Chapter Thirteen
ROMAN HELD TIGHTLYto one of Clara’s hands as he fought to focus on the voices he’d heard. Clara swayed just slightly next to him before following his gaze past the bend in the creek.
There, just beyond a few pines that jutted out, Roman spotted two people walking. Two ladies, in fact. They chattered as loudly as the birds in the trees. Roman straightened as they came into view, casting a quick glance at Clara, who appeared as dazed as a newborn foal. He bit down on his lip, trying not to think about how he was the one who’d had that effect on her.
“Good afternoon,” one of the girls said as they came into full view.
Roman recognized the gray dresses and matching hats of the waitresses who worked in the hotel’s restaurant. “Good afternoon, ladies,” he said, his voice as clear as it could be considering he’d nearly ruined Clara’s reputation.
He traced circles on the back of her hand with his thumb by way of apology. He ought to just let go completely, especially if he was so concerned with them remaining respectable. Just as the thought occurred to him, one of the girls noticed their entwined hands. Roman froze. It was too late. They’d be forced to announce their engagement immediately, else he’d risk not only Clara’s reputation, but her safety.
But the girl grinned at them, happy, as if she was delighted to share in their secret.
Roman let out a breath as they walked past. Finally, he pulled his hand from Clara’s. “I apologize. I shouldn’t have taken such a liberty, particularly in so public a place.”
But instead of looking upset, Clara merely smiled. “I believe my reputation is still intact, if that’s what worries you.” She bent down and expertly gathered the wrappings and glasses and placed them into the basket. “And besides,” she said as she handed him the closed basket, “I rather enjoyed myself.”
He stared at her a moment, and then burst into laughter. “I admit I enjoyed myself too. As far as picnics go, I doubt I’ll ever attend another quite as perfect as this one.”
“I should hope not,” Clara said as she took the elbow offered. She wrapped her other hand around his arm as they walked, and Roman decided right then and there that he’d do anything for this woman.
He didn’t know what it was about her—her innocent smile, her sharp wit, her forthright manner, the way she seemed to trust him implicitly—but he’d work his fingers to the bone to finish that house as soon as he possibly could.
And then he would marry her.
#####
ROMAN PRESSED HIMSELFto finish his work in the livery as fast as possible that afternoon. Clara had retired to the boardinghouse to prepare for the tea she was to attend later that afternoon, and Roman knew she was looking forward to sharing their good news with Miss Darby and her friends. If he finished his work in the stable, he could likely persuade Jeremiah to attend to any customers and take care of feeding and stabling the horses for the night.
And that meant he could put in several hours’ work on his house.
Theirhouse.
Roman braced the stall door back into place and prepared to hammer the new bolt into the hinge. Pender, Monroe Hartley’s horse, was a crafty thing. He’d managed to pull the bolts from the original hinges night after night, pushing the door open and wandering about the stable. Benton, the blacksmith, had created a new sort of hinge and bolt after Roman had explained the predicament. This one, Benton claimed, was horseproof. Roman hoped the man was right.
“I’ve never seen you so happy about replacing a perfectly good hinge.” Jeremiah leaned against the next stall.
“I’m not, particularly,” Roman said. “Although you have to admire Benton’s ingenuity in creating it.” He looked at the new hinge and smiled, although his mind had already wandered back to Clara.
Jeremiah shook his head. “I suppose you and Miss Brown had a nice time together. Else you wouldn’t be looking at that hinge as if it were made of gold.”
Roman tried to look serious, but it was almost impossible. “We did.”
“Customers sure do like her.”
Roman felt the corners of his mouth turning up again. “She does lend a certain joy to the place, doesn’t she?”
“You don’t ask that girl to marry you soon, some other fellow will,” Jeremiah said.
Roman turned a glare on him.
Jeremiah straightened and held up his hands. “Didn’t sayIwould. Just saying it’d be a shame to let a sweet girl like that slip through your fingers.”
“Hmm.” He could tell Jeremiah he’d already asked her, and she’d already agreed, but it felt too soon. The light that sparked inside Roman each time he thought of it felt like something he wanted to keep for himself, just for today. His own private source of happiness. He could share the news tomorrow, before he went to fetch Clara.
“If you want to put some time in on the house, I can hold things down here for the evening,” Jeremiah said, as if he’d read Roman’s mind.
“I’d appreciate that.” With one last swing of the hammer, the bolt was in place. Roman pushed the stall door open and closed to test it. “And that ought to keep Pender put for the night.”
