Learning to Love Read Online Free

in caves."
    "I know, but you can't talk like that around the kids," Robert cautioned. "Some people are a little on the slow side of letting progress into their lives. The last thing I need is for them to hear you talk like that about them. Things are a little different around here."
    Mary bit her tongue, coming from a town where small mindedness seemed to the popular thinking she thought better of arguing her point. "Alright. Point taken."
    "OK," Robert said, getting up from his chair. "Think you'll be fit to take the smaller kids tomorrow?"
    "Really?"
    "Well, if you think you're capable."
    "That would be great, thanks," Mary smiled.
    "Done then," Robert said and walked to the door. Stopping for a moment he asked, "You want a lift home?"
    "Thanks, but I could do with stretching my legs," Mary said, standing and pressing her fists into the small of her back "You go on, I'll see you in the morning."
    Getting a nod in return, Mary returned to her tidying up. Finding a book that Tom had left behind him, she ran to the door to see if she could catch him before he left for home.
     
    *****
    "Tom!" Mary saw the boy look in her direction. Glad that she hadn't missed him, Mary waved his book in the air. "You forgot your book."
    Running to the wooden cart he was sitting in, Mary handed it over and turned her attention to the man who sat beside him. "You must be Tom's father."
    "I would."
    Reaching across her hand, Mary introduced herself. "I'm Tom's new teacher, Mary Samuels. You've got a great boy there."
    Finding her hand left in mid-air she watched as he took the book from Tom's hand and looked it over. Opening the pages and giving it a quick scan, he closed the book and handed it back to her.
    "He won't have time for this, we've little enough time on the farm without taking up his time with this nonsense-"
    Mary held the book in her hand and asked, "But surely you want him to better himself-"
    "Listen, Miss Samuels, he's a farmer. No point in learning to read if all he's going to be doing in taking care of crops and cattle. They can't read and they do fine, so why should he?"
    "But-"
    "You might have a lot of time on your hands, but we don't. Good day, Miss Samuels." Nodding his head, he cracked the reins of his horse and drove away. Watching the cart drive off, Mary found herself reeling from the man's ignorance. Stunned by his attitude, she swore the next time she'd be better prepared for him. 

Chapter 7
    Standing on the front steps of the school house, Mary watched Robert unlock the door. Still vexed by the previous day's events, she re-enacted what had happened.
    "And then he took the book from the child's hands and handed it back to me. We don't have time for this nonsense-"
    "I told you to be careful," Robert said, pushing the door open. "I've had one or two arguments with George in the past. Don't be surprised if you don't see Tom and his brother back for a few days."
    "Seriously?"
    Robert nodded his head. "He's a stubborn fool. Believe me, it took a lot to get the few hours we have now with the two boys. If George had his way they'd never set foot off the farm."
    "So how did you get him to agree? I mean an old buzzard like that-"
    "Money," Robert smiled and guided her in the front door.
    "Money?"
    "I tried everything in the past to get him to change his mind and let me teach his son's. Couldn't find a way until I mentioned money," Robert said.
    "So you pay him to teach his kids?" Mary asked.
    Walking to the top of the room, Robert placed his books on his desk and turned to her. "But don't you tell a soul. If word got out about our little arrangement we'd never see those boys back here again.—Give it a few days, they'll be back."
    "How much do you pay him?"
    Robert touched the side of his nose and said nothing.
    "Sorry, it's none of my business. I just can't believe the gall of the man, to argue out there with me when he's accepting handouts from you," Mary shook her head.
    "Let's talk nothing more about it. The boys will