Second Chance Bride by Jane Myers Perrine Read Free Book Online

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    After lunch, the boys kicked a ball around while the girls tossed hoops to each other, laughing and shouting. Fascinated by their energy and joyful abandon, Annie watched from a bench by the clearing.
    When the children came back into school at one o’clock, she glanced at the watch and wondered what she would do with them for another ninety minutes. How would she fill the time? She’d already taught them everything she knew. Almost everything.
    “Children, do you want to sing?”
    The girls nodded; the boys shook their heads. Annie laughed. She closed her eyes and tried to remember the songs her mother had taught her, deciding which ones the children would enjoy.
    “White wings, they never grow weary,” she began. When she finished the chorus, she opened her eyes to see rapt expressions on the students’ faces—even the boys.
    Elizabeth and Ida smiled and clapped, and Martha said, “Oh, Miss Cunningham, that was so beautiful. Please sing more.”
    “I’ll sing again, but this time, you have to sing with me.”
    Although the boys grumbled, they joined in. She taught them all to sing the chorus and had begun to teach some harmony on the verses when she looked up to see John Sullivan at the door. He wore an odd expression, a mixture of admiration and surprise.
    “Miss Cunningham.” He nodded at her. “Children.” They nodded back at him.
    “I came by to pick up Elizabeth and to ask how your first day of teaching went. When I approached the school, I heard your wonderful music.” He nodded. “I wasn’t aware singing was one of your talents.”
    “Thank you. The children seemed to enjoy it.”
    “You didn’t mention your musical ability in your letter of application.”
    “I didn’t realize it would be of interest.” She smiled and turned toward the students. “Children, you may go now. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
    Eight of the students grabbed their lunch pails and dashed from the building while Elizabeth ran to her father and held her arms out. He reached down to pick her up and envelop her in a hug, his expression softening.
    Annie titled her head to watch the two, the love between the often stern banker and his daughter obvious.
    “Miss Cunningham is a wonderful teacher. She’s really good at math,” Elizabeth said, and grimaced, her lips turned down.
    “Not your favorite subject,” he said.
    “No, but it was all right. And we helped her write because of her arm, you know.”
    “Yes, sweetheart, we’re sorry about her arm.” John gently placed her back on the ground. “Would you please go read for a few minutes? I need to talk with Miss Cunningham.”
    Oh, dear.
    “Thank you for coming by,” Annie said. “The day went well, I believe. We got to know each other, and I began to measure the levels of each child in mathematics and reading.”
    “After I heard you singing, I couldn’t help but wonder—do you play the piano or organ?”
    Annie looked around the schoolroom, in case she’d missed such an instrument in her post-accident fog, but there was none. “I play the piano and have played the organ, but I don’t read music. If someone sings the melody for me, I can play anything.”
    “A most talented young woman. I’m sure Reverend Thompson would like to talk to you. We’re in need of an organist at church.”
    At church? Annie playing the organ in a church? Oh, no. She didn’t think so. She shouldn’t even be inside a church let alone to help in the service. No, she wasn’t fit for that.
    “I don’t think I should. Thank you, but I’d need to practice and wouldn’t like to take time away from the children or from preparing their lessons.”
    “We have both a piano and a fine organ in our house. You may practice there. Perhaps you could even teach Elizabeth a few tunes. Of course, the church pays only a pittance. It may not be worth your time.”
    She glanced up at John. She wanted to tell him that money was not the problem, but she could hardly explain the real