In Every Heartbeat Part 6

Replaying the professor's words, Pete wondered what he could choose to fight that would best garner the man's approval and do the most good. He sat, thinking, for several minutes, but nothing came to mind. Frustrated, he rose and tugged on his suit jacket. Maybe a walk in the evening air would awaken ideas.

He headed across the campus, past the makes.h.i.+ft baseball diamond. Bennett spotted him and waved, and Pete slowed his steps. Maybe his friend would ask him to join the game. Bennett knew Pete was a decent baseball player in spite of his peg leg. But after Pete lifted his hand in reply, Bennett turned his back and returned to cheering for his teammates. Head low, Pete continued on. He reached the tree-lined path that led to the open field and angled his steps to walk beneath the tree-branch canopy, smiling as he remembered Libby calling it a fairy path.

He stopped. Loneliness created an ache in the middle of his chest. Bennett didn't have time for him right now, but what about Libby? He gnawed his lower lip, gathering the courage to face her after their lengthy separation. Libby had said anything more anything more than friends.h.i.+p with him would be ludicrous, but did that mean they couldn't still be friends? How he longed to restore his friends.h.i.+p with Libby. than friends.h.i.+p with him would be ludicrous, but did that mean they couldn't still be friends? How he longed to restore his friends.h.i.+p with Libby.

At the very least, he needed to tell her he had the train tickets. Maybe he should go to the women's dormitory and ask the house matron for permission to speak to Libby. If she wasn't too busy, maybe after he told her about the ticket, they could sit for a while. Talk. Or just sit and not talk. The way they used to. If she had time.

Please let her have time . . .

The decision made, he headed for the women's dormitory. If the house matron told him Libby was too busy to talk, he'd just go back to his own room and, as he'd been doing for the past weeks, lose himself in his studies. At least his b.u.m leg didn't interfere with his ability to think.

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"Elisabet?" One of the girls from Libby's floor stuck her head in the room. "Miss Banks sent me up for you-you have a visitor downstairs."

Libby pushed off her bed, where she'd been sitting cross-legged while editing an article for the college newspaper. She wouldn't mind a break-the person who wrote the article possessed a dismal grasp of proper grammar. And the spelling errors . . . erroneus erroneus, indeed! "Who is it?" She hoped it wasn't Roy. For some reason, he'd requested a visit with her twice in the past week, but she'd refused to meet him.

The girl shrugged. "I don't know his name. The new student with the wooden foot."

Petey! Libby's heart turned over with joy. "Tell Miss Banks to tell him I'll be right down." The girl left, and Libby quickly pulled on her shoes and b.u.t.toned them. She would run downstairs in her stocking feet were it not for the strict house matron. Miss Banks didn't approve of bare feet or of running, as Libby had quickly learned. Miss Banks and Mrs. Rowley would no doubt be good friends. Libby's heart turned over with joy. "Tell Miss Banks to tell him I'll be right down." The girl left, and Libby quickly pulled on her shoes and b.u.t.toned them. She would run downstairs in her stocking feet were it not for the strict house matron. Miss Banks didn't approve of bare feet or of running, as Libby had quickly learned. Miss Banks and Mrs. Rowley would no doubt be good friends.

Her feet covered, Libby hurried down the stairs. Her gaze swept the cozy common room, which bustled with activity this evening. Four girls were sitting in a row on a settee in front of the window, their focus on a magazine held by one of the center girls. As if ch.o.r.eographed, the quartet shot Libby a quick look over the top of the magazine when she entered the room, then returned their attention to whatever they were reading.

A little buzz of awareness wiggled down Libby's spine. Might these same girls read her words in the magazine in another two months?

She turned toward Miss Banks's desk near the front doors and spotted Petey. His gaze met hers, but he didn't move a muscle. The house matron's stern glare had apparently pinned him in place. But how wonderful to see him!

Swallowing a delighted laugh, she forgot the rule to move sedately. She skipped to the desk, linked her hands behind her back, and smiled up into Petey's dear, familiar face. "Good evening, Mr. Leidig. So good of you to come calling." She glanced at the house matron. The woman's sour expression didn't soften one whit.

"Yes." Petey cleared his throat. "I had a letter from Aaron and Isabelle today, and . . ." His brows high, he s.h.i.+fted his eyes briefly to indicate Miss Banks, then he tipped his head toward the door. "Could we go outside? It's a pleasant evening with a nice breeze."

"That sounds wonderful." Libby caught his arm and aimed him toward the doors. "And maybe we could take a short stroll around the grounds?" Her heart felt lighter than it had for weeks, just walking by his side. "We can take the path past the old stone foundation at the far edge of campus-it always makes me feel a little glum, but I love to stand beside it and try to imagine the grand building it supported before fire brought it down."

As soon as they stepped off the porch, Petey jiggled his elbow. Libby released him and stepped aside, looking at him in confusion. "Was I holding too tight?"

"No." His focus darted to her left. "But you're being watched by the house matron and several girls who are at the common room windows. I didn't think you'd want to give them the idea that you and I are . . ."

Heat attacked Libby's face. Why hadn't she ever composed that letter? But at least now she had the chance to apologize. "Petey, about what I said-"

"You don't need to explain yourself." His gentle voice increased the ache in her heart. She could bear his anger; his kindness nearly killed her. "I understand."

"Then you know it isn't you who's at fault? You know it . . . it's me?" She held her breath. If he truly understood that she wasn't the right match for him because of her inadequacies, then their friends.h.i.+p could resume unchanged.

"Yes." He lowered his head and tapped the tip of the peg leg against the walkway, a habit left over from his childhood. "I understand completely."

"Oh, Petey." Libby nearly collapsed, the relief was so great. "Then we can still be friends? Just as we've always been?"

A lopsided, somehow sad smile creased his face. "Yes, Libby. As we've always been. Now-" He drew in a breath. "I came to tell you I have our train tickets to go home on the sixteenth. Bennett and I will come by for you in the morning. We'll walk to town and hire a cab to take us to the station. Be sure you talk to all of your instructors so they know you'll be gone that Friday."

"I already have. I'm so eager to see Maelle and the Rowleys."

"Me too."

"And I can't believe Matt's getting married! He and Lorna are such a sweet couple." The children at the orphans' school had witnessed friends.h.i.+p blooming to love between the cook's daughter and Mrs. Rowley and Maelle's brother, Matt, who served as a part-time groundskeeper at the school. Although Libby held the impression Mrs. Rowley didn't approve of the match, she thought Matt Tucker and Lorna Jensen were perfectly suited to one another.

She lightly swatted Petey's arm, her lips twitching with a teasing grin. "And lucky you-getting to stand up with Matt. You'll be very handsome in your suit, with a rosebud tucked in your lapel."

Petey chuckled and scratched his head. "Oh, I don't know about that."

They stood in silence for several seconds. A comfortable, settling-in kind of silence that brought a hint of healing to Libby's aching soul. In the distance, a firm clack indicated someone's bat connected with a baseball, and cheers erupted. In response, a bird scolded from a nearby tree. Libby lifted her chin to seek out the bird, and she smiled as two dry leaves broke free of their branch and swirled to the ground. The leaves' graceful descent through the air reminded her of the dance scene she'd written in her latest story. Eagerly, she turned to Petey.

"Petey, I-" she started.

"Libby, I-" he said at the same time.

She flapped her hands at him, laughing. "Go ahead."

"I have an a.s.signment I need to finish tonight, so I'm going to head back to Landry Hall."

Her shoulders sagged. "So soon? But we've hardly had any time to talk."

He pulled his lips to the side in an expression of regret. "I'm sorry, but I really need to work. I'll see you . . . at dinner tomorrow?"

She wanted to tell him about the story she'd sold-to have him be happy for her-but she wouldn't interfere with his studies. Becoming a minister was so important to him. Just as important as becoming a journalist was to her. If only their goals weren't so very, very different . . .

"Yes, that would be splendid." She reached out and brushed his sleeve with her fingertips. "I've missed you, Petey."

That odd smile returned-an upturning of lips with no answering light in his blue eyes. "I've missed you, too. But we'll talk more tomorrow at dinner. Good night now, Libby."

She watched him go, his. .h.i.tching gait as familiar as her own reflection in a mirror. But something in the way he carried himself seemed different. He'd always appeared older than his years, a result of having to care for himself at such a young age, but tonight there was an oldness about him that went beyond maturity to . . . Libby sought an appropriate word to describe his appearance and finally settled on tiredness tiredness.

Yes, Petey looked tired. His studies must be wearing him down, she decided with a rush of sympathy. Perhaps it was good that they'd be returning to Shay's Ford soon. There, Mrs. Rowley would make sure he rested, and Cookie Ramona would spoil him with his favorite foods-Petey was everyone's favorite at the orphanage. Time with Mr. and Mrs. Rowley and Matt, a fun time at the wedding, and being home would surely brighten Petey's outlook.

And at some point during their time away from school, away from all the busyness and all the-she flicked a glance at the dormitory and spotted several girls peering out from a common room window-nosy people, she'd show him the letter from Mr. Price. How proud he'd be!

A wide smile on her face, Libby twirled in a circle right there in the open. And she didn't even care when the girls behind the window giggled.

CHAPTER TEN.

Bennett tossed the ball in the air with one hand and caught it with the other while he waited outside Landry Hall. Toss, catch. Toss, catch. Back and forth. Monotonous, but at least it was something to do.

Where was Pete? Bennett wouldn't be able to stick around there much longer-crazy curfew rules. He tossed the ball with a little more force, sending it in a high arc above his head. Weren't they all adults on this campus? A fellow ought to be able to decide for himself when he wanted to turn in.

He peered across the grounds, seeking a glimpse of his old pal. When Pete had walked past earlier, Bennett had wanted to ask him to join the game. But he wasn't sure he carried enough clout yet with the fellows to bring in Pete. Oh, he'd been talking him up-his best buddy from way back, smart as a whip, a real good egg. Of course, he hadn't mentioned Pete by name. That would come when he had the others all convinced his pal was the person the person to know on campus. Bennett figured he only needed another couple of days, and then he could draw Pete into the action. to know on campus. Bennett figured he only needed another couple of days, and then he could draw Pete into the action.

He smacked the ball from one palm to the other. Finally he spotted Pete coming up the walk. Jamming the worn baseball into his pocket, he trotted to meet him. "Hey, Pete, out for your evening const.i.tutional?" He affected a British accent and grinned at his own joke.

Pete offered a weak laugh in reply. "I walked over and saw Libby. I needed to let her know the Rowleys sent me the train tickets for our trip back home."

Bennett stifled a growl of irritation. Of course the Rowleys would send the tickets to Pete-good ol' trustworthy Pete. "I saw you heading off earlier, but I couldn't holler in the middle of the game." He experienced a twinge of conscience with his little white lie and hurried on. "And phew . . . my team didn't do so great tonight-lost by seven runs!" He made a sour face. "But Sunday afternoon we're planning a rematch, and we need a decent pitcher. Wanna play?"

Pete's eyebrows lowered a fraction of an inch. "Me? Pitch?"

Bennett laughed. "Didn't you pitch for us back at the school? You've got a good arm." Pete couldn't play catcher-it required squatting, something not easily done on his artificial leg. And he wasn't the greatest baseman or fielder with that peg making him clumsy. But he'd proved he could plant the tip of his peg leg in the dirt and throw a ball hard and fast right over the smashed tin can that served as home plate.

Bennett smacked Pete's shoulder. " 'Course, Libby could pitch better than the numskull who pitched for us tonight." Bennett never would understand why Libby had such trouble throwing a ball; she could hit a tree dead center with a penknife.

Pete rubbed his lips together. "Sure, Bennett. I'd be willing to pitch for you, if the others won't mind."

"They won't mind." Between now and Sunday he'd talk Pete up so much they wouldn't even flinch when he limped out to the mound. And as soon as the other fellows saw Pete in action, they'd realize he wasn't so different. Then they'd be willing to let him pledge the fraternity. Bennett grinned, thinking how flabbergasted ol' Roy would be to see Pete and him showing up for meetings.

Pete s.h.i.+fted his weight to his good leg, grimacing a bit. Bennett frowned-Pete better not do that during the game. "We're planning to play right after lunch." He pulled the baseball from his pocket and bounced it in his palm. "One o'clock."

"I'll be there."

Bennett plopped the ball into Pete's hand and then scuttled backward several feet. He hunkered into the catcher's position and cupped his hands. "Put 'er in here, pal."

Pete examined the seams, laid his finger precisely between them, and fired the ball back to Bennett. Bennett rose, grinning, and shook his right hand. "Good one!" He hissed through his teeth. "That stung! You'll be ready Sunday."

With a short laugh, Pete closed the distance between them. "I've been walking to the chapel around the corner from the campus for services on Sunday mornings. Do you want to meet for breakfast and go over together before the game?"

Bennett shoved the ball back into his pocket. Trust Pete to bring up church. "Nah. You go on without me. I like to sleep in on Sunday mornings."

"You sure?" Pete's face twisted into the same look Aaron Rowley had always worn when Bennett tried to play sick on Sunday mornings. Bennett disliked the expression even more coming from his friend. "Now that we're settled in here on campus, it would do us good to go-to feel like we're part of a church family."

"Libby going?"

Pete shrugged. "I haven't asked her yet, but I'm sure she will. I don't know why she wouldn't."

"Well . . ." Bennett stuck out his jaw and folded his arms over his chest. "I'd rather sleep. Gotta get up early for my cla.s.ses all week long, and gotta get up early Sat.u.r.day to get to my job." He'd been hired by the school's groundskeeper to help with yard maintenance. After the man found out Bennett had done similar ch.o.r.es at the orphans' school, he'd hired him on the spot. Apparently a lot of the students at the college had never lifted a shovel or weeded a garden-spoiled namby-pambies. "I don't wanna get up early my only day off."

Pete didn't look happy, but he didn't argue. "All right, but when we go home for Matt's wedding, Aaron and Isabelle will expect you to go to church with them before we head back Sunday afternoon."

"Yeah, yeah, I know."

"It'll be good to see them." Pete seemed to drift off somewhere; he didn't react to Bennett's derisive tone. "I'm looking forward to a weekend at home."

Both Pete and Libby called the orphans' school home home, but Bennett never used the term. He said, the school the school or or where I live where I live, but not home home. Someday-when he settled down, got married, maybe had a kid or two-he'd call the place he shared with his family "home." But he wouldn't squander a word like that on anything less than a place of his choosing.

"Well, the wedding's still two weeks away, and we've got plenty to do before then . . . including whomping those Beta Theta Pi guys in Sunday's baseball game!" Bennett squinted one eye at Pete. "Sun's not quite down. Wanna try a few more throws? Just to make sure you're good and limbered up for a full game?"

"I'd like to, but I've got an a.s.signment I-"

"Never mind." Bennett drew the words out into a groan, but he grinned while he said it. "I figure you'll do just fine in the game. In case I don't see you beforehand, meet us right here in the side yard at one on Sunday. We'll skunk 'em this time. Night, Pete!"

Bennett took off at a trot toward the men's dormitory. He hoped a couple of the guys were still lounging in the common room. He wanted to let them know he'd found their team a dandy pitcher.

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Pete hop-skipped, adding a little jump on his good leg between steps, down the hallway that led to the cla.s.srooms. He needed a few minutes alone with his professor. Pastor Hines always came in early in case one of his students had questions or concerns, so Pete wasn't worried he'd miss the teacher. But he did want to beat all of the other Bible students to the room.

In the back of his mind, he replayed the scene he'd witnessed when he'd entered the common room of Libby's dormitory yesterday evening. A group of young ladies sat in a row in front of the window, holding a magazine to catch the light. By their pink cheeks and occasional bursts of laughter, which they quickly m.u.f.fled with their hands over their mouths, it was obvious something in the magazine had piqued their interest. Their intrigue appeared to go beyond curiosity or entertainment to an embarra.s.sed excitement, which led him to believe whatever they were viewing was not wholesome. He'd seen Bennett and a couple other fellows at the orphans' school act in the same snickering, flush-faced way when viewing the pages advertising women's undergarments in the Sears catalog.

When he'd returned to Landry Hall, he'd dug through the basket of magazines their resident director left in the common room for the students' use. In the very bottom, beneath Harper's Magazine Harper's Magazine, Top-Notch Magazine Top-Notch Magazine, and three copies of various issues of The Windsor The Windsor, he'd located a publication that looked similar to the one the girls had been reading. He'd taken it to his room and laid it flat on the bed to read. Between the covers, he'd found what he surmised the girls had seemed so enamored with-a rather risque story about a young movie starlet and her older, caddish director.

The description of pounding hearts, feverish desires, and furtive meetings in dark corners where the man and woman allowed their lips to explore one another's mouths left Pete feeling uncomfortable. Twice, while reading, he'd been compelled to glance around the room to be certain no one knew what he was doing. Would he have felt so uneasy if the reading material were wholesome? Surely stories like that could turn young women toward impure thought.

By the time he'd returned the magazine to the basket-once again, clear at the bottom, but upside-down-he believed he'd found the subject for his a.s.signment in Pastor Hines's cla.s.s.

Of course, Pastor Hines had to approve it. So before he went any further, he wanted the man's opinion.

The cla.s.sroom door stood open, and Pete glimpsed the silver-haired professor seated at his desk. The man's wire spectacles rested on the end of his nose, and he frowned at a stack of papers. Pete tapped lightly on the doorframe. The man looked up, and a smile immediately cleared the scowl from his face. He removed his gla.s.ses with one hand and gestured Pete forward with the other.

"Mr. Leidig." Pastor Hines pointed to a front-row desk. "Come in and sit."

Pete limped forward and slid into the seat. He gave his teacher an apologetic look. "Am I disturbing you?"

The man shook his head. "No, no, I don't mind setting these aside." With a grimace, he slapped the stack of pages to the corner of his desk. "Obviously I didn't do a sufficient job in my lecture on following the Ten Commandments. These essays-" He shook his head and blew out a noisy breath. "Appalling." Then he leaned back in his chair. "But that isn't your concern. With what can I a.s.sist you, Mr. Leidig?"

Pete rested his elbows on the desk and briefly described the scene he'd witnessed in the women's common room. "I located a similar magazine and looked inside, and there was a rather unsavory story. . . ." Pastor Hines's eyebrows drew down until they formed a distinct V between his eyes. Pete's face felt hot. He stammered on. "I thought perhaps the story would make a suitable subject for our a.s.signment on moral decline since it included-"

The teacher waved his hand. "Don't bother."

Pete sagged in the chair. "This isn't something worth pursuing?"

"On the contrary, there's no need for you to explain. I already know the type of story you reference, and it's certainly unsuitable." Pastor Hines pursed his lips in distaste. "Disgraceful, is what it is. Stories written for the sole purpose of inducing t.i.tillation."

So Petey's initial instincts when he'd seen the girls' actions had been right. The realization increased his confidence in his abilities to be a good spiritual leader.

Pastor Hines continued in a disparaging tone. "The stories are, unfortunately, quite popular with women of all ages, but most particularly with the younger set." He sighed. "I can't help but believe it leads impressionable young women into impure thought, not to mention gives them an unrealistic expectation of the relations.h.i.+p between a man and a woman."

Shaking his head, the professor clicked his tongue on his teeth. "This is precisely the kind of battle that must be warred-and won! Young women caught up in these romanticized tales could very well begin seeking a relations.h.i.+p based on only . . . er . . . physical attraction-" the man's jowls mottled red-"rather than seeking a G.o.d-centered, well-grounded man who will be a moral leader for his household."

Pete sat up eagerly. "So this would meet the requirements for the a.s.signment?"

"Yes, Mr. Leidig. Most certainly." Pastor Hines rose and rounded the desk. "And I wish you much success in your attempts to dissuade magazine editors from printing such filth." His brow crinkled for a moment, his piercing eyes pinned on Pete's face. "Mr. Leidig, in addition to reasoning with magazine editors, do you have other plans to help bring an end to these types of writings?"

Pete pushed to his feet and stood beside the desk with one hand braced on the smooth top. "Not yet, sir. I wanted to get your approval before I began planning."

"That's fine," the man replied. "Knowing what you'll tackle is enough for today. But keep in mind that when it comes to winning a war, success is more certain with multiple directions of attack."

Pete nodded slowly. Although he'd read many newspaper accounts about the battles going on overseas, he hadn't paid attention to military strategy. But his teacher's words made sense. If the attack came solely from one direction, then the enemy would have many directions in which to flee. He'd need to plan attacks from several different directions to make the greatest impact.