Teaching his Heart to Love (Preview)

Chapter One

Cedar Ridge, Colorado, 1875

Elizabeth’s foot sunk into sludge as she stepped down from the stagecoach.

Why did it have to rain today?

It was fitting. As if the sky was crying on behalf of her predicament. Her fingers trembled with cold as she gripped her skirts, pulling them up to protect the hems from the mud splashing with every raindrop.

“There you are, miss.” One of the stagecoach drivers deposited her satchel beside her, giving her a sharp nod, his unshaven face concealed under a wide-brimmed hat and the persistent sheets of water pouring from the sky.

“Much obliged,” Elizabeth murmured. Elizabeth. The name still felt strange.

Madeline, her real name, threatened to roll off her tongue the moment someone inquired about her, but she was going to have to curb that habit if she had any chance of blending in with the people of Cedar Ridge, that was.

Elizabeth passed her skirts to one hand and wrapped wet fingers around the satchel’s handle, then made her way through the soaking street to the shelter of the post office. The roof hung over a modest porch, not much, but something to help her not be a dripping, soaking mess when the reverend came to meet her.

She peered through the rain, looking for anyone who resembled a reverend.

“Excuse me, is someone coming to fetch you?” a strained voice asked.

Elizabeth looked up to find it belonged to an older woman, wrinkles at the corners of her eyes, black hair piled high in tight coils under a fancy hat. Curious gray eyes peered at her, taking her in with too much interest.

“Yes, ma’am.” Elizabeth fought the urge to stutter. “I, uh… the reverend is. I’m new around here.”

She couldn’t fathom what prompted the woman to come up to her in such a forward way, but held her tongue with her questions.

Don’t draw attention to yourself. The less people know about you, the better. 

She’d repeated the words to herself as her own personal mantra the whole way from Denver. A ghost, that’s what she wanted to be; floating in and out of people’s lives, not leaving enough of an impression to be remembered.

“I can see you’re new,” the woman said after a long pause. She lifted her nose ever so slightly, then cleared her throat. “You should be more careful with that dress. It isn’t proper for a young lady to be traipsing about in this rain.”

Elizabeth swallowed hard.

“Yes, ma’am. The stagecoach was in a rush, and didn’t wait out the storm.”

Elizabeth gripped her satchel tighter. Where was the reverend? He should have been there by now. Had he forgotten she was coming?

“I’m Mrs. Hargrove. I own the mercantile in town. When you’re ready to get yourself some new dresses, come on by — we’ve got what you need.” Mrs. Hargrove was still staring at her as if she expected to find something more significant to disapprove of. “Why are you in town?”

Elizabeth’s heart quickened.

“I’m the new teacher.” The easiest reason she was in town, the innocent one, was what came out, even though the other reason was right there, hovering, waiting to slip into conversation and ruin everything.

“I see. Well, the young’uns will be glad to have someone teaching again.” Mrs. Hargrove’s tone indicated she thought the exact opposite.

Elizabeth nodded politely but turned her face to search for the reverend. Surely, he’d come to her rescue before Mrs. Hargrove could continue her interrogation.

Mrs. Hargrove stared up at the sky and shook her head in dismay.

“A bad day for rain,” she grumbled. “I didn’t catch your name.”

“Ma… Elizabeth,” she corrected herself. Madeline was part of her past.

Embrace it, make yourself believe you’re Elizabeth now.

Mrs. Hargrove tilted her head, then nodded curtly, her bright red lips pressing into a line for a moment.

“It was a pleasure, Elizabeth. I’m sure we’ll be seeing each other.”

“Likewise, ma’am.” Elizabeth’s smile stretched on her lips, like a mask, about to crack under pressure. When Mrs. Hargrove finally turned and walked away, going up to the window to ask about her mail, Elizabeth let out a long sigh of relief.

Her first interaction and she already felt like all the pieces she’d spent so much time putting into place would crumble to dust with the slightest provocation. 

The sounds of horses’ hooves pulled her attention back to the road. The rain was lifting, just falling in a light drizzle, but everything was soaked already so it didn’t matter much. A black carriage came down the street, two dark brown horses pulling it, shaking their heads back and forth, as if they were bothered by the rain as much as everyone else. The man driving was the reverend.

Elizabeth was sure of it as soon as she laid eyes on him. There was a quiet air about the way he held the reins. He wore a dark frock coat, buttoned up all the way, and a wide-brimmed hat, shading his face from her. His collar was crisp and white, a stark contrast to the rest of his clothes.

He pulled the carriage up beside the post office and stepped down, black boots covered in a bit of mud and debris as if he’d been around town despite the bad weather. He climbed the steps up the porch, while taking off his hat, giving it a shake, making little droplets of water disperse over the hardwood beneath him. When he spotted her, his brown eyes softened and crinkled at the corners as a warm smile lit up his round face.

“You must be Miss Moore.” His voice was deep and reassuring, making some of the tension bunched up in Elizabeth’s shoulders relax.

“That’s right.” Elizabeth stepped forward as he offered his hand. “And you must be Reverend Michaels.”

“That’d be me.” Reverend Michaels beamed. “Martha wanted to come to meet you herself, but she stayed back at the cottage — had her hands full getting it fixed up proper. Been near six months since anyone lived there.”

“Of course.” Elizabeth took a calming breath. She’d see her cousin soon enough. No need to make a big deal of not getting to meet her straight away.

“Is this all you’ve brought with you? Or is there more needs hauling?” The reverend nodded toward her bag, running a hand over his black hair, peppered with white.

“This is everything.” Elizabeth shifted nervously. To her relief, the reverend took a step to the side and motioned for her to walk to the carriage.

“In that case, let’s get you home.”

She walked down the steps, hesitating only for a moment before climbing up into the front of the carriage. It had a seat in the back, with a bit more space, but the cover was only over the front two seats, where the driver would go, and where she would sit alongside him. She certainly wasn’t interested in getting any wetter than she already was.

Every place where her dress stuck to her skin felt as if it were a piece of her completely exposed. She scooted as far as she could to the side, to give the reverend enough room to take his spot and drive the horses. He didn’t seem to mind her presence, or to be bothered by the situation as much as she was. He simply climbed up, put his hat back on his head and took up the reins.

“This is a small town, as you can see,” he said in the same cheerful tone he’d greeted her with. “It isn’t much like Denver. But we’ve got good folks here. Families who’ll be grateful to have someone teaching their children again.”

“Glad to hear it.” Nervous butterflies jumped in Elizabeth’s stomach. She’d never been a teacher before. Her parents were wealthier than most in Denver, and had given her more studies than she needed. She was adept in many subjects, and had been told she was good with children for as long as she could remember.

‘All the good makings of a teacher,’ that’s what her mother said. But just because on paper it said she’d be a good teacher, that didn’t mean she would be one in real life. 

Reverend Michaels didn’t seem bothered by her silence. He kept up a lively line of conversation, all one-sided.

She allowed herself to tune out, taking in the sight of the tiny town that would be her new home. When the reverend pulled in front of a small cottage a little way from town, Elizabeth was shaken from her thoughts.

“Here we are, at last. I know it’s a little way out of town, but it’s still close enough that you should be able to access everything you need, and it’s not too far from the schoolhouse.” Reverend Michaels jumped from the carriage and helped her down, then took off his hat, leading the way to the front of the cottage. 

Before either of them could knock, the door burst open, and Martha charged forward, her mop of bright red curls held back with a green ribbon that matched her eyes. She pulled Elizabeth into a tight hug before she could protest. Many wouldn’t guess that the two were cousins, considering Elizabeth’s brown hair and blue eyes were so different from Martha’s features.

“Cousin! Land’s sake, I’m so glad you made it safe. You don’t know how worried I was, you traveling alone and all.” Martha glanced between Elizabeth and the reverend.

Elizabeth frowned.

That behavior was certain not to make anyone think she had other reasons to be in town other than being the new teacher. 

Elizabeth raised an eyebrow in Martha’s direction as the thought crossed her mind.

“I was worried a few times myself, but the stagecoach brought me straight here. I’m just glad to finally have arrived.” Her eyes landed on the cottage right behind her cousin. “Is this where I’ll live?”

Martha was a cousin by marriage, and they didn’t know each other well. But through letters, Elizabeth felt as if she was getting to know Martha. Her uncle had married an Irish woman. Her aunt’s brother was Martha’s father. The red hair and green eyes were distinct for sure. They had no blood relation, but Martha still felt like they were family. 

“Yes, isn’t it a dream? It’s got everything you’d need, and I’ve spent the day preparing it just for you. My family doesn’t live too far from here, it’s less than a five-minute walk, so of course, I can visit often.” Martha beamed. “They’d like to meet you too.” 

“I would like that.” A wave of homesickness washed through Elizabeth. She may not know Martha well, but her cousin was all she had in this new town.

The reverend cleared his throat.

“I’ll leave the two of you to it, but if you need anything at all, you can find me at the church.” He tipped his hat, leaving them by the cottage alone. Elizabeth watched his retreating carriage until it was a black dot in the trees and she was certain that she and Martha were alone.

“You didn’t have to do all of this for me,” she said softly.

“Course I did.” Martha’s eyes sparkled with protectiveness. “Don’t fret. No one here knows your real name or why you came to Cedar Ridge. They really do need a teacher — and I know you’ll do just fine.”

“Thank you,” Elizabeth replied, her voice wavering. Would she make a good teacher? Maybe it wasn’t the real reason she’d come, but she was going to do everything in her power to do her best at it. If she could be, she’d become the best teacher Cedar Ridge had ever seen.

Chapter Two

Sam Callahan leaned against the pasture fence, watching the tall, slim figure of his niece as she led her little brother into the chicken coop.

She reminded him of a leaf, like she might blow away if the wind was too strong. Her back was as rigid as a board, blond hair falling in two crooked braids over her shoulders.

Spitting image of her mother.

Lily played the role of a tiny mother to her little brother, Jack, coddling and loving him more than she should, if he was being honest.

“How are they doing?” Daniel’s gruff voice beside him startled him. Daniel rarely managed to startle anyone by sneaking up on them. Considering he was close to six feet tall and had a presence like a lumberjack, Sam could usually hear him a mile away.

“All right, I think”

As all right as they can be after losing their father.

His older brother died too soon. Ethan was the family man, not Sam. The way he would scoop up those children and toss them around like a couple of goats while they let out peals of laughter… The memory lifted a smile on his lips.

“Are they excited about going back to school?”

“School? Haven’t thought much about it. Besides, didn’t the teacher leave and go back to the city?”

“Yeah.” Daniel rolled the piece of grass in his hands, putting it between his teeth. “But they got a new teacher, didn’t you hear?”

Sam frowned, shoving off the fence. The sun was setting, and the animals needed tending. So much to do, all the time.

“New teacher? Haven’t heard of no new teacher.”

Daniel chuckled.

“Whether you’ve heard of her or not, there is one. They say she just moved here from Denver.”

“Denver? Why would someone fit to be a teacher come here from Denver? Wouldn’t she teach in the city?” He frowned. New people didn’t settle too much in Cedar Ridge. Sure, they passed on to get further west, or they visited to trade and such, but soon, they always moved on.

“There’s lots of reasons a teacher would settle here.” The green grass bobbed up and down as Daniel chewed on it and followed Sam to the barn. The two worked hand in hand, the evening chores moving swiftly with Daniel to help.

“Is she old then?” Sam asked, trying to imagine what sort of woman would uproot her life to come to Cedar Ridge. No one respectable, according to Lisa. He grimaced at the thought of her.

“No. She’s not old. She’s young I hear, and pretty. Some of the men were talking about how she got here on the stagecoach this morning.” Daniel grinned as he went to grab a milk pail. “You sound interested.”

“I’m not interested,” Sam huffed. The last thing he was, was interested.

“Really? How long has it been since you’ve given a woman a chance…five months now?” Daniel’s tone lightened, but his words were like a punch, straight to Sam’s gut.

As if losing his older brother wasn’t enough, and instantly becoming a parent of two grieving children overnight. Lisa had betrayed him too.

“It’s been a short enough time to know I won’t trust another for a long time,” Sam said gruffly. He slammed down his milk stool, and slid the pail under the cow’s udder, leaning his forehead against her smooth, warm side. The familiar smell of the musty hay combined with the soft rhythm of the milk hitting the bottom of the pail calmed the fury racing in his veins.

“Maybe don’t give up before you see the new teacher, you never know. Could be an opportunity for the children to find a new mother.”

Daniel doesn’t know when to stop.

“I’m not looking for a mother for them—I wasn’t even looking to be their father.” The words came faster as he opened the lid, letting those feelings inside come out a bit. “Ethan was supposed to be here, to raise them, to find a ma for them. None of this is how it should be. Don’t you get that?”

Silence smothered the barn.

“I get it, Sam.” Daniel’s voice was choked, all of the prior mirth vanished. “I didn’t mean anything by it.”

You didn’t, but it doesn’t make it any less painful.

“I know.” Sam’s throat was tight, full of emotion he wasn’t ready to deal with.

“Just think about sending them back to school, okay? I think they’d do good with the distraction.”

Sam clenched his jaw. Despite his bad delivery, his best friend may have had a point. Perhaps it was time for the children to get back out in the world, away from his ranch where they’d been since their father died. His heart ached. There was nothing out there that could help him, but maybe it wasn’t too late for the kids.

—*—

Sam paced back and forth in the sitting room. It had been a rough night, now he was getting the children to school for their first day. He’d taken two days to think about it, and yet peace never came with his decision.

Is it the right time? Will they feel like I don’t want them here at the house by sending them to town?

“Uncle Sam?” Lily’s light voice pierced his thoughts. He stopped his packing, his thumbs looped through his suspenders, and stared her down, trying to think of the right words. “Everything okay?”

Looking at Lily was like a peek into the past. She had the same big blue eyes as Ethan had, and the smattering of freckles across her nose and cheeks. Her pointed chin and the way a dimple poked into her cheek and how her eyebrows knit together like she was doing then, were all stark reminders of his brother.

“It’s fine… I just…” He cleared his throat. He used to be the fun uncle, the one who showed up to take the children on picnics or sneak them penny candy. Being in charge of them was different. “I was thinking it’s about time you and your brother head back to school. Considerin’ there’s a new teacher in town, might be just the thing.” His words were heavy, falling out of his mouth like bricks to the floor.

Lily stared at him, her eyebrows coming closer together, and her little nose pinching.

“School?”

He watched her.

She’s going to hate the idea, then I’ll have to force them, and they’ll think I don’t want them here. At least Daniel will be satisfied.

But instead of a frown, Lily’s face brightened, a big smile stretching across her face.

“School sounds great. You’re sure this new teacher’s starting classes soon?” She clasped her little hands together. “Goodness, it’s been so long.”

Six months to be exact. But he had a feeling Lily and Jack felt like it had been a long time since their lives were normal, or good.

“She’s startin’ classes today, apparently.” He was happy she wasn’t upset, but why was there a whisper of disappointment in his chest? Did he want Lily and her brother to be sad about leaving the ranch?

Stop thinking of such foolish notions.

“Why don’t you get your brother ready while I get breakfast on the table. I’ll walk you both into town.” He tried to say the words like they weren’t torture.

“Thank you, Uncle Sam.” Lily’s feet shuffled forward, crossing the sitting room floor, and she wrapped her thin little arms around his waist, burying her golden hair against his stomach. “Thank you so much for taking us.”

He patted her back awkwardly.

“Course, Lily. Now get your brother. You won’t wanna be late on your first day.” His words were a bit hoarser than before. He liked making the children happy. They were his niece and nephew, yet a part of him had already loved them like they were his own children, even before Ethan passed away.

Lily pulled back with her smile still in place.

“Don’t burn the eggs,” she said with a stern little shake of her finger. Sam threw his head back and laughed, the moment of emotion washed away just like that. Lily was a rather good cook for her eleven years and liked to remind Sam of just how terrible he was.

“You know I’ll try,” he shook his head and made his way to the kitchen. It looked like he’d be meeting the new teacher after all.

By paying special attention to the stove, he managed to serve up eggs and heat up baked beans with some strips of salted pork. Either he’d done a better job than normal, or the children were too excited to care about breakfast.

He left them to get ready while he hooked up the wagon. Climbing up into the driver’s seat, he drove the wagon up to the front of the house. One look at the clear blue sky told him it most likely wouldn’t rain again that day.

Ethan would have been happy about that. He’d been a farmer, while Sam was a rancher. He depended on crops to feed his family, and to sell for money through the rest of the year. 

Sam’s hands tightened on the reins. They’d helped one another, doing the extra work in exchange for what the other brother didn’t produce. In so many ways it felt like half of him was now missing.

The children clambered into the wagon as soon as the wheels stopped turning. Lily held a small milk pail, with a couple of apples sitting on top, as well as their books and slates.

“Is the new teacher nice?” Jack asked, brushing his hair out of his eyes. It was time for a haircut.

When had Jack’s hair grown so long?

“I haven’t met her myself, but I’ve heard good things.” Sam patted the bench beside him. “Why don’t ya’ll come ride up front.”

The two didn’t have to be asked twice. In a blink of an eye, they’d moved from the back to the front.

“Will you walk in with us?” Lily didn’t meet his gaze.

“You know I will, but don’t worry. School is going to be good. You were so excited just a little while ago, what changed?” He reached over, around Jack, and squeezed her shoulder. She’d put on her Sunday best: a light blue dress with little white flowers. Sam recognized it as the dress Ethan purchased for her last birthday.

“I don’t know.” Lily’s eyes watered. “It’s been a while since we’ve been to school and I’m just kind of worried. What happens if the other kids are mean? They don’t always like kids who are different, y’know?”

Sam nodded. She shouldn’t have to worry about that, but he couldn’t kid himself. Children could be cruel. It had been roughly six months since they’d been to school. The family with the children’s main friends had moved away two months after Ethan died. Things would be different at school for both Lily and Jack.

“If anyone gives you a hard time, you talk with the teacher, and she’ll help you out. I’ll make sure to talk with her before I leave you there, too, okay? You’ll make new friends. I’m sure of it.”

“Okay.” Lily’s smile returned, just a hint of it anyway, as they pulled onto the road into town. The wagon wheels shook against the road as they went. It was spring, and everything was in bloom. Lush carpets of grass covered the sides of the roads, peppered with wildflowers. The cows would be having their calves as the two milk cows dried up. Spring was a season of change.

“Do you think the new teacher will show me how to read?” Jack had his hat in his hands, twisting it in circles against the blue overalls covering his knees. “I just started learnin’ when…”

When his Pa died.

Sam didn’t finish the sentence for him.

“I’m sure she’ll show you how to read, and teach you everything else. School will be good for you, for all of us.”

Taking them to school was supposed to take away the gnawing guilt he felt every day when he left the children alone in the cabin under Lily’s care, but it was still there. He’d be leaving them in town with a stranger now, which wasn’t much better.

He pulled the wagon to a stop in front of the little schoolhouse he’d helped build, almost seven years ago. He and Ethan had helped, along with several other men in town. Jack had been a baby at the time and Lily four. Ethan roped him into it, saying how his niece and nephew would get a good education one day.

Sam clenched his jaw. His brother would want his kids back at school. 

He jumped to the ground in one movement, scooping the kids up and down one after another. “All right then,” he said, tousling Jack’s hair. “Let’s go find the teacher.” He turned and froze. 

There on the steps of the schoolhouse, stood a young woman out of a dream.

Brown curls the color of chestnuts framed her face. Most of her hair was pulled back into a neat bun, but the rest seemed to have a mind of its own. As she turned toward him, a set of the clearest blue eyes he’d ever seen landed on his. He sucked in a breath.

Daniel was right, the new school teacher was something to look at.