His Amish Teacher Read online

  She drew a steadying breath and raised her chin. “Every morning I wake up and think about these children waiting for me and I can’t wait to get here. I thank God every day and night for leading me to this work. I love it. Are you shocked that I want a career instead of a family?”

  “Nee, I’m not. Luke mentioned as much to me.”

  “You and your brother were talking about me?”

  “It was last Christmas. Luke thought the reason I was helping with the school program was that I wanted to court you. He decided to become my unofficial go-between and have Emma find out if you would be interested in dating me. Emma told him you were devoted to teaching and not looking to marry. He relayed that to me.”

  “And was that the reason behind your offer to help at the school?”

  Timothy shook his head. “You and the kinder needed help. Friends help friends.”

  A touch of disappointment pricked her, but she quickly suppressed it. She valued his friendship. Any sign of romantic attachment from either of them would make their friendship awkward and could bring censure down on her. As a teacher, she was expected to be a model of proper behavior. “Your help made the program extra special. Danki.”

  He shrugged off her praise. “I didn’t do much.”

  Now it was her turn to tease him. Checking to make sure they wouldn’t be overheard, she leaned closer. “I understand you are Nellie Martin’s come-calling friend. Is it serious?”

  His eyebrows shot up. “What? Who told you that?”

  “You were seen driving together last Sunday evening.”

  “I passed Nellie walking along the road after visiting her sister and I gave her a lift home because I was going the same way. That’s all. I’m not her come-calling friend or anyone else’s, for that matter.”

  “See how easily rumors get started?” She was glad he wasn’t seeing anyone. When he did find the right woman, Lillian knew their friendship would change.

  A gleam sparkled in the depths of his eyes. He leaned toward her. “Would you be jealous if I were going out with her, Teacher?”

  Trust him to turn the tables on her. “Of course not, but rumors will soon circulate that I have a new boo-friend.”

  “Why?”

  “Because these forty-one students will go home and repeat what they learned today. Some of them will fail to mention you were teasing about my boyfriend. By Sunday after the prayer meeting I’ll be answering carefully worded questions from many curious mothers as they try to figure out who he might be.”

  A frown line appeared on his forehead. “Do you really think so? I didn’t mean to make trouble.”

  “I know small children and the way they can mix up the simplest things. When people start asking, I’m going to tell everyone it’s you.”

  He pressed his hands over his heart. “Teacher, don’t get my hopes up unless you mean it.”

  It was her turn to frown. “What is that supposed to mean?”

  “I would be your boo-friend in a heartbeat. May I come courting?”

  Chapter Two

  Timothy watched an array of fleeting expressions cross Lillian’s delicate face. Surprise, dismay and finally skepticism narrowed her green eyes. He would cheerfully snatch back his words if he could. She had to know he was joking, didn’t she? Had he gone too far this time?

  Her eyes narrowed. “Where is that bucket of water? You need to soak your head.”

  “Is that any way to talk to the man you’re dating?”

  She jabbed her finger into his chest. “I’m too smart to go out with you, and it’s nothing to joke about.”

  “You are right. Courting and marriage are not joking matters.” Relieved that he hadn’t truly upset her, he turned the conversation in a safer direction. “What did you think of the book I lent you?”

  Her tense shoulders relaxed at his change of subject. “I haven’t had time to sit down with it yet.”

  “Teacher hasn’t finished her homework. Shame on you.”

  “I do have papers to grade and lessons to prepare.”

  “I will accept that excuse today, but I’m dying to know if you find the story as funny as I did. The main character reminded me of you.”

  “I thought you said it was about a dog.”

  “It is. A lovable, devoted dog who believes she knows what’s best for every creature in the barnyard. Truly, it’s a great book with an excellent message.”

  “So I’m like a bossy dog, is that what you are saying?”

  She rolled her eyes, and he chuckled. He enjoyed teasing Lillian. They had been close friends when they were younger, drawn together by a love of books and reading. He cherished the hours they had spent discussing the works of Dickens, Henry David Thoreau and the stories of their persecuted Amish ancestors in The Martyr’s Mirror. His love of reading was something his brothers never understood.

  Lillian and her family had moved away the summer he turned eighteen. He’d lost touch with her for a few years, but he never forgot the way she made him feel. The Amish valued hard work. Book learning had its place, but few people understood his desire to read and learn more about the world the way Lillian did.

  When she returned to the area after six years away, he had been delighted but his first efforts to rekindle their friendship had been rebuffed. Lillian had changed while she was away. She had become remote and reserved. It had taken a great deal of patience on his part to repair the bond between them.

  Besides helping with the Christmas program, he had done what handiwork was needed at the school without being asked. He sometimes bought books for the school library and occasionally suggested a new novel he thought she might like. His diligence over the course of the winter had slowly thawed her reserve. Now that they were enjoying an easy comradery again, he would do his best to keep it that way.

  “Looks like you have a visitor,” he said, gesturing to the road where a white car was pulling up to a stop on the narrow road in front of the school.

  Lillian shaded her eyes as she gazed that way. A young woman got out of the car. She went to the back and opened the trunk.

  “Do you know her?” Timothy asked.

  “I had a letter from the public health department telling me Miss Debra Merrick would be here to do health screenings on the children today.”

  The woman closed the trunk of her car and picked up two large black cases.

  “I’d better go help her with those bags. They look heavy.”

  He judged Debra to be near his age, somewhere in her midtwenties. She was dressed modern in a simple blue skirt and a white blouse with lace at her throat. Her black shoes were low-heeled and sensible, but they sported shiny buckles that wouldn’t be acceptable in his Plain community. Her blond hair was cut short and floated in curls around her face.

  He glanced at Lillian. Amish women never cut their hair. They kept it covered beneath a white prayer kapp like the one Lillian wore. The white ribbons of her bonnet fluttered softly in the breeze and drew his gaze to the slender curve of her neck. What would her hair look like if she wore it down? He could imagine it spilling in rich brown waves down her back. Would it reach the floor? He jerked his gaze away. It wasn’t proper to think such thoughts about a friend. He focused on the woman beside the car.

  “Can I give you a hand with those?” he asked as he and Lillian drew near.

  “Thank you. That’s very kind.” She put the cases down and smiled sweetly as she tucked a curl behind her ear.

  Lillian held out her hand. “I’m Lillian Keim, the teacher here. This is Timothy Bowman.”

  “I’m Debra Merrick.” The woman shook hands with both of them.

  “I was expecting you early this morning,” Lillian said.

  Debra flushed a rosy shade of pink. “I’m afraid I got lost on these winding rural roads. Twi
ce.”

  Timothy began undoing his coat. “It happens. We aren’t exactly in the middle of nowhere, but you can see it from here.”

  Debra’s gaze carried a hint of gratitude for his understanding. She gestured toward the smoking pans on the table. “Has there been a fire?”

  He chuckled as he pulled his helmet off and combed his fingers through his damp curls. “Only a fire safety demonstration. I’ll bring your cases up to the school once I shed this gear.”

  He stepped over to his wagon, undid the heavy coat and tossed it along with his helmet on the wooden bench seat. He picked up his straw hat and settled it on his head.

  Turning around, he saw Miss Merrick watching him with a look of surprise on her face. “You’re Amish? I didn’t know the Amish could be firemen.”

  He laughed heartily. “Then I reckon there’s a lot you don’t know about us Amish folk.”

  She gave him a sheepish smile. “I’m afraid that’s true. My family has some Amish ancestry, but this is my first visit to Amish country and my first Amish school to visit.”

  “We are more than farmers and quilters. You’ll find we’re a lot like everyone else if you take the time to get to know us,” he added.

  “I’m always willing to learn new things, and I like getting to know new people.”

  He nodded once. “Goot.”

  Debra tipped her head to the side. “What does that mean?”

  “It means good. It’s Pennsylvania Deitsch. You might have heard it called Pennsylvania Dutch, although it’s not Dutch at all. It’s an old German dialect.”

  Her smile widened. “Goot. I’ll remember that. Thank you for teaching me something new today, Mr. Bowman.”

  She seemed like a sweet woman. “Call me Timothy.”

  “All right, Timothy.”

  Lillian stepped between them and shot him a stern, frosty look before she turned to Debra. “Come up to the school and meet the children, Miss Merrick. They’ve been waiting for you.”

  Timothy stared after Lillian in puzzlement. What was that look for?

  * * *

  Lillian resisted the urge to grab Timothy by the collar and shake him. Didn’t he realize the woman was boldly flirting with him and that he was encouraging her? Outsiders were to be dealt with cautiously. Timothy’s behavior bordered on prideful. Being forward or asserting oneself in any way was contrary to their church’s teachings and he knew that.

  Once they were inside the school, she directed Debra to a table at the back of the room to set up her equipment. Timothy placed the cases next to it. Lillian welcomed the health screening and other educational health programs presented by the local public health department. Each year her students received dental and eye exams as well as hearing screenings and classes on the hazards of tobacco use and smoking, all free of charge.

  Debra looked over the room and spoke softly to Lillian. “I’m afraid I’m not going to get all the children done today. I don’t want to keep them after school. Would it be all right if I return tomorrow?”

  “That won’t be a problem. School starts at eight o’clock.”

  Debra let out a sigh of relief. “That will be great. Now that I know the way, I should be here on time. On a personal note, I was hoping to purchase some authentic Amish-made gifts for my friends back home. Can you suggest somewhere to shop locally?”

  “My mother runs a gift shop just over the river,” Timothy said. “You passed it before you came through the covered bridge. You’ll find everything there is reasonably priced and all handmade. If you’d like to see some Amish-made furniture, I’d be happy to show you around my father’s woodworking shop.”

  “I’d like that very much. I’ll stop by after I finish here tomorrow.”

  “Great. I’ll see you then.”

  “Maybe you can teach me a few more Amish words.” She gave him a sly smile and a wink.

  “I’ve recently been told I have a knack for teaching.”

  He looked so smug that Lillian was tempted to kick his shin. She forced herself to remain polite. “We should let Miss Merrick get to work, Timothy. I’ll help you clean up outside.”

  “It was nice meeting you, Debra.” He nodded to her and went out the door. Lillian followed him to the makeshift table and checked the pans to see if they were cool enough to handle.

  “Are you going to tell me what’s wrong?” he asked.

  “Nothing’s wrong.” Was it her place to correct his behavior? Her father would say it was.

  “You’ve been giving me your frosty stare ever since Miss Merrick arrived.”

  “If you want to make puppy eyes at the Englisch lady, I’m sure it’s none of my business.”

  He frowned as he snatched up the water pail. “I wasn’t making puppy eyes at her.”

  “Ha! If you had a tail, it would have been wagging a mile a minute the second she smiled at you.”

  “How can you say that?”

  “I say it because it’s true.”

  “I was being nice. She seems like a very pleasant lady. Which is more than I can say for you at the moment.” He threw the water out, picked up the fire extinguisher and headed for his wagon.

  Lillian nibbled on the corner of her lip as she watched him stomp away. He was right. She wasn’t being pleasant, and she had no right to chastise him. He hadn’t broken any church rules. Friendliness with outsiders wasn’t forbidden, just discouraged. She wasn’t sure why it upset her to see him so at ease with the woman.

  Timothy came back and carried a pair of sawhorses past her without comment. He set them in the back of the wagon. It was clear he was upset with her and that wasn’t like Timothy.

  “I’m sorry if I offended you,” she said.

  “You have.” He brushed past her to pick up the last of the boards and carried them to the wagon, too. He threw them in and they clattered loudly. The horses shifted uneasily at the noise but quickly settled at a low word from him.

  Lillian took a step closer. “I’m only looking out for your best interests. Your behavior could be seen as forward and unacceptable. I’m sorry if pointing that out makes you angry.”

  He leaned a hip against the wagon and folded his arms over his chest as he fixed his gaze on her face. “That you judge my behavior to be forward and unacceptable is what makes me angry. I thought you knew me well enough to know I wouldn’t flirt with any woman, let alone someone who didn’t share our faith.”

  She clutched her arms tight across her chest. “I do know that.”

  “Then why accuse me of it?”

  She stared at her feet and tried to put her feelings into words. “You smiled at her.”

  “I smile at everyone.”

  “I know, but she smiled back. I saw that look in her eyes.”

  “What are you talking about? What look?”

  Lillian glanced at his handsome face. “The look that said she was interested in getting to know you better. A lot better.”

  He shook his head in disbelief. “I’m not responsible for the way someone looks at me.”

  “I saw the attraction between the two of you. Such feelings can lead you down a forbidden path.”

  He threw his hands in the air. “I can’t believe I’m hearing this. I had no idea you thought I was so weak-minded.”

  “I don’t.” The last thing she wanted was for him to be angry with her.

  “Your words say otherwise, Lillian.”

  He climbed in his wagon. With a slap of the reins, he headed his horses down the road, leaving her to watch his rapidly retreating figure and regret her ill-advised comments. They’d never had a disagreement, let alone an argument like this.

  Had she damaged their friendship beyond repair?

  Chapter Three

  Drawing a deep calming breath, Lillia
n returned to the schoolroom determined to be pleasant to Miss Merrick. She would apologize to Timothy soon. Perhaps she could think of an excuse to visit the Bowman household after school tonight and find a way to speak to Timothy alone. And then again, maybe she was being foolish. Their friendship was surely strong enough to weather one disagreement. Wasn’t it? She didn’t need to run after him and beg his forgiveness.

  Inside the school, she helped Debra set up the eye charts. Together, they taped off the correct distance on the floor where the children were to stand. Suddenly, the outside door burst open, and Lillian’s little sister Amanda raced in.

  Spying Lillian, the four-year-old dashed across the room and threw her arms around Lillian’s legs. “Shveshtah, I koom to visit you at schule. Teach me something?”

  Tiny for her age, Amanda had been born with dwarfism. Her arms and legs were short, but her body was near normal in size. Her blond hair was fine and straight as wheat straw with wisps of it peeking from beneath her white kapp.

  Lillian scooped the child up in her arms and settled her at her hip. “The first thing my scholars learn is to be quiet in the classroom. No shouting. No running.”

  Amanda’s smile faded. “I was bad, wasn’t I?”

  Lillian nodded. “A little.”

  The outside door opened again and Lillian’s father, Eldon Keim, came in, his face set in stern lines. Something must be wrong.

  Miss Merrick gave Amanda a bright smile. “Is this your daughter?”

  “Amanda is my sister.” Lillian introduced her father to Miss Merrick.

  “I’m very pleased to meet you, Mr. Keim, and you, Amanda.” Debra held out her hand to the child.

  Amanda shyly shook it.

  Debra’s smile widened. “I have a brother who is a little person. His name is Brandon. He has cartilage-hair hypoplasia.”

  A rush of empathy caused Lillian to look kindly at Debra. Here was someone who understood the challenging life her little sister faced. “That is exactly what Amanda has.”