Читать книгу The Gift Of Twins - Gabrielle Meyer - Страница 15

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.

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.”

Annabeth lifted her nose and walked to the chalkboard, stomping her feet all the way. She picked up a piece of chalk and scratched each word onto the board with deliberate strokes, causing the chalk to squeak in protest.

Emmy slowly sat in her chair and looked back at the younger students. Levi and Zeb stood quietly, their eyes fixed on Emmy’s face, though Levi glanced at Annabeth from time to time.

“Now, where were we?” Emmy asked.

The door opened and a gentleman entered the schoolhouse with a gust of wind.

“What now?” Emmy asked under her breath, rising from her desk once again. “May I help you?”

The man took off his hat and clutched it in his hands, looking left and right at the students as he tentatively walked down the aisle between the desks. “Are you Miss Wilkes?” he asked as he stopped at her desk.

“I am.”

He swallowed hard and turned his hat around in his hands. “I came to speak with you.”

Emmy frowned. “Do you have a student you’d like to enroll?”

“No.” He leaned forward, his greasy hair falling over his forehead, and lowered his voice. “This here is a personal matter.”

Annabeth stopped writing and stared openly at the man while all the other children listened in.

“I’m sorry, but if you’re not here on school business, you’ll need to leave,” Emmy said.

“But this can’t wait. If I don’t talk to you now, some other fella will swoop in and stake his claim.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Emmy came around the desk to show him to the door. “I have a school to run and I need you to leave.”

“Will you allow me to call on you at the Hubbard home?”

Emmy walked with determined steps into the cloakroom and to the door.

“Miss Wilkes.” He followed her. “Did you hear me?”

She opened the door. “I most certainly did, and I am not interested—”

“What is the meaning of this?” Mr. Samuelson stood on the stoop outside the door, his hand raised as if he had just reached for the doorknob. He looked between the strange man and Emmy.

Emmy’s stomach dropped and she grappled for an explanation. “I was just showing this gentleman out.”

“What is he doing here?” Mr. Samuelson demanded.

“I came to see if Miss Wilkes will let me call on her, but she hasn’t given me an answer.” The man looked at Emmy with great interest. “What do you say?”

Mr. Samuelson crossed his arms, his face turning red. “Well?” he asked. “What do you say, Miss Wilkes?”

“I’ve never met this man in my life,” Emmy said to her superintendent. “I have no interest in accepting his invitation and I’d prefer if he left.”

The man straightened his shoulders and shoved his hat back on. “I guess the lady has spoken.”

Emmy lifted her chin. “Please do not return.”

He stepped between her and Mr. Samuelson and walked out of the schoolhouse without a backward glance.

Mr. Samuelson stared at Emmy. “Please put on your wraps and come outside with me. I’d like to speak to you.”

Emmy let out a sigh as she grabbed her wraps and then poked her head back into the classroom. “Greta Merchant, will you please watch over the classroom while I’m speaking with Mr. Samuelson?”

Greta stood and nodded. “Yes, Miss Wilkes.”

Annabeth gave Emmy a smug look at the front of the class, but Emmy chose to ignore the girl as she pulled on her mittens and stepped outside, closing the door behind her.

“How many men have come to the school like this?” Mr. Samuelson asked without waiting for her to explain herself.

“None. Like I said, I don’t know—”

“Do you think it’s proper to have men calling on you at the school?”

“Of course not—”

“I knew it was a mistake to keep you on. I should have gone with my first instinct and sent you back east.”

“Please, Mr. Samuelson, listen to—”

“You leave me no choice but to start seeking another teacher to replace you.”

Ben appeared at the edge of the school yard, his curious gaze latched on Emmy and Mr. Samuelson. “Is everything all right?”

“It is not.” Mr. Samuelson shared the scene he’d just witnessed a moment ago. “I shouldn’t have listened to you, Pastor Lahaye. I knew it would only be a matter of time before I caught her in an inappropriate situation—but I never thought it would be at the school.”

Indignation rose in Emmy’s chest. “I did not invite that man into the school!”

“You need to see reason,” Ben said to Mr. Samuelson, his voice calm. “Miss Wilkes is not to blame.”

“If she was a man, this would not have happened.”

Ben chuckled. “I suppose you’re right, but that’s not her fault.”

Mr. Samuelson straightened his shoulders, his jaw tight. “I can see it’s impossible to discuss Miss Wilkes with you. I will bring up this matter at the next school board meeting.” He spoke the words with finality. “I must get back to my store, and if I’m not mistaken, it’s time to release the children for recess.”

Emmy looked at her pocket watch, trying to calm the turmoil she felt in her gut. If she wasn’t careful, she might say something she’d regret—but one look at Ben’s gentle countenance and her emotions began to settle. “I made a promise to you and the school, and I intend to keep it.”

Mr. Samuelson acted as if he didn’t hear her. He gave her a curt nod and then strode away.

Ben shook his head. “That man has a knack for finding fault. I’m just sorry he’s directed that particular talent on you.”

Despite her frustration, she smiled. “I am, too.” Her smile faded and she wrapped her arms around her body for warmth. “I thought I was safe from amorous men here at the school—but it doesn’t look like I’m safe anywhere.”

“That’s actually why I’m here.” Ben looked down and readjusted his footing, clearly uncomfortable with his mission. “I thought I could speak privately with you during recess. I can wait until you release the children.”

“My whole day has been disrupted. The children can wait a few more moments if you’d like to speak now.”

He met her gaze, uncertainty in his dark brown eyes. “My friend Mrs. Cooper made a suggestion that I thought I’d share with you.”

“Go ahead.”

“Since I have a housekeeper now, Charlotte thought you might be inclined to leave the Hubbards and board at my house.” He went on quickly. “You’d have to share a room with Mrs. Carver on the second floor, but it’s a big room, with plenty of space for your trunks. I could put a desk in there, and you could study to your heart’s content each evening.”

The thought of having more privacy to study made her want to cry in happiness—but then she paused. “Would it be seemly?”

“Charlotte assures me it would. With Mrs. Carver as a chaperone, no one would raise an eyebrow.”

Emmy nibbled her bottom lip. Even if people did think twice about the arrangement, she couldn’t deny its appeal. “I will accept.”

He blinked twice before responding. “You will?”

“When shall I move in?”

“As soon as you’d like.”

She reached out and shook his hand. “I will move my things immediately after school.”

Ben’s smile was wide and charming. “I’ll be over to help.”

A flutter filled her stomach at that handsome smile, but she pushed the silly notion aside and started to look forward to a quiet house after five days of chaos at the Hubbards’.