Joseph followed Benjamin’s line of sight to Ruth Ann’s position near the kettle. He took the limestone, but kept his brow arched, letting Benjamin know he’d seen his wandering gaze.
Benjamin refocused on the task at hand, grunting as he passed Joseph the remaining limestone sacks. “What’s next?”
We’ll need to mix the limestone, salt, and water in those wash tubs. Then we can distribute the whitewash to the workers in smaller buckets.”
Benjamin nodded absently, but his attention once again centered on Miss Sutton.
Joseph nudged him. “Benjamin.”
“Huh?” Benjamin dragged his gaze toward Joseph. He’d missed something.
Amos snickered.
Joseph tipped his head in Miss Sutton’s direction. “Why don’t you see if she needs help carrying the hot water inside? Then you can carry cold water back here to mix with the limestone.
“All right.” He placed a hand on the side of the wagon and hopped down. With his long strides, he was by her side without delay. “Miss Sutton?”
She jumped.
“My apologies. I didn’t mean to startle you. The whitewash supplies and paint have been unloaded like you asked.”
She swatted at a troublesome fly buzzing around her face. “Thank you.”
He grinned. Black soot lined her cheek and the tip of her nose.
“Is everything all right, Mr. Coulter?”
“Oh, sure, everything’s fine. It’s just”—Benjamin paused, unsure if he should continue “If you don’t mind me saying so. You have black streaks on your face.”
“Oh my heavens.” She wiped her cheek against her shoulder.
Just when Benjamin thought she couldn’t get any prettier, a hint of pink dusted her cheeks. “I thought I’d stay and help out today if that’s all right with you.”
Ruth Ann picked up a wooden bucket and tipped the edge into the hot water. “That would be wonderful and greatly appreciated, since most of the laborers are women and children.”
Benjamin reached for the pail. “May I?”
She handed him another bucket and stepped away from the fire. “Will you help Joseph mix the whitewash?”
“Yes.” He lifted both containers with ease. “As soon as you tell me where you want these.”
“Follow me.” She walked ahead of him and opened the rear door of the schoolhouse. “I appreciate your help with those. I would’ve had to make two trips.”
Once inside, she introduced him to Sadie and Eula Mae who had been sweeping the floors.
“Set them over there, please, Mr. Coulter.” She pointed to the platform that housed her desk then unbuttoned her cuffs.
Buckets in hand, Benjamin stared as she rolled up her sleeves.
She shrugged. “The floor won’t scrub itself, Mr. Coulter.”
“No, Miss Sutton, I suppose it won’t.” He set the buckets down, tipped his hat and headed toward the back door. Was Miss Fancy Boots really going to scrub the floors? Curiosity got the best of him as he peeked over his shoulder. He wouldn’t have believed it if he hadn’t seen it with his own eyes. There she was, on her hands and knees, working beside her Negro students.
She looked up from her task and smiled.
Benjamin shook his head as he reached for the doorknob. She lived in a lavish ivy-covered house, had Negro help to serve her, yet she toiled beside Sadie and Eula Mae. She was a mystery—one Benjamin looked forward to solving.
~*~
Ruth Ann kneaded the small of her back with her fist. After removing the handkerchief from her sleeve, she wiped the perspiration from her neck. She moved near the window and allowed the cool breeze to refresh her. Peering through the glass, she spied Isaac and Josiah whitewashing the outhouse and chuckled. Her Negro students would have the nicest privy in the entire county.
The rhythmic plodding of horse hooves on packed earth drew her attention to the opposite window. Benjamin steered Mr. Turner’s wagon into the side schoolyard. Where had he gone? She unrolled her cuffs as she moved toward the door. Oh no, not her linsey-woolsey. She closed her eyes. Benjamin had seen her in this old rag? Her hand flew to her head—the kerchief. Her first instinct was to rip it from her hair, but then she thought better of the idea. Not only did she have more work to do, but he’d already seen her in the ugly headscarf anyway. She sighed. “Oh well.”
He climbed from the wagon seat, his shirt taut against his muscled chest and biceps. Something fluttered inside. She doubted James Thornton had muscles like that.
Benjamin thundered up the steps and ducked his head around the door. “Good. You’re here. Come with me, please. I want to show you something.” He reached for her hand and pulled her toward the stairs.
She’d never again have to wonder what lightning felt like. A fiery tingle rippled down her arms and legs then shot out the tips of her fingers and toes, tempting her to see if the heat had burned a hole in the sole of her work boots. He dragged her all the way to the wagon before releasing his hold. She stared at her hand, secretly wishing it remained snug inside his.
Benjamin removed his hat, using it to point toward the wagon. “They’re for you. For the school, I mean. I hope you like them.”
Ruth Ann stepped toward the wagon. “Mums? Saplings?”
He nodded. “While you were organizing the supply closet, I went to the feed and seed. I hope you’re not disappointed that I didn’t let you select them yourself. Ma always told me ladies liked to do their own choosing.”
Ruth Ann’s heart skipped a beat. “Ladies also like surprises.”
A shy smile crossed his face. She couldn’t help but see a glimpse of the boy he’d once been. She resisted the urge to kiss his cheek. He’d think her wanton for sure.
“It’ll take a while for the saplings to mature, but in time, your students will have some shade for recess. Anthony and his father are going to take care of planting the saplings for you. You’ll need to show them where you want the holes dug.”
“Thank you, Mr. Coulter. The children and I appreciate your kindness and generosity.”
“My pleasure.” Benjamin stooped to pick up an acorn from the ground. He rolled it back and forth between his fingers. “I’ll need to be leaving soon.”
“Oh?”
“I told Malachi I’d return his wagon by two o’clock so he’d have it for his afternoon deliveries.”
Ruth Ann nodded.
“I need to speak with Joseph before I leave. Do you know where he might be?”
“Yes, he was working on the windows the last I saw him.” They walked to the far side of the school where Joseph knelt, sanding the wood trim.
“I’m not sure if you are aware of it, Joseph, but we’ve had some folks watching us this afternoon.” Benjamin tilted his head in the direction of the men at the top of the rise. “I’m not saying they mean any trouble, but I wanted to make you aware of it.”
Ruth Ann stretched her neck to see where Benjamin pointed. She trembled. It looked like the same men she’d seen earlier with Missy and Jolene. They were still there—still watching them. Her thoughts drifted back to the message nailed to the schoolhouse. A cold, prickly sensation crawled up the back of her neck.
Dust billowed underneath Joseph’s boots as he trudged toward the road. “Looks like Silas Hench and Levi Hamilton.”
Ruth Ann gasped. “Nate and Elias’ father? Why would Mr. Hamilton be watching the school?”
Joseph waved.
The men didn’t acknowledge him. Instead, they guided their horses toward town.
Joseph turned to Benjamin. “I don’t know much about Silas, but the Hamiltons have been around these parts for a long time. Ruth Ann went to school with his younger son, Nate. Levi, and his eldest son, Elias, have been opposed to the school—same with Hench. So far, it’s been nothing but verbal sparring. Thanks for pointing it out. We’ll keep an eye on them.”
“Good.” Benjamin’s attention shifted back to her. “Accompany me back to the wagon?”
She nodded
. Silence stretched between them as they walked. She sneaked a glance at him. His eyes focused ahead, somewhere off in the distance.
Benjamin paused. His golden eyes met hers and she noted a fierce determination she hadn’t seen before. “I hear there’s a barn dance next week following the county fair.”
Never at a loss for words, she suddenly couldn’t utter a sound. She barely managed a nod.
“If you’re planning to attend, I’d like it if you’d save me a few dances.”
His words came out in a free-flowing tumble that had taken her by surprise. Her tongue twisted in a knot. “Uh...um...I-I—” She only needed to configure one simple three-letter word, but the traitorous appendage refused to form any comprehensible sounds.
He stared at the ground, kicking at a clod of dirt.
“Yes!” she blurted. She softened her voice to a more lady-like pitch. “Yes, I’d be delighted to save you some dances—the first, if you’d like.”
He lifted his chin, a gleam of white peeked through his whiskers.
She averted his gaze. Why had she suggested the first dance? He’ll think her desperate for certain.
Benjamin offered his arm. “I’ll hold you to your word, Miss Sutton.”
Knees wobbling, she peered up at him, no longer able to contain the broad smile that spilled across her lips. She slid her hand in the crook of his elbow, grateful for the support.
Mama had been wrong. It was possible for someone other than James Thornton to take an interest in her.
Her friends had gathered at the rear of the wagon admiring the plants Benjamin had purchased.
Charlotte Peterson’s fingers gently traced the bright yellow blossoms. “These flowers are lovely, Ruth Ann.”
“Benjamin bought them for the school.” Ruth Ann grabbed two of the mums. “Where should we plant them?”
Charlotte and her Aunt Trudy each carried a plant toward the schoolhouse.
Mrs. Peterson pointed to a sunny patch of grass near the steps. “That looks like a nice spot.”
Benjamin removed the last sapling from the wagon then approached the ladies. “I’ll be leaving now, Miss Sutton, but I look forward to that first dance.”
Heat raced up the back of her neck and burst onto her cheeks at his pronouncement.
He touched the brim of his hat, climbed into the wagon, and guided the team onto Hillsboro Road.
Without making eye contact with her friends, Ruth Ann attempted a hasty retreat. “I’ll go find Amos and see if he has a shovel so we can plant these flowers.”
Trudy Peterson looped her arm around Ruth Ann’s waist, preventing her escape. “Charlotte didn’t tell me Benjamin Coulter was sparkin’ you, Ruth Ann.”
Ruth Ann’s eyes flitted between Charlotte and her aunt. “I-I don’t know if I’d call it sparkin’, Mrs. Peterson, but we’re getting better acquainted.”
Trudy pulled Ruth Ann snug against her side. “Yes, we can see that. But just remember, Ruth Ann, it only takes a little wind to turn a spark into a raging fire.”
She gulped. Benjamin Coulter was everything she could ever wish for in a man—handsome, thoughtful, and a hard worker. But she shouldn’t have encouraged him by asking for the first dance. What was the point? Even if he could look past her fuller figure, he would expect her to quit teaching as well. She’d just freed herself from one overbearing man. She didn’t need another.
Raging fire or not.
8
Ruth Ann studied herself in the full-length mirror—not one of those passing glances to see if her hair was askew. Blowing an exasperated breath from the corner of her mouth, a loose strand floated up then gently down again. Observing her profile, her hands glided across the slight bulge in her stomach that she dreaded containing with her whalebone corset. Why couldn’t she be thin and petite like Sarah and Mama? Like a woman was supposed to be. She sighed. Would she be able to keep Benjamin’s attention once inside the large barn with every other unattached woman in town present?
Sarah came behind her and placed her hands on Ruth Ann’s shoulders. “Why the long face? You’ve already secured a gentleman for the first dance of the evening. I doubt many young ladies can make that claim.”
Ruth Ann lowered her chin. What would Sarah think if she knew her sister had been brazen enough to offer the first dance to Mr. Coulter? He had asked for a few dances tonight, but still—to offer the first? What had she been thinking?
“Perhaps, but...” Ruth Ann glared at her less than perfect image staring back at her. “I wonder if any man will ever find me attractive.”
Sarah gently turned Ruth Ann’s shoulders until their eyes met. “You mustn’t think so little of yourself. There are many young men who would be honored to step out with you.”
“Mama doesn’t agree.” She plopped herself on the rose chintz cushion lining the window seat and fingered the lace on her chemise. “Not only did she consider James a highly desirable match, she believes he may be my only offer of marriage.” She glanced at her older sister. With eyes the color of sapphires and hair dark as midnight, Sarah was the spitting image of their mother. “You’ll never understand...you’d already married Joseph by your twentieth year.”
Ruth Ann stood and paced across the floral rug at the foot of her bed. “I’m not as petite or gentle-spirited as you. My voice is too loud, and I’m too expressive with my thoughts and opinions. My curls are unmanageable. My shoulders and hips are too broad. My bosom is too large and my—”
Sarah held up her hand. “It’s tempting but unwise to compare ourselves to others. We have a tendency to glamorize their best qualities and emphasize our worst.” She took a seat on the bed and tugged on Ruth Ann’s arm until she sat beside her. “You have a lengthy list of features you don’t like in yourself, but have you considered a list of your best qualities?”
Ruth Ann shook her head.
“No?” Sarah’s voice softened, matching the concern in her expression. “Because you haven’t considered it, or because you can’t think of any?”
Ruth Ann buried her face in her hands, tears threatening to spill from her eyes. “Because all I see are... my shortcomings.”
Sarah pulled her close. Resting her cheek on Ruth Ann’s head, she caressed her sister’s hair. “You have no idea how much I admire you. You are so full of life and eager to experience new things. You express your thoughts, and you stand up for the things and people that matter to you, like teaching at the Freedmen’s School. And you’re wrong about your curls—they’re lovely. I much prefer them to my straight hair. However, my favorite feature is your smile—it’s friendly and inviting.” Sarah raised her head and lifted Ruth Ann’s chin until their eyes met. “Listen to me. You are much taller than Mama and myself, but your shoulders and hips are not too broad. They are in proportion as they should be.” Sarah released her chin and leaned forward whispering in her ear. “Men like curves, and they never believe a bosom too big.”
Ruth Ann chuckled as she wiped a stray tear. “Well then, I should have plenty of gentlemen vying for a dance tonight.”
Knuckles rapped against the door, and Mama breezed in without an invitation, her thick shoe clopping against the polished floors. “Are you almost—why, you’re not even dressed yet. Nor is your hair pinned.”
Ruth Ann sniffled and dabbed her nose with her handkerchief. “We were…uh…”
Sarah interceded. “We were just talking a bit.”
Mama arched her brow. “Talking can wait until after you’re dressed. Hurry up, now, Ruth. You’ll make us all late.” She reached for the doorknob. “Sarah, make sure you pull her corset strings snug.”
Ruth Ann rolled her eyes.
Sarah patted her sister’s hand. “It may not always seem like it, but Mama really does have your best interest at heart.”
Ruth Ann shrugged. She didn’t doubt Mama loved her. She just never felt accepted for who she was. She was a project. Something Mama needed to fix so that Ruth Ann wouldn’t reflect poorly on the family.
&n
bsp; Sarah moved to the vanity and motioned with her hand for Ruth Ann to take a seat. “Did Mama ever tell you about her first serious beau, Matthias Campbell?”
“A serious beau—besides Papa?”
Sarah lifted Ruth Ann’s thick tresses and began inserting pins. “When Mama was our age, all the young men swarmed around her like bees to honey.”
Ruth Ann didn’t need reminding. Her mother remained one of the most beautiful women of their acquaintance, and her youngest daughter clearly didn’t measure up.
“He was from one of South Carolina’s wealthiest families. Matthias and his father planned to travel to India to investigate different types of rice that might turn a larger profit for their plantation. Totally smitten, he convinced Grandpa Garrett to allow Mama to accompany him on the journey. His sister, Louisa, came along as Mama’s companion and chaperone. After touring Bombay, Mama and Louisa were stricken with an upset stomach, muscle aches, and a high fever that lasted for days. Louisa made a full recovery, but for Mama, things ended very differently. The pain in her muscles returned and she had trouble walking. By the time they returned to Virginia, Mama could barely move her right leg and her left had been rendered useless. Grandpa Garrett immediately took her to New York City. The doctors there diagnosed her with a very rare paralytic virus. Matthias ended their courtship and left without saying good-bye.”
“Poor Mama.” Her heart pinched at the heartache and rejection her mother must have endured.
Sarah leaned low over Ruth Ann’s shoulders, catching her sister’s gaze in the mirror. “She learned that only physical perfection would keep a man’s attention. Eventually Papa came along and married her despite her crippled leg, but—”
“But she always keeps herself impeccably dressed and groomed because she doesn’t believe she will be loved otherwise.” Ruth Ann stared at her sister’s image in the vanity glass. “So that’s why she’s so hard on my appearance.”
Sarah nodded. “Though she can be harsh at times, Mama does mean well. But remember, while a pretty package may attract attention, you’d be sorely disappointed if you opened the box and there was nothing inside.”
A Love Restored Page 8