
Jack turned his head, trying not to show his surprise as the marshal sidled up next to him. He hadn’t realized she’d been that close. His chest locked up a little, but he worked to maintain a calm exterior.
“No,” he said. The saloon owner had said Duff could interfere with the land deed for the parcel of land the school was built on. Jack needed to know more about the man. Did he take bribes? Pocket Watch was his cousin.
“Buying a house, then? Or got your eye on a farm nearby?”
The marshal was sharp. He could tell by the intelligent look in her eyes that she didn’t miss much. She stood with hands casually on her hips, but alert and watchful.
“No. I just heard the name. Trying to make sense of who’s who in town.”
She didn’t call his bluff. Her eyes skittered to Merritt and back to Jack.
“She’s independent, but she’s got a tender heart. You’ll do well to treat her right.”
His hackles went up. Was the marshal threatening him? Or simply trying to protect her friend?
“I would never want to hurt her,” he said, gaze drawn back to Merritt.
Merritt was directing the children where to stack the supplies, and for a moment, he caught her looking back at him. She was smiling, and a wisp of hair had fallen loose from her bun, lying against her cheek.
I would never want to hurt her.
So what was he still doing here?
Chapter6
Abrisk wind was blowing as Merritt stepped out of the dance hall, Jack accompanying her. She secured the door carefully behind her.
Twila and Albert Hyer had been the last ones out, and now they remained on the boardwalk, Albert shaking Jack’s hand.
“Thank you for coming out,” Merritt said. “You truly don’t have any idea who donated the supplies?” She felt uneasy that she didn’t know whom to thank.
“I truly don’t.” Twila smiled. “Albert wouldn’t tell me.” She paused. “I couldn’t help noticing the way your Jack looks at you. Like he’s never seen something so fine and he can’t believe it’s his.”
Merritt shook her head, cheeks blazing. “He doesn’t.” She darted a look in the men’s direction and thankfully found them in conversation. Jack didn’t seem to have heard.
I don’t want to talk about that.
Jack had been closed off, though he’d worked side by side with her all afternoon.
“Hmm. I suppose you might’ve missed those looks, as busy as you’ve been all day. But I saw.”
Twila looked happier than Merritt had ever seen her. Even when a gust of wind blasted them, Twila only tightened her wrap around herself and smiled as she turned to face Merritt more directly.
“Albert thinks we should wait, but I know you’ll understand why I have to share…We are in the family way.”
It took a moment and a blink for Merritt to make sense of the rapidly spoken words. And then she was embracing her former student—one of the first young ladies who’d graduated from her schoolroom—and whispering congratulations in her ear.
Albert wore a look of both consternation and adoration as he took his young wife’s arm and steered her away toward the general store and their rooms above it.
And Merritt was left with Jack. Who did not take her arm as she faced into the wind to walk home.
She ducked her face into her scarf. “I’ll make supper,” she said resolutely.
He didn’t say anything to that as he fell into step beside her, heading toward her bungalow. Thankfully it wasn’t far.
He glanced over his shoulder, the way the young couple had gone. “You seem close with Twila.”
Merritt stepped over a slushy bit between the two buildings, where the boardwalk ended with a set of three stairs.
