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In truth, many so-called early births resulted from relationships before marriage. Mrs. Shepherd had never shielded her students from the sordid facts of life.
“The more you know about such matters, the better prepared you’ll be to face life’s challenges,” she said. “You do not want your daughters ending up in the same situations you find yourselves.”
Castoffs left to be raised in a foundling home and school.
“Your other brother?” Purity prompted when Theran fell into contemplative silence, studying the passing landscape.
“Raymond.” He cast her a boyish grin. “He’s the proverbial prodigal son. Joined the navy rather than attend university. Rose up in the ranks on his own merit. A rapscallion if there ever was one.” He quirked a raven eyebrow. “And a terrible flirt. Best watch yourself around him. He could talk the curl right out of a pig’s tail with his glib tongue.”
“Did you just compare me to a pig’s tail?” Purity hid a smile behind mock offense.
“No…I…”
Theran appeared thoroughly nonplussed for several turns of the coach wheels. A slow grin lit his face, reaching his eyes and creasing them at the corners as if he’d once laughed often. The silver flecks in his indigo-blue irises glinted with amusement.
“Why, Miss Purity Mayfield. Are you jesting with me?”
Her name on his lips, spoken in that smooth baritone, caused her to curl her toes into the soles of her half boots. No man’s voice should have that powerful effect on a female.
“I couldn’t let the opportunity pass,” she said, much more breathless than she’d like to have done.
“Hmm,” was all he said, but his enigmatic gaze, lingering a moment too long on her lips, held an unspoken promise of retribution.
Her heart shouldn’t flutter in anticipation, but the disloyal thing did just that.
“You’ll find my mother a force to reckon with. Aunt Melvelia often refers to her sister as a dervish.” Pulling his ear lobe, he grinned, flashing white teeth in a sun-bronzed face. “The term is not without merit. Some might call Mother eccentric. She’ll ask you all sorts of meddling questions and try to bully you into answering. I suggest you simply direct her to me.”
“I’m not the least intimidated now,” Purity murmured, feeling quite the opposite.
“She means no harm.” He skewed his mouth into a lopsided smile. “She loves too much, I think, and is fiercely protective of her family.”
How could one love too much?
Theran took Purity’s hand in his and gave it a little, encouraging squeeze before releasing it. A jolt zipped up her arm and a shiver down her spine at the contact, and the oddest sense of bereftness washed over her at the loss of his touch.
It was the heat.
That was all.
The excitement of a new position and the strain of the rushed journey. Not to mention the sorrowful reasons for the trip. Purity’s reaction assuredly wasn’t because of a blooming attraction to her new employer.
Theran brushed a speck of dust from his pantaloons, his granite-hard thigh just inches from Purity’s own.
Oh, Lord. Purity was in trouble.
No. No, she most emphatically was not.
She had been trained from girlhood on decorum and etiquette. On what was expected from an employee. How to graciously and professionally handle the most challenging of situations. It was simply a matter of setting her mind to the task.
If only her mind wouldn’t keep wandering down forbidden paths.
“Just keep that in mind, Purity, when Mother becomes overbearing.” He chuckled, the sound echoing in his chest. “I promise, she shall.”
His amusement was contagious, and she couldn’t prevent her answering grin. “I shall attempt to.”
This air of familiarity between them would not do. It was too disconcerting. Too bewildering.
Should Purity ask Theran to stop addressing her by her given name, or was she overreacting? Perhaps because they were alone, he felt comfortable enough to stretch the bounds. He’d never done so in public.
