Amanda's Beau (19 page)
Authors: Shirley Raye Redmond
Looking now at her nephew, his fair, windblown hair sticking up every which way, his cheeks and eyes glowing, Amanda was glad Nate had offered to pick them up in Atalanta. Rex had loved every minute of the short, bumpy, adventurous ride from the house to the school in the village. He stood near the door now, sharing his experience with Jerry Snow, making hand gestures and no doubt relishing the look of envy on his best friend's face.
"I don't believe such vehicles are practical," Amanda went on, reluctant to lose Gil's attention. He'd soon have to leave her, she knew. Since he was the schoolteacher and host of today's special event, he'd be expected to welcome parents and other community members to the contest. But she was unwilling to let him go just yet. She'd been looking forward to this day â not to watch Rex take part in the spelling bee particularly, but to see his teacher instead. "What happens, for instance, when the tires get punctured?"
"That happens quite often, I believe," Gil told her. "Sometimes the engine overheats. The transmission bands slip off too." He glanced at the door. She followed his gaze. More and more people were coming in. "Miss Dale, let me find you a seat. I expect Rex will do quite well in the competition, and you'll want a good view of the proceedings."
Taking her elbow, he led her to the bench nearest the front of the classroom. Amanda tingled at the delight of his touch â even such a casual one. She bit her lower lip to stop it from trembling, fearful someone might observe her guilty pleasure. The animated chatter increased as more and more people arrived. Several of the men and boys talked about the fascinating red machine parked in the schoolyard, surrounded by more ordinary wagons and buggies.
"Here is ideal," Gil said, indicating a seat in the middle of the bench nearest the blackboard.
"Thank you, Mr. Gladney," she replied. Amanda sat down, smoothing her long skirt as she did so. She noted there was room on either side for him to sit next to her. How she hoped he would.
Leaning forward, he said quietly in her ear. "I wish you'd call me Gil and allow me to call you Amanda. We're friends, aren't we? Friends may call one another by their Christian names, surely?"
Amanda could feel herself blushing to the roots of her hair as she fumbled for a meaningful reply. Before she could get any words out, she heard the swish of silk skirts and the click of heavy heels on the wooden floor. A woman's sharp, rasping voice declared, "Now, Miss Dale, this won't do at all for you to monopolize Mr. Gladney's time. There are others eager to have a word with him before the contest begins."
She glanced up into the pasty face of Beulah Johnson and blushed again â this time with annoyance. Gil straightened and stepped away from Amanda, casting a glance of wry resignation as he did so.
"Good afternoon, Mrs. Johnson." He addressed the older woman in a gracious tone. "We're happy you could join us for the spelling bee. It's going to be a lively one, I'm sure."
"Wouldn't miss it for the world," Beulah said. "Brought along an apple pie too. You'll want to have a piece afterwards. It's back there on the table."
"Indeed," Gil said pleasantly.
"I want to invite you and Mr. Phillips to have Sunday supper with me later this evening."
To Amanda the invitation sounded more like an imperial summons.
"Beef roast with potatoes and onions. I want to talk to that young man about a matter of business," Beulah went on briskly.
She paid no more attention to Amanda than if she'd been a turnip. As the woman chattered on, Amanda wondered if Mrs. Johnson intended to make Nate Phillips an offer for his fancy automobile. Or perhaps she wanted to buy some Indian relics, maybe even one of the skeletons? She quickly dismissed that idea, recalling how repulsed the woman had been to see Bonita in the house. Surely anyone who would not allow a dog in the house â a filthy dog, she'd called her â would not keep skeletal remains on display in her parlor.
Gil soon excused himself, casting a wistful glance at Amanda, who gave him an understanding smile. Beulah Johnson plunked down next to her on the bench and studied her with intent. "Well, Miss Dale, I'm somewhat surprised to see you here. Your sister must be on the mend."
"She is, thank the Lord," Amanda replied with feeling.
"Hard to believe though. For a while there, I thought she was a goner. Her and the infant too," the woman admitted with rude frankness. "Let's hope she doesn't have a relapse."
Beulah shook her head with dubious concern. The motion set the pheasant feather in her bonnet bobbing around in a manner that reminded Amanda of her father's fishing lures. Of all the people in the village, Mrs. Johnson was the one she least wanted to sit next too. She scanned the room in an almost desperate manner searching for a place to relocate, but the benches were full, and she didn't want to stand at the back.
"It's a good thing you're here today. I could point out a man or two who might make you a good husband," Beulah went on.
Amanda went rigid with shock. The woman was insufferable.
"You see that fellow there standing at the back with the little girl in the blue-and-brown gingham? That's Harry Haney. He's a widower. Has been since the girl was three or four. Wife died of consumption. He's got a ranch and is doing right well for himself. He'd make a fine husband for you, Miss Dale."
"Mrs. Johnson, do keep your voice down," Amanda replied, humiliated. "I'm not looking for a husband." It wasn't exactly a lie. Seeking a husband and praying for one, were not the same thing. Were they?
"Oh, come now, Miss Dale. Don't get all hoighty-toighty with me. All women without husbands are looking for one." Mrs. Johnson pursed her lips. Then lowering her head, which caused all her chins to pleat together, she added, "I wouldn't set my cap on the good-looking school teacher, if I were you. He hasn't got a penny to his name. Lives in the teacherage out back, don't you know?"
Amanda gave her a cold stare, but the woman rambled on, undaunted. She pointed out another eligible bachelor at the back of the room â this one twice Amanda's age and a good head shorter than she was â and offered several words of marital advice. Amanda was on the verge of hysterical laughter when the older woman gripped her by the forearm.
"Don't get any starry-eyed notions about marrying the handsome Mr. Phillips either," Beulah hissed in her ear. She indicated Nate Phillips with a plump finger. Amanda watched Nate as he greeted the eager parents and students Gil brought forward for introductions. As usual, he appeared to be at his ease, charming and winsome. He was also the best-dressed man in the room, but it was his apparent good nature that made people readily accept him as one of their own, she decided.
"When he marries," Beulah went on, "it will be to some pretty heiress back East â if he marries at all." She sniffed her disapproval.
With her heart growing heavier by the second, Amanda felt certain she was losing a grip on her emotions and her sanity. Any minute now, she might burst into tears, or worse yet giggle uncontrollably. Gil clapped his hands, demanding everyone's attention. The spelling bee was about to start.
First, he introduced his distinguished guest and the bee's moderator, Mr. Nathan Phillips. There was an enthusiastic round of applause. When Nate stared directly at her with a brief smile and a mere inclination of his handsome, pomaded head, Amanda felt her cheeks flush. She heard Mrs. Johnson snort and could feel the woman's penetrating gaze as it raked her from head to foot. For all his flippancy, Nate Phillips was certainly a charmer, Amanda acknowledged with a sigh. He was also dangerous to one's peace of mind.
****
Gil went on to introduce the contest judges, Doctor Morgan and the pastor. Another spate of applause followed, and then he asked all the participating youngsters to come to the front. He watched his students shuffling their feet and elbowing each other as they arranged themselves in a somewhat crooked line at the front of the classroom. His eyes flicked over the line. He was surprised and greatly pleased to see Ozzie Lancaster, his hair slicked down and wearing a brand new pair of dungarees, among the participants. He hoped the sullen boy would last two or three rounds.
If he had to make a wager, he'd bet the Lister girl would win the contest. With her neat brown curls and crisp calico dress, she appeared competent and eager. Rex Stewart would give her some stiff competition, of that Gil was sure, and so would some of the older students, who'd been studying fiercely for the contest. Nate called out the first word, abstraction, and the contest got underway.
Gil stole a glance at Amanda Dale. She was achingly beautiful and so sweet tempered his heart nearly melted. No wonder Nate found her so entrancing. Annoyed as she must have been by Beulah Johnson's intrusion, Amanda had accepted it with a good-humored grace Gil couldn't help admiring. When he'd noticed the confident smile Nate had cast in Amanda's direction, he'd tried not to resent it. He could lay no claim on Amanda. Dreading what might transpire between Nate and Amanda, given enough time and opportunity, Gil was determined to press his friendship with her. The tender look in her eye when he'd suggested they call each other by their first names had emboldened him. She'd been flustered, but not displeased.
Amanda leaned forward now, her hands clasped in her lap, listening as Rex spelled the word flexibility. The boy did so with practiced ease. Gil saw her smile and straighten her shoulders. Beaming with pride, Amanda glanced up, catching his eye. Smiling at her, Gil nodded his approval. Rex Stewart was a good student, and bright, but Gil doubted he'd be able to out-perform Caroline Lister, who spelled difficult words like loveliness, proprietor and squandered without the blink of an eyelash.
By the fourth round, students began to misspell the words and had to drop out of the line and take their seats. Ozzie misspelled transferring and was dismissed. "Good job, Ozzie," Gil praised him as the boy passed by on the way to his desk.
Despite the sullen set of his shoulders, Ozzie gave him a curt nod and did not look displeased. His lip was puffy, and Rex sported a bruise on one cheek, but the two boys had apparently made some sort of awkward peace since their fight at the excavation site.
Rex also misspelled a word some rounds later. He ducked his head and gave Gil a sheepish grin as he stepped out of the line and took a seat at the desk behind Ozzie Lancaster, even whispering something that brought a reluctant smile to the older boy's face. Doc Morgan had been right â not all lessons were learned in the classroom.
Gil wondered if speaking frankly to Ozzie the other day had been more effective, after all, than forcing him to write the Golden Rule one hundred times. He also wondered if it was time to talk with Amanda frankly about their friendship and the future. He couldn't bear to think she might consider his conduct toward her â like Nate's â as a lighthearted flirtation. Gil needed to let her know his intentions were honorable and his feelings serious ones. Although he wasn't in a financial situation now to make her an offer of marriage, he wanted her to know â needed her to realize â he certainly had plans in that direction.
He also feared Nate might realize sooner than later, Amanda Dale was a woman â a gem â worthy of pursuit. What if Amanda should return his affection and allow herself to be won? Gil would never forgive himself if she did so because she was unaware of his own feelings for her. Even if she held Nate in no particular esteem, Gil didn't want Amanda to return to Las Cruces when her sister no longer needed her aid, without knowing how deeply he cared about her.
Looking now at Nate, Gil grudgingly accepted how well his friend performed his role as moderator. As Doc Morgan had stated the other day, âin life there is always someone bigger and older, someone richer or smarter than you.' Nate had always been that person in Gil's life. Still, he couldn't let this realization keep him from competing against Nate for Amanda's love and affection. At least, he had to try. Gil didn't know what the future might hold â only God knew that â but he would not enter the future like a coward.
He listened as his friend pronounced one word after another, clearly enunciating each one with dramatic flair. When an uncertain student would ask him to use the word in a sentence, Nate did so in a manner everyone found amusing, using the names of local residents as he did so. For the word vessels, he said, "Mr. Schwarzkopf sells a variety of casks, cups, kettles, and other vessels in his general store." Asked to use influenza in a sentence, Nate proclaimed, "Doctor Morgan frequently does battle with severe cases of influenza among his patients."
Each pronouncement was followed by guffaws or titters of laughter. Soon only two contestants remained: Caroline Lister and Bobby McKerley. The two faced off for another six rounds. After Bobby misspelled the word advantageous, Caroline spelled the word perfectly. Nate proclaimed her the winner, and one of the school board members presented her with a silver dollar prize. Gil stepped forward to thank everyone for coming and to thank the women for bringing so many fine refreshments.
He was soon swarmed by well-wishers.
"Wonderful event, Mr. Gladney," parents congratulated him.
"Looking forward to next year already," others stated, shaking his hand.
Gil thanked them for coming. He didn't have time to visit the refreshment table as he'd hoped to try the apple pie Mrs. Johnson had boasted about, but he noticed, with a grin, how quickly Nate had made his way there, determined, no doubt, to enjoy as many of the home-baked goodies as he could. His friend was tired of bachelor cooking already, Gil knew.
When Amanda, with her empty cookie basket in hand, made her way toward him, Gil felt a rush of joy.
"Rex and I are leaving now, Mr. Gladney. I just wanted to say goodbye and to tell you how much I enjoyed the spelling bee," she said. "You must be so proud of your students â all of them."
"The name is Gil, short for Gilbert," he reminded her with an easy smile.
"Gil," she repeated in a shy voice.
"I'm glad you enjoyed the contest, even though Rex didn't win."
Smiling as she tipped her head to one side, Amanda said, "Rex warned me ahead of time not to be too disappointed if he didn't win. He predicted Caroline Lister would take the prize, and she did."
Gil nodded. "She studied hard and deserved to win. Aren't you waiting for Nate to give you a ride home?"
She shook her head. "He's busy, and the Snows have offered us a ride in their wagon. I'd like to get home soon. I don't want to take advantage of Mrs. Martinez's kindness any longer than necessary."
Gil felt his spirits soar. Surely, if Amanda was besotted by Nate's handsome face and charming demeanor, she'd seek any excuse to be with him, even for a short bumpy ride in Atalanta? Rex and Jerry skipped up to them, their hands clutching an assortment of doughnuts and cookies.
"C'mon, Aunt Mandy. Mr. Snow is ready to go. Good-bye, Mr. Gladney. See you tomorrow," Rex said.
"Both of you did quite well," Gil said. "I'm proud of you." His praise seemed to make both boys stand an inch or two taller.
"I'm going to start studying now for next year's contest," Rex announced. "Jerry, and me, and Ozzie are going to study together."
Surprised, Gil glanced sidelong at Amanda. She appeared to be as happily surprised as he was.
"If I'd known there was going to be a silver dollar prize, I'd have studied harder this year," Jerry quipped. "See you tomorrow, Mr. Gladney."
Gil nodded. Amanda followed the boys to the door and paused. Turning around, she said, "Enjoy the beef roast at Mrs. Johnson's house this evening. With potatoes and onions."
Their gazes locked. Her dark eyes danced and her lips twitched. She chuckled as she hurried away to catch up with Rex and Jerry. Laughing softly, Gil watched her go. His heart overflowed with joy.