Her Captain's Heart (15 page)
Read Her Captain's Heart Online
Authors: Lyn Cote
“God is blessing us,” Verity murmured, her face skyward, her eyes shut.
And Matt leaned down and brushed her lips with his. Verity's eyes opened wide. Heart racing, Matt turned from her, calling, “Who's found the tallest tree?”
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Over the next few weeks, Verity wondered if she'd imagined Matthew's lips brushing hers. But every time she looked around her classroom, she was reminded of the day they'd gone together to cut the Christmas tree for the school, and she knew it wasn't her imagination.
Christmas Eve had finally come. And she would be taking another chance, making another attempt to break down the barriers in the town.
At the front of the dimly lit classroom, the yellow pine tree they'd cut stood, lovingly decorated with strings of popcorn, sprigs of holly with red berries, pinecones painted white and white candles clipped to a few branches. And adorning each windowsill was a single candle in a glass globe set on pine boughs with bright red holly berries and shiny green holly leaves. Matthew's kiss remained as real as these solid reminders of the day he'd kissed her.
His kiss had been like the touch of an angel's wing or what she imagined an angel's wing would feel likeâlight and fleeting, just like the snowflakes that had been falling that day.
Matthew Ritter did kiss me.
And he will be vexed with me again.
Matthew had been called to Richmond four days ago for meetings about starting the Union League of America the day after Christmas. And while he was gone, she'd made another decision that he probably wouldn't like.
“Schoolteacher, we done making the school look like a barn,” Sassy announced to Verity, bringing her back to the hubbub of her classroom. Outside the windows the sky was dark. Only the moonlight through the windows, the candles and one oil lamp at the front illuminated the shadowy classroom. The Franklin stove warmed the room. Verity's heart was skipping, worry and anticipation making themselves felt.
Verity glanced down at Sassy's bright eyes and full smile, cupping the little girl's cheek. She then checked the room to see that everything was in place. Her desk had been moved to the rear beside the door. And where it usually stood was a manger with hay and various tackle that one would find in a barnâhay bales, rakes, harnesses, a sawhorse. They brought with them the earthy scent of livestock and wood.
“School look different at night,” Sassy said in a lower and softer voice than usual, with a note of wonder in it.
“Yes, it does. It looked like this the night Jesus was born in Bethlehem.” Each boy had a dish cloth tied around his head as the only costume. The girls wore white ribbons around their heads as halos. Verity had tried to enlist a few boy angels, but the universal sentiment from Fiddlers Grove boysâregardless of colorâwas that angels could be played only by girls. She had bowed to their preference.
“Did He have a Christmas tree?” Thaddeus asked, sidling up to her. Like most children, he had an insatiable urge to be touched, to be loved. Verity squeezed his shoulder.
“No, Jesus didn't have a tree,” Alec said, standing in the center aisle, his voice kind to the younger boy. “It was in olden times. They didn't do Christmas trees, remember? Teacher told us about it.”
Verity couldn't believe the change in Alec. A few weeks of coming to school and being recognized as an excellent student had made such a change to him. The image of the first time she'd seen Alec battered and bruised flashed in her mind. She swallowed down the harsh memory, nerves clenching inside.
“Oh, I forgot Jesus didn't have a Christmas tree,” Thaddeus admitted, hanging his head.
Verity squeezed the boy's shoulder again. “Thee will remember next time.”
Thaddeus beamed at her.
“Mama,” Beth said with a smile that spread over her face, “I hear people coming!”
Verity was certain that she'd heard voices outside for the past few minutes. She looked at her students. “Now, we've all practiced this a good long time.”
The past three days.
“The only thing that will be different is that Mr. Ransford will be doing the reading, not me.” Another decision Matthew probably wouldn't like.
The thought of having Fiddlers Grove's most important citizen come to take part in this production with them seemed to ignite a special excitement that raced through the children. Sassy and Beth weren't the only girls dancing and clapping.
“Now get back behind the curtain and I'll let everyone in,” Verity said, herding them all behind a large white bedsheet that she and Hannah had hung right after school today. Joseph was already there to help keep peace.
Then she took a deep breath and opened wide the school door. “Come in!” she invited, alive in the moment. “Welcome! Merry Christmas!”
Dacian Ransford was first at the doorway. He let his obviously truculent wife precede him. He bowed over Verity's hand and she showed him to the front of the classroom, where a Bible and a lamp sat on a desk to the right. Lirit sat down in the rear, as far as possible from her husband. Then the black parents streamed in, followed by Joseph.
Verity noticed that everyone had dressed up for the occasion and she was glad she'd worn her best black. A few white parents sifted in and arranged themselves near the back of the room as if they didn't want to be noticed.
The little school was soon packed. Mothers and teenagers sat in the desks while the men stood around the perimeter of the room, holding their hats in front of them. Verity noticed that in the rear the curtain was billowing and she detected the telltale movement of pushing and shoving. But before she could get there, Hannah had gone behind the curtain to help Joseph and was giving the children a stiff lecture in a low but stern voice.
Verity had planned this event for six in the evening as most of the children were little and needed to get home for early bedtimes. Noting that it was time to get started, she walked up the center aisle. When she turned to look out over the assembly, everyone fell silent.
Speaking in front of so many strangers gave Verity the jitters. Their faces flickered in front of her eyes, but she persevered. “I'm so happy that thee were able to come this evening to our first Christmas play. I hope it will be the first of many. Elijah, would thee please offer a prayer for us?”
Standing, Elijah cleared his throat and asked for God's blessing, thanking him for Jesus's birth. When everyone lifted their heads again, Verity said, “Now the children of Fiddlers Grove's first school will enact the Christmas story for thy enjoyment and blessing. Dacian, will thee begin reading, please?”
Verity walked swiftly to the rear, where the oldest students in the class, Alec and Beth, waited to start.
Lord, bless this hour to Thy glory.
Lifting the open Bible beside the oil lamp, Dacian began, “I am reading from the Gospel of Luke, chapter two.
“And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed. (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.”
Verity motioned Alec and Beth to begin slowly walking down the center aisle, Alec supporting Beth on his arm. A rustle of excitement rippled through the crowd as every head turned to watch. Verity had let the students vote who would make the best Mary and Joseph, and these two had been the unanimous choice.
“And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.”
At this point Alec lifted a sheet in front of Beth. When he lowered it, Beth was holding a rag doll swaddled in a white blanket. Quickly, Verity sent Sassy and Annie up the aisle, leading all the other girls with their white-ribbon halos.
When they were halfway up the aisle, Verity sent five boys with canes held like shepherds' staffs after them. She wished Matthew were here to see the joy on the children's faces. Then he might not disapprove of this quite as much. She drew in more air, holding down her churning tension.
“And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.”
Halfway up the aisle, the shepherds dropped to their knees, the canes clattering to the wood floor. Sassy, the angel, motioned broadly with her hand.
“And the angel said unto them⦔
Sassy and Annie shouted, “Fear not!” Verity had been certain that Sassy couldn't keep quiet the whole time and had taken the precaution of giving her a line. She was so proud of her students she didn't notice the classroom door open.
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Matt and Samuel slipped inside the warm and darkened classroom, closing the door silently behind them. Verity did not look up. She appeared to be concentrating intensely as Dace read from the Bible.
Matt wasn't prepared for his reaction to seeing Verity after several days away from her. Awareness of her flashed through him like a summer wind. Without Verity's presence, Richmond had felt sterile and lacking.
Dace glanced toward the little angels and, grinning, continued.
“For, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.”
Verity's bright hair gleamed in the low light. Her intent profile was visible against the glow of the lamp near Dace. Matt watched as she motioned all the girls to stand behind Dacian. They nodded, and the one who'd shouted loudest dragged the lone white girl with her, leading the rest of the girls to the front.
Matt was struck by the simple beauty of the setting. The white candle in each window and on the Christmas tree. The bright faces of the children all sporting the ridiculous head cloths or ribbons. The way the parents leaned forward watching their children. A feeling he couldn't name filled him up.
Dacian's voice quavered with amusement, and then he went on in a serious tone.
“And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.”
The five shepherds picked up their canes and walked toward Beth and Alec.
“And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child. And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.”
Then the shepherds walked back up the aisle and, passing Matt, disappeared behind the white curtain.
“Now I will read from the Gospel of Matthew, chapter two,” Dacian continued.
“Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.”
Verity waved on three boys carrying small boxes in their hands.
And as Matt watched them, it occurred to him that the three of themâSamuel, Dace and himselfâhad been like these boys until they'd been torn apart by slavery. Now years later, they stood together in the same room, something he'd never expected to live to see. The hope for real togetherness rose in him un-bidden. He tried to keep it down, but still it rose.
Then Dace's voice, so reminiscent of Dace's late father, came again in the near darkness, sounding so solemn and reverent.
“When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born. And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet, And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel. Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, inquired of them diligently what time the star appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also. When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was.”