Gabrielle Meyer - The Gift Of Twins

“Hello,” called a woman from the kitchen.

“Hello, Mrs. Hubbard.” Mr. Samuelson set the trunk down with a thud. “We have a boarder for you.”

A plain-faced woman entered the foyer, her middle thick with child. She wiped her hands on her apron as she came down the hall. She was a bit older than Emmy would expect to bear children, but she looked healthy and robust, if a little frazzled. Her dark hair was split down the center and dropped to cover her ears, before being secured at the back in a bun. She smiled a welcome to Emmy and offered Ben a fond glance, but she squared her shoulders when she met Mr. Samuelson’s gaze. “I’m sorry, but I’m full at the moment.”

As if summoned, five boisterous men plodded down the wide stairs. They stopped short when they glimpsed Emmy, the ones in back plowing into the ones in front. All but one grinned like an idiot in her direction.

“Is there nowhere to put her?” Mr. Samuelson asked, as if she was a piece of furniture to be stored.

“Mrs. Hubbard,” Ben said graciously. “May I introduce you to Miss Wilkes, the new schoolmistress?”

Pearl’s eyes lit and she took Emmy’s hand in a gentle squeeze. “The new teacher? Why didn’t you say so to begin with? It’s a pleasure to meet you, Miss Wilkes. I’m so happy you’ve come to teach our children.”

“For the time being,” Mr. Samuelson amended. “Now, can you board her or not?”

The men passed by and entered the parlor, though they didn’t make any noise, suggesting they were listening to the conversation in the foyer.

“I suppose I can make room.” Mrs. Hubbard sighed. “We always have space for the teacher. You’ll need to room with Rachel, my serving girl. She sleeps in the room off the kitchen.”

It wasn’t ideal. Emmy liked to spend her evenings studying and reading in solitude—but if it was all that was available to her, and meant she could stay in Little Falls, she’d make do. “Thank you.”

Mrs. Hubbard eyed her two large trunks. “We’ll have to store your things in the attic. There won’t be any space in your room with Rachel.”

“Store my things? Will they be safe?”

“It’s just until another room becomes available,” Mrs. Hubbard assured Emmy.

“When will that be?”

“There’s no way of knowing. We have men in and out all the time.”

“I’ll go home and retrieve your other trunk,” Ben said to Emmy.

“There’s more?” Mrs. Hubbard asked.

“All my books.” Emmy felt bad that she’d packed so much, but she couldn’t bear to leave anything behind.

Mrs. Hubbard shook her head. “There’s not much room in the attic, either, I’m afraid.”

“I’d be happy to store them for the time being,” Ben offered. “You could come for them anytime you’d like.”

The thought of not having her books at her disposal made her uneasy—but one look at Mr. Samuelson suggested she leave well enough alone. “Thank you, Reverend Lahaye.”

“If this storm passes, we’ll expect school to begin at eight o’clock sharp on Monday morning,” Mr. Samuelson said. “See that you’re there and ready on time.”

“I will.”

Mr. Samuelson tipped his hat at Mrs. Hubbard, and then at Emmy, though she suspected he did it out of habit and not a desire to be a gentleman, and then he left.

“I’ll bring the trunks to the attic,” Ben said to Mrs. Hubbard. He turned to Emmy. “It’s been my pleasure, Miss Wilkes. I hope you’ll be happy here.”

“Thank you.” She wanted to say more than thank you, but she couldn’t find the words to express her gratitude. If he had been any other man, she probably wouldn’t have a job right now.

“Do my ears deceive me?” One of the men exited the parlor and put his hands over his heart. “Is this beautiful creature going to abide under the same roof as me?”

“Mr. Archibald, remember your manners,” Mrs. Hubbard said. “Miss Wilkes is a lady.”

“How could I forget?” Mr. Archibald took Emmy’s hand and bent over it. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Miss Wilkes.” The other men followed Mr. Archibald out of the parlor. They circled her like a hungry pack of wolves, and she their prey.

It would be quite a feat to hold them at bay—of that she was certain—but it was vital if she wanted to keep her job.

Chapter Three

Ben returned home, disliking the way the men had surrounded Emmy. He’d seen it countless times before. As one of the only single females in town, she would be hounded incessantly. He didn’t doubt she could resist their charms—but it wouldn’t be an easy task.

He trudged through the drifting snow, his thoughts full of the young lady and all that had transpired since last evening.

A sleigh sat in front of Ben’s home. It was piled with furniture and household belongings. A man waited on the front bench, reins in hand, while half a dozen children sat huddled in the back. They looked as if they were just passing through. People often stopped by the church and parsonage for one thing or another, and he tried to accommodate everyone to the best of his ability.

“Hello,” Ben called as he drew near the parsonage. Snow continued to fall, but it was letting up and would probably stop soon. Activity had begun to commence on Main Street, though most would still be home, digging out from the storm.

A woman stood by Ben’s front door, two small children by her side. She turned when she heard Ben and grabbed each child by an arm. “Are you the pastor?”

“I am.”

The man on the buckboard gave Ben a cursory glance, but his attention was soon snagged by one of his children.

“I need to talk to you, quick,” the woman said.

“Would you and your husband like to step into the house?”

“Norm will stay outside with the children, if it’s all the same to you. We don’t have much time and I’d like to get this over with.” The woman had brown hair with strands of wiry gray at the temples. She looked tired and worn—but there was grit in the way she held her thin shoulders.

“Please step inside,” he said, opening the door.

The lady walked into Ben’s home with heavy footsteps, pulling the two children with her. Now that he was close enough to see, he noticed they were little boys, about the same age, if he were to guess.

Ben closed the door behind them, but didn’t make a motion to remove his hat, or invite her farther inside. “How may I help you?”

“These here are my sister’s boys, Zebulun and Levi. They’re twins, five years old.” She grasped each one’s wrist. “Their ma died when they were three and their pa wasn’t fit to raise them, so she sent ’em to me.” She let them go and gave a decided nod. “My husband and me ain’t got the means or the energy to raise ’em no more. I’ve got six of my own, and one more on the way, and we’re just plumb wore out.”

“I’m sorry to hear that.” Ben stood there expectantly, wondering why she’d come. Did she need money? He kept some on hand for situations like this one. “If there’s anything I can do to help, please let me know.”

“You can take ’em off my hands.” She started to move to the door. “That’s why I’ve come and now I’m heading out with my man. We’re going north and want to get a move on before another storm takes us by surprise.”

Alarm rang inside Ben’s head as he looked down at the two little boys. They clasped hands and looked up at him, their eyes round with fear.

“I can’t take them.”

The lady grabbed the knob. “I can’t take ’em, neither. Do what you want with them. I did what I could, and now I’m handing them off to you. I told my man that the first church we come across we’d drop ’em off, so here we are.” She turned the knob to leave.