Dorothy Garlock (23 page)

“She doesn’t strike me as the kind of girl who couldn’t see beyond a pair of overalls.”

“I’ve wondered if she doesn’t have a crush on Doc. If she does, she’s in for a disappointment.”

“Why would you say that? It seems to me they would be well suited to each other.”

“Doc is in love with someone else. That’s for your ears alone.”

“Really? I didn’t know he was keeping company with anyone.”

“Forget I mentioned it.”

“You know I will. Hattie Davenport has all of a sudden decided that Doc is a low-down skunk.” Julie smiled. “She has chased him unmercifully for years. She must have decided that he can’t be caught and has turned against him.”

“I wonder what set her off. It wouldn’t take much.” “There are several stories making the rounds. I’ll tell you about them later. I want to get back to the church before the meeting ends. Are you going home now?”

“I’m staying in town. I have a date with April tonight.” “Well, put your best foot forward until she gets to know you. Then she’ll love you. How could she not?”

Joe bumped her chin with his fist, then opened the car door for her. “Methinks you’re prejudiced.”

“I admit it.”

Joe watched her drive away. He hated to see the worried lines in her face. She was entitled to be happy with her three children and Evan after the pain she endured seventeen years ago. Joy had better straighten up and stop acting like a spoiled brat, or he’d be tempted to take her out into the woods and shake some sense into her even if she was sixteen years old.

Julie opened the church door softly to keep from creating a disturbance. She stood in shocked surprise for a moment when she realized that the quiet, dimly lighted church was empty.

The meeting was over.

Where was Joy?

Then she heard a slight noise coming from the front of the church and took a couple of hesitant steps down the aisle. Although the light coming through the stained-glass windows was subdued, she saw the top of a blond head rise up, then disappear behind the back of a pew. Julie walked down the carpeted aisle toward the altar and stopped in shocked silence.

Joy was stretched out on the bench, and a boy was lying full length on top of her. They were in a tight embrace oblivious to anything around them.

“Joy!” Julie gasped.

The boy came upright immediately and stood like the uncertain adolescent he was. Julie could see that their clothes were still intact, but he’d had his hand beneath her blouse. Joy sat up and swung her feet to the floor. Her cheeks were flaming. Her busy hands hurried to tuck her blouse into the waistband of her skirt.

The cold look on her face chilled Julie’s heart.

Joy spoke first. “Spying on me? Well, now you know. I’m a slut.”

Sammy turned to her. “You are not!” The words burst from him furiously.

“You’ll never make
her
believe I’m not. So why try?” “We’d better . . . go. I told Eudora I’d be back for Nancy by four.”

“Aren’t you going to rant and rave at me? Or are you going to wait and do it in front of Pa or that wonderful, saintly husband of yours?”

“Shut up or I’ll slap you!” Julie’s hurt disappeared and anger took over.

“It wasn’t her fault. It was mine. I forced her.”

“I could see that. You were having a hard time holding her down.” Julie looked the tall boy in the eye until he looked away. She got behind the two and crowded them down the aisle toward the door. “How long has Mrs. Poole been gone?”

“Not long. She isn’t like you. She knows that boys and girls need some time alone.”

“Did she say that?”

Sammy held open the door and they went out.

“She knows the old biddies here at the church wouldn’t approve—”

“Get in the car, Joy.”

“Bye, Sammy. I’ll see you at school Monday.”

“Get in the car, Joy.”

Joy put her hand on Sammy’s arm. “If either of my brothers touches you, have them arrested.”

“By who? Your brother is the police now. They’ll be laying for me. Don’t let them break us up.”

“I won’t. Don’t let them catch you by yourself. They’re bullies, both of them.” Joy sent a resentful look at Julie and climbed into the car.

Julie held herself together until she had the evening meal started. When Joy was in her room, Nancy dozing in her swing and Logan playing in the yard, she sat down at the kitchen table, put her head on her bent arms and gave way to the tears that had been choking her.

April took down the ledger to continue her work after Joe had left. She had given him the keys to her car, and he was taking it to the filling station to be serviced.

“Tell Mr. Wallace I’ll be by later to pay,” she called as he went out the door.

She heard him talking to someone on the porch and thought that maybe Doc had come back. But when the door opened, Harold Dozier came into the office. She had met the attorney on several occasions after Doc had introduced her to him in the drugstore. A few days ago they had chatted briefly at the post office. He was a quiet, tidy man, always neatly dressed. Today he wore a white shirt, blue silk tie and dark suit. He lifted his hat off his head when he came in, careful not to disturb his hair

“Hello, Miss Asbury.”

“Hello.”

“It’s a nice cool day. Fall is in the air.” He stood in front of the desk tapping his hat against his thigh.

“It sure is. Soon the frost will be on the pumpkin.” April smiled.

“And the fodder in the shock,” he quoted.

“So says Mr. James Whitcomb Riley.”

He smiled, and April noted that his face changed dramatically. He really was a nice-looking man . . . when he smiled. His eyes were dark, as was his hair. It was parted near the middle and combed back. His complexion was olive. Not a big man, but he was taller than she was.

“How are you liking our town?”

“I like it fine. The people are friendly.”

“I was sure that you’d be ready to head back to the city by now.”

“I’ve always wanted to live in a small town, and I’m not one bit disappointed.”

“I was a little disappointed when I first came here, but after a while the town grows on you.”

“You’re not from here originally?”

“No. I’m from St. Louis. I came here three years ago to practice with my father’s old friend.”

“Did you wish to see Doc Forbes? If you did, he isn’t in right now. He should be back in an hour or two.”

“I was going to pretend that I came to see Dr. Forbes, but in truth I came to see you. I was wondering if you’d like to go out to dinner and a show. We could drive over to Mason. I know this is short notice, but—”

“Thank you for asking me, but I have plans for tonight.” “Some other time, then? Doc will vouch for me.”

“I’m sure you’re trustworthy.”

“Next Saturday night?”

“Well . . . yes.”

The smile appeared again and stayed while he spoke. “I’ll look forward to it.” He was at the door when it opened and Joe came in. “Hello again, Joe.”

“Leaving, Howard?”

“So it seems,” he said pleasantly. “I’ll see you in the middle of the week, April.” Howard carefully placed his hat on his head, nodded to Joe and left.

“What was that about?”

“What do you mean?”

“He seemed terribly pleased about something.”

April shrugged. “Did you tell Mr. Wallace I’d stop by and pay him?”

“No.”

“No?”

“He doesn’t charge pretty girls for servicing their cars.” “Joe. You’re lying again.”

“Okay. He doesn’t charge
beautiful
girls for servicing their cars.”

“You are the most irritating man!”

“It’s part of my charm. Why was Harold Dozier looking like someone had just died and left him a million dollars?”

“You’ll have to ask him.”

“Was he in here trying to chisel in on my territory?”

“Joe, you don’t have any territory here.”

“Yes, I do, love.” He bent and kissed her quickly. “You just don’t realize it yet. See you tonight.”

He was out the door before she could reply.

Chapter 18

D
OC DROVE DOWN THE DUSTY ROAD
toward Shanty Town. He had hurriedly left the Taylors, refusing their offer of a meal, because he was anxious to see Caroline.

When he turned into the narrow lane leading to the house, he saw a flash of pink amid the cornstalks behind the privy where Silas had planted three short rows of popcorn. He stopped the car in his usual place where it would be shielded by the lilac bushes.

Caroline was waiting for him.

She wore a sweater over a ragged old skirt. Her hair was covered with a three-cornered pink cloth. To him, she had never been more beautiful.

He strode to her and without a word took her in his arms and held her close. He closed his eyes for a minute, savoring the feel and the smell of her. She was his life, the air he breathed, his joy, his treasure. His love for her knew no bounds. At times like this he would give ten years of his life to be with her for one whole day. After kissing her tenderly, sweetly, he held her away from him so he could look into her face.

“Are you all right?”

“I’m fine. I’m glad you’re here.”

“I’m glad I’m here, too. Have you been lifting that b-basket?” “No. I’ve been picking the popcorn and shucking it. Silas carries it to the house, and I take the kernels off the cob.”

“What are you going to d-do with it?”

“After I get it off the cob, we’ll put it in a flour sack. Silas talked to the man at the grocery store. He’ll take some of it in trade.”

Doc pulled her to him again and gritted his teeth in frustration. He didn’t know how much longer he’d be able to endure not being with her, taking care of her.

“Has Mrs. Appleby had her baby?” Caroline asked as they walked to the house.

“Not yet. It will be any day now. Has anyone b-been around?” He was reasonably sure she hadn’t been bothered, or Silas would have been in to tell him, but he wanted to hear it from her.

“No. Don’t worry.” They stepped into the house. She turned and smoothed the lines in his face with her fingertips. “Don’t frown, my love. Everything will be all right.”

“I worry every minute I’m away f-from you. I want to be with you . . . all the time. I want everyone in the whole wide world to know that you are mine.”

“I’ll be just fine. Silas is here—”

“I’m j-jealous of Silas.”

She laughed. “I’ll wash my hands and fix you a glass of cold tea. We’ve got ice.”

“Is the man who d-delivers respectful?”

“Silas comes in, and I stay in the other room.”

Doc took some money from his pocket and stuffed it down in the can on the counter and replaced the top.

“You don’t need to do that. We have plenty.”

“Are you still having m-morning sickness?”

“Not often now.” She laughed a delightful happy laugh. “But this baby wants me to know he’s there.”

While she washed and fixed the tea, Doc went to the car for his medical bag and the sack of supplies he always brought with him.

Later, when she lay on the bed, he took his stethoscope from his bag and listened to her heartbeat, then moved the instrument down to her abdomen. After a minute or two he smiled, as he heard for the first time the heartbeat of his child.

“He’s there, s-sweetheart. Want to hear him?” He placed the earpieces of the stethoscope in her ears and watched the expression on her face. Her beautiful eyes widened and filled with wonderment as she looked up at him.

“He’s all right?”

“Strong for three m-months.” He put the stethoscope back in his medical bag and ran his hand gently down over her slightly rounded abdomen. “I don’t want you to b-be afraid. I’ll be with you.”

“I’m not afraid. It’s grand knowing that I have a part of you with me.”

“Sweetheart, I’ll w-wait another couple of weeks for the letter from Canada; and if I don’t h-hear from them, I’ll start making arrangements for us to g-go to Mexico. It’s always warm down there. We’ll find a place along the coast so you can play b-barefoot in the sand.”

“Todd, you’re giving up so much.”

“We’ve been over this a h-hundred times. I’ve no life without you, sweetheart. I’ll dig d-ditches in Mexico to make a living for us if necessary.” Her eyes filled with tears. “Now, don’t cry. I can’t l-leave if you cry.”

“Why are you so good to me?”

“Because I love you. I’ve n-never loved a woman before. I think of you every minute of the day and night. The only reason I’m not living with you h-here in the cottage is because I need to keep my medical p-practice until we leave here. It isn’t fair, sweetheart. But many things in l-life are not fair.”

His words reminded her how generous was his love, how benevolent, and she felt guilty because all she could give him was all the love in her heart. She tried to put into words how she felt.

“Your love is a gift I never expected to be mine.” She kissed him softly and gently. “It’s easier for me to understand our circumstances than for you. All my life, I’ve known that I was set apart.”

“Where we are g-going you won’t be. I promise you.” Later, when Doc was ready to leave, their kiss was tender and sweet. They lingered in the warmth of each other’s embrace: his chin resting lightly on her head, their arms wound around each other, reluctant to be separated, avoiding the last good-bye.

“I have to go,” Doc whispered.

“I know. I’m grateful for having you this little while.” She stood in the doorway when he went to the car. He turned to blow her a kiss.

“And one for the baby,” he called, sending another kiss across the yard.

She smiled and waved, hoping that he couldn’t see the tears in her eyes.

“Well, well, well.”

Crunched down in the bushes on the edge of the cottonwood thicket, Tator Williams snickered. The snotty doctor had the hots for the nigger wench—and she
was
one even if she did have white skin. Why had the doc taken her into the house if not for a quickie?

Tator had been waiting for the big brute who guarded her to leave her alone in the corn patch. The beating Tator had suffered at Joe Jones’s hands had made him more determined than ever to screw the bitch. He had to, or lose face with Sammy and the rest of the bunch who’d heard his bragging.