Scent of Magnolia

by Frances Devine

  “Miss Edwards. I don’t know what got into me. I never did anything like this before. I promise.”

  “I believe you, Margaret.” Helen reached over and tucked a stray hair back in the girl’s ribbon. “Jealousy can be ugly and vicious. Just as other sins.”

  At the word sin, Margaret gasped. “I didn’t know I was sinning. Is God mad at me?”

  “Margaret, God loves us and sent Jesus to pay the price for our sins.” She looked directly at the girl. “Have you accepted Jesus as your savior?”

  Margaret nodded with tears flooding down her cheeks. “Yes, ma’am. But I forgot about Him for a while. Does that mean I’m not a Christian anymore?”

  Helen swallowed past the lump that formed in her throat. “Sweetheart, 1 John 1:9 tells us ‘if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.’ ”

  “Can I do that now?” She slipped off the window seat and knelt by her bed. In a few minutes she rose. “I know He forgave me. But I have to tell Molly and Trudy and Lily Ann I’m sorry and ask them to forgive me, too.”

  “I’m sure they will, Margaret.” Helen stood and picked up the tray. “If you need me for anything, ring for Sissy and she’ll come get me.”

  “Thank you, Miss Edwards.” Margaret opened the door for her. “I know how much you care for Molly. Thank you for not being mad at me.”

  Helen took the tray to the kitchen then went to have her own supper. Trudy and Lily Ann were subdued but the tension was gone. Molly had gone to the hotel to have supper with her father. Afterward, Helen stepped outside and sat, all the events of the day rushing through her mind. Trent would speak to Lily Ann and her parents after church on Sunday, but Helen needed to tell him what Margaret had confessed. Abigail also needed to know because of the situation with the cantata.

  The sound of horse hooves and the jingle of the harness drifted up the lane and the carriage came into sight.

  The welcome sound of Molly’s giggle rang out. Patrick helped her down from the carriage. “Good night, Papa.” She ran up the steps and went inside without seeing Helen.

  “It sounds like we have our happy girl back.”

  Patrick started. “Helen. I didn’t see you.” He came up the steps and onto the porch then sat in the chair next to her.

  Leaning back, he took a deep breath. “What a day.”

  “Yes, it was indeed.” Helen smiled. “Margaret confessed to everything.”

  Relief crossed his face. “Why did she do those things?”

  “Well, the surface reason, if you can believe this, is that she wanted to sing the lead in the cantata.” Helen frowned. “But I believe there’s a deeper reason behind it all.”

  “Well, I hate to see any child punished, but that young lady needs to learn a lesson so it doesn’t happen again.”

  “Yes, of course she does. But I think she’s truly sorry. We had a talk before supper.”

  Helen told him everything that had transpired with Margaret. “I believe she was sincere, Patrick.”

  He nodded. “I hope so. What action do you think Trent will take?”

  “I don’t know. He’s planning to speak to her parents as soon as possible. But for now, she’s confined to her room, except for school.”

  “I’m thankful Molly told me about it. There’s no telling how long it would have gone on or what course it would have taken next.”

  Helen nodded. “Or it may not have lasted much longer. The fact that she caved in and confessed everything so readily makes me think her conscience was hurting her already.”

  He smiled and touched her hand. “You have a sweet soul, Helen Edwards. You always seem to see the good in people.”

  She blushed. “Thank you, Patrick. I’m afraid I’m not quite as good-hearted as you think. I struggle with ill thoughts toward people just as everyone does. It’s a process, I guess. By God’s grace, we grow in character.”

  “Yes, but some of us have prettier characters than others. I don’t know anyone I’d rather spend time with.” He touched her cheek. “There, I’ve embarrassed you. I didn’t mean to do that.”

  “You didn’t embarrass me.” She turned her head. “Well, perhaps just a little. I enjoy your company, too.”

  “Helen.”

  Her pulse quickened as he looked deeply into her eyes. She caught her breath. She wasn’t ready for this. Besides, nothing had changed. His life was in Atlanta. Hers was here. She jumped up. “I really need to check on Margaret. I’ll see you at church in the morning.”

  Without giving him a chance to say anything more, she hurried inside.

  eleven

  The rustle of starched dresses and scuffling of shoes joined the muffled laughter and conversation of neighbors and friends who hadn’t seen one another for a week.

  Helen helped usher the children to their seats on the long pews. She stepped into the row, but before she could sit, she felt a hand on her elbow. Her heart gave a little jump as she looked up into Patrick’s smiling face.

  She moved over so Molly could sit beside her with Patrick on the end. Flashing them both a smile, Helen straightened her spine and looked forward to where Silas Monroe, the song leader of the day, stood behind the pulpit, fanning through the pages of the hymnal.

  Silas cleared his throat loudly, and the congregation gave him their attention. “Good morning, brothers and sisters. It’s nice to see you all here on this fine, sunshiny Lord’s day. The first song we’re gonna sing reflects that nicely. Turn to page 47.”

  Helen knew the lovely gospel song by heart, and she sang along with the other raised voices.

  Oh there’s sunshine, blessed sunshine,

  When the peaceful, happy moments roll;

  When Jesus shows His smiling face,

  There is sunshine in the soul.

  To be honest, she wasn’t feeling all that sunshiny this morning. The situation with Margaret still hung over them. Dr. Trent had decided to leave the matter in the director’s hands since she was expected back the next day. So, until then, the girl was confined to her room except to attend church services.

  But that wasn’t the only thing weighing on her. She couldn’t deny to herself any longer that her feelings for Patrick had grown beyond friendship. And if his actions were any indication, he felt the same toward her. She’d struggled most of the night with the conflict in her heart. Should she take the chance on falling in love and having to leave the school and the children who meant so much to her? If not, then could she harden her heart toward Patrick and prevent that from happening?

  She started at a tug on her sleeve and realized everyone had stood. She gave Molly a smile and stood, her face blazing.

  Patrick threw her a questioning lift of an eyebrow, and she pretended not to see but focused on the hymnal as they sang the last verse.

  Reverend Shepherd’s message was on hearing God’s voice. Helen listened intently. How could she know she was doing God’s will? Obviously His Word was His will, but some things couldn’t be found in the Bible. What about finding God’s will when the choices were both good ones? How did one know?

  The reverend spoke of letting God guide you, of God’s still, small voice and inner peace, but Helen couldn’t quite wrap her mind around what he was saying. Of course, there had been times when she knew in her heart that she was or was not making a right decision. But many times, she continued to struggle. She sighed. One thing she was sure of—God’s Word was truth and if she didn’t understand then it wasn’t God’s fault.

  As she stepped outside, the noonday sun hit her full in the face. Oh dear, a hot day for the beginning of April.

  After she’d shaken Reverend Shepherd’s hand, she started to walk toward the wagon.

  “Helen.”

  She turned at the sound of Patrick’s voice to find him and Molly with eager looks on their faces.

  “Molly and I would be pleased if you’d go to dinner at the hotel with us.” He ran his fingers around the brim of h
is hat and gave her a hopeful smile.

  “I’m sorry. I’m Margaret’s monitor today. I can’t leave the school.” Gazing on their disappointed faces, she added, “But I wish I could accept your offer.”

  “Then perhaps we can go for a walk later.”

  “Perhaps. As long as we don’t go far.”

  Helen watched them drive away and turned to help get the younger children into the wagon. Disappointment and relief battled inside her.

  At the school, Selma had prepared a dinner of pork chops, sweet potatoes, stuffing, glazed carrots, and all the home-canned condiments for which she was famous. Helen barely tasted the delicious meal. She did, however, drink several glasses of sweet tea and had a small slice of caramel pecan cake. In spite of everything, she felt better afterward. She chuckled to herself. Perhaps sugar was a medicine.

  After the girls had helped clear the table, Helen escorted Margaret to her room.

  “Do I have to stay here all day again today? I need some air. Can’t you take me outside for a little while?” She gave Helen a pleading look.

  One thing that didn’t work with Helen was cajoling. She’d been teaching far too long for that to sway her. “I’m very sorry, dear, but Dr. Trent was quite clear. Besides, you’ve just had a nice drive in the fresh air to the church and back.”

  Margaret sighed and flounced over to the window seat. “Oh all right. I know I deserve it.”

  “Miss Wellington will arrive tomorrow, dear.” Just saying the words brought relief to Helen. P.J. could get on her nerves sometimes, but there was no denying that things went much more smoothly when she was here. “Then we’ll get this whole thing straightened out.”

  “What do you think she’ll do to me, Miss Edwards?” The girl’s voice held a niggling of fear.

  “She’ll be fair. That’s all I can say for certain.” Helen gave an emphatic nod. “Miss Wellington is always fair.”

  Margaret sighed. “Any punishment she can think of would be fair. What I did wasn’t nice at all.”

  Helen wished she could have allowed Margaret to speak to Molly, Trudy, and Lily Ann. Once Margaret made things right with them, things would be better. But without permission from Dr. Trent, who wasn’t at church this morning, Helen couldn’t give her permission.

  “No, it wasn’t nice at all, but God has forgiven you and I know the girls will, too. Would you like for me to bring you some more books?”

  “No, thank you.” Margaret gave her a pensive look. “I believe I’ll write in my diary and draw a little.”

  “I’m very happy you have a diary. I’ve kept one since I was nine years old. And I’d love to see your drawings one day, if you wouldn’t mind.”

  “I guess that would be all right.” She stood and lifted the lid of the window seat.

  Helen left and went to her own room. Dear God, please let this work out for everyone’s good.

  ❧

  Patrick tried to focus on Molly, but his mind kept drifting to Helen. Had she seemed a little distant today?

  “Papa, did you hear what I said?” Molly put her fork on her plate and frowned.

  “What? Oh, Molly, I’m so sorry. I’m a little distracted today.” He took a drink of tea.

  She gave him a forgiving smile. “It’s all right, Papa. I was just wondering if you think you’ll ever get married again.”

  He coughed as the sweet tea went down wrong. He grabbed a napkin as he continued to cough while Molly pounded him on the back.

  When he caught his breath again, he looked at Molly. “Why did you ask that?”

  “Oh, I don’t know. You’re not really old, you know. And Trudy said you’d probably want to get married again someday.”

  “Oh she did, did she? What do you think of the idea?”

  She looked up at the ceiling with a wise expression on her face. “Oh, I think it would depend on who you wanted to marry. She’d have to be nice and like children. Especially me.”

  He nodded. “Yes, I can see that would be a necessary requirement. Did you have someone in mind?”

  She grabbed her fork and took a bite of apple pie. After swallowing, she nodded. “Miss Edwards is nice and she’s not married yet. It would be a shame if she had to be an old maid all her life.”

  He pressed his lips together to hide a grin. “I suppose she seems old to you?”

  “Well, sort of. But we wouldn’t want some silly young girl to live with us, would we?”

  “No, I guess not.” He shook his head. The things the child came up with. “But perhaps Miss Edwards wouldn’t like to be married to me.”

  Molly’s lips curled up in a smile. “I think she likes you.”

  A pleasant jolt ran through him. “Why do you think so?”

  “Oh, Papa,” she rolled her eyes and signed, “I’m not a baby. I see how she looks at you.”

  “How?” He held his breath.

  “The same way you look at her when you don’t think anyone sees you.” She giggled.

  Startled, he sent her an anxious glance. “You’re imagining things.”

  She cut a glance his way and licked her fork. “I don’t think so.”

  Patrick laughed. “Finish your pie, Miss See-all and Know-all. We need to get back to the school.”

  Well, it seemed he had his daughter’s approval. Too bad it wasn’t a practical idea.

  As they drove out of town, she turned to him. “So are you going to?”

  “Am I going to what, angel?”

  An exaggerated sigh escaped her lips. “Propose marriage to Miss Edwards.”

  “Honey, it’s not that simple. I couldn’t ask Helen to give up the teaching position she loves. And my shop and our home are in Atlanta.”

  “Oh, that’s no problem.” She brushed a piece of lint off her skirt. “Move the shop here.”

  ❧

  Helen caught herself glancing out the door again. She simply had to stop that. They’d be here when they got here. And she had to stop caring. She spun on her heel and headed for the stairs. Perhaps she should go find something to work on.

  In her room, she sat in the rocker by her window and picked up the pillowcase she was embroidering. After stabbing at the fabric and sticking her finger for the third time, she sighed. Maybe she’d take her embroidery out on the porch and work in the fresh air.

  She stood and carried the pillowcase with her downstairs. The murmur of voices drifted from the parlor. She stepped to the parlor door and looked inside. Virgie and Felicity sat in matching rockers working on costumes.

  “Mind if I join you?”

  “You come right on in here and sit yourself down.” Virgie motioned to a chair across from her. “There be a nice cool breeze coming through the window.”

  Helen grinned. What Virgie considered a nice cool breeze barely moved the lace curtain. But then, Virgie had lived in Georgia all her life.

  After Helen was seated, she picked up a fan and moved it back and forth. “It feels like summer, already.”

  “Uh uh, baby girl,” Virgie shook her head, “you ought to know better than that. How many years you been here?”

  “You’re right. Come July, this would feel cool.” Helen smoothed the pillowcase and began pulling the pale pink thread through the material to form a flower petal.

  “How that Margaret girl doing up there shut up in her room?”

  “She’s lonely, I think, but she’ll be okay.”

  “Give her plenty of time to think about her ways.” Virgie’s soft voice soothed Helen’s mind, relaxing her.

  “I expect you’re right,” Felicity agreed. “She’ll think twice before she pulls a trick like that again.”

  Helen held up her embroidery and peered at one of the stitches. Was it a little crooked? She pulled it out and redid it. “I believe she’s truly sorry. And who knows the real root cause for what she did?”

  Virgie gave her an approving smile. “I expect you’ll be finding out.”

  “I certainly hope to.” She wondered if there was any basi
s to Margaret’s fear of her mother’s disapproval. She had only spoken with the parents for a few moments when they brought Margaret to the school. The lady had seemed very nice, but of course, looks could be deceiving.

  Virgie nodded. “How are the childrun liking their new classrooms?”

  Helen threw her a look of thanks for changing the subject. “They are settling in very nicely. And they love the auditorium. It echoes.”

  Virgie gave a soft chuckle. “I expect it does. Big, old, hollow room like that. When it gets filled up with chairs and people, it won’t echo so much.”

  Helen glanced at the green velvet Felicity was fashioning into knee length breeches. She wondered which lady of the Quincy family had worn it and to what occasion.

  The sound of a carriage out front drew her attention, and she glanced toward the door then quickly back. Virgie sent her a knowing smile.

  “What?”

  “I didn’t say anything.” But Virgie’s smile grew bigger.

  Felicity giggled. “Anyone can see you and Mr. Flannigan like each other.”

  Helen’s face flamed. “Of course we like each other. As friends. Nothing else,” she snapped.

  Felicity nodded. “If you say so.”

  The screen door squeaked open and Helen shushed her. “Be quiet. He’ll hear you.”

  “All right. All right.” Felicity pressed her lips together and made a motion as if she were buttoning them.

  “Oh, you.”

  “Bye, Papa, I’ll see you in a little while.” Molly’s voice rang out. “Don’t forget what we talked about.”

  Her shoes tapped across the foyer and up the stairs.

  “Someone better go see if that man need something. He just standing in the foyer.”

  Helen stood and laid her embroidery on the chair. “Oh, all right. I’ll go.”

  Patrick stood in the foyer looking around helplessly. Relief crossed his face when she stepped out of the parlor.

  “I wasn’t sure where to find you,” he said.

  “Oh, were you looking for me?”

  “Yes, we talked earlier about going for a walk? I wondered if you’re still interested.”

  “I think that would be fine. Let me put my sewing away.”