Free Lacy Williams by Roping the Wrangler

interruption.
    Sarah jumped, and Oscar quickly moved between her and the horse, standing steady and tall in case the mare decided to kick out.
    Allen rushed into the barn, gaze scanning and breathing rapidly.
    “Is there a problem, Mr. Allen?” Oscar asked, bringing the man’s attention to their little grouping.
    Allen’s face showed his surprise. But at what? Finding Oscar and Sarah together or finding his children present? “Where have you been?” the older man demanded.
    “After our meeting, I had to clean up the schoolroom.” Sarah glanced over her shoulder, but by some miracle, the mare was standing still in her stall—not exactly calm, but at least not rearing.
    Oscar touched beneath Sarah’s elbow. Letting her know he was here.
    “And then Mr. White was kind enough to escort me home, since it was nearly dark.”
    “Where have you been since then? The Lost Hollow schoolteacher must be above reproach, and if you’ve been dallying with—”
    Oscar interrupted before the man could go on and disparage Sarah or her reputation. “I hope you’re not suggesting Sarah did anything wrong. Your kids were kind enough to tell her supper hadn’t been held, and I got Cookie to share some of the grub. Can’t let our schoolteacher go hungry, now can we? And your kids were keeping us company while we ate.” Oscar purposely kept his voice cool, though his temper was flaring. He was tired of the way Allen treated Sarah. But if Oscar lost his temper, he wouldn’t do anyone any good.
    The older man’s eyes flashed. But with his young son at his side, gripping his hand, and his daughter looking on, he couldn’t exactly accuse Sarah of impropriety, not when they’d witnessed the entire exchange over supper.
    “One step out of line...” the man threatened with a last glare at Sarah, then spun and stormed out of the barn, his children following, though the girl threw a sad look over her shoulder.
    “I’d better go,” Sarah said, voice subdued and face downturned.
    Oscar squeezed her elbow gently. “I’ll get your satchel.”
    He carried the bag for her across the yard, not relinquishing it until they reached the porch, where they could stand in full view of the lit windows or anyone in the yard or corral could see them. He hated that the upbeat moments between them had been destroyed.
    “What’s he got against you?” he asked her quietly.
    “He doesn’t like anyone to contradict him,” came her near-silent answer. “He’s got it in his head he doesn’t want me helping the Caldwell girls.”
    “What about his wife? How can she let him treat you like he does?”
    Sarah just shrugged, still not looking at him.
    “I’m helping that family just as much as you are.”
    “Yes, but he needs you. He talked you up so much around town before you got here that if he fires you everyone will want to know why. He won’t come outright and say what he’s got against the Caldwells and he doesn’t want to ruin his own reputation.”
    Oscar shook his head. “It’s not right.”
    She looked over his shoulder, not really looking him in the face. “At least you’re doing something for them, when I can’t.”
    “You might feel out some of the ladies around town or from the church. Yesterday I noticed there was hardly a stitch of clothing in that cabin, and winter’s coming on. The girls need some new dresses, coats. If you can get the women behind you, maybe you can do something more.”
    Her shoulders lifted briefly and then dropped. “They might not be willing to cross their husbands. But I’ll try.”
    She slipped inside before he could say a proper goodbye.
    He didn’t like the fact that he had to finish working with Allen’s colt, but Oscar needed the money. And now he felt as if he couldn’t leave without seeing this situation through. He couldn’t walk away from Sarah, who was only trying to do a good thing for those girls, when she was at that tyrant’s mercy.
    But what happened when his time with