“Enos! Stop that,” Becca called in a stern voice, trying to restore order.
Screeching madly, little Fannie Albrecht jumped up on her chair, her fisted hands pulled to her face in absolute terror. Shrieks and shouts filled the air.
“Stop that!” Reuben Fisher cried.
Reuben was the son of Becca’s cousin and lived in the same house with her and her aunt Naomi. He tried to snatch the toy away from Enos but wasn’t tall enough. In the struggle, the fake serpent bounced against the boy’s hand and landed on the wooden floor in front of the door.
There was a loud gasp and the room went absolutely still.
Jesse King, Sam’s father, stood in front of the open door, holding his black felt hat in his hands. His gaze swept the room, his shrewd eyes showing that he understood exactly what had transpired. A corner of his mouth twitched and Becca thought he might laugh. But no. He looked too stern to find any humor in the moment. A chilly gust of wind accompanied his entrance and he pushed the portal closed with the point of his black work boot. Becca stared, thinking she imagined the man. When had he come inside? Probably during the chaos.
Oh, no! Why did he have to show up now? What must he think of her?
A moment of confusion fogged Becca’s mind. She couldn’t move. Couldn’t breathe. She watched as if in slow motion as Mr. King leaned down and picked up the rubber snake. It dangled from his large hand and Becca couldn’t contain a shiver of revulsion.
“Is this yours?” Looking directly at Becca, Mr. King spoke in Deitsch, the German dialect their Amish people used among themselves. His voice sounded low and calm and he seemed completely unruffled by the horrible snake.
Mortified beyond words, Becca hurried toward him. Her face heated up like road flares. The fact that one of the fathers of her scholars had witnessed this shameful moment almost undid her.
“No, but I’ll take care of it.” She spoke in perfect English, the language they used in the classroom.
She forced herself to take the toy snake between two trembling fingers. With disgust, she returned it to the front of the room and shut it up in her desk drawer again. Out of her peripheral vision, she saw Lenore Schwartz help little Fannie climb down off her chair and the children all took their seats. And just like that, order was restored.
Gathering her composure, Becca patted her white organdy prayer kapp and smoothed her lavender skirts before she faced Sam’s father again.
“Mr. King, was there something you wanted?” She lifted her chin higher, forcing herself to meet Jesse King’s solid gaze. For just a moment, she thought his eyes looked sad and...haunted.
This was the first time she’d met him, though she’d seen him from afar on several occasions. Since she’d only arrived in Riverton eight days earlier, she hadn’t had the opportunity to attend church yet but she’d tried to speak with him yesterday when he’d picked up Sam from school. He’d driven away before she could catch him and, if she didn’t know better, she’d think he’d been trying to avoid her.
Up close, she realized he was a tall man with dark brooding eyes, high cheekbones and a narrow chin. His black hair was overly long for an Amish man and curled against the sides of his face. His beard indicated he was married, though Becca had been told by a member of the school board that he was a widower. Becca figured there was no one at home to cut his hair for him. If only he would smile, she might find him ruggedly handsome. But just now, his angular face showed no emotion whatsoever and only his eyes indicated an active mind hidden beneath his tranquil exterior.
“I’ve come to pick up Sam,” Jesse said. His voice sounded low, his dark eyes unwavering.
Like her, Jesse and Sam were newcomers to this Gmay, their Amish community. They had moved here from Lancaster County in Pennsylvania just two months earlier. Apparently Jesse had lost his wife and two young daughters in a house fire a year earlier. The poor man. No wonder he looked so sad. And since that time, little Samuel hadn’t spoken a single word. Becca knew no more than that. But she kept giving Sam opportunities and hoping that one day he would surprise her and finally read out loud.
Trying to be professional, she glanced at the clock on the wall. “But school isn’t out for another twenty minutes. If you’d like to wait, perhaps I can speak with you afterward.”
Jesse inclined his head. “Ne, I’m afraid I don’t have time to wait. This afternoon, I need to move a boulder from my south field and won’t be finished before it’s time to return and pick him up from school. I’ll have to take him home now.”
Becca blinked. She was trying to be understanding. Trying to be a good teacher. But the truth was, she was highly inexperienced. Though she’d served four months as a teacher’s apprentice in Ohio, this was her first time teaching solo. It was bad enough to come into a classroom full of scholars she didn’t know but she had also entered this class midway through the school year. She wanted to do a good job. She really did. In fact, her future depended on it.
“Of course.” She glanced at Sam, stepping over to help the boy gather his lunch pail and put on his warm winter coat.
For just a moment, Becca wished she was anywhere but here. She should be married and looking forward to raising a familye of her own, but that wasn’t possible now. Not since her ex-fiancé had broken off their engagement. She’d known and loved Vernon all her life, yet he’d chosen to wed another girl they’d grown up with. If Becca failed in this position, she’d be forced to return to her familye in Ohio in shame. She was hoping for a good job reference so she could go elsewhere. She couldn’t bear to go home and watch Vernon and Ruth marry and raise a familye together while she became a dried-up old spinster.
As she accompanied Sam to the door, she walked with him outside onto the front steps. “Mr. King, I really need to speak with you about Sam. Did you receive the letter I sent home with him two days ago?”
Jesse nodded. “Ja, I received your letter.”
“Gut. Then you know I’d like to discuss Sam’s problem...”
“Not now.” Without another word, Jesse placed his hat on his head and hurried down the steps. Sam trailed behind.
Becca shivered and wrapped her arms around herself. Something hardened inside of her. She was Sam’s teacher and must look after his education. Determined not to be ignored, she followed Jesse.
“If not now, when? I’m concerned about Sam. He’s not speaking. I’d like to help,” she called to Jesse’s back.
Without a backward glance, the man climbed into his black buggy and closed the door. Sam scrambled into the buggy on the opposite side with a little difficulty. Becca helped him in, thinking it a bit derelict for a parent to let their six-year-old son fend for himself. She rounded the buggy, intending to confront the boy’s father.
“Mr. King, please,” she said.
Jesse took the leather lead lines into his large hands. Becca noticed several ugly, purple scars on his skin before he gave a little flick and the buggy lurched into motion. She had no choice but to step back or be trampled as he directed the horse down the muddy road. Within moments, they disappeared from view.
Well, of all the nerve! What a rude man.
Trying to hide her frustration, Becca turned and went inside. She was surprised to find the classroom so quiet. Every student had their head ducked over their books, the younger children studying their McGuffey readers while the older children wrote out vocabulary words.
No doubt the culprits of the snake incident must fear her wrath. She thought Caleb Yoder must be the ringleader.