It was a quiet ride home after Mitch dropped Priscilla off. He’d had the crazy urge to kiss her when they’d gotten as far as her door. It bothered him to realize he might have done something that stupid if Ian hadn’t been in the buggy waiting for him. Now that school was about to start, there really was no reason for him to see her again, unless they just happened to cross paths on the street. He’d welcomed her on behalf of the town, gotten her settled, and now he was free to leave her to do the job she’d been hired for.
If she lasted long enough to do it, that was.
When he and Ian arrived home, they went their separate ways to finish up the daily chores. It gave him time to remind himself that Miss Priscilla Cochran was no longer his problem or concern. He was happy about that. Now he could concentrate on his business and what he wanted to do for the town.
He was standing by the fireplace in the parlor, leaning his arm on the mantle, poking at the fire he’d started to warm the place up a bit before bed, wondering why the place seemed so lonely and cold all of a sudden.
“Pa, I have a great idea. A way to make sure that Miss Cochran doesn’t leave Dogtown.” Ian burst into the room, excitement on his young face.
Mitch looked up at him and smiled. “And what is that, son?”
“You should marry her.
Chapter Six
Mitch stayed away from Priscilla for two whole days. During that time he behaved like a besotted adolescent, looking up with anticipation each time the door to his shop opened, then telling himself he didn’t care that it wasn’t her. But then what would she want with a gun shop anyway? She’d said she’d handled a gun or two, but most likely pinched it between two fingers, handing it off to someone else.
He was still reeling from Ian’s casual remark that he should marry Priscilla. What an outrageous idea that was. Despite the fact he didn’t want to marry, getting hitched to a woman so far above him, who most likely was already tired of the town and the few things it had to offer, had never occurred to him.
Not really.
He glanced at the clock on the wall. It was almost time for school to let out. Once Ian arrived to help out, he would stroll over to the schoolhouse. After all, it was a parent’s duty to see how his child was doing. There might be some issue she was reluctant to talk to him about, and he’d rather uncover it right away.
It amazed him how he could come up with such nonsense and actually believe it. Nevertheless, his decision made, he whistled as he cleaned and repaired the three guns Elmer Dogger had dropped off the day before.
Twenty minutes later Ian barreled through the door, his face flushed from the cold. “Hi Pa.”
“Hi, yourself, son. How was school?”
“Good. Miss Cochran has me helping the younger kids with their work. It’s fun. Maybe I’ll be a teacher one day.”
“That would make me proud, Ian. I’ve told you before I want you to go to college. I’ve been saving money for it.” Mitch wiped his oily hands on a cloth and gestured toward the back room of the store. “There’s a sack of apples and cookies back there that I bought from the general store. Have something to eat because you’ll need to watch the store. I have an errand to run.”
He stopped in at the schoolhouse first, but Priscilla was not there. Assuming she’d gone home. he walked behind the building toward her house. A young man stepped from the back door of the little house carrying a full brown sack and deposited it into the tin garbage can. He scurried back through the door.
Surprised and annoyed to see a man in Priscilla’s house, he tried to convince himself she’d hired one of the youths to do some work for her.
After two knocks, the door opened and all his thoughts fled. He could only stare. The young man was the proper Miss Cochran dressed in britches. His eyes immediately skimmed her body. Her legs outlined in the snug pants had his heartbeat speeding up. Her hair tumbled down around her shoulders like golden brown silk. She had removed the cap that had covered her hair when he’d seen her behind the house.
“What?” He fumbled for words as she grinned at him.
“Is something the matter?”
“You’re wearing trousers.”
She looked do
wn at herself, a twinkle in her eyes. “Oh, my. I’m afraid you’re right.” She opened the door wider. “Would you care to come in?”
“Why are you wearing that?” He waved in her direction, still trying to get his body’s reaction to her attire under control.
Priscilla placed her hands on her hips. “I found two mice happily munching on oats from the bag in my pantry. They’d chewed open a hole in the bottom of the sack. I decided to give the pantry a good cleaning, and it’s much easier to do heavy chores in pants.”
He shook his head. Just when he thought he had her all figured out, she climbs a tree to avoid a bear, wears britches, and chases mice. “I thought women were notoriously afraid of mice.”
She grinned. “Not me. I had a few pet mice when I was younger.” When he continued to just gape at her, she said, “Did you want me for something?”
Oh, yes, sweetheart. I want you for something all right, but if I voiced my request, I would get a well-deserved slap in the face.