Page 81 of Montana Bride By Christmas
Why do you want her?
The question trumpeted through his thoughts, and he glanced around. No one else was in the room. His own mind demanded the answer.
A knock came to the outer door before he could sort through his tumbling thoughts.
Half glad for the interruption, he went to open the door. “Miss Higgins.” He hadn’t expected she’d come calling again.
“May I speak to you a moment?”
He glanced over his shoulder. It would be inappropriate to invite her to step inside. “Do you mind if we stand here?”
Her cheeks flared with color. “Certainly. It is best if we do.”
“I didn’t expect to see you,” he said by way of encouragement when she didn’t state her reason for the visit.
She clasped her gloved hands together and lifted her head. “I’m afraid I presented myself in rather a poor light last time I was here. You see, I had decided that as a preacher you would want certain standards, perhaps had expectations above and beyond what would be anticipated of a normal housekeeper. In my determination to prove I could live up to those standards,I created a rather rigid and unrealistic picture of how I should conduct myself. I apologize and ask that you give me another chance.”
This woman was not the same one who’d come to his door a few days ago. She looked kind and comforting.
It was the perfect solution, but he did not welcome it.
“I appreciate your apology and your offer. I might be interested in accepting the latter, but first I have some other commitments I must deal with.” Namely, Annie. A stab of pain caused his knees to quiver, and he grabbed the doorpost to steady himself. “Can I get back to you later?”
“That would be fine. Goodbye.” She made her way down the walk to the street.
He stared after her until she rounded the corner and fled indoors. Oh, Father God, what am I to do? He knew the answer, but it would be the hardest thing he’d ever done in his life.
Every breath was torture as he waited for Annie to return.
The door opened. Happy clattered across the floor. Annie spoke to her grandfather. Cupboards banged as she put things away.
He couldn’t move, couldn’t make his limbs obey the order to go to the kitchen and ask to speak privately with her. He didn’t know how long he would have sat there, waiting with a heart of stone.
“Hugh?”
He looked up at Annie’s voice.
She stepped into the room. “Are you okay?”
“Would you come in and close the door?”
“Okaaaaay.”
He didn’t blame her for sounding wary. No doubt his face warned her of impending changes. He wouldn’t say doom because it was likely the best thing he could offer her. “I sawyou with a young man this afternoon. Am I to understand young Rudy is back in town?”
She ducked her head, making it impossible to see her eyes or read her expression. “He is.”
“You can assure him he is not too late.”
Her head came up. She squinted as if she had difficulty seeing him. “I don’t understand.”
He had hoped this would go simply and quickly before he could change his mind. “You were obviously happy to see him.”
Her gaze riveted him. He wanted to look away, but he couldn’t. The most he could hope for was to hide the pain pressing at the back of his eyeballs.
“Perhaps you should tell me exactly what you think you saw.” How did she manage to make him feel guilty, as if he’d purposely spied on her or followed her?
“I saw the two of you hugging right in the middle of town. I think you were about to kiss.” How could each word stab through him with unrelenting pain?
