Authors: Catherine Harper
Mary played around with the breakfast James aunt had prepared for her and eventually gave up on the idea of eating. Pushing the plate away, she heard the old woman remark.
"Not hungry?"
Mary shook her head. "Sorry. I know the trouble you must have gone to, but my appetite just isn't there."
"I understand," she replied and took the plate away. "It's been a shock to all of us. He was a lovely man." Placing a glass of milk on the table she slid it in Mary's direction. "Here, at least drink this. I'll not have you walk away from this table without taking something. Starving yourself won't do you any good, James wouldn't want you to..."
Mary grudgingly picked up the glass and took a sip. Seeing that it made the old lady happy, she placed it back on the table. "What was he like? All I know of him is from a handful of letters."
"Good man, big-hearted. I suppose Robert's a lot like him. He teaches, you know that?" Mary nodded, remembering James mention his brothers work with the local children. "He had a wicked sense of humor. Always came in with a smile on his face. He was so excited about meeting you."
"Really?"
"Oh yes. He was trying to impress you with the site he'd picked out for your home. Still hard to believe that he's gone," she said and looked to the window hearing a noise outside. "I see, Robert's, back."
Turning to the door, Mary heard the noise of a horse and buggy pulling up outside. Knowing that he was taking her to the train station, she dreaded the noise and what it meant to her. Getting up from her seat, she thanked the lady for putting her up for the night.
"Think nothing of it child. It's a pity it isn't under a more permanent arrangement. It's been a while since I've had another woman under this roof." Smiling to Robert as he came in. "It's the only time I can have an intelligent conversation."
"What's that?" Robert asked.
"I was telling, Mary here, having a woman under my roof just reminded me of how long it's been since I have an intelligent conversation."
Robert grinned. "You're do know you're saying this to a school teacher."
"From what I've seen he only quotes from books, Mary," the old lady grinned. "A trained monkey could do that."
"Glad to see my aunt Sarah's as supportive of me as always," Robert said and leaned in to give his aunt a kiss on the cheek. "Thanks for last night."
"She's a lovely girl," Sarah replied. "He picked a good one there."
Hearing the remark and feeling her face blush, Mary tried to move the conversation off of her. "I better get my bags. I suppose the trains due in soon."
"No, not until this afternoon," Robert answered. "I thought maybe I could take you off Sarah's hands and show you around Woodvale. If you'd like?"
Feeling relieved that she still didn't have to go home yet, Mary replied more excitedly that she'd meant to. "That would be lovely, thank you."
"Good, that's that sorted," Robert said and once more kissed his Aunt. "And I'll see you later. You still want me to fix that loose shingle on the roof?"
Sarah nodded. "About time. I've been asking you long enough." Turning to Mary she remarked. "Pity you couldn't stay longer, Mary, maybe I could get him to do more of the things he's promised me."
Waving away the comment, Robert went to the door and opened it. Standing in the doorway he remarked, "Don't listen to her, she's going a little senile."
"I'll senile you with a cuff around the ear young man," Sarah smirked. "Now get out of here." Turning to Mary, she added. "And don't listen to a word he tells you about me."
Smiling at the affection between them, Mary picked up her bonnet. Fixing it to her head, she joined Robert at the door. "I'll see you later, Sarah."
"You will, now off you go," Sarah replied. "And Robert?"
"Yes."
"Well, you know…"
Confused by the message that passed silently between them, Mary found herself ushered out the door and led to the horse and buggy outside.
"What was that last thing?" Mary asked taking her seat beside Robert.
Cracking the reins and getting the buggy underway, Robert ignored the question. "So, what would you like to see first?"
"Well, I don't know much about the town. Other than what I've seen between here and the station," Mary replied, still feeling a little lost. "I suppose it's to you."
"OK then. If you don't mind I have to drop by the schoolhouse and pick up something I left there, if that's alright?"
"Fine by me."
"OK. School's the first stop then," Robert said and cracked the reins once more. "So—James told me you did some teaching, Mary."
"Well, if you could call it that," Mary replied. "Compared to what you do it's a bit on the small side."
"How so?"
"Well if you can call three children a class."
"That's it, just three? What I wouldn't give for a class that size," Robert said. "Multiply that by ten. Ranging in ages from about six to twelve. You at it long?"
"Not really, two years to tell the truth. It was a local family. They'd tried to hire a real teacher, but couldn't find one so I suppose I was the next best thing."
"Well, there she is."
Coming closer to town and following Roberts direction Mary watched as large wooden building came into view. Looking a lot like the one from her own town, Robert's had a bell tower that loomed high above it. "It's impressive."
"Yep, she is. Only rebuilt a few months back. Someone got careless with a lantern and burnt the whole place to the ground."
"I'm sorry to hear that."
"We think it was one of the kids, but no one knows for certain." Muttering to himself, Robert slapped a hand to his forehead. "What am I doing wasting your time with this place.—How about I take you to the place James had picked out for the two of you. Unless that's too-"
"No, that would be lovely Robert. I'd like to see it. He'd been keeping it a secret, I'd like to see it with my own eyes."
"Done," Robert said and pulled the horses reins a hard right. Cracking the reins once more, he gave the horse a new course that took them high into the hills that overlooked the town.
"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Robert asked.
Mary looked over the valley below her and found herself lost for words.
"If you look to your right, you'll see the lake," Robert said, standing beside her and pointing the way. "Me and him had so much fun there in the summer. In fact, it was James that taught me to swim."
Mary looked at it and then to the pile of felled trees that lay on the ground. "And that…?"
"I'm sorry, I don't know what I was thinking," Robert said and took her arm. "I just thought that he would have wanted for me to show you-"
Mary held herself in place. "It's fine, I'm glad you took me here. Now I can see how much it meant to him. It's beautiful. Looks like a beautiful place to live. Well, it would have been..."
"It could still be."
Thinking she'd heard wrongly, Mary asked, "What do you mean?"
Looking to the ground as if choosing his words as best he could, Robert said, "There's something I'm about to say and—to tell the truth I don't think there's a right way to say this-"
"Say what?"
Robert took his hat in his hand and ran his fingers along the edges of it. "Well, before James died, he asked me to do something-"
"What?"
"Truth be told—I told him that it was a stupid idea and not talk like that but, well—he asked me to take his place."
Mary shook her head. "What place?"
"With you. He said he knew he wasn't going to make and that I should take his place in marrying you-"
"What!"
"I know, I know it was a stupid idea, and I told him that myself, but he made me promise that I had to look out for you and-"
Mary thought back to the silent exchange between him and his aunt. "So, Sarah, knows too?"
Robert nodded his head. "I had to tell someone. I thought he was raving or something and-"
"No. I'm sorry, but no Robert. I promised myself to your brother. I just couldn't just put his death aside like that and then jump into a marriage with his brother. I don't even know you, heck you don't know me. No, it's all wrong," Mary said, "Is this why you took me up here."
"What? No," Robert said. "I just thought he would have liked you to have seen what he'd planned for you-"
Mary walked towards the horse and buggy. "I'd like to go now please."
"Mary."
Mary ignored him and kept walking away. Hearing his come running behind her, she turned to face him. "What?"
"Look I know it was a stupid idea, but when it's a man's dying wish and when it's your brother and all I…"
"I appreciate that, and I know you must have loved him to take on a task like this, but you know in your heart it wouldn't work, don't you? I'm not the right woman for you Robert," Mary said and then looked him over. Now seeing him in a different light, she had to admit he was an attractive man. Maybe in another time and place, but not now. "Look there must be a woman in town here who'd love to fall in love with a man like you. I'll not stand in your way of finding the right one."
"OK."
"OK, what?"
"You're right it was a stupid idea," Robert admitted. "But can I ask? Do you want to go home to Oak Grove?"
Mary said nothing.
"Now I don't know why you don't want to go back there. Maybe you're low on cash," Robert said and held up his hands. "And I don't expect you to answer that question. But there's some reason you don't want to go back there."
"Just take me back to Sarah's," Mary said and turned to walk back to the buggy. Feeling a hand on her arm, he pulled her around.
"Please, just hear me out."
"Look marrying you is out of the question."
Nodding his head, Robert agreed. "I know that, but if there's something else I could help you out with. I made a promise to my brother that I'd look out for you. And if going back to this Oak Grove is going to put you in danger or something or other, then it's up to me to make you stay here."
"Robert you don't have to," Mary patted him on the arm. "Whatever promise James held you to, I'm breaking it. You don't have to worry about me I'm a big girl now, I'll look after myself."
"You'll need a job," Robert asked. "Well, why not help me out at the school, you've got the experience, right?"
"You said yourself, Robert, three kids doesn't compete with thirty. I wouldn't be much help to you."
"But if you had a job here," Robert said and smiled.
Mary looked at him and found her own face mirror his. "Alright, if I had a job. But I've nowhere to live."
"Already sorted," Robert grinned even more. "You stayed there last night."
"Sarah's?"
"Well you could. And you did hear what she said about female company?"
"You must have loved him a lot," Mary asked, feeling her eyes well up.
"Like you wouldn't believe," Robert said and pulled out a handkerchief. "I wouldn't be the man I am without, James."
"Alright, say I say yes," Mary said. "Will you put all those notions of marriage out of your head?"
"I will," Robert nodded. "I'll never ask you to marry me again." Licking a finger he made an X on his chest. "Cross my heart."
"Alright, I'll stay then," Mary said. "And thank you."
Looking to the sky, Robert called to it. "See. Happy now, James?"
Mary looked there also and said a silent prayer of thanks. Linking her arm in Robert's, she felt a small part of her sorrow grow less knowing that he was up there looking out for her.
"Class, I want to introduce you all to our new assistant teacher," Robert said, standing at the blackboard with a piece of chalk in his hand. Writing on the board he called out. "Her name is, Miss Samuels. Say good morning, Miss Samuels."
"Morning, Miss Samuels."
Mary felt her face blush on hearing her name called out. Clearing her throat she replied. "Morning, class. I'm very pleased to meet you all."
Hearing a group giggle at the back, Robert called for silence. Leaning in, he whispered in her ear. "You have to watch this lot like a herd of cattle. The quicker you stop the first ones from wandering off, the better."
Mary nodded her head. "What do you want me to do?"
"Why not take it easy on your first day," Robert said and nodded to a small boy at the front of the class. "Tom has a little trouble with his reading. I've never had a chance to sit down and give him my full attention. How about you take him to one side and work with him? Is that OK?"
"You're the boss," Mary said.
"That's right, I am. Must keep that in mind. You never know when I might need that," Robert grinned. Turning to the class, he called for their attention. "Alright, everyone turn your English books to page twenty and we'll go back over the story we finished on Friday."
*****
Nodding her head, Mary listened to Tom as he followed her finger across the page.
"Then—the duck—went—to the—pond and-"
"You're doing great, Tom," Mary smiled. "Keep it up."
"Swam—with the other—ducks."
"That's it, see I knew you'd have no problems reading that passage," Mary said. Seeing the child with a confused look on his face, she asked, "What is it, Tom?"
"Father says that I don't need to know about how to read. He says it's more important knowing how to farm," Tom replied. “Reading don't make them grow he says."
"I see," Mary said. "And what do you think?"
Tom shrugged his shoulders. "I dunno."
"You like school?"
"It's fun with all my friends and that, but—father says I'm wasting my time here."
Mary closed the book. "And your mum?"
"She's dead. Died when she had my little brother," Tom said.
"I'm sorry to hear that, so it's just you and Henry?"
"Yes."
"I know what your father says sounds true, but believe me Tom there's world of knowledge out there for someone who knows how to read. Poetry, history, stories of great men, and women. It's all there waiting for you. Your father might think he's right, but if you know how to read, you'll see the world in a whole different way."
Hearing the children pack up in the adjoining room, Tom looked to the door. "Can I go, Miss?"
"You can go, Tom. And I'll see you tomorrow and we'll work on that reading a little more, OK?"
"Yes, Miss."
"Now off you go," Mary said and smiled as a large grin broke out on the child's face before he took off running toward the door. Packing up her books she turned on hearing Robert behind her.
"So, how was your first day?"
"Fine thanks. He's a good kid, Tom. Just needs a little encouragement that's all. I don't think he's getting much of it at home."
Robert pulled up a chair and sat down. "His father?"
Mary nodded. "He told him that it's more important to know how to grow crops. If we all thought like that we'd still be living in caves."
"I know, but you can't talk like that around the kids," Robert cautioned. "Some people are a little on the slow side of letting progress into their lives. The last thing I need is for them to hear you talk like that about them. Things are a little different around here."
Mary bit her tongue, coming from a town where small mindedness seemed to the popular thinking she thought better of arguing her point. "Alright. Point taken."
"OK," Robert said, getting up from his chair. "Think you'll be fit to take the smaller kids tomorrow?"
"Really?"
"Well, if you think you're capable."
"That would be great, thanks," Mary smiled.
"Done then," Robert said and walked to the door. Stopping for a moment he asked, "You want a lift home?"
"Thanks, but I could do with stretching my legs," Mary said, standing and pressing her fists into the small of her back "You go on, I'll see you in the morning."
Getting a nod in return, Mary returned to her tidying up. Finding a book that Tom had left behind him, she ran to the door to see if she could catch him before he left for home.
*****
"Tom!" Mary saw the boy look in her direction. Glad that she hadn't missed him, Mary waved his book in the air. "You forgot your book."
Running to the wooden cart he was sitting in, Mary handed it over and turned her attention to the man who sat beside him. "You must be Tom's father."
"I would."
Reaching across her hand, Mary introduced herself. "I'm Tom's new teacher, Mary Samuels. You've got a great boy there."
Finding her hand left in mid-air she watched as he took the book from Tom's hand and looked it over. Opening the pages and giving it a quick scan, he closed the book and handed it back to her.
"He won't have time for this, we've little enough time on the farm without taking up his time with this nonsense-"
Mary held the book in her hand and asked, "But surely you want him to better himself-"
"Listen, Miss Samuels, he's a farmer. No point in learning to read if all he's going to be doing in taking care of crops and cattle. They can't read and they do fine, so why should he?"
"But-"
"You might have a lot of time on your hands, but we don't. Good day, Miss Samuels." Nodding his head, he cracked the reins of his horse and drove away. Watching the cart drive off, Mary found herself reeling from the man's ignorance. Stunned by his attitude, she swore the next time she'd be better prepared for him.