by Lori Wick
thirteen
Santa Rosa, California—March 1871
“Hey, Rigg, I thought you were headed to Burt’s office.”
“I am. At one, like we decided.”
“It’s quarter to two.”
Marshall Riggs looked at the regulator on the wall and shook his head. “I tell you, Jeff, these accounts for the store are going to be the death of me.”
Jeff laughed unsympathetically and the two men headed down the office stairs. Marshall, Rigg to nearly everyone, was the darker of the two with black hair and startling gray eyes that turned almost black if he was upset. Jeffrey Taylor, Rigg’s half brother, stood just short of six feet, whereas Rigg was just over. Jeff’s hair was a medium shade of brown and his eyes were light blue and usually smiling with mischief.
The stairway took the men down to the floor of one of Santa Rosa’s mercantiles. It was a good business with every imaginable type of ware. There was even a row of chairs along one side for the men to sit in and chat when they brought their wives in to shop.
The brothers were passing those chairs now and, as always, Rigg felt a bit of envy. He wished his own wife was shopping somewhere in the store. But Rigg didn’t have a wife. He believed that if he was to have a wife, God would provide one. But the fact that God was in control did not change his desires, the deepest of which was to have a family.
“I thought I told you to get rid of those hats Rigg,” an elderly farmer spoke in a gruff, good-natured voice, causing Rigg and Jeff to smile. “They’re costing me a fortune.” As if on cue, the man’s wife appeared with a hat on her head and one in each hand.
“I can’t decide,” she spoke before she saw the young men. “Oh, hello Jeff, hello Rigg.”
“Hello, Mrs. Wallace,” Rigg spoke. “I hope you’re finding what you need.”
“Well, I just can’t choose between these hats. You always have such nice hats, Rigg.”
“You could take all three,” Rigg said with exaggerated innocence.
“Rigg!” sounded the gruff voice from the chair. Laughter was heard as the younger men chose to exit on that note.
The men were headed to Burt Kemp’s office to check with him on the vacant teaching position. On the way, the teacher they’d just lost became the topic.
“Mom told me to look you over today and see if you’re losing weight.”
Rigg laughed. “I will admit to you that I miss Marty’s cooking.”
The last four schoolteachers had all been men, and Rigg’s large home, situated two blocks from the school, had been the perfect place for the men to live. Rigg had gotten along very well with all of them, but he hadn’t enjoyed anyone’s company as much as the last one, Marty Wright.
Marty’s hobby was cooking and Rigg hadn’t eaten so well since he’d turned 23 and moved into his grandparents old home three years ago. But two weeks ago Marty had come down with a severe case of pneumonia. Rigg experienced the scare of his life at how quickly the younger man had gone down. School had been called off for a week, but it became clear even after it was no longer a life-and-death situation, that Marty was not going to be able to finish the school year. His parents, who lived in nearby Fulton, came and took him home to recover.
Thus, the ad was put into papers as far away as San Francisco. So far the response had been poor.
Burt Kemp was head of the school board and a kind man. He welcomed Rigg and Jeff into his cluttered office and told them no applications had come in.
“I really wish this had been settled. But I’ve talked with Greg Carson and he’s agreed to take over for me when I leave. In fact he’s coming over in a while to make sure he knows what to do.”
“When do you go?” Rigg wanted to know.
“This afternoon, late.” Burt said the words apologetically and shrugged.
“Don’t be sorry, Burt. You need this time with your daughter. I’m sure Greg can handle it.” Even as Jeff said the words, Greg’s one fault came to mind. He was extremely tightfisted. It didn’t often affect his position on the school board but it always made Jeff a little uncomfortable.
The men broke up later and Jeff made his way back to the shipping office that his parents, William and Mabel, May for short, ran. It was actually his father who was on the school board but he’d been tied up and asked Jeff to go with Rigg. He would fill him in after the next stagecoach was unloaded. It was due any time.
The stagecoach, with its weary travelers, slowed and came to a complete stop near the shipping office.
On the trip Marcail had fallen asleep and was now revived to full energy. Even Sean had dozed off and didn’t look very tired. Kaitlin, on the other hand, was not sure her legs were going to hold her. Every muscle in her body ached and her mouth and throat were so dry they felt as if they had been stuffed with an old rag.
A young man who should be in school, Kaitlin thought vaguely, helped them with their bags and when Sean asked directions to Burt Kemp’s office, he gave them politely.
“Who was that?” Jeff approached, as the Donovans walked away.
“I don’t know,” Nathan Taylor answered. Nate was Jeff’s youngest brother. “They’re headed to Burt’s. I hope he’s not a schoolteacher.”
“I’ll bet you do,” Jeff laughed, knowing how much his 15-year-old brother was enjoying this time without a teacher. “Well, I wouldn’t worry about it if I were you. He looked a little young to teach school.”
“That’s true,” Nate said with relief.
The boys were joined then by the next brother, 18-year-old Gilbert, and all three of them went back to work.
“I can see I’ve surprised you, Mr. Kemp, and I know my appearance right now is rather a dusty mess, but I am qualified to teach your school.”
Burt and Greg both stared in disbelief at the lovely young woman, dressed in widow’s weeds. It took a few moments for Burt to recover.
“Please be seated, Mrs. Donovan. I’m sorry we—”
“It’s Miss Donovan.”
Burt blinked in surprise thinking that he’d misunderstood her when she’d introduced herself. He looked at her dress and Kaitlin knew she had to explain.
“My mother died recently.” Her voice told of her grief. “I’ve never been married, although my brother and sister will be living with me.”
The meeting, off to a poor start, came to a wonderful conclusion. The men had been hesitant to hire a woman but within a few minutes they were more than impressed with Kaitlin Donovan. The only cloud on the horizon was Kaitlin’s lack of a teaching certificate. Greg was very bothered by this and came right out and said so.
“We can’t very well give you a trial period since this is the end of March and school ends in two months but I do think we, as a school board, need to consider this. Maybe the best route to take would be a lower wage for the first month, you know, until you’ve proven yourself.”
“That’s fine, Mr. Carson.” Kate assured him in her gentle way. Burt felt very guilty about such a move but the time was moving on. He didn’t want this interview to make him late in leaving—he and his wife were going to see their eldest daughter, who was about to have a baby. He’d take up the matter with Greg, when he returned.
Sean and Marcail were ushered into the office and introduced. The next thing Kaitlin knew, they were being led down the street to a hotel for the night.
“Now, Mr. Carson will start first thing in the morning finding you a place to live.” Burt was walking and talking so fast that Kaitlin was straining to catch his words.
“You should be comfortable here tonight.” They were in the hotel now, going up the stairs at an amazing pace. “That will give you the weekend to get settled, and you’ll be ready to start school Monday. Oh! The school records. Greg can bring you those. Oh, yes, my daughter . . . we’re going on a trip but you’ll have her when we return.”
Mr. Kemp had seen them to their room and opened the door. He gave a quick look around before bidding them good-bye and nearly running from the room.
&nbs
p; The door closed and the children stood still in the middle of the room. A moment went by, and then Kaitlin walked toward the only chair in the room and sank into it. She was nearly trembling with fatigue.
Marcail was fascinated with the idea of staying in a hotel and she did a thorough inspection of the room. There was only one bed, but there was a good-sized sofa, and Marcail declared it would be Sean’s. Sean was too busy watching his older sister to pay much attention to Marcail.
“Are you going to cry, Katie?”
“I’m too tired to cry.”
“Are you happy you got the job?”
“Yes, I’m just a little overwhelmed.”
“Why don’t I go get us some supper?”
“Would you, Sean?” Kate perked up at the very idea.
“Sure. Marcail and I will go find some food while you freshen up.”
Kaitlin did cry then, because he was so thoughtful. Sean never knew what to do when his sisters or mother cried and then he remembered he didn’t have a mother.
Please God, his young heart prayed as he moved close so Kate could cry onto the sleeve of his jacket, please help me take care of my sisters. And please take care of me, too.
fourteen
The next morning Greg Carson walked with a jaunty step into the hotel dining area to find the new schoolteacher. She was easy to spot because the room was near to empty. If he’d thought her attractive yesterday, he didn’t know what to think today. Kaitlin was well rested and in a clean dress.
“Good morning, Miss Donovan.” Greg was irritated at the way his voice nearly stuttered, but to his relief none of the Donovan family seemed to notice.
“Good morning.”
“I have good news for you.” His stuttering was forgotten in his excitement. “I’ve found you a house. Now, I didn’t rent it, because it’s up to you if you want it. It needs a little cleaning up but the price is very good. . . .”
Mr. Carson went on to name an amount which caused Kaitlin to blink. This was the very man who had set her salary yesterday and then casually announced to her today that the rent for the house would be swallowing about 90 percent of her monthly income.
Moments before Mr. Carson had come in, Kate and Sean had been discussing the idea of Sean getting a Saturday job. Kate wasn’t thrilled with the idea, but if the rents in town were high, they just might not have any choice.
After breakfast they walked to the house that Greg had found. The house turned out to be a one-room cottage. It was quaint, charming even, and painted white. Kaitlin was pleasantly surprised to see a stove and a table with two chairs. She became concerned, though when she saw only one bed.
“It’s very nice.”
“Then you like it?” Mr. Carson seemed so delighted that Kaitlin smiled.
“Yes, I do.” She glanced around and then asked, “Is there any way we could have another bed?”
Mr. Carson looked a little surprised at the request and then looked at Sean as though seeing him for the first time. He’d been given no authorization from the school board to furnish the house and the thought went against his grain, even if he had.
“I forgot that there were three of you,” he said almost absently and then a smile lit his face. “The male schoolteachers usually stay with Marshall Riggs. I’ll bet he’d let Sean stay with him!”
Kaitlin felt her breath leave in a rush. Have Sean live somewhere else, with some man they hadn’t even met yet? Kate didn’t know what to do.
She asked cautiously, not wanting to complain, “Mr. Carson, when you were checking, did you see any places for rent that were a little bit bigger?”
“Not in this price range,” he told her, not unkindly.
“Well—” Kaitlin began, but really couldn’t think of anything to say. Greg took it as an agreement.
“Fine, fine. I can go over right now and explain the situation to Rigg and then I’ll show you the schoolhouse. Can you find your way back to the hotel?”
“Yes, thank you.” Kate’s voice was strained but Greg didn’t notice. With a quick wave he was gone.
“Are we going to go back to Aunt Maureen’s?” Marcail wanted to know. “Katie, are we going to go back to Aunt Maureen’s?” The little girl tugged on her sister’s dress and Kaitlin finally looked at her.
“I don’t know—”
“No, we’re not,” Sean interrupted in a strong voice. Kaitlin just looked at him. “We’re staying here and giving this a try. I can go live with this Riggs fellow and you guys can stay here. You got the job, Katie, and I take that as an open door for staying here. I would rather that we were together but I still think we’re going to be okay.”
Kate stared at her brother and wondered when he had gotten older than 14.
“All right, Sean, we’ll give it a try.”
They made their way back to the hotel to pack and wait for Mr. Carson. He was knocking at their door soon after they’d closed their cases and once again all of the Donovans accompanied him, only this time to the schoolhouse.
For Kate, it was love at first sight. The school was painted white with flower boxes beneath the windows. Once inside, she smiled as her eyes caressed the dark wood on the rows of small desks and then the larger one up front for herself. A large flag hung on one of the side walls flanked by a picture of George Washington.
Whoever had come before her had been meticulous because everything was spotless. The blackboards covering the entire front wall were scrubbed clean. On the teacher’s desk sat a globe of the world. Kaitlin moved it to a library table against the side wall. She continued to move around touching this and moving that in a way that reminded Sean and Marcail of their mother.
Mr. Carson was very solicitous and had all the school records with him. Kaitlin looked through them with great relish. That she loved to teach was written on her face and her every movement. She would have sat all day in that schoolroom planning for Monday, but Mr. Carson brought her quickly back to the present.
“I think Sean and I should go get your things at the hotel. We’ll stop at your house first and then go to Rigg’s, so Sean knows where it is.”
Kate was quickly learning that when Mr. Carson had a plan, he executed it almost immediately. Before she could say yea or nay, he was gone with her brother in tow.
“Where will I sit, Katie?”
Kaitlin looked at her younger sister and thanked God for her. Marcail had a way of bringing Kate down to earth with her questions.
“Well, Marc, I don’t know. We’re going to have to wait and see.” Kate watched her expressive face and smiled. Marcail was worried and trying not to show it. “What’s bothering you?”
“I miss Loni and I wish I knew which desk was mine.”
“Does it matter?”
“I don’t know, I just wish I knew.”
Kaitlin didn’t try to sort through this. She just listened and went over to sit beside her sister on the long bench that stretched across the front of the schoolroom.
“Everything is so different here Katie, and I don’t want to get a spanking.”
“Why would you get a spanking?”
“Because we left Aunt Maureen’s without asking Father.”
Kate slipped an arm around the nine-year-old. “Marc, who is in charge when Father’s not here?”
“You are.”
“That’s right. So if Father is angry about our move, and I don’t think he will be, I’ll be the one in trouble.”
“Who will be in trouble?” A good-natured voice spoke from the doorway of the schoolhouse and two men came in with easy familiarity.
Kate had been startled to have someone speak so suddenly. Both she and Marcail had jumped up and spun around to see them approaching. That they were father and son was more than obvious as they came closer.
“I’m William Taylor and this is my son Jeff. I’m sorry if I startled you.” He didn’t look the least bit sorry and Kaitlin couldn’t help but smile at the charming display of teeth he was giving her.
“It
’s nice to meet you both. I’m Kaitlin Donovan and this is my sister, Marcail. I was hired yesterday as the new schoolteacher.”
The younger man, who Kaitlin had only glanced at when introduced, mumbled something about Nate being lucky, something Kaitlin didn’t understand. But then Mr. Taylor was asking her a question and she didn’t have time to pay any further attention to Jeff.
“We were staying with our aunt in San Francisco when I saw the ad for this job.”
“How was the trip up?”
“Well, it was different,” Kate tried to put it delicately. “You see, we’d never ridden in a stagecoach before and we were unprepared for the dust.”
“Where are you from?” Jeff asked, as if Kaitlin had just sprouted wings. Kaitlin was not offended, in fact, she laughed and Marcail answered.
“We live in Hawaii.”
“Hawaii? As in the middle of the ocean, that Hawaii?” Again Jeff was incredulous.
“One and the same,” Kaitlin said with great amusement, even as she thought that Jeff Taylor was very nice looking.
Bill watched his son’s face as he spoke to the new teacher. He doubted Jeff knew he was staring rudely, but then Bill was also compassionate. Kaitlin Donovan was a beauty, as was her little sister. May was going to love these girls.
“What I’ve come about is to ask if you would come with us to church Sunday morning and then join our family for dinner. And you can’t tell me no, because my wife is already planning on you.”
Kate was so pleased she took a moment answering. “We’d love to. Oh, my brother, that is, he’s here, too, and—”
“The invitation includes all of you. Jeff will come by with the wagon Sunday morning about ten.”
“That would be wonderful. My brother is living with—what was his name Marc?”
“I don’t remember his name but I think he’s the Marshall.”
Bill and Jeff shouted with laughter over this, much to Kate and Marcail’s confusion.
“I think you mean Marshall Riggs.”