Dishonoring Jack

Chapter Seventeen - Part Two

 When knuckles resounded on Jack's front door a few days later, she dropped the potato she'd been chopping and rushed to open it, wiping her hands on her apron. Donovan had begun his first day as a teacher today, and Jack was anxious to hear how it had gone. OVer the past few days, Donovan had continuously appeared at her front door every evening and sat with her for a few hours, talking and studying her with a perception that surprised her.

"Yes, hello!" Jack cried, finally snatching the slightly crooked door open. "How was your first day?"
Donovan stood in the door, nearly taller than the doorframe itself, and he beamed at Jack. He'd discarded his loose shirts and trousers and exchanged them for well tailored suits. Jack hadn't thought much of his career in Boston, but now she realized that he must have been a wealthy man and she admired him even more for leaving behind such a job to care for his family. Now, he wore a fine three piece suit with a necktie and a silk hat that hid his long hair. His eyes shone from the day's work and he greeted Jack with a smile.

"Marvelous," he said, stepping inside and touching Jack's cheek, kissing her temple. Jack leaned into the kiss and forced herself to refrain from kissing him on the lips in return.

"Come, have a seat!" she said, returning to her station by the cutting board. "I'm going to boil us some potatoes with a bit of parsley, but I'm afraid that's all I have. I've given the rest to Dr. Benjamin."

"It will do just fine, Jack," he said, approaching her instead of sitting down. He stood behind her and brushed the hair from the back of her neck, kissing her jaw and forcing goosebumps along her own. "Thank you. You don't have to do this. I know how tight things are."

"Nonsense," Jack protested. "Besides, I'm not cooking for you every night. Just today, since it's a special occasion."

"Fine, perhaps I'll take over the cooking tomorrow and you can relax after working in the factory," he said, running his hands down her shoulders to her waist. Jack wriggled out of his grasp and turned to the pot of water boiling over the fire. "I'll make corn pone."

"See that you do," Jack said. "Work plumb tuckers me out. But enough. Tell me, how was work? Did you get along with Schoolmaster Britton?"
"It isn't the career I imagined for myself, but I must confess, I enjoyed it," Donovan said, sitting on a wooden chair next to Jack's scarred table. "Some of the children are quite bright."

"And what will you teach?"
"I shall teach ninth and tenth grade children, in every subject imaginable. They've lost a few teachers because of the war but enrollment is growing. They tell me the school was only built a few years ago?"

"Yes, of course. Before, the children who wished to attend had to walk or take a cart fifteen miles. We're quite lucky Schoolmaster Britton started our own school here."

"Indeed, though I'm afraid he doesn't quite know the way of it. I'd like to see him split the high schoolers into subject groups and various teachers could instruct based on their expertise as it's been done in the big cities," Donovan schemed, and Jack watched him with a smile.

"Perhaps you should be schoolmaster."

"An Indian? I doubt they'd allow it. A young miscreant thought it would be fun to come in with red mud plastered to his face today," Donovan muttered and Jack saw shades of rage cover his face. "They don't know us. Have no idea what our life is like."

"Then teach them," Jack said, dumping the chopped potatoes into the pot and approaching Donovan. "And teach me while you do."

"Say, your niece--she knows French, right?" Donovan said.

"Christina? Yes, she loved it in secondary school. I believe Corrie told me that she continues to read French novels even now."

"Do you think she'd consider teaching at the school? I barely know a word of the language and Britton is spread too thin as it is."

Jack beamed at him. "I think it'd be a wonderful idea. All she does now is read to the soldiers and ignore their mooning over her while she worries about her David. Some sort of occupation might do her good though she can scarcely walk."

"But I have a car if your sister and her husband would permit me to fetch her."

"No permitting necessary," Jack declared. "Just pick her up and let them worry. They deserve it for the way they've locked that girl away ever since her illness when she needs sunshine and fresh air to aid her recovery."

"Speaking of your family, I heard one of the students talking of the next benefit dance you are to have. They've taken to calling you four women 'The Ragtime Girls.'" Jack chuckled at the name though she found it rather suited their band of philanthropists. "You don't suppose that I would be lucky enough to accompany you to such an event again, do you?"

Jack stood next to Donovan, leaning her hip against the table. "Well, you would receive the delight of my company, but what's in it for me?"

"I happen to be a rather fine dancer," Donovan said with a smile. "But I still need to prove that to you after you injured your ankle."

"Then I suppose I'll grant you a second chance, but don't expect me to kiss you outside the church again." She put her hands on her hips in faux sincerity. "I won't be seduced into such scandalous behavior again."

Donovan reached for her, resting his hands on her hips. "There's nothing I could do to influence you into surrendering to such an indulgence again?"

Jack relinquished herself to his grasp, leaning towards him and resting her arms around his neck. "You are trouble, Donovan."

"As are you, Jack," he murmured, voice low and throaty. He pulled her closer, but before kissing h, she heard him murmur, "As are you."

Sorry for the confusion--here is the second half of chapter seventeen :) Enjoy!