Heart and Home(17)

"Suzy?"

Suzy stomped one little leather-clad foot. "Do you got any cookies or not?"

"Not until you tell me."

She seemed to think it over for a minute. "Mama says I sassed but I was just sayin' what's what."

Adam came forward and knelt down at Suzy's level. "What does your mama do when you break the rules?"

Jane wanted to push him aside and tell him to let her handle Suzy. How  was she supposed to fall out of love with him when he displayed so much  concern for a little girl?

However, his charm seemed to be lost on Suzy. She scowled at him. "Who are you?"

"I'm Dr. Hart. I'm a friend of Aunt Jane's." He tossed a questioning  look over his shoulder, but Jane only gazed at him. She knew what he was  getting at. She didn't think there was anything wrong at the Gibbons's  house, but Adam might get different answers than she had.

Suzy pointed at Adam. "If you're her friend, you ask her for cookies."

"I think I can talk her into cookies," Adam said. "But I want to know what your mama does."

"Grown-ups always want somethin'," the little girl grumbled. "She sends me to my room and forgets I'm there."

"How long does she keep you in your room?"

Suzy's eyes got big. "For weeks!"

"Suzy," Jane said in a warning tone.

"Well, sometimes clear 'til supper."

"And that's all she does?"

Suzy leaned toward him, her cheeks turning pink. "She plays with the  dumb ol' baby. She makes the baby laugh while I'm stuck in my room.  They're glad I'm gone."

Suzy's lower lip trembled. She brushed past Adam and ran into Jane's  arms. Jane gathered her up and let the little girl bury her face in her  neck. "I know it's hard to be a big sister."

Suzy mumbled something that was too muffled to understand.

"She started running away when her sister was born," Jane explained to  Adam as she carried the little girl toward the kitchen. "I give her a  cookie and send her home."

"This time I'm not going back!"

Jane set Suzy on a kitchen chair. "I can't make you, I guess," she said  as she got the tin of cookies. "But that seems kind of mean."

"They're the ones who's mean."

"Maybe," Jane said. "But remember your first day of school? If it hadn't  been for Mandy next door, you couldn't have done it. Who's Becky going  to go with her first day? Mandy will be done."

"I don't care." Suzy reached for the tin, but Jane hadn't opened it yet,  and Suzy had never been able to make the lid cooperate with her little  fingers.

"And who's going to teach Becky how to climb a tree? Your mother?"

Suzy actually laughed. "She can't climb a tree."

"Becky'll have to find some boy to teach her."

Suzy made a face. "Yuck!"

"What's wrong with boys?" Adam asked.

Jane bit her lip. "So, are you going back?"

Suzy let out a long, low groan. "I guess so. But I still think she's stupid."

Jane popped the lid off the tin and held it out for Suzy to choose a cookie. "She'll get smarter. Just give her some time."

Suzy grabbed a cookie and slid off the chair. She left a little trail of crumbs all the way to the back door.

"Doesn't giving her cookies encourage her to run away?" Adam asked once the little girl was gone.

"I don't know," Jane said. "As long as she comes to me when she runs away, her mother knows where to find her."

Adam sat in the chair Suzy had vacated and reached for the tin. "So you've talked to her mother?"

Jane turned to start some coffee. "She told me Suzy started throwing  tantrums when her sister was born. Any little scolding can set her off.  The baby, of course, is never in trouble for anything."

"I was afraid she was being punished for what sounded to me like accidents."                       
       
           



       

Jane sat down across the table from him. She shouldn't be doing this.  She had work to do. But she was so tired a cup of coffee might help her  get through the rest of the day. "The jelly was spread on the curtain  with a knife. The egg was broken against the wall, and the dress she  tore was her sister's.

"But I wondered, too, the first time. She was a little vague on what she  had actually done and what her mother's reaction had been. There wasn't  a mark on her, though, except a scrape on her shoulder from going  through the window."

"I guess I'm starting to imagine things, after interviewing families for  the orphans. I just don't like to think of any child being mistreated."

Jane got up to gather the cups for the coffee. "There's only so much we can do, Adam. We can't interfere with the parents."

"What are you saying?"

Jane couldn't turn to look at him. She watched the pot instead. "Not.  all children are treated well by their parents. I let the ones who  aren't come for cookies, too, or stay the night while their parents cool  off. That's all I can do."

"Tell me who they are." He rose and moved to stand beside her. She could feel his warmth, smell his clean masculine scent.

Jane shook her head. "If they ask for an orphan, I'll tell you. But otherwise, the children wouldn't want you to know."

He was quiet-thoughtful, she supposed-while she waited for the coffee to  brew. She was torn between wishing he'd return to the table and wanting  to lean against him.

His fingers skimmed the side of her face, tucking a stray lock of hair  behind her ear. "I think you're overdoing this housecleaning project."

She reached a shaking hand up to her tingling cheek. "How can a house be too clean?" Her voice held the slightest quiver.

"What difference does it make how clean the house is if you work yourself to death?"

She grabbed up the coffeepot and brushed past him to the table. Don't  turn your concern on me. I'm not prepared to handle it. She forced a  laugh.

"That's a little dramatic, don't you think?"

"You look more exhausted every day. Having curtains with no dust isn't worth that."

Jane took a sip of coffee, trying to decide how much to tell him. "I  have to work hard all day in order to sleep at night," she said finally.

"You're still grieving for your grandmother."

"Yes." That was part of it, of course, but finan cial worries were a larger part. And dreams about

Adam himself. But she couldn't tell him that.

"I could give you something to help you sleep," he offered.

"No," she said. "I think this is something I need to work out myself."

She took a sip of coffee and changed the subject. "I have another  boarder. A young man named Ferris Wood looking for business  opportunities. You'll meet him at dinner."

"I suppose I should let you get back to work," Adam said.

Jane passed him the tin of cookies and said with a smile, "Don't scatter crumbs like Suzy did."





Chapter Seven


Adam had taken to walking to the post office every day. So much time had  passed without a word from Doreena that he was surprised when a letter  was actually waiting. He hurried home to read it, feeling an odd sort of  dread as well as anticipation. After he had gone through it twice, he  tossed it on his desk and paced across the room.

It was the kind of letter he had expected her to write when he first  arrived. It was filled with descriptions of all the functions she had  attended, all the friends she had seen here or there. Somehow, after the  dozen letters he had sent her, he had expected a little more.

He had thought she would say something about coming west, even if it was  a refusal. He had thought she would at least comment on his practice or  something that he had written to her.

Maybe she hadn't gotten his letters. He hurried back to the desk and  skimmed the letter again. No, there it was. "I've received your many  letters and find them a comfort, as I miss you very much."

Well, at least she missed him.

Moments before, Adam had been hoping there would be no interruptions.  Now he found himself relieved when the door opened, at least until he  turned and saw Rose Finley enter with her third daughter.                       
       
           



       

"Good morning, Mrs. Finley," he said, trying to sound cheerful. "This must be Rosemary."

"Why, yes." Mrs. Finley was evidently pleased he had been asking about  her family. "Rosemary." She gave her daughter a shove. "Meet Dr. Hart."

"How ya doin', Doc." Her mother cleared her throat, and Rosemary tried a mock curtsy.

Adam couldn't resist a smile. Jane was right. He liked her already. "What seems to be the problem?"

"You know, I think I feel just fine, now. Sorry to bother you, Doc." She  turned to leave, but her mother effectively blocked the way.