Read Online [Canadian West 01] - When Calls the Heart by Janette Oke - Free Book Online

nice," I commented
rather absentmindedly.
    "Do you really like it?"
    "Why, yes. Yes, of course. It's lovely." I hoped that I hadn't
tried to overdo it. It was lovely, but I really didn't feel that
much enthusiasm.
    "I knew that you would." The confidence was in his voice
again. "We'll put the house right here," he said, waving his
arm.
    Noticing the "we," a sympathy for whoever the other
member was swept through me, along with a slight thankfulness that even a man like Mr. Higgins could find someone
with whom to share life.
    "We'll face this way-the front entry, the living room ..."
he said, making grand gestures with his arm. "What do you
think?"
    I couldn't imagine why he was asking me, but I mumbled
that I supposed that would be just fine.
    "I think that we'll build of brick rather than lumber,
though lumber is easier to get. Four or five bedrooms, do you
think?"
    "Mr. Higgins, I-"
    "You don't need to call me Mr. Higgins, my dear Beth," he
said ingratiatingly. I was shocked at his liberty in using my
first name. "It's Thomas-Tom, if you like-" his eyes were
filled with feeling as he looked at me, "or anything else you'd
care to call me."
    "Mr. Higgins," I stubbornly repeated his formal name. "I'm afraid that I don't understand. We came here to discuss
my school, and instead-"

    "Ah, my dear. I see that I haven't made myself clear. You
won't need to take a teaching position. We can be married
soon and I-"
    "Married?" My reply sounded almost like a shriek. "Married? What are you speaking of?"
    "Don't be coy, my dear. I see no need for waiting. Some
may think it a bit hasty, but here in the West a man is given
the privilege of deciding quickly. There is no need to wait just
for convention's sake. The marriage-"
    "But I came west to teach ! "
    "Of course," he said knowingly, "until such time as a suitable-"
    "Mr. Higgins, I don't think that you understand." I took a
deep breath to calm myself. "There were `suitable' men back
East. I have no intention of forsaking teaching to-to
marry-to marry you!"
    It was several minutes before I convinced Mr. Higgins that
I meant what I said. He couldn't believe that any woman in
her right mind would actually reject his offer-so you can
readily see how he, henceforth, rated me. With disgust he
abruptly turned to descend the slope ahead of me, and 1 was
hard put to keep up with him. Without another word between
us, he jammed leftovers, dishes, ants and all into his picnic
basket, piled it all into the buggy, and we drove back to .Jon's
in awkward silence.
    "Remember," he finally grated out as we neared in,,,
brother's place, "I am the school superintendent. I hire and I
fire."
    "Perhaps you would rather I returned to the East. I'll just
tell Jonathan-"
    "How absurd." he cut in. "We've plenty of schools where
teachers are needed. I'm sure that I'll be able to find a spot
suitable for you."
    "Thank you," I said stiffly. "That is why I came."
    The appointment came by letter. The note was short and
formal. After careful consideration, it stated, I was to be given the Pine Springs school. Enclosed was a train ticket which I
was to use the next Wednesday. The train would take me to
Lacombe where I would be met by Mr. Laverly, the local
school-board chairman. I would have the remaining days to
get settled before classes commenced on the following Monday.

    "Lacombe," I said aloud. "Where is Lacombe?"
    "North," said Jon from behind his paper. "Why?"
    "That's where I'm to go."
    The paper went down and Jon's face appeared.
    "Go? For what?"
    "My school."
    "That can't be."
    "It's right here-even a train ticket."
    "But it's-it's more than a hundred miles from here. That
can't be."
    "Over a hundred?"
    "Right. There must be some mistake."
    It hit me then. Mr. Higgins was seeing to it that I was a
long way removed from Calgary. His revenge? Perhaps he was
even hoping that I would refuse the placement and go whimpering back east. Well, I wouldn't.
    "I'm sure that