there is
one child in my class or 30. Maybe when the people in
this town grow tired of having their lives dictated by one
woman, they'll send their children to be taught. It's my
hope that if enough of you take a stand, you can make a
difference."
Marcail walked out of Mr. Flynn's office without saying goodbye, wondering as she went if she could really
hold to all she said.
twenty-one
Marcail's emotions were in tatters by the end of the
week. She'd had only six children to teach and was
beginning to regret everything she'd said to Mr. Flynn.
For the first time in her life she was honestly thinking
of quitting. In fact, this idea pressed upon her so strongly
she walked to the train station to check the schedule for
southbound trains.
It was late Saturday afternoon, and even though she
was low on flour, sugar, and coffee, she had not come
into town for any other reason that day. She felt curious
eyes on her as she walked, and nearly turned back home
before reaching her destination.
The train station was very quiet at that time of the day.
Feeling like a coward, Marcail walked toward the far side
of the train office, knowing it would be even more deserted. She slipped around to the front of the office just
long enough to read the departure times, and then
quickly back to the far side of the building-and into the
arms of Rowie Kilmer.
Marcail gasped in surprise and would have taken a
step backward, but Rowie had a hold of her arm and
drew her up close to the side of the small structure.
"It was all a lie, wasn't it?"
"What was?" Marcail's voice was breathless with fear
and a little bit of pain.
'All your talk about teaching. All your denials about
wanting to get married. They were all
lies.'As
"No, Jethro, they weren't. I'd have frozen if Dr. Montgomery hadn't taken me in."
usual,
Rowie
wasn't
listening.
"Wasn't
I
good
enough for you? Didn't you think I could take care of you
like he could?" His hand tightened on Marcail's arm, and
she flinched. "You didn't do nothing but lie, telling me
no and then giving favors to the doc in front of the whole
town."
If Marcail could have moved she would have slapped
him. She began to struggle, but he was so much stronger
it did no good. A feeling of panic began to overtake her.
She would have cried out, but again he tightened his
hold and her cry turned into another gasp.
Marcail watched Rowie looking around as if he planned
to drag her somewhere. With his attention momentarily
diverted, she threw back her head to yell, but a voice
stopped her.
"I might be mistaken, Rowie, but I believe you're
hurting Miss Donovan."
Marcail and Rowie's heads turned sharply with surprise, and Marcail could have wept at the sight of Alex
Montgomery. This time when Marcail pulled her arm,
Rowie freed her. She walked on trembling legs toward
the doctor.
"So that's the way it is between you two?" Rowie said
with a shake of his head. "Well, you haven't let anyone
know, so you can't blame a guy for thinking she's up for
grabs."
Alex saw no point in arguing with him, even though
he was sickened by Rowie's words about Marcail. It was
hard to stay silent, but it helped to have Rowie leave as soon as he'd had his say. Alex looked at Marcail as the
other man backed out of sight. She looked devastated.
He felt her trembling as he took her arm and led her from
the train station.
Marcail didn't speak as Alex led her to the livery. He
claimed Kelsey and began the walk toward Marcail's
house, leading the horse. When Marcail still hadn't spoken at the edge of town, Alex began to question her.
'Are you all right?"
"Yes." Marcail wasn't, but she didn't know how to
begin telling him how much she hurt inside. And besides, he was a doctor of the body, not the heart.
Alex knew she was far from "all right," but he had no
idea how to question her. She didn't thank him or even
look at him as he opened her door and waited for her to
go inside. He
one child in my class or 30. Maybe when the people in
this town grow tired of having their lives dictated by one
woman, they'll send their children to be taught. It's my
hope that if enough of you take a stand, you can make a
difference."
Marcail walked out of Mr. Flynn's office without saying goodbye, wondering as she went if she could really
hold to all she said.
twenty-one
Marcail's emotions were in tatters by the end of the
week. She'd had only six children to teach and was
beginning to regret everything she'd said to Mr. Flynn.
For the first time in her life she was honestly thinking
of quitting. In fact, this idea pressed upon her so strongly
she walked to the train station to check the schedule for
southbound trains.
It was late Saturday afternoon, and even though she
was low on flour, sugar, and coffee, she had not come
into town for any other reason that day. She felt curious
eyes on her as she walked, and nearly turned back home
before reaching her destination.
The train station was very quiet at that time of the day.
Feeling like a coward, Marcail walked toward the far side
of the train office, knowing it would be even more deserted. She slipped around to the front of the office just
long enough to read the departure times, and then
quickly back to the far side of the building-and into the
arms of Rowie Kilmer.
Marcail gasped in surprise and would have taken a
step backward, but Rowie had a hold of her arm and
drew her up close to the side of the small structure.
"It was all a lie, wasn't it?"
"What was?" Marcail's voice was breathless with fear
and a little bit of pain.
'All your talk about teaching. All your denials about
wanting to get married. They were all
lies.'As
"No, Jethro, they weren't. I'd have frozen if Dr. Montgomery hadn't taken me in."
usual,
Rowie
wasn't
listening.
"Wasn't
I
good
enough for you? Didn't you think I could take care of you
like he could?" His hand tightened on Marcail's arm, and
she flinched. "You didn't do nothing but lie, telling me
no and then giving favors to the doc in front of the whole
town."
If Marcail could have moved she would have slapped
him. She began to struggle, but he was so much stronger
it did no good. A feeling of panic began to overtake her.
She would have cried out, but again he tightened his
hold and her cry turned into another gasp.
Marcail watched Rowie looking around as if he planned
to drag her somewhere. With his attention momentarily
diverted, she threw back her head to yell, but a voice
stopped her.
"I might be mistaken, Rowie, but I believe you're
hurting Miss Donovan."
Marcail and Rowie's heads turned sharply with surprise, and Marcail could have wept at the sight of Alex
Montgomery. This time when Marcail pulled her arm,
Rowie freed her. She walked on trembling legs toward
the doctor.
"So that's the way it is between you two?" Rowie said
with a shake of his head. "Well, you haven't let anyone
know, so you can't blame a guy for thinking she's up for
grabs."
Alex saw no point in arguing with him, even though
he was sickened by Rowie's words about Marcail. It was
hard to stay silent, but it helped to have Rowie leave as soon as he'd had his say. Alex looked at Marcail as the
other man backed out of sight. She looked devastated.
He felt her trembling as he took her arm and led her from
the train station.
Marcail didn't speak as Alex led her to the livery. He
claimed Kelsey and began the walk toward Marcail's
house, leading the horse. When Marcail still hadn't spoken at the edge of town, Alex began to question her.
'Are you all right?"
"Yes." Marcail wasn't, but she didn't know how to
begin telling him how much she hurt inside. And besides, he was a doctor of the body, not the heart.
Alex knew she was far from "all right," but he had no
idea how to question her. She didn't thank him or even
look at him as he opened her door and waited for her to
go inside. He
Similar Books
