Abram's Daughters 02 The Betrayal (6 page)

"Aw, what's a-matter, Hannah?" 1

"I wish I could understand what you mean. That's all II best be sayin'." I

The fact they didn't share a great love for reading w;i|J beside the point. Hannah was clearly pained by Mary Ruth's I revelation that she was obsessed with books, especially fiction. I I wish I'd never said a word, she thought. I

She leaned over and tipped her head toward her twin's, I their white prayer bonnets forming a double heart as the horse I pulled them toward Strasburg. I

While Mary Ruth hurried across the street to the library, ] Hannah made a beeline to the gift shop with her basketful of] newly embroidered handkerchiefs in hand. Happily, she received her payment from the owner, Frances Brubaker, a short, petite woman in her thirties, Hannah guessed. Then she counted out forty more cotton hankies, a third of which showcased embroidered bumblebees this time. The rest wciv

birds' nests with pale blue eggs nestled inside, and there were

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iniiluMN of fruit, too all colors. She had decided it was H ntllvh something different than the birds and multii' l butterflies of the last grouping.

' >'||d she was there, two English women came into the

-in more talkative than the other. Both were oohing K .liliyj over the various items, as if never having laid eyes

I 'ulinnde" things, which was the word they kept repeat-

1 I (Ills somewhat reverently. They spotted Hannah near I i'ilt'1' and took an immediate interest, peering over at I: 'Till times, unashamed at their curiosity. Each time,

i 11, Aw had to look away, suffering the same uncontrol-

1< i "linn of shyness she had while tending to the roadside

| 11 Amishwoman with several children in tow came into | 11 11ie other day," Frances addressed her from behind | Miner. "She was looking to buy a whole bunch of | leivd hankies. But she specifically requested cutuiork | I'lc.ry, like the one she brought to show me." I i ' iniiiih was "surprised at this. "What did it look like?"

I r||, ii had a dainty emerald-and-gold butterfly sewn

I

I ilie corner."

j . ml cutwork, you say?"

I ! 11Hi's nodded. "The customer was very interested in it,

1 ' 'lhing else would do. She said she wants to give a quani ilu-m away on her son's wedding day . . . that she'd stop

in .i month or so. Could you duplicate a hankie like that

.. II'"

I ' liiyho so if I could see it." Hannah found this more

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curious than she cared to say. Truth was, she'd made only our such cutwork butterfly hankie in her life. And awful pretty, il she thought so herself. She'd given it, along with cross stitched pillowcases, as a gift three years ago to Sadie on lu-i sixteenth birthday. Sadie's reaction had been one of such j< iy Hannah decided it should remain extra special. Never again would she make the cutwork style on any of her other h;in kies, either for sale or for gifts, in honor of Sadie's turninr. courting age.

"I would make most anything else . . . just not a handkn chief like that." She wondered who the woman had been, ask ing about a handkerchief so surprisingly similar to Sadie', own. But she kept her peace and said no more.

Still, she couldn't stop thinking how peculiar this was and felt a bit crestfallen. Had someone seen Sadie's special hankie ami decided to copy it? she wondered.

Back in the carriage on the ride home, Mary Ruth sat wit h her library books balanced on her lap as she attempted to hold the reins.

"How will you get all of them into the house?" Hannah asked, eyeing the books.

"Oh, I'll manage somehow, even if I have to sneak them in two at a time. Meanwhile, why don't you trade places with me?" She handed the reins over to Hannah, who promptly switched to the driver's seat.

They rode along for a time in complete silence. Mary

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II til ylad fo peek into the pages of the first book in her II I Mt'lt' linn's Cabin. And by the time the horse turned in. narrow road at Rohrer's Mill, the water-powered grist ||. lu-'il already completed the first chapter. Her heart cried I With t'iimpassion for the slave girl Eliza and her handsome Lu mm, I larry. With such strong emotions stirring, she ^h'i .iir-w how she could ever give up this fascination ^Hh |'limed page. Could she quickly devour oodles of ^Hui .satisfy her appetite, then join church, hoping that ^BUpring of joy might linger on through the years, even ^H-ttheM never read again? She supposed it was one way ^H nt the problem, though she'd have to come clean to ^Hjf Yoder before ever taking her kneeling vow, espe^wll h this new passion for fabricated stories. Wne marked the page with her finger, then asked Hannah, i ikl do you want to be when you get baptized?" isiivn or so," Hannah said. "Seems to me we oughta i Innvh together."

11i'ii as she thought.

I Inimaji was quiet for a time, then she said, "If you end

in' h> high school " >h, 1 will go," Mary Ruth interrupted. "Somehow or

'Icuy, then, what will you do 'bout Elias Stoltzfus?" l.iry Ruth paused. "I don't think that's somethin' to uy my head over, really, seein' as how neither of us is of tin' age yet. Elias is just fourteen." Human turned from her, looking away. Bpniy Ruth leaned forward. "I'm sorry. Did I upset you?" Kt's nothin'," Hannah was too quick to admit. She sniffled

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a bit, then straightened. "I just thought . . . well, that maybe Elias might change your thinkin', ya know. Maybe he'd niiikt* a difference in your future somehow."

Fact was, Elias had begun to upset the fruit basket. The more she ran into him at Preaching and whatnot, and the more she talked with him even briefly, the more she liked him. A lot ... truth be told. It was like stepping barefool mi a nettle, seeing it tear away at the flesh of enthusiasm ;nnl desire. If she gave in to her attraction to him, and his to lu'i, it wouldn't be but a few years and she'd be riding home from Sunday singings with him. He'd end up courting her . . . and then what? What if the same enormous hunger for booki showed up in one or more of their children? Such a thing would bring heartache to both her and Elias's families. A

No, she thought it best to nip her romantic interest in ilnl bud, refuse his attention for the sake of her own ambit it nil She knew she was born to be a schoolteacher. In short, shil could not deprive herself of the one true thing that mattvinl most to her on God's green earth. , . : I

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When they arrived home, the sky had turned dark wit h threatening clouds. "It'll soon be makin' down," she s;ikl, working with Hannah to unhitch the horse from the buggy,

"A nice rain would help the crops," Hannah said, drawing in her breath loudly enough for Mary Ruth to hear. "Should I run inside and see where Mamma might be just now?"

Mary Ruth nodded, noting the look of dire concern on

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pt' frtce. "Jah, go have a look-see. Meanwhile, I'll water Li! lh horse."

BiHwh strolled down to the house, calm as you please,

1 rt Jiffy she returned with a big smile on her face. pin'if nursin' Lydiann upstairs," she whispered. "Best

Lw,"

Vhore'H Dat, do you think?"

wiiiuh had a ready answer. "Both Dat and Leah are out

B1 I In- pasture, bringin' home the cows for milkin'."

Llul Sadie?"

lltM'i mind her," Hannah replied, shaking her head.

I nowhere round that I saw. Besides, she would hardly

Liw

V I'onlident as can be, Mary Ruth carried all seven books tin- barnyard and into the house. Hannah led the way, Hi: buck at her every now and then as they hurried bh i he empty kitchen and up the long flight of stairs, hi < in their bedroom Mary Ruth separated the books i>i down on her hands and knees, pushing a group of hen three clear under the bed, far as she could reach. flu-re," she said, rising up, "who's goin' to look that far the bed?"

#-

Ifler supper Mary Ruth headed out toward the back I. On the edge of dusk, the evening was still light enough It lo go walking. But on second thought she decided to ing in the hayloft a bit. The long rope hung high on the

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rafters as a constant reminder of happy childhood days, and it was easy to ponder one's life out there amidst baled hay and weary animals moving slowly in the warm, dusty stable below. The mouse catchers were sure to keep her company, too.

On the way to the barn, she spotted Dat and Gideon talking in the cornfield. Dat placed his hand on Gid's shoulder for a time, thanking him, no doubt, for his afternoon help.

Dat's reeling in the smithy's son closer all the time, she thought. She was almost certain her father had a trick or two up his sleeve yet. But if that was true, he sure didn't have much time left to botch Leah's plans to marry Jonas Mast.

Besides that, if Dat did not succeed in getting Leah's eyes on Gid, something would have to give with farm chores when the time came for Leah and Jonas to set up housekeeping. Dat would definitely have to hire someone nearly full-time more than likely Gid Peachy. But what a thorn in the side to poor Dat, who preferred to have Gid as his son-in-law, not as a hired hand. She could tell by the look on her father's ruddy face that he was much too partial to Smithy Gid, the way he spoke kindly of the brawny young man used to be in Leah's hearing which he didn't do so much anymore.

Still, she couldn't help feeling Dat just might keep Leah from marrying the boy she loved, one way or another. Mary Ruth clenched her jaw at the very notion, wishing she and her sisters weren't so hog-tied around here.

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JTriday dawned much cooler, and Abram, Ida, and the girls were grateful for the relief. While Mary Ruth took her turn lending the vegetable stand out front, Leah, Sadie, and Hannah weeded the enormous vegetable garden, spraying for Insects so the family, not the bugs, could reap the benefit of (heir labors.

Leah worked tirelessly for hours, harvesting summer .squash, carrots, peppers, and pounds of cucumbers. They'd already put up a bounty of pickles, both sweet and dill, and Mamma suggested they take even more cucumbers out to the roadside stand to sell. "Or give 'em away if you have to."

While doing her backbreaking gardening, Leah intentionally forced her thoughts away from Sadie to the inviting spot In the forest. The mental picture was even more delightful because Sadie and she were at odds terribly so. And now that she'd stuck her foot in her mouth over Naomi's wedding request, well, Leah was at a loss to know what to say or do next.

All morning she suffered troublesome feelings toward her

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rafters as a constant reminder of happy childhood days, and it was easy to ponder one's life out there amidst baled hay and weary animals moving slowly in the warm, dusty stable below. The mouse catchers were sure to keep her company, too.

On the way to the barn, she spotted Dat and Gideon talking in the cornfield. Dat placed his hand on Gid's shoulder for a time, thanking him, no doubt, for his afternoon help.

Dat's reeling in the smithy's son closer all the time, she thought. She was almost certain her father had a trick or two up his sleeve yet. But if that was true, he sure didn't have much time left to botch Leah's plans to marry Jonas Mast.

Besides that, if Dat did not succeed in getting Leah's eyes on Gid, something would have to give with farm chores when the time came for Leah and Jonas to set up housekeeping. Dat would definitely have to hire someone nearly full-time more than likely Gid Peachy. But what a thorn in the side to poor Dat, who preferred to have Gid as his son-in-law, not as a hired hand. She could tell by the look on her father's ruddy face that he was much too partial to Smithy Gid, the way he spoke kindly of the brawny young man used to be in Leah's hearing which he didn't do so much anymore.

Still, she couldn't help feeling Dat just might keep Leah from marrying the boy she loved, one way or another. Mary Ruth clenched her jaw at the very notion, wishing she and her sisters weren't so hog-tied around here.

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I riday dawned much cooler, and Abram, Ida, and the girls were grateful for the relief. While Mary Ruth took her turn lending the vegetable stand out front, Leah, Sadie, and Hannah weeded the enormous vegetable garden, spraying for Insects so the family, not the bugs, could reap the benefit of their labors.

Leah worked tirelessly for hours, harvesting summer squash, carrots, peppers, and pounds of cucumbers. They'd ulready put up a bounty of pickles, both sweet and dill, and Mamma suggested they take even more cucumbers out to the roadside stand to sell. "Or give 'em away if you have to."

While doing her backbreaking gardening, Leah intentionally forced her thoughts away from Sadie to the inviting spot in the forest. The mental picture was even more delightful because Sadie and she were at odds terribly so. And now that she'd stuck her foot in her mouth over Naomi's wedding request, well, Leah was at a loss to know what to say or do next.

All morning she suffered troublesome feelings toward her

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elder sister. The silence between them became worse than annoying. Sadie harbored resentment toward her, that was clear. The slightest reference to Sadie's need for repentance had been met with disdain.

Once the gardening was done, Leah hurried up to Aunt Lizzie's, wanting to go in search of the honey locust tree. She hoped she could talk openly with Lizzie while tramping through the woods on their search. Surely Aunt Lizzie would not see this as an excuse to gossip heaven forbid! but rather take to prayer the things on Leah's heart. Such perplexing emotions made Leah wonder if her prayers might simply bounce off the bedroom ceiling instead of wending their way to the Throne of Grace.