Free Dawn of the Golden Promise by BJ Hoff Page B

be going in now.”
    Impulsively, Denny caught her arm. “Stay a minute, won’t you?”
    She yanked her arm away as if a serpent had fallen upon it.
    Taken aback—and sensing that she was about to bolt—Denny blurted out the first thing that came into his mind. “There’s something I’ve been wanting to ask you, if I might.”
    Still shrinking back from him, she stared at Denny in a way that made him feel like a crude, clumsy bully-boy.
    Was she really that revolted by him?
    This was a new experience for Denny. Not that he hadn’t been rejected once or twice by a woman, but so far as he could remember, none had ever looked at him with such disgust. For an instant he almost thought it might be fear in her eyes.
    This unexpected response from her shook his confidence entirely. He groped for words. “The thing is…you may have been wondering about my coming by so uncommonly often…”
    Seeing no sign of encouragement from her, merely the same steady look, a look bordering on hostility, Denny faltered. His mouth dry, he deliberately avoided meeting her eyes as he hurried on. “In case you haven’t realized, I…ah…I enjoy your company very much, lass.”
    Those few words out, he continued, but with even less confidence. “What I’m trying to say is that I’d like to see you on a more…regular basis.” He paused. “I’d like to come calling, is what I mean.”
    Something flared in her eyes, then turned frigid. A hand went to the braid falling over one shoulder. “I don’t keep company with men,” she said.
    She looked directly at him. Denny felt as if she were looking right through him.
    He tried for a lighthearted tone. “I can’t think why. Sure, you must have more than your share of lads coming about.” A thought struck him. “If it’s because of the years between us, I can understand—”
    â€œThe years having nothing to do with it,” she interrupted.
    Denny pulled in a long breath. A stab of disappointment shook him crown to toe. Obviously, she wanted nothing to do with him, whatever her reasons.
    â€œWell, that’s clear enough, then, isn’t it? I’ll just be on my way.”
    He swung around, anxious to escape before she could witness his humiliation.
    Her voice stopped him. “Sergeant?”
    Denny turned back reluctantly, waiting.
    â€œIt’s…nothing to do with you, don’t you see,” she said in that same peculiar, dull tone of voice. She stared just past Denny’s shoulder as she continued. “It’s simply that I’m not…in a position to keep company with anyone just now. I’ve no time for it, for one thing. But—” She stopped, biting at her lip as if uncertain how to go on. “I’d want you to feel free to come by whenever you wish, though. To see the Whittakers and the boys,” she quickly added.
    Denny nodded but said nothing. He was suddenly bent on getting away, putting as much distance as possible between himself and those somber, watchful eyes.
    He berated himself all the way down the darkened street. Why had he even thought the girl would welcome his attentions? She hadn’t given him the slightest hint of encouragement. Why, her treatment of him had never been anything but indifferent politeness.
    What had he been thinking of, playing the fool, mooning about like a schoolboy, then working himself into a state when she gave him the mitten?
    She was hardhearted, that one. It was just as well she had no interest in “keeping company with men.” No man with a grain of self-respect would keep company with her , and that was the truth! Why, he was a sight better off without her. There was no misery like a hardhearted woman, his da had always said.
    But try as he would, Denny could not entirely shake off the memory of the night when he had first seen her—a half-starved, wee stray