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He smiled at her. “I’m far from perfect, Ellie.”
She regarded him. Not just the messed up hair. He seemed different. Rather than lecturing her, he’d helped her solve a problem. Maybe. “Are you still planning on seeing Mr. Ridley?”
They reached the automobile. Max helped her in, slid in behind the steering wheel, and turned to her. “Stealing is a serious matter.” He raised his hand when she began to protest. “Let me finish. Even though he has a good reason for what he did, he still needs to be disciplined.”
Max put his goggles on and cranked the engine. “I won’t speak with the boy’s father. I will, however, visit with John again and assign him some chores to do around the school.”
“He just got a job with the livery.”
“No matter. We can work around that.” He glanced in her direction as they bounced along the rutted road. “He has to be punished.”
Ellie stewed on that as they rode. She enjoyed riding in an automobile. Uncle Jesse had one, and he even let her drive it once. Her gaze drifted to Max’s serious face. No doubt, he’d never let her drive his automobile. Probably something that wouldn’t appear on his “approved” list of activities for female teachers.
He stopped in front of her boardinghouse, turned off the engine, and glanced at his timepiece. As she reached toward the handle, he snapped his goggles off and touched her arm. “You have another ten minutes. I’d like to talk to you about something.”
She settled back in the seat and faced him. No matter that he’d tried to sm
ooth his hair, it still hung over his forehead, giving him a softer look. Would he kiss her again? Did she want him too? He’d raised her curiosity on what happened between a man and a woman. She knew the bare bones of it, but no one ever told her about the exciting and pleasurable feelings that would consume her. Every time she asked her sister, Rachel, she simply blushed and told her she would find out when the time came. Everyone still thought of her as the baby of the family.
“You are continuing to collect items for Christmas baskets, aren’t you?”
She glanced at her lap and picked invisible lint from her coat.
“Ellie. Look at me.” His voice rolled off her in soft waves, not the harsh tone she’d been used to. What was going on here?
She forced herself to meet his gaze. “I couldn’t stop. I’m sorry, but my students were so excited about doing the baskets, and we have a long list of families who will be thrilled to get one of them.” Her voice rose with excitement. “We have food, sweets, warm gloves and scarves, and for the families with children, we’ve managed to collect small toys.”
Max pinched the bridge of his nose. “I’m not comfortable with you going into strange houses to deliver baskets. I’m going to ask you a question, and I want an honest answer.”
She tilted her head and waited.
“If your uncle knew what you planned to do, would he approve?”
She opened her mouth to respond and then stopped. That was something she’d never thought about. Would he approve of her going into strange houses in questionable neighborhoods? A vision of Jesse’s tight-lipped glare after he’d caught her at several escapades gave her pause. “No. He probably wouldn’t.” Her shoulders slumped.
“Then I’ll go with you.”
“Excuse me?” She swore he’d offered to go with her.
“When the time comes to make your deliveries, I will drive you.” He shifted in his seat and cleared his throat. “Now I’ll walk you to your door.”
Ellie continued to stare at him as he left the automobile, walked around the front, and opened her door. He put his hand out. She took it and her hand tingled, the sensation racing up her arm. Her heart did double time as she fixed her gaze on his face. He smiled at her. Smiled!
Tonight she’d snuck into his bedroom, made it necessary for him to crawl out his own window like a thief, fell on him when she dropped from the ledge, and messed up his hair. Instead of the disdain she’d expected, he drove her home, offered to go with her to deliver her baskets, and then smiled.
They walked slowly up the steps. “Thanks, Mr. Colbert.”
“I think it’s time you called me Max. At least while not in school.” He gave her a lopsided grin. Her stomach clenched.
“Good night.” She hurried through the door.
Max returned to his motorcar and headed for home. Sweat beaded his forehead. This situation troubled him. The plan was to find someone to marry Miss Henderson to get her out of his hair, but every time he ran into her, it got harder to remember. Oh, she was trouble all right. No doubt about that, but her presence slowly peeled away the layers of protection he’d placed around himself.
He’d witnessed first-hand what his father had gone through with his fool-headed mother. As much as he loved her, like Ellie Henderson, his mother skipped from one crazy project to another. An upstanding businessman and respected member of the Chicago community, Joseph Colbert had rescued his wife from more than one debacle. Growing up, Max had always felt sorry for his father until the day he told him, with a besotted look on his face, that he loved his wife, not in spite of her peculiar ways, but because of them.
Not him. He had his life well planned, with no room for the lunacy of a wife. They cried, complained, and did all sorts of things to embarrass their husbands. Ellie. Practically a duplicate of his crazy mother.
It was time to present her with another prospective husband.
