A Love to Treasure

by Irene Brand

  “Of course you’re going to be a good teacher,” Vance said.

  Laughing, she said, “You know, you might be prejudiced on that subject. What else do you know about the Cove?”

  “The history of the Cove goes back a long ways. As early as the 1700s the Cherokee used two main trails to cross the Smoky Mountains from North Carolina to Tennessee. One of the trails passed through there. By the latter part of the eighteenth century, the Cherokee had established a settlement in Cades Cove, known then as the Otter Place.”

  “Does that mean there were otters in the region?”

  Shrugging his shoulders and slapping the horse gently with the end of the reins, Vance said, “That’s generally thought to be true, but there weren’t any otters in the cove when the first European settlers arrived. It was an isolated region, and we don’t know much about what the area was like.”

  Marie listened eagerly as her father talked of the history of the Cove, always looking westward, where she could see high, rugged mountains in the distance.

  “I know that living conditions won’t be as comfortable as in Canaan, but I’m not expecting luxury. Although the population is sparse,” she added, “the Cove isn’t cut off from the rest of the world. It even has phone service now, although it’s not too reliable according to people who try to communicate with that area. Still, I can probably call and talk to you and Mother occasionally.”

  Another hour’s drive brought them to the entrance of Cades Cove, and Vance paused when he saw a man sitting on the porch of an unpainted one-story frame dwelling. The man, with a full face of white whiskers, was dressed in a cotton shirt rolled to his elbows and a pair of faded overalls. A woman stood in the doorway. She was barefooted and wore a black cotton skirt that came to her ankles, and a white long-sleeved blouse. Her black hair was parted in the middle and pulled into a tight bun on the back of her neck. Two untidy children, a boy and a girl, clung to her skirt and peeped around their mother. The girl was sucking her thumb, and Marie’s optimistic view of her students suffered a setback. She took a deep breath. If this family was typical of the students she would teach, it would be a difficult experience, although she hadn’t expected her task to be an easy one.

  Speaking to the man, Vance said, “We’re looking for the home of Lena Turner. Can you give us directions?”

  The man spat a mouthful of tobacco juice on the ground before he answered. “Go on down this road for a piece. You’ll find Mrs. Turner livin’ in the second building on yore right.”

  Thanking him, Vance moved on, and Marie decided that her face must have mirrored the trepidation she was experiencing, for her father said quietly, “I doubt that family is typical of what most of the residents are like. There are many prosperous and educated people in the Cove. Still, you may have many students who are behind others their age in both learning and social skills. No doubt it will be a challenge.”

  Grinning and spreading her hands wide in resignation, Marie said, “I’ll be all right. I didn’t expect to find towns like Charleston, Asheville or even Canaan in these mountains.”

  She was, however, relieved when they reached Mrs. Turner’s house to see a two-story frame house in excellent repair, with blooming flowers lining the walkway. A slender gray-haired woman, dressed neatly in an ankle-length, brown cotton skirt and long-sleeve white blouse, rose from a rocking chair on the porch and hurried down the walk to greet them.

  “I’m Lena Turner, and I’m glad you could come to teach our children. Welcome!”

  Vance took Marie’s hand to help her step from the buggy, and by the time he had secured the horse and buggy to a convenient hitching post, Mrs. Turner had reached them.

  “My!” Mrs. Turner said, with a welcoming smile on her face. “I’m so happy to see you. You’re much younger and prettier than I remembered. We’ve got lots of bachelors in this area who will be happy to see you, too. Or have you already got a special fellow?”

  Not yet able to get a word in edgewise, Marie shook her head.

  “Regardless, welcome to Cades Cove and to my home. I taught the school for several years, so I’m pleased to board the schoolteacher. I live alone, and I’ve got an extra bedroom. Besides, I enjoy company.”

  Encouraged by the woman’s smile and her kind welcome, Marie’s spirits lifted.

  “Thank you,” she said, shaking Mrs. Turner’s outstretched hand. Believing that she was really welcome, she turned to Vance.

  “This is my father, Vance Bolden,” Marie said, pride evident in her voice.

  “Come in! Come in!” Mrs. Turner said. “I have some cold tea and freshly baked cookies for you.”

  “I intend to return to Canaan before nightfall, so I can’t stay long,” Vance said, “but I am thirsty. Should I bring Marie’s suitcases in now?”

  “Yes, of course. But I also have a full meal prepared, so we will eat before you start on your way. How far is it to Canaan?”

  “We’ve been on the road five hours,” Vance said, “but some of that was climbing mountains. My return trip probably won’t take as long.”

  He carried Marie’s possessions and placed them in the bedroom Mrs. Turner indicated. Marie noticed his sigh of relief to learn that she would have such a pleasant place to stay.

  Showing them to the washroom, Mrs. Turner said, “You can freshen up while I put food on the table.”

  When Marie returned to the living room, the food was ready. Vance soon appeared, and Mrs. Turner invited them into the dining room. By the time they’d eaten heartily of the meal of chicken, dumplings, green beans and apple pie, Marie felt right at home in the Turner household. She could tell by her father’s expression that he was also pleased with the arrangements, content that she would be in a safe environment.

  Although she’d gotten accustomed to being away from home during the two years she’d attended school in Charleston, Marie couldn’t help feeling a little forlorn when Vance left shortly after they’d eaten. She considered her father as strong and reliant as the Rock of Gibraltar, and she already felt despondent to be separated from him and her mother. Reminding herself that it had been her decision to leave home, she followed Vance out to the road, and he kissed her on both cheeks before climbing onto his horse. She noticed the tears glistening in his eyes—the first time she’d ever known her father to cry—and she prayed that she wouldn’t start crying, too.

  “Remember,” he said, “if things don’t work out for you here in the Cove and you want to come home, we’ll be glad to see you.”

  “I’ll remember,” she said, and stood by the fence watching him ride away.

  Mrs. Turner waited on the porch, and perhaps noticing Marie’s sorrow, she said sympathetically, “You have a fine father.”

  Sniffing childishly, Marie said, “I know. I’ve been blessed with both my mother and father. I’m going to miss them, but I can’t stay at home forever.”

  As they started into the house, Marie heard a horse cantering down the road. She turned, just as Daniel Watson swung out of the saddle and tied his mount to the hitching rail in front of the house. She was momentarily breathless, for she’d been hoping she wouldn’t see him so soon, if at all. She’d thought of him too often after she saw him for the first time.

  “Oh, here’s my grandson to meet you already,” Mrs. Turner said. “Come in, Daniel, and meet the new schoolteacher, Marie Bolden.”

  He dismounted and hugged his grandmother, which brought a smile to her face. Mrs. Turner was obviously proud of her handsome grandson, and Marie could understand why.

  Seeing him face-to-face, she realized that he was more good-looking than she’d noticed at the rodeo. His reddish-brown hair had a tendency to curl. His eyes were clear and steady, and he towered over her by several inches, so she knew he must be six feet tall or more, with a set of shoulders that were firm and well-balanced. No wonder he had captured he
r attention when she’d observed him riding a bucking bronco at the fair in Canaan. His was a striking face, framed by thick hair, with finely cut cheekbones, a thin, slightly Roman nose, a firm chin and intensely blue eyes.

  When she’d accepted this job in Cades Cove, she knew that meeting him was inevitable. She had dreaded the meeting, but had also looked forward to seeing him again. This first meeting hadn’t been a disappointment.

  He shook her hand, saying, “Most of the schoolmarms we’ve had in the Cove have been men or middle-aged women. It’s high time the school authorities hired a woman who’s easy on the eyes. Welcome to Cades Cove, Miss Bolden.”

  Although deep in her heart, she had relished the thought that she would see Daniel more often in Cades Cove than if she remained in Canaan, she hadn’t expected to meet him the first few hours after she’d arrived. This sudden meeting had caused her to be somewhat breathless, and she felt light-headed. If meeting Daniel for the first time had such an effect on her, she wondered if she’d made a mistake in coming to Cades Cove.

  Chapter 2

  To Marie’s relief, Daniel didn’t tarry long, and she welcomed the privacy of her room to deal with her emotions. When she had attended school in Charleston, she’d met several young gentlemen whose company she’d enjoyed, but none of them had made any lasting impression on her. The thing that distressed her more than any other was the possibility that this infatuation with Daniel would interfere with her effectiveness as a teacher. Marie wished with all her heart that she could discuss the situation with her mother, but knowing that was impossible, she resorted to prayer.

  Kneeling beside the bed, she buried her face in the soft feather mattress.

  “God,” she whispered, “what am I going to do? Since I was a little girl, I’ve dreamed of finding the right man for a husband, but I wanted him to be someone like my papa.” After seeing Daniel two times, she definitely knew that he wasn’t another Vance Bolden.

  Marie took off her shoes and lay on the soft bed without removing her clothes. It seemed that every nerve in her body was on edge, but when she was awakened by Mrs. Turner’s soft knock, she was surprised that she’d gone to sleep.

  “Yes?” she said.

  “I’m just checking to see if you want to go see the schoolhouse today or wait until tomorrow,” Mrs. Turner said.

  “How far away is it?”

  “About a mile and a half.”

  Considering that the school might not be in good condition and therefore be a big disappointment to her, Marie said, “I’m really curious about the school, and I want to see it as soon as possible, but I believe it might be best for me to wait until morning.”

  “That will be fine. I asked Daniel to stable your horse and put the buggy in the barn so it will be out of the weather if we should have a thunderstorm.”

  “Thanks very much. I’m going to unpack my clothes now.”

  “Let me know if I can be of any help.”

  * * *

  As Daniel left his grandmother’s home and headed toward his farm in the northern section of the Cove, he was annoyed about something. Usually when he visited her, he came away with a feeling that all was right with the world. What was the problem? When he arrived at his farm and stabled his horse, he walked toward his two-story frame house and sprawled out in a rocker on the porch.

  During his months in the army, he’d observed that many of his fellow soldiers, during the months of training before they sailed for Cuba, had married. Seemingly they needed the fellowship of women, and although he enjoyed the company of the women he’d met, he’d never met any woman that had made an impression on him as Marie Bolden had made. He didn’t like it. Daniel had never considered taking a wife, but now he wondered if he’d been wrong. Was it possible that after seeing a woman only once he could have a serious affection for her?

  “Well, that’s not going to be the case in this situation,” Daniel mumbled. “I’m satisfied with my life just as it is, and I don’t intend to let Marie Bolden or any other woman change that!”

  * * *

  When Marie awakened the next morning, the house seemed quiet, and she surmised that Mrs. Turner hadn’t gotten up yet. Tired after the buggy ride and the frustration of sleeping in a different bed, Marie was glad that she’d rested most of the night. Hoping that she could have the day free of distractions to become oriented to the job she’d undertaken, Marie anticipated visiting the schoolhouse to get an idea of the preparations she needed to make before school started.

  But a day free of distractions was not to be. Daniel came in the kitchen door while Marie and his grandmother were still eating their breakfast. Lena insisted on frying eggs and bacon for him, but when he convinced her that he’d already eaten, she poured a cup of coffee for him, and he sat down and drank that while they finished eating.

  “I came by to see if you need any help taking your things to the schoolhouse,” he said to Marie.

  Although she had seen Daniel only once before their first meeting, and hadn’t spoken to him then, she’d gotten the idea that Daniel was self-centered. Thus his offer surprised her so much she accepted his help without considering that she had already decided it might not be wise to spend much time in this man’s company.

  On the other hand, was she judging him on hearsay rather than on anything she’d personally detected in his actions? After she’d seen him at the rodeo, she’d discreetly questioned Mrs. Turner’s sister, Pearl, who had nothing but kind remarks about Daniel.

  She told Pearl, “I don’t like to admit that my father is right, but I’m wondering if I might be making a mistake by walking into a situation that will cause me a lot of trouble. I don’t expect to have a carefree school year, but I don’t want to be involved in a feud of some kind either.”

  “If I were you,” Pearl said, “I would go to Cades Cove with an open mind. Don’t borrow trouble.”

  Acting on that advice, she’d pushed worry aside and looked forward to this new experience.

  Now she said to Daniel, “I appreciate your offer, for I will need some help. I have two boxes of books, which are quite heavy. I didn’t want to bring a lot of supplies until I looked over the situation. I still have some boxes packed at home, and Father will bring them to me when I want them. I thought it was better to see how well equipped the school is before I brought things from home. If I need anything, I’ll contact Father.”

  “I go to Canaan occasionally, too,” Daniel said, “so if you want me to bring anything, let me know. I’ll check with you when I make a trip down that way.”

  Marie nodded her thanks and acceptance of his offer, before she said, “One thing I haven’t learned is how many students I’ll have and what age groups.”

  Daniel looked at his grandmother. “Do you know, Granny?”

  “It’s hard to say,” Lena stated. “Some of the parents may refuse to send their children, and there isn’t any law saying they have to. Also, a few children living in Chestnut Flats don’t attend school, but that area doesn’t have a good reputation, so most teachers haven’t bothered to insist that the children come to school. To give the parents their due, they believe they can teach their kids as much as they need to know at home, which they can’t, of course.”

  “I can’t imagine why parents would refuse to send their children to school,” Marie said.

  “When parents don’t have an education themselves, they can’t understand why it’s important,” Lena said. “Children are needed to work in the fields when they’re very young, and they don’t know any other life.”

  Laughing, Daniel said, “And Granny is too nice to tell you that some parents won’t trust you to teach their children because you’re a woman.”

  Frowning, Marie said, “I know. I’ve been warned by my parents, my friends, my neighbors and even my professors at college. ‘A woman’s place is in the h
ome’ are words I’ve heard so much that I feel as if they’ve been seared into my brain with a hot iron.”

  Daniel laughed again, and Lena said, “Stop it, Daniel. It isn’t funny!”

  “Oh, let him alone,” Marie said with a slight smile. “I’m used to the prejudice by now.”

  “I’m sorry,” Daniel apologized. “I don’t have anything against female teachers. I was amused at the disgusted expression on your face. It was fierce enough to make a mummy laugh.”

  “Well, you’re not a mummy, so behave yourself,” Lena said.

  Daniel’s presence unsettled Marie, so she excused herself, went to her room and tried to determine what had happened to her when she had met him. She’d never before experienced the speeding of her heartbeat when she met any man for the first time. When she’d been in college, several of the men who attended the nearby seminary had evinced considerable interest in her. Remembering her manners, Marie hadn’t rebuffed them as she’d wanted to do, but had treated them pleasantly without giving them even a slight hint that she was interested in them as possible suitors. It would be unheard of for a married woman to be teaching school, and she hadn’t yet met a man who was more important to her than her teaching career. Had that changed when she met Daniel Watson?

  When Marie came back downstairs, she tried to speak normally as she said to Lena, “I don’t mind admitting that I’m a nervous wreck, wondering if I have the knowledge to start teaching, but I’ve already made the decision. I won’t quit now. I don’t like to impose on you,” Marie said to Lena, “but perhaps you could find time to ride with me through the Cove, and show me where the students live.”

  “Certainly I’ll go with you. Anytime.”

  When the breakfast dishes were done and Marie had packed a small lunch for herself, Daniel said, “If you’ll show me where those boxes are that you want hauled to the schoolhouse, I’ll load them in the buggy for you.”