LITMIR.BIZ

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conversation than he let on.

      “Teacher Susannah was in school here with us, too,” he said. “Did your daad tell you that?”

      Matthew nodded. “Everybody knows that.”

      Of course. Everybody knew everything there was to know about people in this isolated community. Funny how he’d once been so eager to leave, when now he just wanted to fit in again.

      Holding a crosspiece for the base while his son hammered a nail in, Toby realized he hadn’t felt this content in a long time. It was good to be back in the familiar schoolroom, feeling again the sense of order and purpose that permeated it.

      And it was especially satisfying to be working next to his son, watching William’s small hands mimic his actions. This was what they could have had all along, if he hadn’t been stuck working in the factory all day and getting home so late that he hardly saw his kinder.

      But he’d known what to expect when he got married. Emma hadn’t made any secret of her feelings. He just hadn’t expected their marriage to turn out the way it had.

      By the time Susannah rang the bell signaling the end of the school day, they’d made good progress on the first two candles. He glanced over to catch Susannah’s eye.

      “I’ll stick around for a few more minutes to finish up, if that’s okay.”

      She nodded, supervising as her scholars lined up to leave, obviously preoccupied with seeing that they had coats, jackets, books, lunch pails and so forth. In a moment the schoolroom had emptied, but Becky lingered, her jacket in her hands and the twins tugging at her skirt.

      “I told my mother we’d pick her up right after school,” she was telling Susannah, sounding unduly concerned about something so simple.

      “Of course. Go ahead.” Susannah picked up a pencil that had dropped on the floor.

      “Are you sure?” Becky paused with a meaningful glance at him.

      “Go.” Susannah made a shooing motion with her hands.

      Despite her doubts, Becky went out the door with her twins.

      Once the door had closed behind them, Toby grinned at Susannah. “Is Becky worried about my reputation or yours?”

      A faint color came up in Susannah’s cheeks. “I...neither, I’m sure.”

      Her reaction took him aback. Maybe this was more than just a matter of Becky disliking him for jilting Susannah. He thought of what Daad had said about the school board member. Was Susannah’s position really so precarious that she couldn’t be in the schoolroom with a man she’d known all her life? Or was Becky afraid Susannah still had feelings for him? Either way, he’d best be careful.

      Anna tugged at Susannah’s apron. “Teacher? Were you really in school with my daadi?”

      Apparently Anna’s curiosity had overcome her shyness. He was so relieved he rushed to answer. “She was. And so was the twins’ mother.”

      Anna blinked, absorbing this news.

      “Your daadi grew up here in Pine Creek,” Susannah explained. “So this was his school. When we were in first grade, like you, I sat here.” She led Anna to the desk she’d occupied in the first row. “And he sat right across from me, where you sit now.”

      “Really?” Anna seemed to look at her desk with fresh eyes. “Did you really sit here, Daadi?”

      “Teacher Susannah is right as usual,” he said solemnly. “In fact, if no one has sanded it out, my initial might still be under the seat.” Crossing to them, he turned the seat over and showed her. “See?”

      Susannah looked at him with amusement in her eyes. She bent to run her fingers over the letters he’d dug with the point of a compass, bringing her face close to his. “I can see I’ll have to have these refinished.”

      Her nearness brought a treacherous memory to mind. He’d taken Susannah home from a singing for the first time—Daad had let him take the two-seater buggy. He’d been so determined—and so nervous—to kiss her, it was a wonder he’d ever got up the courage.

      He’d stopped the buggy just beyond the glow from her parents’ kitchen window. Turned to her, just able to make out the soft curve of her lips. She’d smiled at him and then, maybe reading his intent in his face, her smile had trembled. Their lips had met—an awkward kiss that carried with it all the sweetness of first love.

      Maybe the memory showed in his face too clearly. Susannah’s eyes met his, and they darkened. Her lips trembled, and for a moment, he was transported back to that buggy on a spring night....

      The schoolroom door clattered open, and heavy footsteps sounded. Fear flared in Susannah’s eyes.

      Moving deliberately, he righted the desk, setting it squarely upright. Then he turned to meet James Keim’s unfriendly scrutiny.

      “James Keim, isn’t that right? I’m Tobias Unger.”

      “I know who you are.” Keim glanced from Susannah to him. “What are you doing here?”

      The question was almost openly hostile.

      Anger flared, but before he could speak, Susannah did.

      “Toby has two kinder in our school.” Her tone was perfectly cool, and Toby wondered what it took to keep it that way.

      Keim’s face settled into a disapproving frown. “It’s after school hours.”

      Toby clenched the edge of the desk hard enough to turn his knuckles white. Susannah flashed him a look that spoke volumes.

      “We are working on preparations for the Christmas program.” Susannah gestured toward the half-finished candles. “Toby generously volunteered to work with the boys on some carpentry. We always need parents to help.” She looked at Keim expectantly, and Toby had to suppress a smile. Obviously the man didn’t want to help. Just as obviously he didn’t want to admit it.

      Keim cleared his throat. “You know how I feel about this program of yours. But I’ll have Mary come help you. It will be more suitable than having the teacher alone in the schoolroom with a man.”

      Clutching the desk wasn’t helping as his temper flashed, but he somehow managed to keep it under control. He had hurt Susannah once. The last thing he wanted was to cause trouble for her now. So he would say nothing, regardless of how much the man annoyed him. There was little he could do to make amends to Susannah, but at least he could do this.

      * * *

      Several days had passed, and although Susannah was pleased with the effect Toby’s presence had on his children, she still couldn’t entirely dismiss the implication of James Keim’s words. Were other people coming to similar conclusions about her and Toby? She’d hate to think so.

      Mary Keim was staying after school to help every day, and Susannah suspected she had orders to report to her father everything that was said. Still, the girl seemed to be responding to the small responsibilities Susannah gave her, and when Mary relaxed, she had a nice way with the children.

      Susannah drew her buggy to a halt at the back porch of Becky’s home and tried to dismiss the worries from her mind. It was time for the monthly get-together of the girls who’d been in her rumspringa group, an occasion for eating, talking and much laughter. She knew these girls as well as she knew anyone, and with them, she could relax and be herself. Even the fact that she was teaching many of their children didn’t seem to disrupt their bond.

      Giving her buggy horse a final pat, she headed inside, already hearing the buzz of women’s voices, interrupted by laughter. They were all married with children, happy for an evening away from responsibilities, eager to chatter about everything that had happened in Pine Creek since they’d last met.

      Susannah paused, her hand on the door. What were the chances they’d heard about Keim’s

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