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Authors: Jane Myers Perrine
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father to dominate his life from the grave. But habits formed over a lifetime bound him like a lasso. The lectures that a Sullivan behaved differently—was not guided by mere feelings—still echoed and shaped his behavior.
He watched the teacher with his daughter. Matilda played a chord, then placed Elizabeth’s hand on the piano keys and told the child to do the same. She smiled up at her teacher, so sweetly, with so much trust, and followed the instructions. When Elizabeth picked out the tune after Matilda had showed her the correct keys, they both smiled.
This was a woman who obviously loved children and who was a good teacher. A woman who attracted him so much that he walked into the parlor to stand next to her, hoping that she would turn that beautiful smile on him.
And he’d done it even before he realized he’d moved an inch.
Annie glanced up to see John next to her. Which man was he now? The stern banker who lectured her? Or the daredevil who raced across the meadow with wild abandon? The banker intimidated her, but she actually feared the other man more. The man with the fleeting smile and the sincere blue eyes was far more dangerous to her because that man attracted her. That man she could fall in love with.
When she stood to leave after practicing a few more pieces, he looked down at her. “I must apologize for my earlier words, Matilda.” He shook his head. “I meant them as a mere reminder, but they came out rude and judgmental. I’m sorry.”
Yes, this was a man she could care about. But she dared not allow herself to.
Chapter Five
O n Monday morning, Annie called the students to order. “Children, let us go over some of the last letters of the alphabet.” Annie picked up a slate to show the Sundholm twins. “Here’s a Q. ” Her circle was round and even. “Here’s an R. ” Her strokes were strong and clear. “And here’s an S. ” She made it just the way she’d seen it on the sign in front of the Hansons’ ranch.
To her surprise, the older children became very quiet looking at each other as if they did not know what to do.
She looked at the S but could see nothing wrong with it. It lay flat on the line she had drawn below the letter.
“Miss Cunningham,” Elizabeth said. “I think you want to tilt your slate like this.” She took the slate and turned it so the S stood straight up. “The way you held it, the letter looked like a lazy S, like the Hanson brand.”
“Thank you, Elizabeth. How clever of you to notice that.” Annie put the slate down and bit her lip. “Children, why don’t you run outside now for just a little bit.”
“But, Miss Cunningham, it’s not even time for lunch yet,” Ida said.
“Yes, children, I know, but it’s a lovely day. Run around a little. I’ll call you back for arithmetic in a few minutes.”
When they left, Annie sat behind her desk and dropped her face into her hands. How could she ever have thought she could fool these children? A lazy S. She’d written a lazy S. Now they all knew she didn’t know a real S from a lazy S. Eight-year-old children knew the difference, but she didn’t. Tears spilled between her fingers.
“Miss Cunningham.”
She looked up to see Rose and Samuel.
“We didn’t mean to hurt your feelings by laughing. We’re sorry,” Samuel said. “The other children sent us in because we hurt your feelings.”
“Miss Cunningham, you’re the best teacher we’ve ever had. Please don’t cry.” Tears gathered in Rose’s eyes.
“I’m the best teacher you ever had?” She wiped at her face with her hand.
“Oh, yes. You are so nice and so pretty. And you sing so well, and you know your numbers.” Rose nodded. “We all really like you.”
“The last teacher didn’t want to teach us anything. Sometimes she was mean.” Samuel looked at her with wide, sad eyes. “Please don’t cry. We won’t laugh anymore.”
“Oh, children, I want you to laugh. I want you to enjoy school.” She stood and
He watched the teacher with his daughter. Matilda played a chord, then placed Elizabeth’s hand on the piano keys and told the child to do the same. She smiled up at her teacher, so sweetly, with so much trust, and followed the instructions. When Elizabeth picked out the tune after Matilda had showed her the correct keys, they both smiled.
This was a woman who obviously loved children and who was a good teacher. A woman who attracted him so much that he walked into the parlor to stand next to her, hoping that she would turn that beautiful smile on him.
And he’d done it even before he realized he’d moved an inch.
Annie glanced up to see John next to her. Which man was he now? The stern banker who lectured her? Or the daredevil who raced across the meadow with wild abandon? The banker intimidated her, but she actually feared the other man more. The man with the fleeting smile and the sincere blue eyes was far more dangerous to her because that man attracted her. That man she could fall in love with.
When she stood to leave after practicing a few more pieces, he looked down at her. “I must apologize for my earlier words, Matilda.” He shook his head. “I meant them as a mere reminder, but they came out rude and judgmental. I’m sorry.”
Yes, this was a man she could care about. But she dared not allow herself to.
Chapter Five
O n Monday morning, Annie called the students to order. “Children, let us go over some of the last letters of the alphabet.” Annie picked up a slate to show the Sundholm twins. “Here’s a Q. ” Her circle was round and even. “Here’s an R. ” Her strokes were strong and clear. “And here’s an S. ” She made it just the way she’d seen it on the sign in front of the Hansons’ ranch.
To her surprise, the older children became very quiet looking at each other as if they did not know what to do.
She looked at the S but could see nothing wrong with it. It lay flat on the line she had drawn below the letter.
“Miss Cunningham,” Elizabeth said. “I think you want to tilt your slate like this.” She took the slate and turned it so the S stood straight up. “The way you held it, the letter looked like a lazy S, like the Hanson brand.”
“Thank you, Elizabeth. How clever of you to notice that.” Annie put the slate down and bit her lip. “Children, why don’t you run outside now for just a little bit.”
“But, Miss Cunningham, it’s not even time for lunch yet,” Ida said.
“Yes, children, I know, but it’s a lovely day. Run around a little. I’ll call you back for arithmetic in a few minutes.”
When they left, Annie sat behind her desk and dropped her face into her hands. How could she ever have thought she could fool these children? A lazy S. She’d written a lazy S. Now they all knew she didn’t know a real S from a lazy S. Eight-year-old children knew the difference, but she didn’t. Tears spilled between her fingers.
“Miss Cunningham.”
She looked up to see Rose and Samuel.
“We didn’t mean to hurt your feelings by laughing. We’re sorry,” Samuel said. “The other children sent us in because we hurt your feelings.”
“Miss Cunningham, you’re the best teacher we’ve ever had. Please don’t cry.” Tears gathered in Rose’s eyes.
“I’m the best teacher you ever had?” She wiped at her face with her hand.
“Oh, yes. You are so nice and so pretty. And you sing so well, and you know your numbers.” Rose nodded. “We all really like you.”
“The last teacher didn’t want to teach us anything. Sometimes she was mean.” Samuel looked at her with wide, sad eyes. “Please don’t cry. We won’t laugh anymore.”
“Oh, children, I want you to laugh. I want you to enjoy school.” She stood and
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