The Schoolmarm and the Preacher

by Susan Thomas

  James began to run as fast as he could toward the sounds, and bursting through the trees he came to one of the rivers that wrapped around Kirkham. Here was the most dangerous place. Outcrops of rock on both banks narrowed the channel and made the river fast and deep. In the middle of the channel were more outcrops of rock, and debris sometimes caught on there for a while, until flood waters scoured them free. Now a branch was caught against two rocks, and clinging desperately to it was a little girl whose waterlogged clothes were pulling her down while her grip slowly loosened. In the water trying, but failing, to get to her was a boy little older than the girl. The current was too strong for his small body, and though he fought heroically to reach the girl, it was clear that soon he would be swept away to his certain death.

  James did not hesitate. He ran straight to the bank throwing off his jacket as he went and plunged into the cold water. The current was strong even for him but he headed for the boy not the girl. The boy's danger was actually the greater he thought. He grabbed him by his collar and, struggling against the current, pulled him back towards the side. He threw the boy onto the bank, and safety, snapping out, "Stay there. I'll get the girl." Getting the girl was harder. The cold began to affect his legs and the current seemed more powerful nearer the centre where she was. He felt his clothes dragging him down but he reached her and pulled her to him. A huge wave of triumph, pleasure and relief spurred his return to the bank. The boy was standing watching anxiously shivering with cold and shock. He was crying.

  When James put the girl down on the bank side the boy engulfed her with fierce hugs. Both children were shivering and crying and James knew that they had to get warm and dry quickly. It was only then he realized that he didn't know them. For a moment he was bewildered. He knew everyone in Kirkham but he didn't know these two.

  "Where do you live?" he asked.

  The boy pointed behind him through the trees and bushes. There was only one house there he realized and everyone knew the town had prepared it for the new teacher.

  "Is your mom the new teacher?"

  The boy nodded, shaking with the cold of his dip. James wasted no more time. He picked the girl up and she clung tightly to him. He retrieved his jacket and told the boy to put it around himself before taking his hand and walking briskly towards their home.

  "It's all my fault," sobbed the boy, "I stopped watching what she was doing and she wandered off and the next thing was in the water."

  James stopped for a moment and looked down at the boy. "Now you listen to me and listen hard. It is not your fault. That river is dangerous there but you didn't know and neither did she. You tried to save her and I saw how hard you tried. You, my boy, are a little hero and I'll not hear anything else. I'm the pastor of the church, but they call me Preacher around here, so it's the truth I'm telling you."

  Their mother saw them coming and screamed. She immediately ran to them and in a few words James explained what had happened. "Don't scold them please. They were not to know how dangerous the river is just there, but in future they should stay well clear of it. You'd best get them bathed and changed. I'm James Daffern, the pastor of the church. I'll call around another time when there is less drama."

  Annie was so upset she forgot her manners entirely but thanked him with her eyes and hustled the children in to sort them out. She was berating herself for letting them play in the woods. She had seen many children around when they arrived, playing everywhere, and assumed all was safe. She'd have to set safe limits for their next play. When she stripped and washed them both Harold and Amelia had scratches, cuts and bruises from the buffeting they had received in the water and she dealt with each one tenderly.

  By the next day, Harold and Annie acted as if nothing had happened. They seemed as lively as normal other than playing closer to the house. Although school had reopened they were not to attend until the Monday. The children may have recovered but Annie hadn't. The horror of seeing them returned soaking wet and dirty was still with her. My first whole day in Kirkham, and I let this happen to my children. Why, I could have lost them both! That made her think of the man who had rescued them. The pastor of the church he had said, so the next day being Sunday she would see him then. No, she thought, he must be thanked properly. She got busy and enrolled the children in helping make two good fruit cakes, one for him and another for themselves. Then, the children neatly dressed and rehearsed in a little speech of thanks, they walked through town to the house next to the church which was where the Rev. James Daffern lived.

  When he came to the door she saw him properly. Although not as tall as Henry Flight he was still a tall man, and clearly muscular; a strong, but kind face, brown eyes and rich brown hair completed the picture of a man very far from the mental image she had of a pastor of a church. She suddenly felt very attracted to him.

  What James saw did not fit anyone's mental image of a schoolmarm. She had such a kind face for a start; a woman of gentle compassion but no weakling. This woman had strength of character but, James thought, she would also be impetuous... headstrong even; inclined to go off and do something rash without really thinking it through. She had curly light brown hair, green eyes and a face that... he had to admit, he longed to kiss.

  "Reverend Daffern, the children have something to say and we have brought you this cake."

  After the little ceremony they naturally all had to have a piece of cake and James' life turned to sunshine. Now I know why I had that nightmare, he thought. That walk was intended... destined, so that this meeting could happen.

  Chapter 2

  Annie found the week she spent with Beth Flight, getting to know the children and the routines of the school, somewhat awe inspiring. She knew herself to be a talented teacher; she had been trained and spent two years teaching, but starting a school from nothing was a huge task. Beth Flight was still only eighteen but she had arrived, with no training, and created one of the best small schools Annie had ever come across. What was more she seemed to make it look easy and was unaware of her accomplishment. However, Annie was sure she could keep this standard up. She had already met Arthur Spencer, adopted by the Mayor and his wife, although she did not yet know why. He was extremely smart and his best friend was Timmy Hancock, equally smart but struggling with reading and writing. Annie quickly saw how breaking learning into small steps helped him. Give him any problem involving numbers or geometry, however, and he was very fast at solving it... no small steps needed then.

  Most of the parents came to the school, and she knew they were sizing her up, but they seemed happy and she had even made friends with several; the fact that she had children of her own helped with those relationships. The children took to her and when the end of the week came Beth handed over charge of the school to her.

  She was in charge of her own school. It was a huge responsibility and Annie was aware she still knew very little about the town or its people. She said that to Cath O'Connor, one of the parents, who suggested she needed to explore on her own. The kindly woman immediately offered to take Harold and Amelia on her very first Saturday after taking charge. She would have them to play with her children and then give them a meal. Harold had been so keen that she didn't like to refuse but she was not used to having time for herself.

  Cath had given her an understanding look and said, "Go on, it's no trouble and you have no one to support you. They'll be fine with me. Go and explore the town, then put your feet up. I dunno what schoolmarms do... read a book? I'm not too good at reading myself. I had a little schooling but..."

  She had thanked the big-hearted woman, told her two to be as good as gold for Mrs. O'Connor, and left for her spell of freedom.

  She felt her time was best used exploring the town. Really, she hadn't been able to do that so now was a perfect opportunity. There was one area in particular she was concerned about and that was the place known as The Hovels. Sheriff Flight had warned her not to go there for it was an area of shacks, shanties or hovels, call them what you will, that housed
the 'ne'er do wells' of Kirkham.

  "It's no place for a woman, Mrs. McWilliams, so stay clear unless I escort you," he'd told her. It was typical of a man to say that sort of thing. He meant well she knew, it was his protective side coming out, but the practicalities of life went against such a rule.

  There were now five children from The Hovels at the school. Beth Flight had told her there used to be none but she had encouraged two to attend and now more had started to come. It was her duty to find out where the children in her charge came from. Although their mothers tried to make them fit for school there was no doubt they were the dirtiest and most badly dressed children.

  She entered the area and was shocked at the poverty she saw. She had lived in some rough places with... him, but none as bad as this. A rough looking man accosted her.

  "What you doing, lady? This ain't no place for the likes of you."

  "I'm Mrs. McWilliams the schoolteacher. Several children in my school come from here. I wanted to see what their circumstances are."

  He spat on the ground. "Bad, lady. That's what they is. Bad. Once you git here you don't get out easy. You teach them kids good cos that's their only chance... edication. Now I'm taking you out o'here cos there's some won't respect who you is."

  Annie looked into his eyes and saw a good man ground down by life and troubles. She nodded. "Thank you Sir, for your consideration, I've probably seen enough. Something has to be done about this." She waved a hand around.

  At the edge of the area she thanked him again and walked on back to town. There was a gap of open land between the main town of Kirkham and The Hovels. It was if the town had turned its back and was saying, "That's nothing to do with us." On the fringe of Kirkham, where it opened up onto the gap, was where the least respectable establishments were. The least respectable of all was Sams Saloon, and no apostrophe on the sign she noticed with a sniff, although that was clearly not the greatest of its sins. She had known places like that with... She didn't like to think about him but he was there in her mind whether she wanted him or not. He was the father of her children, and she watched anxiously to see if there was any sign of him in them, but they were lovely and had only childhood naughtiness in them.

  Annie wondered if the place had women. She wasn't ignorant about what they did if there were; rooms on the upper floor where a man could take care of his needs for a small price. She also knew that such places often had children around and if so they should be at school. She stepped onto the raised and boarded area in front and peered in through the window. It had the usual collection of roughs and working men standing drinking or sitting playing cards, but yes there were also women. Annie could tell immediately what their occupation was. She stepped away preoccupied and was startled by a voice.

  "Mrs. McWilliams, whatever are you doing? Come away from there. That's no place for a lady."

  It was Sheriff Flight, and, she noticed with a lurch of her heart, he did not look pleased. To make matters worse, she could see his brother, Charles Flight, and Mayor Spencer hurrying towards them.

  She straightened her back, ignored the sudden guilt and nervous squirming of her stomach, and replied stiffly, "I was doing my job, Sheriff. There are women in there and I have no doubt children will be in the picture somewhere. They deserve an education as much as other children."

  "Maybe so, Mrs. McWilliams, but any saloon is no place for a respectable woman and this one most of all. However, I did not come hurrying down here because you were peering in the windows of Sams Saloon but because I had a report that you were seen entering The Hovels."

  Mayor Spencer arrived and seemed a little out of breath. He was accompanied by Charles Flight, the town's lawyer and owner of the only newspaper. Annie knew that they were the real men of influence in the town; there were richer men but they were the leaders.

  Mayor Spencer was undoubtedly scolding her. "Mrs. McWilliams, this part of town is no place for a lady. What do you think you're doing?"

  "John, it's worse than her peering in the window of this saloon; Mrs. McWilliams was seen entering The Hovels, and I was about to find out just what she thought she was doing, especially as I forbade her to go there without me as an escort."

  Annie squirmed with guilt and embarrassment. She felt foolish but also nervous. These three men were all decent and kindly but they had an air of authority that made her distinctly uneasy. She sensed that she had to explain herself and that the explanation had to be a good one.

  "I can explain." She sounded nervous even to her own ears. "I wanted to see what conditions the children from The Hovels were living in and when I saw this saloon I wondered if there were women here. There are and... well there are likely to be children too." She blushed at what she was saying. Respectable women weren't supposed to know what the women in these places did.

  "Mrs. McWilliams, I told you that you mustn't go into The Hovels unless I went with you."

  "Did you? I don't remember." Annie blushed. The second the words were out of her mouth she knew she had made a bad mistake. One did not tell lies to a man like Sheriff Flight. Now his face darkened and he looked very stern indeed. His brother too looked very disapproving and Mayor Spencer managed to look the same while also looking worried.

  "Mrs. McWilliams, this behavior is not the sort we expect from our ladies. We expect them to listen and abide by what we say, and if they don't then there must be consequences. My problem is that you are a widow and I can't escort you back to your husband for him to take the appropriate action."

  Annie suddenly felt rather dizzy. She now understood what these three men were thinking. They wanted her chastised for what she had done. She burst out, "But I was just trying to do my job."

  Sheriff Flight frowned. "You do not do your job by disobeying the very clear instruction I gave you. You do not do your job by peering in the windows of an establishment like this. You most certainly don't do your job by trying to deny that you knew I had banned The Hovels to you. You were lucky to escape unharmed."

  Annie's heart raced and her mouth felt very dry indeed. She'd had many spankings from her father growing up; he had not been slow to chastise her either although they had been brutal not the corrections her father had applied. However, it had been a long time since she left home and a good while since he had laid a hand on her; now, it would be mortifying to be spanked by one of these men. She had to stop this. "I'm really very sorry, honestly I am, but I meant well. I'll never do it again." She sounded like a child, she thought. It was ridiculous. She was a grown woman, a mother and the schoolteacher, yet essentially she was pleading not to be spanked.

  "Mrs. McWilliams." Mayor Spencer sounded firm. "I think we'd best move away from this place before we attract attention. However, I think there is nothing for it..." He shook his head. "It must be done, the only question is, of course, who will do it?"

  He crooked his arm for her to take and Annie knew it was not an option. It might just as well be handcuffs, she thought, as she took his arm and they walked back along the street into the respectable part of town. She felt extremely nervous to the point where she felt quite faint. She wondered if she fainted whether they would abandon their plan to spank her. Somehow, she didn't think so. They would be real gentlemen and assist her in every way; probably leave it until the next day but it would not be forgotten.

  She knew she was in the wrong. She'd been willful and foolhardy. Her father had whipped her enough for those very faults and he had been right. Look where her behavior had got her... straight into his arms. Now, here in her fresh start she was still foolhardy and willful. But a spanking...? It was too awful to contemplate, but she could already feel the smarting welts across her bottom. Imagine going to school on Monday and the children all knowing she had been whipped by Mayor Spencer or one of the Flight brothers.

  As they neared Kirkham Church the Reverend James Daffern came out. Annie felt the same thrill at seeing him she had felt before. There was something about his tall, muscular frame that really attracted
her. He was the man that had saved her children from drowning and she would be eternally grateful to him for that. Perhaps he could save her from an embarrassing spanking.

  Most men wore hats, but not the Rev. Daffern, so he had nothing to doff when he saw the group approaching. "Good day to you Mrs. McWilliams, and to you gentlemen. I have to say you all look very serious. Has something happened?" His voice was richly mellow, and, as with everything he said, conveyed sincerity. He wasn't being polite but sensed a problem and was ready to help.

  Mayor Spencer did not hold back. This was the town's preacher; who better to share the problem with. Annie squirmed with embarrassment as words such as 'disobedient', 'foolhardy' and 'lie' were used.

  The Rev. Daffern looked at her and Annie felt weak as she stared into his eyes. Those eyes, that had seen so much, were looking at her with compassion. He understood, but it was the same understanding she had when a child was in trouble. She knew that children just naturally do silly things. They are not deliberately wicked, just children, but they must still face consequences or they will not grow up knowing right from wrong.

  "Ah, I see. Now your dilemma is who will walk her to the woodshed. Perhaps I can help." Annie's hopes rose for a brief moment. He was going to get her out of a spanking. Then they sank to zero. "It may be that I am the best person to do that."

  The relief on Mayor Spencer's face was clear. Indeed, who better than the man who dealt with the town's sins and conscience.

  "I think, Mrs. McWilliams, that you would be least embarrassed if I were to chastise you. I am sure you agree that it is not undeserved. However, you need not expect leniency. If I whip you may be sure you will smart afterwards."

  Annie looked at him. Something inside her turned over. She felt a strong need to submit to him. Of course, she could protest, argue or even try and run away but it would all be useless. The matter had been decided and ... well if anyone was going to whip her it then he was the man. She would obey him.