bag and then followed them out into the snow.
The cold air took her breath again, but this time she could see where she was walking. It was hard to get a good look at Little Falls with all the snow, but there would be time enough for that later.
She followed close behind Ben, thinking of the evening before when he’d held her hand. He was a kind man and she could sense that they would be friends. It didn’t surprise her that he was a pastor. No doubt his parishioners loved him. She looked forward to attending church the following morning to hear him preach. She imagined he was good at that, too.
Ben led her and Mr. Samuelson across the road and down a block. A large, brown house appeared in the falling snow. It was quite impressive, and not what she would have expected on the frontier. Where Ben’s home was modest and simple, this structure was overbearing, if not ornate. It was styled after the Greek Revival architecture and reminded her of some of the homes back east.
“Timothy and Pearl Hubbard are one of the founding families in Little Falls,” Ben explained as they drew near the house. “You’ll like Pearl. She runs a respectable home. They have three children. They’ll be some of your students.”
Excitement raced up Emmy’s spine at the prospect of meeting some students, despite the frigid air. She had taught for several years back east, but she suspected it would be much different in the West.
A picket fence ran around the property and Ben unlatched the gate, allowing Emmy and Mr. Samuelson to pass by. Mr. Samuelson then went to the front door and opened it without knocking.
Emmy stepped over the threshold and into the foyer. She was instantly met with the smell of warm spice cake and fresh coffee. A wide staircase ran straight up the right-hand wall, curving to the left at the top. Two archways flanked the foyer. The one on her left went into a front parlor and the one on her right looked into a dining room. Noise at the back of the foyer suggested a kitchen was in that direction.
“Hello,” called a woman from the kitchen.
“Hello, Mrs. Hubbard.” Mr. Samuelson set the trunk down with a thud. “We have a boarder for you.”
A plain-faced woman entered the foyer, her middle thick with child. She wiped her hands on her apron as she came down the hall. She was a bit older than Emmy would expect to bear children, but she looked healthy and robust, if a little frazzled. Her dark hair was split down the center and dropped to cover her ears, before being secured at the back in a bun. She smiled a welcome to Emmy and offered Ben a fond glance, but she squared her shoulders when she met Mr. Samuelson’s gaze. “I’m sorry, but I’m full at the moment.”
As if summoned, five boisterous men plodded down the wide stairs. They stopped short when they glimpsed Emmy, the ones in back plowing into the ones in front. All but one grinned like an idiot in her direction.
“Is there nowhere to put her?” Mr. Samuelson asked, as if she was a piece of furniture to be stored.
“Mrs. Hubbard,” Ben said graciously. “May I introduce you to Miss Wilkes, the new schoolmistress?”
Pearl’s eyes lit and she took Emmy’s hand in a gentle squeeze. “The new teacher? Why didn’t you say so to begin with? It’s a pleasure to meet you, Miss Wilkes. I’m so happy you’ve come to teach our children.”
“For the time being,” Mr. Samuelson amended. “Now, can you board her or not?”
The men passed by and entered the parlor, though they didn’t make any noise, suggesting they were listening to the conversation in the foyer.
“I suppose I can make room.” Mrs. Hubbard sighed. “We always have space for the teacher. You’ll need to room with Rachel, my serving girl. She sleeps in the room off the kitchen.”
It wasn’t ideal. Emmy liked to spend her evenings studying and reading in solitude—but if it was all that was available to her, and meant she could stay in Little Falls, she’d make do. “Thank you.”
Mrs. Hubbard eyed her two large trunks. “We’ll have to store your things in the attic. There won’t be any space in your room with Rachel.”
“Store my things? Will they be safe?”
“It’s just until another room becomes available,” Mrs. Hubbard assured Emmy.
“When will that be?”
“There’s no way of knowing. We have men in and out all the time.”
“I’ll go home and retrieve your other trunk,” Ben said to Emmy.
“There’s more?” Mrs. Hubbard asked.
“All my books.” Emmy felt bad that she’d packed so much, but she couldn’t bear to leave anything behind.
Mrs. Hubbard shook her head. “There’s not much room in the attic, either, I’m afraid.”
“I’d be happy to store them for the time being,” Ben offered. “You could come for them anytime you’d like.”
The thought of not having her books at her disposal made her uneasy—but one look at Mr. Samuelson suggested she leave well enough alone. “Thank you, Reverend Lahaye.”
“If this storm passes, we’ll expect school to begin at eight o’clock sharp on Monday morning,” Mr. Samuelson said. “See that you’re there and ready on time.”
“I will.”
Mr. Samuelson tipped his hat at Mrs. Hubbard, and then at Emmy, though she suspected he did it out of habit and not a desire to be a gentleman, and then he left.
“I’ll bring the trunks to the attic,” Ben said to Mrs. Hubbard. He turned to Emmy. “It’s been my pleasure, Miss Wilkes. I hope you’ll be happy here.”
“Thank you.” She wanted to say more than thank you, but she couldn’t find the words to express her gratitude. If he had been any other man, she probably wouldn’t have a job right now.
“Do my ears deceive me?” One of the men exited the parlor and put his hands over his heart. “Is this beautiful creature going to abide under the same roof as me?”
“Mr. Archibald, remember your manners,” Mrs. Hubbard said. “Miss Wilkes is a lady.”
“How could I forget?” Mr. Archibald took Emmy’s hand and bent over it. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Miss Wilkes.” The other men followed Mr. Archibald out of the parlor. They circled her like a hungry pack of wolves, and she their prey.
It would be quite a feat to hold them at bay—of that she was certain—but it was vital if she wanted to keep her job.
Ben returned home, disliking the way the men had surrounded Emmy. He’d seen it countless times before. As one of the only single females in town, she would be hounded incessantly. He didn’t doubt she could resist their charms—but it wouldn’t be an easy task.
He trudged through the drifting snow, his thoughts full of the young lady
