s and leaned close to her ear. “Where is your engagement ring, dearest?”
Heidi shook her head and pointed forward where the preacher stepped into the sanctuary, and the organist began playing Amazing Grace. The rest of the service proved long and boring. He itched to grab Heidi and pull her outside and demand to know what was going on. He needed to straighten a few things out with her before he left later today.
The service finally came to an end and they joined the line shuffling forward to speak with the pastor and exit the church.
Bright sunlight hurt his burning eyes when he stepped outside. Mrs. Lester immediately took her daughter’s arm, and heads together, walked toward the buggy.
“Wait!” Clarence caught up to them. “Heidi, I would like to spend the day with you since I must return to Oklahoma City later today.”
Mr. Lester approached Clarence and slapped him on the back. Once again his brain slammed into his skull. “We all want to spend time with Heidi, so I suggest we have a nice dinner at the hotel and visit in the lobby.”
Heidi smiled at the suggestion, and he didn’t imagine the relief in her eyes. Yes, definitely something was going on. No matter, he would find a way to corner her, and demand some answers. If only he didn’t feel so dreadful.
****
Relief flooded her as Heidi resumed the walk with her mother. She scolded herself for not remembering to wear her ring. Of course Clarence would notice its absence first thing. He wouldn’t speak of it in front of her parents, but based on the anger in his eyes, he would definitely try to question her at some point. She wasn’t prepared to face him on the subject yet. Just because she’d decided she didn’t want to marry him, didn’t mean he would be amenable. For some strange reason, he seemed determined to have her as his wife, even though he’d made it clear she would be no wife in truth.
Five people in the buggy made for a tight ride. Heidi, her mother, and Mrs. Manfred were all squashed in the back, while Clarence rode up front with Papa. Mrs. Manfred dominated the conversation, for which Heidi remained grateful, not anxious to once again defend her decision, which she would have to do before long.
The warmth of the blazing stove in the hotel lobby attracted them all like bears to honey after the cold ride from church. Heidi kept herself as far from Clarence as possible without bringing undue attention to herself. Her eyes grew wide as she looked at Clarence’s face for the first time as he spoke to her father. She’d been so busy keeping her eyes downcast to avoid him, she’d never noticed the bruise on his jaw, and high on his cheekbone, right under his eye.
She frowned. Strange. Michael had bruises on his face he refused to talk about. Had the two men been injured at the same time? Her breath hitched. Could they have been fighting each other? No. A ridiculous thought. Merely a coincidence.
They settled into seats at a round table, with Clarence taking the seat to her right. As Heidi looked closer, his appearance shocked her. Not only the injuries to his face, but his skin had a grayish hue, and his eyes were so red, they appeared to be bleeding.
“How is Mr. Henderson’s breathing treatment working for you?” Mrs. Lester inspected her daughter’s face as she spoke, grasping her chin, and moving her head one way, then the other.
“It’s working wonderfully, Mother. I haven’t had an attack in days. Mr. Henderson has me keeping a journal of what I eat and where I go because he said there’s evidence asthma attacks can arise due to allergies to food or plants of some kinds.”
Mr. Lester set his menu down and turned to her. “I don’t understand how a shop keeper would know so much about medicine.”
“He’s not merely a shop keeper, Papa. Michael graduated from the Norman College of Pharmacy. He’s a licensed pharmacist, and knows a great deal about medicines and how each one works. Why, even Dr. Kane consults him on different medications to use for his patients.”
“Michael?” Clarence regarded her with raised eyebrows. “I thought his name was Mr. Henderson.”
Heidi felt the heat rise to her cheeks. “Since we work together every day, we address each other by our given names.”
“I don’t like this situation one bit,” Clarence said with a shake of his head. “As my fiancée, I am against you working in a shop, and I certainly don’t want you calling that man by his given name, nor him calling you by yours.” He glared across the table at Mr. Lester. “I see this as the problem with allowing men and women to work together. They become entirely too familiar, and that’s totally inappropriate.”
All eyes were on Clarence, and silence descended as he ended his rant. He fussed with his shirt collar and examined his menu.
“I certainly understand your objection, Clarence,” Mrs. Lester said, then turned to Heidi. “I think I prefer you reverting back to calling each other by your proper titles.”
There would be more important issues to discuss today. As none of those present would be in a position to hear what she and Michael called each other in the store, Heidi demurred. “Yes, Mother.”
Clarence smiled slightly, apparently happy to have won the battle.
The meal passed pleasantly, Heidi continually on her guard for when the assault would begin to convince her to surrender her ‘adventure’ and head back to Oklahoma City. She’d barely taken one sip of her after dinner coffee when Mrs. Manfred fried the first shot.
“Heidi, dear, when will you stop upsetting your mother and return home with us?” The woman rested her chubby hand on top of Heidi’s.
“I’m sorry, Mrs. Manfred, but my parents have agreed to allow me a month to prove I can take care of myself, and I still have another two and a half weeks.”
Stay calm. Don’t let her comments bring on an attack. They’d all be convinced I’m weak.
“Actually, Mrs. Manfred, Mr. Lester and I discussed Heidi’s job last night, and we’re willing to let her have her month.” Mrs. Lester patted Heidi’s hand as she addressed the other woman. “We’re close by if anything happens, and getting any desire for freedom out of her system is good before she marries and settles down.”
“Yes. It’s probably best if she gets this out of her system before she becomes my wife.” Clarence jumped right in, apparently happy to re-state his claim.