I’ll see you then.”
“Maybe you can teach me a few more Amish words.” She gave him a sly smile and a wink.
“I’ve recently been told I have a knack for teaching.”
He looked so smug that Lillian was tempted to kick his shin. She forced herself to remain polite. “We should let Miss Merrick get to work, Timothy. I’ll help you clean up outside.”
“It was nice meeting you, Debra.” He nodded to her and went out the door. Lillian followed him to the makeshift table and checked the pans to see if they were cool enough to handle.
“Are you going to tell me what’s wrong?” he asked.
“Nothing’s wrong.” Was it her place to correct his behavior? Her father would say it was.
“You’ve been giving me your frosty stare ever since Miss Merrick arrived.”
“If you want to make puppy eyes at the Englisch lady, I’m sure it’s none of my business.”
He frowned as he snatched up the water pail. “I wasn’t making puppy eyes at her.”
“Ha! If you had a tail, it would have been wagging a mile a minute the second she smiled at you.”
“How can you say that?”
“I say it because it’s true.”
“I was being nice. She seems like a very pleasant lady. Which is more than I can say for you at the moment.” He threw the water out, picked up the fire extinguisher and headed for his wagon.
Lillian nibbled on the corner of her lip as she watched him stomp away. He was right. She wasn’t being pleasant, and she had no right to chastise him. He hadn’t broken any church rules. Friendliness with outsiders wasn’t forbidden, just discouraged. She wasn’t sure why it upset her to see him so at ease with the woman.
Timothy came back and carried a pair of sawhorses past her without comment. He set them in the back of the wagon. It was clear he was upset with her and that wasn’t like Timothy.
“I’m sorry if I offended you,” she said.
“You have.” He brushed past her to pick up the last of the boards and carried them to the wagon, too. He threw them in and they clattered loudly. The horses shifted uneasily at the noise but quickly settled at a low word from him.
Lillian took a step closer. “I’m only looking out for your best interests. Your behavior could be seen as forward and unacceptable. I’m sorry if pointing that out makes you angry.”
He leaned a hip against the wagon and folded his arms over his chest as he fixed his gaze on her face. “That you judge my behavior to be forward and unacceptable is what makes me angry. I thought you knew me well enough to know I wouldn’t flirt with any woman, let alone someone who didn’t share our faith.”
She clutched her arms tight across her chest. “I do know that.”
“Then why accuse me of it?”
She stared at her feet and tried to put her feelings into words. “You smiled at her.”
“I smile at everyone.”
“I know, but she smiled back. I saw that look in her eyes.”
“What are you talking about? What look?”
Lillian glanced at his handsome face. “The look that said she was interested in getting to know you better. A lot better.”
He shook his head in disbelief. “I’m not responsible for the way someone looks at me.”
“I saw the attraction between the two of you. Such feelings can lead you down a forbidden path.”
He threw his hands in the air. “I can’t believe I’m hearing this. I had no idea you thought I was so weak-minded.”
“I don’t.” The last thing she wanted was for him to be angry with her.
“Your words say otherwise, Lillian.”
He climbed in his wagon. With a slap of the reins, he headed his horses down the road, leaving her to watch his rapidly retreating figure and regret her ill-advised comments. They’d never had a disagreement, let alone an argument like this.
Had she damaged their friendship beyond repair?
Drawing a deep calming breath, Lillian returned to the schoolroom determined to be pleasant to Miss Merrick. She would apologize to Timothy soon. Perhaps she could think of an excuse to visit the Bowman household after school tonight and find a way to speak to Timothy alone. And then again, maybe she was being foolish. Their friendship was surely strong enough to weather one disagreement. Wasn’t it? She didn’t need to run after him and beg his forgiveness.
Inside the school, she helped Debra set up the eye charts. Together, they taped off the correct distance on the floor where the children were to stand. Suddenly, the outside door burst open, and Lillian’s little sister Amanda raced in.
Spying Lillian, the four-year-old dashed across the room and threw her arms around Lillian’s legs. “Shveshtah, I koom to visit you at schule. Teach me something?”
Tiny for her age, Amanda had been born with dwarfism. Her arms and legs were short, but her body was near normal in size. Her blond hair was fine and straight as wheat straw with wisps of it peeking from beneath her white kapp.
Lillian scooped the child up in her arms and settled her at her hip. “The first thing my scholars learn is to be quiet in the classroom. No shouting. No running.”
Amanda’s smile faded. “I was bad, wasn’t I?”
Lillian nodded. “A little.”
The outside door opened again and Lillian’s father, Eldon Keim, came in, his face set in stern lines. Something must be wrong.
Miss Merrick gave Amanda a bright smile. “Is this your daughter?”
“Amanda is my sister.” Lillian introduced her father to Miss Merrick.
“I’m very pleased to meet you, Mr. Keim, and you, Amanda.” Debra held out her hand to the child.
Amanda shyly shook it.
Debra’s smile widened. “I have a brother who is a little person. His name is Brandon. He has cartilage-hair hypoplasia.”
A rush of empathy caused Lillian to look kindly at Debra. Here was someone who understood the challenging life her little sister faced. “That is exactly what Amanda has.”
“I mentioned my family has Amish ancestors. I’m sure you know CCH is one of the more common types of dwarfism among the Amish. I wish Brandon could meet Amanda. He loves children, especially little-people children.
