Loving Liza Jane (8 page)

“That’s so.”

“Well, now, ain’t this interestin’?” Sully chimed from below.

“What’s that?” Ben hollered back.

“Just found me a brand new picture fer hangin’. ’Twas stashed on the top shelf of this here wardrobe. Nice country scene with a river runnin’ through, pretty mountains in the background. Words inscribed on it are Patience Is a Virtue.”

Ben set to driving each nail faster and harder. He should have left the picture at home. He might have known someone would come across it, even if he’d done his best to hide it.

“Where’d it come from?” Willie asked.

Ben yanked a few more nails out of his hip pocket and fastened another shingle in place.

“Ben?”

“What?”

“You buy this picture for the schoolmarm?”

“No, I bought it for the cabin,” he clarified.

“Ah, the cabin,” Sully said with a chuckle. “Mighty nice gesture.”

Liza trudged through mud up to her ankles on her way out to the necessary behind the little schoolhouse. Why nature seemed to call at the most inopportune times she couldn’t say. Drenching rain soaked through to her scalp and saturated every inch of her clothing. And it was not the sort of rain that looked as if it’d be letting up anytime soon. At least it had held off until mid-afternoon, giving her plenty of time to walk to the school, survey the surrounding properties, and wash the six classroom windows from the outside. She’d spent the rest of the afternoon inside her classroom taking inventory of her stock, meager as it was, dusting shelves, rearranging books, and going over class lists.

Two little white sheds, one with the word Girls painted in black on the door and the other, Fellows, stood at the back of the property. Hurrying along the beaten path, she glanced out over the open fields before throwing wide the door, thinking she had glimpsed two shadows lurking behind some trees, but too distracted to pay the matter much attention.

Moments later, muffled footsteps approached. Disconcerted, she waited for any kind of clue to the indistinguishable sounds but came up with nothing. She thought about asking who was there, but the very notion seemed silly, if not downright awkward. Perhaps whoever passed had no idea she was even inside; thus, asking would bring about undue embarrassment. No, it was better that she wait things out. In time, they were sure to move on. Besides, who would linger long in this rain?

But as the minutes ticked away and she continued to hear scuffling sounds and quiet movement, it appeared whoever was out there was up to no good. They seemed to be running around the outhouse and every once in a while tapping against it.

“Hello?” she finally called out, standing and straining to find a crack in the wall where she could get a bird’s-eye view. Unfortunately, they’d built the structure in such a way as to ensure total privacy. Liza found herself cursing the good craftsmanship. “Who’s there?”

Rain continued pelting the roof, but it didn’t blot out the stifled giggles and guffaws coming from the other side of the outhouse. She knew without a doubt that some kind of plan was in the making. She also knew it was the sort she wouldn’t approve of.

“What’s going on out there?” she demanded. Still no verbal response, just quiet laughter, the kind that came from rascally boys. Somewhat afraid for her safety, yet confident someone was playing a simple, harmless prank, she pushed at the door, intending to face the troublemakers head-on. However, the thing refused to budge.

“All right, this has gone far enough. Open this door,” she said, exuding all the authority she could gather.

More spurts of laughter.

“Apparently you find this funny,” she said. “I can assure you I will not punish you if you simply let me out. In fact, we’ll all have a good laugh. How does that sound? Are you my future students?”

No answer. Even worse was the pounding of retreating footsteps and continued distant laughter.

“Hey, where are you going?” she called out, as if they would pay her any mind. “Come back here.”

Frenzied, she pushed and pounded on the door, even called out to anyone who might be passing by despite the rain. Although embarrassed by her situation, she did not relish the thought of spending the night here. Surely, someone would come along.

As the perpetrators’ laughter disintegrated, she found herself standing in stunned silence, the onslaught of rain somehow lending to her sense of isolation and despair.

With a frown, Liza closed her eyes to ponder her situation and then spun in a circle as if to stir up her thinking capacity. But thinking was not that easy in the confines of her odor-filled environs.

***

“Will Miss Merriwether be at Miss Browning’s Boardinghouse, Papa?”

“I would think so, pumpkin. It’s well after supper. Unless she’s gone out calling.”

“Has she made lots of friends?”

“I wouldn’t know.”

With the rain coming to a stop, Lili had talked her father into allowing her to ride into town with him to gather up a few supplies. Molly bounced happily on his knee as they rolled along. In her finagling, Lili had also managed to convince him to take her to visit Miss Merriwether. If it hadn’t been for the fact that the sun had peeked out, the air had dried and cooled considerably, and Molly was in chipper spirits, he’d have frowned at the notion. However, he did need more roofing nails for the cabin, additional screws, and some different hinges for the new door he was installing. He just hoped old Mr. Johansson was still open for business at the mercantile. The man kept the strangest hours.

“What color is her hair?” Lili asked out of the blue.

“What?”

“Miss Merriwether’s hair.”

Uncomfortable with trying to explain the teacher’s fair looks, he said, “You’ll find out soon enough.”

“Don’t you even know?” she asked, eyes filled with disbelief. Molly sang a happy tune of her own making as the wagon took each bump and curve in the well-traveled road.

Ben kissed Molly on the top of her blond head and smiled down at Lili. “I told you everything I’m going to tell you, sugar. You will have to make your own conclusions as to your teacher’s looks when you meet her.”

“Oh, I just know she will be pretty,” she cried, exuding excitement.

Sighing, he asked, “Lili, what does it matter how she will look?”

“Mama was pretty. I just want to look at another pretty lady.”

Ben’s heart fell clear to his toes then crawled slowly back into position. How should he respond to a remark like that? Lili rarely talked about her mother, although he’d certainly never discouraged her. Sometimes he wondered if she’d put her mother out of her mind completely. A child’s early memories didn’t often stand the test of time, but Lili’s comment eased his mind on that theory.

“Well then, I suppose you won’t be disappointed,” he managed to say.

The town was bustling with activity for early evening. Perhaps it was the fact that the hot temperatures had let up, lifting folks’ spirits. Several men stood clustered on the sidewalk in front of the post office, conversing, while their womenfolk carried on their own conversation in front of Flanders’ Food Store up the road.

A couple of dogs chasing after a cat crossed in front of the wagon, and Ben had to pull back on the reins in order to allow their frantic passage. He passed by Sam’s Livery and waved at Rocky Callahan, who was just leaving. Rocky was an old friend who’d come upon some hard times of his own, having lost his wife to smallpox some three years ago; and, as if one loss wasn’t enough, his four-year-old son had died from a high fever mere months ago. The man’s face never had regained its ready smile. It was one thing to lose a beloved wife, but a child as well? Rocky had stopped coming to church altogether, making Ben wonder if he’d lost his faith along with his family.

Johansson’s Mercantile bore a Closed sign, but the man himself sat on a rocker outside his establishment. Ben drove his rig up to the hitching post, climbed down with Molly in his arms and Lili close behind, and then wrapped the reins around the post.

“Mind if I pick up a few supplies inside?” Ben asked.

“Sign says closed,” Eldred Johansson said, pointing.

“I can read,” Ben said with a grin, “but I thought since you were sitting right here that perhaps you wouldn’t mind…”

“Well, now that you put it that way, I suppose I could open for a few minutes more. Just for you, mind you.”

“Much obliged, Eldred.”

The aged man stood to his feet, then delivered a mischievous look. “’Sides, I do think I have a few extra candy sticks in my drawer just longing to go to some sweet little girls.”

“That so?” Ben asked, playing along.

“Papa…” Lili whispered, squeezing his hand.

The wagon filled with supplies to last at least a few more days, the Broughton family headed in the direction of Emma Browning’s Boardinghouse. Lili sucked daintily on her strawberry candy stick, while Molly went at her orange one with a vengeance, slobbering and wiping her sticky fingers on Ben’s Levi’s every time the need arose.

At the front door, Emma greeted the three of them with a smile. Wearing a plain gown that gathered at her trim waist, she wiped her brow with the back of her hand and laughed as soon as she laid eyes on them. “Well, my, my, look who’s here. How ya’ll been?”

Ben returned the smile, suddenly and unexpectedly nervous at the prospect of asking to see Miss Merriwether. He didn’t want any rumors passing about him coming to call on the new schoolteacher. “We’re just fine, Emma. You?”

“Me? Gracious, I’m good as can be considerin’ I got me a crop o’ hooligans stayin’ under my roof. Sure do wish I could get some decent men to come and stay for a change.”

Ben laughed. “You could always say no to the worst of them.”

“Oh, I do, believe me. I weed through ’em much as I can. Matter o’ fact, I sent old Ezra Browning on his way the other night. Sent him off to Guttersnipe’s place. That man was just a swimmin’ in his ale. Couldn’t have made it back to his own place if he’d had a rope tied around him and someone pulling him there.”

It amazed Ben how she referred to her drunken father as if he were just another lout off the street. He’d heard tales of her upbringing, even remembered as a kid the cuts and bruises she’d endured at her father’s cruel hand. But the truth was she’d come through it tough as nails and with a seemingly good-natured outlook.

Of course, she was standoffish with men, and with good right. To his knowledge, she’d never courted a single soul, although she certainly was pretty enough to win most any man’s notice. Most had come to accept her for who she was—engaging from a distance but downright lethal if you got too close.

Ben, however, rated differently. He’d never approached her on any level but friendly. Thus, she’d let down her defenses with him, allowing for a sort of affable alliance between them.

“Would you like to come in?”

“Is Miss Merriwether here?” Lili shot out before Ben even had the chance to explain their sudden appearance on Emma’s doorstep.

“Lili, I was getting to that,” he said, laying a hand on Lili’s head and willing her to keep quiet. Then, giving Emma an apologetic look, he said, “Lili’s been very excited about meeting the new schoolteacher.”

Emma smiled and bent down so her face came within inches of Lili’s. “Why, look at how you’ve grown. I hardly even recognized you, honey.”

Lili smiled and stood tall. “Thank you, Miss Browning. Is she?”

“What? Oh, Miss Merriwether?” She stood back up and lent her index finger to Molly, who hadn’t stopped working on her candy stick for one second. Molly spared a sticky hand for Emma’s finger and passed her a quick smile that revealed two front teeth the color of her orange stick. Emma smiled at Molly, then turned a serious eye on Ben.

“Miss Merriwether hasn’t been here since mornin’,” she whispered. “I’m gettin’ nervous, Ben. I would’ve thought she’d at least come back for supper, particularly since she didn’t take any lunch along, even though I offered to send her off with somethin’.”

“Where’d she go?” he asked, mildly concerned.

“As far as I know she was plannin’ on workin’ at the school. But that was hours ago.”

“I’m sure she’s off visiting someone.”

“Don’t think she’s made any friends to speak of yet,” Emma replied.

“Maybe she decided to walk the streets, get to know folks.”

Emma looked doubtful. “She was a woman on a mission, if you know what I mean. She intended to put some hours in at that classroom of hers, but I didn’t think she’d be gone all day.”

“I’ll go have a look around.”

“Oh, would you? That’d be mighty nice of you. Why don’t you leave the girls here? I’ll keep them occupied.”

“Thanks.” He transferred his sticky younger daughter into Emma’s arms. As long as no one threatened to steal her candy stick away, Molly was happy to go with most anyone. Lili, on the other hand, had a mind to stick with him. Her hand went immediately into his.

“I’ll go with Papa,” she voiced.

“Lili, I’d rather you stayed here with Miss Browning,” he said.

“But what if you can’t find Miss Merriwether? What if something’s happened to her? What if she needs me?”

Ben smiled. “I’m sure she is perfectly fine. As soon as I locate her, I’ll bring her back here to meet you.”

“I have some toys stored away in that box over there just for those special occasions when youngin’s come around. Help yourself,” Emma said, pointing to a large trunk across the parlor.

That was the only invitation Lili needed. Investigating a box full of toys she’d never seen before was a hard offer to turn down. Ben winked at Emma. “Thanks,” he whispered. “Now stop worrying. I’m sure Miss Merriwether is fine. I’ll check the school first. She just might still be working in the classroom.”

Emma pushed him out the door. “Then go tell her she’s put in a long enough day and it’s time she came back here for some nourishment and rest.”

Ben chuckled. “I—don’t think she would take to my using that sort of tone with her. I’ve already discovered the woman has a mind of her own.”

Emma laughed. “Well then, you’ve discovered more about her than I have, Benjamin Broughton. I fear she’ll move into that cabin of yours before we have the chance to get acquainted.”