few minutes later, steam sizzled from the pot, and the smell of coffee filled the room. Hurrying to the woodstove, Honor poured hot coffee into their tin cups and handed one to Jeth. Taking hers in both hands, she settled into the chair across from him. A smile wasn’t in her.
Honor reached for the sugar bowl. “So what happened in town today?”
“I visited Miss Lucy Jordan.”
She dropped two lumps into her cup and stirred without looking at him. “Who’s she?”
“A member of our church.”
“How nice for a single man like you.” A fresh blush warmed her cheeks when she realized what she’d said.
He grinned. Had she amused him?
“Miss Jordan lives with her mother.”
A ping startled her. Glancing down, Honor realized she had bumped the metal spoon against her tin cup. She set her spoon on her crumpled napkin and rose from her chair, hands flat on the table.
“I baked a chocolate cake. Would you like a slice?”
“No.” He covered her hand with his. “I want you to sit back down. There’s something else I need to say.”
“Oh,” she said, inching her hand free.
“I told you there are folks in our church who have been wanting to learn how to read. Well, Lucy Jordan is one of them. She knows your name now, Miss McCall, and that you’ll be her teacher. And she’s very excited. When can you start?”
“When would you like me to?”
“As soon as we can arrange it.”
Jeth took a sip of coffee, then wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. Honor stilled a shudder. How many times had she seen Lucas wipe his mouth in just that way?
“I want you to drive into town with me in the morning so you can meet your new student. And don’t worry about your duties here at the boardinghouse. I’ll tell Mama that you’re meeting Miss Jordan tomorrow and will be teaching her once a week.”
“What time do you plan to leave?” she asked.
“Is right after breakfast too soon?”
“After breakfast will be fine.”
When Jeth left to drive Timmy home, Honor cleared the table and washed the dishes, but her thoughts focused on her future tutoring student. Honor tried to imagine whatMiss Lucy Jordan might be like, and all sorts of pictures played in her mind.
Jeth had explained the importance of a first meeting. Honor wanted to look her best and would stay up late and alter another of his mother’s dresses.
In the big dining room that evening, the long table was filled with people. The supper guests included Mrs. Clark and her sister, Mrs. Davis, Elmer, a Mr. Lott, Dr. Harris, and, of course, Jeth. The scent of a beef roast and spicy baked potatoes wafted around them.
Honor planned not to look at Jeth. She would simply do her job and go back to the kitchen, she told herself.
The table was covered with bowls and platters of food, but there was space for one more something directly in front of Jeth’s plate. Holding a heavy bowl of green beans in both hands, she intended to place it on the table and walk away. But standing behind Jeth, she realized there wasn’t enough room between him and Dr. Harris to squeeze a bowl through. Somebody needed to move out of her way.
Gathering her courage, she cleared her throat. “Would one of you gentlemen please move so I can put this bowl on the table?”
Both men turned and smiled.
Jeth moved way over—as if he expected her to put a washtub on the table. “Is this far enough?”
Everybody looked at Honor and laughed.
Her cheeks burned. “Yes, that should do it.”
Jeth rose from his chair. “That looks heavy. Let me help you.”
Honor shook her head, glowering at him. “No, thank you, Preacher. I can do this all by myself.”
She stepped forward on shaky legs. The bowl tipped slightly. Beans spilled to the very edge. Jeth reached out and steadied the bowl.
“Thank you,” she said stiffly.
“You’re welcome.”
Knowing that all eyes were on her, Honor was flooded with embarrassment. She set the bowl near Jeth’s plate and stepped
Honor reached for the sugar bowl. “So what happened in town today?”
“I visited Miss Lucy Jordan.”
She dropped two lumps into her cup and stirred without looking at him. “Who’s she?”
“A member of our church.”
“How nice for a single man like you.” A fresh blush warmed her cheeks when she realized what she’d said.
He grinned. Had she amused him?
“Miss Jordan lives with her mother.”
A ping startled her. Glancing down, Honor realized she had bumped the metal spoon against her tin cup. She set her spoon on her crumpled napkin and rose from her chair, hands flat on the table.
“I baked a chocolate cake. Would you like a slice?”
“No.” He covered her hand with his. “I want you to sit back down. There’s something else I need to say.”
“Oh,” she said, inching her hand free.
“I told you there are folks in our church who have been wanting to learn how to read. Well, Lucy Jordan is one of them. She knows your name now, Miss McCall, and that you’ll be her teacher. And she’s very excited. When can you start?”
“When would you like me to?”
“As soon as we can arrange it.”
Jeth took a sip of coffee, then wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. Honor stilled a shudder. How many times had she seen Lucas wipe his mouth in just that way?
“I want you to drive into town with me in the morning so you can meet your new student. And don’t worry about your duties here at the boardinghouse. I’ll tell Mama that you’re meeting Miss Jordan tomorrow and will be teaching her once a week.”
“What time do you plan to leave?” she asked.
“Is right after breakfast too soon?”
“After breakfast will be fine.”
When Jeth left to drive Timmy home, Honor cleared the table and washed the dishes, but her thoughts focused on her future tutoring student. Honor tried to imagine whatMiss Lucy Jordan might be like, and all sorts of pictures played in her mind.
Jeth had explained the importance of a first meeting. Honor wanted to look her best and would stay up late and alter another of his mother’s dresses.
In the big dining room that evening, the long table was filled with people. The supper guests included Mrs. Clark and her sister, Mrs. Davis, Elmer, a Mr. Lott, Dr. Harris, and, of course, Jeth. The scent of a beef roast and spicy baked potatoes wafted around them.
Honor planned not to look at Jeth. She would simply do her job and go back to the kitchen, she told herself.
The table was covered with bowls and platters of food, but there was space for one more something directly in front of Jeth’s plate. Holding a heavy bowl of green beans in both hands, she intended to place it on the table and walk away. But standing behind Jeth, she realized there wasn’t enough room between him and Dr. Harris to squeeze a bowl through. Somebody needed to move out of her way.
Gathering her courage, she cleared her throat. “Would one of you gentlemen please move so I can put this bowl on the table?”
Both men turned and smiled.
Jeth moved way over—as if he expected her to put a washtub on the table. “Is this far enough?”
Everybody looked at Honor and laughed.
Her cheeks burned. “Yes, that should do it.”
Jeth rose from his chair. “That looks heavy. Let me help you.”
Honor shook her head, glowering at him. “No, thank you, Preacher. I can do this all by myself.”
She stepped forward on shaky legs. The bowl tipped slightly. Beans spilled to the very edge. Jeth reached out and steadied the bowl.
“Thank you,” she said stiffly.
“You’re welcome.”
Knowing that all eyes were on her, Honor was flooded with embarrassment. She set the bowl near Jeth’s plate and stepped
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