Free Promise of Blessing by Terri Grace Page B

Josie’s chair.  
    “I realised,” said Clae, “that I never got you a wedding present.”
    Josie heart began to thump.
    “So…we had this idea.   I hope you like it.”   He waved at the object.
    Josie stood up and carefully removed the heavy cloth.   Underneath was a table made of dark, polished wood, with four small drawers and a matching stool.   The underside of the table was a complicated wheeled mechanism made out of metal, and on top of it, a heavy, metal object was set into the wood.   In curly gold lettering across the front of the object was painted the word “Singer”.
    Josie gasped and blinked several times, unable to believe her eyes.
    “A sewing machine!”   And an expensive one, at that.   “How…?   Oh, but I have nothing….”   She looked up at Clae, tears making her eyes bright.   “It’s beautiful!”   Feeling overwhelmed, she sank down onto a chair.
    “But I have nothing to give you,” she said dolefully.
    “Well, I don’t know about that,” said Clae.   “Supper was pretty good.”
    “Amen,” agreed Harland.
    Josie ran her fingers over the polished wood and the cool metal.   It really was a beautiful machine.   She had never imagined that one day she might own one.   The things that she could do with it!   What would Millie and Beth say?   They would both want to try it.   She would have to learn how to use it before they next came to visit.
    “Where would you like it?” asked Clae.
    “Oh, well….”   She glanced around the room.   “Over there, between the window and the fireplace, please.   The light will be best there.”
    “Yes, Ma’am.”
    They set it in place, and Josie just stood and stared at it.   The lamplight glinted off its shiny surface.   It looked far too ostentatious for the little farmhouse room, but even if it had been a simple and ugly thing, it would have stood out to Josie as something special.
    Turning, she threw her arms round Clae, whose pleasure at this unusually zealous demonstration was clearly revealed on his face.
    Harland gave a gruff chuckle when he saw his brother’s expression.   “You keep doing that,” he said to Josie, “and this place will overflow with sewing machines.”



CHAPTER THREE

Helena's Visit

    T HE FOLLOWING DAY , Josie occupied herself by experimenting with the machine.   Against his custom, Clae spent a good part of the day indoors, mending harnesses, and she soon became aware of him scrutinising her every movement.   After a while it began to irritate her, and she swivelled around on the stool to face him.
    He tried to look innocent but she folded her arms pointedly and stared at him until he sighed.
    “All right, all right,” he said.   “I’m tryin’ to judge whether you’re well enough yet for something.”
    “Well did you ever think of asking?”
    “That’s an idea.”
    “What’s the something?”
    “I ran into Jed Parker in town yesterday.”
    “Jed Parker...” she repeated, trying to place the name.
    “He and his cousin own the lumber yard.   Anyway, his wife helps to teach at the school.”
    “Oh.”
    “Seems they had a new teacher all lined up to replace Miss Morgan for the winter – she’s to be married – but the lady took one sniff of our fragrant Kansas air and hightailed it back east.”
    “What can I do about that?”
    “Well, Jed says Millie’s been singing your praises to the school board, and they’d like you to go help Mrs Parker out two days a week until another teacher can come after Christmas.”
    Josie looked aghast.   “Me.   Teach.”
    “Well, sure.   You said yourself you taught your sister.   You taught Beth your fancy…”
    he waved one hand hopelessly – “sewing stuff.”
    “But what would I be teaching?”
    “Mathematics, mostly.   A bit of spelling – that sort of thing.”
    “Oh...well...maybe I could help some.   But two days every week?   That’s a lot of traveling.”
    Clae nodded.   “It would be Mondays and