Sarah's Smile (The Daughters of Riverton Book 1)

by Dawn Kinzer

  Sarah’s

  Smile

  THE DAUGHTERS OF RIVERTON, BOOK 1

  Dawn Kinzer

  © 2016 by Dawn Kinzer

  Morningview Publishing

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means—for example, electronic, photocopy, recording, or otherwise—without the prior written consent of the author. The only exception is brief quotations in printed reviews. For information, contact the author at dawn@dawnkinzer.com.

  Scripture quotations are from the King James Version of the Bible.

  This story was inspired by the author’s hometown—the setting, people, and history. (See author’s notes.) However, this is still a work of fiction and the product of the author’s imagination. The names of any real-life historical characters, as well as the town’s name, have all been changed.

  Visit the author’s website: www.dawnkinzer.com

  Cover design by Lynnette Bonner of Indie Cover Design – www.indiecoverdesign.com

  Images ©

  https://us.fotolia.com, File: #93785249, Woman

  http://www.bigstockphoto.com, Photo ID: 90389699, Lilacs

  Book Layout: © 2013 BookDesignTemplates.com

  Sarah’s Smile/ Dawn Kinzer.1st ed.

  ISBN: 978-0-9978154-2-9

  Contents

  CHAPTER ONE

  CHAPTER TWO

  CHAPTER THREE

  CHAPTER FOUR

  CHAPTER FIVE

  CHAPTER SIX

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  CHAPTER NINE

  CHAPTER TEN

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

  CHAPTER NINETEEN

  CHAPTER TWENTY

  CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

  CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

  CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

  CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

  CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

  CHAPTER THIRTY

  CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

  CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

  CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

  CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

  CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE

  CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX

  CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN

  CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT

  CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE

  CHAPTER FORTY

  CHAPTER FORTY-ONE

  CHAPTER FORTY-TWO

  CHAPTER FORTY-THREE

  CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR

  CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE

  EPILOGUE

  QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION AND REFLECTION

  AUTHOR’S NOTES

  MY HEARTFELT THANKS

  MEET THE AUTHOR

  FREEBIE!

  HOPE’S DESIGN – BOOK 2

  If you enjoy Sarah’s Smile, please also check out Hope’s Design, Book 2 in The Daughters of Riverton series. Available on Amazon in e-book and paperback.

  FREEBIE! Download this short story as a gift when you sign up at www.dawnkinzer.com to receive Dawn’s author newsletter sharing photos, interesting tidbits about her books, and other fun stuff about her writing world.

  To my husband and best friend, Sonny—

  You’ve always believed in me.

  I could never have shared this story without

  your love, help, and encouragement.

  Judge not, and ye shall not be judged:

  condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned:

  forgive, and ye shall be forgiven. ~ Luke 6:37

  chapter one

  Riverton, Wisconsin

  May 1902

  The doors to the blacksmith shop up ahead were flung wide open. The bellows’ clicking and the forge’s gentle roaring alternated with a hammer’s ring on an anvil. The scent of hot iron wafted in the breeze. A tall, familiar figure emerged from the smoky darkness—a silhouette in the bright, early morning sunlight. Sarah McCall, scurrying to the Home Store, halted, as though she’d run into an invisible wall.

  Her rapid heartbeat throbbed in her ears, and her breath caught, but neither related to running several blocks. He looked her way and cocked his head. Recognized. Trapped. Fleeing was not an option.

  Dressed in a dark gray suit fitting for a man of the cloth, Peter Caswell stepped toward her, like someone dead to her brought back to life. Her own Lazarus. His shoulders had broadened since she’d last seen him, and his face had thinned, but his confident stride remained.

  The physical distance between them these past ten years had been a blessing—a way to bury the heartache and give herself time to heal. But with his return, she had no choice but to see him. If Sarah didn’t know better, she’d think God was playing a cruel joke. The man she loved had finally returned...but not for her.

  “What are you doing here?” Her face warmed. “I—I mean, what brings you to the blacksmith?” She’d known this moment would come, and she’d prepared a series of clever things to say. Not one came to mind.

  “This is how you greet an old friend?” Peter’s dark hair dropped over his forehead like it had when they chased through the woods as children.

  She mustered a smile. “I’m sorry, but you appearing in a puff of smoke startled me.”

  The man standing there remained the person she’d loved—yet different. His smile was still charming, but his indigo eyes sparkled less, as though dimmed by experiences that came with life and responsibility. A yearning to comfort stirred within, but it was no longer her place.

  “Are you a genie come to grant me three wishes?”

  Peter must have heard the attempted humor in her voice, because the corners of his mouth twitched. He shoved his loose locks back into place and his eyes peered deep into hers. “If I could make dreams come true, I’d make sure you were at the head of the line.”

  “Only because yours have already come true,” she teased, hoping to lighten the mood.

  A chuckle escaped his lips. “Well said. I deserve that. I was a bit prideful when it came to being first. After all, I couldn’t let a girl best me.”

  Wisps of hair blew across her face, tickling her cheek and eye. “Those boyish days are over. Now you’re a man, and a minister with your own congregation. Just like we planned when—” Sarah captured the rebel strands with a hair pin.

  “—when we were much younger. All those talks up on the bluff.” He sobered. “Sarah...I know some of my decisions cost both of us.”

  No. They were not going to have this conversation now. Not when she needed to be elsewhere, and especially not in the middle of town. “I’m looking forward to meeting your little girl.”

  His eyes lit up at her mentioning his young daughter. “You’re going to love Mary. She’s a lot like you—spirited.”

  By his cheerful tone, he meant it as a compliment, but the comparison stung. Sarah had once believed they’d have children together—little ones who would grow up with her spunk and his strength. “I’m happy for you. I truly am.”

  “Thanks, Sarah.” He glanced behind him.“You...uh...asked what brought me to the shop.”

  “Hmmm...”

  “Ellie came into town this morning to help me unpack. Thomas had a few tools he wanted sharpened, so I brought them over for her.”

  “That was kind of you.” He and his sister had always looked out for each other, even when they were at odds.

  “Th
e least I can do.” Peter rubbed his jaw. “Would you like to come over to the parsonage? Ellie made a fresh pot of coffee. She probably needs a friend’s empathy after seeing the number of boxes I expect her to unpack.”

  Sarah took several steps backward. “I’m sorry—I can’t. I’m late.”

  There wasn’t time that morning to sit and enjoy coffee with anyone, and she certainly wasn’t ready to spend even a few minutes talking about old times with Peter. She’d vowed to guard her heart. He’d never hurt her again.

  “Ellie mentioned you have a position at the Home Store.” He thrust both hands into the front pockets of his trousers. “Another time—soon.”

  “We can’t help but run into each other in this small town. I’m still attending the church where you’ll be preaching.” She turned and kept moving toward the store where she could focus on something other than Reverend Caswell.

  “Sarah! Maybe one day we can challenge each other to a fishing contest—like old times,” he yelled.

  “I gave up fishing a long time ago,” she called over her shoulder. A grown woman earning a livelihood didn’t have much time for leisure, and even if she did, her heart didn’t need to share a beautiful, lazy afternoon with him on the river.

  From what she’d just witnessed in his eyes, she could only assume that after two years he was still grieving his late wife. Peter’s decision to marry another woman had brought heartache for Sarah, but she’d made plans for her own future. She’d leave the past behind—even if it took leaving the country to do it.

  ***

  The sun’s rays streaming through the large, arched store windows, and the fresh air breezing in every time a customer opened the front door, did little to lighten Sarah’s melancholy mood.

  Two women stood gossiping a few feet from the counter. Their chatter reminded Sarah of wind chimes. Not those that soothed with delicate, melodic notes, but cold metal tubes that produced irritating clangs.

  Kathryn Hoyt set a china coffee cup with a pink rosebud pattern back on the display and sashayed up to Sarah at the counter. Mrs. Hoyt wore a sage-colored skirt and jacket with black trim. A black plume adorned the woman’s hat, but a peacock feather would have been a better fit for the proud and affluent veterinarian’s wife.

  Sarah’s nemesis since childhood glided next to her mother, dressed in a dark skirt and white shirtwaist with balloon sleeves, similar to Sarah’s. She secretly admired the stunning brooch painted with delicate ferns—the same shade of green as Rebecca’s eyes—fastened to the blouse at her throat.

  “Good afternoon, ladies. May I help you?” Sarah’s palms began to sweat. Some townspeople had looked at her with pity when she was a child. But others had made her feel beneath them—Mrs. Hoyt still did.

  “Good afternoon, Sarah.” Mrs. Hoyt’s lips were pinched, as though she’d just bitten into a lemon. “I came in to purchase a bottle of Lavender Water.”

  “One moment, please.” The eau de toilette was located on a shelf a few feet away. The bottles scented with lavender sat between those labeled Lily Water and Violet Water. Sarah preferred lilac-scented herself. She set the requested bottle on the counter and received Mrs. Hoyt’s payment.

  Rebecca folded her hands on the countertop. “Mr. Carter ordered a copy of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz for me. Has it come in?”

  “Pardon?”

  “You haven’t heard of it?” Rebecca quirked an eyebrow. “It’s quite popular. A tornado sweeps up a girl in Kansas and drops her in a fantasy land called Oz. If it’s appropriate, I’ll share it with my class in the fall.”

  “Ms. Hoyt.” A young girl with large blue eyes stepped around Rebecca and grinned up at the teacher.

  “Hello, Camille,” Rebecca said with a warmth that seemed reserved for her students. “Are you here with your mother?”

  Camille Bertstrom nodded and smiled up at the tall woman standing behind her. “We’re looking for a new hair ribbon to wear for the Memorial Day program.”

  “How nice. I’m sure whatever you choose will be lovely,” Rebecca said.

  “Camille, we shouldn’t intrude any longer.” Her mother pointed to the right. “The ribbons are over there.”

  “Good-bye, Miss Hoyt.”

  “Good-bye, Camille. I’ll see you in class.”

  Mrs. Bertstrom turned to Rebecca as her daughter wandered down the aisle. “I apologize for interrupting, but she insisted on greeting you. I didn’t have the heart to say no. She’s so fond of you.” The woman’s eyes moistened. “Thank you for all you’ve done.”

  “She’s a lovely child.” Rebecca almost beamed. “So, no more worry. Her reading is coming along nicely, and I’m sure with a little practice over the summer, she’ll catch up to the other students her age.”

  Camille’s mother, Rebecca, and Kathryn Hoyt exchanged farewells, and Mrs. Bertstrom headed toward the area where her daughter was comparing ribbons.

  “The Memorial Day—Decoration Day—celebration is only two days away. How are preparations coming?” To protect herself from their subtle insults, like the one made about the Oz book, Sarah had learned to redirect all conversation on the two women in front of her.

  Rebecca, always boasting about her students, straightened her back and offered a generous smile. “The children are excited to perform on Friday. We spent much of today rehearsing their recitations and songs, and we’ll take additional classroom time tomorrow. Eighteen schools are participating again this year. I guarantee everyone will enjoy the program.”

  “It sounds wonderful.” A tendril of dark hair fell from Sarah’s coiffure and brushed across her right eye. She tucked it back into place.

  Mrs. Hoyt rummaged through her bag. “Sarah, have you seen Reverend Caswell?”

  “Just this morning. On my way here, outside the blacksmith’s. He’s busy settling into the parsonage.”

  “We’re all so pleased he’s returned home.”

  Mrs. Hoyt smiled at her daughter. “Such a handsome lad—and so smart. It’s a shame about his wife.” Mrs. Hoyt’s eyes bore into Sarah, as if probing for some kind of reaction. “And the poor child without a mother.”

  “I can’t imagine Peter’s shock at finding his wife dead.” Tempted to say something curt in response to the woman’s badgering, Sarah bit her tongue. The store’s owner, Mr. Carter, demanded that everyone be treated with respect. Even those who didn’t deserve it. Sarah not only wanted to keep her job, she also didn’t want to disappoint him.

  “As I recall, you and he were inseparable as children.”

  “We were good friends.” Sarah and Rebecca had also been close at a young age—before Rebecca’s mother poisoned her daughter into believing that Sarah’s heritage made her as untouchable as a leper. No consideration was given to Sarah’s lack of control over her parents’ choices.

  “People grow up, Mother. Things change, including relationships.” Rebecca tilted her head and smiled at Sarah with a superior air. “Everyone understood that Peter needed to move on and leave some things behind to accomplish his noble goals.”

  Heat rushed into Sarah’s cheeks, and she gripped the counter’s edge to stop from saying something she’d later regret. Rebecca had no right to insinuate that Sarah would have held Peter back. After all, Haughty Hoyt had left for college, but returned to live with her parents and teach school. It wasn’t like she’d made a place for herself out in the world, away from the security her parents offered. And if she didn’t stop turning her nose up at every male in the county, she’d end up a spinster.

  Any day now, Sarah would receive the letter that would set her free to do something more with her life—something good, self-sacrificing, and noble—something that would enable her to keep the promise made to her grandfather.

  Sarah glanced around the room. Other clerks were assisting a lady in the toy area, stocking shelves, and talking to a local farmer in the tool section. “Please excuse me. I’ll check on your book.”

  She reached the back room, closed the door, and leaned a
gainst it. Sarah closed her eyes. The area was stuffy compared to the store’s spacious floor and high ceilings, but it still felt better than remaining behind the counter with Rebecca and her mother pressing her about Peter’s arrival.

  “Something wrong, Miss McCall?”

  Her eyes opened. She’d forgotten that William Reed, the store manager, was documenting a shipment of housewares that had arrived earlier in the day. Sarah pushed herself away from the door. Her eyes blurred, but she shook her head.

  “Something is upsetting you.” William, with sandy-blond hair and golden-brown eyes, was four years her senior. If she didn’t compare every man to Peter, and if she weren’t planning on leaving town, she might have easily fallen for her employer’s godson. Good-looking, he was also smart and funny.

  “Do you know if a book about a wizard came in for Rebecca Hoyt?”

  “Is she out there waiting for it now?”

  Sarah’s shoulders dropped as she slowly exhaled. “Yes.”

  William pursed his lips. “I have it right over here.”

  “Thanks.” Sarah reached for it, but he held it away from her.

  “You sit and catch your breath. I’ll take care of the high-and-mighty Miss Hoyt.”

  “But—”

  “I’ll just tell her that I had another important matter for you to take care of. Then I’m coming back so you can tell me what’s bothering you.”

  “There’s nothing to tell.”

  “I think there is.” He pulled out the wooden swivel chair for her. “Don’t go anywhere.”

  She sank into the chair and drew in a deep breath. Like her mother, Rebecca could be charming when it served a purpose, but she also seized control in situations whenever possible. When they were younger, Rebecca had bullied some of the other girls into staying away from Sarah, which in the end brought Sarah and Peter closer. What they shared seemed to invite Rebecca’s cruelty even more.

  But Peter and Sarah’s relationship changed when he went to college and left her behind. They’d never made any vows to each other, but love had been mentioned before Peter left Riverton. Sarah had carried his declaration in her heart and nurtured it, despite the number of letters growing fewer over time. Foolish, she’d assumed he meant the kind of love shared between a woman and man, but he must have viewed her as a friend—a sister—all that time. Otherwise, how could he have made a life-long commitment to someone else?