To Honor and Trust (5 page)

“Well, nice it is that you have some extra money to buy the niceties we'd all like to have.”

Callie detected a hint of jealousy in the older woman's comment. “Most of the money from rent is used to maintain the home and pay taxes and insurance, Maude. I don't count on the rent money to support myself.”

From the look on Maude's face, Callie wasn't certain the woman believed a word she'd said about the rent. In truth, Callie had considered selling the house shortly after her grandmother's death, but Mr. Bridgeport had advised against the idea. He believed real estate to be a good investment, so she'd followed his recommendation. Besides, there was a sense of
comfort knowing she would have a place to live should the need arise in the future.

“Miss Callie, where are you?” Daisy's tearful cry was followed by the padding of footsteps in the hallway.

“I'm in Miss Maude's room, Daisy.” Callie turned toward the doorway as Daisy rushed into her arms.

“I had a bad dream.” Daisy burrowed her face in Callie's shoulder and sobbed.

“It was just a dream, child. Nothing to be afraid of,” Maude said. She stood and held out her hand. “Come along and I'll tuck ya back into bed.”

“Nooo. I want Miss Callie.”

“You go ahead with your mending, Maude. I'll take Daisy back to bed.” Callie stroked the child's shoulder. “But you'll have to walk. You're getting too heavy for me to carry.”

Daisy scooted from Callie's lap, and together they returned to her bedroom. After tucking her into bed, Daisy reached for Callie's hand. “I don't think I can go to sleep. Will you tell me a story, Miss Callie?” The child's small lips curved in a winsome smile. “Please.”

How could she possibly refuse? “Only a short story. And you must promise to close your eyes while I tell it to you. That way, you'll be more likely to fall asleep.”

“I promise.” She nestled her head against the feather pillow and promptly closed her eyes. “Make it a story about a girl named Daisy.”

Callie grinned. “Once upon a time, there was a pretty little girl with blond curls and a lovely smile. Her parents were delighted when she was born, but they hadn't chosen a name for their beautiful baby. The baby's father said to his wife, ‘I think we should name her Geraldine after my mother.' But
his wife shook her head. ‘Oh no, we cannot do that, for my mother would be unhappy.' ”

Daisy giggled. “That's good. Geraldine is an awful name.”

Callie brushed a strand of hair from the girl's forehead. “The wife said, ‘Perhaps we should name her Matilda after my own dear mother.' Well, the husband wasn't happy with that idea, for he knew his mother would be disappointed. ‘Perhaps we shouldn't name her after anyone. Instead, we should select our own special name for the child.'”

Daisy's eyes popped open. “And they named her Daisy!”

“Shh, let me finish the story.” Callie pressed a finger to her lips. “The mother quickly agreed that this was an excellent idea. Even though each of them suggested a variety of names, they couldn't reach an agreement. ‘Whatever are we to do?' the father asked. ‘The child must have a name.' Then the father said he would take a walk and give the child's name further thought.”

“Did he go for a walk?” Daisy's eyes remained closed, but a smile tipped the corners of her mouth.

“Yes, indeed. While the father was out strolling in the gardens, he stooped down, picked a beautiful bouquet of flowers for his wife, and returned upstairs. When he entered the bedroom, his wife opened her eyes and saw her husband holding a lovely bunch of daisies in his hand. He said, ‘I brought these for you to brighten your room.' The wife was delighted with the flowers, and she said to her husband, ‘We should name our baby daughter Daisy. She will brighten our lives just as the bouquet of flowers has cheered my room.' The father beamed his approval, and they agreed that the beautiful little blond-haired girl would be named Daisy.”

“And then what happened?” Daisy peeked at Callie.

“Close your eyes and try to go to sleep.” Callie lowered her voice to a mere whisper. “Each night the mother and father would sit together by the baby's cradle, and they would tell her that she was a special flower in God's garden of grace. That they had waited for her a very long time, and they prayed for her each day. You see, they wanted her to grow up to be a very good and special person, and . . .” Callie remained very still and listened to Daisy's soft snores.

Her heart ached as she looked down at the child, a reminder of all she had hoped for. How she longed for children of her own to love and nurture. But marriage and children would require her to risk her heart once again. The thought of such pain caused a lump to rise in her throat. It would be safer to join her parents, where she would be sheltered from further heartbreak. But was running off to serve God in order to avoid further emotional scars a true commitment to Him or simply an easy escape? Though she'd prayed for God's guidance, His answer had not yet arrived.

She bent forward and placed a kiss on Daisy's forehead before departing the room. Her decision would require more prayer. Would she really be willing to give up moments like this with a child of her own if God called her to the mission field?

Thankfully, she didn't have to decide tonight.

Before she'd gone downstairs for breakfast, Callie considered checking on Maude and the children but finally decided she shouldn't interfere during their early period of adjustment. The children and Maude needed to become accustomed to one another, and if Callie intruded during these first few days, the children would likely continue to seek her out rather than Maude.

After finishing a light breakfast, Callie returned upstairs to the spare room designated as their classroom and prepared worksheets for the girls and Thomas. She wasn't certain if Thomas had gone hunting with his father again. If so, she'd need to speak to Mr. Bridgeport, as the young man was going to fall behind on his lessons if he was absent from the classroom each morning. She'd attempted to discuss the matter with Mr. Bridgeport during dinner last evening, but they'd been interrupted. And she couldn't change his school lessons to the afternoon, since those hours were filled with a variety of riding, golf, and tennis lessons that could not be adjusted. Otherwise Callie would have insisted Thomas complete his lessons after lunch.

A short time later, Maude and all three children entered the classroom. “I'm pleased to see you, Thomas.”

“I'd rather be out hunting with Father, but he said I couldn't miss my lessons again today.” Thomas settled at the large wooden desk and frowned.

“Your father is a wise man. He knows you need a solid education before you head off to boarding school. How would you feel if you were behind all your classmates?” Callie didn't hesitate long enough for him to answer. “I know you would be terribly embarrassed if you couldn't answer the instructor's questions, and the other fellows might poke fun at you. We don't want that to happen.” In an exaggerated gesture, she clasped a hand to the Gibson collar of her white embroidered waist. “And should your parents receive a bad report, they might decide it was due to my inability to train you properly for higher education. They might decide I shouldn't continue as your sisters' teacher.”

“Oh no!” Daisy wailed. “You must study hard, Thomas. I don't want Miss Callie to leave us.”

“Stop your blubbering, Daisy. Mother would never terminate Miss Callie. She thinks of her as a third daughter.” When Daisy didn't relent, Thomas pointed his pen in her direction. “Get busy with your crayons, and I'll see to my work. You don't need to worry about my ability to get good grades in boarding school.”

Lottie turned toward her brother. “I know you'll do well, Thomas. You've never failed at anything.”

“Thank you, Lottie.” Thomas shot a smile in his sister's direction. “You see, Daisy, there's nothing for you to worry about.”

Daisy sniffled and picked up her crayons. She didn't appear
completely convinced, and Callie silently reprimanded herself for saying something that would upset the child. If Thomas needed further correction, she'd be sure to do it when the two of them were alone.

Maude remained in the room while the children set to work, and Callie stepped to her side. “How are you doing, Maude? Did everything go well this morning?”

“That it did. The girls are quite easy to manage, and young Thomas cares for himself very well. The cook prepared us a fine breakfast of bacon, eggs, and toast. All three of the children ate well.” She patted her stomach. “And so did I.” She leaned a little closer. “I'm a bit surprised the Bridgeports have a full-time cook, what with them eating most of their meals over at the clubhouse. Jane Nichols must have a great deal of spare time on her hands.”

“She helps Lula with the housework when she isn't preparing meals. Then if Jane needs help in the kitchen, Lula steps in to aid her. I'm sure you'll discover we all help each other as needed.”

“Did you give any more thought to what I said yesterday?” Maude arched her eyebrows.

They had talked about many things yesterday. Callie frowned as she attempted to recall their conversation. “You mean about Mrs. Bridgeport taking you to Biscayne to purchase dresses?” Callie didn't wait for a response. “I believe she has that on her schedule for this afternoon. You might ask her when she returns from the clubhouse.”

“No, not the shopping. Why would I ask you to think about that? This island would be the perfect place for you to find a fellow. This morning Jane told me that there are lots of good-looking single men who come here every year.” Maude gently poked Callie's arm. “You need to make an effort to let your
heart heal and move on to another fellow. Even if you don't feel quite ready, there's nothing wrong with keeping company with a few of them—see what they have to offer, so to speak.”

During the past year, Callie had given thought, and a great deal of prayer, to her future. “I'm really not that interested in a romance. I'm considering joining my parents and teaching at their mission school. Perhaps not right away. I've been praying for God to direct my path. I know Mr. and Mrs. Bridgeport want me to remain as a tutor for the girls, and I've considered going back to teach at the private school in Chicago, should an opening arise, but I'm simply not certain. Using my teaching skills at the mission school would likely prove the most rewarding.”

Maude lurched back and stared at Callie as if she'd grown a second head. “Have you lost your good senses, girl?” She grasped Callie's arm. “Now you listen to me—going off to some mission and hiding out is not a place for a young, beautiful woman like you. No, it is not. Those places aren't for women at all, unless, of course, they're unsightly and have little to offer otherwise.” She wagged her head to emphasize her displeasure. “You'll never find a husband worth his salt in a place that needs a mission. Take my word for it, there's nothing but beggars and thieves in those kinds of places. Is their mission in the rundown section of some big city like New York?”

“No—it's in Africa.”

“Africa!” Maude shrieked.

Both girls turned in their chairs, and Thomas looked up and stared at them. Callie motioned to the children. “Pay Maude no mind, children. Go on with your lessons.” She nudged the older woman. “Please keep your voice down.”

“Well, you can't blame me for being surprised. Why in the
world would you even think about going off to Africa? That's the craziest thing I ever did hear.”

“God calls people to different places throughout the world, Maude. We can't all stay in our comfortable homes. If we all adopted that idea, others would never learn of Jesus.”

“If you're wanting to teach school and tell folks about Jesus, you don't have to go off to Africa. You'd be better off in Chicago. There's sure to be plenty of people in Chicago who need to know about Jesus. Have you thought about how lonely it would be? Sure, you'd have your mother and father, but I doubt you'd have many people your age that you could talk to—and once you get over there, I doubt you could come back right away. If I was you, I'd do a lot more praying before setting sail to someplace like Africa. I've got nothing against God or prayer, but I think you need to use some good sense, too.”

Callie didn't tell Maude she'd already considered the isolation she would experience in another country. If she hadn't feared the loneliness, she wouldn't have waited to hear from the Lord. She'd have taken matters into her own hands, packed a trunk, and boarded a ship for Africa. At least that's what she'd been telling herself ever since the letter arrived from her parents asking her to consider joining them. And the arrival of a letter from Miss Landry, the supervisor of the school where she'd taught in Chicago, had further complicated the situation. Miss Landry had written shortly before Christmas, saying there would be a teaching position open in September, and she'd offered the job to Callie. However, Miss Landry wanted a decision by the end of May.

Lottie waved her paper overhead. “Will you check my answers, Miss Callie?”

Maude started for the door. “I best get busy and straighten the children's bedrooms.”

Callie nodded. “And don't forget to ask Lula if Mrs. Bridgeport plans on your going over to Biscayne this afternoon.”

“That I will. You children have a fine day.” Maude waved toward the girls before she turned on her heel and strode from the room.

Callie sat down beside Lottie and quickly checked her answers. “That looks perfect. And your coloring is quite lovely, Daisy. I think that picture should be hung on the wall.”

Daisy clapped her hands. “Maybe Thomas can make a frame for my picture. Could you, Thomas?”

He shrugged. “If Miss Callie says we can go look for some wood.”

“I've planned for us to take the bicycles and ride around the island to look for indigenous plants.”

Daisy waved her crayon in the air. “What's an indignant plant?”

Callie chuckled. “The word is
indigenous
, and it means plants that are native to Bridal Veil Island. Plants and trees that we don't find in Indianapolis.”

“Like the live oaks? We don't have those at home.”

“Exactly. That's excellent, Lottie. Do you remember why those trees are called live oaks?”

She bobbed her head. “Because they stay green all year long.”

“Right! You did a good job remembering what you learned last year.”

Daisy pushed her lower lip into a pout. “I 'membered, too, but Lottie said it before I got a chance.”

“Well, I'm proud of you, too, Daisy.” Callie tousled the
younger girl's blond curls as she glanced toward Thomas. “Why don't you girls go downstairs and see if Maude will help you bring the bicycles from the rear garden out to the front of the house? I think Thomas will be through with his algebra by the time you've brought all four bicycles around.”

The girls jumped up from their chairs, clearly eager to spend time outdoors on such a beautiful morning. “I'll tell Miss Maude.” Daisy elbowed her sister on the way out the door.

“No, I will,” Lottie countered, pushing ahead of Daisy.

“No arguing, or we won't be able to go,” Callie called after them. All sounds of their bickering ceased, but Callie guessed they'd simply lowered their arguing to whispers.

A short time later, Thomas looked up from his worksheets. “I'm finished. Do you want to check them before we go?”

Callie grinned. “You know I do.” She took the paper from him and scanned his answers. “Wonderful, Thomas! I do believe you've gained a good understanding of algebra. And there's nothing like the lure of the outdoors to get you moving along on your schoolwork, is there?”

He nodded and headed toward the door, his long-legged stride outdistancing Callie. “I'd rather be outside than anywhere else. Of course, I'd rather not have the girls along, but if that's the only way I can get out of this classroom, then I won't object.”

Callie retrieved her straw hat, and soon the four of them were bicycling along a path that would lead them away from the cottages to a more secluded portion of the island. During their previous winters on Bridal Veil, Callie had explored portions of the island, but with more than four thousand acres on the fifteen-mile-long island, there were places she'd not yet seen. And the children were always interested in discovering
new and different areas during their outdoor adventures with Callie. Sometimes they explored the river side of the island and at other times the area that bordered the Atlantic Ocean.

Today, however, Callie thought they would attempt to locate some plants and trees that might be different from any they'd previously discovered. Thomas had taken the lead, with the two girls and Callie following close behind. “Stay on this path, Thomas. I don't want to go toward the ocean.”

He glanced over his shoulder. “What about the river path? I don't think there's anything exciting to see out this way.”

“If we don't find anything, we'll choose another path, but first I want to try a new area.” She knew her refusal wouldn't make Thomas happy, but this outing was part of their school lessons for the day—and she hoped they would make some new discoveries. She'd even brought along paper and pencils for the children to make drawings of their finds. Soon the remaining cottages were behind them and they'd gone a distance further when Thomas suddenly swung his handlebars to the left and brought his bike to an abrupt halt on the side of the path. Lottie followed and Callie swung to the right. Clearly uncertain what to do, Daisy remained on course and rode headlong toward a man who was leaning down, partially blocking the path.

Now on his feet with the bicycle careening straight to him, he reached out and grabbed the front of the handlebars with one hand and scooped Daisy off the seat and into his left arm. Both the man and Daisy stared wide-eyed as the bike toppled to the ground.

Already off of her bicycle, Callie rushed toward Daisy. The man had settled her on the ground and was stooping in front of her. “That was scary, wasn't it?”

“Daisy! Are you injured?”

“Noo.” She shook her head and looked up at Callie. “I don't think so.” She pointed at the man. “I almost hit him.”

Callie grasped a hand to her midsection. “I saw that. I'm very thankful neither of you was hurt.” Her gaze settled on the man still stooped down in front of Daisy. “You aren't hurt, are you?”

With a quick smile, he removed his cap. “No. If anything was injured, it would be the bicycle.” He motioned to Daisy. “Let's have a look and see if anything is broken.” The man leaned over and righted the bike as Thomas joined them and began to examine the tires.

Daisy drew closer to the man. “I'm Daisy. Who are you?”

He raked his fingers through a shock of sandy blond hair. “My name is Wesley, but you can call me Wes.”

“
Mr.
Wes,” Callie instructed.

“I'm sorry I almost runned into you, Mr. Wes, but you were in the path, and I couldn't stop.” Daisy peered at him as if she expected some explanation.