Coal River by Ellen Marie Wiseman

Author:Ellen Marie Wiseman [Wiseman, Ellen Marie]
Language: eng
Format: epub, azw3, mobi
Publisher: Kensington
Published: 2015-11-24T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 13

Two hours after church on a Sunday afternoon, Emma sat up in bed, her back propped against a pillow, trying to read while Percy fumbled through Fur Elise on the piano in the parlor below and rain swept across her bedroom window. Over the past week, she had claimed she was tired after dinner every other night, then snuck out the back door up to the miners’ village to teach her new students. Luckily, her aunt and uncle were still so angry with her, they’d barely meet her gaze at the dinner table, let alone care if she disappeared into her room after helping Cook clean up. If Emma had known she was going to be ignored for going up to the mine and being seen with Clayton, she would have done it sooner. Things were certainly easier that way.

Class was held in the living room of the girl with The Wizard of Oz book, who was picking up words faster than Emma thought possible. Using papers and pencils stolen from the Company Store, Emma had started teaching the children to write, beginning with the first few letters of the alphabet. After writing lessons, she read from The Wind in the Willows, and the children were spellbound. Even the twins, who sometimes complained that they were too tired to learn, sat silently listening to the story. By Emma’s third visit, three more women had brought their children to the house for instruction, for a total of nine students. It wasn’t much, but it was a start. Along with teaching the children to read and write, Emma wanted to gain the trust of their parents. If they knew she had their children’s best interest at heart, maybe, when the time came to protect the breaker boys, they would stand beside her. So far, the women said, their husbands had either been out, too preoccupied to question what was going on, or were grateful that their children had an opportunity to learn.

Then, two nights ago, as she was leaving a shanty on Hazel Patch Road, she saw Jack, the orphan who lived with Clayton. He was playing on a porch four doors down, spinning a wooden yo-yo over the railing. Briefly, she thought about going over to say hello. But she wanted to talk to Clayton first because she was afraid he wouldn’t approve of her impromptu school. She wanted the chance to convince him that Jack deserved some education too, before he made up his mind based on gossip and hearsay.

Whether Michael was trying to help her, or, by some miracle, Albert was guiding her, she had no idea. But she felt like she was on the right path. She thought about asking Simone to arrange a meeting with Michael, then decided that if Albert were really trying to communicate with her, he would find a way. And if Michael had more to say, she would run into him sooner or later. So far, things had happened naturally. It seemed like a mistake to force it.

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