two

For the rest of the day Susannah had held out a small hope that Bobby Joe would come by her house so that they could come to some sort of understanding. Every time she heard a wagon, she would run to the window, only to be disappointed when it wasn’t him.

Why she thought Bobby Joe would want to have anything to do with her after she had kept such an important secret from him, she didn’t know. A silly hope that he would want to forgive her? Yes. An even sillier hope that he would start to like her? Susannah wouldn’t even allow herself to answer that!

So she waited all day and evening, but to no avail. Bobby Joe didn’t come, and she realized that he probably never would. It was too late. There was too much hurt and bitterness.

The next day was Sunday, and Susannah was so depressed that she contemplated staying home. But what would that accomplish? She’d just end up feeling more sorry for herself. And besides, God shouldn’t be neglected just because she was feeling down.

Singing and preaching were just what she needed to lift her spirits. So, dressed in her nicest blue dress with its eyelet lace accents, she walked, Bible in hand, to the little church down the lane.

When she arrived, she sat in her usual seat in the third row next to Patience and Lee Cutler.

“Good morning, Susannah!” Patience greeted. She was wearing a flattering peach dress that had been designed and sewn by Rachel, the Reverend Caleb Stone’s wife. But while the dress always seemed to complement Patience’s pale skin, today she looked even more radiant and glowing. “I have something to tell you!”

Susannah smiled as she looked over at Lee’s beaming smile and then turned back to Patience, as Patience placed a hand over her stomach. She gasped, “You’re going to have a baby, aren’t you?”

“Yes!” Patience answered in a hushed giggle as the two young women hugged. “Doc Benson confirmed it yesterday. I had a feeling that I was, but I wasn’t sure until I talked to him.”

“You thought you were with child and you didn’t tell me?” Susannah scolded with mock indignation.

“Well, I was afraid to tell anyone about it. . .just in case it wasn’t true.”

Lee leaned over to join the conversation. “She didn’t even tell me until yesterday!”

Susannah smiled at him. “Congratulations, Sheriff. You two will be the greatest parents in all of Texas!”

Lee had once courted Susannah for a few weeks, before they’d both realized he had feelings for Patience. But Sus-annah hadn’t minded. She hadn’t had feelings for him, either. Her mind at the time had been so much on Beth and on her own rocky relationship with Bobby Joe.

Susannah was glad that Lee and Patience were able to realize their love for one another. Their courtship and marriage had been like what Susannah dreamed she would have someday, once she met the right man.

Patience smiled at her husband, then turned toward Susannah. “I am nervous and excited all at the same time, and. . .” Her words trailed off as her eyes left Susannah and focused on something behind her. “Oh, my! If I wasn’t seeing it, I wouldn’t believe it!”

Susannah turned her head, curious at Patience’s sudden change of subject, and froze.

Patience had been right. It was unbelievable!

“Bobby Joe Aaron hasn’t been to church in two years!” Patience said in a hushed, excited voice. Then she called out, “Hi, Bobby Joe! Why don’t you come sit with us?”

Susannah gave a quick intake of breath as she looked pointedly at Patience. “Don’t do that! He won’t come, and I’ll be plum embarrassed!”

“Oh, don’t be a silly-willy, as you would say! He’s coming this way!” she whispered. “Uh, Susannah, aren’t you going to scoot over and let Bobby Joe sit down?” she said louder.

After sending her friend a glare, Susannah made herself look up at Bobby Joe. She almost cringed when she saw him intently staring at her. “Uh, sure,” she said sheepishly as she scooted over. “Have a seat, Bobby.”

Bobby Joe sat down and leaned close to her. He was clean shaven and his dark brown hair was still slightly damp. He smelled of soap and clean summer air, and Susannah was sure that she’d smelled nothing nicer. She also noticed the sharply pressed black suit that he wore, along with a crisp white shirt and ribbon tie. He was such a handsome man, but Susannah was trying hard not to notice that.

“Can we talk after the service?” he asked in a low voice.

Chills rose on her bare arms as his breath caressed her ear. She swallowed hard, trying to relieve the sudden dryness in her throat. “Oh. . .okay,” she stammered, wishing she hadn’t sounded as if she’d been caught off guard.

“What did he say?” Patience whispered in her other ear.

Susannah leaned over with her hand cupped over her mouth. “I’ll tell you later.”

“Why can’t you tell me now?”

Susannah looked with exasperation at her nosy friend. “Because!” Her mouth had formed the word without sound.

“Is Bobby Joe courting you?” she whispered louder than Susannah would have liked. “Oh, my goodness, Susannah! Why didn’t you tell me?”

Susannah was frantically shaking her head. “That’s not it, Patience. He—”

“You and Bobby Joe are courting?” Lee asked in a normal voice, loud enough that the people in the pews in front of them could hear. And of course, Bobby Joe heard, too.

Susannah turned the color of her hair, and she closed her eyes for a moment, wishing she could disappear. When she opened them, there were about ten pairs of eyes staring at her and Bobby Joe with nosy interest.

She didn’t even look Bobby Joe’s way. She didn’t have enough courage.

Turning fully to face Patience and Lee, she said very clearly, “We are not cour—”

But she didn’t get to finish her sentence.

“Good morning, everyone. So good to see you all here,” Brother Caleb said from the pulpit. And then the service began.

Susannah slowly faced forward, humiliated beyond belief and wishing that this was a dream. Like all small towns, people here liked to gossip, especially about who was courting whom. A rumor would be all over town by afternoon, headed toward the next county.

And what was Bobby Joe thinking? He never came to church, and she was so afraid that this was going to keep him from ever coming again.

The organ began to play and everyone stood up, opening their hymnals to the first song, “Christ the Lord Is Risen Today.” Susannah was surprised when she heard Bobby Joe’s baritone voice join in with the others.

After a moment, she gathered enough courage to take a quick peek up at him. To her surprise, he glanced down at her at the same time, and he was actually grinning!

He shook his head and looked at her as one would an amusing child, then looked back to the song leader. He actually thought this was funny!

She looked over at Patience and noticed that she wasn’t even pretending to sing. She was looking back and forth at Bobby Joe and Susannah with great interest, smiling knowingly.

Susannah felt compelled to give her a nudge. “Would you stop?”

Patience opened her hymnal, but then whispered to Sus-annah, “I knew it!”

“Knew what?”

“I’ll tell you later,” she teased, repeating Susannah’s own words.

Susannah looked back down at her open hymnal and sighed.

❧

After church, and after avoiding inquiring stares, Susannah and Bobby Joe made their way to the Springton Inn, where a small restaurant was located. When they were shown to their table, Bobby Joe gallantly held out Susannah’s chair for her, then sat down across from her.

They were both noticeably uncomfortable. Susannah spoke first. “I’d like to apologize about the misunderstanding with Patience in the church. I don’t know why she came to the conclusion that we were. . .well. . .that we were. . .”

Bobby raised an eyebrow as he looked at her. “Courting?” he supplied calmly. He didn’t seem upset about it, but with Bobby Joe you really couldn’t tell. He was not one to show his emotions openly.

“Uh. . .yes. That was an unfortunate little episode, wasn’t it?” Out came her fan, and she rapidly began fanning her reddening face.

“Well, don’t expect that to be the last we’ll hear of it. If I know Springton folk, it’s probably spread to Dallas by now,” he drawled, watching the movement of her fan. If she didn’t know better, she’d think he was amused!

Susannah stopped fanning and frowned at him. “But it’s not true!”

Bobby Joe just shrugged and looked down at the hand-written menu.

Susannah sighed and looked at her own menu. She sneaked a couple of peaks at Bobby Joe and was embarrassed when he caught her the second time. Quickly she lowered her eyes. If only she could tell what he was thinking! The man had a poker face if she ever saw one.

One thing was for sure, though; he didn’t seem to hate her anymore. Before, he wouldn’t even look at her. Now, here he was, acting like a gentleman.

Susannah prayed that they could work things out. And even as she prayed, another thought nagged at her. She needed to tell him about her father’s plans! Her year was almost up, and Susannah knew that if she didn’t do what her father wanted, he would probably come and try to take Beth himself. And he would probably be armed with a passel of lawyers to see the deed done. Winston Butler would use any means he could to win—of that Susannah had no doubt.

But she wouldn’t tell him, not just yet. He might be beginning to actually like her. She didn’t want to change that by bringing up her father’s ugly plan.

So she smiled brightly at him and asked, “So where’s Beth today?”

Bobby Joe lowered his menu. “I left her with Daniel. I thought we could talk better if she weren’t here.”

“Oh,” was all she could think of saying. So he wanted to talk. Is that good? she wondered.

“I’ve thought about what you told me, and I would—”

The innkeeper interrupted him as he brought over two glasses of iced tea.

After the innkeeper took their order, Bobby Joe continued. “As I was saying, I would like you to tell me all you know about what happened with Leanna. I still can’t understand why she wouldn’t tell me.”

“All I can come up with is that the tumor affected her thinking and reasoning. She knew that the doctor in Tyler couldn’t help her, so she wrote home to Father. She thought that with her occasional blackouts, she might hurt Beth. And she wrote that she didn’t want to worry you, that she would tell you what she was doing once she got to Charleston. But—”

“But she never made it,” Bobby Joe finished for her.

“No, she didn’t, and I’m so sorry we didn’t tell you sooner, Bobby Joe. I just. . .” Her voice drifted off, unable to find the right words. With a sigh, she shook her head sadly. “Will we ever get past this, Bobby? Can you ever forgive me?”

He stared at her intently for a moment. Susannah could only guess what was going through his mind. However, she thought she knew his answer. After all, he had gotten used to ignoring her and shutting her out of his life.

But he surprised her.

“I think I should be asking that question. If anyone owes an apology, it’s me. I guess I wanted someone to blame, and since Leanna was going to Charleston when she died, I thought you’d convinced her to leave me.” He sighed and ran a hand through his dark hair.

He looked so sad and lost sitting there, and Susannah’s heart went out to him. Nothing could be done to erase the years that he had lived in bitterness and hatred toward her and her father. There was only the future, and only God could help them with that. And it was the future that she was most interested in.

“Leanna was the happiest I’d ever seen her the day she married you, Bobby. I don’t believe we could have said anything to convince her to leave you. She wrote to me constantly, going on and on about how wonderful her life was with you and Beth.”

Susannah could have sworn that his eyes became red and watery, but he blinked and the redness was gone. On impulse, Susannah reached out and put her hand over his. Surprisingly, Bobby Joe turned his hand over and held hers firmly. “Thank you for telling me that,” he said in a gruff voice. He then let go of her hand and leaned back in his chair. Brushing a hand down his face in a weary gesture, he admitted, “I don’t know what to do now. I’ve spent all this time playing the jilted husband and lashing out at just about everyone. . .even God.” His voice drifted off with a sigh. “I just don’t know.”

“Bobby, you need time, that’s all.”

He nodded. “I know.” He paused a minute and then looked back at her. “You know, you are the only one besides my mother who has ever called me Bobby.”

Susannah smiled, knowing that he needed to change the subject and lighten the mood. “I’m sorry. It just seems to fit you better than tagging on Joe at the end.”

He shrugged. “I don’t mind it.”

They talked a few minutes more, and then their food arrived, putting a lull in their conversation.

When they had finished and Bobby Joe had paid the bill, he escorted her toward his buggy, which was still tied up at the church.

For most of their lunch Susannah had been trying to figure out how to broach the subject of Beth, and when they’d almost reached the church, she decided to just go ahead and tell him what was on her mind. “Bobby, is there any chance you’d let Beth come and visit me soon? I know I may be asking too much, but I really love her, and—”

Bobby put out his hand to stop her. “That’s just one more thing I’m going to have to apologize for, I guess. You can see Beth any time you want. In fact, I just fired her tutor, and I think it would be good for her to attend your school.”

A smile spread over Susannah’s face, and her heart suddenly felt light and carefree. It seemed as though a miracle had taken place. Just days ago, Bobby Joe would not even have said hello. Now here he was, being open and friendly.

“Oh, Bobby! That’s wonderful! I know that she’ll love being with the other kids,” she exclaimed cheerfully, her Southern drawl becoming more pronounced. “I just don’t know how much more good news I can take!”

Bobby Joe smiled one of his rare smiles, although it was a small one, and motioned toward his wagon. “Can I drive you home?”

Susannah was tempted, but it would be silly to allow him to do so. She lived so close to the church. Besides, she needed time to sort through her feelings and come to grips with this new friendship she and Bobby Joe seemed to be forming.

“No, thank you. It’s such a pretty day, I think I’ll walk,” she replied.

Bobby Joe nodded and tipped his Stetson to her. “I’ll be in contact with you about school.”

Susannah nodded and watched him climb up into his wagon. As he drove away, she admired his dark, wavy hair that brushed his collar and his broad, muscular shoulders and arms as they handled the wagon.

She was in big trouble with a capital T! She had been attracted to Bobby Joe ever since she had stepped off the train at Springton. And that was when he had been grouchy and hateful to her. Now, with him being nice and smiling at her, she liked him more than ever.

But Susannah knew that a cauldron was brewing. She may have stopped him from hating her by divulging one secret, but what would he do when he found out the other one? How would he respond once he found out why she had come to Springton? Would he turn away from her again? Probably.

Susannah whispered a prayer to God, asking that He’d help her explain the secret. She would need a perfect time and place to tell Bobby Joe. And she would need courage. . . courage to tell a man that she’d been sent to Springton to take his daughter from him.