The Holiday Courtship. Winnie Griggs

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СКАЧАТЬ here or brave the wind for a couple of blocks to reach the Blue Bottle?”

      Alex perked up. “You mean a candy store?”

      Janell nodded. “And a very good one. You can find all sorts of tasty treats—chocolate drops, sugared pecans, pumpkin brittle, caramels and much more.”

      “I like candy just fine.” Alex took his sister’s hand. “And Chloe does, too.”

      Chloe looked up then, her eyes darting back and forth as if trying to make sense of their conversation.

      Yes, this girl definitely needed her help. Janell straightened. “Well then, if you don’t mind taking a short walk—” she glanced toward Mr. Chandler “—and if your uncle doesn’t mind, why don’t we go see what the Blue Bottle sweet shop and tea parlor has to offer this morning?”

      “I don’t mind at all,” Mr. Chandler assured her. Then he turned to the stationmaster. “Lionel, if you don’t mind, I’ll leave our bags here and get them when I come back for the trunks.”

      While Mr. Chandler took care of business, Janell noticed Alex trying to help his sister understand what was going on, but Chloe merely looked confused and frustrated. The girl hefted the cat higher, resting her chin against his furry back.

      Janell touched Chloe’s arm. When the girl met her gaze, she pointed to the cat. “What’s his name?” she asked.

      Alex answered for her. “His name is Smudge.”

      Janell thanked him. She knew he was trying to help his sister, but somehow she had to make the boy understand that he wasn’t truly helping her by always answering for her. Her own sister, Lizzie, had been that way as well, rarely speaking. And at first they’d compensated for her, answering for her so that she hadn’t had to figure out what had been said. But they’d eventually learned that was the wrong approach.

      Chloe would need to learn to reengage with the people around her or she would turn into a sad, lonely hermit.

      “Ready?”

      Mr. Chandler’s question brought Janell back to the present. With a nod, she followed the children outside while Mr. Chandler politely held the door open.

      As they stepped off the platform and onto the sidewalk, a gust of wind swooshed down on them. Janell quickly took off her shawl. “Here, you two, you can share this.” She draped it over both their shoulders, then smiled at the picture they made.

      Mr. Chandler frowned. “Now you’ll be cold.” He shrugged out of his jacket and held it out. “Here, take this.”

      She smiled but shook her head. “Thank you, but that’s not necessary. It’s a short walk to the Blue Bottle.”

      His brow drew down and she got the impression he was irritated. “Surely you don’t expect me to escort you through town wearing my jacket while you give your wrap to my niece and nephew. What kind of oaf do you think I am?”

      She held her hand out to accept his jacket. As she shrugged into it, she realized it felt surprisingly nice. Some of his warmth lingered, and though it was larger and heavier than she was used to, those very masculine qualities somehow made her feel more feminine than she had in quite a while.

      Pushing that fanciful—and dangerous—thought away, she turned her attention back to the children. “I’m so glad you’ve moved to Turnabout,” she said cheerily. “It will be nice having two new students in my class.”

      There was no response except a half nod from Alex.

      “They’re not very talkative.” Mr. Chandler’s tone held a hint of apology.

      “I imagine they’re weary from so much travel. But I can do enough talking for all of us.”

      “I’m sure you can.”

      She ignored the hint of sarcasm in his tone—after all, it was a schoolteacher’s job to reach even the most recalcitrant or guarded of children and engage them in the learning process.

      “It’s a good thing we ran into you,” Mr. Chandler said. “And I don’t mean just because you came to my rescue.”

      “Oh?”

      “I need to speak to you about getting the kids enrolled in school as soon as possible.”

      Did he really think these two would be ready to return to school right away? “Of course. But there will be time enough for that after the children have settled in.”

      He frowned, but she didn’t give him a chance to say anything. Instead she turned to the children. “So, is there a favorite treat you’re hoping to find at the sweet shop?”

      Alex nodded decisively. “I like lemon drops and licorice whips.”

      “I’m afraid you won’t find those at the Blue Bottle, but I believe the mercantile has an excellent selection. No, the kind of treats you’ll find at the sweet shop are more along the line of bonbons—chocolates, caramels, taffies and brittles. I’m certain we can find something you like.”

      During the three-block walk, she kept up a running dialogue, describing the various buildings and points of interest in the town, aware that Chloe wasn’t benefiting from the commentary. But she also knew that Chloe would benefit, even if only in a small way, from any easing of tension in her brother.

      And all the while she was very aware of Mr. Chandler strolling beside her and of the warmth of his jacket on her shoulders.

      She’d forgotten how special this kind of consideration could make a woman feel.

Chapter Two

      When they reached the Blue Bottle, Hank quickly stepped forward to open the door.

      Miss Whitman hadn’t been exaggerating when she’d said she could do enough talking for all of them.

      But he noticed Alex seemed more relaxed now, which meant Chloe’s tension should ease as well. He’d noticed she was taking many of her cues from her brother when she couldn’t tell what was going on around her.

      His attention shifted back to the schoolteacher. His coat should have looked ridiculously large on her, but for some reason it didn’t.

      In fact, she looked quite nice—in an impish kind of way.

      Hank pulled himself up at that thought. The straitlaced schoolteacher, impish? What a strange notion—he must be more tired than he’d thought.

      He stepped inside with them for a moment, just to make certain they would be okay here while he was gone.

      Miss Whitman started to shrug out of his jacket and he moved forward to help her. When she smiled up at him, he found himself wondering why he’d never really noticed her before. Not that he’d been looking for a wife before current circumstances had made it a necessity.

      Then she turned to Chloe with an apologetic purse of her lips, giving him the nudge he needed to step back.

      “I СКАЧАТЬ