The Spinster (Emerson Pass Historicals 2)

“I mean, do you like him?” Theo asked.

Flynn laughed, and for a moment we were back in time before the war, young and carefree.

“Stop teasing me,” I said. “Anyway, it’s none of your concern.”

“She does like him,” Theo said, sounding triumphant. “What a lucky man he is.”

Phillip

The next day, Josephine asked if I’d like to help her take books out to some of the folks who lived outside of town and weren’t able to make it into the library. I happily agreed. On our way, Josephine explained how she’d applied for the grant and given enough for the building itself as well as hundreds of books. “Carnegie’s putting them all over America. It’s truly wonderful.”

Now, as she pulled a book from a shelf, she turned to me. “The patrons tell me what they like to read, and I choose something for them. Each person gets one book a week. I take back the one I delivered the previous visit after I drop off the new one.”

“Many of these books came from Papa’s own library,” she said. “He had loads to donate. If you look inside them, you’ll see his name and date he purchased them.”

“That was generous of him,” I said.

“He wanted every citizen to have the opportunity for an education and a book whenever they wanted. When Mama first came here, she taught adult classes at night. Anyone who wanted to learn to read in English could.”

“Do the night classes continue?” I asked.

“Yes, Mama still teaches whomever wants to learn, but there aren’t as many these days. She’ll often invite them out to the house instead and teach them in our sitting room. Our population hasn’t grown terribly much over the last few years, so the need lessened.”

“How come?”

“I don’t know. Living in the Rockies isn’t for everyone. There’s more opportunity in Denver or other cities.”

“Do you ever think of leaving Emerson Pass?”

“Not if I can help it,” she said. “Emerson Pass is my home. Everyone I love is here.” She put one last book on the stack. “All right, we’ve got them all. Are you ready?”

I held up a copy of Howards End. “I’ve always wanted to read this one.”

“Superior choice.” She picked up half the stack of books on the desk and put them into a crude wooden box. I’ll make her a nicer one, I thought. Maybe one out of cedar, so the scent seeped into the pages of the books.

I put the other half of the stack in the box and insisted on carrying it out to the sleigh. The horses and sleigh were parked under a wooden awning at the back of the building. We’d covered the horses with heavy blankets. Even so, she’d said it was imperative we move quickly before the horses got too cold.

Oz and Willie looked up as we approached. I set the box in the back and joined Josephine. Seconds later, we were gliding over the snow. If I’d been a lesser man, I might have felt cowed under the competence of the woman by my side. Instead, I swelled with pride at the independence of her, the sheer capabilities she possessed. Running a library. Taking books out to the people of the farms. What a woman she was.

She looked fetching in her fur cap and wool coat. Leather gloves covered her hands. Although she drove straight-backed, she still appeared tiny. Too small to handle these horses. But the gentle creatures obeyed her commands without any troubles.

She looked over at me. “Do I have something on my face? You’re staring.”

Flustered, I turned my gaze to the horses’ chestnut-brown hindquarters. “I’m sorry. I can’t help but admire you.”

Her lips twitched into a smile, but she didn’t say anything. The bells around the horses’ necks rang out merrily as we picked up speed. Sparkles from the sun on the snow danced before my eyes.

“We’ll go out to the Cassidys’ first.”

Soon, we came upon a white farmhouse and red barn. From a brick chimney, a sliver of smoke rose up into the blue sky. “The Cassidys raise cattle and have fallen on hard times since Mr. Cassidy died last year. Mrs. Cassidy suffers from terrible headaches. I went to school back in the early days with Nora, Shannon, and Alma. They’re all younger than me, closer to the twins’ and Cymbeline’s age. Alma’s away at college, studying to become a nurse. She’ll have a job with Dr. Neal when she returns. Shannon and Nora both quit school so as to look after their mother and help on the farm. It’s a pity—stuck out here and missing so much of the fun in town.

“It’s strange to remember how young and carefree we all used to be.” She slowed the horses as we drew nearer to the house.

“Theo seemed better this morning,” I said.

“Yes. As if it never happened. I don’t know what to think, other than we have to keep a close watch on him. Fortunately, there are a lot of us Barneses.” We came to a stop. She bowed her head. “I’m sorry to speak of it again on such a fine day. We should be enjoying the sunshine.”

“Don’t be. You can say whatever you wish to me. I grew to be a good listener at the orphanage.”