Janell tried not to let her thoughts dwell on that awful, painful time in her life. No one here besides Eve knew about her ill-fated marriage and that was how she wanted it. To reveal her secret, especially after all this time, would jeopardize not only her job, but also her very position in the community. Especially if her neighbors and friends knew the circumstances. Because she wasn’t just divorced—the divorce had been all her fault.
She’d taken a chance telling Eve six months ago, but was glad now that she had. Her friend had understood all too well what it was to live under the burden of a shameful past and had not been the least judgmental.
“I suppose I’ll have to look elsewhere, then.”
Mr. Chandler’s comment pulled her back to the present. Thank goodness he seemed to have seen nothing amiss in her demeanor the past few seconds.
Still, she was unexpectedly piqued by his easy acceptance of her refusal. Apparently she was nothing more than one of the names on his list.
Janell gave a stiff nod as she sat up straighter. “So it seems,” she replied, striving to keep her tone unemotional and businesslike.
“I wonder if you’d mind giving me your opinion on some potential candidates,” Mr. Chandler asked.
“You want my opinion on who would make you a good wife?” Apparently he saw nothing incongruous about asking the woman he’d just proposed to to help him pick a wife.
He frowned as if insulted. “Not a wife. A mother for the children. What I need from you is an opinion on how the lady under consideration and the children would get on.”
“I see.” The man really didn’t have an ounce of romance in him.
He nodded, apparently warming to the idea. “With your insights, you can save me from wasting time talking to someone who’s obviously not the right fit.”
Janell resisted the urge to roll her eyes. “Assuming you find the right woman, may I ask how you intend to approach her?”
His eyebrow shot up at that.
“If you’re wondering if I intend to go a’courtin’—” his tone had a sarcastic bite to it “—the answer is a very definite no, at least not in the usual way. Like I said, I will make it clear right up front what my intentions are. I don’t want to deceive anyone into thinking this will be more than a marriage of convenience.”
“Your intentions are admirable, I suppose, but I would advise you not to just baldly lay out your intentions and propose.”
“Well, I—”
She didn’t let him finish. “I understand why you wouldn’t want to go through a conventional courtship or mislead the lady as to your feelings. But don’t you think you and your prospective bride should get to know each other before you propose? I mean, you must take the time to decide if she’s the right one to share your home and the right one to share the responsibility for the children.”
He drew himself up. “I consider myself a good judge of character. It won’t take me long to figure out if she’s a good candidate or not.”
“I see.” She held his gaze, hoping to make her disapproval obvious.
Apparently it worked. “I assume you’d handle it differently.”
“I would.”
“Care to elaborate?”
Was she really about to give him pointers on how to find a wife? It seemed she was. “I’d recruit a third party to act as a go-between.” She leaned forward, trying to emphasize her point. “It should be someone you can count on to have your and the children’s best interest in mind, someone whose judgment you trust.”
“And what would this go-between do exactly?”
“Go to the candidate on your behalf, of course. He or she would let the lady in question know the situation in general terms without extending any offers or promises and ascertain said lady’s interest in such a match.”
“So you agree that a businesslike approach is best, just that I should go about it from a distance.”
“It could save a great deal of awkwardness and misunderstanding if you did so.”
“Assuming I go along with this plan of yours to use a go-between, and they acted on my behalf, then what?”
“Well, if the lady appears interested, he could ask a few discreet questions that would allow him to form an opinion of how good a fit she would be for you and the children. Then he would report back to you, and the two of you could discuss whether to pursue her or move on to another candidate.”
“In other words, you think I need a matchmaker.”
“You could look at it that way, I suppose. But you do want to approach this in a very businesslike manner, don’t you?”
He nodded. “I have to admit, it sounds like a good approach.”
Happy that he’d seen the wisdom of her advice, she moved to the next logical step. “Is there someone you could trust to take on this job of go-between?”
He rubbed his jaw, deep in thought. Finally he looked up. “How about you?”
“Me?” She raised a hand to her chest, surprised. “Surely you have some close friend—”
“You’re already intimately acquainted with our situation. I have complete confidence that you’d be looking out for the children’s best interests. And this was your idea in the first place, so I don’t have to do a lot of explaining. In other words, you’re the perfect candidate.”
“Still, I would think you’d want someone you know better—”
“It also occurred to me that this is a role that would benefit from a woman’s touch.”
He had a point there.
“Besides, I believe you’ll be looking out for Chloe’s and Alex’s best interests.”
“As you said earlier, the children and I have formed an attachment. I’d like to make certain that the woman whose care they are eventually placed in can give them the love and attention they’ll need.”
He sat back with a smug smile. “Exactly.”
Why not? “Well then, if you’re sure you trust my judgment, I would be glad to assist you in finding a wife.” As soon as the words left her mouth, Janell wondered what she’d just got herself into. Was she really going to take on the role of matchmaker for this man?
Suddenly, she had had all she could take for one day. She stood. “It’s getting late—we can discuss this in more detail tomorrow.”
He stood as well. “Of course. I didn’t mean to keep you so long.”
Had it been a mistake to agree to this? A better question was, why had she agreed to this? She wanted to think it was for the sake of the children alone.
But she had a niggling feeling that the fact that it would mean spending more time with their uncle had played a part as well.
* * *
Hank jammed his hands in his pockets and moved to the front of the house while Miss Whitman went to tell the children goodbye. Things hadn’t worked out as he’d hoped—he should have known better than to think the straitlaced schoolteacher would agree to marry someone like him, but from the depth of the disappointment he was feeling, apparently he had.
Of course, one only had to be in her company a little while to know that Miss Whitman came from a place of refinement and money. Her circumstances may have taken a downturn, but that didn’t change who she was.
Still, he’d hoped her obvious affection for the kids, at least, would offset any reservations she might have about marrying him, and that the knowledge that she was quickly approaching the age of spinsterhood might factor into her decision as well.
The strength of his disappointment surprised him, though. Having her say yes would obviously have made this whole ordeal simpler. And it would also have had the added advantage of him being certain he could share a house with her without her driving him crazy. Strange how certain he was after barely a day in her company.
At least she’d agreed to help him find someone suitable. It made him feel not quite so alone in all this.
He stared out the front door and frowned. He didn’t like the idea of letting Miss Whitman walk home unescorted. Dusk was settling in and it wouldn’t be much longer until it was full dark.
Not that he believed anyone here in Turnabout would bother the schoolteacher. Still, she deserved more consideration than that. Problem was, he couldn’t leave the children home alone, and he also didn’t think it would be a good idea to take them out for a long walk right now.
But there was one way to handle this without disturbing the children. As she joined him at the door, he said, “I wonder if I could impose on you for just a few minutes longer.”
“Of course. What can I do for you?”
“I need to step down to Dennis Raine’s house for a moment, if you could stay and keep an eye on the children. I promise I won’t tarry long.” The Raines were his closest neighbors.
She settled down on the chair near the sofa. “I’ll wait right here.”
Hank’s errand took less than ten minutes. When he returned, he had the Raines’ oldest daughter with him. The girl nodded at Janell. “Good evening, Miss Whitman.”
“Hello, Glenda.” She turned to Hank questioningly.
“Glenda is going to keep an eye on things here while I walk you home.”
From the look on her face, she didn’t seem to be particularly appreciative of his attempted gallantry. “That’s very thoughtful of you, Mr. Chandler, but there’s no need—”
He cut her off, determined to have his way on this at least. “Of course there is. And since Glenda is already here, you might as well just go along with the plan.”
She rolled her eyes, but gave him a nod of agreement.
“Just give me a minute to let the kids know.” As he headed down the hall he smiled in satisfaction. Nice to see she could occasionally allow someone else to take charge.
Then his smile faded. Had he been too quick with his proposal? After all, he’d only arrived back in town with the kids this morning. If he’d given her more time before he proposed, might her answer have been different?
He supposed now he’d never know.
* * *
Janell lay in bed that evening, contemplating how quickly her world could change. It was difficult to believe that when she’d got up this morning, she hadn’t known of Alex and Chloe’s existence and had barely ever spoken two words to Mr. Chandler. Right now they all seemed like very important parts of her world.
Her heart went out to Chloe—she saw so much of her sister in the girl. But the thought of helping this hurting child energized Janell as nothing had in quite a while.
And little Alex—his consuming concern for his sister, despite his own loss, or perhaps because of it, touched her deeply. She had to find a way to help him just be a little boy again. And perhaps she could, especially once she got him in her classroom.
Then there was Mr. Chandler.
She rolled over on her side, trying to find a more comfortable position.
Her opinion of the sawmill owner had certainly undergone a dramatic change in the past twelve hours. No, that wasn’t quite accurate. She’d simply given him very little thought before today.
But now that she had noticed him, she found him to be a man of intriguing contradictions.
He could be gruff, but he wasn’t unkind. While he wasn’t classically handsome, his square-jawed ruggedness held more appeal for her.
He seemed unsure of himself around the children, but it was obvious he had their best interests at heart.
He’d also proved himself a gentleman on more than one occasion today.
And he had proposed to her. A marriage proposal was definitely the last thing she’d expected.
Not that it was a true proposal. After all, he was looking for a mother for the children, not a wife for himself. And even though the circumstances were much different than with her husband, she could never contemplate entering a loveless marriage again.
Still, what was most surprising of all the things that had happened today was that she’d found herself, if only for a brief moment, considering saying yes.
* * *
Janell arrived for church early the next morning, wanting to get there ahead of Mr. Chandler and the children.
She sought out Eve and another friend, Hazel Andrews, and asked for their help in making certain Chloe wasn’t overwhelmed by crowds of people.
She wished she had time to speak to Eve alone for a moment. It would be nice to have a chance to talk over yesterday’s surprising development with her friend. Perhaps they’d have that discussion later.
When the church bells rang, indicating it was time for the congregation to move inside, Janell still hadn’t seen any sign of Mr. Chandler and the children. Should she check on them? Should she have offered to help him get the children ready this morning?
She’d already taken a few steps in that direction when she caught sight of them, hurrying up the sidewalk. Chloe looked sullen and Alex appeared anxious. Mr. Chandler’s usual easygoing demeanor seemed a little frayed around the edges this morning, but they were all appropriately attired and headed this way.
“Hello, Alex, Chloe,” she greeted them as they drew closer. “You both look very nice in your Sunday clothes.”
Alex said a subdued thank-you. Chloe, as expected, said nothing.
Close up, both of the children appeared nervous. Without her cat, Chloe seemed much more vulnerable.
Janell turned to Mr. Chandler, determined to act as if yesterday’s proposal had never happened. And that became easier when she saw the uncharacteristically frazzled look on his face. “Shall we go inside?”
They were the last to enter the church. Fortunately, she had asked Eve to keep the back pew clear for them, and her friend had come through. Janell entered the pew first, then Chloe, Alex and finally Mr. Chandler.
They received several smiles and nods, but fortunately, the service started almost immediately and everyone turned to face front.
Janell knew the service was lost on Chloe and that the girl disliked being here. But Chloe had to learn to spend time among people again, and church was a very safe place to start. For one thing, while the service was in progress she didn’t have to interact with anyone. For another, the interior of a church should be a somewhat familiar, comforting place for her.
Once the service was over, she and Mr. Chandler ushered the children toward the exit as quickly as possible. Reverend Harper, who stood in the doorway to greet his departing congregation, gave Mr. Chandler’s hand a hearty shake. “Welcome back, Hank. My condolences on the loss of your sister.”
“Thank you, Reverend.” He drew the children forward. “These are Enid’s children, Alex and Chloe. They’ll be living with me now.”
The reverend smiled at them. “Welcome to Turnabout. We’re glad to have you join our community.”
“Thank you, sir,” Alex said, his tone respectful.
Chloe remained silent.
Janell spoke up then, complimenting the preacher on his sermon. As she’d hoped, this gave Mr. Chandler and the children the opportunity to move on. A moment later she joined them at the bottom of the steps and they moved forward as a group.
Before they’d taken more than a couple of steps, however, Mr. Chandler was hailed from several directions by folks who were eager to welcome him back and express their condolences.
While he was forced to pause, Janell kept going forward. She moved herself between the children and took their hands. Eve and Hazel had recruited some help and several women were positioned strategically around the churchyard. They smoothly intercepted anyone who approached Janell and her charges, diverting their attention.
Normally this would be a good opportunity to introduce the children to others their own age, but Janell knew that Chloe wasn’t ready for that yet.
Once they were beyond the churchyard, Alex looked up at her. “Are you coming home with us, Miss Whitman?”
Janell glanced over her shoulder and found Mr. Chandler had kept his gaze on her. As their gazes met, he gave a slight nod and disengaged himself from his conversation with Ward Gleason.
She smiled down at Alex. “I am. But first I need to stop at my place. You don’t mind coming with me, do you?”
He shook his head. “No, ma’am. I don’t mind at all.” He glanced toward his sister. “And I’m sure Chloe won’t mind, either.”
Mr. Chandler caught up with them about a block down Third Street.
“We’re going to Miss Whitman’s house,” Alex informed him, saying it as if it was some grand adventure.
“So I see.”
“If you’d like to take the children home, I can join you there in a bit.”
He shook his head. “We’re in no hurry. And it’s a nice day for a walk.”
“As you wish.”
They strolled at a comfortable pace, exchanging nods with the folks they encountered but not pausing to chat. When they reached the boardinghouse, Janell motioned to the numerous chairs scattered on the broad front porch. “You’re welcome to sit out here while you wait. Or you can sit in the parlor. I won’t be long.”
“The porch is fine.” Mr. Chandler motioned for the children to take a seat. “And take whatever time you need. As I said, we’re in no hurry.”
With a nod she hurried inside. But even with her back to him, she was quite aware that he watched her until the screen door closed behind her.
* * *
Hank watched the schoolteacher disappear through the boardinghouse entrance. Truth to tell, he’d tagged along today because he wasn’t ready to be alone with the kids in his house again. At least here there were distractions to be had.
The sight of Mrs. Ortolon, dressed in her Sunday best with a ridiculously embellished hat perched on her head, marching up the front walk, however, made him rethink that decision.
Eunice Ortolon owned the boardinghouse, and while she was a good-hearted woman, she was the town’s biggest busybody. He immediately wanted to set the children behind him in order to shield them from her probing. He settled, instead, for stepping forward to greet her. “Good day to you, ma’am. It sure is a fine afternoon, isn’t it?”
“Why, Mr. Chandler, how nice to see you.” The woman studied him with a broad smile and a speculative gleam in her eye. “It is a beautiful day. And what brings you to my front porch today?”
Hank chose his next words carefully. He wanted to avoid having her read anything into the situation that wasn’t there. “I’m waiting for Miss Whitman. She’s going to work with the children to evaluate where they’ll fit in her classroom.”
“Oh, how nice.” Mrs. Ortolon moved to the side and peered behind him. “And are these the little dears?”
Hank swallowed a grimace as he stepped aside. He nodded to the children, but didn’t ask them to step forward. “Mrs. Ortolon, allow me to introduce my niece and nephew, Chloe and Alex. Children, this is Mrs. Ortolon.”
“Well, aren’t you two just the sweetest things? You look so much like your dear departed mother. I knew her as a little girl, you know.” Then she sighed dramatically as she placed a hand to her heart. “I’m so sorry about what happened to her and your father, and to you, too, Chloe.”
“Your sympathies are appreciated, ma’am, by all of us.”
Luckily Miss Whitman stepped out just then, dressed in a simpler frock and carrying a basket. She paused for the merest fraction of a minute when she spotted her landlady standing there, but then pasted a smile on her face. “Mrs. Ortolon, thank you for keeping my visitors company while I was changing.” She turned to him and took Chloe’s hand with a cheery smile. “Shall we go?”
Silently thanking her, he nodded, then turned to Mrs. Ortolon and touched the brim of his hat. “It was nice visiting with you, ma’am. Please enjoy your afternoon.”
With that, he placed a hand at Alex’s back and followed Miss Whitman and Chloe off the porch.
Hopefully, the busybody hadn’t noted anything to gossip about. He felt strangely protective of the schoolteacher’s reputation. He wouldn’t want her getting into hot water due to anything he’d done.
With that in mind, he held back, walking beside Alex rather than trying to hold a conversation with Miss Whitman.
When they arrived at his house, she sent them off to change clothes while she prepared a simple lunch consisting of ham, cheese and pickled green beans.
By the time he returned to the kitchen, she was slicing vegetables into a simmering pot of water. “I thought we were just going to have a simple, cold lunch.”
She nodded. “I’m putting a vegetable soup together for tonight’s supper.”
As usual, she was making decisions for them without consulting him. This time she had assumed he hadn’t already made plans to take care of supper. Never mind that her assumption was correct. Again.
However, she seemed unaware that she’d got his dander up once more.
“Did you encounter any problems when getting the children ready this morning?” she asked.
He grimaced. “It was a battle with Chloe. But I think she saw how her attitude was affecting Alex, so she finally gave in.”
The schoolteacher glanced his way sympathetically. “I promise it will get better with time. But patience will be required.”
She said that as if she was doubtful he could pull it off. He could be patient when a situation called for it. It was just that he had no patience with tantrums or foolishness. But he decided a change of subject was in order. “I looked over that sign-language book you left here last night.”
“And what do you think?”
“I think you were right when you said it would be a lot of work. But if this will help Chloe as much as you seem to believe it will, then it’ll be time well spent.”
She nodded. “Did you say anything to the children about our plans?”
“No. I figured I’d do that when you were around to answer any questions they might have.” And unlike him, she’d be able to do it without putting her foot in her mouth. In fact, he was okay with her taking the lead in that particular discussion—he wasn’t such a fool as to think he had all the answers, especially when it came to something like this.
* * *
Janell raised her chin. “Then we’ll speak to them together, right after lunch.”
She wondered why he’d put it off. Had he been afraid to broach the subject with them? Or had he just not known how to bring it up?
Or was he beginning to think of them as a team, the way she was?