Heart and Home(22)

Peggy took the offering and shifted until she found her pocket. Holding  it open with one hand, she dropped the apple wedge inside.

"Don't put that in your pocket," Adam said, reaching in to tickle the little girl. "Put that on your skinny ribs."

Peggy giggled and batted his hand away.

"I think that means she's full. What about you?"

With the tray on the floor between them, they shared what was left of  the buffet-bread and beef, corn relish and apples. They tried to talk to  Peggy as they ate but got nothing more than smiles out of her.

Jane was aware of how close Adam sat, of every time his knee touched  hers or his hand brushed against her arm as he reached for something on  the tray. She didn't want to think about how tempting he was.

"Who do you think will take her?" Jane asked.

"I need to talk to you about that."

Jane shook her head. She didn't want to hear why the board felt a single  woman was unsuitable. George had probably mentioned how precarious her  finances were. Which meant Adam knew now, toosomething she didn't even  want to consider at the moment.

"Look," she said, drawing his attention to the little girl again. "I think we need to find a place for her to sleep."

Peggy was slouched in a corner, her chin rolling on her chest.

"I'll put her in my bed and sleep down here."

Jane scooted out of the way so Adam could reach Peggy. She used her hand  to shield the child's head from the edge of the desk as Adam drew her  out.

"The first thing you better do," Jane said, "is wake her up and take her to the outhouse."

The look on Adam's face told her this hadn't occurred to him at all. She  chewed on her lip as she watched him. "Are you waiting for me to  volunteer?"

"I was trying to decide if one knee or two was the more effective position for begging."

Jane laughed and took the sleepy child out of his arms.

"I'll be upstairs turning down the bed," he said.

"Cleaning the room is more like it," she teased. "I've had enough boarders to know how men keep house."

She hoped the joke hid what she was feeling. The disappointment at being  rejected by the placing board was still a sharp pain, but it was easing  somewhat. No one else had wanted Peggy. The sponsors hadn't taken her  with them. There was still hope, however small, that she could convince  the board members to reconsider their decision.

But while that thought stayed in the back of her mind, something else  was beginning to overshadow it. She had just spent an hour or so in  Adam's home. She was soon to enter his bedroom. While the little girl's  presence kept everything proper, she couldn't help the thoughts that  entered her head.                       
       
           



       

She scolded herself for her foolishness. She wasn't a child and this  wasn't make believe. If she ever forgot herself and got too close, Adam  had only to mention Doreena to remind her of her place. And, she vowed,  if he didn't, she would.

Peggy wanted to be carried back to the house and immediately rested her  head on Jane's shoulder. Jane carefully closed the back door behind them  and started toward the stairs. She knew the house well, but she hadn't  been inside since Adam had moved in. She was very much aware of the fact  that she was heading for his bedroom.

Adam was waiting for them. "Let me carry her up the stairs," he said.

"She weighs next to nothing," Jane said, reluctantly letting Adam take the girl out of her arms.

"I know," he said, "but the stairs are steep."

Jane let him get a few steps ahead of her before she followed. She  hadn't exactly been invited up, but she was determined to see the child  settled comfortably fpr the night. Besides, she didn't want to go home  just yet.

The entire floor was one room, with sloped walls and dormer windows.  Adam had lit a lamp that filled the room with a soft, warm glow. His  narrow bed was neatly made with a corner turned down. Books lined the  lower part of nearly every wall. Jane saw several thin spines that were  probably his Wild West novels. She found herself more curious about his  books and possessions than she should have been.

She shifted her attention to Peggy. However, Peggy was with Adam, and  Jane had been trying not to think about him. That was impossible,  anyway, especially considering where they were.

Adam sat Peggy on the side of the bed and knelt to remove her shoes. She  turned and looked at the pillow for a second, then crashed down onto  it. Adam set the shoe aside and went after the other.

"I found a nightgown in her suitcase," he said softly. "Do you think it's worth the trouble?"

Jane stepped forward and brushed the child's fine hair away from her  face. "No," she whispered. "But we better get the apron off her or that  apple slice will attract a swarm of gnats by morning."

Adam placed the second little shoe beside the first. "I wouldn't worry  about gnats," he said, resting one hand very casually on Jane's  shoulder. "The spiders'll take care of them."

Jane looked at him sharply to find him smiling mischievously at her. "If  you think I'm taking on your house next, you're mistaken."

"That hadn't crossed my mind."

Peggy had curled up on her side, her face turned toward them, and Jane  was able to reach behind her and untie the apron. She slipped the  ruffled bib over Peggy's head and gently pulled the rest out from under  her.

"Want to try for the dress?" he asked.

"It's that or iron it in the morning."

"I know which I'd choose." He leaned over the bed and undid the buttons  that ran all the way to the hem. "This shouldn't be too difficult." He  slipped the sleeve off Peggy's right arm, then paused, considering the  left arm, curled under the little girl's head.

Jane chewed her lip as she watched him. She was sure he was weighing the  wrinkled dress against an unhappy child if he woke her. She couldn't  leave him to his dilemma for long. She slid her hand under Peggy's head  and raised it an inch off the pillow. Adam worked quickly to free the  dress from the now accessible arm.

As soon as Jane laid Peggy's head back on the pillow, she sighed and  rolled over. Adam sighed, too. Jane covered her mouth to stifle a laugh.  "We better leave her alone before we wake her," she whispered.

Adam nodded. He pulled the covers up over the child. His fingers  lingered a moment on a little pink cheek, then he drew Jane away from  the bedside.

Jane's body reacted instantly at being so close to him. Instead of  stepping away, as her mind suggested, she leaned closer, turning her  face toward his. His lips were mere inches from hers. He didn't seem at  all surprised to find himself in this position. In fact, he was bending  closer!

Jane jumped away, nearly staggering. She shook out the little dress she  still held and laid it over the back of the suitcase. After emptying the  pocket, she laid the apron beside the dress. Her illogical mind was  already wondering what would have happened if she had let him kiss her.                       
       
           



       

She forced herself to think of Peggy and, hoping her voice didn't betray her, asked, "Will she be all right up here alone?"

"She'll be fine," he assured her, "as soon as we quit fussing over her."

Though she was still reluctant to leave the little girl, she let him  direct her to the stairs and preceded him down. She didn't want him to  have to drag her away; she couldn't afford to let him touch her.  Downstairs she added the apple slice and carrot to the other few scraps  on the tray to be tossed to her chickens.

Adam stood very near her as he lit the lamp. She should step away. She  should take her tray and go. She shouldn't be thinking of an excuse to  stay. Was she hoping for a repeat of what had nearly happened upstairs?

The letter that lay on the desk beside the tray caught her eye as the  light filled the room. She wanted to cry even as she reminded herself of  her vow.

"You heard from Doreena," she said, hoping she sounded pleased.

"Yeah, I did." He definitely sounded pleased. Jane swallowed a lump in  her throat as he brushed past her to gather up the blankets from behind  his desk.

She might as well dig the knife in a little deeper. "Did she say when she's coming?"

He went around the desk and started spreading the blankets on the floor again. "Actually, she's not," he said.

Jane moved to help him with the blankets. An excuse, she knew, and a  lame one. "You'll leave when your year is over, then." This was a  possibility she hadn't even considered. But wouldn't that be easier than  watching him with Doreena?

"No," he said, straightening. "We're no longer engaged. Well, she may be engaged, just not to me."