“I was raised by a prominent family in Boston, yes, but I’ve recently discovered my background wasn’t what I thought it was.”
She had never been married, but she didn’t want this town to think she was a loose woman, thus she did not mention her marital status in her inquiry. Unfortunately, she had traveled all the way here without a chaperone.
“I’m sorry to hear that. You seem like a very nice young woman, and with your apparent good background, I was curious, that’s all. No need to explain it to me. You have my vote for the teacher position. Now go convince that stuffy old mayor of ours. He is also our local banker, so you’ll find him at the bank, more than likely, this time of the day.” Madge smiled as she all but pushed Lily out the door.
Lily smiled at her new friend and turned on her heel to do just that. As she walked out the door of the boarding house and headed in the direction of the bank, she was surprised at the bustling little town that greeted her eyes.
She hadn’t realized the town was that large when she had stepped off the train the day before. There were several little shops, including a dress shop and the general store where she had met Johnny Sanford. A livery sat several feet away, as well as three saloons, Madge’s boarding house, the sheriff’s office and the bank. A church sat at the end of the main street, a mill clanged noisily on the other side, and what appeared to be a cattle-loading area jutted out from near the train station.
Birds flittered from tree to tree in the bright morning sun. The temperature had already warmed up and promised to be even warmer by the afternoon. I will have to get used to this heat. Her gazed surveyed the crowd around her busily scurrying about town, doing their daily business.
Approaching the bank, she read the gold letters etched in the door glass: ‘First Bank of Parkville, Harland Robert Fisher, banker’.
Madge mentioned the banker was also the mayor, so Lily hoped to catch him this morning and convince him to give her a chance. She knew that if she could show him her abilities with children, he would be more likely to let her stay.
The bell over the door tinkled in response to her entrance, and all eyes turned to greet her. She felt a small flush creep up her cheeks at their stares but squared her shoulders and approached the door with Mr. Fisher’s name on the outside. Knocking firmly on the door, she heard a commanding voice tell her to come in. She took a deep breath, reached for the handle and pushed open the door.
“Yes? Can I help you?" His gaze met hers and he grumbled, "Oh, it’s you. What can I do for you, miss?”
Lily shut the door behind her and approached the large carved desk. “Mr. Mayor, or shall I call you Mr. Fisher?”
“It doesn’t matter. I answer to both. What can I do for you?”
Seeing dismissal written all over his face, she knew her task wouldn't be an easy one, but she wasn't about to give up. “Mr. Fisher, I’m sure you remember me from yesterday at the train station. I wanted to talk to you about the position for which I had applied.” Lily squared her shoulders again and stood her ground.
“Yes, well, you applied under false pretenses, madam, so the position has been reposted.” Mr. Fisher's gaze returned to the paperwork on his desk as he dismissed her.
“Sir, you offered me the position as teacher for your community. I'm certain I told you my age in my query if you didn't notice. You assumed I was older, which is not of my doing. We have a signed contract, sir, for my employ. I am very capable of doing what is required of me, and I have experience teaching at my home in Boston. All I ask is that you give me a chance, sir.”
He set his pen down on top of his paperwork and brought his squinting gaze up to her. “I see. Yes, well, we do have a contract, that’s true. Whether you stated your age in your query, I can't say, but I will look into the matter. I will call a town meeting this evening and ask for the vote of the people. They will decide the fate of your staying here or not. If you’d like, you may be present to state your case. Be at the church at seven this evening if you so choose. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have things to do.”
Feeling completely dismissed and rejected, Lily left the bank and headed toward the general store. If she could make a good impression around town to the locals, she might stand a chance in retaining her position.
For the rest of the day, she walked from business to business talking with the owners and customers. She felt it important that they knew she was the new schoolteacher, and she wanted to assure them she looked forward to teaching their children. Everyone seemed very receptive as she stopped and shook hands with several people on the street. The sun began to dip low in the sky when she returned to the boarding house for supper and to await the meeting later.
By sundown a large crowd had accumulated within the church with many finding it hard to find a seat while Lily watched from her place near the front.
There were a few of the matrons in town, with young daughters, who didn’t really care to have her there, she was sure. She heard whispers from many of them behind their hands when she walked by. Animosity rippled through the room although she didn't know why some would feel that way.
From her seat she could hear several conversations, but one in particular caught her attention.
“I’m not sure it would be such a good idea to have her here.”
“If she can teach, what difference does it make?”
“Well, I don’t want her here,” one pretty teenage girl who sat next to her mother blurted, not caring whether Lily heard her or not.
“Abigail! Come now. We must be civil,” her mother scolded.
“Well, I don’t,” the girl said with a pout. “What if all the young men in town are attracted to her? That would leave that many less for me to choose from.”
“There are plenty to go around, young lady, and you needn’t worry about the young men just yet.”
Lily just shook her head at the conversation. She wondered if she had ever been that shallow growing up.
A few moments later, the mayor walked up to the front of the crowd, and Lily watched with trepidation. She was worried the town would vote to ship her back to Boston without giving her a chance.
“Welcome folks.” Mayor Fisher stepped up to the podium and held up his hand to quiet the group. “Can I have your attention please? I’ve called this meeting tonight because we have a bit of a problem. As many of you know, we advertised for a teacher for our town in some of the newspapers back East. We had one woman send us her information, and we all voted right here a few months ago to hire her. The woman hired is here.”
Applause could be heard throughout the church.
Holding up his hand again, he made the room grow silent. “Our problem now, folks, is that the woman we hired is a lot younger than anticipated. Most of you wanted someone who was unmarried or widowed, in her forties, but the woman, who we actually hired, by no fault of my own, is a very young woman. She is only twenty-two. Now we need to take a vote. Shall we allow her to teach our children, or start another search? All those in favor…”
“Excuse me.” Lily stood up from her place near the front and approached the mayor. “I would like to address the wonderful people of Parkville before a vote is cast.”
“You would, would you?” He obviously didn't think she would be present, judging by the look on his face.
A deep, rich, masculine voice called from the back. “Let the lady talk, Harland. She has a right.”
Lily turned to see who had spoken in her defense, and her startled gaze met the stare of the handsome stranger from the train. He stood lounging against the back wall, completely relaxed, with his arms crossed over his broad chest. When their eyes met, his hand reached up, and he tipped his hat in greeting.
Well, she had her answer. He obviously does live near here. Heat crawled up her neck and splashed across her cheeks from his intense look. Pulling her gaze away from his, she turned to approach the podium. She lifted her skirt and took a deep breath to calm her nerves before she addressed the crowd.
; “Ladies and gentlemen of Parkville, I want to thank all of you for attending the meeting tonight. I’ve met many of you today while I walked around town, and I’m happy to see some familiar faces in the crowd. My name is Lillian Backman. My friends call me Lily.” Her gazed scanned the crowd in front of her before it came to rest on the gentleman in the back again. Goose bumps rose on her arms as his gaze skimmed over her almost like a caress. Fighting the urge to sigh, she continued with her speech. “I am indeed twenty-two years old, but I assure you, I have the qualifications you seek in a teacher for your children. I was raised in Boston and did quite a bit of tutoring over the last several years. My situation changed, thus requiring me to find employment to support myself. I love children and would greatly appreciate the opportunity to teach yours in this quaint little town. I’m sure I will grow to love this town as you all have and hope to stay for a long time to come. You can verify my references with several of the prominent families in the Boston area. I taught many of their children there and loved all of them like they were my own. All I’m asking is a chance to prove to you that I can do the job you require of a teacher. Thank you.”
Stepping down from the podium to return to her seat, she met the blue eyes of the man in the back, and he gave her a small, sad smile as he nodded in encouragement.
The mayor returned to the front of the church. “All right, you’ve all heard her side of things, so let’s vote. All those in favor of sending her back to Boston say ‘Aye’.”
A few ‘Aye’s’ could be heard amongst the crowd, but when the mayor asked for those in favor of keeping her, a resounding ‘Aye’ reverberated through the church, and Lily smiled.
“I guess it’s settled then,” the mayor admitted, frowning. He'd voted to send her home. “Mrs. Backman, if you will come with me after the meeting is adjourned, I will give you the key and show you the house set aside for your use. We will expect classes to start by Monday.”
“Thank you, Mr. Mayor. You won’t be disappointed, I promise.” She shook his hand while several of the crowd came over to congratulate her and welcome her to town.
Peering over the crowd of heads to the back of the church, she was surprised to meet the appreciative stare of her savior one last time before he tipped his hat and was gone.
Chapter Four
Mayor Fisher escorted Lily to her new home. She loved it from the moment she saw the small house, perfect for just her. The town had worked together to clean it up, whitewash the outside and plant pretty flowers around the front. Her home, at least for now.
The mayor opened the door as he explained, “I know it’s not much, especially compared to the homes in Boston, but it’s quiet and cozy. Come, I’ll show you around a bit.”
Lily followed him through the house while he pointed out the living room, with the furniture still draped with white sheets and a little bit of dust on the tables. Next, they went through the small dining room, with a nice table and a couple of chairs if she cared to entertain. The next room was a small bedroom which he said could be used as an office or study for her to grade papers and such. Finally, he showed her the door to her bedroom. She could tell that he didn’t feel comfortable escorting her into her bedroom.
“Thank you so much, Mr. Mayor. It’s perfect, and I’m sure I’ll be quite comfortable here.”
“Yes, well, I hope so. Just make sure you do a good job with the children, and there shouldn’t be a problem. Good-night.” He made his way out the front door, shutting it firmly behind him.
Lily smiled thinking about her new life while her gaze wandered around the living room of her new home. Her thoughts lingered on how wonderful it would be to be useful here, and she couldn’t wait to get started. She walked around the room, pulling the sheets from the furniture and looking in drawers. The townspeople had donated dishes, pots and pans, towels, sheets and cleaning supplies from what she could tell. She grabbed a cleaning cloth and started dusting furniture while she whistled a soft lullaby.
After a couple of hours, Lily walked to the boarding house to make sure Madge was aware she would be moving into her little house. She also wanted to ask if her nephew could help in moving her trunks over.
“Of course. I’ll have him bring them right away.” Madge disappeared as Lily headed back to her little home to finish cleaning.
Before she knew it, the sun had gone down behind the hills, and the moon was high in the sky. She stepped out on the front porch to get a breath of air before retiring. The town was quiet now, except for the bawdy music coming from the saloons down the street. They were far enough away that the music could barely be heard.
I better get some sleep. There is church tomorrow and then school on Monday, and I need to be prepared. She had great plans for the children of this town, and she just hoped they were as receptive as their parents had been at the town meeting tonight.
Her thoughts drifted back to the meeting and the blue-eyed stranger in the back of the room. He had stood up for her, and she wondered who he was. “Why was he so willing to support me in front of the town? He doesn’t know me, except for the encounter on the train, and he didn’t let on to anyone that we had met before, or sort of.”
Obviously, he was an upstanding citizen here. No one seemed concerned by his presence. When he had spoken up for her, they had listened.
The pain in his eyes on the train made her wonder what, or who, had made him so sad.
“And the gun.” Lily remembered with a shudder. He had drawn his gun so fast that she hadn’t even seen him move, much less draw it.
Surely at some point we will be properly introduced, and I can thank him for saving me.
She moved back inside and locked the door before she headed for her bedroom to change into her nightgown. She sat in front of the small dressing table and brushed her hair out until all the tangles were gone. When she wore it down, it usually curled wildly around her head. When she had finished, she tucked it into a bun and went to the bed to pull the fresh covers down.
Sliding under the sheets, she leaned over and blew out the lamp on the bedside table. Lying there in the dark, watching the shadows dance on the ceiling of her bedroom, she thought about her parents—her real parents. What were they like? Did her mother have big green eyes like hers? Had they been tall? When she had asked where the few letters from her mother had been postmarked in California, they said they didn’t remember and that the letters had been discarded.
Maybe someday she would find her mother, or try to, but for now, she needed to concentrate on her future in Parkville. She drifted off to sleep with questions rolling around in her mind.
The next morning found her quietly humming in her kitchen, fixing herself something to eat and getting ready for church. This afternoon she would work in the little flower garden the ladies of the town had planted in front. She had always loved gardening while she lived in Boston, and since there were several weeds popping up around the pretty flowers, she would have to take care of them before they got out of control.
With the mornings still cool, she grabbed her shawl and purse before she headed for church. She was startled to find Madge on her front steps when she opened the door.
“Madge, it’s nice to see you.” Lily stepped aside and let Madge in out of the cold.
“I came by to see how you were doing.” Madge's gaze swept the room. “I’m glad the town decided to let you stay. My goodness, you’ve been busy in here.”
Lily smiled at her friend’s remark. “Yes, well, I was up late last night getting things in order. I’ll probably be busy most of this afternoon getting lessons ready for the children tomorrow.”
Madge patted her arm. “No, that won’t do. Sunday is the Lord’s Day and a day of rest. You need to relax today.”
“I know, but I have so much to do before school starts tomorrow. I’m hoping to meet some of the children today, so I might have some idea of their ages before then.”
“I’m sure there will be several at church. Just about everyone in t
own comes every week. If you are ready, we can walk over together.”
“That would be very nice. Thank you.” They walked through the door together, and Lily locked it behind her.
They walked in silence toward the church, but Lily's thoughts drifted to her savior from the train, and she wondered if she could ask Madge about him.
After several minutes she asked, “Madge, can I ask you a question?”
“Yes, of course, my dear. What’s on your mind?”
“Were you at the town meeting last night?”
“Yes. I was sitting near the back. Why do you ask?”
Perfect. Madge should have seen the man in the back since she sat near there.
“There was a man standing near the back of the church during the meeting. I believe that I might know him. Can you tell me his name?”
“Near the back of the church, you say?” Madge tapped her fingers to her lips. “Let me see if I remember who was back there. What did he look like?”
“Tall, with blond hair, blue eyes, a broad chest, and he was wearing a brown shirt and trousers, with a gun tied to his thigh.” After she gave her description, she realized she had described him perfectly, much to her embarrassment.
A knowing smile rippled across Madge's mouth. “Ah… that, my dear, is Seth Sanford. He is one of the most eligible bachelors in our little town.”
“Sanford?” Lily questioned, testing the name on her tongue. “I think the boy that I sent for my trunks at the train station the other day was a Sanford. Johnny, I think.”
“Yes, he’s one of Seth’s children. Johnny is the eldest of three. Seth has two boys, Johnny and Jarod, and one little girl named Anne. They live outside town to the east. Seth runs cattle out there, but don’t expect those children to be at church today, even though they need to be—poor dears.” Madge obviously thought the children needed the Lord's guidance, but Lily wondered why they wouldn't be there.
Love's Sweet Surrender Page 3