Free Loving Liza Jane by Sharlene MacLaren Page A

make your own conclusions as to your teacher’s looks when you meet her.”
    “Oh, I just know she will be pretty,” she cried, exuding excitement.
    Sighing, he asked, “Lili, what does it matter how she will look?”
    “Mama was pretty. I just want to look at another pretty lady.”
    Ben’s heart fell clear to his toes then crawled slowly back into position. How should he respond to a remark like that? Lili rarely talked about her mother, although he’d certainly never discouraged her. Sometimes he wondered if she’d put her mother out of her mind completely. A child’s early memories didn’t often stand the test of time, but Lili’s comment eased his mind on that theory.
    “Well then, I suppose you won’t be disappointed,” he managed to say.
    The town was bustling with activity for early evening. Perhaps it was the fact that the hot temperatures had let up, lifting folks’ spirits. Several men stood clustered on the sidewalk in front of the post office, conversing, while their womenfolk carried on their own conversation in front of Flanders’ Food Store up the road.
    A couple of dogs chasing after a cat crossed in front of the wagon, and Ben had to pull back on the reins in order to allow their frantic passage. He passed by Sam’s Livery and waved at Rocky Callahan, who was just leaving. Rocky was an old friend who’d come upon some hard times of his own, having lost his wife to smallpox some three years ago; and, as if one loss wasn’t enough, his four-year-old son had died from a high fever mere months ago. The man’s face never had regained its ready smile. It was one thing to lose a beloved wife, but a child as well? Rocky had stopped coming to church altogether, making Ben wonder if he’d lost his faith along with his family.
    Johansson’s Mercantile bore a Closed sign, but the man himself sat on a rocker outside his establishment. Ben drove his rig up to the hitching post, climbed down with Molly in his arms and Lili close behind, and then wrapped the reins around the post.
    “Mind if I pick up a few supplies inside?” Ben asked.
    “Sign says closed,” Eldred Johansson said, pointing.
    “I can read,” Ben said with a grin, “but I thought since you were sitting right here that perhaps you wouldn’t mind…”
    “Well, now that you put it that way, I suppose I could open for a few minutes more. Just for you, mind you.”
    “Much obliged, Eldred.”
    The aged man stood to his feet, then delivered a mischievous look. “’Sides, I do think I have a few extra candy sticks in my drawer just longing to go to some sweet little girls.”
    “That so?” Ben asked, playing along.
    “Papa…” Lili whispered, squeezing his hand.
    The wagon filled with supplies to last at least a few more days, the Broughton family headed in the direction of Emma Browning’s Boardinghouse. Lili sucked daintily on her strawberry candy stick, while Molly went at her orange one with a vengeance, slobbering and wiping her sticky fingers on Ben’s Levi’s every time the need arose.
    At the front door, Emma greeted the three of them with a smile. Wearing a plain gown that gathered at her trim waist, she wiped her brow with the back of her hand and laughed as soon as she laid eyes on them. “Well, my, my, look who’s here. How ya’ll been?”
    Ben returned the smile, suddenly and unexpectedly nervous at the prospect of asking to see Miss Merriwether. He didn’t want any rumors passing about him coming to call on the new schoolteacher. “We’re just fine, Emma. You?”
    “Me? Gracious, I’m good as can be considerin’ I got me a crop o’ hooligans stayin’ under my roof. Sure do wish I could get some decent men to come and stay for a change.”
    Ben laughed. “You could always say no to the worst of them.”
    “Oh, I do, believe me. I weed through ’em much as I can. Matter o’ fact, I sent old Ezra Browning on his way the other night. Sent him off to Guttersnipe’s place. That man was just a