Faith (18 page)

"Yes, ma'am."

Snapping the reins, Faith set the horse into motion. The
animal trotted briskly out of the barnyard as Liza stepped
out on the porch, cupping her hands to her mouth. "And
don't be running the wheels off that buggy!"

"Yes, ma'am! No, ma'am." Faith leaned out the side and
waved. "I won't!"

Glorious sunshine beat down on the top of the buggy.
Faith drew a deep breath, inhaling the sweet scent of honeysuckle growing wild along the roadside. Free at last! The
horse stepped high as if he, too, welcomed the unexpected
freedom.

The buggy rolled by fertile pastures and running creeks.
Faith waved at a farmer in a nearby field, busy putting up
hay. The tangy scent tickled her nose and made her sneeze.
The farmer rested on his scythe, tipping his hat to her as the
buggy raced by.

Mary Ellen was hanging wash when the Shepherd buggy
rolled to a stop in front of the small dwelling. Chickens
milled around the front stoop. Two coonhounds lay
beneath the porch, cooling their bellies against the packed
dirt.

Leaving her basket of wash, Mary Ellen ran to greet her.
Children streamed out of the house, and the dogs set up a
loud ruckus.

"Glad you stopped by!" Mary Ellen brushed a piece of
hair out of her eyes. "It gets real lonely with no one but the
kids to talk to."

Faith handed her the cherry pie, then patted a youngster
on the head. "I can't stay long, but I'll be glad to do anything I can to give you a rest."

Time flew as the women chatted and folded diapers. Faith
hadn't wanted to put the babies down, but she knew if she
was to complete her mission in town and be home by dark,
she couldn't linger. It was close to two when Faith climbed
back into the buggy.

As she entered the land office, a cheerful-looking lady
glanced up from behind a battered wooden desk. The gold
nameplate read "Evelyn Williams." Evelyn's friendly blue
eyes immediately put Faith at ease. "You're Nicholas's new
bride."

"Not yet, but I'm trying." Faith grinned.

The matronly woman chuckled, shoving her considerable
bulk to her feet. "Heard you two are having a hard time
tying the knot."

"I never realized getting married could be so hard." Faith briefly explained the three delays and how Nicholas had
now taken his cattle to market.

"Well," the woman said with a wink, "Nicholas is a man
well worth waiting for. Why, half the women in Deliverance have been waitin' on him."

Faith frowned. "For what?"

"For him to make up his mind who he's gonna marry!"
Twinkling eyes scanned Faith, and Evelyn's smile widened.
"Looks like he's picked a real beauty."

Faith blushed, clearing her throat. No one had ever
accused her of being a beauty. Hope was the only Kallahan
who could claim that distinction. "I've come to inquire
about the Smith house."

"Bert and Betty's place?"

"Yes, ma'am ... I was wondering what the state planned
to do with the homestead."

Evelyn grimaced. "Land sakes, don't rightly know. Are
the Shepherds interested in buying it?"

"No," Faith said. "And I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't
mention my interest just yet." No use stirring up a hornet's
nest with Liza if she didn't have to. "I've been thinking
about starting a school, and the house looks ideal for what I
have in mind."

Evelyn frowned. "Town's got a school."

"Not this kind of school. I want to start a school for the
blind."

"A school for the blind?" Evelyn's brows bunched tighter.
"A school for the blind. Well, guess there's a few in the area
who'd benefit by a school for the blind."

"There might be lots."

"Yes ... there's Dan Walters's boy. Land sakes, that boy's
got ants in his britches! He'd not sit still long enough to
learn anything!"

"Adam's exceptionally bright, Mrs. Williams. He just needs
his energy channeled. I want to teach Adam, and others like
him, to read and write and cipher as good or better than children with sight." Faith could feel her excitement rising every
time she thought about it. To be able to make a difference
enthralled her. "And if at first there aren't enough blind
students, then I can teach adults in the community to read
and write."

"Yes, guess you could. There are a few around here
who'd like to learn to read. The Bittle girl's blind, you
know-old enough to go to school now-and Gregoryhe'd like going to school. Sixteen years old now, hard to
believe."

Evelyn stepped to the file drawer and rifled through a
stack of folders. Moments later she extracted a file, her eyes
scanning the contents. She glanced up, smiling. "Looks to
me like Bert's place can be bought for back taxes."

Faith's smile faded. Back taxes. Her heart sank. She had
her teaching money, but that probably wouldn't be enough.
Nicholas and Liza hadn't said she couldn't start the school,
but she knew without asking that Liza would never back
the project. She swallowed. "How much?"

Evelyn shook her head, still perusing the sheet of paper.
"Doesn't say ... but I'll find out." Slipping the file back into the cabinet, she shut the drawer. "Come back Saturday, and I'll have the information for you."

Faith smiled. "Thank you ... and Mrs. Williams?"

"Call me Evelyn, dear."

Faith nodded. "Don't forget what I said about not mentioning my visit to anyone."

Evelyn brushed her concern aside. "I'll not say a word,
but you'll have a difficult time keeping something like this
from Liza very long."

Faith was in a good mood when she left the land office. In
a few days she'd know for certain whether the Smith house
could be purchased. She had no idea where she'd get the
money, but she planned to pray long and hard about it. If
the school was meant to be, God would provide the means.
Faith brightened when she spotted Jeremiah unloading a
wagon in front of the mercantile.

Waving, she ran to meet him as the hermit heaved a large
crate off the wagon. For a man his age, he still had remarkable agility.

He smiled as she approached. "You look pretty as a rose
in January. What's put the bloom in your face this fine
day?"

Faith could barely contain her enthusiasm. "I was just
talking to Mrs. Williams at the land office. She says the
Smith place might be bought for as little as back taxes! Isn't
that wonderful! I can start my school for the blind there."

Setting the crate on the steps, Jeremiah pulled a handkerchief out of his pocket and mopped his forehead. The late afternoon sun bore down on the town. "Sounds reasonable
enough-if a body had the money for the back taxes."

Faith sat down on the lower step of the porch to visit. "It
might not be so much. Mrs. Williams will know the exact
amount in a few days."

Jeremiah removed his hat, wiping the brim with a kerchief. "It's a worthy goal you're attempting, but a mighty
big undertaking you've set upon, young lady. Have you
talked to Dan about your idea? Might be he won't allow
Adam to attend your school."

"What father wouldn't want to see his child educated and
offered a better life?"

Reaching the back of the wagon, Jeremiah lifted another
crate onto the sidewalk.

"Don't suppose you've mentioned your plans to Nicholas
or Liza."

"I mentioned it," she admitted.

"And?"

"No use getting them all upset until I see if the Smith
place is affordable." She sat up straighter. "Have you been
able to locate Braille teaching material?"

Jeremiah glanced away. "I wired a friend ... he might be
of help, when everything else is in place."

"Well." Faith sat back. "If all goes well, I plan to start
teaching Adam by fall. And I'm going to send out letters to
the other people Nicholas told me about, inviting them,
too. I can teach folks to read while the blind school is getting started." As she spoke, she realized she'd just decided.
There was no use delaying the project.

"Fall, huh? That's pretty optimistic thinking, young lady.
Aren't you forgetting something?"

Faith looked up.

"What if Nicholas doesn't want his wife running a school
for the blind? What if he forbids you to open the doors?"

Faith hadn't considered the possibility. Nicholas was a
God-fearing man, and God-fearing men were committed to
do all within their power to help others.... Besides,
Nicholas had encouraged her. But Liza hadn't. What if Liza
forbade her to teach? Would Nicholas stand by her if Liza
opposed her?

"Guess I'll cross that bridge when I come to it," Faith
admitted. She fervently hoped she wouldn't have to cross
it at all.

Jeremiah paused, resting on the side of the wagon. "Lot
of work to be done before a school can materialize. You'll
need three paying students just to open the doors."

Faith stared off into the distance. Dan was preparing to
shoe a horse in front of the livery. The rhythmic clang of
his hammer against the anvil filled the air. "And it'll take a
lot of hands to repair, paint, and fix up that old house."

Jeremiah nodded. "We're not just talking about donated
time. You'll need food, cots, blankets, supplies. Then there
are Braille books, wood for heating and cooking, kerosene
for the lanterns...."

Faith listened as the list went on and on. Everything Jeremiah said was true, but she held fast to the belief that God
had sent her to Deliverance for a purpose, and that purpose was looking less and less like she was intended to be a helpmate to Nicholas.

Sighing, she got to her feet. "There's still a lot of work to
be done, but my mind is set, Jeremiah. When Nicholas gets
back, I'll ask his help."

"That should be interesting." Jeremiah turned to load
another crate.

Faith brushed dirt off the back of her dress. "I have to
be going. I promised Liza I'd be home before dark." She
brightened. "Would you like to eat dinner with us?"

When Jeremiah met her suggestion with a wry look and
a quick shake of his head, she giggled, thinking of Liza's
reaction should he accept such an invitation.

"Well, perhaps another time."

Jeremiah nodded. "Perhaps ... if hell ever freezes over."

A week later, Liza made her purchases at the feed store and
started home. She felt faint from the heat. Mopping her
forehead, she wondered what was wrong with her lately.
The sudden waves of heat ignited her body, as if she'd been
soaked in kerosene and had a lit match thrown on her. She
was jolted awake in the middle of the night, drenched in
sweat, her heart pounding. Was her heart giving out? Yes,
that was it. The Lord had heard her prayers. Once Nicholas
married, God planned to call her home.

She looked in the opposite direction as the wagon rolled
past Doc's office. She couldn't tell a man her problems.
He'd laugh and tell her to go home and rest. Rest. She hand-fanned her face as another hot spell assaulted her.
She'd like to see him rest with the fires of Hades licking at
his britches. She could consult Vera, but Vera would tell
Molly, and Molly would tell Etta, and the whole town
would know her problems by morning.

The wagon passed the mercantile, and she quickly averted
her head. Jeremiah. That old fool. Why had he started coming around? For years he had avoided people, but lately he
was everywhere she looked. He dressed decently these days;
his hair was cut to a respectable length. Her lips thinned. He
must have his eye on Widow Blackburn. The old fool.

The wagon rolled past the land office, and wheeled out of
town. Liza's heart hammered against her ribs. She felt as if
an invisible hand had hold of her throat. She had to get
home to be by herself!

Whipping the horse, she pushed the animal on. The
wagon flew around the bend in the road, and the Smith
house came into view. Faith's buggy was parked at the front
stoop!

Sawing back on the reins, Liza slowed the horse. What
would Faith be doing here? She was supposed to be helping
Mary Ellen churn this morning.

Clicking her tongue, she turned the horse up the rutted
lane.