Chapter 32

Lily looked around the schoolroom. Pride in her sister’s devotion and hard work shot through her and she wished their mother were here to see this. Their parents would be pleased. She made a mental note to tell them of her visit to the schoolhouse in this week’s letter home.

“I have to admit, I didn’t expect anything this nice.” She looked to a table in front of a window. Little pots of flowers bloomed, brightening the room and adding a cheerful air to the place. “You’ve really outdone yourself here.”

Violet swept her hand across the edge of her desk and smiled. “Thank you for saying that. I know it’s not Charleston, but I’m quite content. This is more than adequate to accommodate our needs.”

“I’d say it is. Why, you’ve got everything you want, all the way out west. It’s nothing short of a miracle if you ask me.” She meant it, too. The education system did not let these frontier families down. This arrangement offered children opportunity to learn in a safe space. She could only imagine what some of the frontier homes looked like. This had to be a refuge for a lot of children. “You’ve done well for yourself, sister. I’m proud of you.”

The other’s eyes widened. She stared, then shook her head. “Why, I don’t even know what to say. Thank you, Lily. That is the nicest thing you’ve ever said to me.”

She crossed the room and put an arm around her sister’s shoulders.

“I know, and I’m sorry.” She took a deep breath. Tears prickled the backs of her eyes, but she ignored them. “I don’t know what’s come over me but I’m starting to realize that I’ve been a bit…well, I have had a tendency to…um, I guess I may have been a tad…”

“Bossy?”

She met her sister’s gaze. The violet eyes held no malice, so she nodded.

She shot a look toward the wall behind Violet. A chalkboard with a quote by Shakespeare across the top of the black surface. Above the board, hand-lettered cards showing the alphabet. She saw a lot of hours and hard work behind the finer touches in this schoolroom. Again, a surge of pride in her sister’s capability warmed her heart.

“Maybe a bit. But you’ve got to understand, it’s fallen to me as the eldest to carry the weight of setting a good example and making sure you all toed every line. I had to do it. I couldn’t haphazardly shirk my sisterly responsibilities, could I?” They didn’t understand the obligations of being the eldest. They never would, either. “It was my place in the family to take the lead in every way. I did what I had to do.”

Her sister nodded. “I see your point. It must have taken a toll to never be able to scamper about, the way we could. I know Mother expected more of you.”

At least someone realized.

“I had a lot of jealous moments, watching all of you dash through life while Mother pressed me to act older than my age.” She heaved a sigh. What sense did it make, going over these ancient slights? They were behind them and no longer held her captive. “But that is all in the past. Let’s forget it if we can.”

Violet pursed her lips, folded her hands and held them by her waist, and tilted her head. She looked every inch the schoolteacher. “I do want to know why you’ve had a sudden change of heart. Why are you so much less…ah…”

“Bossy?” She grinned. “I don’t know, actually. Maybe it’s being away from Charleston or even my, ah, condition. Whatever it is, I feel a burden has been lifted and I’m grateful for it.”

They stood in silence for a long moment.

“I am, too.” Violet spoke softly. “What are you going to do about your condition, sister? I’ve told the others they are not to badger you, but to give you space, so we haven’t mentioned it. But since you brought it up, what will you do?”

Another glance around the schoolroom. Her gaze paused on a colorful picture that hung near Violet’s desk, but no inspiration came to give her direction. She shrugged. “What can I do? It can’t be undone, or if it can be I’m not willing to do that. I will let nature take its course and deal with the future as best I can.”

There wasn’t any other option open that she could see.

“You have sisters, you know. You’re not alone.”

That sweet sentiment came from the heart, she knew. It wouldn’t do, though, to throw her sisters’ reputations in a bad light by showing up with a fatherless child. She couldn’t do that to them. Mother remained in Charleston, but she’d pounded the eldest’s responsibilities in hard enough that Lily knew she had to break from the other two before the baby came.

“I know. Thank you for that. But let’s not talk about it anymore.” She looked around. “Are you all done here?”

“I am. We can head home and see what Daisy and Lin are doing. I wouldn’t be surprised if they already have dinner planned out and half cooked.”

She got the feeling that Lin kept the home fires burning for Violet and made her life here easier. How she’d misjudged the woman upon her arrival in Wylder embarrassed her.

“I’m glad you have such a kind person living with you. Tell me, are she and the man who owns the gemstone shop involved? They looked comfortable together, although neither showed any sign of improper behavior. I simply got a feeling when I saw them that there might be more to their friendship.”

The other woman smiled as they walked toward the door. “You have excellent intuition. Yes, they are keeping company, but they are very private about it. The friendship is blossoming and it’s nice to see Lin so happy. She deserves that, after all that’s happened to her.”

They stepped outside onto the small square landing beyond the door. She waited while Violet secured the schoolhouse, then they stepped down onto the path.

“What do you mean, all that’s happened?”

Her sister’s lips pulled tight, and she closed her eyes for a moment. When she met Lily’s gaze, her eyes were sad. “She came here with her brother, but he was murdered, leaving her alone in a place where she knew no one and didn’t speak the language. Lin has no family, save us.”

The magnitude of the other woman’s situation dropped like a lead ball in her gut. How on earth did one deal with that? And Lin never presented a sorrowful demeanor. The woman smiled constantly, ever cheerful and accommodating.

Shame washed through her. How could she have been so ghastly to the woman?

“I can’t imagine how horrible that is.” They turned toward home, blending with the foot traffic on the street. Afternoons were busy with lots of people running errands before sundown. “I’m glad she has you—no, she has us. We are her family now.”

If Mother heard her, she would be in for a talking-to but their mother sat at home, stuck in her own way of thinking and not ready to see beyond it. Besides, if their parents could meet Lin they’d see her as a wonderful person.

“Yes, we are.” Violet linked her arm through hers. The schoolhouse was not far from home, so they did not hurry. “I’m glad you came to visit the school. I have wanted you to see it.”

“I took too long to stop in, but I won’t be a stranger, I promise.”

A peal of laughter drew her attention.

Theo stood with a brown-haired woman across the street. Her hand rested on his arm and as Lily watched, the woman patted his jacket twice before running her palm down his arm toward his hand.

She felt the color drain from her face and for an instant she thought she might be sick. Her gut rolled but she swallowed hard. “Who is that woman over there?”

Her sister’s tone hardened. “No one you need to know. Her name is Elisa Holland and she is trouble. The woman arrived in town looking for a husband and she won’t be satisfied until she finds one.”

Theo glanced across the street and met her gaze. His eyes grew and he pulled his arm out from beneath his companion’s grasp. When he did, the woman tilted forward, falling against him hard enough that he put his hands out to catch her.

Lily’s blood simmered as she quickened her footsteps. “Looks like the search is over.”