“I’m not either....” He continued to look around. “But if we keep standing out here alone, with you crying, I’m afraid your reputation will be sullied.”
Blast the horrid rules of society! She hated every one of them at the moment. “Walter is waiting over there.” Shepointed to the end of the street. “Let’s take the carriage to the quarry.”
“All right.” The protective way he shielded her and watched the streets as they walked together was sweet.
Here, this man had nothing to gain from their acquaintance and he cared more about her than her own mother. It saddened her and infuriated her all at the same time.
At the carriage, he helped her up into the seat.
“Walter, please head to the quarry. But take it slow.”
“Yes, miss.”
Jacob looked at her. Worry filled his eyes. “Where’s Lily Rose?”
“I’m not sure. She hasn’t spoken much to me since Monday.” Tears made trails down her cheeks, but she didn’t care.
“Tell me what has you so upset.” He turned himself in the carriage seat so that they were almost facing one another.
As she poured out the entire story of the changes in Mother since Father died and then of the reporter coming to the house last night and his creepy insinuations, her heart felt like it was breaking in two. This couldn’t be happening.
Jacob leaned a bit closer and took her hand. “I know this is difficult for you, but you told me that you’re not all that close with your parents. Why is this upsetting you so much?”
She reared back, her shoulder slamming into the carriage seat. “How dare you even ask that? Can’t you see...” But then she clamped her mouth shut. Seewhat,exactly? His question wasn’t hurtful. It was an honest one.
“I’m sorry.” He squeezed her hand and then pulled away, leaning as far back into the other side of the carriage as the seat would allow.
She blinked away the tears gathering in her eyes and reached for his hand. “No.Iam sorry.” Inching a little closer to him, she kept hold of his hand. “You’re correct. And I apologize for snapping at you like that.” She straightened a bit and swallowed.“You’ve been good for me, Jacob Duncan. Always asking solid questions. Helping me to grow and learn.”
He released a sigh. “But we’re from two different worlds, Martha. It wasn’t my place to say anything like that.”
“Oh, but it is. You are my friend and I treasure that.” His handkerchief in her left hand was soggy from her tears. “I confronted my mother when she came home last night. But she refused to speak of it. So what am I supposed to think? All these years, I’ve railed against the atrocities that Marsh and Cope paid their men to do, all so they could outdo one another. Compete over who wrote the most papers or named the most dinosaurs. I’ve sat up on my high horse looking down on anyone who wanted to associate themselves with their practices or praised them for all they did for the field of paleontology. Frankly, it made me sick.” A sad laugh escaped her lips. “And wouldn’t it be ironic if my own father was one of those people? What will they say about me then? Will my name be dragged through the mud along with his?”
He squeezed her hand again, the callouses on his fingers pressing into the back of her hand. They were rough on her skin, but Martha found it didn’t repulse her. In an odd way, those callouses were comforting, a reminder that Jacob didn’t shy away from hard work. “From what I know of you, Miss Martha Jankowski, you have done everything you can to conduct your dig with the utmost of respect for the field. You have expected the best from your workers. It doesn’t matter what that reporter says about your father.”
All feelings of comfort dissolved. “It will, though. You don’t understand. I think the reason my mother wouldn’t speak of it is because she’s afraid of what this will do to her. What people will say. I’ve never seen her like she was last evening, and it concerns me.”
He sat in silence with her for several moments.
She watched his face go through several expressions as he seemed to ponder what to say next.
“I guess I can understand that, but, Martha, the best thing you can do is keep going. Keep doing things respectably. Focus on what the Lord would have you do in this situation.”
“I don’t even know how to do that.” Her words were pitiful, even to her own ears. “If it doesn’t entail digging in the dirt, I don’t even know where to start.”
His laughter filled the carriage. “Then dig in the dirt. That’s okay too.”
She wanted to laugh along with him, but the tears started up again. “And if my father did what that man said he did? If he literally blew up fossils so no one else could find them? What do I do then?”
Jacob scooted closer. “We will deal with that when it comes, okay?” The tender way he looked at her made her feel cherished. Something she’d never felt before.
“Okay...” She breathed the word. “Thank you.”
“I’ll be here for you. I promise.” His thumb rubbed the top of her hand.
“Thank you.”
“I’m glad you came to me this morning.” The warmth in his gaze drew her in.
