The Measure of a Heart (19 page)

I guess I’ll just have to offer “me.” My friendship. I can think of nothing more, she finally concluded and forced her attention back to Austin’s sermon about the Prodigal Son. Anna had read his sermon notes and liked his fresh approach to the old story. She had prayed that the five girls in the second row might listen carefully to the truths. But they seemed to be primping and flirting in their customary fashion. Anna slipped into prayer again.

When the service had ended, Austin stepped from the platform and waited for Anna to proceed with him down the aisle. At long last Anna was able to openly look for their new parishioner. So intent was she in seeking out a wrinkled, troubled face that she almost bypassed the real Widow Larkins. In fact, when she did spot her, Anna was sure there must be some mistake. But Austin was stopping and gently prodding her toward the newcomer.

“Anna, I would like you to meet Mrs. Larkins,” he was saying. “Mrs. Larkins, my wife, Anna Barker.”

Anna found herself looking into two of the most intense blue eyes she had ever seen. They were framed by long dark lashes and set in a perfectly formed face, with creamy skin, slightly flushed cheeks, and full, red lips. Anna felt her own cheeks coloring. She had been so totally unprepared.

The young woman was lifting herself gracefully from the wooden bench and smiling sweetly—though her eyes were on the face of Austin, not on Anna.

Anna had opportunity to study the young woman further. Golden masses of curls were tucked tastefully beneath the brim of a powder blue, wide-brimmed bonnet with a large bow of deeper blue sweeping over the left side. The trim-fitting suit matched perfectly the color, while a white lacy jabot, with more frills than Anna would have felt possible to crowd onto a blouse front, softened the clean lines of the suit’s cut. Anna’s eyes followed the slim form all the way down to the dainty slippers that graced the narrow feet.

Her cheeks flushed even more. Never had she seen such elegance. Never had she felt so plain and drab in comparison.

The new woman extended a white-gloved hand toward Anna, but her eyes were still on Austin.

“I am pleased to meet you,” she murmured, then hurried on. “My, you are privileged indeed to have a husband with such knowledge of the Scriptures. Why, I just drank in every word. I have never, never received such—such insight into the story of the—the—that boy.”

Her lashes swept down momentarily to rest against her smooth cheeks. Then they opened wide and her blue eyes fastened on Austin. “I am looking forward to the services—more than you’ll ever know.”

Anna stole a glimpse at Austin, wondering what his response would be to the open flattery. He smiled warmly and nodded his head. “We will be happy to have you in our congregation,” he assured the newcomer. Then he turned to Anna, seemingly ignorant of the flirtation in the other woman’s voice and manner. “Anna, would you be so kind as to introduce Mrs. Larkins to the ladies. I must get to the door to greet the people.”

He walked away—just like that.

Anna blinked, then turned to Mrs. Larkins. The new woman seemed as confused as Anna. The coy smile quickly left her face, but she had manners enough to be friendly and gracious as Anna carried out Austin’s request.

The young widow seemed to be aware of the small stir she caused wherever she went, and she soon was making the most of it. Anna quietly watched her. She certainly was a beautiful and poised woman. And she certainly was young to be a widow. Anna felt both sorry for her and frightened of her—all at the same time. She did hope the woman would feel at home in the little town. In the little church. And she did pray—with all her heart—that there wouldn’t be trouble in store for her young and possibly naive husband.

Chapter Sixteen

Lessons

As the weeks slipped by, Mrs. Larkins still vied with the five teenage girls for Austin’s attention. Her ways were much more subtle—much more refined than those of the youngsters—but Anna thought them to be just as obvious. She prayed that the congregation might not blame Austin for the overtures. Anna had seen no encouragement on Austin’s part. Indeed, he seemed to be totally oblivious to what the woman was trying to do. Anna wondered about his naivety. But as long as Austin seemed unaware of the situation, Anna determined she would not draw it to his attention. To do so would only serve to make him sensitive and uncomfortable, she reasoned.

But what about the rest of the congregation? Anna was sure they had noticed the young widow’s attempts to get special attention from the attractive youthful minister. Anna wasn’t sure how to deal with thoughts and feelings from people that never came out into the open.

If someone would make comment to me, I could respond, she often thought. But as long as nothing was said, Anna dared not bring up the subject.

Yet Anna was nearly sure that plenty was being said behind their backs. No one could be blind to the intent of the young widow. No one except Austin himself.

“Mrs. Larkins has asked me to check her furnace,” Austin said one day as he finished up his dinner.

It was not the first of the things that Mrs. Larkins had asked Austin to check. Anna lifted her head, wondering again if she should speak out—if she should warn her husband how his little trips to the Larkins’ abode might look to other people. So far, he had insisted that she, Anna, accompany him on his little visits, or he had invited one of the town boys as an opportunity to get closer by making him his “helper” for that excursion.

Anna was pleased with Austin’s handling of the situation. She wasn’t sure if he fully realized his own wisdom—but he had managed things wisely. How is he going to deal with this request? Anna wondered, and turned her eyes back to her plate.

“I said I’d send over Mr. Brady. He knows much more about furnaces than I do,” continued Austin, and Anna could not help but shake her head in admiration and astonishment. Austin seemed so totally innocent.

“What she needs is a husband—a house full of kids,” Austin remarked. “I think she is lonely—and bored. She doesn’t seem to have the least idea of how to fill her days and hours. Now, if you were in her situation, you’d busy yourself with finding ways to reach out to others. And the extra minutes would be well used in reading. Enriching your mind. I can’t possibly picture you with time on your hands. No matter what your circumstance.”

Austin paused to take a long drink of his tea.

“But then,” he continued in a matter-of-fact tone, “I don’t think Mrs. Larkins is used to using her mind to any great extent.”

Anna looked up in surprise.

Austin met her gaze evenly.

“Does it shock you that I criticize one of my flock? I guess I shouldn’t—but this is just between you and me. I know it won’t go beyond this table.”

Austin paused only long enough to make eye contact with Anna.

“The woman is totally—totally incapable of thought beyond her fancy ribbons and bows. Shallow. A child is more perceptive.”

“Austin!” said Anna softly, shock edging her voice.

“Well, it’s true—and it might as well be said,” he responded. “Do you know what she wanted the last time she called me over? The clock set! Can you imagine? The clock set. It was ten minutes out. She said that was why she is always late for church. But I noticed that after it was set, she was still late. Ben set it. I had him with me and he set it. Just a kid. Now, why couldn’t she have set her own clock? It was as simple as moving the hands.

“You know what I think? I think she just wants attention. She’s so bored—and so shallow that she has to dream up things. Why doesn’t she get out and get involved? Get her thoughts off herself and onto someone else?”

Anna was tempted to respond. She could have said, She has her thoughts on someone else. You! But Anna did not say it. In a way she felt sorry for the woman. It looked as if all her coy attempts had been utterly unprofitable. Austin was still unaware of the woman’s intention.

“Well, I’ve seen Martin Smith giving her the eye,” went on Austin. “She would be well advised to pay a little attention to him. And Carl Falks. He’s been dipping his hat and grinning. I think he is struck on her, too.”

Anna too had seen the young men of the community watching the young widow with interest. In the case of Carl Falks, Anna could not fault Mrs. Larkins for failing to respond to the advances, but Martin Smith seemed like a fine young man.

“Maybe she is a bit fussy,” responded Anna simply, aware that Mrs. Larkins really was reaching for the best—her Austin.

“Then maybe she would have been wiser to stay in the city,” Austin responded as he pushed back from the table. “She might have had a wider selection there.”

Anna nodded.

Austin leaned to give her a kiss. “Well, I’d better run on over to Brady’s and see if he has time to look at that furnace—just in case something really is wrong with it,” he said. Anna nodded. She had things she had to do, too. She needed to get the dishes out of the way.

When the door closed on Austin, Anna felt strange and mixed emotions. She puzzled over the fact that Austin still did not see what the widow obviously meant by her repeated calls for his help. She was glad Austin’s male ego had not been flattered by the calls. She was glad his “calling” and his faith had kept him from possible trouble. But deep down inside, Anna felt concern and sympathy for the young widow. Surely she must be lonely and inwardly troubled to act as aggressively and openly as the woman did. It must be terribly hard on her self-esteem to be so totally ignored in all attempts to get personal attention. Anna took a few moments to pray before clearing the table.

“What would you think about a Christmas program?” Anna asked as she and Austin drove out for an afternoon call.

“We always have a Christmas service,” he responded.

“Not a Christmas service—a Christmas program. For the children. You know, songs, recitations, a little play. Something to really involve all the children who come to the church—and any others who might be interested.”

Austin nodded.

“There is nothing that draws people like the performance of their offspring,” continued Anna. “And no better time to do a program than at Christmastime.”

“The school always has one,” Austin reminded her.

“Yes, and it is always well attended. And now that we have our own church, I think we could use the opportunity to draw a community crowd as well.”

Austin seemed to be carefully considering her words.

“It’s a lot of work,” he said at last.

“Well, I’m willing to put time into it,” responded Anna.

Inwardly she felt her lack of experience, of abilities, but she was willing to do all she could.

“Sounds like a good idea—if you feel up to it,” Austin responded after further thinking.

Their first child was on the way and Anna had been feeling tired. But she tried to brush that aside.

“I—I wish I had someone to work with—someone with more knowledge about how to go about it,” she admitted,
“but I really don’t know whom to ask.”

“We could speak to the congregation on Sunday. See if there are any volunteers,” offered Austin.

That sounded like a good idea to Anna. She felt that she would need all the help she could get.

It turned out that there were no volunteers for the Christmas program, though everyone assured Anna they thought the idea a good one.

“I’m sure a number of the town children would be happy to take part,” enthused Mrs. Brady. “We could put up some posters or pass out little invitations or something.”

Anna decided to do both. Mr. Parks allowed her to put up an announcement in his store. “Guess it can’t hurt anything,” he had told Anna, and she carefully printed up her little sign and posted it in his front window.

Then Anna began to print up simple invitations to “join the fun and excitement of being part of the first annual Church Christmas Program” and handed them out up and down the streets.

She set the first meeting for practice for the third Thursday of November. Then she went to work looking for suitable material.

She found nothing that seemed to meet their needs, so she spent hours designing her own program, tying scripture and songs together and weaving in the story of the first Christmas. Austin reviewed the material and gave hearty approval.