A Marriage for Meghan Page 6

  Paul grew more incensed. “They’re not pranks at all, I say. One fence rail or one mailbox might be a prank, but this is much more serious. If they are from another district, I say we go speak to their bishop and brethren and demand action.”

  Gideon looked to the other two. David and Stephen nodded in accord. “Agreed then, but finding out won’t be easy. Let’s ask our sons to nose around at socials and while they’re in town. Kids have a habit of talking to each other when adults aren’t around.”

  Stephen slicked a hand through his poker straight hair. “And our daughters too. My girls have the ability to solve any mystery. And they usually hear plenty of gossip to share at quilting bees, much to their mamm’s dismay.”

  Paul struggled to his feet and carried his empty mug to the sink. “Good idea. I’ll ask my daughters to do the same.”

  The bishop rose too. “We will get to the bottom of this.” He sounded far more confident than he felt.

  After two of the elders donned boots and coats and walked outdoors, Paul lingered behind. His once tall frame had grown stooped over the passing years. “I hope you’ll treat this as a grave matter, Bishop.”

  Gideon stared at him, surprised. “They were my fences and livestock in danger, Paul. Of course I’ll treat this seriously.” His rumbling stomach tightened into a knot.

  The older man met his gaze. “You went off on your own during that mess with Abigail. You took action without seeking our counsel.” There was nothing accusatory in his tone, merely a statement of facts as he saw them.

  “It was my farm to mortgage to raise her bail. I jeopardized no district money for my choices. I could not abide my girl sitting in a jail cell with common criminals.”

  A muscle jumped in Paul’s jaw as he gripped the chair back. “It’s not just a question about raising the money. Our Ordnung must be upheld. You were ready to provide bail for Abigail, ignoring the fact that she behaved recklessly and broke the English law.”

  Gideon chose his words carefully. He did not wish to rehash those dark days following his daughter’s arrest. Let that sleeping dog lie, he thought. “We need to focus on the matter at hand, Paul.”

  “Jah, true enough, but I hope you won’t be too soft with these vandals. When we discover the identity of these boys, they must be held accountable, rumschpringe or no.”

  “Agreed.” The bishop attempted half a smile, but his minister had already settled his hat over his ears and lumbered out the door with a decided limp in his stride.

  They had discussed the mischief and come to a plan of action. There was no dissension regarding how to proceed. So why did the bishop feel as though his narrow path traversed the edge of a slippery slope?

  Tuesday

  Meghan paced the porch with growing anticipation. The eastern sky glowed with the coming dawn. The stars dimmed as the sun promised fair weather with no additional snow in the forecast. The teachers would walk the mile to school and discuss Catherine’s plans for the day.

  During the coming week, Meghan would continue with her reading group and then add spelling for all three levels. For a while these would be her only duties except for playground watch. On Sunday she’d studied the teacher’s manuals for reading and spelling far from her daed’s sight. He wouldn’t have approved of training on the Lord’s Day, even on a nonpreaching Sunday. She hoped her transgressions would be forgiven because her students deserved a competent teacher. And that didn’t happen by eating the right breakfast cereal.

  But more was on her mind than giving the older pupils their spelling words. She hadn’t attended the singing at the Schultz farm two nights ago, even though Catherine had encouraged her to go. How could she face Jacob after treating him so shabbily? She hadn’t intended to hurt his feelings, but stress from the school day had shortened her fuse. And his butting his nose into her business wouldn’t make her a better teacher.

  Jacob was too strong-minded and too pushy. How could she court him, or anyone else for that matter, and still pursue her dream? A woman had to make choices in life. And she was no Joanna Kauffman, able to juggle several balls in the air with expert precision. She had to focus to improve her dismal abilities.

  Too bad she had sacrificed her best friend’s feelings to do so.

  “Whew.” Catherine flew out the door with their lunch and her tote bag of textbooks. “Ready?”

  “Only for the past fifteen minutes.” Meghan grabbed one of the tote bags to carry.

  “We’ll have to move fast if we’re walking.” Catherine marched toward the road with purpose.

  “I’ve practiced all three lists of spellings words so I can go over them with the kinner without stuttering.”

  “You haven’t stuttered in years, Meg. Put that notion out of your mind. You’ll do fine.”

  “I just don’t want to start again from nervousness.” Meghan swung the tote to match their stride.

  Catherine took her arm. “We will present a united front. I’ll never be more than a few steps away, so relax. Yesterday I spotted a few paper wads on the floor at day’s end that neither of us saw fly through the air. And Owen completed only five of his math problems.”

  “What about Robert and Joshua?” Meghan asked. “They seemed less fascinated by the great outdoors during work time.”

  “Jah, but their whispering and laughing at Owen’s antics distracted the reading groups again. If that keeps up we shall talk to the boys at lunch after we send the rest outside for recess. You’ll speak first and tell them we’re disappointed with their cooperation and participation. Then I’ll explain what we’ll do if their work and behavior doesn’t improve.”

  “You wish me to speak to them?” Meghan felt a little nauseated.

  “Yes, but I’ll be right by your side. United front, remember? If you take charge of this reprimand, your control over the playground will improve too. You might as well get this over with. It’s the only way we’ll improve. Trial by fire.”

  Meghan felt her sister’s arm encircle her waist but took little comfort in the gesture of support. How could she get through her morning reading group and writing practice with Group A if she was worrying about the three troublemakers?

  “You can’t deal only with the little ones if you wish to be a teacher someday.” Catherine apparently had mastered reading minds over the weekend.

  “I know, but they’re so big, and Owen rolls his eyes every time I ask him to do anything.”

  “Physical size does not create power or give a person confidence. Remember the outcome of the David and Goliath story?”

  “I do, but I hardly possess David’s courage.”

  “Act brave and you will learn to be brave.”

  “Have you decided what the consequences will be if they don’t shape up?”

  Catherine’s face lost some of its vibrant color. “No, but I have all morning to come up with something.”

  As the schoolhouse loomed before them, Meghan set her jaw and took several calming breaths. Despite a good night’s sleep and having forced herself to eat toast and a bowl of oatmeal, neither prepared her for the coming showdown with her personal Philistines.

  The three eighth graders continued to stare out the window when they should have been copying math problems. During their reading group, Owen read his paragraphs in singsong fashion, causing giggles and guffaws among the other students.

  Catherine’s raised eyebrows had no effect. Her reprimands brought only short-term results. And sure enough, several paper wads dotted the floor by the time the interminable morning lessons ended. Meghan sensed the coming calamity when her schwester announced to the class, “If you’ve finished eating, please clean up your area. Then you may put on your coats and boots and go outside. But stay on the blacktop and gravel areas please—no ball field.” Children scrambled to their feet.

  Her sister, however, wasn’t finished. “All but Owen, Robert, and Joshua are dismissed.”

  Groans and complaints ensued, but at least they didn’t ignore the command. Onc
e the other scholars had left, the three boys shoved their hands deep into pockets and approached the teacher’s desk. Robert and Joshua slouched and shuffled their feet, while Owen Shockley swaggered forward.

  “We only have twenty minutes left of recess time,” complained Owen, as though some confusion had prompted the odd request.

  “We are aware of that,” said Catherine. “But Meghan has something to say to you, so the sooner you give her your attention, the sooner you’ll get outdoors into the sunshine.” She smiled pleasantly.

  Meghan felt the bottom of her stomach give way. She tried to swallow, but her mouth went as dry as ground cornstalks. “We are disappointed with your cooperation and participation in class since Joanna left.”

  She had done it—uttered the sentence she’d practiced in her mind for the past two hours. Clearing her throat, she continued. “Your math problems are never done, your writing assignments haven’t been turned in, and you fool around too much during reading with throwing stuff.”

  Robert and Joshua focused on the wood floor, abashed. But Owen’s head reared back as he straightened to his full height. It was as though he was trying to loom even taller over her. “How do you know we threw anything?”

  His sharp retort sliced through Meghan’s thin skin, but she remembered a small boy, armed with only stones and a slingshot, and snapped back, “Because we just know, that’s why! Now you will pick every bit of paper off the floor if you hope to go outside for even part of recess time!” She stared up at Owen and screwed her face into a frown, knowing she sounded neither mature nor professional. But at least she’d spoken her mind.

  Owen glared back with matching conviction, while the other boys began picking up paper wads and fallen sandwich bags. Meghan crossed her arms over her apron.

  Catherine stepped closer to draw his glare toward her. “We know it’s you, Owen, and we want the indoor basketball practice to stop. We expect you three to do the math problems every day or…we’ll speak to your parents.”

  He studied her as though choosing his words. Then he completely changed his tone of voice. “Ach, Catherine, I’m already fourteen. I’ll be done with school in four more months. I’m probably as smart as I’m ever gonna get.”

  Catherine shook her head. “We have four more months to turn you into the smartest young man we can. And we’ll expect your best work until your graduation in May.”

  His placid expression faded. He breathed in and out through his nostrils, while Catherine crossed her arms too. The sisters stood like a matched set of bookends.

  After another tense moment, Owen joined his friends tidying the classroom. When the floor was clean, they hurried to the outer hall without a backward glance.

  The teacher team breathed an audible sigh of relief, turned toward each other, and smiled. However, their joy proved to be premature. By day’s end paper wads again littered the classroom floor and very few math problems had been written on Owen’s paper. His two cohorts had copied the work down but done no computations. They both mumbled they would finish tonight as they filed out the door.

  Owen glanced from one teacher to the other, tucked his unfinished paper into his book, and threw the book inside his desk. With a sneer that dared them to challenge him, he ran outside after his pals.

  “We are certainly going to nip this in the bud,” announced Catherine to an empty classroom.

  “Isn’t it a little late for that?”

  “Not at all. I could have argued with Owen, but I feel we should take a different approach.”

  Meghan began rubbing her forehead.

  “Don’t be afraid. You handled yourself quite well. And your confidence will increase with every encounter. That’s why we’re letting no grass grow beneath our feet.” Catherine shoved her textbooks into a tote bag. “Grab our lunch cooler, Meg. I’ll look up the addresses for Robert, Owen, and Joshua in Joanna’s directory.”

  Meghan blanched. “Why do we need to know where they live? We’ll see them again tomorrow.” In a tiny voice she added, “And that’s soon enough for me. I’d better stay here and sweep the floor before going home to help mamm.”

  Catherine took hold of her sister and began pulling toward the door. “Don’t be frightened, little goose. I’ll be right by your side when we talk to their parents.”

  Meghan yanked her arm back. “Please don’t call me that. It’s bad enough hearing it from James. He makes me feel like a child…and not a very bright child at that.”

  “Sorry, dear heart. You know I don’t think any such thing, and now here’s a chance to build up your courage.”

  “All right. We’ll go to Robert’s house first and you’ll take charge. Then we’ll go to Joshua’s, where I’ll do the talking. Then we’ll finish up at the Shockley farm, where it’ll be your turn again.”

  Catherine recognized her ploy. They were well acquainted with Joshua’s parents and knew they would be supportive. The other two sets of parents presented a mystery. “Okay, fine. I’m head teacher.”

  As they walked to the first confrontation, Catherine practiced what she would say. Meghan offered a couple suggestions, but mainly she dragged her feet through the snow as though they had all the time in the world.

  At Robert’s house they found his mamm feeding an infant while two toddlers played on the floor of the warm kitchen. Robert and his father were nowhere in sight. His mother listened patiently, nodding her head. When Catherine finished explaining about her son’s lack of attention in class and unfinished assignments, she had only one question for the teachers.

  “Is Owen Shockley the ringleader of this threesome giving you problems?”

  Catherine didn’t like to fix blame, but she had to be truthful. “Jah, he is. Robert said he would complete his math problems tonight and took his book with him.”

  The woman’s gaze flickered over one and then the other. “His daed won’t like Robert having homework to do. He needs to help with farm chores after school. And neither of us likes the idea of him not minding his teachers. I don’t care how green you two are.”

  Catherine felt her armpits grow damp, while the woman turned back to the infant who just spit up something onto his bib. “I’ll see to it that he finishes those problems before he eats supper. That boy has one fierce appetite. And I don’t imagine you will get any more bad behavior from our son. Sorry for the trouble. Danki for stopping by.” She glanced at them one more time before turning to spoon-feed vegetables to her boppli. Catherine and Meghan nodded and left the house as fast as the boys had left the schoolroom earlier that afternoon.

  Joshua’s home was the next farm across the street. The young culprit answered the door with a face registering total shock. “Catherine, Meghan, what are you doin’ here?” he stammered.

  “We’d like to speak to your mamm or daed…or both. Would you get them please?” asked Meghan.

  Joshua backed up a step and stared, transfixed.

  “Now would be a good time,” she added.

  He closed the door and ran, leaving the women standing on the cold porch. He’d been gone a long time when his mother finally opened the door.

  “Goodness, come inside and get warmed up! I can’t believe that boy left you out there to freeze.”

  When Catherine and Meghan entered a kitchen smelling of pork and sauerkraut, they spotted Joshua hiding behind his mother. “Would you like a cup of coffee or tea?” she asked. After they had both shaken their heads, his mamm took the lead. “My boy told me what’s been goin’ on and about the warning he got today. I guess he figured I should hear the story from him first. Now he’s got something to say to you.” She turned toward her pale son.

  “I’m sorry, Meghan and Catherine, for not listening the first time, for staring out the window, and for not doing my schoolwork. Sorry I left you outside just now.” Joshua glanced up before refocusing on the floor.

  “He won’t give you another moment of disrespect,” added his mother. “Or his daed will hear about this and take a switch to his
backside.”

  “No more trouble,” promised Joshua.

  “Well then, our work here is finished,” said Meghan. “Guder nachmittag to you.” She brushed her palms together as if she’d just finished rolling out pie dough and walked out the door.

  Catherine nodded at mother and son and then trailed her sister down the steps, thoroughly impressed.

  “I don’t want to see him get the switch,” whispered Meghan, “but I don’t think we have to worry about that.”

  “Two down, one to go,” said Catherine. However, their final stop before home didn’t go nearly so well. While they waited for someone to answer their knock at the Shockley home, they smelled a strong musty odor emanating from the canvas covering the woodpile. Catherine thought she would gag before Mrs. Shockley finally opened the door. The woman seemed reluctant to let them in. “We’re Owen’s new teachers and we’d like a word with you,” explained Catherine. After a moment’s hesitation, Mrs. Shockley stood aside so they could enter.

  Inside the shabby but clean kitchen, Mr. Shockley sat at the table, clutching a mug. “What’s this about?” he asked. He did not ask them to sit down.

  Catherine carefully enumerated Owen’s transgressions along with their attempts to rectify his behavior.

  “He didn’t give Joanna much trouble,” said the father, looking from one sister to the other. “At least, she never came here complaining.”

  “Perhaps he’s unhappy with the change,” said Catherine. “But we’re his teachers now, and we want no talking during reading and we want him to do all his work.” She sounded timid and scared.

  “Plus he should listen when I yell at him on the playground,” added Meghan from behind Catherine’s shoulder.

  Mr. Shockley turned toward the doorway to the front room. To their dismay, they saw Owen leaning on the doorjamb, his face blank and unreadable.