Searching for Anna by Jenifer Carll-Tong (best classic books of all time .txt) 📕

"Wait up Pastor!"

Phoebe turned back toward the boarding house she had just left to find Wendell running after her.

"Is something the matter?" she asked when he had caught up with her.

"No ma'am. It's just that the days are shorter now and it will be dark soon. I didn't want you walking home alone."

Phoebe felt her cheeks grow warm as she was reminded of the last time a man warned her of walking alone at dusk. "That's sweet, Wendell, but I wouldn't want to detain you. I was planning to stop by Simmons store to pick up a few items."

"That's perfect!" he responded. "I need a few things myself. I'll go with ya – then I'll walk you home," he said firmly. He smiled easily and returned his focus on the road ahead of them. "I really enjoyed the devotions tonight."

Devotions at the boarding house were one of Phoebe's new responsibilities. After her handling of the ruckus between the boys, and the effect her words had on all the boarders, Mrs. Smith deemed it necessary for Phoebe to conduct a weekly study with her young charges. The last thing Phoebe wanted to do was to spend an entire evening once a week in a room full of single young men, but she did want to expand her ministry in Iron Falls. The look on Mrs. Smith's face that dared her to decline also helped her make the decision to comply. And, she'd reasoned, conducting the Bible study might help grow her little congregation. That, however, had not been the case.

"Thank you, Wendell. Sometimes I wonder if I'm getting through to the other boys. Besides you, Lester and Tommy are the only ones that attend church regularly."

A sheepish grin broke out across his face. "Yeah, I've been bribing them to come," he admitted.

"Bribing?" Phoebe asked in disbelief. "Surely you don't mean that you have been paying Lester and Tommy to attend church!"

"Oh, no ma'am. I've been bribing them with chores. I told them if they went to church with Granny Smith and me, then I would do their chores for that week."

"But Wendell, you shouldn't have to…"

"Whatever gets 'em in the door, Pastor. They gotta be there to hear from God. What was that scripture you preached from last Sunday – somethin' about the word of the Lord falling to Earth?"

"Isaiah 5… For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither..."

"That's the one. As I see it, God is calling me to bring as many to him as I can, so that they can hear His word preached. They may not act like it now, but God is changing those two – Tommy and Lester. But they gotta be there to hear it, ya know? Even if they aren't excited to be there like I am, that scripture there says that the Bible comes straight from God's mouth, and it ain't gonna just go back to heaven all empty. It's gonna do the work it's meant to do. So, I keep doing their chores and they keep comin' to church. Whatever it takes. Besides, a little extra work ain't never hurt no one," he finished, shrugging his shoulders.

Phoebe looked in awe at the young man walking beside her. Although only a Christian for a matter of weeks, his servant's heart had developed beyond that of any student Phoebe had known in Bible College.

"I just feel like I'm here to make a difference for God," he continued. "I may not be able to use pretty words to preach like you or sing nice like Mrs. Speer, but I know God's got something big for me to do. And somehow I just know it has to do with them two and all the others at the boarding house."

Phoebe was about to agree but was distracted by the sight of two people who stood in front of the store.

"Look – there's Will," Wendell said.

Phoebe was already quite aware of Will's presence. She was also quite aware that he wasn't alone. He stood talking to a woman.

Even from a distance it was apparent that the woman was unabashedly flirting with Will. What Phoebe also noticed was how much Will seemed to be enjoying it. The woman said something, and Will threw his head back and laughed. He said something back to her that made her laugh as well.

Their laughter floated in the air as pleasantly as the sound of a stuck pig pierces a person's eardrums. Phoebe rolled her eyes. Why were men so drawn to such foolishness?

As she and Wendell approached, the woman reached out and rested her hand on Will's chest. Phoebe expected him to move away or brush away her hand, but he did not. Phoebe's stomach lurched.

"You go on ahead, Wendell. I am not feeling well all of a sudden," she said, rushing off toward her home. Wendell called after her, but she didn't slow.

She had only made it about halfway home when the sound of horse hooves came behind her.

"Where are you off to in such a hurry?" Will asked. He jumped down and led his horse by the reins.

'Away from you,' she wanted to yell, but instead muttered "I'm headed home. It's getting dark, you know."

She didn't look at him, but knew he was smirking at her.

"True," was all he said. He continued walking with her in silence.

"Was there something you needed, Officer Caffey?" she asked coolly.

"Why no, Pastor Albright. I just thought I would walk you home, you know, because as an officer of the law, it is my duty to protect the citizens of Iron Falls," he said, bowing ceremoniously. "Wouldn't want you getting attacked by any wolves." He chuckled, but when Phoebe's demeanor did not change, he sighed. "Is that what this is about? Well, I suppose now is as good a time as any… I know I was out of line that night. You scared me terribly, but that's no excuse for how I overreacted. Please forgive me."

"I've already forgiven you." She stopped and faced him. "And it is I who should be apologizing. I acted rashly, foolishly in fact, and in my distress, I treated you harshly. For that, I am sorry."

His eyebrows shot up over his sapphire eyes and he let out a long breath. "The words are an apology, but the tone sure doesn't feel like one. Why do I feel like there's something else going on here?"

Phoebe did not know how to respond. She had searched for him for days in order to apologize, and this is the thanks she received? She turned and walked briskly away.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that," he said as he caught up and once again fell into step next to her. "I just didn't expect you to apologize. I accept your apology."

"Good."

They continued, side-by-side, in silence.

"Alright Phoebe, what's wrong?"

"Nothing is wrong. Who said anything is wrong?" she said, her voice squeaking.

Will grabbed her elbow and turned her to face him.

"Something is obviously wrong. Listen. Wendell said you were on your way to the store until you saw me. If you had already forgiven me, then why are you in such a hurry to be rid of me?"

"I'm not. I did see you, but you were otherwise engaged in another conversation, so I didn't want to interrupt," she said flippantly.

Will threw his head back and sighed. "I see."

"You see what?"

"We were just talking, Phoebe. Nothing else."

"It's none of my business."

"Would you have me ignore every citizen of Iron Falls who is a single woman?"

"Do you allow every single woman in Iron Falls to touch your chest when they speak to you?"

As soon as she said the words, she wished she could take them back. She sounded like a jealous sweetheart, and that is the last thing she wanted Will to think her.

"I'd allow you to touch me…" he winked.

Phoebe exploded. "You are improper, sir!"

"Calm down," he chuckled. "I was just trying to lighten the conversation. Listen, I'm not sure what you think you saw, but Miss Miller was only asking me about my uniform. She must have touched my jacket at some point – I really don't remember. But that is all there was to it."

'How could a man not remember a woman touching his chest?' she wondered.

"Like I said before," she began, turning back toward her house, "it really is none of my business."