A resounding thud from across the room woke him from an unexpected but much-needed rest. A girl, probably no more than fifteen, stood in the doorway, afternoon sunlight framing her silhouette. Jonathan blinked his bleary eyes. Had God answered his unvoiced prayer for help with an angel straight from heaven?
    She stepped forward, closer. No, her simple green dress and freckled face suggested an earthlier abode than the twinkle in her eyes attempted to contradict. An angel? Ridiculous.
    The stranger’s expression held none of the suspicion he’d experienced yesterday from the women in Mrs. Cappy’s store. She approached, confidence in each step and a welcome smile drawing him in, as if they’d already been acquainted and she’d stopped in for a friendly visit.
    How unusual.
    He stood so abruptly his chair tipped backward and slammed against the floor, sending a slight cloud of dust dancing into the sunbeams between them.
    “You’re a mite bit skittish, ain’tcha?”
    “Excuse me.” He turned to set the chair upright, making a fumbling mess of it. “May I help you?”
    Her gaze roamed before she whistled low. “Mmhmm, somebody’s been sprucin’ up this place for sure.” She stepped to the side and glided an appreciative hand over the globe. “What a wonder!”
    “The world is a fascinating place.”
    Her gaze flipped to his, direct, almost unnervingly so, and then looked back at the globe. “Well, I ain’t seen a whole lot of it, but I sure like visiting through books.”
    “One of the best ways to travel.”
    She looked back up at him, her face lighting with another smile that nearly unfurled his own.
    “Sure is.” She studied him in silence, fidgeting with the end of her golden braid. “Would you happen to know where I can find the new schoolteacher?”
    He took a step forward, keeping his gait as steady as possible. Her attention flitted to his uneven step and then back to his face. He hated the recognition of his weakness.
    “I’m the new teacher.” He closed the gap between them and held out his hand, drawing her focus away from his leg. “Jonathan Taylor.” She tilted her head ever so slightly, golden brow angled high and pale blue eyes reexamining him from shoe to head. Maybe she wasn’t as young as he’d thought. Those eyes held more years than her face.
    “You’re the new teacher?” She peeked around his shoulder and scanned the room, then turned her gaze back to him with a crooked grin attached. “Are you joshin’ me?”
    “I assure you, miss, I’m the new upper-grades schoolteacher.” She took his hand and shook it with the firmness of a man. “Ain’t you a bit young for a city schoolteacher?”
    His brow rose as he stepped back, her directness throwing him off his guard once again. Did all the mountain folks speak with such candor?