Dorothy Clark - Falling for the Teacher

Love Is Never Where You Expect.…

Though she once fled from Pinewood, Sadie Spencer can’t stay away when her ailing grandparents need her. But she never expected to come face-to-face with the brother of the man who caused her to leave town. Sadie doesn’t care how honest or kind Cole Aylward may seem—she isn’t about to let him continue managing her family’s business.

Cole has worked hard to prove he’s nothing like his brother. All he wants is to try to make up for the hurt Payne caused her family. But slowly Sadie’s quiet determination and bravery helps him face his own fears. Can Cole convince her he’s a man worthy of the trust she longs to give?

“I want no wages.”

Cole’s voice was gruff, the words more brusque than he’d intended, but she’d touched a sore spot.

“I don’t understand.” A tiny vertical frown line formed between Sadie’s delicately arched brows. “It’s only fair. I’m certain Poppa would insist.”

He shook his head. “My compensation is in making up for the pain my brother caused. I wish I could change what he did, Sadie, but I cannot. This is all I can do.” He took hold of the ledgers, careful not to touch her hands, and turned to leave before he said more than he ought.

“Cole…”

“Yes?” He looked back at her. There were tears in her eyes. They might as well have been knives the way they pierced his heart.

“It’s not your fault.” She blinked her eyes and smiled, but her lips trembled. “Thank you for your kindness.”

Her throat worked, her hand rubbed her arm, and everything in him wanted to hold her, to comfort her.…

DOROTHY CLARK

Critically acclaimed, award-winning author Dorothy Clark lives in rural New York, in a home she designed and helped her husband build (she swings a mean hammer!) with the able assistance of their three children. When she is not writing, she and her husband enjoy traveling throughout the United States, doing research and gaining inspiration for future books. Dorothy believes in God, love, family and happy endings, which explains why she feels so at home writing stories for Love Inspired Books. Dorothy enjoys hearing from her readers and may be contacted at dorothyjclark@hotmail.com.

Falling for the Teacher

Dorothy Clark

www.millsandboon.co.uk

The fear of man bringeth a snare:

but whoso putteth his trust in the Lord shall be safe.

—Proverbs 29:25

This book is dedicated with admiration and appreciation to the assistant editors, the art department and all the others at Love Inspired Historical who diligently work to make my books the best they can be. Thank you, all.

A special thank-you to Sam. I’ve run out of words, but not out of gratitude for your faithfulness, humor and friendship.

“Commit thy works unto the Lord, and thy thoughts shall be established.”

Your Word is truth. Thank You, Jesus.

To You be the glory.

Contents

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty-One

Chapter Twenty-Two

Chapter Twenty-Three

Chapter Twenty-Four

Chapter Twenty-Five

Chapter Twenty-Six

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Dear Reader

Questions for Discussion

Excerpt

Chapter One

June 1841

Pinewood Village, New York

Pinewood. Sadie crowded back into the corner and tugged her bonnet forward as her hired carriage rolled through the village. The news of her return would spread like a brush fire if she was recognized. Sadie Spencer is back. Sadie Spencer is home.

Her stomach quivered. In two weeks it would be four years since the incident. Memories surged. She closed her mind to the bad ones—or tried to. Perhaps returning to Pinewood would exorcise them—and the fear. How she wished she could live without that fear! Please, Almighty God, grant that it might be so. She took a breath to calm her stomach and pulled the small purse dangling from her wrist into her trembling hands.

The driver’s polite touch of his hat brim sent her pushing deeper into the corner where she would not be seen by two women standing at the edge of the road waiting to cross. A wagon passed by loaded with baled shingles and traveling in the other direction. She released her pent-up breath and lifted her head.

The horse’s hoofs clattered against planks and the carriage lurched as the wheels climbed onto the wood. Stony Creek Bridge. A smile trembled on her lips. How many hours had she, Callie, Willa and Ellen spent in the cool shadow beneath its span trying to best Daniel at skipping stones on the water?

The carriage rocked off the bridge, swaying left onto Brook Street. A snap of the reins urged the horse to greater speed and her smile died. It wouldn’t be long now.

Her chest tightened with longing to be back behind the brick walls of the young ladies’ seminary in Rochester. She’d not been outside those walls since she’d fled there four years before, and if not for her grandparents’ need, she would be in that safe haven still. She would never have willingly returned to Pinewood. Never.

The carriage tilted, slowed as the horse started up the incline outside of the village. She slipped back to the center of the seat and caught her breath at the sight of the forested hills on either side of the dirt road. Only one more turn to make when they reached the top of the hill.

She dug her fingernails into her palms, struggling against a surge of dread. When she’d received Callie’s letter, she’d told herself it would be all right, that she would care for Nanna and Poppa in the safety of the Sheffield House, but that was not to be. Her grandparents had left Sophia’s hotel and returned home to Butternut Hill.

She had to go back there.

Oh, Lord, give me strength.

* * *

“Your grandfolks are in the garden. I’ll take these up to your room.” The housekeeper picked up her bags and looked at her. “It’s good you’re home, Miss Sadie.”

The underlying sadness in Gertrude’s voice constricted her throat, making speech impossible. She nodded, removed her bonnet and walked down the entrance hall and into the dining room. The window framed her grandparents seated on the wooden garden bench, the stockade fence and the wooded path beyond. Love swelled her heart, blocking out the fear. She pushed open the door, ran across the porch and rushed down the steps. “Nanna! Poppa!” Their gray heads turned her direction. They stared. Her feet took wings.

“Sadie!”

She leaned down and hugged her grandmother, reveling in the feel of the soft arms holding her close, the small pudgy hands patting her, offering comfort as she sobbed out the long years of loneliness against the shoulder that had so often been washed by her tears as a child.

“Oh, Sadie...Sadie...Sadie...” Her grandmother patted her back, her shoulder, touched her cheek, smoothed her hair. “Hush, sweeting, hush. It’s all right. Everything is all right.”

Tears and laughter bubbled into her throat at the old-fashioned, familiar endearment. It was all right. Her grandmother knew her. After reading Callie’s and Willa’s letters, she’d been so afraid.... She straightened and wiped the tears from her face. “Oh, Nanna, I have missed you so.”

She kissed her grandmother’s soft, moist cheek and turned toward the silent man staring at her from the bench. “And you, Poppa.” She kissed his cheek at the edge of his gray beard, felt his arm slip around her in a hard hug. One arm.