To Honor and Trust

by Tracie Peterson

  “Your father is a wise man. He knows you need a solid education before you head off to boarding school. How would you feel if you were behind all your classmates?” Callie didn’t hesitate long enough for him to answer. “I know you would be terribly embarrassed if you couldn’t answer the instructor’s questions, and the other fellows might poke fun at you. We don’t want that to happen.” In an exaggerated gesture, she clasped a hand to the Gibson collar of her white embroidered waist. “And should your parents receive a bad report, they might decide it was due to my inability to train you properly for higher education. They might decide I shouldn’t continue as your sisters’ teacher.”

  “Oh no!” Daisy wailed. “You must study hard, Thomas. I don’t want Miss Callie to leave us.”

  “Stop your blubbering, Daisy. Mother would never terminate Miss Callie. She thinks of her as a third daughter.” When Daisy didn’t relent, Thomas pointed his pen in her direction. “Get busy with your crayons, and I’ll see to my work. You don’t need to worry about my ability to get good grades in boarding school.”

  Lottie turned toward her brother. “I know you’ll do well, Thomas. You’ve never failed at anything.”

  “Thank you, Lottie.” Thomas shot a smile in his sister’s direction. “You see, Daisy, there’s nothing for you to worry about.”

  Daisy sniffled and picked up her crayons. She didn’t appear completely convinced, and Callie silently reprimanded herself for saying something that would upset the child. If Thomas needed further correction, she’d be sure to do it when the two of them were alone.

  Maude remained in the room while the children set to work, and Callie stepped to her side. “How are you doing, Maude? Did everything go well this morning?”

  “That it did. The girls are quite easy to manage, and young Thomas cares for himself very well. The cook prepared us a fine breakfast of bacon, eggs, and toast. All three of the children ate well.” She patted her stomach. “And so did I.” She leaned a little closer. “I’m a bit surprised the Bridgeports have a full-time cook, what with them eating most of their meals over at the clubhouse. Jane Nichols must have a great deal of spare time on her hands.”

  “She helps Lula with the housework when she isn’t preparing meals. Then if Jane needs help in the kitchen, Lula steps in to aid her. I’m sure you’ll discover we all help each other as needed.”

  “Did you give any more thought to what I said yesterday?” Maude arched her eyebrows.

  They had talked about many things yesterday. Callie frowned as she attempted to recall their conversation. “You mean about Mrs. Bridgeport taking you to Biscayne to purchase dresses?” Callie didn’t wait for a response. “I believe she has that on her schedule for this afternoon. You might ask her when she returns from the clubhouse.”

  “No, not the shopping. Why would I ask you to think about that? This island would be the perfect place for you to find a fellow. This morning Jane told me that there are lots of good-looking single men who come here every year.” Maude gently poked Callie’s arm. “You need to make an effort to let your heart heal and move on to another fellow. Even if you don’t feel quite ready, there’s nothing wrong with keeping company with a few of them—see what they have to offer, so to speak.”

  During the past year, Callie had given thought, and a great deal of prayer, to her future. “I’m really not that interested in a romance. I’m considering joining my parents and teaching at their mission school. Perhaps not right away. I’ve been praying for God to direct my path. I know Mr. and Mrs. Bridgeport want me to remain as a tutor for the girls, and I’ve considered going back to teach at the private school in Chicago, should an opening arise, but I’m simply not certain. Using my teaching skills at the mission school would likely prove the most rewarding.”

  Maude lurched back and stared at Callie as if she’d grown a second head. “Have you lost your good senses, girl?” She grasped Callie’s arm. “Now you listen to me—going off to some mission and hiding out is not a place for a young, beautiful woman like you. No, it is not. Those places aren’t for women at all, unless, of course, they’re unsightly and have little to offer otherwise.” She wagged her head to emphasize her displeasure. “You’ll never find a husband worth his salt in a place that needs a mission. Take my word for it, there’s nothing but beggars and thieves in those kinds of places. Is their mission in the rundown section of some big city like New York?”

  “No—it’s in Africa.”

  “Africa!” Maude shrieked.

  Both girls turned in their chairs, and Thomas looked up and stared at them. Callie motioned to the children. “Pay Maude no mind, children. Go on with your lessons.” She nudged the older woman. “Please keep your voice down.”

  “Well, you can’t blame me for being surprised. Why in the world would you even think about going off to Africa? That’s the craziest thing I ever did hear.”

  “God calls people to different places throughout the world, Maude. We can’t all stay in our comfortable homes. If we all adopted that idea, others would never learn of Jesus.”

  “If you’re wanting to teach school and tell folks about Jesus, you don’t have to go off to Africa. You’d be better off in Chicago. There’s sure to be plenty of people in Chicago who need to know about Jesus. Have you thought about how lonely it would be? Sure, you’d have your mother and father, but I doubt you’d have many people your age that you could talk to—and once you get over there, I doubt you could come back right away. If I was you, I’d do a lot more praying before setting sail to someplace like Africa. I’ve got nothing against God or prayer, but I think you need to use some good sense, too.”

  Callie didn’t tell Maude she’d already considered the isolation she would experience in another country. If she hadn’t feared the loneliness, she wouldn’t have waited to hear from the Lord. She’d have taken matters into her own hands, packed a trunk, and boarded a ship for Africa. At least that’s what she’d been telling herself ever since the letter arrived from her parents asking her to consider joining them. And the arrival of a letter from Miss Landry, the supervisor of the school where she’d taught in Chicago, had further complicated the situation. Miss Landry had written shortly before Christmas, saying there would be a teaching position open in September, and she’d offered the job to Callie. However, Miss Landry wanted a decision by the end of May.

  Lottie waved her paper overhead. “Will you check my answers, Miss Callie?”

  Maude started for the door. “I best get busy and straighten the children’s bedrooms.”

  Callie nodded. “And don’t forget to ask Lula if Mrs. Bridgeport plans on your going over to Biscayne this afternoon.”

  “That I will. You children have a fine day.” Maude waved toward the girls before she turned on her heel and strode from the room.

  Callie sat down beside Lottie and quickly checked her answers. “That looks perfect. And your coloring is quite lovely, Daisy. I think that picture should be hung on the wall.”

  Daisy clapped her hands. “Maybe Thomas can make a frame for my picture. Could you, Thomas?”

  He shrugged. “If Miss Callie says we can go look for some wood.”

  “I’ve planned for us to take the bicycles and ride around the island to look for indigenous plants.”

  Daisy waved her crayon in the air. “What’s an indignant plant?”

  Callie chuckled. “The word is indigenous, and it means plants that are native to Bridal Veil Island. Plants and trees that we don’t find in Indianapolis.”

  “Like the live oaks? We don’t have those at home.”

  “Exactly. That’s excellent, Lottie. Do you remember why those trees are called live oaks?”

  She bobbed her head. “Because they stay green all year long.”

  “Right! You did a good job remembering what you learned last year.”

  Daisy pushed her lower lip into a pout. “I ’membered, too, but Lottie said it before I got a chance.”

  “Well, I’m proud of you, to
o, Daisy.” Callie tousled the younger girl’s blond curls as she glanced toward Thomas. “Why don’t you girls go downstairs and see if Maude will help you bring the bicycles from the rear garden out to the front of the house? I think Thomas will be through with his algebra by the time you’ve brought all four bicycles around.”

  The girls jumped up from their chairs, clearly eager to spend time outdoors on such a beautiful morning. “I’ll tell Miss Maude.” Daisy elbowed her sister on the way out the door.

  “No, I will,” Lottie countered, pushing ahead of Daisy.

  “No arguing, or we won’t be able to go,” Callie called after them. All sounds of their bickering ceased, but Callie guessed they’d simply lowered their arguing to whispers.

  A short time later, Thomas looked up from his worksheets. “I’m finished. Do you want to check them before we go?”

  Callie grinned. “You know I do.” She took the paper from him and scanned his answers. “Wonderful, Thomas! I do believe you’ve gained a good understanding of algebra. And there’s nothing like the lure of the outdoors to get you moving along on your schoolwork, is there?”

  He nodded and headed toward the door, his long-legged stride outdistancing Callie. “I’d rather be outside than anywhere else. Of course, I’d rather not have the girls along, but if that’s the only way I can get out of this classroom, then I won’t object.”

  Callie retrieved her straw hat, and soon the four of them were bicycling along a path that would lead them away from the cottages to a more secluded portion of the island. During their previous winters on Bridal Veil, Callie had explored portions of the island, but with more than four thousand acres on the fifteen-mile-long island, there were places she’d not yet seen. And the children were always interested in discovering new and different areas during their outdoor adventures with Callie. Sometimes they explored the river side of the island and at other times the area that bordered the Atlantic Ocean.

  Today, however, Callie thought they would attempt to locate some plants and trees that might be different from any they’d previously discovered. Thomas had taken the lead, with the two girls and Callie following close behind. “Stay on this path, Thomas. I don’t want to go toward the ocean.”

  He glanced over his shoulder. “What about the river path? I don’t think there’s anything exciting to see out this way.”

  “If we don’t find anything, we’ll choose another path, but first I want to try a new area.” She knew her refusal wouldn’t make Thomas happy, but this outing was part of their school lessons for the day—and she hoped they would make some new discoveries. She’d even brought along paper and pencils for the children to make drawings of their finds. Soon the remaining cottages were behind them and they’d gone a distance further when Thomas suddenly swung his handlebars to the left and brought his bike to an abrupt halt on the side of the path. Lottie followed and Callie swung to the right. Clearly uncertain what to do, Daisy remained on course and rode headlong toward a man who was leaning down, partially blocking the path.

  Now on his feet with the bicycle careening straight to him, he reached out and grabbed the front of the handlebars with one hand and scooped Daisy off the seat and into his left arm. Both the man and Daisy stared wide-eyed as the bike toppled to the ground.

  Already off of her bicycle, Callie rushed toward Daisy. The man had settled her on the ground and was stooping in front of her. “That was scary, wasn’t it?”

  “Daisy! Are you injured?”

  “Noo.” She shook her head and looked up at Callie. “I don’t think so.” She pointed at the man. “I almost hit him.”

  Callie grasped a hand to her midsection. “I saw that. I’m very thankful neither of you was hurt.” Her gaze settled on the man still stooped down in front of Daisy. “You aren’t hurt, are you?”

  With a quick smile, he removed his cap. “No. If anything was injured, it would be the bicycle.” He motioned to Daisy. “Let’s have a look and see if anything is broken.” The man leaned over and righted the bike as Thomas joined them and began to examine the tires.

  Daisy drew closer to the man. “I’m Daisy. Who are you?”

  He raked his fingers through a shock of sandy blond hair. “My name is Wesley, but you can call me Wes.”

  “Mr. Wes,” Callie instructed.

  “I’m sorry I almost runned into you, Mr. Wes, but you were in the path, and I couldn’t stop.” Daisy peered at him as if she expected some explanation.

  “The accident was my fault. I shouldn’t have been blocking the path, but I wanted a better look at this live oak.”

  Daisy edged near. “I know ’bout live oaks. We learned from Miss Callie. She’s teaching us about indignant stuff.”

  “Indigenous,” Thomas corrected. He rested Daisy’s bicycle against a pine tree. “What’s so different about this live oak?”

  “I don’t know that there’s anything particularly different, but I stopped to examine the grooves where the dust and leaf mold are accumulating.” Wes pointed to a deep groove in the bark of the tree.

  “Yeah? So what’s so good about that?” Thomas leaned forward to take a closer look.

  Wes laughed. “That turns into a type of mulch that provides a good spot for seeds or plants that are blown near the groove to make a new home. That’s why you see resurrection fern lining the lower branches of most of these live oaks.” He motioned Thomas closer. “And see here? That’s a palmetto trying to set up housekeeping.”

  Lottie shook her head. “Trees don’t live in houses.” She walked around Thomas and peeked at the groove in the tree. “Did you know live oaks stay green all year?”

  “I did know that.” Wes glanced at Lottie. “Would you like to know more about these giant trees?”

  “I would.” Daisy jumped up and down while clapping her hands.

  “What about you, Thomas? Are you interested in botany and studying plants?”

  “Some of them, but I’d rather look closer to the water. I think there’s lots of interesting plants in the marshes around here.”

  “That’s true, but there’s a lot to learn about these huge old live oaks, as well as the pines and palmettos on the island. What do you find interesting about these live oaks?”

  Thomas studied the tree for a while. “I like seeing the moss that hangs from the branches, but I wonder if it hurts the trees—like a parasite.” He smiled at Callie. “Miss Callie taught me about parasites last year in my classes.”

  “That’s an excellent observation. You’re obviously thinking, Thomas, but the Spanish moss on these trees isn’t a parasite. It doesn’t kill by extracting food from the tree. The moss gathers moisture and minerals from the air and dust, and then it manufactures food with the aid of chlorophyll and sunlight.”

  With that comment, Wesley had gained the children’s complete attention, and he gestured for them to sit on one of the thick branches of the live oak that hung low to the ground. All three of them lined up on the sturdy limb while he explained that the moss only borrowed the tree as a place on which to grow. “It just needs a place to hang out.”

  Thomas chuckled and nodded. “Kind of like we’re hanging out on this limb.”

  Wes grinned. “Exactly, but you won’t stay on that limb, and the moss will remain on the tree.”

  “But what if the tree gets sick and dies?”

  “I don’t think you need to worry about this tree dying for a long time, Daisy. There’s an old saying that a live oak tree takes a hundred years to grow, lives for a hundred years, and then takes another hundred years to die. And did you know there are lots of plants that are used to make medicine and help us become well?”

  Daisy touched a finger to the tree. “Does the tree make its own medicine? Is that why it lives so long?”

  Wes chuckled. “No, but I’m sure your teacher will agree it’s important to know about plants, because while some of them help heal, some are poisonous. You need to learn which ones to avoid and which ones are helpful.”

&nbs
p; When he looked in her direction, Callie nodded. “That’s very true.”

  “Do you know about the good ones to make medicine?” Daisy drew closer to Wes.

  “I’ve studied a lot about plants, and I do know some that help. Butterbur helps with headaches and coughs.” He touched the tip of Daisy’s nose. “And there’s a plant called aloe vera that can help heal burns.”

  Callie listened as the man she assumed to be a groundskeeper continued talking to the children. His knowledge of plants surprised her, but it was his quick smile and vibrant blue eyes that drew the children in. As he reached toward the tree, his shirt stretched taut and revealed broad, muscular shoulders. He glanced over his shoulder, and she looked away—but not quickly enough. He’d seen her staring at him, and her cheeks burned hot with embarrassment. He would think she had no manners.

  Though it proved difficult, she forced her thoughts away from the handsome man and back to the welcoming ball coming up. If she could think of a good excuse, perhaps Mrs. Bridgeport wouldn’t insist upon her attendance. On the other hand, she knew Mrs. Bridgeport was intent upon Callie meeting a proper young man, marrying, and having children of her own. And Mrs. Bridgeport was very aware that the best place for Callie to meet one of those proper young men was at the various balls and parties hosted in the clubhouse.

  Callie tried to envision herself in the arms of various unknown strangers, being led onto the dance floor in her cream-colored satin and chiffon gown, but the moment the picture became clear, fear grabbed her in a choke hold. Perhaps if she could skip this first ball of the season, she would feel more comfortable about attending the next one.

  But that wouldn’t happen. Mrs. Bridgeport would never relent. Callie sighed. She’d simply have to don the dress and make an exit at the earliest opportunity.

  She only hoped she could do so before any man asked her to dance.

  Chapter 6

  Wes looked in the mirror and straightened his tie. If he could have his way, he’d forgo these formal dining room dinners with the family, but living in the clubhouse didn’t permit him that opportunity. The clubhouse kitchen provided room service, but he dared not attempt to miss the family gathering each evening. It would be a little easier once his brother Daniel returned to Massachusetts. He would be delighted to see Richard leave, as well. It seemed that Daniel and Richard took great sport in finding fault and making him the brunt of their jokes.