She quirked her head. “If I fail the geography test, do I have to buy you two peppermint sticks?”
“No, you have to buy yourself one so that we can enjoy them together.”
Bella groaned. “That’s worse than the measles. You’re in a contest against my father. I can’t be seen spending time with you.”
“Then you’d best pass this test.” He put his hand over hers. A shock passed through him at the contact. He hadn’t touched her since he’d carried her home three years ago. It had seemed the right action then, as it did now. “I’ll get the book,” he said and wondered if he was the one being tested.
seven
I did miserably.” The peppermint made Bella’s mouth feel cool and tingly. Her scores from her practice exams made her feel dreadful and heavy. Perhaps she’d learned to perform better on the tests, but would it be enough? Would she forget the strategies they’d discovered together just as easily as she’d forgotten the location of Crimea?
“We have two more weeks,” Adam said. “Tomorrow we’ll work on math—that might take a whole afternoon by itself—then on Thursday we can do grammar, although that’s not my strong suit. You might want to find someone else to help you with that.”
Bella grimaced. “What would people think about the teacher asking to be taught? You can’t tell anyone what we’re doing.”
“Teachers have to learn too.”
“At a normal school or a college. Not with a traveling harvester.” She stopped before they came within sight of her house. “Adam?”
“Yes?”
“Why are you helping me? Win or lose, you’re not staying in town. You’ll be moving on after harvest, so it doesn’t matter to you who is teaching. Is it out of guilt?” Guilt was the only motivation she could name. The thought that she ranked somewhere between Christian duty and charity to the poor was not flattering. But if she could have accomplished her goals without him, she would have.
“No, not guilt.” He wrinkled his nose. “Maybe a little guilt at the beginning, but even without this exam looming, I would have looked for a reason to spend time with you.”
Bella studied him. Not like she studied books, but studied past his fine features to the meaning behind. “Why? You haven’t talked to me for years.”
“I’m here now. Right back where I carried you.”
He’d carried her this far when she’d broken her wrist, and for the first time she considered how he’d helped her instead of only blaming him for her predicament. Either way, she couldn’t let him come any farther. “You should stop here. My parents wouldn’t understand.” How could they, when she didn’t understand herself?
“You’re probably right,” he said. “I’ll meet you after school tomorrow. Until then.”
When he smiled at her like that, Bella didn’t feel like a charity case.
The front door of her home was open to catch stray breezes. When she spotted Pa’s unlaced work boots in the doorway, she knew something was amiss. It was harvest season. Why would he be idle?
Bella found him at the table, flipping and catching a coin. “Are you unwell?” She patted his shoulder and looked to her ma. Her ma paused in her churning, and the concern on her face was worrisome. “What’s the matter?”
“Sit down, child,” said her pa. “We’ve heard some distressing news.”
Her neck tightened as she hung her hat on the peg, then took a seat on the bench opposite Pa. Ma settled the dasher, then joined them, wiping her hands on her apron as she stood behind Pa.
“Have you been consorting with Adam Fisher?” Pa asked.
Bella dropped her gaze. Word certainly did travel fast. She hadn’t seen anyone coming or going from town, which meant someone had spied on them in the schoolhouse.
“Adam is helping me prepare for my teacher’s exam,” she said.
“Your exam?” Pa rolled his eyes. “If it weren’t for Adam Fisher, you wouldn’t have to take the exam at all. In fact, if it weren’t for Adam Fisher, you wouldn’t be teaching school in the first place.”
She picked at a piece of skin next to her fingernail. Her parents had never gotten the full story out of her about what had happened beneath the oak tree. All they knew was that she’d fallen out of the tree and Adam had helped her home. Had he kept his mouth closed and not been heard apologizing to her, they wouldn’t have suspected a thing. Naturally, she would never tell them what had happened, but the bulk of their suspicions fell on Adam.
Her mother sat next to her. “Why are you bothering with the test? Everyone knows that you’re the best teacher we’ve had in years.”
“Do they?” Bella asked. “From what I hear, some are eager to replace me.”
“Poppycock. They don’t know what’s good for them. If they were to bring an arrogant college teacher here, they’d realize their mistake.”
“There won’t be any more college people here,” her father said, “because I’m going to win the contest. Don’t think for a moment that a lad and a pile of flinging belts and fans can do better than my harvesting team.”
“Be wary, Bella,” her mother said. “Adam can’t really mean to help you on the test. He’s using that as an excuse to spend unchaperoned time with you.”
Her mother was the second person to mention that possibility. Bella found it incredible. Adam Fisher of the sketches, machines, and experiments? Although confident and good-natured, he’d never seemed to be looking for a girl, but he’d just confessed that he was interested in her company. What did she think about that? Could she see past the embarrassment and hurt of years past? Was Adam someone worth knowing?
“Why are you smiling?” her father asked. “How can you even speak to him? Can a man serve two masters? Out of the same mouth proceeds blessing and cursing? What communion has light with
