Love's Sweet Surrender Read Online Free PDF

the boarding house for supper and to await the meeting later.
    By sundown a large crowd had accumulated within the church with many finding it hard to find a seat while Lily watched from her place near the front.
    There were a few of the matrons in town, with young daughters, who didn’t really care to have her there, she was sure. She heard whispers from many of them behind their hands when she walked by. Animosity rippled through the room although she didn't know why some would feel that way.
    From her seat she could hear several conversations, but one in particular caught her attention.
    “I’m not sure it would be such a good idea to have her here.”
    “If she can teach, what difference does it make?”
    “Well, I don’t want her here,” one pretty teenage girl who sat next to her mother blurted, not caring whether Lily heard her or not.
    “Abigail! Come now. We must be civil,” her mother scolded.
    “Well, I don’t,” the girl said with a pout. “What if all the young men in town are attracted to her? That would leave that many less for me to choose from.”
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    26
    Sandy Sullivan
    “There are plenty to go around, young lady, and you needn’t worry about the young men just yet.”
    Lily just shook her head at the conversation. She wondered if she had ever been that shallow growing up.
    A few moments later, the mayor walked up to the front of the crowd, and Lily watched with trepidation. She was worried the town would vote to ship her back to Boston without giving her a chance.
    “Welcome folks.” Mayor Fisher stepped up to the podium and held up his hand to quiet the group. “Can I have your attention please? I’ve called this meeting tonight because we have a bit of a problem. As many of you know, we advertised for a teacher for our town in some of the newspapers back East. We had one woman send us her information, and we all voted right here a few months ago to hire her. The woman hired is here.”
    Applause could be heard throughout the church.
    Holding up his hand again, he made the room grow silent. “Our problem now, folks, is that the woman we hired is a lot younger than anticipated.
    Most of you wanted someone who was unmarried or widowed, in her forties, but the woman, who we actually hired, by no fault of my own, is a very young woman. She is only twenty-two. Now we need to take a vote.
    Shall we allow her to teach our children, or start another search? All those in favor…”
    “Excuse me.” Lily stood up from her place near the front and approached the mayor. “I would like to address the wonderful people of Parkville before a vote is cast.”
    “You would, would you?” He obviously didn't think she would be present, judging by the look on his face.
    A deep, rich, masculine voice called from the back. “Let the lady talk, Harland. She has a right.”
    Lily turned to see who had spoken in her defense, and her startled gaze met the stare of the handsome stranger from the train. He stood lounging against the back wall, completely relaxed, with his arms crossed over his broad chest. When their eyes met, his hand reached up, and he tipped his hat in greeting.
    Well, she had her answer. He obviously does live near here. Heat crawled up her neck and splashed across her cheeks from his intense look.
    Pulling her gaze away from his, she turned to approach the podium. She Ebook piracy is stealing. It is a federal offense.
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    Love’s Sweet Surrender
    27
    lifted her skirt and took a deep breath to calm her nerves before she addressed the crowd.
    “Ladies and gentlemen of Parkville, I want to thank all of you for attending the meeting tonight. I’ve met many of you today while I walked around town, and I’m happy to see some familiar faces in the crowd. My name is Lillian Backman. My friends call me Lily.” Her gazed scanned the crowd in