“Why is that?” Children need religious structure in their lives too.
“Seth hasn’t set foot in church since his wife died about six months ago.”
When they reached the churchyard, they were swallowed up in the crowd waiting for services to start. All further conversation was cut off concerning Seth, much to Lily’s disappointment.
After church, she received several invitations for Sunday supper, and she wasn’t able to get to the weeding in her garden until much later in the day. Once she had returned home, she quickly changed into one of her more worn frocks in order to not ruin her good Sunday clothes. She wandered out to the garden and pulled up a small stool that she had found in the pantry so that she could sit comfortably while she pulled weeds.
Two hours later the weeds were gone. A tired sigh rushed from between her lips as she stood and arched her back, trying to relieve the kinks.
* * * *
With a load of supplies in his strong arms, Seth Sanford walked out of the general store toward the wagon parked nearby. His attention snagged on the new teacher across the road when she stood and stretched her back. Her back arched, pushing her breasts against the front of her dress, outlining them perfectly for his gaze. He stumbled over the step and almost dropped the supplies.
Johnny sat in the wagon waiting, but when Seth almost tripped, his eyes widened, and he asked, “Pop, are you all right?”
He pulled his gaze from the beautiful woman and turned back to his son, “What? Yes, I’m fine, son. I just tripped. Are you ready to go?”
“Yep, just waiting for you. Hey, isn’t that the new schoolteacher over there?” Johnny pointed across the street.
“I think so, son. Why?”
“I helped her with her trunks the other day,” Johnny beamed as color splashed across his cheeks. “She came in on the train the day before yesterday, and she gave me a nickel for helping her with them.”
“I’m glad you were there to help her.” Trying not to look across the street again, Seth loaded the staples in the back of the wagon. The outline of her pert breasts pushing against her dress made his groin just a little too tight in his breeches.
“She’s real nice, Pop. Pretty too.” Johnny pushed his chest out a little farther, and Seth almost laughed. His son obviously had a crush on the new teacher already. “Maybe we could invite her out for supper sometime.”
“Well, I’m sure she would like that, son, but let’s not rush things. She just arrived, and she has a lot to do to get things ready for school.”
Seth climbed into the wagon seat next to Johnny and grabbed the reins before he flicked them over the rump of the horse.
* * * *
Lily caught sight of the wagon when it rolled past her house, and Johnny waved enthusiastically. She lifted her hand to return the gesture, noticing how Seth didn’t even look in her direction. Well, that’s a fine how do you do. Shielding her eyes from the sun, she frowned as she watched the wagon roll out of town. Grumbling under her breath about how rude some people could be, she grabbed the stool and headed toward the door. The sun had already started to set in the evening sky, and she really wanted to make use of the tub she had found earlier in the day. She needed to be refreshed and alert the next day when she met the children. Once the water sat on the stove, she pulled the tub out and gathered her toiletries. A nice, long, hot bath would feel wonderful.
After the water had boiled and she had filled the tub at least three quarters full, she sank into the steaming water with a heavy sigh. She had always loved her bath with all the smelling salts and bubbles. It had been her one weakness growing up. When she felt her muscles relax from the warm water, her mind drifted to Seth Sanford.
On the train he had been so chivalrous in making sure she was all right after their encounter with the robbers. Even though she was sure he remembered her from the train, now he seemed so distant.
At least I know his name, and Seth is a nice name. It seems to fit. Shaking her head to clear her thoughts of the man, she pulled herself from the tub, dried off and slipped on her nightgown. I'll empty the water in the morning. I'm too sleepy to do it now. She pulled the covers down and turned to blow out the light. Sleep claimed her almost before her head hit the pillow, but her dreams were haunted by visions of sad blue eyes.
Chapter Five
The next morning Lily was up bright and early, flittering around her house like a butterfly, getting her things together to go to the school. The sun had hardly peeked over the horizon, and she was already out the door.
It was more like an attachment to the church than a school, but it would do. From what she could gather, there were only about fifteen children in the entire town, so it wouldn’t be too trying on her to start with, but she hoped others would come. She knew there were probably several that lived nearby who didn’t attend school.
As the sun rose a little higher in the sky, she started to hear the chatter of children coming closer. She'd already prepared lessons for the first few days, but she would have to judge the children on their abilities and their ages in order to plan further out. Having met a few of them in church the day before had given her some insight, but there were several she hadn’t met. They would be the challenge.
When it appeared that there wouldn’t be any more, she rang the bell on the outside of the door to tell the children it was time to start. Bright-eyed faces entered the schoolroom while she stood near the door to greet each one.
“All right, children. Some of you already know my name, but for those who do not, I'm Mrs. Backman. I am your new teacher, and we will be learning so much together but also having fun while doing it. I want each of you to tell me your name when we go around the room.” Lily smiled to herself at the expressions on the faces of the curious children as each said his or her name, until it came to the three in the back.
Lily recognized one as the boy, Johnny Sanford. She correctly assumed that the other boy was Jarod and the little girl, Anne. Jarod was a cute boy of about nine years of age, and Anne appeared to be about six or seven, but she didn’t talk. Johnny told Lily her name while Anne sat silently with her eyes downcast.
That’s odd.
She would have to get to know these children, all of them, very well if she was to be able to teach them accordingly. She wanted this job to last for a long time, so she had to do her best, and that’s exactly what she planned to do.
Lily spent the entire day talking with and learning about each child. Many of them were well within what she considered to be their expected learning stage when the day was over. She had made notes on each child to keep it all straight and filed them alphabetically by last name.
As she packed up her things to head for home, the little girl named Anne tugged at her heartstrings. During the day, Anne hadn’t said a word, and at lunch Lily had pulled Johnny aside and asked him about her.
“Johnny, I don’t want you to think I’m trying to be hurtful toward your sister, but I need to know so I can teach her. Has she been able to speak before, or has she always not spoken?”
“Anne used to be a chatter box. Pop could hardly keep her quiet sometimes. She used to tell stories and read to Momma and Poppa when she was even just a little girl. She’s very smart, but since Momma died, she doesn’t talk.”
“What happened to your mother, Johnny?” Lily was afraid to hear the sad story, but deep in her heart she needed to know.
“Momma was out riding her horse one day. A rattler spooked the horse and threw Momma to the ground. Poppa said that she broke her neck. It’s been real quiet at home since then. We have Carmen who helps Poppa with the cookin’ and stuff, but it’s not the same.” He sniffed slightly and rubbed his eyes.
Lily tried to put her arm around the boy’s shoulder in comfort, but he pulled out of her embrace.
“It don’t matter no more. Poppa says that we’ll be fine.” He jumped off the porch and ran out to meet his friends in the yard.
Lily sat there for a few minutes before she
retreated to the schoolroom. It would be difficult to teach the little girl if she didn’t speak, but maybe she could reach her a different way.
As she slowly walked back toward her house, thoughts of how to reach the little girl raced across her mind. The other children in the school were very independent, and with some encouragement and direction they would do fine, but Anne she wasn’t so sure about. That small child needed something more, but she wasn’t sure she would be able to help her.
I need to talk to Anne’s father. Maybe I can go out to their place this Saturday to speak to him. Or maybe I’ll send a note to him through Johnny, to come into town to talk to me. That would kill two birds with one stone since I wanted to thank him anyway.
Her mind made up, she quickened her steps as she got closer to her little house. When she had reached it, she was surprised to see Madge sitting on her porch.
“Madge,” Lily said, smiling at her friend. “It’s nice to see you. What can I do for you?”
“I need your help, Lily.” The tone of Madge's voice made Lily worry.
“Help?” Lily took the seat next to her. “What can I do to help you?”
“I hate to even ask since you’ve only been here in town for a few days. Actually, never mind.” Madge started to rise from her place next to Lily until the younger woman grabbed her arm and pushed her back down in the chair.
“What is it, Madge? I’ll help you any way I can. I hope you know that. You’ve been more than kind to me since my arrival here, and I want to repay you somehow.”
Madge sighed in a rush of air. “Well, you see, it’s my nephew. He’s a good man and all, but he never had a real education. You know, going to school regularly. His parents died when he was just a boy, and then he came to live with me since I'm his only kin. His name is Daniel, and well, I’m not much help to him since I don’t have the patience to teach someone, so I wondered if…” Madge's voice trailed off, and she chewed her lower lip.
“Wondered if what?” Lily asked even though she was pretty sure she knew what her friend wanted to ask.
“Can you help him? I mean, learn to read better and do numbers and such? He’s a fast learner. He’s been such a help to me at the boarding house with the repairs and things, but I really want him to be able to better himself, and I don’t think he can do that with his limited education.”
“Of course. I would be glad to help him if I can, but he has to want to learn it. Many times adults aren’t willing to learn new things.”
When she remembered the man who had brought the tub to her at the boarding house, she recalled he was a fairly big man, standing taller than she and with handsome features. He had big brown eyes, brown hair, a slim jaw line and a hawk-like nose, and he'd talked very softly. He had pretty much whispered the whole time he had been near her.
“I’m sure he’ll be delighted to have you help him, but he’s a proud man, so I need to be very careful how I approach him with this. I need him to think it's his idea, if you know what I mean.” Madge winked, and Lily grinned.
“I know exactly what you mean. You just let me know when he wants to start, and I’ll give it my full attention, but, of course, you understand, the children come first.”
“Of course, of course,” Madge assured her. “I wouldn’t want it any other way. The children of this town are our future, and we must protect them at all cost.” Madge spoke with such fever that it took Lily by surprise because she knew Madge had said she had no children.
“Yes, well, I should be getting on inside. I have a lot of work to catch up on this evening before classes tomorrow. I have a notebook full of notes on each child I need to study.” Lily stood, ready to make her way into the house.
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have taken up so much of your time. Thank you for being so willing to help my nephew. I’m sure he’ll be delighted to have you teach him.”
Madge stepped off the porch and headed back toward the boarding house as Lily watched.
* * * *
“Daniel? Can I ask you a question?”
“Sure, Aunt Madge.” Daniel swung the hammer in his hand, nailing a loose board on the stair.
“Wouldn’t you like to be able to do better with your reading and sums?”
“I’ve never thought about it, why?”
“I just thought you might want to get better at them.”
“I guess so.” He shrugged and began hammering again until Madge interrupted.
“Well, with the pretty new teacher here, you might be able to get her to help you if you wanted to.”
“I suppose I could.” That’s the last thing I need. Getting anywhere near the schoolteacher was the worst idea I’ve ever heard. The more I’m around her; the more likely she is to figure out who I am.
“I think you should ask the new schoolteacher to help you with your reading and numbers, Daniel. She’s a very sweet girl, and I’m sure she could help you tremendously. I want you to be able to do better for yourself than just helping me here, but to do that, you need an education.”
“I’m too old to learn those things, Aunt Madge.” He began to pace while he tried to think of some way out of this, now that he was sure his aunt was serious. He needed to figure out how to convince her it would be a bad idea to have the pretty new teacher anywhere near him.
“You are not, Daniel. You seem to have a knack for building things, like furniture and such, but she could help you so maybe someday you could sell them and make some real money.”
“All right. I’ll think about it, but no promises, and don’t try to convince me every day for the next month or two.”
“That’s all I ask, Daniel. That’s all I ask.”
She retreated back into the kitchen, leaving him alone to contemplate her words. This just won’t do. There is no way I can be that close to the woman. Sooner or later, she would figure out who I am, and then there would be trouble, big trouble. I'll have to think of some way to get out of this hair-brained idea Aunt Madge has to get me educated.
“Educated, hell!” He knew all he needed to know to make a decent living robbing trains, but that damned Seth Sanford would have to be taken care of. So far, he didn’t think Seth had been able to recognize him behind the mask he wore while robbing the train, but Seth had ridden after him on that big black gelding of his and had almost caught him. Daniel had only been able to avoid him by mere minutes the other day, and it had scared the hell out of him. He would definitely have to be more careful.
* * * *
The next day dawned bright and cold. Lily had to bundle up before she headed off to the schoolhouse. She sure hoped it would warm up a bit in the coming month. Thinking that it would be much warmer in Texas, she hadn’t packed much of her heavier clothing from Boston. When the crisp morning air hit her face, she was glad she had at least brought one of her heavier cloaks.
As she made her way along the street toward the school, a horse and rider came galloping full speed up the street to her right. Her foot connected with the edge of the boardwalk in front of the general store as the horse came skidding to a halt on its rear haunches when Carl pulled back on the reins. Startled, she lost her footing and nearly fell into its path. The next thing she knew, she was scooped up in a pair of strong arms and pressed tight to a muscular, broad chest while the dust and dirt flew around them.
“Damn it, Carl! You just about ran down the new schoolteacher.” The anger in the voice took her by surprise before she realized it was Seth Sanford holding her tight. The pleasant smell of musk and man met her nose and filled her senses.
After a moment he gently set her back onto her feet. Lily stood there for just a second longer with her head buried against his chest. She finally stepped back and with a shaky breath looked up into the deepest, bluest eyes she’d ever seen. Sapphires. They are the color of sapphires.
“Sorry, ma’am,” Carl said, tying his horse to the rail. “I didn’t mean no harm, Seth.”
“Well, next time, be more careful, will you?” Seth’s
angry glare while he reprimanded the man riding the horse was obvious to her even in her stunned state of mind. “It was hard enough finding this one. We don’t need to be looking for a new one so soon."
His gaze met hers, sending her heart to her toes.
“Thank you,” she whispered, and then swallowed, trying desperately to coat her parched throat. Stepping back, she looked down at her dress and brushed some of the dirt from her skirt.
“You’re welcome, ma’am.” His gaze skimmed over her, warming her flesh with his look. “Are you all right?”
“Yes, I’m fine.” Her voice warbled just a little as a tremor rippled through her. “Just a bit shaken up, that’s all. How can I thank you?”
She looked back at the man and noticed how he had somehow lost his hat. His blond hair curled against the dark fabric of the shirt he wore. Her fingers itched to feel the texture of those curls before his voice pulled her out of the fog that had encompassed her brain.
“No thanks needed, ma’am.” Seth picked up his hat and started back to his wagon.
“Wait!” She turned to follow as he made his way toward the wagon.
He turned at the sound of her voice. “Yes?”
“At least let me introduce myself,” she said, stumbling over her words. “I’m Lily Backman.”
“Yes, I know.” Seth turned his back to her, pulled his lean body into the front of the wagon and settled into the seat.
“And you are?” she asked, hoping he would take the hint and introduce himself.
“Seth Sanford, ma’am. I believe you have my three children in your class.” He bent down and grabbed the brake, releasing the wagon wheels.
“Oh yes, Johnny, Jarod and Anne. They appear to be very well-mannered children.”
“Thank you. Their momma did a good job with them. Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to get home to get them ready for school.” Seth snapped the reins, and the wagon jerked forward.
Love's Sweet Surrender Page 4
