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  Later that afternoon, she heard a knock and opened the door to find Maggie Jo Gamble standing on her front porch. Thank goodness she’d washed her face. She hoped her eyes weren’t still red and puffy.

  “Come in, please.” Gwen gestured toward the parlor.

  Maggie Jo sat on the edge of the cushion with perfect posture. “Sister and I wanted to be certain you knew about tomorrow.”

  “Do you mean the social after church?”

  Maggie smiled. “Since it’s the last day before school opens, the social on the grounds will give you a perfect opportunity to meet most parents and students before classes on Monday.”

  Another church social? She wondered if Mark would be there.

  How could she go?

  How could not?

  Giving in to fate, she forced a smile. “Rosalyn invited me. What shall I bring?”

  “Our nephews are furnishing the meat—beef and pork. Others will help set up tables. Any sort of dessert or vegetable dish will be fine. The pastor always furnishes lemonade and cider. Not hard cider, but good nevertheless.”

  “All right, Mrs. Gamble. I’ll make something.”

  The older woman waggled a finger at her. “Now, now, you’re supposed to call me Maggie, remember?”

  “I-I will, M-Maggie. What foods do they usually need?”

  “Hmm, nothing really. But the men always want pies and the kids want sweets too. Sister’s making a corn dish and I’m making a cake.”

  “I’ll make a pie then.” Another pie. She dared Mark Hardeman to take a slice of her peach pie tomorrow. Let him eat dirt. But she might as well bake it today and not have to hurry in the morning.

  The next day, she rose early and chose her best blue dress for church. She hoped to make her a good impression on parents and students, but wanted those without children to like her too. Twisting her hair into a neat bun at her neck, she allowed a few wisps to escape and curl around her face. Her new blue hat perched on her head gave her additional confidence.

  With her pie covered with a towel, she set out for church. As she passed her neighbors’ home, they came down the walk.

  Lizzie waved. “Walk with us, dear. Isn’t this a lovely day?”

  Gwen couldn’t keep from smiling. She wondered if Lizzie was always cheerful. Certainly the woman had been whenever she’d seen her. Maggie was friendly, but not as outgoing as her sister.

  “I’m glad I can walk with you ladies. I’m not shy exactly, but I’ll feel much more secure with the two of you beside me.”

  Lizzie nodded. “Of course, dear. Being the newcomer is difficult for a short while. You’ll make lots of friends today, though.”

  Maggie added, “We have a few sourpusses in town, but most people are wonderful.”

  Lizzie giggled. “Sister, you should be ashamed. We’ve been treated well since we moved here a couple of years ago.”

  “Humph. You know I’m right. There are always one or two. Gwen will win them over, though, I’m sure.”

  Gwen walked behind them to allow room on the path. “I hope so. I want to do well here and make Radford Crossing my permanent home. I’m so fortunate to be furnished a house instead of living with a family.”

  “Wouldn’t that be awful? Oh, look, there’s your young man.”

  Mark drove a two-seater buggy toward them.

  “He’s not my young man. We knew one another in Austin is all.”

  He stopped the buggy and tipped his hat. “Ladies, would you care to ride to church?”

  Lizzie peered at him. “Do you have room for all three of us?”

  He laughed and climbed down. “I always have room for lovely women who are also good cooks.”

  Extending his hand to Maggie, he asked, “May I?”

  “If you’re sure.” She allowed him to set her cake on the floorboards and then help her into the rear seat.

  Not wishing to make a scene in front of her neighbors, she still had no intention of sitting beside him. She handed him her pie and climbed in beside Maggie.

  He kept his face neutral as he set her pie down and extended his hand to Lizzie. “Up you go. I’ll place your dish here beside your sister’s and Gwen’s.”

  “What did you bring, Mark?” Gwen asked. She’d bet the men didn’t furnish anything but an appetite.

  “I helped set up tables. Supplied wood from the lumber yard.”

  Maggie patted her hand. “Mark is always very generous about such things.”

  Why shouldn’t he be? He had a great head start building his business. She schooled her features but sat fuming that she’d let herself be manipulated. At the same time, she wished she hadn’t known about her father’s betrayal and Mark allowing his loyalty to be bought.

  She’d tried to see things from his viewpoint last night as she lay tossing and turning. He had repaid her father and that was in his favor. While she could understand him having doubts, he should have sought her out to be certain how she felt about him. Did he think she allowed just anyone to kiss her?

  At the church adults milled around the lawn while children played. Tables at one side were already laden with food. Meat roasted on a spit over a fire and smelled heavenly.

  She climbed out while Mark helped the other two women. “The meat must have been cooking all night.”

  “Our nephews say they take turns, but I think all three stayed here last night. Others always join them.”

  “That’s true. I was here most of the night myself.” Mark ushered the sisters while Gwen trailed behind.

  Gwen supposed their food was as safe in the buggy as on the tables with kids racing around. As the thought occurred to her, a woman slapped at the hands of a boy who’d stolen a cookie. Although towels covered the food, the child obviously knew where to target.

  The sisters introduced her to those they encountered, which included their nephews Micah, Zach, and Joel Stone plus the men’s wives and children.

  She nodded to Joel Stone’s wife. “Hello, Rosalyn. Nice to see you again.”

  Joel tipped his hat. “Sure sorry I wasn’t able to greet you when you arrived, but I heard Mark got you all settled.”

  She met the minister, James Billings, and his wife, Melissa. George Sturdivant introduced her to his wife, Harriett. She fought to keep names straight as she met others.

  Fortunately, before she became hopelessly mixed up, the steeple bell rang and people wandered inside the church. Gwen made certain to sit between Maggie and Lizzie so she wouldn’t be next to Mark. He hesitated then took a seat beside Maggie.

  The young minister brought an encouraging message about love and community, using Scriptures to back up his statements. Gwen enjoyed the service. In spite of the frequent glances Mark sent her way, she pretended not to notice.

  As they stood to sing the final hymn, hoof beats thundered outside and gunfire rent the air. Women screamed. Men guided their women and children swiftly to the floor before they rushed to the windows and doors. Most in church were unarmed.

  The sheriff, who she’d met and knew to be Buster Parrish, turned to the congregation. “Please stay inside, folks, while my deputy and I find out what’s causing the ruckus.”

  He opened the door to find four Mexican banditos with guns drawn standing on the porch facing him.

  One of the criminals yelled, “Hands up and everyone out! Andale, andale.”

  A man grabbed the sheriff’s gun while another disarmed his deputy.

  “We will keep these for you, señores. Please to join us outside.”

  When everyone had filed out of the church, the banditos directed them to stand under the trees. In addition to the first four men, five more surrounded the congregation. Tables had been overturned and food scattered across the dirt. She was glad the food she and the sisters brought was still in the buggy.

  The outlaws were a rag tag bunch. Apparently nervous and desperate.

  Gwen couldn’t speak and held back the cry she wanted to utter. Her legs were weak and she was grateful for Mark at he
r side.

  “Gringos, I am the great Felipe Ruiz. We let you make a donation to us this day. Everyone, open your purses and pockets.” He gestured to Joel Stone. “Señor, I will take your hat and use it to collect donations. Each of you will donate all you have or I kill many.”

  The crowd stood silent except for the cries of children. While his men covered the crowd, Felipe collected money from every adult. When Joel’s hat was full, Felipe took another man’s Stetson while one of his men emptied the first into a saddlebag. They repeated the process until each person had been forced to contribute.

  Felipe gestured to the crowd. “Go near the trees quickly unless you wish to die a painful death.”

  In spite of his threat, everyone moved slowly to where he’d indicated. While six of his men held their guns on the crowd, the other three lit torch after torch. They tossed them into the church and onto the roof.

  The recent drought had dried out the wood and it caught quickly. Soon, the church was blazing. Windows shattering from the heat sounded like rifle blasts.

  Women in the crowd sobbed and clutched their loved ones. Sheriff Parrish fisted his hands impotently, his face red with anger. James Billings, the kindly minister, fought back tears and held his wife, Melissa, who wept openly.

  A woman screamed, “My Martha. My baby’s inside.” She tried to run toward the church but a bandito pushed her to the ground. Another bandito blocked a teen-aged girl’s attempt to run to the building, so she clung to the sobbing woman.

  At that moment, a cry from inside the church caught everyone’s attention. “Mama, help me!”

  Gwen darted around the ruffians and raced toward the church. She felt the sting of a bullet at her shoulder, but she didn’t stop until she was inside the door. “Where are you, honey? Call to me so I can find you.”

  Suddenly, Mark was beside her. “Dammit, Gwen, you’ve been shot. Get back. I’ll find the girl.”

  From behind her, she heard more guns and commotion, but she didn’t budge.

  Mark yelled, “Martha? Call out, Martha. You know me, Mark Hardeman from the lumber yard. Tell me where you are.”

  The girl coughed. “Under the pew where we always sit. I’m scared.”

  He took off his jacket and tied his handkerchief over his mouth and nose. Beating at flames, he made his way to the girl. Smoke was so thick Gwen barely saw where he’d gone. She doubted she would have been able to find the girl.

  He grabbed the child and fought his way back to the door. As he reached Gwen, he shoved her to the outside. She supposed her lightheadedness was due to the smoke, but she had trouble focusing clearly.

  In the yard, pandemonium had broken loose. In the yard, pandemonium had broken loose. The distraction of the girl’s rescue had apparently allowed townsmen to overpower the banditos. Each of the thieves was disarmed and being marched to jail with men from town assisting the sheriff and his deputy.

  The fire wagon claxon sounded as the horses galloped up to the church and stopped. Four men jumped off the wagon.

  The one who must have been the fire chief yelled, “Nothing we can do to save the building. Contain the fire so it doesn’t spread to the parsonage.”

  A few people joined the firefighters. Others tried to salvage as much food as possible while moving the tables and benches further from the blaze.

  Mrs. Bettinger rushed to take Martha and cradled the girl to her. “I told her to hide until the trouble was over. I never dreamed they’d burn the church.”

  Dr. Ross hurried over with his medical bag. After he examined Martha, he turned to her mother. “She’s all right, just needs to breathe clean air and drink plenty of liquid. Her throat will be sore for a while, but you can give her tea with honey.”

  He turned to Gwen. “Now, let’s look at that shoulder, Miss Jones.”

  Gwen’s head swam but she followed the doctor’s gaze. Blood ran down her arm and dripped from her fingers. “My best dress.”

  Aware of her knees buckling, she was powerless to stand. Strong arms cradled her as she fell.

  When she awoke, she was in her own bed. Doctor Ross stood beside the bed. Mark sat on the opposite side. Lizzie and Maggie were there, too.

  She struggled to sit up. “I’m embarrassed I collapsed. Please believer I’ve never done anything like that before. I don’t know what came over me.”

  The doctor touched her bandaged shoulder gently. “You stay right where you are, young woman. School will be delayed a few days while you recover. You lost a lot of blood.”

  “I’ll be fine. Y’all go back and join the social before the food’s gone.”

  Lizzie and Maggie exchanged glances.

  Mark took her hand. “Gwen, you’ve been unconscious a couple of hours. Everything’s cleaned up by now. I imagine my men have the tables broken down and the wood back at the mill by now.”

  Guilt overwhelmed her. “Y’all missed everything because of me?”

  Maggie shook her head. “Because of that gang of ruffians. But they’re in jail now and Martha will be fine.”

  Lizzie‘s right hand touched the lace collar at her throat. “Her mother may never be the same, poor dear. I’m glad Sally was there to help comfort her.” She turned to Gwen. “Sally is Martha’s older sister.”

  Mark still held Gwen’s hand. “When you darted toward the church and Felipe Ruiz fired at you, his cohorts focused on you. They were outnumbered, allowing men from town to disarm them.”

  His face remained pale. “Gwen, that gang is known for their bloodthirsty rampages. I swear I don’t know how he hit only your shoulder and not your heart or head, but I’m grateful.”

  The doctor snapped shut his medical bag. “I’ve left some laudanum. You eat some of the beef the Stones brought by and build up your blood. I’ll see my way out.”

  Maggie hurried after him. “I’ll get Gwen a nice dinner now that she’s awake.”

  “And I’ll help sister. Just as well our dishes stayed in the buggy so we can eat them now.” Lizzie headed for the stairs.

  Gwen tried to pull her hand from Mark’s grasp. “There’s no need for you to stay. I’ll be fine now.”

  He twined their fingers and held tightly. “My legs are still so shaky I don’t think I can stand. When I saw you rush toward the building, my heart hit my boots. When that bullet tore into your shoulder, I thought my heart would stop beating.”

  He held her hand against his cheek. “You crumpled at my feet. I-I thought you were dead. Gwen, I swear, my life flashed before my eyes. Not the pointless one I’ve lived, but the one I could have if you decide to forgive me.”

  “I don’t know. You don’t trust me. What kind of life can people have together if there’s no trust?” She tried to look away and be strong, but his gaze held hers.

  His tawny eyes glistened with unshed tears. “I’ve learned my lesson. In the future, I believe only what you tell me. If you say the sky is green, I’ll believe you.”

  She didn’t know if that was an attempt at levity or a pledge of devotion. “Don’t be ridiculous. Mark, you shouldn’t have believed anyone telling you how I feel. You should have asked me.”

  He kissed her hand. “Don’t I know that now? If I hadn’t felt insecure because your family had so much money and I had none, your father might not have so easily convinced me you preferred someone else.”

  Her father’s betrayal still created an ache deep inside her. “I’ll never forgive him for what he did. Parents should want their children to be happy. He was always more interested in impressing his friends than in my happiness.”

  “But I’m not. All I want is an opportunity to make you happy for the rest of our lives. Please say you’ll give me another chance.”

  She wanted nothing more than she wanted this man. But she’d come to town for a purpose. “I have obligations, Mark. I only just arrived to teach. There’s no time to find a replacement.”

  “I’d like us to be married tomorrow, but I understand you feel honor bound to teach now that you’re
here. How about a June wedding? That gives the School Board plenty of time to find another teacher and us time to build a house.”

  Her own home that she chose? “That also gives us time to get reacquainted.”

  He stood and leaned over to kiss her. His lips were gentle at first, but their pressure increased in fervor and he cradled her to him. Only when they heard the sisters returning did he release her.

  Maggie carried in a tray and handed it to Mark. “Did we give you time to make up?”

  Gwen blinked. “What?”

  Lizzie carried in more to eat. “We saw the love shining from Mark’s eyes when he looked at you, dear. Even though you were peeved at him for some reason, I believe you love him too. Am I wrong?”

  She met Mark’s gaze and saw what the sisters had seen. Love. “I just agreed to marry him. Um, later in the school year, when a new teacher has been hired and arrives.”

  Maggie handed her and Mark each a plate of food. “Well, we can’t leave you here alone with him in your bedroom, but we might just make ourselves a meal downstairs and give you time to talk things over.”

  Lizzie winked as she took her sister’s arm. “And we might eat very slowly.”

  When the sisters had once again retreated downstairs, Mark sat beside her on the bed and pulled her onto his lap. “I want to hold you and I don’t care that this is your bedroom.”

  She snuggled against him. “Oh, Mark, can this really be happening? Are you really in love with me?”

  He brushed her hair from her face and met her gaze. “I have been since I met you four years ago. Getting the nerve to ask you to walk with me took me an entire year.”

  “How ironic. I did everything I could think of to catch your attention, short of throwing myself at you.”

  “Now you’re here in my arms where you belong. I give you my word I’ve returned every penny I got from your father. Please, forgive me and tell me you love me as much as I love you.”

  She couldn’t resist his gentle pleading. “I’ve never loved anyone else. And now I’ll love you forever.”

  He kissed her again. Her heart soared. She’d come to Radford Crossing to teach but a reunion with Mark gave her the love she needed, the man she wanted, the life she dreamed.