In that instant, an argument broke out. With the evolution-question man throwing insults at anyone who believed like the woman did. Then that woman’s husband joined in and threw insults back.
What rude behavior! He’d had the impression when they arrived that they were all friends. But the way they were bickering was more like enemies. And it was getting out of hand.
Dr. Masterson put two fingers to his lips and whistled.
The crowd stilled.
He crossed his arms over his chest. “I don’t believe this is the way civilized human beings should be behaving. Personally, I’d like to thank Miss Mills for the lovely tour and for answering our questions.”
“Yes, thank you.” Parasol woman nodded primly.
“As to your questions about the age of the dinosaurs, I would like to say that it is something we are still working on.” The tall man looked at each person in his small group. “There are many things we don’t have answers to yet. But that is why we dig and why we study, is it not?”
Several nodded.
“What you, my friends, are hearing from Miss Mills today is history in the making. The Carnegie Quarry is one of themost magnificent I have ever seen. We should be commending our fine teacher, Miss Mills, not starting quarrels.”
The two men who were the most outspoken appeared thoroughly chastised. Devin couldn’t help but grin.
Dr. Masterson stepped a bit closer to Eliza. “Miss Mills, I would love to have your insights on that paper. It sounded to me as if you were well-acquainted with it. Would you perhaps know the author?”
Eliza’s face turned pink and then a deeper shade of red. She blinked several times. “I—that is—I...”
“Areyouthe author?” Dr. Masterson sounded captivated. “I’ve been wanting to meet the author ever since I first read the paper.”
Eliza’s eyes flashed to Devin. Sending him that silent plea for help. He grinned at her and mouthed, “Go on. Tell him.” She’d looked up to Dr. Masterson for so long, this would be wonderful for her.
“I...” She licked her lips. “That is...” She bit her lip and then held a hand out. “You remember my dear friend Devin Schmitt. He’s the author of the paper.”
Every head there did a swift jerk in his direction.
His face flushed as quickly as his heart sank. He’d told her plain and clear that he wouldn’t play any part for her. And then she pulled this.
Dr. Masterson glanced at Eliza, then at Devin, the expression on his face unreadable. Finally, he stepped up beside Devin and shook his hand. “What an unexpected pleasure, Mr. Schmitt. I would love to speak with you in more detail about the paper. Perhaps we could have dinner together? Or lunch?”
Devin opened his mouth to respond and quickly correct Eliza’s fib. There had to be a way to fix this mess. Then he noticed the pleading and shimmer of tears in Eliza’s eyes. No matter what she did, he couldn’t expose her deception rightnow. So he snapped his mouth shut, pulled his thoughts together, and met the paleontologist’s gaze. “Perhaps. Feel free to settle the details with Miss Mills. I’ve got to go. Excuse me.”
He turned on his heel and marched away. To where, he didn’t know. But at this point, he had enough fire in him to walk all the way home to Pittsburgh.
ten
“It is hard when a man has toiled all his life with unflagging energy and enthusiasm to be cut off when he had gotten where he could make his efforts count, yet the loss is not his. It is to his family and to science.”
~Earl Douglass
THURSDAY, JULY13, 1916•MEYERRANCH
It took several minutes for her to dismiss the group. It felt awkward and unnerving to hint for everyone to leave. Especially Dr. Masterson. But he said he would come back tomorrow, which was wonderful. She could talk to him then about a time to meet. For now, she had to find Devin.
What had she been thinking to lie like that? Especially when he told her that he didn’t feel comfortable pretending to be the author. Maybe in the early years when she’d first asked him—but that was a long time ago.
Her gaze darted across the horizon, hoping to catch a hint of where he’d gone.
The expression on his face right before he walked off gaveher a brief glimpse of how much she’d hurt him. He looked tormented.
She’d done that.
And that did awful things to her heart. She’d always cared for Devin. Loved him. In the way that friends and family do. But something about their interactions of late had her feeling... different. And she didn’t know what to do about it.
