Page 50 of Kissing the Sheriff
“You look a little pale,” he said. “You’re not ill, are you?”
Cassie managed another smile. “Perfectly fine.” What a liar she was.
* * *
As soon asCassie was gone, Conrad sank into her father’s chair. “Blimey.” He pulled a handkerchief out of his pocket and wiped his brow. “What was that about?” He stood and went onto the front porch. Cassie had already disappeared. She left after a brief goodbye and didn’t say if she’d be home for lunch or not. Well, no matter. He and Billy had lots of work to do today and if she didn’t show up, they could always have lunch at the hotel.
He left the house and headed for the Watsons’. Billy enjoyed talking with him on their morning walk to Cassie’s and, he had to admit, the boy was a decent conversationalist for a seven-year-old.
When he arrived, Billy was sitting on the porch steps, waiting for him. “About time you got here.” He had his trusty sack and clutched it like it was gold. His mother must have given him a lot of cookies today.
“Good morning, young chap. Have your lunch, I see.” Conrad smiled and looked at the house. “Is your mother busy?”
“She’s doing dishes.” Billy glared at him.
Conrad rolled his eyes. “We were being gentlemanly yesterday doing the lunch dishes. Cassie liked it.”
“It’s women’s work.” Billy marched past him toward the gate.
Conrad sighed and followed. “What if when you’re married, your wife becomes ill?” He thought of Cassie’s pale face, then pushed the thought aside. “What if you have to not only cook for her, but clean everything up too?”
Billy stopped on the other side of the gate. “What if I let her clean it up when she’s feeling better?”
“That’s not what a gentleman would do.” He closed the gate and they started walking. “A gentleman is supposed to look after a lady.”
“What for?”
Conrad glanced over his shoulder at the house. “Are you sure your parents taught you proper manners when it comes to how to treat a lady?”
Billy stopped. “For the last time. I’m seven. What do I need to know all that for?”
Conrad shrugged. “Fair point. Still, the earlier you learn, the better off you’ll be. For instance, if I were a lady and you were a gentleman, you’d be walking on the street side.”
Billy stopped and looked at the street. “Huh?”
“Where I’m walking. On your left.”
“Oh.” Billy’s face screwed up. “What does that have to do with anything?”
“Well, if you’re walking next to the street and a runaway carriage is careening toward you, you can push your lady out of harm’s way.”
Billy wrinkled his nose. “What does careening mean?”
“Going very fast and out of control.”
“Well, then I’d better run.”
Conrad chuckled and tried to keep a straight face. “What about the lady?”
“What lady? If some wagon iscareeningtoward me, then you can bet I’m gonna get out of the way. If she ain’t smart enough to do the same, then I guess she’s a goner.”
“Oh, heavens. Clearly I’ll have to teach you the fine art of rescuing a damsel in distress.”
“What’s that?” Billy started walking as if he really didn’t care.
Conrad watched him go and sighed. “You’re going to be a lot of work, young man.” He hurried to catch up. Apple Blossom was the sort of hidden-away place where nothing ever happened. Now that something had, the townsfolk didn’t know what to do or think. Maybe Billy didn’t know about good and evil because his parents didn’t want him to. Then again, maybe he did, considering what happened, and didn’t want to think about it.
When they reached Cassie’s house, they started taking things outside so they could paint the front room. He let Billy have a cookie break while he went to Alma’s to fetch the paint he’d found. It wasn’t until after he walked through the doors that he realized his mistake.
