Leave a Candle Burning (36 page)

“This is going to burn,” Dannan warned.

Scottie shook a little when the brown liquid filled the cut. He hadn’t been joking. It felt like fire.

Dannan’s work was thorough. He cleaned and inspected her hand with minute care, using the salve Iris had been out of and then wrapping it expertly for healing.

When he was through, he didn’t let go, but held her hand and studied her bent head.

“I would never lie to you,” he whispered.

“Somewhere on the walk over here I figured that out,” Scottie whispered back, raising miserable eyes to his. “But if you didn’t lie, that means my husband talked to you about me, and that cuts my heart to the quick.”

Dannan nodded.

“Why would he do that, Dannan? What was he thinking? What did he say?”

“I don’t think you want all the details right now, Scottie, but I will tell you that he did it because he loved you so much.”

Tears filled Scottie’s eyes. She felt so betrayed by the man who had always had her best interests in mind. It made no sense.

“What did he expect you to do?” she finally asked.

Dannan hesitated, not wanting to baby her but already sorry for what he’d revealed. He opted to repeat himself, “I don’t know if you want to know that right now, Scottie. Your grief is so fresh.”

Scottie wanted to argue but hesitated. She had spoken without thinking too much today and was paying for it. Scottie slipped off the stool and looked up at Dannan.

“I’m going home now. I said things today that didn’t need to be said, and now added to my grief is confusion about Eli. I’m going to want to know what he said, but not today.”

“I’m sorry also,” Dannan had to say. “I should never have opened my mouth about our conversation. I respect your right to know what Eli said, Scottie. Just let me know when you want to know.”

“Thank you, Dannan.”

“Here.” Dannan stopped her. “Take this salve, but try to keep that hand dry for a few days. If it starts to bleed again when you unwrap it, come back to me so I can wrap it.”

“Thank you, Dannan.”

“On second thought, leave it wrapped until Saturday morning, and then I’ll check it when I drop off Corina.”

Scottie agreed and started toward the door.

“I thought Finn took care of the chickens,” Dannan commented, trailing her.

“He usually does, but Iris needed eggs.”

Dannan nodded and then picked up her hand. “This is going to throb some, but if the pain suddenly becomes worse, tell me.”

Scottie nodded and stood still. Dannan still had her hand.

“Maybe you should tell me now,” Scottie said.

“If you want me to, I will.”

Scottie bit her lip. She was seeing it again, the look that had caused her to question Dannan in the garden. Suddenly she was afraid. Eli was right: She was ignorant of the ways between men and woman.

“Did you know that I was born and raised at a home for girls?” she suddenly asked him.

“No, I didn’t.”

“I don’t remember seeing a boy until I was ten. There was some type of traveling peddler who came every few months to the orphanage, but no boys.”

Dannan nodded, his face open, but Scottie suddenly reclaimed her hand. She folded her arms over her chest and looked embarrassed.

“I don’t know why I told you that.”

“I’m glad you did,” Dannan encouraged, and for a moment Scottie couldn’t look away from his eyes.

“I’d better go,” she finally forced herself to say. “Iris will think I’ve fallen into a hole.”

“I’ll see you Saturday.”

Scottie walked back down the green, wishing she understood what was going on inside of her. It was the kind of thing she would have rushed home to discuss with Eli. Her heart clenched painfully when she remembered he wouldn’t be there.

It was evening, and Corina was in bed before Dannan had time to think about the morning. Scottie had no more left when Dannan had been called upon to set a bone, a broken leg that took some doing. The rest of his day had been just as busy, but now in the quiet of the parlor, Dannan closed his eyes with regret.

Scottie’s grief over Eli was just a few weeks old. He’d never intended to put such a burden on her. He’d hoped someday to tell her of his conversation with Eli but certainly not this soon.

And where did they go from here? Part of him hoped she would ask questions soon, and part of him wanted to put it off for months. Dannan didn’t know when he’d felt so drained. If Corina hadn’t already been asleep, he might have gone to see Conner. Of course that would mean explaining everything that had happened, and he was too tired for that.

Dannan planned to pray and read, but he fell asleep in the chair, not even aware when the candle sputtered into darkness.

“Finn?” Scottie waited until they were alone the next morning to speak to him in the parlor. Iris and Corina were in their usual places in the kitchen.

“What is it?”

“Did you know that Eli had talked to Dannan about me?”

“Yes,” the older man answered without even hesitating.

“Do you know what they talked about?”

“Yes. How did you know about it?”

“Dannan mentioned it, but not the specifics.”

Finn nodded. He had wondered at her quiet the day before.

“Does Iris know?”

“No.”

Scottie eyed him. It wasn’t fair to ask, but she was going to. “Can you tell me?”

“Dannan didn’t want to?”

“He said he would whenever I was ready.”

“And you’re ready now?”

“I don’t know.”

“If you want to know, Scottie, then ask,” Finn said simply, “but ask Dannan. I think it would be best.”

Scottie had to agree. It would be less embarrassing with Finn—he was family—but in all fairness to Dannan and Finn, she had to finish that conversation with the doctor.

“Someone’s a bit teary today,” Iris observed to Finn and Scottie as they relaxed after dinner with their tea. “I had rather hoped you-know-who would join us.”

“I can read to her until she sleeps,” Scottie volunteered.

“And fall asleep yourself?” Finn teased her.

“I might,” Scottie smiled.

“How is that hand today?” Iris asked, spotting the wrap and remembering.

“It hurts some but hasn’t bled through. Dannan said he would check it in the morning.”

“Danna?” a wounded voice suddenly inquired. The older woman took Corina up and cuddled her close, kissing her small cheek.

“There’s a dear,” she comforted. “Just as soon as Scottie has finished her tea, she’s going to read you a book. Won’t that be nice?”

Corina nodded against her, and the three adults could see that no book would be needed. By the time Finn and Scottie had drained the pot, Corina was asleep in Iris’ arms.

Alone in the parlor on Saturday morning, Dannan was pleased with the progress of Scottie’s hand. The bleeding had not started again, and it looked as if there would be no infection. Dannan recleaned the wound, used the salve, and replaced the bandage with a fresh one. The moment he was done, Scottie spoke.

“So Eli spoke to you about how unfamiliar I am with male-female relationships. What did he expect you to do about it?”

Dannan’s heart sank. She wasn’t supposed to be this direct.

“Dannan?” Scottie pressed him, and he vowed once again never to lie to her.

“He wanted me to marry you.”

Scottie could not keep her mouth shut. Her lower jaw dropped, and it remained that way. Dannan looked at her as his thoughts raced. It took some time before he thought of something to say.

“Can I explain a few things to you?” Dannan began, but his voice enabled her to speak.

“Was he serious? He could be a terrible tease,” Scottie said, her eyes begging Dannan to tell her it was all a joke.

“Listen to me, Scottie, Eli knew that sooner or later he was not going to make it. He wanted to know you would be cared for.”

“But I have Finn and Iris.”

“Yes, but he wanted more for you, I think.”

“Why are you so understanding, Dannan? You must have been horrified, if not repulsed.”

“Not at all,” Dannan said quietly.

Scottie stared at him, suddenly feeling bold. “Tell me what you’re thinking.”

“Eli knew some things,” Dannan admitted.

Scottie’s gaze was direct. “What things?”

The room had suddenly become very warm to Dannan, but he answered. “He was very intuitive, Scottie. You must have known that. He could tell what I was thinking.”

“About what?” Scottie asked cautiously, wondering if she was as ready for this as she thought.

Dannan took a breath. “If you recall, I had no idea when I first met you that you were a married woman.”

Scottie looked confused.

“In front of Shephard Store,” he prompted, and her face cleared.

“When I poked you in the head.”

“Yes.”

“What did my marriage have to do with that?”

Dannan’s collar felt as though it was strangling him, but he made himself keep on.

“I’d seen you at the meetinghouse but never talked to you. Thinking you were single, I was attracted to you.”

Scottie’s heart did something it had never done before. There was a sensation of pain, but it was too pleasant to be described as painful. She stared into Dannan’s handsome face and at the same time tried to read what she was feeling inside.