~ ~ ~
As Lily chatted with Elizabeth, her fear of strangers wore off. She enjoyed talking with the local artist about painting Montana’s beautiful flora, and the women quickly progressed to addressing each other by their first names.
Elizabeth was very sympathetic to Lily’s frustration about the quality of her drawings and encouraging in her belief in Lily’s success. Just talking to someone who understood made Lily feel more positive.
Then Elizabeth segued into her lack of time to paint because her baby kept her too busy. From the way the woman proudly beamed when she recounted some of her daughter’s exploits, Lily could tell the new mother didn’t mind the loss of her creative endeavors.
Would I?
Two other women in advanced stages of pregnancy waddled over to them. One was a petite blonde with blue eyes and sharp, pretty features. The other had curly red hair pinned into a bun that was already coming loose.
“Elizabeth” The redhead towed the other woman to her side. “Daisy needs some reassuring,” she said in a Scottish brogue. “I, na having delivered before, canna provide a personal view.”
Elizabeth gave the women a reassuring smile before turning to Lily. “Miss Maxwell, I’d like you to meet our doctor’s wife, Alice Cameron.” She waved at the redhead, who looked to be in her thirties. “And this is Daisy Muth. She and her husband contributed cream from their dairy herd for tonight.”
The blonde tittered. “Hardly a herd. But I insisted we come. Mr. Muth—” she pointed out a big, ruddy man in the midst of a conversation with two others “—was concerned the drive might send me into labor. I replied that I hoped it would. I’d rather have this child in town. The sooner, the better.”
Elizabeth’s brows creased together. “You’ll stay in town then? Isn’t your farm out on the prairie?”
“Yes, we’ll drive home tonight. The baby’s due in two weeks. My husband will bring me to town then, and I’ll stay at Mrs. Murphy’s. He’ll have to return home, of course.” She grimaced. “Can’t be away from the cows.”
“Being here will be good.” Elizabeth touched Mrs. Muth’s arm. “Dr. Cameron is an excellent physician. You can have every confidence in him.”
Mrs. Cameron smiled and patted Mrs. Muth on the shoulder. “See, dearie. Just as I was telling you.” She looked at Elizabeth and Lily. “The lass refuses to speak to my husband about her concerns.”
“No matter that he’s a doctor,” Daisy said fiercely. “He’s a man. Hasn’t been through it
himself.
”
Mrs. Cameron made a negating gesture with her hand. “My husband has presided over countless births. He’ll take good care of you. No doubt after your confinement, you’ll be reassuring
me
.”
Daisy Muth cast Lily an uncomfortable glance, and lowered her voice. “But the pain….”
Lily realized the woman wanted to talk more freely about childbirth, but wasn’t about to do so in front of an unmarried lady. With a quick murmur, she excused herself and left them to have the type of married women’s discussion that she could never be a part of.
Lily looked around for Mrs. Pendell, saw her across the room directing the ice cream makers, and began to thread her way through the crowd. But before long, an old man with a long beard seized her arm. Then a man who must be a clerk, judging from his pinched collar, slicked back hair and ink stained fingers joined him. More men crowded her. One tried to hand her a second bowl of ice cream, but she’d had little opportunity to eat the one she already held because everyone was trying to talk to her.
Lily wasn’t sure if she was living out a dream or a nightmare. Never in her life had she been surrounded by a horde of admiring men. Submerged in a flood of introductions, she hadn’t registered any of their names. Overwhelmed by the attention, she juggled a conversation with all of them and tried to eat her ice cream before it melted.
The tall, handsome man with the elegant suit had introduced himself as the banker, while the heavy-set man with the bushy reddish hair and beard was a carpenter. Two younger men with the browned skin and bowlegs of cowboys didn’t say much, and the clerk stood in the shadow of a farmer with meaty shoulders. Another old man about her grandfather’s age joined the first one. They seemed to be familiar foes, given the pot shots they took at each other. Lily had a feeling they vied for her attention more as a competition than because they really wanted to become acquainted.
The banker asked her questions about her life. In no time she felt he had her social status categorized like one of his ledgers. Lily could see she’d moved higher up the page after the mention of her sister the opera star. Turns out he was an aficionado of music, and he’d heard about the “Songbird of Chicago”…had always wanted to attend one of Sophia Maxwell’s performances. No doubt, though, if the banker became aware of Lily’s affliction, she’d end up farther down on the ledger, perhaps even in the minus column.
A cluster of women on the sidelines watched Lily and talked among themselves. Sometimes, they put their heads together and spoke with their hands over their mouths as if telling secrets or not wanting to be overheard.
I wonder if they’re gossiping about me.
Uncomfortable, Lily looked away from them, bringing her attention back to her suitors.
One of the old men told a story to which she had only to nod. Lily took a moment to sneak a bite of ice cream and savored the vanilla flavor mingled with raspberry sauce. But then she caught a glimpse of Tyler frowning her way.
Whatever is wrong?
His expression soured her enjoyment of the moment. She wondered if she should go to him.
In a smooth move, the banker took the bowl out of her hands. “Miss Maxwell, I believe you need a refill.” He handed the dish to one of the cowboys. “See to it,” he ordered.
“Certainly, Mr. Livingston.” The cowboy looked grateful to have a task he could do for her and hurried over to the line.
Ah, Mr. Livingston, that’s his name.
Lily made a mental note to remember it.
The banker gazed down at her, his brown eyes alight with interest.
Lily liked his looks—thick brown hair, even features, and smooth hands. But he didn’t stir her interest the way a certain rancher did. She glanced at Tyler, comparing the two. Her host wasn’t tall like the banker, and his tanned features were more rugged. However, she couldn’t deny his appeal.
Tyler crossed his arms, and if anything, he looked more annoyed
Mr. Livingston took her hand and tucked it into the crook of his arm. “I’m sure you could use some air, Miss Maxwell. Let me take you outside for a few minutes to refresh yourself.”
“No, I’m fine, Mr. Livingston. Besides—” she turned her head to look for the cowboy “—You dispatched someone to bring me ice cream.”
“He’ll be here when we return.” The banker eased her toward the door. “We’ll just be right out front. Perfectly proper.”
Lily cast a backwards glance at Tyler, but his attention had been snagged by a thin, black-haired woman with an overdone hairstyle and a brown-checked dress with far too many ruffles. When the woman placed a familiar hand on Tyler’s arm, Lily decided to allow Mr. Livingston to escort her outside.
Before she knew it, they were out the door. She forced him to slow down when they came to the steps, pretending not to be able to see in the dark.
The banker carefully guided Lily down. He led her a few steps away to the dirt street.
The light from the schoolhouse windows blended with the glow from the full moon. The stars in the velvet sky overhead appeared close and luminous, unlike the more distant pricks of light she saw in the city.
Lily shivered at the chill beauty of the evening and realized she’d come out here with the wrong man.
How soon can I make an excuse and go back inside?
She had no experience in dealing with suitors—at least not her own.
Five minutes? Ten?
They wandered for a few steps. Lily did her best to hide her limp.
“It’s a beautiful evening.” The banker pointed down the road. “Would you like to take a stroll?”
Although flattered by the man’s attention, Lily certainly did
not
want to take a stroll with him.
“My house is down the street. I’d like you to see it. From the outside, of course,” he hastily added.
She gave him a polite smile. “I believe I’ll go back inside. It’s chilly out here, and I don’t have my wrap.”
“Tell me where it is. I’ll fetch it for you.”
“Thank you, Mr. Livingston. However, I must return to the party with whom I came.”
Even in the moonlight, she could see the reluctance on his face. “Very well.” He started to lead her back to the school. “I’d like to take you for a drive. Show you around.”
“I’m sorry, but I won’t have time,” Lily said firmly. “I have a deadline to finish my botanical drawings, and then I’ll be leaving this town.”
The door of the schoolhouse opened, sending a shaft of light to illuminate them. A man stood shadowed in the doorway. He stalked down the steps and over to them, his boot heels making thudding sounds.
Tyler.
She wasn’t sure whether to feel relief or, given his earlier expression, apprehension.
Tyler held out her coat. “I’ve brought this for you, Miss Maxwell. The air’s too chilly for you to be out here without it.”
Thankful for his presence, she abandoned Mr. Livingston’s arm to reach for her coat.
Tyler didn’t release it. Instead he moved to her back, opened the garment for her to place her arms into the sleeves, and tugged the coat over her shoulders. He wrapped the sides around her, and his arms lingered.
She glanced up at the banker and saw from the expression on his face that he understood the meaning of Tyler’s proprietary gesture. He gave her a slight bow, and without a word he strode down the street, disappearing into the darkness.
Uncomfortable, Lily stared after Mr. Livingston, but then forgot the banker as soon as Tyler turned her to face him, holding her loosely in his arms. “Do you mind that I ran him off?”
“Not a bit. I was about to run him off myself. Or rather, run away from him.” At her statement, she felt Tyler’s body relax.
“Come on.” He took her hand and led her around the corner of the building, stopping near a lilac bush. The sweet scent of the flowers wafted to them.
“I think Livingston was going to steal a kiss in the moonlight.”
Lily wrinkled her nose. “Well I certainly wouldn’t have
given
him one. He made me too uncomfortable, and I’d just met him.”
Tyler cupped her face with his hands, leaning closer. “What about me?” he said, his voice low. “Will you give one to me?”
I shouldn’t.
The lonely years stretched ahead of her. Her earlier vow to make memories rose, and suddenly she was desperate for some kisses of Tyler’s to remember. In answer to his question, she tilted her mouth to his.
CHAPTER TWELVE
Tyler hadn’t intended to kiss Lily. But when he’d realized Livingston had her all to himself outside in the moonlight, his possessive instincts reared up. He could have bellowed like a raging bull, pawed the ground, and charged his rival.
Instead, he stalked across the schoolroom, weaving around people, fists clenched.
If Livingston’s causing Lily harm, or even any discomfort….
Passing the coat piles made Tyler realize Livingston had taken Lily out into the cold night without her coat.
She’ll get chilled.
With jerky movements, he dug through the outerwear until he found her brown coat, recognizable by the mink collar and posy of artificial violets pinned to the front. Tyler snatched it up and opened the door, letting his eyes adjust, rather than go stumbling down the steps like a fool. Luckily, Livingston hadn’t taken Lily very far, and she only had her hand on his arm. Tyler didn’t have to tear her out of a feverish embrace and punch the man.
Too bad.
The punching, not the embracing, part.
Lily seemed glad to see him, which settled him somewhat. He helped her put on her coat, his every action proclaiming to the banker,
mine!
The man got the hint and left, before Tyler had to do more to run him off.
When Tyler turned Lily’s face up to his, all he could see were her eyes made lambent by the moonlight and her sweet kissable mouth. Retaining some semblance of his mind, he led her around the corner of the school building for some privacy. When Lily told him she wasn’t interested in the banker, relief swept through him, followed by an urgent need to know if she’d kiss him instead.
Tyler cupped her face, her skin as smooth as rose petals under his fingers. The roughness of his hands couldn’t be helped. Yet he softened his touch, leaning in to press a gentle kiss on her lips. Or at least he meant it to be gentle, but the contact of their mouths rushed a wave of energy through him, and he deepened the kiss.
Lily eagerly responded, making a little sound and sliding her hands up his arms to his shoulders.
The kiss heated. His body came alive in a way it hadn’t for years, perhaps not ever.
Tyler broke off the kiss only to come up for air, and then pressed his lips to her cheek, nibbled her jaw, and kissed the side of her neck.
Lily let out a little sigh.