Lessons of the Heart (Daughters of the Prairie 2)

Never again.

Time for school. Preparing for the day ahead, she inhaled a deep breath.

Of spice, tobacco, and Garth Mackenzie.

* * *

The drive home was sweltering. Ruth swiped her hand across her sweaty forehead as she urged her mare, Miranda, forward. The poor horse was thirsty.

Getting through the day had been a chore. Her mind wandered, and she hadn’t been able to focus on the students’ lessons. Finally, unable to concentrate, she’d sent them home a half hour early—a “reward” for their good behavior. Something she’d never done. Didn’t even believe in. The school day was the school day, and that was that.

But not today. The memories of Garth Mackenzie’s kiss, of his touch, had flooded her mind. Still flooded her mind. Her pulse had hammered all day. She took in a steadying breath.

A steadying breath hadn’t helped in the schoolhouse. Why should it help now?

It didn’t.

As she rounded a bend leading to her father’s farm, a black buggy came toward her. Doc Potter’s buggy. Her tummy lurched. Was everything all right at home?

“Afternoon, Miss Ruth,” Doc Potter said, stopping alongside her buckboard.

Ruth halted Miranda. “Goodness, Doc, is something the matter with my ma? My pa?”

“Oh, no, ma’am. I was just paying a call.” He smiled.

Relieved, Ruth released a breath. “I’m glad to hear that. I was a tad worried when I saw you.”

“No need to be. All’s fine. Good day.” He urged his team forward.

Ruth arrived home, tended Miranda, and then strolled into the little house. Her mother was kneading on the wooden table in the small kitchen.

“Afternoon, dear.”

“Ma, what was Doc Potter doing here this afternoon? I saw him on my way home and he nearly scared me silly. I thought something had happened to you or Pa.”

“Nothing like that, I assure you.” Her mother wiped her floured hands on her apron and smiled at Ruth. She pulled out a chair from under the table. “Sit down with me for a minute. I’ll tell you.”

“Where’s Pa?”

“In the fields. He’ll be in for supper later.” Molly Blackburn sat down across from Ruth. “I have some wonderful news.”

“Oh?”

“Doc Potter came to talk to Pa.”

“About what?”

“About you, Ruth.” Her mother’s eyes sparkled. “He wants to court you.”

Ruth barely stopped her jaw from dropping to the floor. Court her? After all this time, a man wanted to court her?

“Ma, he’s too short.”

“Goodness, Ruth. If you’re determined to wait for a man taller than you, I’m afraid you’ll be waiting a while.”

“Pa’s taller than I am. So is Naomi’s Bobby.” And so was Garth Mackenzie, but that was neither here nor there.

“Ben Potter is a nice looking man, and my goodness he’s not a dwarf. He’s average-sized. He’s warm and intelligent, and he’s a doctor, Ruth. He can offer you a good life. A life filled with luxuries your pa and I weren’t able to give you and your sister.”