Miriam's Story: Part 2 Romance in Amish Country (6 page)

“Can I pet him?” Ezra asked.

“
May
I pet him,” Miriam corrected.

“
May
I pet him, Uncle Daniel?”

Daniel smiled down at the boy. “We can do one better. Would you like to ride him?”

Miriam sucked in a sharp breath, but Daniel anticipated her objections.

“He really is docile, Miriam. And I will be at his head the entire time.”

Miriam saw everyone was looking at her expectantly, but it was the expression on her son’s face that decided her.

“All right,” she agreed. “But do exactly what Daniel tells you to do.”

“Thank you, Mama!” Ezra hugged her tightly then climbed through the fence.

“Stand still and let him sniff you first,” Daniel directed.

He laid a hand on Ezra’s shoulder then allowed the big horse to drop his head. His soft whiskers tickled as he snuffled at Ezra, and the boy giggled.

“All right, then. Up you go.”

Daniel hooked the lunge line over one shoulder and taking Ezra under the arms, lifted the boy effortlessly onto the big horse’s back. “Hold onto his sides with your legs, and wrap your fingers in his mane.

“That is right, Ezra,” Daniel praised as he began to lead the big bay slowly around the enclosure. The horse seemed to be placing his big feet very carefully as if he knew that he carried a precious cargo.

“I would never have believed it of a stallion,” Saul said. “Would you look at that?”

Adam snorted. “Just wait until he scents a mare.”

“Hush!” Shem commanded sharply, and Adam flushed with embarrassment when he realized he had spoken in front of the sisters.

Miriam took Naomi’s hand as they both suppressed giggles. It was Daniel and Ezra who really had her attention, though. Watching the man lead the big horse, and her son’s fierce concentration on his instructions, she felt her world shift once more, as if God had directed her attention toward the her son and the newcomer.

While she watched Daniel instructing and keeping a close eye on Ezra, Miriam realized that Ezra had behaved the same way with Jacob. Ezra had always been focused, trying so hard to follow directions as his father taught him how to carve a piece of wood, how to harness a horse, how to plow a straight furrow, how to bait a fishing hook, how to judge the distance of a thunder storm. She felt her eyes sting. Her son was falling in love with this man, with his new Uncle Daniel. The really frightening thought was that Miriam was afraid that she might be falling in love with him, too.

“Are you all right?” Naomi whispered in her ear.

Miriam started then took a deep breath.

“I am fine.”

“Perhaps we should go in, now. Seth can explain that you were tired and bring Ezra along when he is finished.”

Miriam glanced back at her son atop the tall horse. They had reached the far side of the enclosure, and as they rounded the bend, Ezra looked up at them and grinned. Miriam smiled back then pointed toward herself and the house. Ezra nodded then turned his attention back to Daniel. Sighing, she let her sister take her arm and lead her gently toward the house.

“What is wrong, Miriam?”

“Nothing, really,” she said. “Or at least nothing I can explain right now.”

The two sisters entered the house through the kitchen, where Ruth was preparing a cold dinner that could be eaten by the large group of hungry men who would occupy the porch shortly.

“Is everything all right?” Ruth asked when she saw their faces.

“I am not sure,” Naomi said as Miriam took a seat at the table.

“Miriam?” Ruth crossed to lay a gentle hand on Miriam’s shoulder.

“Ezra is becoming so attached to Daniel,” Miriam said with a worried frown.

“Is that a bad thing?” Ruth asked. “From what I have seen, he is a good man, and after all he has accomplished in such a short time, I must believe he is here to stay.

“And he seems particularly fond of all the children,” Naomi added.

“He is.”

Miriam told them what she knew of Daniel’s unhappy past – Deborah’s miscarriages and her untimely death.

“The poor man,” Naomi murmured. “How difficult that must have been for him. And then to have his family be so unsupportive of him professionally. I would guess they are as overly protective of Daniel as Seth’s brothers are of him. Seth loves all his brothers, but he is so thankful to have
Daed
’s support in what he is doing with Daniel. It must be even harder on Daniel, since he must live with what happened to his wife, too.”

“I did hear Seth and Daniel talking to your father last evening,” Ruth said, “and you are right, Naomi. Both men are so very thankful to Ezra for giving them a chance to pursue this dream. My brother joked that he was really only doing his best to keep his youngest daughter at home, but I think he was very pleased to be able to help two such fine young men.”

Miriam felt tears threaten and covered her face with her hands.

“Miriam!”

Ruth took a chair next to her niece and wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

“Please tell us what is wrong.”

Miriam shook her head. “I do not know! I cry so easily these days, and I do not know how much of it is Jacob, how much is simply being pregnant, or how much is…”

When Miriam stopped speaking, Ruth and Naomi shared a knowing look over the distraught girl’s head. .

“Or how much is Daniel?” Naomi guessed.

Miriam glanced up sharply.

“How can there be any ‘Daniel?’” she asked sharply. “I barely
know
Daniel, and Jacob…”

She broke off once more, and Ruth pulled her into her arms, rocking her gently as she had as a child during those early years after her mother’s death. Miriam sobbed, emotionally spent, confused, and uncertain.

“Do you love Daniel?” Ruth asked softly, when Miriam had quieted.

Miriam pulled away and reached for her handkerchief.

“I do not know,
Aenti
Ruth. How can I? It is too soon for love. It would be wrong for me to love another man when Jacob has only been gone such a short time.” Miriam looked up at her aunt. “Would it not?” she added, desperately seeking an answer.

Ruth sighed, rubbing Miriam’s back in comfort. “Would it, child?” she asked gently. “Can it be wrong, if it is love that you feel? Daniel obviously loves your children—anyone can see that in the way he is with them. And I have seen him watching you, too, Miriam.”

“He watches me?”

“Like a thirsty man in a desert,” Naomi answered definitively, laying her hand on her sister’s shoulder and giving it a firm squeeze. “Remember, it has been almost two years for him. And though it has been a lot less time for you, Miriam, how can loving a man who loves you be wrong?”

“I do not know that he does love me, Naomi,” Miriam said, wiping her face with her handkerchief and blowing her nose. “I cannot even be certain I love him, the way my emotions are carrying on these days.”

“Well, there must be a reason Seth found him among that mob of horsemen and trainers he met last spring,” Naomi insisted. “I have to believe Daniel was meant to come here.”

Miriam smiled slightly. “Are you saying you believe he and I were fated to be together?”

“Perhaps.”

“But Seth met Daniel before Jacob died,” Ruth said. “I do not much like the sound of that.”

“Nor do I,” Miriam agreed firmly.

“I did not mean that,” Naomi said. “I merely meant that Daniel was fated to come here and be a part of this community. If Jacob had not died, then Daniel would have still become ‘Uncle Daniel’ to your children, since our families are so close, and we see so much of each another.”

“But Jacob did die,” Miriam whispered, “and now Daniel…”

“God stirs hearts in many ways and for many reasons,” Ruth said. “Perhaps Naomi is right. Daniel was meant to become a good friend to this family, only now God has made it possible for him to become more—especially to you, Miriam.”

“Jacob would have liked Daniel,” Miriam said, feeling quite certain of that one point, at least.

“I agree,” Ruth said.

Miriam sighed then started when she heard male voices coming from outside.

“Please do not tell anyone about this!” she said, grasping at their arms.

“Do not worry, Miriam,” Naomi said.

“Naomi, you take that big tray of food out onto the porch,” Ruth said, giving Miriam a reassuring pat on the back as she rose. “I will follow with the drinks, so they will have no need to come into the house at all.”

“Good idea.” Naomi rose quickly, hefted the large platter, and headed for the door.

“Wash your face, love,” Ruth suggested to Miriam. “Everything will be all right.”

Miriam smiled up at her aunt as Ruth took up the tray with pitchers of cold tea and glasses and followed Naomi. She took a deep, steadying breath then headed for the bathroom. She had some very observant brothers-in-law to fool, and if Daniel was watching her as closely as Naomi and Ruth thought he was, she imagined that he would guess she had been crying as soon as he saw her,. Deciding that there was no sense in stirring his concern, Miriam determined to ensure that she left no trace of tears on her face.

Chapter Seven

A
week later, Miriam heard the horse before she saw the man, and when she glanced out the kitchen window, she recognized Daniel’s new blood bay gelding right away.

“Who is that coming, then?” Rachel asked, coming in from the pantry.

“It is Daniel.”

“Oh? Go find out what he needs—and ask if he would like to stay for supper.”

Wondering if Rachel had some kind of ulterior motive concerning her and Daniel, Miriam took a deep breath and stepped out onto the porch. She watched Daniel pause long enough to greet Shem, who was walking up from the barn. He dismounted then walked to the house with the older man.

“Welcome, Daniel!” Rachel greeted him, coming out of the house behind Miriam. “To what do we own this visit?”

“I have a favor to ask of your husband.”

“Oh?”

“It seems
Herr
Petershwim has a mare for sale, and Seth believes she would be a good purchase for us. The problem is that he does not think the man will sell her to a Miller.”

“He is probably right about that,” Rachel said.

Shem chuckled. “I do not think Seth Petershwim would sell horse
manure
to the Millers.”

“Why is that?” Miriam asked, surprised that Shem would joke about her family this way.

“Yes, why, Grandpapa?” little Rebecca asked.

Shem settled into a rocking chair on the porch and welcomed his youngest granddaughter into his lap.

“The Petershwims do not speak to the Millers, I am afraid.”

“Why not, for heaven’s sake?” Miriam asked testily. She had never heard of such a thing.

“Oh, it goes back a long way, daughter, before your parents were married.”

“Even further,” Rachel said, “for as I remember, it all started in school.”

“Yes, but it was later that Petershwim was really offended.”

“By what?” Daniel asked, as curious as Miriam.

“Why, Miriam’s mama, of course,” Rachel said. “Seth Petershwim courted Leah all through school and for years after, but Leah always had her eye on Ezra, so in spite of Ezra’s far more humble circumstances, she turned down Seth Petershwim’s proposal and went and asked Ezra to marry her.”

“What!” Miriam was aghast, both shocked and pleased her mother would have done such a thing. “Why did I not know about this?”

Shem laughed. “It happened long ago, my dear.”

“I doubt anyone but
Herr
Petershwim and your father remember it,” Rachel added. “Except for us, of course, but then Shem and Ezra were neighbors, and Leah was a good friend of mine from the time we were children.”

“Ezra was smart to tell Seth before he tried to buy Petershwim’s horse, though,” Shem said thoughtfully.

“So, you are willing to go and introduce me to him?” Daniel asked.

Shem chuckled. “I would be glad to. When?”

“As early tomorrow as possible. Seth heard about the horse from
Herr
Lapp, the grocer, and it seems Petershwim is anxious to sell. Apparently the mare is of good breeding but is badly behaved.”

“Then how will you be able to use her, Uncle Daniel?” Ezra asked.

“Well, usually when a horse acts up, it is for a reason, Ezra. Without looking at her, I would say she might not have been trained right in the beginning, or she might have had a bad experience in traffic, or Petershwim might be a bad driver. It could even be a combination of all three.”

“But you can fix her, right?” Ezra asked.

Daniel laughed. “I can try. If she does not respond to my training all the way, we will still have obtained a quality brood mare—if
Herr
Petershwim did not exaggerate her qualities to
Herr
Lapp, that is. On the other hand, if I can ‘fix’ her, I would love to see your Grandfather Miller drive through town with her.”

He winked at Rebecca, making everyone laugh.

“Will you join us for supper, Daniel?” Rachel asked after a moment.

“Thank you. I would like that,
Frau
Fisher,” he said, meeting Miriam’s eyes.