Livy Campbell wasn’t to blame. He was powerless to stop his next words from pouring out with the tide of frustration. “Worried you might have a whole room of little Kaiser-praising loyalists? The last teacher was accused of spying, too. But that won’t be a problem for you, will it, Miss Campbell? You’ll beat out any lingering love for the fatherland, won’t you?”
Her eyes widened at his accusation, then narrowed with barely controlled anger. “You certainly have some nerve,” she fired back. Her brow furrowed and she gripped her coat tightly against her. “You don’t know anything about me or what I can handle or what sort of discipline I plan to administer, so don’t mock me with your sarcasm. If you want to be a German patriot, that’s your choice, but don’t assume you know what I think or feel.”
Her answering fury, and the memory of Joe and his mob, cooled Friedrick’s bitterness by a few degrees. He couldn’t afford to court trouble—not when he’d just been given this job. He realized his hands had balled into fists. Relaxing them, he softened his tone. “I assure you, I am not a German patriot. My loyalty is, and will always be, to this nation and her allies.”
Livy arched her eyebrows. “Then how come you’re not in Europe fighting for America?”
Friedrick folded his arms and took a determined stance. There was no need to hide the answer from her tonight, now that she knew he was German-American. “I have a farm deferment,” he said simply without apology.
“I see.” She gazed coolly at him. “That’s certainly preferred to risking your own life or limbs for the cause.” The cynicism behind her barbed words reminded him that she very well could have family fighting overseas.
“My father’s dying, Miss Campbell.” He locked his eyes with hers. She fell back a step. Whether from his scrutiny or his answer, he didn’t know. “If I had gone overseas to fight, my stepmother and half siblings would’ve had to run the farm alone while caring for him, too.”
“I—I’m sorry. I just presumed you didn’t want to—”
“Participate?” he finished with a bitter laugh. “Believe me, it would be much easier than staying behind.” He scrubbed his hand over his face. “Especially when I have to answer to judging busybodies like yourself,” he muttered.
He didn’t say it quietly enough, though. The muscles in her delicate jaw clenched. “I think it’s time you left, Mr. Wagner. And don’t bother with the wood anymore. I’m perfectly capable of chopping it myself. I wouldn’t want you to have to help a judging busybody.”
If he hadn’t been so mad, he might have been inclined to laugh at her stubbornness. He had no doubt she could fend for herself. Her aim with the fire poker might have been a bit off, but she could hold her own in a verbal battle.
“Suits me fine,” he grumbled as he stomped out the door. He didn’t bother to shut it. Let Miss Capability do it herself.
He marched to the wagon, regret nibbling at his conscience. If word got back to Foster that Friedrick had made an enemy of the new teacher, he’d surely be fired. He didn’t have to like her, but he could be civil.
He drew on every ounce of willpower to turn around. She hadn’t completely closed the door. “There’s something you need to know.” Friedrick prided himself on sounding calm.
Livy glared at him, but she didn’t slam the door shut.
“If you light the school stove in the morning, the children who live close by will see the smoke and know class is back in session. Word will spread to the others.”
Without waiting for a reply, he climbed onto the wagon seat and slapped the reins. He couldn’t get away from here fast enough. He’d foolishly believed Livy was different, at least until she’d found out who he really was.
Friedrick turned the horses toward home, not sparing a glance at the cabin. His eyes narrowed on the stars above him. There were other things as constant
Her eyes widened at his accusation, then narrowed with barely controlled anger. “You certainly have some nerve,” she fired back. Her brow furrowed and she gripped her coat tightly against her. “You don’t know anything about me or what I can handle or what sort of discipline I plan to administer, so don’t mock me with your sarcasm. If you want to be a German patriot, that’s your choice, but don’t assume you know what I think or feel.”
Her answering fury, and the memory of Joe and his mob, cooled Friedrick’s bitterness by a few degrees. He couldn’t afford to court trouble—not when he’d just been given this job. He realized his hands had balled into fists. Relaxing them, he softened his tone. “I assure you, I am not a German patriot. My loyalty is, and will always be, to this nation and her allies.”
Livy arched her eyebrows. “Then how come you’re not in Europe fighting for America?”
Friedrick folded his arms and took a determined stance. There was no need to hide the answer from her tonight, now that she knew he was German-American. “I have a farm deferment,” he said simply without apology.
“I see.” She gazed coolly at him. “That’s certainly preferred to risking your own life or limbs for the cause.” The cynicism behind her barbed words reminded him that she very well could have family fighting overseas.
“My father’s dying, Miss Campbell.” He locked his eyes with hers. She fell back a step. Whether from his scrutiny or his answer, he didn’t know. “If I had gone overseas to fight, my stepmother and half siblings would’ve had to run the farm alone while caring for him, too.”
“I—I’m sorry. I just presumed you didn’t want to—”
“Participate?” he finished with a bitter laugh. “Believe me, it would be much easier than staying behind.” He scrubbed his hand over his face. “Especially when I have to answer to judging busybodies like yourself,” he muttered.
He didn’t say it quietly enough, though. The muscles in her delicate jaw clenched. “I think it’s time you left, Mr. Wagner. And don’t bother with the wood anymore. I’m perfectly capable of chopping it myself. I wouldn’t want you to have to help a judging busybody.”
If he hadn’t been so mad, he might have been inclined to laugh at her stubbornness. He had no doubt she could fend for herself. Her aim with the fire poker might have been a bit off, but she could hold her own in a verbal battle.
“Suits me fine,” he grumbled as he stomped out the door. He didn’t bother to shut it. Let Miss Capability do it herself.
He marched to the wagon, regret nibbling at his conscience. If word got back to Foster that Friedrick had made an enemy of the new teacher, he’d surely be fired. He didn’t have to like her, but he could be civil.
He drew on every ounce of willpower to turn around. She hadn’t completely closed the door. “There’s something you need to know.” Friedrick prided himself on sounding calm.
Livy glared at him, but she didn’t slam the door shut.
“If you light the school stove in the morning, the children who live close by will see the smoke and know class is back in session. Word will spread to the others.”
Without waiting for a reply, he climbed onto the wagon seat and slapped the reins. He couldn’t get away from here fast enough. He’d foolishly believed Livy was different, at least until she’d found out who he really was.
Friedrick turned the horses toward home, not sparing a glance at the cabin. His eyes narrowed on the stars above him. There were other things as constant
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