Part VI – Gigi

Fall 1892 – Late Summer 1893

Chapter 21

The School Teacher

David Heath Barkley carefully wrote the next line on the chalk board that was almost filled with identical sentences. He glanced up and measured about the time it would take him to fill the last board. The sentence "I will not fight on school grounds" was written in a crisp, neat hand, especially for a nine year old boy.

Gigi Roberts, the school teacher was bent over a letter, trying to concentrate on what she wanted to tell her sister about this wild, untamed place in the west. She was told that it had been a much wilder place even a decade ago, as it was slowly becoming more "civilized." She tried to grasp the elements that were not simply sight, but the feel, smell and essence of the place too.

She was trying very hard not to notice the small, dark haired boy who was trying so hard to complete his work. She hated to punish him, but this was the third fight that week that she had caught him a part of with three different boys. When she questioned the others he had always swung the first punch. She could not, would not, allow such behavior in her school.

The letter was not so absorbing that she missed the darkening of the doorway as a tall, dark man stood blacking out the light. She could not make out his features at first as he stood there, but he stepped forward, doffing his hat. "Can I help you?" she asked, folding the paper she had been writing on.

"I'm here to pick up David," the dark haired, blue-eyed man said. "I had heard that he had to stay over. Has he finished his punishment?"

She glanced over at the boy who had sped up his efforts to cover the board in lettering. "He seems to be close."

"Then I'll wait for him," the tall man took a seat in one of the desks and the gesture made him look comical. Gigi said nothing, but returned pen to paper to complete her letter. Within minutes she heard the chalk land in the tray and the boy wipe his hands to free them from dust.

"I'm done," he said quietly.

"Good," the man smiled at him. "I want to talk to your teacher for a moment, but you can give Jingo this sugar cube."

A crooked grin spread across the boy's features. "Thank you Uncle Jarrod!" Gigi refolded her letter and waited patiently while the boy raced out of the room. When he was gone his Uncle Jarrod turned to her, a stern look on his face.

"I can understand you wanting to keep order in school," he began.

"I will not tolerate fighting in school!" she slammed her fist on her desk for emphasis.

"I understand that, and applaud you for your stand, Miss Roberts."

"If he is involved in a fight, and in particularly when he is the instigator of it he must be punished!" Without realizing it she had stood from her seat.

"Instigator?" Jarrod said half bemused, half angry. "I understand that he threw the first punch?" She stared at him a little puzzled. He smiled again. "His cousins, Susan and Wesley Hansen came by my office this afternoon and told me what had happened."

"Oh," she resumed her seat. That made one piece of the puzzle fit. There had been a total of eight or nine boys involved in the fight, four of them fighting on David's side. She had noticed these boys before, and had attributed three of them to being some how related to David: Tommy Barkley, the son of Dr. Eugene Barkley, and Thom and Tennessee Barkley, sons of Nick Barkley. Wesley had been the only other boy to say anything in David's defense.

"Have you ever questioned what prompted the fight, Miss Roberts?"

"Boys will be boys, Mr. Barkley," she said coolly.

"Yes, perhaps they are, but without questioning why David started fighting in the first place you miss out on the real culprit."

"Oh? And why is David starting these fights?"

"A matter of honor," Jarrod rose from the too small seat and began pacing the room in front of Gigi's desk. She couldn't help but notice his handsome features. "You see, there are a lot of people in this valley who remember when Heath came to us with the claim that he was my father's illegitimate son." Gigi was a little surprised. This was a piece of news she had not heard before in the gossip chains that floated around her at the boarding house where she lived. "And still more remember that David's mother, Leah, was also an illegitimate child. She never wanted that to be a secret when she came here from Haven."

He was silent for several moments and had paused in his pacing to stare out the window at the side school yard. He turned slightly. "Unfortunately, many people have gotten it in their heads that, even though Heath and Leah were legally married, that he is somehow tainted. Not to mention his third strike against him," he said softly. "The mere fact that he's a Barkley could be enough to cause fights in a school yard. Being a teacher I'm sure you're well aware of how cruel children can be, especially when they are merely repeating what they've heard their parents say."

"Yes, I am," she softened slightly. "But why are you telling me this? I find it irresponsible of his father for him not to be here. I've sent him several notes regarding the incidents that have taken place here since I've resumed teaching."

Jarrod had whirled around and was now bending over the desk, inches from her face. "If I ever hear that you've told him what you just told me, I will personally see that you are dismissed from this school district. Heath Barkley is the best father a man could be and so singularly devoted to caring for his son that he neglects almost everything else, including himself. He's carried a lot of guilt since the death of his wife. And he made her a promise to take care of David. I won't have someone mindlessly adding to the guilt he carries."

Gigi was so surprised and shocked by his outburst and the intensity with which he stared down at her, his blue eyes dark and foreboding. She was a little frightened too, but the man replaced his hat as he straightened and glanced down at her again. "Good day, Miss Roberts."

She swallowed hard as she watched his retreating back and sat in her chair for several moments to recover her composure.

*

David sat in front of Jarrod on Jingo, the old gelding. The two had been silent while they rode together, but Jarrod finally broke the silence by speaking gently, but sternly to his nephew. "You've got to stop fighting at school," he told him. David bit his lip.

"But they say terrible things about Mama and Pa."

"I know," Jarrod gave the nine year old a loving squeeze. "But sometimes you have to turn the other cheek and let the words go. They can't hurt anyone."

"That's not what Uncle Nick would say."

Jarrod was silent, pondering how to respond. No, Nick wouldn't turn the other cheek if it were grown men saying those words about Heath and Leah. "Uncle Nick is…impulsive. That's why he has your Aunt Scotty."

"She keeps him from getting into fights sometimes, doesn't she?"

"I guess so," Jarrod responded, tousling the boy's hair.

"So?" David changed the subject. "How did you like the new school teacher?"

Jarrod didn't answer, wondering what his little nephew was about. "She's mighty pretty don't you think?" David continued, Jarrod was aware that the fellow was watching him curiously. "She's not married either."

"All right, that's enough you little match maker," Jarrod chided playfully. "We're almost to the ranch now. Go let Scotty wash you up and give you some cookies before your pa makes it in." David slid from the saddle in obedience. Jarrod had thought that the dark haired, dark eyed little school teacher was beautiful, but beauty wasn't everything. She had hit a nerve with him and he wasn't about to let down his wall, simply because she was pretty.

(To be continued…)