Olivia shook her head. Before she could answer, one of the cleaning women came into the classroom. The children rose and greeted her.
“I’m so sorry to disturb your class, but the marshal is outside waiting to see you.”
Olivia’s heart jumped at the mention of Adam. She tried to control her facial expression so that no one would see how excited she was.
Looking worriedly at the children, she said, “I was about to tell them the story of Ruth. Could you please help me keep them busy before I return?”
The young woman’s face lifted with a smile. “Sure. I love Ruth’s story. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve read it.”
Olivia returned her smile. “Perfect.” Blowing a kiss to the children to hide how nervous she was, she walked out of the classroom.
She walked down the hallway, running her hands across her pale blue cotton dress and dragging loose strands of her behind her ears.
Schooling her features to hide how thrilled she was, she stepped out for the building. Adam was waiting for her on the steps.
“Adam,” she called and he whirled around with a smile on his handsome face.
He quickly strode forward. “I’m sorry I keep coming here without any notice. Pardon me.”
Olivia beamed from ear to ear. “It’s no bother at all. You’re always welcome here.”
“I hope I didn’t disturb your lessons.”
“Not at all. I was just about telling them a story. Susie is helping me to do that right now.”
“That’s great.” Looking around the compound, he said, “Would you mind taking a walk with me? I promise I won’t keep you for too long. I don’t want anyone overhearing what I have to say.”
Olivia’s hands immediately became clammy and her heart slammed painfully in her chest.
What did he have to say that he didn’t want anyone hearing it? It must be very serious.
Dear God, is he about to ask me for permission to court me?
It took a great effort for Olivia to swallow. She stared unblinkingly at Adam before she realized that she didn’t answer his question.
“I don’t mind at all.”
As if she knew that she would be leaving the compound that afternoon, she had brought her wrap from the room which she placed across her shoulders.
She walked down the steps with Adam. Repeatedly, she asked herself what her answer would be to his proposal.
Did she want a husband who would be prone to traveling at the drop of a hat? Did she want someone who went after criminals, putting his life in danger?
Olivia didn’t want to fret and pray all her married life, waiting for her husband to return home. She liked Adam a lot but she didn’t know if they would have a successful union.
Am I not getting ahead of myself? It isn’t that he has even asked me and I’m already thinking about the future.
Calling herself silly, she walked with him out of the compound and down the path in the opposite direction.
Unable to wait for his question as the suspense was sending her heart into a frenzy, she asked, “What did you want to talk about?”
“Yesterday, after leaving you, I went to the sheriff’s office and overheard a conversation between him and a banker called Gabe Winters.”
“Oh.”
Olivia’s face reddened as she tried to hide her disappointment. She couldn’t believe that she had been thinking that Adam was about to proposition her.
Of course, the conversation would have something to do with his job. Being a marshal was Adam’s life and even she couldn’t change it.
