The Gift of Twins

by Gabrielle Meyer

  Rachel gave her a reassuring smile. “You’ll find it in the front parlor. I’d bring you some, but Mrs. Hubbard is feeling poorly and she asked me to fetch her another blanket.”

  “The baby?”

  “Not yet, but soon.”

  Emmy thanked Rachel and left the kitchen, taking a deep breath to prepare herself. Maybe, if she was quick, she could get her refreshments and return to her room in peace.

  At least a dozen men sat in the parlor. Some were playing cards, others were singing around the piano and still others were sitting on the furniture engaged in conversation.

  The one named Mr. Archibald was the first to notice her. He stood near the piano, his boisterous voice louder than the others, but he stopped singing and let out a whoop. “She’s here, gents!”

  Everyone paused what they were doing, and for a heartbeat, there was complete silence—then all of them started talking at once. Mr. Archibald rushed across the room and took her by the elbow. “This way, Miss Wilkes.”

  He practically pulled her to the piano. “Do you sing? No matter. Everyone sounds good around Mrs. Hubbard’s piano.”

  “I only came for the coffee,” Emmy protested, trying to pull away. “I have work to do this evening.”

  “Ah, work,” Mr. Archibald said it like it was a dirty word. “We work during the day and play at night, right boys?”

  A chorus of agreement rang in the air.

  “How about a little dancing?” someone yelled from across the room. “I get the first dance.”

  “No.” Emmy shook her head. She had no desire to spend the evening in frivolity. “This was a mistake. I shouldn’t have come.”

  “You’re here now.” A man with red whiskers pulled her into his arms, as if he was spinning her in a waltz.

  Emmy yanked out of his hold and straightened her skirt. “Gentlemen,” she said in her sternest teacher’s voice. “I have no intention to dan—”

  The piano music started again, drowning out her objection, while all the furniture was pushed to the edges of the room.

  “Really,” Emmy said. “I don’t want—”

  “Come on, Aaron,” Mr. Archibald said to the man who had suggested the dance. “You’re up first.”

  Emmy shook her head while the man named Aaron climbed over a chair, his eager gaze focused on her, his mouth in a lopsided grin.

  She dashed behind a table and shook her head, out of breath. “No!”

  “Ah, come on.” Aaron circled the table like a cat on the prowl. “Just a little fun is all we want.” He lunged for her, but she was fast and dodged his advance.

  “The lady said no.” A firm male voice filled the parlor.

  The piano music came to a jarring halt, and all the men turned to stare.

  Ben stood under the archway, still in his outdoor clothing, his brown eyes full of authority.

  “We were just funning her, Reverend,” Mr. Archibald said. “No harm done.”

  Emmy still stood behind the table, her hands braced, her feet ready to take flight, her chest rising and falling with deep breaths.

  Ben looked her over. “Are you all right, Miss Wilkes?”

  She stood straight and ran her hand over her hair, tucking a wayward curl back into place. “Yes.”

  Ben surveyed the room, looking at each man with intention, and nodded at Aaron. “See that all of Mrs. Hubbard’s furniture is put to rights.” He then looked at Emmy. “Could I have a word with you?”

  She almost sighed in relief. “Of course.”

  “Ah,” Mr. Archibald whined. “We got to her first.”

  “Miss Wilkes is not a prize to be won,” Ben said to the other man. “She is a lady who is to be respected. Now leave her in peace and quiet.”

  Emmy took a tentative step away from the security of the table and kept her eyes on the men as she stepped out of the parlor, across the foyer and into the dining room. A lantern had been left on, but dimmed, making the room intimate. Thankfully it was quiet.

  Emmy sank into one of the chairs, her legs wobbly.

  A smile quirked Ben’s lips as he sat near her. “That was quite something to watch.”

  “How long were you standing there?”

  “Long enough.” He couldn’t hide his grin.

  Emmy sighed and shook her head. “I just want a quiet, comfortable place to study. I suppose I’ll have to stay late at the school to get things done.”

  “It’s not safe for you to be there so late alone.” Ben’s smile disappeared. “Little Falls is a lawless town, thanks to our sheriff, and there’s no telling how long it will take for the men to discover you’re at the school alone.”

  “What will I do? I have to study.”

  Ben was quiet a moment. “You could always come to my home in the evenings. With Mrs. Carver there, she’d act as chaperone, and the boys are not loud.”

  “Mrs. Carver agreed to stay with you?”

  “She’s there now getting to know the boys and putting her things in place.”

  Emmy smiled, truly relieved for him. “I’m so happy she could come.”

  “So am I.”

  “Do you know what you’ll do once she leaves?”

  Ben looked down and fiddled with his cap. “I plan to find their nearest kin as soon as possible. I’m going to Abram Cooper’s this evening to see if he can help me locate their father. That’s partially why I stopped here first. I wanted to make sure you were getting along and see if you needed anything before I go to the Coopers’.” He chuckled. “It appears that you were in dire need, actually.”

  “Unfortunately, I was.” She smiled, thankful he had come. “But I don’t believe I have any other needs right now. You’ve done more than enough.”

  Ben stood and put his knitted cap back on. “I should go, but before I do, I’d like to reiterate my invitation.” He looked at her, his brown eyes so warm and friendly. “You’re welcome to come and study at my home whenever you’d like.”

  The prospect of being in Ben’s snug home was appealing, especially with all the commotion at the Hubbards’. “I just might.”

  “Good.” He glanced across the foyer, into the parlor. “Will you be okay?”

  She stood. “I’ll go back to my room.”

  “That’s probably for the best.” He pulled his mittens on and met her gaze. “Good night, Emmy.”

  “Good night, Ben.”

  He took his leave and Emmy stood in the dim dining room for a few moments, her thoughts full of Zeb and Levi, and their dashing guardian.

  Chapter Five

  Ben knocked on the Coopers’ lean-to door, his hands cold and his thoughts swinging from Levi and Jeb to the image of Emmy being chased around that table in the Hubbards’ parlor.

  Charlotte Cooper greeted Ben with a big smile, opening the door wider for him to enter. She held baby Louise in her arms, swaddled in a blanket. “Why’d you knock?”

  “Is that Ben?” Abram asked as he entered the kitchen from the front room.

  “It is,” Charlotte answered, closing the door behind Ben.

  Abram paused on his way to the stove with his coffee mug in hand, a frown tucked between his brows. “Why’d you knock?”

  Ben grinned at his friends, who were more like family. “I thought it the civilized thing to do.”

  Charlotte’s brown eyes filled with mirth as she tried taking his coat with her free hand.

  “I’ve got it.” Ben slipped it off and hung it on the peg near the door.

  “I remember the first time we met,” Charlotte said with a shake of her head. “You came right on in—”

  “And scared you half to death,” Ben finished, thinking of that long-ago day when he’d walked into the cabin and learned that Abram’s first wife, Susanne, had died and
Charlotte had come to help raise Abram and Susanne’s three boys. Back then, he’d dressed more like his mother’s people and Charlotte had feared that he was there to do her harm.

  “I thought Charlotte would be so frightened from the incident, she’d be on her way back to Iowa when I got home.” Abram laughed as he took another mug off the cupboard and didn’t even ask Ben before filling it for him.

  “Come in.” Charlotte gently nudged Ben out of the lean-to and into the warmth of her kitchen—but she paused. “Where are Levi and Zeb?”

  “Mrs. Carver is with them.”

  Charlotte placed her free hand over her heart. “Oh, good. I’m happy that worked out for you.”

  “I actually came to talk to you about the twins.” Ben took the steaming mug of coffee from Abram. “I need some help.”

  “Let’s go into the front room,” Abram suggested. “It’s almost bedtime for the children, but they’ll be happy to see you first.”

  Ben loved Abram and Charlotte’s children. In all the ways that mattered, they were like his nieces and nephews.

  The adults pushed through the door and entered the front room. The oldest boy, Robert, was eight and had been deaf for almost four years. He sat with his half-sister Patricia, who was only two years old, pointing to pictures in a book and making the signs for them. Martin, at the age of six, was playing jacks on the floor with George, who would soon be four. Miss Louise had been a welcome addition to the growing family, and Ben marveled that Charlotte and Abram made parenting look so effortless.

  In just two days, with two little boys who barely made a sound, Ben felt overwhelmed at the idea of parenting. Having Mrs. Carver to rely on had already made a big difference, but she couldn’t stay with him forever. He needed to find the boys’ father before Christmas. If he didn’t, he would be raising them by himself.

  Ben played with the children for a few minutes, and then Charlotte handed the baby to Abram before taking the children up to bed.

  “Good night,” the children called out to Ben.

  Ben said good-night and signed to Robert.

  “It’s amazing how quiet it gets when they all go to bed,” Abram commented as he looked down at his sleeping daughter. He glanced up at Ben. “Don’t tell the children, but it’s my favorite time of day, when I get Charlotte all to myself.” He chuckled and began to rock as he looked back at Louise. “Well, almost all to myself. This one stays close to her mama most of the day.”

  Ben tried not to envy the happiness of his friends. There had been a time when Ben had been in love with Charlotte and he’d proposed, but the whole time he knew in his heart that she was in love with Abram. He’d stepped back when he knew he should, and he’d been truly happy to perform their marriage ceremony.

  Two years later, he’d fallen for a young lady named Elizabeth, but she was in love with Ben’s friend, Jude. Ben had performed their marriage ceremony, as well, leaving Ben to wonder if his time would ever come. With so few prospects, and so many competitors, it didn’t seem likely.

  On its own accord, his mind turned back to Emmy—but he pushed thoughts of her aside as best he could, knowing she had no interest in marriage. Even if she did, there would probably be someone else she’d take a liking to.

  “What’d you have in mind to discuss?” Abram asked as he studied Ben.

  “I’d like help locating Levi and Zeb’s next of kin. I thought if I spread the word, maybe someone would have heard of them. Their father’s name is Malachi Trask.”

  “Trask.” Abram continued to rock as he looked toward the floor, deep in thought. “The name sounds familiar, but I can’t place it.” He glanced up at Ben. “Would you like me to ask around?”

  “That’s exactly what I was thinking. At least it’s a start. I’m hoping to go to St. Paul soon and see if I can find any leads there. The boys’ aunt said their father was in St. Paul last she heard.”

  “Are you sure that finding their pa is the right thing to do?” Abram asked.

  Ben had been thinking hard about the wisdom in finding Mr. Trask. The boys’ aunt didn’t speak highly of him, but Ben believed he needed to know where his children were. In Ben’s opinion, everyone needed a second chance.

  They spoke for some time about the boys and then Charlotte reappeared. She took a seat in her rocker and closed her eyes with a weary sigh—but when she opened them, and looked at Abram, they shared a contented smile.

  “I don’t want to take up more of your time,” Ben said as he stood to leave.

  “Nonsense.” Charlotte put her hand on his arm. “I just sat down to visit.”

  Ben nodded and sat once again. “I really shouldn’t stay much longer. I left Mrs. Carver with the boys quite a while ago to check on Emmy—Miss Wilkes.”

  Charlotte looked at Abram again, this time a knowing smile in her eyes before turning her attention back to Ben. “How is the new schoolteacher getting along? Robert and Martin said Mr. Samuelson’s girls were giving her a hard time today, but it sounds like my boys like her.”

  “I stopped by the Hubbards’ and found her in quite a predicament.” Ben laughed just thinking about the scene he’d come across. “The boarders were trying to get her to dance, and Aaron Chambers had her cornered behind a table, ready to pounce.”

  Charlotte’s mouth parted. “That’s horrible. Those men should be ashamed of themselves.”

  “Things haven’t changed much around here,” Abram said. “I remember that first winter, when Charlotte was the only female for miles. It was a full-time job just keeping the men at bay. The only way to stop them was to marry her myself.”

  Charlotte chuckled. “I suppose that’s true.”

  “Unfortunately, that’s not an option for me,” Ben said.

  “And why not?” Abram asked. “It’s about time you find a nice young lady and settle down.”

  “Miss Wilkes wouldn’t be interested. The school board hired her to teach—and that’s exactly what she needs to do.” Not to mention that she already expressed her desire to stay single. Ben had been rejected more than he cared to admit, and the idea of pursuing someone again, just to be turned down, wasn’t something he cared to do. He had come to terms with the idea of staying single while he served God, and that’s how he intended to stay. Any time he had strayed from that plan, he had been heartbroken. “Miss Wilkes is struggling for other reasons at the boardinghouse. She needs a quiet place to work and study, and she’d like to have her books with her, but there’s no room. She said she’d stay late at the school, but I said that would be foolish, so I invited her to study at my home in the evenings.”

  “Why can’t she board with you?” Charlotte asked.

  Ben frowned. “That would hardly be—”

  “And why not?” Charlotte leaned forward, her eyes animated. “With Mrs. Carver there, it would be completely respectable. And, in my opinion, a better option. Living in a crowded house with over a dozen single men all vying for her attention doesn’t sound like it’s any more respectable.”

  The baby began to fuss, so Abram handed her off to her mama. “Charlotte’s right. You have plenty of room, and with the housekeeper present, no one would have any issues with the arrangement.”

  Ben stood and paced to the fireplace. Would Emmy be amenable to the idea? “Mrs. Carver can only stay until after Christmas, then she’s planning to move out to her daughter’s farm to help with a new baby.”

  “At least the school board would have time to locate another place for Miss Wilkes to live.” Charlotte held Louise up to her shoulder and patted her on the back. “And it would give Miss Wilkes time to get settled into the school without all the commotion at the Hubbards’.”

  Ben couldn’t deny the surge of pleasure he felt at the idea of Emmy leaving the boardinghouse.

  “There’s no harm in asking,” Abram added.

&nb
sp; Ben supposed there was no harm in asking—only in being rejected, though he suspected Miss Wilkes would have no objections.

  * * *

  “Annabeth Samuelson.” Emmy stood from her desk where she was listening to the first-year students recite their arithmetic. “Please come to the front of the class.”

  Annabeth gave a sideways glance at her sister, Margareta, and took her time leaving her desk. “Yes, Teacher?” she asked as she stopped in front of Emmy’s desk.

  Emmy pulled her shoulders back and inhaled a deep breath before addressing her pupil. The Samuelson sisters had been difficult from the moment the first bell had rung on Emmy’s first day. Whether they believed they were above her authority because their father was the superintendent, or because they were grieving and missing their mama, they were bent on making Emmy’s job miserable.

  “I called for complete silence from the upper classes until the first-year students were through reciting.”

  Annabeth blinked in feigned innocence. “I remember.”

  “Why were you whispering to Margareta?”

  The fourteen-year-old girl gave a pouty look. “Why are you picking on me, Miss Wilkes? Is it because my father doesn’t like you and you’re taking it out on me?”

  Twenty students sat or stood around the room, all their eyes pinned to Emmy. Annabeth had tried bating Emmy every chance she could get—but Emmy refused to play her games.

  “I want you to write on the board fifty times, ‘I will not whisper in class.’”

  “Fifty?” Annabeth’s mouth fell open. “My hand will cramp, and my father will be very upset when he hears you’re making an example of me. He doesn’t like to be embarrassed.”

  “And I don’t like disobedience. If you haven’t finished by recess, you’ll have to stay indoors.”