Cordia's Hope: A Story of Love on the Frontier: Forever Love Book 2

Hope Tucker surveyed her pupils one more time before dismissing them for the afternoon. It seemed like her class grew by a student or two every week, and at this rate, they would need a bigger schoolhouse by next fall. “Be sure to practice your letters this evening, Freddy,” she said to one of the smaller students in the front row. “Take your slate home, sit by the fireplace, and practice your strokes. You’ll get it in no time.”

“Yes, Miss Tucker,” Jimmy replied, smiling up at her with a large gap where both of his top two front teeth were missing. She patted him gently on the arm and then walked between the rows one last time. The clock showed they had two more minutes, and each child was still fast at work on their lessons, particularly the older ones in the back who would be studying for exams in just a few months. She remembered that anxious feeling; it had only been two years ago when she’d been the one brushing up on her studies in anticipation of graduating from high school, hoping to earn high enough marks to become a teacher. Now, here she was with her own class, and while she loved her work, something was missing.

She pushed those thoughts aside and cleared her throat so that she could speak loudly enough for everyone to hear. “All right, class. That is all for today. I shall see you back here bright and early in the morning.”

All of the children, from the oldest to the youngest, gathered up their belongings, stopping at the cubbies and hooks along the wall to put on their coats and collect their lunch pails. Most of the older students had younger brothers and sisters, and they stopped to help them before heading out the door. None of them broke into a run until after they’d left the front porch of the building, something Hope had taught them a few months ago when the new term had started and she became the teacher of record for her hometown, Lamar, Missouri.

Grabbing a broom from the small closet across from her desk, Hope began to sweep up the day’s dust and debris. There were books to straighten, shelves to dust, and the chalkboard needed erasing, but at least she didn’t need to mess with the fireplace just yet. It was nearly November, and soon enough, she’d be stoking a fire in the morning and cleaning out the fireplace in the afternoon, but for now, the kids seemed warm enough with all of their bodies in one room, and she was glad to have one less duty to fulfill.

After half an hour or so of tidying up, Hope collected her own lunchbox and a stack of books before heading out the door, pulling the sweater her mother had knitted for her last fall tightly around her shoulders.

Her house was within walking distance of the school, though it was about a half-mile away. The weather was nice enough, no rain today, and too early for snow, so she took off with a pleasant smile on her face, wondering what her mother had planned for dinner.

Hope hadn’t made it too far down the road when she heard the sound of a cart pulling up behind her, which wasn’t unusual in a growing town, but when it slowed and came to a stop just in front of her, she turned her head to see who the driver might be, and a rush of pink filled her cheeks.

“Howdy there, Miss Hope,” a familiar voice called down to her as she stopped alongside the road and looked up into the face of Jimmy Brooks. “Thought you might wanna ride home.”