Donovan's Daughter (The Californians, Book 4) (7 page)

'Are you sure I can't do something for you?"

"Yes, I'm sure." This time her voice was emphatic.
"But thank you for stopping."

She seemed to be a little more at ease with him heading outside, and Alex, assuring himself that she looked a
little better than before, went on his way. He sat astride
Kelsey for a few seconds before starting down the road,
wondering as he did so how she'd obtained the little cut
on her cheek, and knowing in light of her almost frightened response to him that he would probably never find
out.

Marcail spent a long time studying her Bible and
praying on Saturday morning. She read in the book of
Philippians, the second chapter, that she was to put
others first, but one of her students had acted in violence
toward her and that was not to be tolerated. Marcail
knew she had to go for help and advice.

By 10:30 she was on her way to see Mr. Flynn at the
bank. The scratch on her face was very small, unnoticeable really, but Marcail was quite conscious of it.

The bank teller gave her a searching look when she
asked for Mr. Flynn, and she forced herself not to reach
toward her face. She watched him disappear into the
back office and reappear with the bank manager.

"To what do I owe this pleasure, Miss Donovan?" Mr.
Flynn smiled cordially until he got a close look at Marcail's tense features.

"I have a problem I need to discuss with you, Mr.
Flynn. Is this an opportune time?"

"Yes, certainly." He'd become somewhat tense himself in the last few seconds, and his movements were
agitated as he led Marcail to his office. Marcail took the
chair Mr. Flynn gestured toward and watched as he sat behind his desk. She was on the verge of explaining her
visit when Mr. Flynn spoke.

"Is there a problem with someone in your class?"

"Yes, sir, there is."

"I hope it's not Sydney Duckworth. I can go to the
parents of anyone else in town, but if Sydney's been
difficult, well, you'll just have to do your best."

Marcail couldn't believe her ears, and her look must
have registered her surprise.

Mr. Flynn continued: "I know I've shocked you and
probably caused you to think I don't deserve my position
as head of the school board. However, Mrs. Duckworth
will make the town miserable if I go to her and complain."

"He threw a rock at me, Mr. Flynn." Marcail's voice
reflected her mounting anger. "It hit me in the face!"

"You saw him do this?"

"You can't possibly be questioning my word?"

"No, I'm not." Mr. Flynn's voice was kind. "But please
understand, Miss Donovan-Mrs. Duckworth will."

Marcail was silent for an entire minute. This was
inconceivable to her.

"I guess I'll have to go to Mrs. Duckworth myself,"
Marcail said, thinking she had come up with a logical
solution.

"I really hope you won't do that."

"Why not?"

"Because the last five times a teacher went to Cordelia
and complained about Sydney, she pressured the rest of
us into keeping our children out of school until the
teacher quit. We've had to hire other teachers in the
middle of the year. In fact, you're the ninth schoolteacher
we've had in three years."

'And you let her get away with this?" Marcail was incredulous. "Just because you're afraid she won't speak
to you the next time you pass on the street?"

"I wish it were that simple," the banker's face was
drawn. "You see, Mrs. Duckworth owns over half the
town, including this bank. When things don't go her
way, our rents go up or we find ourselves completely out
of work.

"Having to wear dark clothing and put your hair up at
all times is part of her belief that the schoolteacher must
be a shining example to the children of town. But, she's
completely blind to her own selfishness or the deeds of
her grandson."

Marcail felt something grow cold inside of her. It
chilled her to think that one person had this much power.

"You could just up and quit; others have. You certainly
have grounds, but we're very pleased with your work
and hope you'll stay."

For just an instant Marcail's heart grabbed at the word
"quit." How easy it would be to run home to Father, but
then Marcail remembered how badly she wanted to
prove to herself that she could do this.

She also realized the word "quit" was not a part of her
vocabulary. She shook her head ever so slightly.

"I take it that means you're not quitting. Well, I'm glad
to hear it. I'll start making surprise visits to the schoolhouse every few days. I think if more than one person is
watching, Sydney will be less likely to act up."

Marcail nodded almost numbly. She could see that
nothing more was going to be offered to her. As Mr.
Flynn saw her to the door and she began the walk home,
her mind worked over the options before her. Quitting
was out, but she could go to Mrs. Duckworth. However,
Mr. Flynn's initial response to her predicament had
shown her that such a move would cause trouble for the
entire town.

Marcail was tempted to write her brother-in-law, Rigg,
or her father and pour out her entire story, knowing
instinctively they would show up in Willits within hours
or days of hearing from her. But all her life she'd been
protected, and she so wanted to stand on her own this
time.

Marcail's mind played over every second of the previous afternoon, and she realized that in throwing that
rock, Sydney had succeeded in shocking even himself.
With that in mind, Marcail decided that she would confront Sydney on Monday so he would know where he
stood, and then pray there would be no more outbursts.

"Hello, Miss Donovan."

Marcail was startled out of her musings by the sound
of Dr. Montgomery's voice. She'd been so intent on her
walking and planning that she had not heard his approach.

"Hello, Dr. Montgomery." Marcail's hand had gone to
her throat in surprise. She tried to smile pleasantly, but
as usual he made her nervous, and she was a bit embarrassed over how preoccupied she'd been. She watched as
he swung from his mount to stand before her.

"How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine, thank you," Marcail replied, actually mustering up a smile.

Alex nodded and continued to watch her. He had
wanted a closer look at her than his mounted position
would allow, and now he was able to see that her color
was much better than the day before. In fact, she was
rather flushed. On the other hand, her discomfort in his
presence hadn't changed in the least; she was obviously
afraid of him. He wondered absently if it was just him,
all doctors, or men in general.

Marcail was standing as far from him as propriety
would allow, and for some reason Alex was torn between turning on his best bedside manner or laughing. The
latter won out, and Marcail watched as his eyes lit with
some inner amusement.

Alex witnessed the raising of her chin and knew that
the voice she used to address him was one she used with
her students.

"Was there something you needed to see me about,
doctor? If not, my schedule is quite full, and I'd like to be
on my way."

Alex caught a light of vulnerability in her eyes, slight,
but nevertheless evident to him. All humor fled.

"I'm glad to see you're doing well, Miss Donovan.
Please don't let me keep you."

Marcail nodded to him by way of answer and turned
even before he mounted his horse. She felt his eyes on
her back for some steps, but before long her mind was
back on Sydney and she didn't give Willits' handsome
young doctor another thought.

"I'm so sorry, Miss Donovan. I'll never do it again,"
Sydney told Marcail with heartbreaking sincerity, his
bottom lip quivering pitifully, his face nearly ashen.
Marcail had been correct-he had shocked even himself.

"I'm glad to hear that, Sydney," she told him gently,
"because if you do, I'm going to have to punish you
severely." The young boy nodded, and Marcail reached
to give him a hug. It was not the first time she'd hugged
him, but for the first time he reciprocated. His thin arms
clung to her, and Marcail's heart thundered with emotion.

They were the only ones in the schoolhouse, and
Marcail, realizing that the children would be returning
from recess very soon, knew she had to quickly say what
was on her mind. Holding Sydney gently at arm's length,
she began.

"I understand, Sydney, that people have days when
they feel upset, but no matter what you're feeling, you
must never deliberately hurt someone."

"I understand, Miss Donovan." Again Sydney's lip
quivered, and Marcail believed he meant it. They talked
for a few moments more, Sydney apologizing for the
third time and Marcail telling Sydney she forgave him.

As he returned to his desk, Marcail realized that something special had happened between them. Sydney was
looking at her with new eyes, and as much as Marcail
regretted his action, she prayed that this incident would
make a difference in their future relationship. Some of
the shock over being struck was still there, but Sydney
was as precious to her as he'd always been.

In the weeks to follow God sustained Marcail in a way
she would not have dreamed possible. She was growing
very close to her entire class and knew that some of the
students thought the world of her. The Austin girls had
even come after school one day to tell her they prayed for
her every night. Marcail had been so moved she had
nearly cried. She asked the girls to also pray for Sydney,
and for Marcail's relationship with him.

The girls had readily agreed, and Marcail felt their
prayers. There were days when Sydney was a schoolteacher's dream and days when he was a nightmare, but
amid the ups and downs they grew closer. Marcail was
swiftly learning to take each day as it came.

Sydney had not turned into a model student, but
neither had he shown any signs of aggression since the
day he'd thrown the rock. Marcail suspected this was
because he was becoming slightly infatuated with her.