Not a Sparrow Falls (Wyldhaven Book 1)

by Lynnette Bonner

  He folded his arms and darted a glance toward Liora. “She needs more than a friend. She needs a Savior, Miss Brindle.”

  Charlotte’s surprise at his statement must have been evident on her face.

  He cocked an eyebrow. “Wouldn’t you agree?”

  “Yes. I would.” She was just astonished to hear a man saying as much. She’d never heard Father or Kent speak of spiritual things in such open terms. She looked back across the room to the woman. Her smile had dropped away, and she was staring into space. A deep sorrow seemed to cloak her entire frame. “I have a confession to make, Sheriff…”

  He turned to look at her, waiting.

  Charlotte pursed her lips and eased out a tremulous stream of air. Here she went again, blurting things she didn’t mean to. She moistened her lips, darting a glance toward Liora. “Do you ever find it difficult to do what you know is right?”

  “Never.”

  She spun toward him, only to find him grinning.

  He spread his hands. “I believe that’s the nature of fallen man. Yet failure is partly what reminds me I need a Savior.”

  Charlotte put one hand to her throat. Indeed. How was she with all her carefully concealed pride and conceit any better than a woman like Liora? Simply because her sin was less blatant? Father, forgive me. Her gaze settled on Liora again. Yes, she agreed that the woman needed a Savior. And what better way to introduce her to the Savior than by offering friendship? But how? She would be walking on very thin ice. “Sheriff, I want to be Liora’s friend, but I’m not sure I know the best way to go about it.”

  The sheriff remained silent, a slight frown puckering his forehead. After a long moment, he turned to look at her. “You are quite extraordinary, Miss Brindle.”

  Charlotte’s pulse quickened, but before she had a chance to question exactly what he meant by that statement, Ewan called out that the auction had begun.

  The first basket lifted to the podium was covered with wild sweet pea blooms in fuchsia. Two loggers bid for the privilege of dining with a lovely looking brunette who stood to one side, blushing like a Georgia peach. In the end, the taller of the two men won, to many “huzzahs” from the crowd.

  The next basket placed on the podium was Dixie’s purple-bloom-festooned basket, tied with the lavender ribbon.

  Dr. Flynn Griffin glanced back at Charlotte and lifted his brows.

  Charlotte smiled softly, offering a subtle nod.

  “One dollar!” Flynn called out, facing Ewan at the front once more.

  “One dollar and two bits!” Sheriff Callahan raised the bid from beside her.

  Charlotte’s eyes fell closed. The sheriff was going to bid for Dixie’s basket, and she was going to be left to eat with a malodorous logger.

  “One fifty!”

  “One seventy-five.”

  Flynn turned to give the sheriff a piercing look.

  “Going once…” Ewan McGinty called, raising his gavel above his head. “Going twice…”

  “Two dollars!” Flynn called out.

  After a collective gasp of delight, everyone in the room seemed to hold their breath until Reagan gave the doctor a friendly smile and a little bow accompanied by the sweep of one hand toward the basket.

  Raucous laughter filled the room as Ewan proclaimed the basket won by the good doctor.

  Charlotte glanced over to see Dixie at the food table, straightening plates and napkins that were already straight, her cheeks as rosy as the wildflowers Charlotte had picked this afternoon. Charlotte smiled. At least someone would enjoy eating their meal tonight.

  The next basket lifted to the podium was Charlotte’s green one.

  A murmur traversed the bidders, as they studied the remaining single women in the room.

  Charlotte felt a little sick.

  Beside her, the sheriff stood stoically, one fist resting over his lips. There was a sparkle in his blue eyes as he calmly watched the men try to figure out whose basket this was.

  Mercifully, Charlotte was able to keep from fidgeting, but only barely.

  Ewan bent over the basket and gave it a sniff before rolling his eyes as though in heavenly ecstasy. “Whatever is in this basket smells mighty fine, fellas. Who wants to give me the first bid?”

  A paunchy logger at the front of the crowd called out, “Two bits!”

  Beside Charlotte, the sheriff gave a little snort, but held his silence.

  Charlotte’s stomach rolled over and threatened to mutiny.

  Another man Charlotte couldn’t see hollered, “Fiddy cents!” at the same moment as another up ahead of her shouted, “Seventy-five cents, and I’ll even throw in a kiss for whichever little lady this belongs to!”

  Crows of delight traversed the room.

  Charlotte did press one hand to her stomach this time, and yet despite her nerves over whom she would end up eating dinner with, she couldn’t help but admire the friendly camaraderie of this community.

  From across the crowd, the long-bearded man who had just offered the kiss as part of his bid turned and smiled right at her. His teeth were as yellow as a harvest moon.

  Never mind. There was nothing lovely about the camaraderie after all.

  The sheriff still remained quiet, and it was all Charlotte could do to keep from jabbing her elbow into his side.

  “If’n anyone kisses the lady, it’ll be me, Butch Nolan! One doller!” This from the first man who had bid.

  Charlotte’s feet shuffled.

  The sheriff leaned close, a concerned expression tightening his features. “You all right there, Miss Brindle?” A spark of humor glinted in his gaze at the last moment.

  Charlotte glowered at him.

  And he laughed outright. “Three dollars!” he called loudly, punctuating it with a subtle wink in Charlotte’s direction.

  A sigh of relief slipped through Charlotte’s lips in a long exhale, and she felt some tension release from her shoulders.

  “Aw! Sheriff!” lamented the unknown voice from the back of the crowd good naturedly, “You gots to go little by little, so’s those o’ us ’thout much money can hang on to our hope fer a little while!”

  “Speak for yourself, Gimpy!” Butch Nolan retorted with a flash of his yellowed teeth. “Three fifty!”

  “I sure hope your dinner is worth it, Miss Brindle,” the sheriff muttered to her in an aside. “Four dollars!”

  Butch Nolan grumbled and emptied his pockets. He painstakingly counted his change while receiving much good-natured ribbing from his friends. Finally he proclaimed, “Four dollars and thirty-eight cents!”

  Sheriff Callahan cupped his chin and pondered his response, a twinkle in his eyes. “This is getting to be an awfully expensive basket. Sniff it for me one more time, McGinty. Is it worth this price?”

  McGinty made a show of inhaling and acting dazzled by the scent. “Sure smells like it might be worth it, Sheriff. And the money’s for a good cause.”

  “Hmmm, I guess that’s true.” Reagan massaged his jawline, deep in consideration, much to the delight of everyone in the room.

  Everyone except Charlotte and Belle. Belle looked like she’d like to get her hands around his throat. Charlotte certainly wanted to smack him. Surely he knew this was her basket. He wouldn’t consign her to eating with the fragrant and colorful Mr. Nolan, would he? And she certainly hoped that whoever won would enjoy her pot roast with potatoes and cabbage. It had been the meal she made that was most raved about by her classmates at the finishing school. Not even Miss Gidden had been able to find any fault with it. Though she normally liked to add some basil, and Dixie hadn’t had any in her kitchen, she hoped it would suffice just this once, until she could order in some herbs.

  Charlotte blinked. Until she could order in some herbs? What was she thinking? This once would be the only time she’d have to cook in this town, wouldn’t it?

  She scanned the room, her attention lingering on each child she could see. Children she would never get to know. Children who might never have an
other teacher if she tucked her tail between her legs and ran back east. Liora, who might never have a friend.

  Across from Charlotte, Zoe Kastain and her twin sisters were jumping up and down and clapping in delight as the sheriff paced through several antics as though tormented over whether he was going to place another bid. And next to the girls, Belle stood, glaring at her passionately. Perhaps Charlotte had earlier been mistaken about just exactly which throat Belle would like to squeeze.

  “Going once!” Ewan prodded. “Going twice…”

  Charlotte closed her eyes and prayed she wouldn’t get sick right here in front of God and everyone.

  “Five dollars!” the sheriff finally called out.

  Butch Nolan groaned audibly, and those nearest him offered pats of consolation to his shoulders as Ewan McGinty proclaimed the sheriff the winner.

  Charlotte’s legs nearly melted out from beneath her skirts, so great was the relief coursing through her.

  The next basket lifted to the stand was the last one, and Sheriff Callahan’s deputy, Joseph Rodante, started the bidding high and didn’t relent until he had won.

  With whoops and much applause, the crowd dispersed to find places to eat their dinners. The men who had won paid what was due, and each woman stepped up to acknowledge her ownership of the basket. Charlotte was painfully aware that Liora had not made a basket and was performing quite an act to keep up her smiles.

  The sheriff grinned at Charlotte when she stopped before him. He tipped his chin toward the greenery on her basket. “I’m kinda partial to green over purple.”

  Charlotte felt her face warm and was about to respond, when Dixie practically plastered herself to Charlotte’s side. “Perhaps you two would like to join the doctor and me for the meal?”

  Charlotte’s gaze drifted to Liora across the room. She’d planned to ask the sheriff if he’d mind if Liora joined them, but now… “That would be fine with me if it is fine with the sheriff?”

  Reagan gave Dixie a slight bow. “We’d be pleased to have you two join us.”

  “Would anyone object if I invited Liora too?” The words blurted out of Charlotte’s mouth before she could think twice.

  Everyone sputtered for a moment, and none of them seemed to know where to look.

  Charlotte felt a little foolish. She hadn’t realized the idea would be so repugnant to them. “It’s just that she seems so lonely, and I only thought—”

  “Sure. Ask her.” The sheriff looked a little surprised at his own words.

  Dixie stepped to her side and squeezed her arm. “I think it’s a lovely idea. Do ask her.”

  Dr. Griffin cleared his throat, exchanged looks with the sheriff, and then said, “We’re not likely to have many more warm nights like this one. How about if I fetch a blanket and we eat outside?”

  When Dixie only studied the floor near her feet and Reagan deferred to Charlotte with a lift of his brows, Charlotte agreed. “That would be lovely. Thank you, Dr. Griffin.”

  “Good. I’ll be right back.”

  While the doctor retreated above stairs, Charlotte hurried across the room to where Liora stood wiping down the bar. She tilted a nod to where the sheriff and Dixie stood waiting. “We wondered if you would like to join us outside for dinner?”

  Liora blinked. It only took her half a second to shake her head and turn away. “I don’t know how they do things where you come from, but ’round these parts, you start associating with the likes of me and you’ll discover right quick how easy it is to lose your standing, not to mention your job.”

  Deep in her heart, Charlotte felt the pain contained in those words. “None of us are worried about our standings or our jobs. Please join us?”

  Liora strode purposefully to the other side of the bar. “Can’t.”

  Charlotte cast a look back to where the others waited for her. Doc Griffin had returned with a good-sized quilt over his arm. She couldn’t leave them standing for much longer. She turned back to Liora. “Very well, but please know that you are welcome to come join us if you change your mind.”

  “Thank you.” Liora didn’t meet her gaze, just picked up a glass and started polishing it.

  With a heavy heart, Charlotte returned to the others. They settled in a patch of soft green grass near the banks of Wyldhaven Creek, and Charlotte quickly realized that she and the sheriff were going to have to carry the conversation, for both Dixie and the doctor were staring in opposite directions with morose little frowns on their faces. But just as she was about to ask the doctor what had brought him to Wyldhaven, Belle and Joseph stopped by their blanket.

  “Would it be all right if Joe and I joined your foursome?” Belle blinked coyly at the sheriff, and Joseph, still holding the basket that Charlotte now noticed was decorated with the same material as Belle’s skirt, shuffled his feet uncomfortably.

  Dixie was quick to respond to that. “Certainly.” She swept a hand toward a small space at one side of the blanket. “Please, join us.”

  The sheriff scooted closer to Charlotte to make room for the new arrivals, but the doctor remained firmly seated a little distance away from Dixie.

  Charlotte frowned and bounced a look between Dixie, who was once more studying her skirt, smoothing at invisible wrinkles, and the doctor, who was still staring sullenly out over the field.

  Charlotte opened her mouth, but Sheriff Callahan cleared his throat softly and touched her hand, giving a little shake of his head.

  Belle saw the gesture and gave a petulant toss of her curls.

  Charlotte pinched off the questions begging to be voiced and asked Reagan to say the blessing over their meals. Once he had done so, she set to work dishing up a plate of beef, potatoes, and cabbage for the sheriff. She balanced two corn muffins on the side and then handed over the plate and a quart jar of the sweet tea she’d made this morning with a bit of wild mint she’d found in Dixie’s garden. Dixie and Belle both dished plates also, and everyone tucked into their food quietly.

  Charlotte tried to prod everyone to conversation several times, but with Belle only being interested in conversing with the sheriff, and Dixie’s and the doctor’s one-syllable responses, nothing she tried worked.

  Finally, Dr. Griffin stood and offered a bow. “The dinner was delicious, as always, Dixie. Thank you. Now if you’ll excuse me, I should ride out to the Ferndale place and check on the new baby that was born last week.” With that, he hurried off.

  Dixie packed up her basket after that and made an excuse of needing to get back to the boardinghouse for a bit.

  “So how do you like Wyldhaven so far, Miss Brindle?” Joseph Rodante offered her a genuine smile.

  God bless the boy for his thoughtfulness! “I’ve actually grown quite fond of the place, if I’m honest.” Charlotte cast her focus back to the town and was more than a little surprised to find that the statement was true. Somehow the people of the town had already entwined themselves into her affections. She felt warmhearted at the realization.

  Belle daintily nibbled on a piece of chicken as she cast Charlotte a look. “But you’re still returning to Boston on tomorrow’s stage? After all, no one would actually come to a place like Wyldhaven unless the good Lord Himself brought them here.” She tinkled a forced laugh.

  But her words were like a slap in Charlotte’s face. Hadn’t she prayed for God to guide her? And she’d seen Mr. Heath’s ad only moments later. Some people might call that coincidence. But she didn’t believe in coincidence. And in that moment of decision, everything around her snapped into sharp focus.

  The possessive look Belle cast toward the sheriff after her question. The scrutinizing way that Joseph kept looking at Belle whenever she wasn’t paying attention. The slump in Dixie’s shoulders as she crossed the street. The happy sound of two little boys just downstream, whose parents had decided to let them wade in a shallow inlet. The crimp that no longer tightened her stomach like it had each time she thought about going back home and facing Kent Covington again.

&nbs
p; With a huge sigh of relief, Charlotte knew that her conundrum had come to an end. “Actually, I’ve decided that I’ll remain for the coming year.”

  Sheriff Callahan spewed the mouthful of sweet tea he’d just started to swallow. “You’ll what?!”

  But not even his disgruntlement could change her mind now. For the moment she’d said the words, Charlotte felt like the weight of the world had just slipped from her shoulders.

  She nodded. “Yes. I quite like it here in Wyldhaven. I’m staying.”

  Chapter Sixteen

  Reagan swiped the sticky liquid from his chin and stomped to the creek a few paces away to rinse his hands and get a grip on the rapid beating of his heart. He squatted to his haunches, nudged his hat back, and scanned the crowd gathered on both banks of the creek. Seeing nothing out of the ordinary, he skimmed the edges of the forest beyond. Even now, Waddell or his gang could be lurking somewhere, intent on doing harm to Miss Brindle. And she was as naïve to that threat as a baby to a wolf.

  He tossed a glance over his shoulder. Charlotte laughed at something Joe said, and Reagan narrowed his eyes at his deputy. Joe glanced over and caught his scrutiny. When Charlotte turned to say something to Belle, he very subtly lifted his hands in a you have no competition from me gesture.

  Perfect. So he obviously hadn’t done as good a job as he hoped disguising his growing feeling from others. Reagan snorted. If he was smart, he’d want no part of this. Miss Charlotte Brindle was just about as stubborn as any female he’d ever met! His only thoughts should be on how to protect her, as one of the citizens of his town, and thus his responsibility.

  Trouble was he was having lots of thoughts, and very few of them were in regard to her being a citizen of Wyldhaven.

  He stared at the ground between his knees. Okay, so the woman was beautiful in a way that could stop a man’s heart and muddle up every thought he tried to grab for. But she was bound to be a never-ending string of trouble for any man who invited her into his life. Just look at everything that had happened since before she even stepped foot in his town. And he hadn’t even invited her!