The Baby Bequest. Lyn Cote

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      Chapter Three

      Ellen’s heart beat fast as she prepared to ring the handbell on the first day of school. Children, obviously scrubbed and combed and wearing freshly ironed clean clothing, had begun gathering over the past half hour and milled around the school entrance.

      Then she glimpsed trouble. Mr. Lang marched into the clearing, his face a thundercloud. He grasped his brother Gunther’s arm and headed straight for her. Little Johann ran behind the two, trying to keep up.

      Oh, no, she moaned silently. Didn’t the man have enough sense not to make a public scene?

      As she rang the bell, the children ran toward her, looking excited. But when they reached her, they turned to see what she was looking at with such consternation, and watched the threesome heading straight for her.

      Ellen racked her brain, trying to come up with some way to avert Gunther’s public humiliation. In the moment, she only managed to draw up a welcoming smile.

      “Good morning, Mr. Lang!” she called out in a friendly tone, hoping to turn him up sweet.

      She watched him master the thundercloud and nod toward her curtly but politely. She turned to the children, hoping to move them inside. “Children, please line up by age, the youngest students in the front.”

      Some jostling and pushing happened as the line shifted.

      Mr. Lang halted at the rear. Gunther tried to pull away from him, but couldn’t break free. Looking worried, Johann hurried past them to the front of the line as instructed.

      “Eyes forward,” she ordered when children turned to look back at Gunther. She set the school bell down on the bench inside the door and then asked the children their ages and did some re-sorting in the line. She sent the children in row by row, keeping Gunther and Mr. Lang at the rear.

      Finally, the older children went inside. Mr. Lang released Gunther to go with them with a sharp command in German.

      Ellen stepped forward, intercepting Mr. Lang before he could turn away. She lowered her voice. “I wish you hadn’t called so much attention to Gunther. He already stands out as it is.”

      “Gunther disobeyed. He is my brother, Miss Thurston. I must do what I think is best.”

      Helpless to better the situation, Ellen struggled in silence. Obviously Gunther had balked at coming to school. Mr. Lang had excellent intentions, but this public humiliation would only bring more adverse attention from the other children. Was there ever a schoolyard without hurtful taunting?

      “Perhaps you should take a moment to remember your school days, recall how children treat newcomers,” she said in an undertone.

      He looked up, showing surprise.

      Hoping she’d given him something to think about, Ellen turned to go inside to take charge of her classroom.

      Gunther slouched on the bench by the back door as if separating himself from the rest. She didn’t say a word, hoping to let the whole situation simmer down. How was she going to gain Gunther’s cooperation and reach him?

      From her place with the other older children, Amanda Ashford peered at him until Ellen gently reminded her to face forward.

      At the front of the class, Ellen led the students in a prayer, asking God to bless them as they began the first year together in this new school, smiling as brightly as she could. With a heavy heart, Ellen sighed. This promised to be a challenging year of teaching. However, uppermost in her mind was the image of Mr. Lang. His square jaw had been clamped tight and his eyes had been angry, but underneath she’d seen the worry.

      What drove the man to push his brother so? And how could she help Gunther—and Mr. Lang?

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