Miriam and the Stranger (8 page)

Miriam clasped and unclasped her hands. Should she hide in the closet? But the schoolhouse door was unlocked, and Tyler would know someone was around. And if she didn’t see him today, he’d only come back tomorrow. Weren’t reporters like that? Persistent? Tyler certainly seemed to fit the bill. Miriam gathered herself together. She would control her emotions in front of him, and he would soon leave. Then she would never see him again.

Miriam set her face in a tight smile and went to open the door. Tyler was standing there, ready to knock. He paused with his hand upraised and said, “Howdy there, Miss Yoder. Remember me?”

He appeared much too pleased with himself. Of course she remembered him. Her face burned from the memory, but he didn’t seem bothered by her tongue-tied condition.

He spoke again, “If this isn’t a good time, I can come back later.”

Miriam found her voice. “No, this is okay. The students left a while ago, and I haven’t started grading papers, and Mose…” Miriam cut off the words. Tyler had no right to all this information, and neither should he see her turn into a blubbering mess.

Tyler continued in his pleasant manner, “Then perhaps you have a few moments for some questions. And a tour of the schoolhouse afterward? This would go along well with the article I’m writing on the Amish.” He flashed a grin.

“Well, maybe…
yah
, come on in.” Miriam stepped aside. “I do have a few minutes.”

That sounded too eager. She should order the man to leave, but that would have been unwomanly and unkind to boot. Even pushy strangers must be treated with respect. If only they weren’t so handsome and didn’t take her breath away.

Tyler followed her inside and looked around. His glances
weren’t piercing like Mose’s had been. He appeared genuinely interested. “So this is where it all happens.”

“I suppose so,” Miriam allowed. “I know you don’t have a very high opinion of our one-room schools, but I do try.”

“I’m sure you do a fine job,” Tyler assured her. “And one-room schools are great for what your community needs.” He appeared concerned and stepped closer with one hand out. “Are you okay? You look a little pale. I’m not startling you, am I?”

“I don’t faint easily, Mr. Johnson.” Miriam met his gaze but looked away at once. His eyes were so blue, so clear—his chin with the slight stubble was… Miriam tried to breathe evenly. Maybe she
was
going to faint.

“It’s Tyler,” he said. His hand came down gently on her arm. “Maybe you’d better sit down. Over here perhaps.”

Miriam allowed him to guide her, and sank down at a student’s desk. Tyler peered at Miriam before he settled into a seat beside her.

“I’m okay,” she assured him. At least her face didn’t burn like a gas lantern right now. There didn’t seem to be much blood left in her body. It had all drained to her feet.

“Are you sure?” he persisted. “I could call 911.” He reached for his phone.

Miriam gasped. “No, not that! Don’t call.” She grabbed his hand, and he lowered the phone. Horror gripped Miriam. How could this be explained if the community found out she had been alone at the schoolhouse with Tyler, and worse if an ambulance was called.

“Okay. If you say so,” Tyler finally said, but his gaze didn’t leave Miriam’s face.

Miriam struggled to collect herself. “You had some questions,” she whispered.

Tyler hesitated. “If you’re sure you’re okay.”

“I’m fine,” Miriam insisted, but she knew her smile was crooked and lame. And her face still had no blood in it.

“Tell me how a one-room schoolhouse works, then.” Tyler settled back into his desk. “The last time the general public used one of these was an awful long time ago.”

“We’re not backward.” Miriam sat up straighter in her desk. “We use the latest curriculum. If you plan to write a bad story about our school, you’d better leave now.”

Tyler chuckled. “Heaven forbid I do such a thing. I like the Amish, and my editor wouldn’t publish a negative story anyway.”

“Oh.” Miriam relaxed. She should still ask him to leave, but she didn’t have the strength. And his presence soothed her ruffled spirit. Perhaps this came from the years she had taken care of the ailing Mr. Bland in Possum Valley. That would explain why she was somewhat comfortable around
Englisha
men. Miriam’s face began to burn as she stole a glance at Tyler’s face.

Tyler noticed and smiled. “Feeling better, I see. Apparently I must ask charming questions.”

Miriam tried to glare at him, but her face wouldn’t cooperate. The effort must have appeared as a horrible grimace because Tyler laughed. “You
are
feeling better.”

Miriam set her face into an emotionless expression. She took a deep breath and rattled off the words. “Well, this is how it goes. The schoolchildren arrive and put their horses in the shelter if their parents don’t drop them off. They play in the yard until I ring the bell at nine. When they come in and have caught their breath, we open each morning with a short reading of Scripture and a prayer, after which…”

He leaned forward in his desk and interrupted her. “You lead out in reading the Bible and with prayer?”

“Why, of course.”

Tyler smiled. “Just asking. It just seems your community has
some very patriarchal ideas, and I would have expected a man to arrive each morning to read the sacred pages.”

Miriam stared at him. “Do you think a woman shouldn’t teach or read the Scriptures to her students?”

“No.” His face darkened. “Not me. Them! The men of the community. I would have expected them to object.”

Comprehension dawned. “It’s not like that at all,” Miriam hastened to say. “Our men lead in the home, but here I’m the teacher.”

“Okay.” Tyler looked like he was ready to say more but didn’t.

If Tyler knew about Mose Stoll and how their relationship had begun and proceeded, he would think quite ill of everyone, Miriam thought. Which was exactly why Tyler wouldn’t find out. Such things were not for an
Englisha
ear. Especially not handsome men who wouldn’t understand how love really worked among the Amish.

Miriam gathered herself again and continued. “After prayer we go straight to classes with a schedule I’ve drawn up and worked the bugs out of over the years. The students know when the class time for their grade is scheduled, and I call them up and go over the next lesson and answer any questions they have. It’s all very effective, really.”

“I can imagine.” Tyler smiled again. “Can I look around?”

“Sure!” Miriam followed Tyler to his feet.

“I’m impressed,” Tyler said after he had poked around the desks. “Can I look at the workbooks?”

“Of course.” Miriam didn’t hesitate. “Their grades aren’t too bad. They’re good students.”

Tyler grinned. “With a teacher like you, I’m not surprised.”

Miriam felt herself color again. “You don’t have to say that.”

“I don’t just say it,” Tyler protested. “I mean it. I think I would have learned a lot more in a school like this and with a teacher like…” Tyler sent Miriam a meaningful look.

Miriam lowered her head and didn’t respond. The words
seemed stuck in her throat at the moment. She had to remember that this was an
Englisha
man, and he often used flowery words that had no meaning. But if Mose Stoll would use more of them like Wayne Yutzy used to, she… Miriam clutched her hands together. What terrible thoughts she was having about a minister, and one who sought her hand in marriage. She shouldn’t complain about what the Lord had sent her way.

“You could have taught me quite a few things, I think.” Tyler still looked at her, and Miriam’s heart pounded. She needed to break her fascination with this man. But how?

“I’m sure you have a college education and could have taught me much more than I could ever have taught you,” Miriam finally managed.

He laughed. “Always humble. Are all your people like that?”

“We try to place others above ourselves,” Miriam said at once. “It’s the godly way.”

“But not the human one,” he teased. “Aren’t you still human?”

If he could hear her heart beat, he’d know the answer to that question. With her face ablaze, Miriam turned away from him. “And over here is the blackboard where we work out problems with the students. They learn better with a hands-on approach than with hearing only lectures.”

“That’s true enough,” Tyler allowed.

He acted as if he didn’t notice her discomfort, but the man didn’t miss much. Well, now he knew she was human. Thankfully she’d never have to see him after today. She would confess her weakness to the Lord tonight and beg for forgiveness. Maybe she should confess to Mose, but that would send him on a straight beeline back to Wayne County… which she didn’t want. There might not be another Amish husband sent her way anytime soon, or one who came with such high recommendations.

“You wouldn’t know who gave more than two million dollars
to the Clarita Relief Fund, would you?” Tyler cut through Miriam’s thoughts. “I understand it was a woman.”

Miriam choked for a moment. “Did Deacon Phillips tell you this?”

Tyler shrugged. “Not really, but he said enough that I got the gist of the idea. This is correct then?”

Miriam pressed her lips together. The suddenness of the question left her cold. Nothing she could say could make things better. And what if the secret slipped out of her mouth? That must never happen.

Tyler looked at Miriam closely. “I take it you know who this person is?”

Miriam managed to show no expression. “That’s not a proper question to ask among the community people.”

“I’m sorry,” Tyler said quickly. “I’m not trying to offend anyone, but this would be considered a great honor among my people.”

“You’d publish such a thing in your paper?” Horror tinged Miriam’s voice.

Tyler seemed to ponder the point. “I guess we do have a different perspective on the matter.”

Miriam remained silent.

Tyler tried another tack. “Would you tell me if I didn’t publish the name of this woman in my article?”

“No!” The word sprang from Miriam’s lips. “I would never tell you. And now it’s time for you to leave.”

Surprise was written on his face as Miriam ushered Tyler toward the door with one hand on his arm.

“I’m sorry about this,” he tried again. “I didn’t mean to offend you in any way.”

“Just go.” Miriam opened the door and pushed on his shoulder. Tyler left with a quick backward glance, as if he couldn’t figure out her sudden change in attitude.

As the sound of Tyler’s car died away in the distance, Miriam collapsed at a student’s desk and held her head. Now she still had all her grading of papers ahead of her, and Mose would be at Aunt Fannie’s for supper tonight. She couldn’t be late. Oh, how had this happened? She had entertained an
Englisha
man in her schoolhouse for more than an hour. There was no other way to look at this. Neither Mose or anyone else must ever find out about this. Never! Or how far her heart had strayed from the straight and narrow. How could she have such feelings for an
Englisha
man? Only Tyler’s sudden question about the two million dollars had brought her out of the stupor she had been in.

Chapter Eight

L
ater that evening Miriam was filling the water glasses on Aunt Fannie’s kitchen table in preparation for the meal. Moments earlier, Mose Stoll had arrived, and Miriam had shaken hands with him. The blush on her face had clearly been interpreted by Mose to mean she had feelings for him. Miriam could see the delight spread across his face.

Aunt Fannie came up beside Miriam and whispered, “He’s so handsome, isn’t he? I saw you turn all sorts of colors when he arrived. Oh, aren’t the Lord’s ways just
wunderbah
?”

The comment shouldn’t be allowed to pass unchallenged, Miriam decided. She whispered back, “I might have had other reasons, you know.”

Aunt Fannie still glowed with happiness. “Don’t try to dodge the point, Miriam. You already love the man.”

Miriam forced a smile. Aunt Fannie would have to think what she wished. Now if she could forget Tyler Johnson for the
evening… but the memory of the stubble on his chin wouldn’t go away. Miriam turned her back to hide her face from Aunt Fannie.