Glory shook her head. Perspiration was forming on her forehead. Kent noticed and gently dabbed at it with a cloth.
“The freedmen have so many hopes and dreams wrapped up in that school. I know it’ll be a success. Glory, you seem to be a nurturing type of woman and that’s what they need.” Georgie started putting the comfrey paste on the stitched cut.
“Did the other teacher plan to teach adults as well?” Glory asked as she began to relax.
“No he didn’t think it proper to teach adults. He was a certified teacher.”
“Hogwash!” Both Kent and Georgie stared at her with wide eyes. “I’m a certified teacher and I feel it’s my duty to teach anyone that wants to learn. All of the teachers From the Wigg Academy were taught to think the same. I do need to send a letter to Madam Wigg and let her know we are building the school and we need supplies. I had no idea that school books were only printed in the North. I do need slates for the children but I thought maybe until we get all the supplies I could teach them outside, learning about botany and reciting the alphabet and getting familiar with numbers.”
Georgie bent and kissed Glory’s cheek. “What a wonderful idea!”
Glory felt prideful. Everything would work out. She glanced at Kent, her marriage too.
“I’m going home. Kent make her more tea before she goes to bed then more in the morning. I’ll stop by and put more paste on. Glory you take it easy. Don’t you dare pull those stitches by trying to do any work. In fact, Kent you’ll probably want to put her arm in a sling.” Georgie gathered her things.
“Wait I’ll walk you home.” Kent kissed Glory’s cheek, grabbed his hat and left with Georgie.
Glory smiled. The school would be built soon and then she’d be too busy to worry about Kent. They won’t have time for each other and that just might be a good thing. She was deciding where she’d sleep when Kent came back home.
“I’ll get your night gown and help you into it. Then I’ll tuck you in with Teddy. I can either sleep in the bed or on the floor where you’ve been sleeping. It’s your choice.”
He had a look of hope in his eyes and she decided to do the right thing. “Of course you can sleep in the bed with us. It’s where you belong.”
Kent knelt before her and cupped her face in his big hands. He smiled at her and she felt the smile all the way to her toes. Leaning in he kissed her. It was a long, deep soul searing kiss. As he pulled away he stared into her eyes.
“Glory I’m so sorry for things I said and did. You and Teddy come first and I won’t lose sight of that again. I know you’re shy and uncomfortable and yet you went out of your way to help Walter and you never did get any thanks. I’m thanking you for helping my friend. It was a generous thing to do and I’m learning that’s your way- being generous.” He chuckled. “You look half asleep. Let me get your gown and carry you to bed.
Chapter Eight
Two days later Glory stood under a big willow tree smiling at her students. There were more children than she’d imagined. Most looked eager to be there but it was a bit disconcerting to have armed men guarding them. The children were repeating the alphabet after her. Glory’s heart filled. Madam Wigg was right to send her out to teach.
She only taught for a few hours in the morning. She needed to find someone to watch Teddy and she wanted to allow the students to get a taste of what school was.
“You all did wonderful today and you make me proud. I will see you tomorrow.” She saw a mother with tears in her eyes and quickly made her way to her.
“Hello Mrs. Harkins. Did I say or do anything to bring you distress?” Glory asked gently.
“No. It’s just no one ever said they were proud of my boys before. In fact it was threatened that they’d be sold off and taken from me. I have two other boys I ain’t seen in over four years now. My James would be about five and my Manor about four. But I thank you for what you said. Call me Lucy.”
“Lucy I can’t begin to understand what your family has been through since I lived in New York. I can ask around about two boys named Harkins. `
“That’s mighty kind of you. But I don’t think they’d be named Harkins. Most likely they’d be Roebucks now.”
Glory furrowed her brow. “We’re they adopted? I don’t understand.”
“They were sold to Mr. Roebuck. Some have changed their names and haven’t kept the last name of their owners but others who are hoping to find family keep the name to help in the search. Maybe my boys hear the Harkins are here and they come back.”
Glory gave Lucy’s hand a quick squeeze. “I’ll keep your boys in my prayers and pass their names along to my husband. He might know or he might hear of them.”
“Thank you, Mrs.”
“Oh call me Glory. It was nice to meet you, Lucy, but I have a little boy at home that needs tending to. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Yes, tomorrow, Miss Glory.” Lucy smiled.
Walking back to the house Glory couldn’t understand how Lucy was able to go on and smile. Glory had heard of such practices but she’d never known someone it happened to. Those boys had to have been babies when they were taken from her.
Glory’s heart hurt for that family. How exactly did slavery work? The owners were allowed to sell their children? She couldn’t imagine what it must have been like.
Her eyes widened as her heart filled with joy. “Well, look at you Teddy!” Kent was holding both of Teddy’s hands while Teddy walked. It was a great beginning.
“Mama!” Teddy almost fell in is enthusiasm to get to her.
“Come on, Daddy you need to walk faster,” she teased.
Teddy stopped and tipped his head back to look at Kent. “Dada.”
Kent’s proud smile was bigger than life. His smile was certainly contagious.
“Looks like I missed all the excitement. Oh Teddy I’m so delighted! What a big boy you are.” She set down her bag and swept Teddy up giving him kisses on his cheeks, neck and belly. His laughter made her day.
“I have lunch ready,” Kent told her.
She blinked. “Really? Wonderful, I’m starving!” She walked over to Kent and tilted her head so he could kiss her. There was nothing better than her husband’s kiss.
“Here give Teddy to me. You’re supposed to be resting that arm.”
Dutifully she handed Teddy over and followed them into the house. “I forgot my bag.”
“Stay put I’ll get it.”
The table was set and the plates each had a sandwich on it. It looked good. So far she hadn’t had to cook a thing. She’d have to confess her ineptness soon. Kent came back in with her bag but he didn’t appear happy.
“Why the frown?” she asked.
“I guess there was a bit of trouble on the road leading to the ranch”
“What kind of trouble?”
“Crumb said it looked to be all the men in town. They were protesting that Parker was giving good jobs to the freedmen and paying them a fair wage.”
She furrowed her brow. “What’s wrong with that?”
“They are claiming that white men should have been given the jobs and housing.” Kent sat at the table. “We never could find enough reliable white men to fill the jobs. We need to find out who is riling these men up.”
Glory sat at the table with Teddy on her lap. She started to pull his sandwich apart into smaller pieces.
Kent stood and took Teddy from her. “Doesn’t your shoulder hurt?” He sat with Teddy on his lap and fed him.
“It aches and since it was my fault I don’t feel I’m in a position to complain. School went well. There were armed cowboys there but it went well. I met a Mrs. Harkins. Did you know two of her boys were sold when they were just babies? I can’t imagine it.”
“Not to defend the owners but it was their way of life for well over a hundred years. They were brought up to believe that the slaves were property not people. People find it hard to change and many are still bitter over the war. Cotton was huge money making crop here in Texas a
nd if the plantation owners had to pay their workers, it would cut into the profits. We went through a period where the slave owners called slavery apprenticeships to try to get around federal law. You don’t have to pay an apprentice if you give them food and lodging.”
“That’s horrible! I’m glad Parker built houses and gave them jobs.” She took a bite of her sandwich. “I appreciate you making lunch.”
“Anytime darling’,” He drawled.
“I do so like your southern accent.”
He grinned at her. “Really? Your accents just sounds funny.”
Her jaw dropped as he laughed. Teddy laughed too. “Ganging up on me are you?”
“Yes, Ma’am.”
“Well when you two are done with lunch it’s naptime.”
Kent winked at her. “Now would this include you too?”
Her face heated as her lips twitched. “I have work to do.”
“Unfortunately I have a few horses to train or I’d make you rest for a while.”
* * *
Kent put Teddy on the bed and tucked him in and after he walked back into the main room he took Glory carefully into his arms. “When do you think we’ll have a wedding night?”
She put her head against his chest. “When my shoulder heals and after you build a trundle bed for Teddy.”
She felt so soft and so right in his arms. “I’ll get on making the bed. You be sure to rest that arm.”
He tilted his head and placed a soft kiss on her lips and then another. Her small groan encouraged him and he deepened the kiss. He never felt this way with any other woman. Just touching her made him tingle all over. He pulled away before he went too far with her. The rosy color of her cheeks made him smile. “You like it when I kiss you.”
“You can stopping grinning like that. Maybe I do and maybe I don’t.” She stared at his shirt instead of making eye contact.
“By the pink color of your cheeks, I’d say you liked it. There was also a little groan you made—”
She took a step away from him putting more distance between them. Then she smoothed down her dress and touched her hair with one hand before she stared at him. “A lady doesn’t groan and if she did I would think it would be polite if the gentleman didn’t mention it.”
The sides of his mouth began to curl upwards. “So I’m not supposed to mention the groan that made me believe that you yearned for my kisses?”
She put on what he figured to be her no nonsense teacher face. “I do believe the word yearning is a bit strong in this case.”
“Oh you do?” He closed the distance between them and kissed her again. As soon as she groaned he stopped. “See did you hear that? It was a groan of yearning.”
She bit her bottom lip and he suspected it was to keep from laughing. “You have a nice imagination.”
“Unfortunately darlin’, I have work to do. Don’t miss me too much. Lock the door after me.” He whistled when he put on his hat and left.
“About time you came to help,” Willis teased. “Being married has made you a dilly dallier of the worst kind.”
“Oh do you still work here?” Max asked.
“I had to watch Teddy while my wife taught school. We’ll find someone to watch him soon enough.”
“You’ve taken to marriage like a duck takes to water. I’m happy for you, Sandler,” Max said.
“It looks to me you two have been jawin’ out here all morning. Where are we on breaking the horses?”
“While you were changing diapers, Max and me, we got them all broke. Now we have to train them. These quarter horses are going to make us rich!” Willis smiled.
“I heard there was some trouble by the road today.”
Willis and Max nodded.
Willis frowned. “What I want to know is how do they know every move we make around here? Someone must have told them that your wife was teaching today.”
“We need to keep our eyes open and keep everyone safe,” Max added.
“Yes, we do. How’s Walter?” Kent asked.
“He’s doing real well. He wanted to come and work with us today but Sondra won’t let him,” Max said with a snicker.
Kent nodded. “I’m glad he’s healing well.”
“Listen, Sandler, Veronica feels awful about the way she treated Glory.”
“Maybe she could come by and have tea or whatever women do. Glory feels hurt and friendless over the whole thing. She’s bewildered as to why Sondra took such a dislike of her.”
Max clapped Kent’s shoulder. “I’ll tell Veronica. She’s been feeling alone too. She has Bridey but an adult friend would be good for her.”
Willis picked up a lead rope. “While you two plan a tea party, I’ve got work to do.” He walked to the pasture.
Kent laughed. “He’ll feel differently when he gets married.” He took two lead ropes and tossed one to Max.
“He claims he doesn’t want one but we’ll see. Now, tell me the story of how Glory stabbed herself. I can’t seem to make sense of it.”
Kent laughed as they walked to the pasture. “It’s a hard one to make sense of.”
* * *
Glory’s face was still hot long after Kent left. Yearning? If having your stomach all jumpy, your heart racing, and wanting to be closer to him than kissing, maybe he was right. She liked the sight of him too. He was a handsome one. After all he apologized about saying she wasn’t Teddy’s mother. Oh how that had hurt. Now her heart just seemed to grow and fill. It was unlike anything she’d ever felt or imagined.
She glanced over at her sewing pile and frowned. Once her shoulder healed it was time to tell him just how inadequate she was. Maybe Georgie had a cookbook. Cooking had to be the same as making healing potions. And she practice hemming more diapers and she’d figure it out.
When she was able she was going into the woods with Kent and see what she could find for her concoctions. She so miss her school mates. They always told she could do something when she had doubts. Glory wanted to reach out to Veronica but she didn’t know what to say. She could picture herself mumbling and then having all thoughts leave her head. She wanted to meet Veronica and Max’s little girl Bridey.
“Mama!”
She hurried into the bedroom remembering that she was supposed to rest. Changing a diaper with one good arm was going to be a challenge.
“Hello my big boy. You ready to get up? First we need to change you.” He smiled up at her.
Getting the wet diaper off and washing him clean wasn’t hard but putting a fresh one was exhausting. Teddy thought it to be fun to roll this way and that way and squirm laughing all the while. It took a long while but she finally got the diaper on him and she set him on the floor.
As quick as a racing stallion he crawled into the kitchen. He sat on the floor and looked at her expectantly.
“Are you hungry? Yes?”
Teddy nodded and said “No!”
“You don’t want anything to eat?”
“No!”
“Do you know what no means?”
“No!”
She burst out laughing. “It’s fine you’re learning how to say new words. That’s where it all starts.” Reaching into a wide mouthed jar, she picked out a cookie and handed it to him. “Is this what you want?”
He smiled as he reached for it. “No!” He took it from her and ate it all by himself.
“I think you mean yes but we’ll work on it.”
Teddy finished his cookie leaving a good amount of crumbs behind. He crawled to her and pulled himself up to a standing position and held on to her skirts.
“Look at you! I can hardly keep up with all the changes. You are a smart, strong, sweet boy. I love you so much!”
He giggled. “Love.”
Tears filled her eyes. He probably didn’t know what the word meant but she didn’t care. He was making so much progress in such a short time. He’d be sitting in the classroom in a couple years. She still needed someone to watch Teddy while she taught. Did Kent make enough
money for them to hire someone? No one mentioned she’d be getting any type of salary. She’d do it anyway but she needed to ask Kent about it.
Glass shattered and she grabbed Teddy as she dove for the ground. This time it was a bullet. Another shot hit the fireplace and then another hit the wall. Time slowed and she had Teddy crawl with her into the bedroom.
There was a pistol and bullets on top of the wardrobe. She had Teddy stay down as she tried to reach. Her stitches began to pop. The pain was excruciating but Teddy’s safety came first. Whoever was out there could climb through the window and get to them. She reached again and was able to grab both the gun and the ammunition.
She’d watched the men put bullets in their guns. It looked easy. She studied the gun and couldn’t figure out how to open it. She did know she needed to cock the thing on the top back and pull the trigger. Point and shoot? It felt heavy in her hand, it must be loaded. She slipped out of the bedroom, closing the door behind her. Teddy’s cry was hard to listen to.
She stayed down and scanned the house. No one else was in it. After sighing in relief she crawled to the sofa and peered over it at the window.
Another shot came through and she thought it hit the sofa. She gulped hard. Her hands shook as she reached the gun up over her head, above the sofa back and she squeezed the trigger. Nothing happened. She forgot to pull back the top thing. She quickly did that and put the gun up again and pulled the trigger.
She was knocked back by the kick of the gun. She knew she hit the wall and missed the window completely. The gun was loaded. Everything was eerily quiet for a few minutes and then the door was kicked in. All she wanted to do was go back into the bedroom, grab Teddy and hide under the bed with her eyes closed.
She cocked the gun again and waiting behind the couch. She’d have to be close to the man if she was going to hit him with a bullet.
Glory’s Groom: The Alphabet Mail Order Brides Book 7 Page 8