Page 55 of Taming Lady Temperance

“Upset don’t give her the right to tear up my bar!” Taggert, eyes snapping, turned on James and jabbed a finger in his direction. “If you want to get her settled before takin’ statements, that’s fine, but you better be settlin’ her in a cell, ’cause that’s where she belongs. Unless the law don’t apply to gals who make sheep’s eyes at the deputy.”

James clenched his jaw. The man could attack his honor all he wanted, but he was getting dangerously close to besmirching Noreen’s reputation, and that James would not allow.

“Watch what you say, Taggert.” James’s voice rumbled with a low authority that served to wipe some of the acrimony from the barkeeper’s face. “I’ll not have you slandering the lady.”

“And I’ll not have you letting her off the hook just because you’ve taken a shine to her.”

“Enough!” James shot the man a glare hot enough to melt metal. “I made a vow to this community to administer justice without partiality, and I’ve never done otherwise. So instead of accusing me of something I haven’t done, why don’t you get of my way and let me tend to Miss O’Sullivan. The sooner I see to her, the sooner I can return and file those charges you’re so eager to press.”

Taggert grumbled but stepped aside. James shifted Noreen slightly in his arms, then strode for the door. A wide-eyed Martha met him on the boardwalk.

“Is she hurt?”

James didn’t slow his pace. The sooner he got Noreen out of the town’s view, the better. “No, but she’s gonna need your help. Fetch Miss Cowan and a set of clean clothes for Noreen and meet me at the jailhouse.”

Miss Evans dogged his steps. “The jailhouse? Why? We should take her to the boardinghouse.”

“Can’t.” His armful was growing heavy and talking was becoming difficult.

“Why not?” Miss Evans demanded.

“’Cause she’s under arrest.”

Chapter

25

Noreen clung to James and hid her face in the crook of his shoulder, wanting to face neither the town nor the truth of what she’d done.

“She’s under arrest.”

His dire pronouncement had rumbled through his chest, vibrating her cheek even as it stabbed into her soul. She’d not be the first temperance fighter to spend time behind bars, yet the prospect held no allure. Not when the sentence carried a stain that would reflect poorly on her friends and family. On James.

James.

How disappointed he must be in her. A criminal, just like Taggert accused. And not even for the first time. James had stormed in to rescue her, sheltered her with gentleness and sweet endearments, all the while believing her to be innocent. She was anything but. Yet when confronted with the evidence of her misdeeds, he hadn’t rejected her. Hadn’t left her crumpled on the floor where she deserved to be. Instead, he’d taken her in his arms and carried her through town as if she were injured and defenseless and he her protector.

Maybe she was injured. Heaven knew she felt broken. Hollow. Damaged.

And tired. Tired of fighting a war she couldn’t win. Tired of carrying secrets that had been poisoning her spirit as surely as Taggert’s alcohol had been poisoning Luella’s father.

When they finally made it to the jailhouse, James lowered her to the chair where she usually sat when she joined him for dinner. If only this were an ordinary Sunday evening where they would eat and talk and laugh together. Noreen slumped forward, not wanting to meet James’s gaze or feel the stabbing pain of his disappointment.

James wasn’t one to be easily thwarted, however. He hunkered down next to her feet and peered up into her face. When she tried to turn her head, the gentle touch of his fingers on her chin steered her attention back to his face.

“Look at me, sweetheart.”

The endearment pierced her chest. She didn’t deserve his kindness. His . . . affection.

“Are you hurt?” He took her hand in his and stroked the back of it with his thumb.

She squeezed her eyes shut and shook her head. A tear slid through her lashes to drip down her already soggy cheek.

He pushed to his feet, his hand sliding away from hers. The loss of his touch stirred a mournful ache in her belly. This was what she deserved. To be cast aside. Yet he didn’t abandon her. He returned a moment later and began washing her face with a damp towel that had been warmed by water from the stove’s reservoir. Never had she received such a humble, selfless gift. The towel caressed her face one stroke at a time, wiping over her closed eyes to clean away her tears. He took his time, soothing her with patient ministrations, yet all the while, her shame built until she finally opened her eyes and clasped his wrist.

“Don’t.” Her voice rasped against her throat. “I don’t deserve your tenderness. I lost control. I . . . I’m a criminal.”

James set the towel aside and took hold of her hand again. She tried to pull away from him, but he wouldn’t let her. Stubborn man. Didn’t he realize that associating with her now would destroy his career? No one would vote a man into the office of sheriff who not only consorted with criminals but allied himself with them.