Abram's Daughters 02 The Betrayal (24 page)

I1"'fore Lizzie, Jonas, and Leah could greet one another i' in the barnyard, here came Dat hurrying out of the sta-

M' inward them, and Mamma running out the back door,

4 in on the wing.

^ Lcuh found it both humorous and odd as they stood in a Hill II but not so cozy circle in the barnyard. High in the sky HHlnii the barn, the windmill creaked and whispered as Leah til reduced Jonas to her aunt. "You remember Jonas from Hf visits to Grasshopper Level, jah?"

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Aunt Lizzie grinned. "Why, certainly I do."

Mamma nodded, forcing a smile. Dat looked green arounil the gills, and Leah wondered what on earth that was nil about. She felt the mood was severely strained, with most ol the tension coming from Dat, though Aunt Lizzie's face looked awful pink, too.

After a while Dat suggested he and Jonas "walk out to the field for a spell," and with that, Mamma, Leah, and Lizzie strolled toward the house, the three of them linking arms.

"I have a feelin' Abram might talk to Jonas concernin1 rt dowry," Mamma whispered as they went.

"Can you be sure?" Lizzie asked.

"Well, I s'pose not, but I wouldn't be surprised."

"I'd say 'tis past time for Abram to show some charily," Lizzie piped up.

Leah glanced at her aunt and gave her a frown.

"Honestly, I'm wonderin' . . . what's Abram been wait in1 j for? After all, Jonas is the man of Leah's hopes and dreams," Aunt Lizzie continued, talking now more to Mamma llinii Leah. |

Mamma pursed her lips like she wasn't sure what to sny, I and Leah was ever so glad her mother was quiet. If Maminn got started, no telling where any of this might lead.

Glancing over her shoulder, she saw Dat and Jonas heading for the tallest stalks of corn, Dat moving slowly as lit* went, and Jonas swinging his arms carefree-like. They walk ft I together a ways; then much too abruptly they stopped ninl faced each other, silhouetted like two tall blackbirds againKr rows and rows of corn.

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11 might not have been the best timing for this man-to| ii. uilk with Jonas. For some months, Abram had been cal|J >i ing ihe risks, wondering just when he ought to take the

11 111 ilc. Should he speak straight from the hip this far ji" >ved from the wedding season, as Peter Mast had pjUHiuk'd back in August? Or wait till closer to November, ylwf What was best?

I The risks were ever so many. His relationship with Leah m on the line, not to mention his and Ida's. And what a lip wife could have at times, though he knew she had every Mil 1:0 be outspoken about this matter. I. All that aside, he wanted to know what Jonas Mast was gljB of if the boy had a speck of grit in him. He wanted to HffVC this blue-eyed boy Leah had fallen for when she was Hpglrl, witness for himself the kind of reaction the startling pi (0 long held, might trigger in Jonas. And if Leah's beau

111 titled it for the hills, all the better.

I "No doubt the two of you have picked your weddin' date," I I "-|(tin as they walked.

I l> mas nodded. "Leah and I discussed it Friday night." E I 'spect Leah Vill be talkin' to her mamma 'bout all of

I 'I'ems so."

I I I icy meandered to the edge of the cornfield and turned

I'I .mod there, still wearing black hats and Sunday-go-to-

|i nng black trousers and frock coats, the long sleeves of

Nil white shirts rolled up.

I A waft of wind came up, and cornstalks hissed as the two

hpcil through the golden fringe. They followed a narrow

nil single file through a maze of straight rows.

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When they were completely cloaked by tall shoots ol near-ripened corn, Abram stopped walking. Jonas, barely ;i yard away, looked almost too young to be taking Leah as lii.'i bride. "The time has come to speak bluntly," Abram began.

Another current of air rustled the stalks so strongly they thrashed against the wide hat brims the men wore. Quickly Abram secured his with one hand while Jonas tilted his hr;ul against the gust, his hands still deep in his trouser pockets.

"The dear girl you have chosen to be your bride is mil who you may think," he continued.

Jonas fixed a silent gaze on him.

Where had the wonderful-good years flown? It was mi in I boggling that he should be standing here, on the verge ul revealing this momentous news to Leah's young beau.

He straightened a bit and pressed on. "When Lizzie Rich neman was in her rumsch.prin.ge, she was found to be willi child." With his next breath, he laid out the truth. 'Tor nearly seventeen years now, my wife and I have raised I.cali as our own."

Eyes blinking steadily, Jonas scarcely moved. "Why do y< hi tell me this?"

" 'Tis only fair that you know. And ... if this truth in ;iny way discourages you from marryin' the girl who believes In i self to be Ida's and my daughter . . . well, then, I give you ilu chance, here and now, to reconsider."

"I love Leah" came Jonas's emphatic words. "This inlm mation doesn't alter how I feel."

Abram expected as much. ,

Just then thousands of blowing cornstalks threatened in flatten him. He leaned his head back and looked up ;ii ilu1

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I lilue as the ocean, with flimsy white cotton for clouds.

m Ptuhcr in heaven, help this your defenseless servant. . . .

I Aflrinpting to compose himself, he looked directly at

Hit, "klu and I will talk with Leah tonight concerning this."

I "I >i> you mean to say my Leah is unaware of her own

Illm,'"

I M v Leah . . .

11'hi off by Jonas's quick tongue, Abram said, "She looks to

I i. her mamma ... so I ask you not to speak of this to I," I le paused, reflecting on the precarious circumstance.

I1 y hi plan to spend more time with Leah today?" I "Maybe so ... to say my good-byes."

I'll was Lizzie's hope Leah be spared this knowledge till she

I I nil the age of accountability. Which has now come, her |i i baptized member of the church." He didn't go so far

I1 n-veal the recent stress between himself and Lizzie and, He recently, Ida regarding the how and when of telling

in That was of no concern to Jonas.

iHeinoving his hat, Jonas ran his long fingers through his

I1 brown shock of hair. "Are Leah's sisters also in the dark

in ibis?" %

l"ln due time they will know." He paused, then "I repeat ell: If this causes you grave concern Leah's life havin' til forth from a corrupt union speak now or forever hold Ir peace."

Jonas inhaled and appeared to grow an inch or more taller. Won't be speakin' my mind on this issue just now. There'll plenty of time for Leah to share with me her feelin's. . . ." Abram was perplexed. "By letter, do ya mean to say?" ,eh a weighty matter for written correspondence.

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Jonas nodded. "Until that time comes, I'll be makin' thin a matter for prayer." He returned his hat to his head and s;iiil, "Is there more to discuss?"

"You have not asked for my blessing on the marriage."

"I have my Father's blessing," Jonas said. "And if Leah i strong enough to follow through with our wedding, I will ;i J for your blessing, as well." With that he turned and heiulnl straight out of the cornfield, toward the house.

Abram suffered a sudden and fleeting light-headediuwi He had lost this round with Peter Mast's son, that was cKmi Wishing for a piece of straw to put in his mouth, he yanked on a cornstalk instead, bending it and pulling off a handful ul tassel. Staring down at it, he frowned and changed his mi ml He tossed it onto the ground, then stamped his hard shoe mi it, muttering as he did.

Jonas had felt downright sure of himself while being slid tered by lofty cornstalks. But now, as he walked over 111< grazing land toward the house to Leah, he was somewLn befuddled. He could see her where she was sitting on the In mi porch, beside the woman whom she'd known all her lil< i her aunt Lizzie but who, in all truth, was her bioloc.h .il mother. And also next to her was Ida Ebersol, who had t: 11- n Leah in as her very own baby daughter but who was, in In \< i, her aunt.

How would Leah take such shocking news? He hoped lili sweetheart would not be distressed and to think he wimU not be anywhere near when Abram broke the news. He wouM be too far away to offer any reassurance, too far to hold In i when she cried for all the years her family had deceived hu^

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itrtinly, he did not know all the particulars or just why it Ah'um and Ida had abided by Lizzie's wishes and withheld

(inth Imm Leah. It might not be such a good idea for him aid-guess the wisdom of it.

i ill spied him from her cozy spot on the porch and stood W ve. M.'j dear g.rl, he thought, waving back. Oh, the urge I in i to her was nearly uncontrollable, yet he kept his pace, I Mi) and Lizzie notice how compelling his attraction was I i-iih. Yet, here she came running across the rolling green

1 i" him, her bare feet flashing white beneath her long

I '.ir/ingLeo/i...

I kI Dat offer us a bit of land?" were the first words out

In i mouth.

I If had completely forgotten she expected her father to i' discussed the dowry. This the supposed reason for their

II- in the first place.

Hi-I ore he could admit no such topic had been brought up, ums nestled in his arms. He embraced her gladly, noting hi id Lizzie jfiust have slipped inside, for they were now

ivlii're to be seen.

"What did Dat say?" I If hadn't actually promised not to tell Leah the truth of

I parentage, yet he would honor the elder man's request.

It's go for a ride," he said, taking her hand.

'"Whereto?" "Somewhere quiet away from here where we can walk

d talk awhile." He wanted to hold her close and never let

|f go, to shield her from the coming revelation.

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"I'll go an' get my shawl." She pulled away from him ami scurried to the house.

While hitching up the horse, he struggled with the reality of Abram's words. Leah was the outcome of Lizzie Brenno man's youthful lust. What would his family think? Would Dm advise him against marrying his second cousin ... if he knew' And Mamma, would she weep with the news? Or did she have the slightest inkling? After all, Mamma and Ida Ebersol had been fairly close through the years, sending letters back and forth occasionally, and Abram and Peter were known In put their heads together at farm auctions and the like.

A stern yet somewhat compassionate man, Abram h:u| given his life for a secret, possibly turning a dreadful situal i< m j into a seemingly happy one for all concerned- Till now. j

What would become of Leah once she was told? He'd li;ivn to await her letter surely by this coming Wednesday I in j would have some indication. Such a dear she was about wril j ing and sharing her thoughts with him. Soon enough Joiuw 1 could expect to know her heart on this. j

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^H mul Jonas spent what was left of Sunday afternoon sit> ^HJJc by side in a grassy, unfenced area not far from the ^HtiT ol smithy Peachey's farm. Long and unpaved, the Hie road had led them to a vast meadow with a small ^Hn I he north corner of the property. Seemingly, this area ^Ht used for grazing land, though Leah wondered why. ^Vl)>> owns this acreage?" asked Jonas. ^HJom'i know, really. For as long as I remember, no cows ^Hu'n have*tever been on it." Her mind wasn't fully on ^H question just now. She was thinking about him leaving Hfow . . . and what, if anything, Dat had said to Jonas Bf, But she'd decided while running to the house to get

K

Hinwl that she would be patient and not press for answers. wing Dat, it was possible he'd had other things on his B than the dowry.

FMost any piece of property can be had for a price." Jonas Red forward, resting his arms on his knees. Nil , . . Dat must not have offered Jonas land as a wedding

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gift, she thought sadly. Just looking at Jonas, she knew. Tinbrightness was gone from his eyes. Something was troubliny him, all right.

"Do you think the smithy might know who owns the I;mil we're sittin' on?" he asked.

"Maybe. You could ask, if you want."

He turned to her and smiled hesitantly. "Well, no, thill could be awkward, ain't?"

She knew what he was getting at, of course. Gid's fail id, if he owned this land well, then, they were trespassing ;un|, Jonas was thinking it would be right tricky to approach iliel blacksmith, given the circumstances. "Did you want me Ujl find out?" she asked. I

He picked a blade of grass and held it between his fingers J staring hard at it. "I'll think on it." I

Not only troubled, Jonas seemed a bit aloof, too . . . ;nul| this just since his talk with Dat. She'd watched for him Hjj come back from the rows of corn with Dat, wondering wlija they'd had to go in so deep she couldn't see them at all. I'm talk man to man? But she stuck to the promise she'd muds herself she wouldn't put her nose where it didn't belong, I

Jonas let the long piece of grass fall from his hand ;ni<|| looked at her. "Will you write to me . . . like before?" he iisLnll suddenly. I

"Jah, and will you, too?" I

He nodded and was quiet for the longest time. Tunnniil back to gaze toward the southern horizon line, he sat llu-u-j amidst the grassland and a thousand insects, some of wliii h kept crawling up her legs. She remembered the time wlieti Jonas, but a boy, had slipped her a pair of his work trou.se ii,

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\ " i|i them out in a makeshift backpack to his father's milk |> Hht,' had asked if he had a pair he'd outgrown, some f >rlil borrow for the summer because she hated being bit liM"-i|iiiloes and other insects, working out in the fields m I till. Besides, back then, she'd felt more like a boy than I yd I sin" was. Nobody, not even Sadie, ever knew of the li i-i. I )ne of the silliest things she'd ever done. But even In .lit-'il recognized the irresistible bond between herself

I In i second cousin.

I,1.11it ;i time Jonas turned to look at her again, searching II" i 11;mil. Finding it, he smiled with both his mouth and