A Convenient Christmas Bride. Rhonda Gibson

young voice interrupted her. “He’s right, Ma.” The boy turned to look at him. “I could chop your wood for you, Sheriff, if you think that would be a good punishment,” he offered.

      “What do you think, Miss Leland?” Josiah asked.

      Anna Mae nodded. “I think that would be good for the boy. Plus, he could cut some for the school, as well.”

      Mrs. Bradshaw sat on the wagon bench with her mouth hanging open. “You are seriously going to punish my boy for a childish trick?” She shook her head.

      Bart looked to his mother. “I shouldn’t have deceived her and then left her in the woods, Ma.” He turned his attention back to Josiah and lifted his chin. “I’ll cut the wood.”

      Mrs. Bradshaw slapped the reins over her horse’s back. “Good day to the both of you,” she said, turning the horse back in the direction of town. Josiah watched her leave, utterly mystified.

      * * *

      Anna Mae leaned back and sighed. Her fears had been realized, and they hadn’t even left the Miller property. Mrs. Bradshaw would be knocking on the door of every school board member as soon as she got to town. It was as plain as the nose on her face that the other woman was interested in the sheriff and that she’d assumed the worst when she’d learned that Anna Mae had been staying with him.

      She turned to look at the little girls, who up to this point had sat quietly listening to the adults talk. Rose pulled at her left ear and puckered her little face into a frown. Was she coming down with an ear infection? Anna Mae reached across and touched her forehead.

      “Something wrong?” Josiah asked.

      “I’m not sure. You might have Doc look at the girls’ ears when we get to town. Rose acts as if hers might be hurting.” Anna Mae turned back around on the hard seat.

      Josiah nodded. “I’ll do that as soon as I drop you off at the boardinghouse.” He snapped the reins over the horse’s back and the wheels made a sucking noise as they pulled free of the mud.

      Anna Mae wanted to bring up Mrs. Bradshaw, but didn’t know how to go about it. She couldn’t come right out and say that the other woman hadn’t been happy to see her with Josiah. Did he realize that the widow was sweet on him?

      That didn’t matter. What did concern Anna Mae was that the widow would tell the whole town that she’d been out at the Miller farm for over two weeks. She feared the other women in town would think ill of her. Anna Mae chewed the inside of her cheek as she worried about what would be waiting for her in Granite.

      Would the school board demand her resignation? Or simply fire her on the spot? Would the women avoid her? Would she ever be able to look anyone in the eyes again?

      She’d gone through this before, but at least when her fiancé had left her at the altar, the women knew that she’d done no wrong. He simply hadn’t loved her enough to keep his word or take her with him when he left town. This would be different. The women would talk. Everyone would talk. She was sure to be fired from her job and looked upon as a wayward woman.

      As they pulled up in front of the boardinghouse Josiah said, “It looks like the good widow has gotten here before us.”

      Anna Mae saw three of the board members’ buggies already parked in front of the boardinghouse. She offered a wobbly smile. “Well, she did have a head start.” Anna Mae climbed down from the wagon and took Ruby from Josiah.

      Levi Westland stood on the porch waiting for them as they walked up to the front door, hands shoved in his pockets, shoulders hunched forward. He tipped his hat to Anna Mae and nodded to Josiah. “Glad to see you are safe, Miss Leland.” His voice was calm, his gaze steady. Icy fingers of fear seeped into every pore of her being.

      “Thank you, Mr. Westland,” she answered, her voice shakier than she would have liked, fully aware that he was a member of the school board.

      His mouth spread into a thin-lipped smile. “So the rumor is true.”

      “Rumor?” Josiah repeated the word, but Anna Mae watched him tighten his hold on Rose. His vexation was evident.

      The talk had already begun. Anna Mae hugged Ruby to her and inhaled the baby smell. It had a calming effect on her and she looked to Levi. With a slight smile of defiance, she responded, “If the rumor is that I’ve been out at the Miller farm waiting out the storm, then yes, the rumor is true.” She pulled her shoulders back and raised her head. Anna Mae knew she had nothing to be ashamed of, but if Levi’s manner and tone of questioning mirrored the rest of the town, then she didn’t stand a chance.

      Levi sighed in resignation. “I hoped it wasn’t. We’ve been worried about you, but with the weather the way it was, none of us could come looking for you. We searched the school and about town, but weren’t sure where to look from there.” His handsome face twisted in regret. “I’d intended to come out and get Josiah to help round up a search party, but Mrs. Bradshaw just arrived in town and said there was no need.” He paused, the silence stretching between them as the severity of the situation became clearer. Finally Levi offered her a sad smile. “I truly am glad you are safe.”

      Josiah placed his hand at the small of her back and gently urged her toward the door. “Let’s go inside and talk where it’s warmer.”

      Levi nodded and held the door open for them.

      Anna Mae slipped inside. Her heart raced in her chest. She felt her face flush with humiliation. She didn’t want to lose her job or reputation, but deep down felt as if she probably had already lost both. Anna Mae just couldn’t accept the dull ache of foreboding. And once again in her young life, she experienced the nauseating, sinking feeling of despair.

      A terrible sense of bitterness threatened to overwhelm her. She glanced at Josiah and found his expression grim as he watched her. He’d said he’d stand beside her, but what good would that do? Would his being there only make things worse?

      Tears filled her eyes, but she refused to release them as the questions roared through her mind, one more insistent than the others. What was she going to do now?

       Chapter Four

      As Anna Mae had expected, within minutes of her arrival the last remaining two board members miraculously showed up at Beth’s Boardinghouse.

      They whispered among themselves, argued a bit, then called her into the sitting room and invited her to sit. Mrs. Anderson, the bank president’s wife and head of the school board, pointed to a chair placed in the center of the room, and it was not lost on Anna Mae that her back was to the door. The board was in full intimidation mode and wanted no interruptions or distractions. She sat in the chair, her fingers tensed in her lap.

      Josiah slipped into the room and sat off to her right, with his cowboy hat resting on his knee. Anna Mae could only assume that he’d left his girls with Emily Jane. Having him there made her feel somewhat better, but not much.

      Mr. Holiday, the newly elected town mayor, leaned forward and lowered his voice as if the charges against her were too vile to speak out loud. In a soft, yet firm tone he said, “Miss Leland, it has come to our attention that you were out past dark on the night the storm hit. That you ended up at the Miller farm, where you have resided for over two weeks. Would you say that these statements are true?”

      He was a large man, with a walrus-type body and face. His mustache twitched when he spoke and his normal voice came out loud and robust. But not today. Now his dark eyes searched her face as he waited for an answer.

      “Yes, that is true but—”

      Mrs. Thelma Anderson, the bank president’s wife, interrupted with a sharp tone. “There are no excuses for such conduct. It is very plain in your contract that we will not tolerate this type of behavior.”

      Anna Mae’s breath caught in her throat, her heart