WOMEN OF SURPRISE 02: Lydia's Passion

by Tracey J. Lyons

  "Why do you say that, Abigail?" Lydia wanted to know everything there was to know about the man who would serve as her superior.

  "No reason. It's just that he's been so wrapped up in his business and caring for his children, I can't imagine he'd have the time to care about the teacher."

  Scooting to the edge of her seat, Lydia replied, "Oh he cares, all right." She proceeded to tell Abigail what had transpired, finishing with, "the man doesn't seem to have any compassion. He's stubborn and condescending. I'm not sure I even like him all that much."

  "Really."

  "Yes, really." Lydia didn't like the look on her cousin's face. She was smiling in that knowing way, like she had some secret about the man.

  "You know what they say about someone who protests too much?"

  "No, I don't." Then it hit her. Lydia sprang from the chair, heading towards the door. "I am not attracted to him. I can't believe you'd even think such a thing!"

  "Did I say anything at all to that effect, Lydia?"

  Reaching for the door handle, she said, "You didn't have to, it's written all over your face." She left the office with the sound of Abigail's laughter ringing in her ears.

  Lydia did not like the man. Admittedly he was handsome, but he was far too self-absorbed for her taste. Simply put, Alexander Judson wasn't her type.

  The next week flew by as Lydia busily prepared for her first day of lessons. The books, tablets, and writing utensils arrived on Friday. Saturday and Sunday were spent making sure there were enough supplies for each student. By her calculations there would be twenty children attending. Of course, that number could very well climb once word got out about the new building being open.

  She hoped so. "The more the merrier" was her motto.

  After carefully studying the teaching guides, Lydia calculated that she had a month's lessons planned out. These included learning letters and numbers for the younger students, math, reading, and history for the older ones.

  The next order of business was to decide on her wardrobe. After careful consideration, she decided against drab dark schoolmarmish colors with good reason-she didn't own any. So for the first day of classes, Lydia donned a blue and white calico day gown with a matching blue shawl, bonnet and gloves.

  After patting her red hair, swept in a conservative French knot, and giving herself a final spritz of perfume, Lydia Louise Monroe set off for her first day of school.

  The sight that greeted her almost made her turn tail and run back home to Aunt Margaret.

  "Robert! Laura!" Alexander was busy packing lunch buckets, tidying the cooking area, and still had to make the beds. His son and daughter were nowhere to be found. While he felt bad for Mrs. Sutherland, he wished she could have been sick on another day.

  This was the first day of school and he wanted to be there to greet the parents, as well as the teacher. Time was wasting away.

  His frustration growing, Alex yelled, "Robert and Laura, answer me right now!"

  "We're on the porch, Papa." Robert poked his head inside the door. "Laura and I are ready to go.

  Taking a deep breath, Alex made himself calm down, knowing that taking his frustrations out on his children was unfair. Exhaling, he finished putting their lunches in the pails and gathered his things to join them.

  He paused when he saw his daughter, so much the image of her mother. The same blue eyes and innocent smile looked up at him. Pain tugged at his heart. It was on days like these that he missed his wife the most. Joanna should be the one putting ribbons in Laura's hair and combing Robert's unruly curls into place, not him.

  Today wasn't a day for dwelling on those thoughts, though. With great effort, he pushed his sorrow deep inside. Straightening his shoulders and taking a fortifying breath, he ushered them off the porch.

  "Tell us about our teacher, Papa." Laura happily skipped along beside him.

  What was there to say about the woman with the fiery red hair that would satisfy a child's curiosity. He couldn't very well tell them that Miss Monroe was highly unqualified, or that he'd been filled with doubts about the woman since he first laid eyes upon her.

  Instead he opted for the easy way out. "She's a very kind woman." At least that was the truth. Alex felt she might very well have a kind heart and certainly would never harm any child.

  "I hope she doesn't give a lot of homework," Robert scoffed.

  He smiled down at his children, so typical in their concerns. Laura wanted someone who would be nice while Robert was only concerned about his playtime being taken over by after-school work.

  As they neared the building, Laura placed her hand in his, moving closer will each step. He wanted to allay her fears. "I'm positive that you'll have a grand time. Look-there's Daisy Drumm. You like playing with Daisy, don't you, Laura?"

  Her blonde head bobbed up and down.

  "Maybe Miss Monroe will seat you next to her; that would be fine now wouldn't it?"

  "Yes, Papa. Can I go talk to Daisy?"

  "Run along." Releasing her hand, he smiled as the two girls caught each other in a hug. Robert had already gone off to join his group of friends. The outside yard was filled with parents and children all anxious to start the day.

  Scanning the crowd, Alex was surprised he didn't see the teacher. He hoped she wasn't foolish enough to be tardy on the first day of classes. That wouldn't go over well with the committee, all of whom were there.

  He was hailed by Mrs. Bartholomew, owner of the boarding house over on Low Road. "Mr. Judson, just look at all these happy faces!"

  Happy faces, indeed. He thought the parents wore the brightest smiles of the day. Several of the boys had already run off to play kick ball, including his son Robert, and the young girls stood in a circle giggling at their antics, oblivious to their parents's delight at being free of them for a few short hours.

  "I hope the teacher arrives soon," was all he managed to get out before he noticed her making a path through the children. A hush fell over the crowd as children and parents alike turned to gaze at the new schoolteacher.

  Miss Lydia Monroe was a sight to behold. The morning sunlight bounced off her vibrant red hair. Parents who hadn't had a chance to meet her before stared awestruck by her appearance. The pretty blue dress she wore wasn't exactly what Alex would call proper attire for the job; the fabric clinging to every curve of her body.

  As he looked around at the expectant faces, he wondered if he was the only one to notice how out of place she looked. Sweet scents filled his nostrils. Just as he was looking for the source of the intoxicating smell, he found Lydia's gloved hand outstretched to his.

  "Good morning, Mr. Judson. Isn't it wonderful the turnout we have for the first day of classes?"

  Her smile was as brilliant as the color of her hair as she greeted him. The clearing of a throat from behind him reminded him how rude it would appear if he didn't accept her handshake.

  Extending his hand towards hers, he said, "Yes. It is better than the committee could have hoped for. I assume you have everything in order." The scent belonged to her.

  Something flashed in those green eyes right before she answered, "Of course."

  Anger. Trepidation. He couldn't say for sure which, and it really didn't matter, for in the next minute she was climbing the four steps to the doorway. He admired the soft curves of her backside as she reached up, pulling on the leather cord, ringing the school bell.

  A cheer went up from the townsfolk and with that the school was opened. Alex didn't know if he was relieved or frightened. He'd bet a week's worth of wages that that woman wouldn't last the month.

  Turning away from the crowd, he walked over to his lumberyard. Cole was already waiting for him when he walked into the office.

  "You looked worried," he said to Alex.

  Grabbing the tin coffeepot off the coal stove, Alex poured himself a cup of the strong brew. "I suppose I shouldn't be. But I can't seem to help myself. You know as well as I do how flighty Lydia Monroe is."

  His fri
end simply smiled.

  "I don't even want to know what you're thinking," Alex said to his amused friend.

  Cole said, "I'm thinking that I've almost finished the shelves for Jules over at the Mercantile."

  Alex harrumphed.

  "And Mr. White stopped by to ask about the lumber order for his house."

  "To pester us, you mean. What'd you tell him?"

  "I told him it would be ready by the end of the week."

  Sipping his coffee thoughtfully, Alex swallowed and said, "We'll have it done by then." He gave one last glance toward the school and then settled in for a long day's work.

  Lydia sat behind the big oak desk, carefully going over the first test of the school year. Though the students had groaned as if she were going to torture them, they'd set right to work once she explained it was just so she could place them in the proper groups for learning.

  Taking advantage of the excitement that a new teacher could bring, she'd given them a short reading assignment to do while she corrected the papers. A snicker from the back of the room drew her attention.

  Looking up she saw Robert Judson poke Clara White in the back. Clearing her throat, she caught his attention and shook her head. He quickly put his head back in the book. Lydia smiled. Her gaze scanning the room, she was happy to see all of her charges busy reading.

  When she'd seen the crowd outside in the morning, she hadn't been sure what to expect. It felt as if suddenly the entire future of the town was resting on her shoulders. Unaccustomed to such feelings, Lydia had nearly gone back on her word to Aunt Margaret. But then there was Alexander Judson standing there with that look on his face, the one that said he doubted her abilities.

  Rising to his silent challenge, Lydia decided she was going to prove him wrong in every way. It certainly wasn't her fault that the man was grouchy and miserable all of the time. Furthermore, there was no need for him to take his problems out on her. She saw the censure in his eyes when she'd arrived after everyone else this morning.

  How was she supposed to know that the entire town would turn out early for the opening of the school? Mr. Judson had anticipated everyone arriving early. He could have tipped her off. But he didn't. She was thinking that maybe he wanted her to fail at this job.

  Looking at the papers still needing to be corrected, Lydia realized time was ticking away while she lamented about the owner of the Lumber Company.

  A few minutes later the children started to get restless, so Lydia called a playtime. The children trooped outside and quickly broke off into groups. Laura Judson remained at her side.

  Kneeling down so she was at Laura's height, Lydia looked into her sky blue eyes. "Is something the matter?"

  The precious little girl shook her head, her blonde ringlets swaying. "No, Miss. Is it okay if I stay by you?"

  "Wouldn't you rather play with your friends? I see Daisy Drumm over by the tree. She's waving at you. Go run along and play with her."

  Laura moved closer to her. Lydia didn't know what to make of this. Laura hadn't seemed shy when she came to school this morning. She'd happily run along beside Daisy and Lydia had even sat them next to each other in the classroom. Still those big blue eyes were looking up at her unwaveringly.

  Seeing that Laura wasn't going to budge, Lydia suggested, "Why don't we go over and visit with Daisy, would that be all right with you?"

  "Yes, Miss."

  Once the girls were together, Laura appeared to be fine, happily playing ring-around-the-rosy with several other girls her age. Lydia wondered about the little girl's need to be close to her. She hadn't had any contact with Laura except for today. It was amazing how quickly the girl had taken to her.

  Lydia smiled; it felt good to be needed. Pulling her watch from her skirt pocket, she checked the time and saw the children only had five minutes of playtime left. The day was so beautiful though, it would be a shame to waste it indoors. Sunlight poured from the brilliant blue sky. A breeze kept the air at a comfortable temperature.

  There was no reason why they couldn't continue their lessons right here in the yard. Clapping her hands together, she summoned her charges. "Come gather round, everyone."

  When they'd all settled close to her, she moved to sit under the big oak tree where the girls had been playing. "What do you think about spending some more time outside?"

  Cheers and laughter rang out. Lydia beamed. "Quiet down now, or we'll have to go back inside." When everyone had found a place to sit in the grass, Lydia looked at all the little shiny faces staring back at her expectantly.

  "What would you like to work on first, letters or numbers?"

  The children all began chattering at once. Finally Lydia raised her hand getting their attention. "Let's see a show of hands. How many would like to do letters?" She counted ten hands. "Now how many would like to do numbers?" Nine arms shot up.

  "It looks like we're going to learn some letters." Groans erupted from some of the boys who were clearly not happy with the outcome of the vote. "We'll work on our numbers after lunch."

  Lydia spent the next hour teaching her students a song, and by lunchtime they'd all learned how to sing their letters. Sitting back against the tree, she listened with a keen ear as they started the second round of their ABC's. Nineteen voices blended together in a simple harmony.

  The rest of the day passed quickly, and before she knew it, Lydia was ringing the bell dismissing them. The parents gathered up their youngsters and headed off. Only the Judson children remained. Lydia was fuming, how could Mr. Judson leave his children to be last the ones picked up? The man obviously gave them no thought whatsoever.

  "Let me gather my things and we'll see about getting you home."

  Laura looked up at her with tears brimming in her big round eyes. "Did my papa forget us?"

  Robert stood beside his sister. "He has lots to do, Laura. Papa told us that last night, remember?"

  She shook her head.

  Fighting with her anger, she thought it unfortunate that this little boy had to make excuses for his father. Smiling down at the brother and sister, she offered, "I think I might have some cookies leftover from my lunch." Hurrying she went back to her desk and found her lunch pail, taking out the treat, she went back outside to find the two of them sitting on the top step with their chins resting on their hands.

  Handing each of them a cookie, she said, "I'll just be a minute." All the while, Lydia was thinking that a cookie was a sad replacement for a father.

  Leaving them to nibble away, Lydia went inside to gather her belongings. She wasn't inside for more than two minutes when she heard Laura's squeal. Dropping the papers she'd been putting in her satchel, she raced outside to see what was happening.

  "Papa!" Laura launched herself into his arms.

  Robert stayed where he was looking up at his father. Lydia stood framed in the doorway with her hands on her hips.

  "Good afternoon, Mr. Judson."

  "Afternoon, Miss Monroe." He tipped his hat to her.

  "You're late."

  "Sorry if I kept you waiting." Looking up at her, he offered a smile of apology.

  The slow easy smile left his face when he noticed that she wasn't returning it. "Laura, why don't you and Robert start home, I'd like to have a word with Miss Monroe." Setting his daughter on the ground, he looked at Lydia.

  Narrowing her eyes, she stared down at him. Climbing two steps he stood at eye-level with her. Refusing to be intimidated by this man, Lydia stood her ground. Tension snapped around them like streaks of lightening as they continued their standoff.

  He broke the silence. "I can see that you're upset with me. I'm sorry if my being late ruined the rest of your day."

  "It's not my day that's been ruined, Mr. Judson. It's your children's."

  Her comment seemed to grab his attention. Putting one foot up on the riser she was standing on, he glared at her. "May I remind you that your job is to teach, and not to scold parents who work hard all day in order to put food on their family's ta
ble!"

  "There is no need for you to raise your voice." Lydia was barely containing her anger, but she at least had the good conscious not to make a scene. "Your children are waiting for you."

  Looking over his shoulder, he noticed them waiting for him at the edge of the school yard. "Good day, Miss Monroe."

  "Good day, Mr. Judson."

  The three cousins sat at the table flanking their aunt; it was weekly teatime. Aunt Margaret insisted that every Friday afternoon they all gather at her home to, as she put it, "catch up." This week was no different.

  It was Maggie's turn to pour. "Lydia, I've been hearing some interesting comments about you."

  Lydia could swear her heart rate just spiked. She'd been on edge since her last meeting with the unpleasant Alexander Judson. He was technically the one she answered to, and since she was growing surprisingly fond of her job, she didn't want to do anything to further displease him.

  Carefully placing the delicate tea cup on the saucer, she looked at Maggie. "I hope they are at least helpful comments." She hadn't mentioned their exchange with anyone.

  "Don't go fretting. I've heard glowing reports from the widow Sutherland," said her aunt.

  "Aunt Margaret, she hardly counts. I mean after all, she doesn't have any children, leastwise not ones that I teach."

  "Phooey! She cares for the Judsons while Alexander is working. I'd say that gives her the right to have a say about you." Aunt Margaret reached out to take a ginger cookie off one of the plates on the table. Nibbling thoughtfully, she turned her attention to Maggie.

  Relieved to have the pressure taken off of her for the time being, Lydia turned to Maggie. Their aunt had a rather unsettling way of getting them to say things that most times none of them wanted to discuss.

  "And what have you been doing with yourself this past week, Maggie?"

  Glancing anxiously from Lydia to Abigail, Maggie looked like a cornered animal. "Nothing much really."