The Teacher's Star

measured by those piercing eyes, for the marshal to lie to the man; so, Rol told him everything.
In fact, Paps kept Rol filled in on any news he picked up around town. The old man had been the one who told him the schoolteacher asked around town about Rol.
Watching the teacher now, he smiled about how well the
punishment had worked. The woman swore his girl had been a different student all week. Seemed that being strict with Eenie was something to consider if problems started in the future. Now, however, he had a different problem.
From his spot in the shadow of the building, he allowed his eyes to follow the graceful back of the woman. Miss Perkins posed a different kind of problem for him.
Though she might be a fussbudget, the lady surely did have a fine face and figure. Watching her brought a tug to his chest.
No, he reminded himself. Never again. He’d been a rotten husband. His wife had complained often enough to convince him that marriage would never be successful for him. No, he wouldn’t pursue a decent woman like Delia Perkins. No matter how badly he longed to do just that.
She was decent, wasn’t she? Or could she be mixed up with this gang of thieves? Word around town was that Jubal Yarborough had been seen with her several times. Of course, the gossip also said that she was never happy to have the man approach her.
Once he could no longer see the woman, Rol stayed close to the school building and moved around the corner to the back door. Turning the knob, he grumbled at finding it locked.
Who locked their door in a town like Belle? One more thing that singled her out as a city woman.
Taking a short length of wire from his coat pocket, he maneuvered it in the lock until the knob turned easily. The door squeaked open, allowing warmth and the alluring lavender smell of Miss Perkins to envelop him.
Quickly shutting the door after himself, he moved to her bed. Lifting the mattress, he prodded it before carefully straightening the covers.
Next, he opened a small trunk at the end of her bed. As his hand shifted soft muslin, a paper crinkled. Grabbing it up, he read it. Confusion had his brow wrinkling as he saw both Miss Perkins’ and Jessup’s signatures on a sheet that swore the woman in as a marshal.
How? Jessup was to have traveled to Belle? How had this woman replaced him? Why hadn’t she tried to contact him after her arrival? She should have at least notified Belle’s sheriff that a marshal was in town.
The door knob rattled. Rol jumped, barely holding onto the paper he’d found. Startled blue eyes met his before Delia Perkins let loose with a scream.
Inhaling, she prepared to shriek again. This time, Rol did drop the paper to slap a hand over her open mouth.
“Miss Perkins, are you in there?” The woman’s concerned voice called from nearby. Before the owner of the voice reached the door, Rol clutched Delia close and covered her mouth with his. He reasoned that the kiss was a way to keep her quiet. At the touch, reason fled. All the interest he’d felt for her poured into that kiss. So much so that both of them jumped at the shocked gasp.
“Miss Perkins! Whatever is happening here?”
Another voice joined the woman’s. “Guess that wasn’t no scream of fright after all, Livvy.”
Ripping his gaze from the lovely eyes staring dazedly up into his, Rol met Mrs. Stewart’s scowl with his crooked grin. “Sorry, ma’am. Didn’t plan for anyone to catch us.”
The old man with her barked a short laugh. Rol felt a trap drawing tight around him. What was Paps doing with Mrs. Stewart?
Rol had trusted the man to be his lookout. Had Paps and the mercantile owner’s wife planned this after Rol told the man what he planned to do? How had they gotten the teacher to return to her room before their arrival?
“Well, guess your plans changed right quick, didn’t they? Teacher knew we were headed over. Can’t see why she was messing around.”
Paps’ words answered Rol’s question. The man planned for Rol and the teacher to be compromised. The old guy must think he was some sort of twisted matchmaker.
Delia emerged from a passion-filled haze to object. “I didn’t plan to meet him. He was—”
“I surprised her. We usually meet after dark, so no one sees us.” She glared, condemning him as the liar he was. It came with the job he did, he suddenly realized. One more reason to change how he made a living.
The two near the door stared from Rol to the teacher. Delia harrumphed and began again. “That is not the—”
Rol interrupted quickly. “—not the way we wanted folks to know about us. Can we count on you both to keep quiet about it?” He flashed his charming smile and coaxed, “Our little secret?”
Even as he said it, Rol watched Paps grin slyly. The man loved a good story and kept everyone around him up to date on happenings in and around Belle.
Mrs. Stewart frowned at Rol. “This is not good for a teacher’s reputation.” She nodded her head to emphasize her next words. “Miss Winkleman would hold it against me should I ignore this. After all, she did send Miss Perkins to us.”
She raised one finger and shook it in Rol’s face. “You leadin’ Miss Perkins down the primrose lane and all. No talk of marriage!”
At the word, Rol’s face flattened as if he’d taken a fist to his nose. Marriage! He hadn’t thought that out. The woman wouldn’t—
“—and it is the only decent way to fix this.” Paps snorted as Mrs. Stewart finished but otherwise kept quiet. He didn’t have to say a thing since his amused grin