by Susan Thomas
"I hope to but only if she'll have me."
"Will that make you my father?"
"It will make me your stepfather. I'd try to be a good stepfather to you, but how do you feel about that?"
"Would you be kind to Mama and Amelia?"
"Of course! But Harold, being kind doesn't mean that I wouldn't sometimes need to correct bad behavior. That is part of being a father and a husband. Your mama doesn't allow bad behavior in school does she? But that doesn't mean she is unkind."
He could see the boy nodding thoughtfully; clearly he was smart but good at hiding his true feelings. James worried that was because of his real father and really he didn't like the sound of the man. Although he knew it was wrong to think such a thing he felt it was just as well Annie had been widowed.
"If you'll be kind to Mama and Amelia, I don't mind if you marry her."
"Harold, I hope you believe I'd be a kind stepfather to you too."
Harold nodded slowly but he said nothing and James wondered just who Mr. McWilliams was and what kind of man he might be. He decided he needed to spend more time with both children and show them a good father can be firm but loving. He was already having to be firm with Annie who was working herself up about the children who did not go to school. They were almost hidden and ignored by the town because they were not from respectable backgrounds. One Saturday, when he had called on her, he found her in an agitated state about to march off down into the town.
"Where are you off to in such a state?"
"Sams Saloon. Apart from suggesting they put an apostrophe in the sign I am going to do something about the children there. The children from The Hovels tell me that there are two children, a girl and a boy, living in that bar. That in itself can't be right, but they do not attend school and yet they are old enough."
"Didn't that belt whipping teach you anything?
"That was for disobeying Henry Flight and going into The Hovels. No one ever said I wasn't to go to Sams Saloon. I was told it wasn't respectable, not that I wasn't to go there, but it is against my conscience to allow those two children to be denied an education so, respectable or not, I am going to have it out with the owner."
"Oh no you're not. Even if I were not courting you I'd put a stop to that. It's a rough and dangerous place for any woman let alone a respectable one. The town will not like the schoolmarm going there no matter how honorable her motives." To James' surprise Annie stamped her foot and flew into a temper.
"We are not married, James Daffern, and as the children are safely at Cath's place playing with her children, I am going to do what my job requires. The town council were very clear when I was appointed that I had to encourage all school age children to attend regularly."
James knew that women can get very worked up about such matters and need to be calmed down and made to see sense; this was a test for him, if he didn't assert his authority with Annie now it would be harder later. He remained very calm but his voice was stern. "Annie, I love you and I love your motives. However, you are being very foolish and also disrespectful to me. I'll not accept temper tantrums from you. You're better than that. When I have finished disciplining you I'll explain how I will help you with this problem."
"What do you mean, disciplining me? We're not married James and I've done nothing wrong."
"We're courting, and that's good enough, and you have been willful, headstrong and disrespectful, quite apart from stamping your foot in temper. I am going to discipline you right now." He took her firmly by the arm and began leading her to a chair where he could sit.
"James, no! You can't! This isn't right, you have no right."
"As the man who intends to marry you, and as your pastor, I have every right to correct your willful, stubborn foolishness and teach you how to be respectful. Now don't fight me on this Annie, it'll just make it all the worse for you."
Annie knew in her heart that he was right but somehow she just couldn't stop fighting and protesting. She struggled against being taken to the chair. She resisted when he put her over his lap. She fought to try and stop him throwing her skirts up. Throughout all this she shrilly protested against her upcoming discipline.
Annie still had her drawers on and James brought the palm of his hand down smartly across her bottom six times. "Now just you stop that Annie McWilliams. You've earned this spanking and you know you have."
"That hurts and I'm doing my job!"
"No, you're being foolish and willful. I'll help you with that but your plan was foolish and you've been disrespectful and lost your temper. Now do you want me to pull your drawers down?"
"No!"
"Then stop all this fussing and take your spanking properly. Are you going to hold still and take what's coming or do I pull your drawers down?"
In a sulky voice, she replied, "I'll hold still."
James smiled at her tone and brought his hand down hard on her bottom. The strong material of her rather pretty drawers would protect her a little but only a very little. He heard a satisfactory gasp and felt the small jerk of her body as the sting reached her brain. He smiled; he felt such love for her and had done from that moment she had turned up at his door but she certainly needed a firm hand. He suited the thought by bringing his hand hard on her bottom and she cried out, "Yew!"
I'm being too slow, he thought, and began spanking her hard and fast; his hand smacked down first on one cheek and then on another before landing right across or low down or high up. Annie jerked and cried out at each one while his hand bounced on her firm bottom, something he enjoyed, even though he should not enjoy disciplining her. When he felt he had really warmed her bottom for her and he could sense she was near to tears he began to scold.
"Do you think courting danger and the town's disapproval is the right way to do your job?"
"No, no, I'm sorry."
To reinforce the point, he unleashed a volley of smacks that had Annie bucking across his lap. "Do you think losing your temper, stamping your foot and being disrespectful to me is the best way of doing your job?"
"No, no I'm sorry. Please don't spank me again."
James ignored her plea and unleashed another, and harder, volley of smacks which had Annie bucking and finally bursting into tears. He thought for a moment and then began spanking her again until she just lay submissively over his lap and let his hand smack down on her bottom. He was sure that when he let her up she would not resent her discipline and he was right.
"Alright Annie, I think I've spanked you enough. Come on, up you come."
Annie threw herself into his arms. "I'm so sorry James. I get so passionate about things I end up being foolish. Thank you for stopping me."
He sat with her on his lap, which he thought was probably not proper but was certainly very pleasant. Annie cried into him and he stroked her and comforted her.
"Oh James, I've always been so willful and headstrong. It's got me into such a mess before. I love it that you're here to help me." She suddenly went very shy. "You said before you started spanking me that you loved me. Did you mean that?"
"I meant it. I love you Annie. I know it is all very sudden really, but when you came to my door with Harold and Amelia and that cake, I looked into your eyes and I knew I loved you. I felt my whole world change for the better. We're made for each other. We've been brought together and I don't want us to part."
"I'm not really a very good person James. I've... well I've done bad things in the past. My parents... well, not what they would have wanted for their only surviving child."
James smiled. "Annie, my work involves knowing people. You are a good person. You may have done bad things but perhaps they were just foolish. I don't know and I don't judge. Whatever you did you always were at heart a good person which is why you are here in this town. It may surprise you but I've done bad things too... things that I have repented and made me change the course of my life. The Good Book tells us quite simply that all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, but that isn't who we are
now."
Annie felt herself wanting to give herself completely to James. This wasn't lust or simple physical desire, it was far stronger and deeper than that. She wanted to give herself to him but also to care for him, to cherish him.
"Do you think the children will be alright with you?"
James laughed. "I think Amelia already wants cuddles from me more than anything. She'll be fine. I shall have to watch out she doesn't wind me around her little finger. As for Harold, we have begun to establish a very strong relationship." He hesitated before saying, "I think he has some bad memories of his father."
"Yes, he does."
"I thought so, but I think he trusts me; he talks to me to a degree and accepts my authority. I think we can build a strong relationship, but he needs more time than Amelia. However, he told me if I were kind to you and Amelia he would be alright with me marrying you."
---oOo---
Annie had so many and such strong feelings regarding James that she was in a total muddle. One minute she longed to be his wife and the next minute doubts set in. She wasn't good enough for him: he had no idea what she had done in the past or the wickedness in which she had been involved. He had no idea about the money she had hidden in her house or that she had stolen it or the man she had stolen it from. How could she marry such a good man with such dark secrets?
She was in no doubt about his disciplining her. She hated it while it was happening of course, but it was like her father's discipline in that it was to help her. Her life had shown all too clearly, she was willful, headstrong and prone to making rash decisions. James had spanked her bottom hard to stop her rushing in where angels fear to tread. When he had beaten her... you couldn't call it discipline... he had done it for his pleasure or to control and dominate her. His beatings had been quite savage most of time sometimes leaving her unable to move from her bed; she had feared him, but she was never afraid of James, not even when he was disciplining her. In a way, she longed for his discipline and guidance but then she became worried... how could she hide her past from him? That wasn't right. So, her thoughts went around and around, never staying put for any length of time, but always in the background was the man she feared; the man she knew would still be looking for her.
James had solved the problem of Sams Saloon. He had paid the owner a visit and invited him to meet with him and Mrs. McWilliams at the church. James had coached her not to be shrill or critical but calm and reasoning, and she had obeyed. James had mediated between them and, in the end, Sam Mackie had agreed the children should attend school. They were not his of course but a by-product of what happened in the upper rooms. The boy aged six and the girl aged seven were not brother and sister although they thought of themselves in that way. They were not unloved or neglected just getting a very odd upbringing. When they did attend school, Annie was surprised that they were very clean and very well dressed. In fact, they were extremely polite and well-mannered and clearly in need of going to school. Annie guessed they had been bored at the saloon all day.
Beth Flight came in twice a week for a few hours to give extra help and support to any child that needed it. Teaching across a wide age range and so many abilities is never easy and Annie was grateful. It took her a few weeks to notice before she finally said to Beth in private, "You're with child!"
Beth grinned at her. "Yes, and so is my sister Emily, but if Mama Spencer is to be believed, we are both having twins. We are twins you see."
Annie was still sorting out who was who and she hesitated. "Is that Emily Flight who is married to your husband's brother Charles? He is the newspaper man and lawyer?"
"That's right."
"Oh, how lovely. Sisters married to brothers. They seem like good men."
"They both are. I couldn't ask for a better husband or brother in law. Mark you, I have to behave myself or sitting down becomes a problem but I think you know about that with Rev. Daffern."
"Yes, it is something I'm getting used to, and in a way I find it comforting. He stopped me from making a scene at Sams Saloon and spanked me when I got in a temper about it. Then he went and helped me get the children there into school. He was right and I was wrong but I had to get a sore rear end to learn it."
Chapter 5
For the most part The Kirkham Patriot had only local news, but every now and then Charles liked to do a big feature on a state or nationwide issue. His readers particularly liked terrible events that they felt couldn't touch them. A horrific series of murders in the state capitol would have them shaking their heads and tutting while chewing over the events with friends and neighbors, all the while of course feeling that they, here in their little town, were immune from such horrors. It was with this in mind that he ran a large feature covering several pages about the notorious Becker gang.
Feared across several states Andrew Becker's gang had committed the most terrible atrocities. Murder was the least of them. He seemed to enjoy torturing some of his victims, while rape for any woman or girl was a given, and the chances that they would be sold on to a brothel somewhere were very high. Not that Charles used the word 'rape', no, he used 'violated' or 'ravished' which everyone understood. The men all told each other they would not be scared of Becker's gang and the women were secretly terrified he should ever turn his attention to Kirkham. However, they all bought The Kirkham Patriot and Charles did well out of that edition.
James Daffern read the article several times and admired Charles for his restraint. He had not sensationalized Becker's exploits, if anything he had played them down, nor had he turned him into some sort of folk hero. He had been clear that Becker was a very nasty and dangerous criminal. James knew that to be true but when he came across Annie reading the article with trembling hands he was quick to reassure her.
"Annie that man is not coming here. We are very out of the way here and there are no real sources of wealth for his journey to be worth it. He will go for richer spoils." She was eager for his arms and his comfort, and he was surprised at how much the article had affected her, for Annie was trembling violently. James felt it was time they married. Annie clearly had need of a man and he most certainly had need of her. "Annie, I know we've not been courting long, but will you marry me?"
Annie felt good in the safety of his arms. It was hard, this single life, and of all the men she'd ever met, James was the best. She had no doubts about her commitment to him, just that she would bring secrets to their marriage. But James had said that she was a good person whatever she had done in the past.
"Yes James, I will. I love you and I want so to be your wife."
The people of Kirkham were delighted: their preacher, a much-loved man, and the delightful schoolmarm were to be married. No date was set but they loved the romance of it; only Mayor Spencer was unhappy and grumbled over breakfast that, "Teachers simply don't remain unmarried long enough."
His adopted son looked at him. "Papa, may I ask a question?"
He got a fond look in return. "Of course, Arthur."
"Why can't Mrs. McWilliams carry on teaching after she marries? Pastor Daffern already has someone washing his clothes and cleaning his house. That could just carry on."
"It's not proper Arthur, that's why."
Arthur was smart enough to know when not to push for a better answer but he simply couldn't see why it wasn't proper. He was not to know that the issue and several others were now on the agenda of the town council because now it had two women members. It was Cath and Emmeline who raised the question of having a doctor. Several women in the town and surrounding area were with child, and with Beth and Emily Flight suspected of each having twins, the older women who normally dealt with birth were getting nervous. Men constantly got injured and home remedies weren't able to save many of them.
"The town," the two women pointed out, "is now large enough for a doctor. It isn't going to cost us anything as the doctor will seek his own fees. We need to advertise and check out whoever applies because we don't want quacks."
The men like
d that the town was growing big enough for a doctor and it was true that medical help was primitive. The women took care of childbirth which was great when everything went smoothly, but it didn't always. A recent tragic breech birth which had resulted in the death of mother and baby was a case in point; but some argued that doctors would only make it worse and that the doctor should be kept for broken bones and other such injuries. However, the thought that their town could have a doctor motivated the town council to advertise for one. Only one applied so it seemed as if their small town was just too small and too remote to be of interest to doctors. Worse, in the eyes of some, the doctor was not an American. He was British but had trained at the Edinburgh Medical School which was probably the leading medical school in the world.
"Why would he want to come here anyhow?" Mayor Spencer was grumpy.
Emmeline Philips eyed her husband warily before freezing the tart reply she had intended. "Reading his long letter, it is simply money. He's from a poor home in Wales, a miner's son, and had to work very hard to get his education and training as a doctor. Even in Scotland the medical profession is a bit of closed shop and worse in England, so he has come here to the USA."
"Iestyn Davies. Funny name. How do you pronounce that first name?"
"Does it matter? We can find out when he gets here."
There was a great deal of grumbling because they would have to help the doctor get set up with a surgery and place to live. It would have been better if he'd had some money, but if he had money why would he come to Kirkham? In the end, it was just grumbling because everyone wanted a doctor and who better than a man who'd had to struggle in life and knew what it was like to be poor. Mayor Spencer wrote the letter of invitation, the women of the town decided what needed to be done, and the men set to and built a small house with an attached surgery. They were all extremely pleased with themselves when they had finished.
Dr. Davies was, of course, the centre of attention when he finally arrived. He was only of middle height but a solid, well-built man with long brown hair which waved delightfully. He had sparkling green eyes but a large nose which might have detracted from his good looks except that he had the most wonderful smile. His first Sunday in church was a revelation, for Iestyn Davies had a fine tenor voice and was not afraid to use it. The people of Kirkham unconsciously launched into an interrogation of their new doctor to find out more about him. He was from a large, poor family of miners who were effectively illiterate. He himself had been down the pit as a boy but had taught himself to the point where he had managed to attend a college and learn more. The Edinburgh Medical School had been made possible by an initial donation from the good people of his village and his own hard work. By the time he had qualified, the pit at his village was worked out, and the occupants scattered around other mining communities.