That’s all he would do—look. He’d had all he could take of a woman messing with his mind. After Charlotte scorched his pride when she chose his brother over him, he intended to steer clear of the female half of the world and tend to his job.
The door behind him opened, letting a brace of cold air swirl into the room. He straightened away from the post and turned to see Ryan Philmont enter. The tall, lanky man dismissed him with an uninterested glance and then strolled toward the small circle of people with a swagger and confidence that said he belonged there despite the fact he wasn’t a member of the school board.
“Philmont,” Tanner said by way of acknowledgement. His wife puckered her face with disapproval of the man.
Ryan Philmont smiled—an oily smile if there ever was one—and tipped his hat to Mrs. Tanner and then to Miss Starling before removing it, slicking back his black hair with his hand. “It can’t hurt to know what my son is being taught now can it? Especially after his fight yesterday.”
“Fight?” Mrs. Winters gasped. “I hadn’t heard about any fight!”
Neither had Craig.
“Guess you haven’t got to that part of the meeting.” Philmont slipped into a vacant chair, slightly apart from the circle of board members.
The look he turned on Miss Starling was a mite too condescending in Craig’s estimation. For a moment she maintained a tight smile, but then her dark lashes shuttered down. After her self-assurance at the school, Craig wondered that Philmont could bully her so easily. He also wondered if she had hoped to get through the meeting without calling attention to the fight.
“My son been behaving in school?” Philmont asked.
She notched up her chin. “I don’t think this is the right time to discuss indi—”
“You stopped the fight...but only after they’d been going at it for a time. Only after that Odom boy knocked out a tooth from my boy’s mouth.”
Her mouth dropped open and she leaned forward. “Is Duncan all right now?”
“Seems you should have asked that right after it happened yesterday.”
She frowned. “I believe speaking with Mr. Odom would be the correct course here as it was his son involved with yours.”
Ryan smirked. “Right. He’s long gone. Left his family high and dry.”
“That’s enough, Ryan,” Mr. Tanner interjected. “Miss Starling shouldn’t have to referee any fights. That’s not why we hired her.”
Philmont snorted. “I said to hire a man, but you wouldn’t listen. Good thing Duncan only has till the end of the year.” He settled back into his chair, drawing up his leg and resting his foot on his other knee.
Craig had never gotten on with Philmont. The man thought he was somebody big in this small town. Since he ran the land office, anyone with a claim had to go through him to own it legally. Craig didn’t have an issue with the way he did his job—only his attitude about it and nearly everything else.
He hadn’t planned on staying the entire meeting, but now, seeing how Philmont had planted himself for the duration, Craig reconsidered. He’d stay awhile and see how things shook out. He took a seat near the door—close enough to listen but far enough away to make the point that they needn’t include him.
The meeting continued for another thirty minutes. Talk of the coming Christmas presentation by the children had the women getting all a-flutter and putting in their two bits. Women sure thought things down to the smallest of details. Holly sprigs? Mistletoe? Nice but wholly unnecessary by his way of thinking. Somewhere between the pies and the eggnog he stifled a huge yawn.
Tanner followed suit thirty seconds later. “I think we’ve covered most of the items we needed to discuss,” he said, breaking into the conversation.
“Not quite,” Miss Starling said in her clear northeastern accent, raising a finger for attention while she glanced down at her notes. “I wonder if I might have permission for one of the older boys to do custodial help about the school. Things like cleaning out the ashes in the woodstove and sweeping the floors after class. And for the winter, starting a fire in the stove to warm the room before school starts every day.”
Mr. Philmont immediately lifted his chin. “Not Duncan. He helps me at the land office.”
“’Fraid we can’t afford that,” Tanner said. “And when you signed your contract...”
She pressed her lips together. “I am aware of what I signed. I was thinking that the chore would help foster responsibility in one of the boys. Not necessarily your son, Mr. Philmont.”
Craig about choked on her dig. His gaze sliced to Philmont. The man didn’t even comprehend the double meaning of her words. Or if he did, he wasn’t about to acknowledge that he had been one-upped by a woman. From the determined expression on Miss Starling’s face, she wasn’t about to give up her quest for help. Like just about any woman he knew, she was a woman who bristled at the word no.
The meeting ended and Craig stood with the others. Miss Starling neared, deep in conversation with Mrs. Winters. She stopped when she came abreast of him.
“Sheriff Parker. I am surprised to see you here.”
He cleared his throat. “Thought I’d walk you home.”
Was that fear in her eyes? It disappeared so fast he wasn’t sure.
“I’m capable of seeing myself to the boarding house.”
Considering the way things had gone between them at the school, he was ready for her rebuff. “It’s not an offer. There is something I need to discuss with you.”
She pressed her lips together. The effort brought out her dimples.
“Official business,” he said, gruffly.
“Oh,” she said, her voice tight with resignation. “I’ll get my coat.”
He slipped his Stetson on and headed outside to wait.
* * *
On Main Street, the others had all started toward their homes with the exception of Patrick Tanner and his wife.
“First time I’ve seen you at one of these meetings,” Tanner said, tugging his coat closer to ward off the wind.
Craig shrugged. “Thought it was about time.”
Tanner’s gaze flitted back into the meeting room for a second, and then he turned back to Craig and lowered his voice. “Do you ride by the school much?”
“On my rounds. Two, three times a week. What’s on your mind?” It was obvious Tanner was mulling something over.
“Sounds like these older boys could be more than Miss Starling can handle.”
“Maybe you should have taken Philmont up on his idea and hired a man.”
“Tried to. Right after we lost Miss Talloway to marrying last March. I was sick and tired of hiring a new teacher every year—sometimes two in a year. Single gals just don’t last long around here. Even the older ones get snapped up.”
Craig commiserated with him, but didn’t see what could be done to change things now. Miss Starling had already signed a contract.
“I brought up hiring a man at the town hall meeting in the spring,” Tanner continued. “Just about had a riot on my hands from the single men hereabouts. Must have been right before you started as sheriff.”
Craig had started in July.