“When would you want Clay to begin?”
“The day after tomorrow, if that’s agreeable to both of you.” He thought she would ask about compensation, and he waited for the question. When she didn’t, he told her what he was prepared to offer for a day’s wage.
“That’s between you and Clay,” she said. “And don’t assume he will accept your offer out of the gate. He negotiates all the time with Ben. Every cent is dear to him, and what he doesn’t insist that I accept, he saves. My son has an account at the bank, and Mr. Washburn, the manager, told me he’s the youngest customer he’s ever had.”
It was not a boast that Roen heard but a mother’s rightful pride. “Is he saving for something specific?”
“I’m not sure. He doesn’t say. It doesn’t matter, though, because it’s his money.”
Lizzie looked up from her cards. “Sometimes Clay buys candy for me, and once he bought me a pink ribbon for my hair.”
“Then he’s a good brother,” said Roen.
Lizzie nodded. “He saved Ham in the fire. He tried to save me and Hannah, but then Sheriff Ben saved him and us.”
One of Lily’s hands snaked out and touched her daughter’s head. Roen had no difficulty recognizing the gesture as a caution.
Lizzie screwed her bow-shaped mouth to one side and ducked out from under Lily’s palm. “Everyone knows,” she said in protest of the warning. “Mrs. Springer tells everyone our business. You said so.”
Lily withdrew her hand. “And did I not also say you don’t need to repeat everything you hear... or overhear?”
Lizzie’s capitulation came with an audible sigh. “Yes, ma’am.”
“I’ll know you mean it if you remember it.”
“I’ll remember if we talk about it sometimes.” In an aside to Roen, she said, “We never talk about it.”
Roen said nothing.
Neither did Lily. Her hand returned to the rocker arm, and her grip was white-knuckled.
Roen stood, and this time Lily did not stop him. “I’ll wait for your decision tomorrow. Thank you for hearing me out, Mrs. Salt. Good day, Lizzie.”
Lily acknowledged his final words with a brief nod and nudged Lizzie to show him to the door. She heard him thank Lizzie and then he was gone. Lily reached for the seam ripper on the side table and bent her head to the work in her lap. It was a clear signal to Lizzie that there would be no talking about it now either.
Chapter Five
Roen was drinking coffee at the kitchen table when the knock he was expecting finally came. He was tempted to look out the window to see who was standing on the porch, whether it was Clay or Hannah, but he went straight to the door instead. He was still questioning the wisdom of putting his job proposal to Clay. Perhaps it would be better if it were Hannah waiting for him. That would be the end of it. Full stop.
The odd but undeniable attraction he felt toward Lily Salt would remain just as it was: a curiosity.
Roen opened the door. He had a glimpse of Clay’s palpable excitement before the boy stopped shifting his weight from side to side and came to soldierlike attention.
“Ma said I should come here before school, that you were expecting me.”
“And that’s all?”
“Uh-huh. You got maybe something for me to do? Like Sheriff Ben does? That’s what I’m figuring. I told her that’s probably what it was, but she never said one way or another. Silent as a spinx about it.”
“Sphinx,” said Roen. “Silent as a sphinx.”
“Yeah, sure. One of those.”
“Exactly.” Roen looked over the top of Clay’s head in the direction of the schoolhouse. “Do you have a few minutes before the bell?” When Clay nodded, Roen invited him inside. “This way. I was having coffee in the kitchen. Did you have breakfast?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Good.” Roen led the way through the parlor and his office to the kitchen at the back of the house. He pointed to the chairat a right angle to the one he took. His coffee was cooling quickly and he wrapped his hands around the mug and drank before he spoke. “I was going to suggest that we talk at the library after your school day is finished, but I suspect you won’t be able to concentrate if you don’t know something now.”
