The Bishop's Daughter (40 page)

“What a surprise seeing you today,” Mary Ann said when Leona walked into the quilt shop shortly before closing time. “I’ll be leaving soon, and Abby’s already gone for the day.”

“I’ve been to the hospital to see John, and I asked Jimmy—he’s my driver today—if he’d bring me here before taking me home.”

“How’s my nephew doing? Is he gonna be okay?”

“The doctor said it will take awhile for John to feel like his old self again, but he will live, and for that I’m very grateful.”

“Me, too.” Mary Ann took a seat on the stool behind the counter. “Whew, I’m tired, and my feet are hurtin’ something awful. It’s been a long day.”

“I know how you feel.” Leona opened her purse and reached inside. “I came by to give you this,” she said, handing Abner’s envelope to Mary Ann.

“What is it?”

“Why don’t you open it and see?”

Mary Ann grabbed a pair of scissors and sliced the envelope open. When she pulled out the card, she smiled and said, “This is a surprise.
We haven’t exchanged valentines since we were kinner.”

“Oh, it’s not from me.”

“Who then?”

“Take a look inside.”

Mary Ann’s brows puckered as she read aloud what had been written inside the card. “A rainbow in the sky reminds us that God keeps His promises. A honeysuckle vine reminds me of you—pretty and sweet. Happy Valentine’s Day—Abner Lapp.”

“Well, what do you think?”

Mary Ann let the card slip from her fingers as she stared at Leona with obvious disbelief. “You’re playing matchmaker?”

“Not really. I’m more the message deliverer.”

“Are you trying to set me up with Abner?”

“It wasn’t my idea. Abner asked me to give you the valentine, and he wants to know if you’d be willing to let him court you.”

Mary Ann’s mouth dropped open. “Why didn’t he ask me himself?”

Leona leaned on the edge of the counter, wondering if she’d made a mistake by agreeing to act as Abner’s go-between. “He’s worried you might say no.”

Mary Ann stared at the card for several seconds. Finally, she turned it over and reached for a pen.

“What are you doing?”

“Writing him a note in return. Since you’re so good at playing messenger, I figured you’d be more than happy to deliver my response to him.”

“What are you going to say?”

Mary Ann’s lips slanted upward in a sly little smile. “Maybe I’ll let him tell you that.”

Leona clicked her tongue. It was typical of her good-natured friend to make her wait. Well, that was okay. She had made Abner wait when she’d promised to speak with Mary Ann on his behalf, so it was only fair that she’d have to wait to hear how Mary Ann responded to his question.

“Did you hear about Mark Stauffer’s barn catching fire?” Mom asked Leona when she returned home shortly before supper.

“No, I hadn’t heard a thing. Of course, Mark and Nancy’s daughter wasn’t in school today because she’s been out all week with a cold.” Leona hung her heavy jacket and dark bonnet on a wall peg and moved over to the counter where her mother was making a salad. “How bad was the fire?”

“It burned clear to the ground. I’m sure they’ll have a barn raising as soon as the weather improves.”

“What was the cause of the fire? Do you know?”

Mom shrugged. “We haven’t had any thunder or lightning lately, just a lot of snow. I heard from Fannie that the firemen found no sign of foul play, so they’re thinkin’ it was probably the gases from the hay that ignited the fire.”

“I’m sorry to hear this. No one ever likes to lose a barn.”

“At least they were able to get the livestock out in time.” Mom picked up a tomato and sliced it into the bowl. “During the winter months, I sure do miss our fresh produce. These store-bought vegetables don’t taste nearly as good as what we grow in our garden.”

“What can I do to help with supper?”

“You can check on the biscuits baking in the oven.”

Leona slipped into her choring apron, opened the oven door, and peered inside. “They’re not done yet.”

“So, how’s little John doing?” Mom asked. “Since you were late getting home, I figured you’d gone to the hospital to see him again.”

“I did go, and he’s doing okay.”

Mom smiled. “I’m sure John’s folks are happy about that.”

“Jah.” Leona lifted the lid on the Dutch oven near the back of their wood-burning stove and peeked at the fragrant, simmering stew.

“You seem kind of sullen this evening. Is there somethin’ you’re not telling me?”

Leona glanced at the door leading to the living room. “Where’s Papa?”

“He’s in the barn playing with your pup. Now that the goat’s getting bigger, he seems to be losin’ interest in it.”

“I’m glad he’s done with the goat, and it’s good he’s out in the barn.”

“Why’s that?”

“I don’t want Papa to hear what I’m about to say. He might repeat
it, and it would probably come out differently than the way I said it to you.”

Mom nodded toward the table. “Let’s have a seat, and you can tell me what’s on your mind.”

“What about supper?”

“The stew’s done, and the salad’s almost made, so we’re just waiting on the biscuits.” She ambled across the room and pulled out a chair. “I think we can rest our weary bones a few minutes, don’t you?”

Leona took the seat opposite her mamm, grabbed a handful of napkins, and started folding them in half. She wasn’t sure she should be sharing the things that weighed heavily on her mind, yet the burden of keeping it to herself was too much to bear.

Mom leaned across the table, pulled the napkins from Leona’s hands, and set them off to one side. “Are you feeling naerfich about something?”

Leona bit her bottom lip so hard she tasted blood. “Jah, I am a little nervous.”

“What is it, daughter? Are you feeling sick?”

“Not physically.”

“What are you saying?”

“I feel sick right here.” Leona placed her hand against her chest.

Mom’s eyebrows furrowed.

“I’m in love with someone, but it’s an impossible situation.”

“Is that all?” Mom waved her hand. “With love, there’s always a way.”

Leona blinked rapidly in an attempt to hold off the tears that stung the back of her eyes. “Nee. There’s not a way—not for me and Jimmy.”

“What was that?” Mom’s mouth dropped open, and her eyes grew round.

“I–I’m not sure when it happened, but I–I’ve fallen in love with Jimmy.”

Mom clasped her hands in front of her and placed them on the table. “Oh, Leona, this is a serious thing.”

“It would be, if either of us chose to pursue it, but—”

“You’ve got to stop seeing him right away.”

“That’s going to be hard, considering that Jimmy often comes over here to see Papa and he’s sometimes our taxi driver.”

“It will have to end—all of it!”

“But, Mom, what reason would we give for shutting Jimmy out of our lives? Papa’s grown attached to him, and he’d be upset if Jimmy quit coming around.”

Mom fiddled with the napkins she’d taken from Leona. “Does Jimmy know the way you feel?”

“I haven’t told him, but I think he might suspect.”

“Is he in love with you, as well?”

Leona drew in a shaky breath and released it slowly. “He hasn’t actually said so, but I believe he might have feelings for me.”

“Then we’ll have to pray that he leaves Lancaster County—and the sooner the better.”

“But Jimmy and I have agreed to be just friends, and even if we could be together, I would never open my heart up to another man and take the chance of losing him.”

“That’s
lecherich
, Leona,” Mom said sharply. “We’ve had this discussion before, and you know how I feel about you closing off your heart to love because you’re afraid of what the future might hold.” She pursed her lips. “I want you to fall in love and get married someday—just not to an Englisher.”

“You might think it’s ridiculous for me to feel the way I do, but the man you love didn’t die.” Leona cringed, wishing she could take back her words and feeling awfully guilty for having said them. “I’m sorry, Mom. I didn’t mean that.” She sniffed. “I know how close Papa came to dying; truth be told, you really did lose him, because most of the time, he doesn’t know who you are.”

Mom dropped her gaze to the table and sat there breathing slowly in and out. Finally, she lifted her head. “Would you mind going out to the barn to tell your daed that supper’s almost ready?”

“Sure, Mom.” Leona pushed her chair aside, grabbed her heavy shawl from a wall peg, and opened the back door.
It was a mistake to tell Mom how I feel about Jimmy. I thought she and I had been drawing closer, but she doesn’t understand how I feel about anything. I wish I had never confided in her!

J
immy was pleased that he’d been invited to help raise Mark Stauffer’s new barn. It meant the Amish he’d been living near these last nine months had accepted him.

Have I really been here that long?
he mused as he pulled into the open field where dozens of Amish buggies and several cars were parked.
I still don’t know who my real family is or even if I could give up my modern way of life to join the Amish faith. Since I now know the Amish won’t prosecute Jim for his crime, maybe I need to search harder for my family and start asking more questions. I could even run an ad in the paper or hang some signs around the county announcing that a man who had been kidnapped when he was a baby twenty years ago has returned to the area looking for his Amish family
.

His thoughts drifted back to the day he’d finally believed Jim’s story about the kidnapping, and he moaned.
What a mess I’m in, all because of one man’s sinful deed. I don’t know who my real family is or even where I belong. I’m in love with an Amish woman, but I grew up English, so I don’t know if I could ever leave that way of life. Even if I did join the Amish faith, there would be no guarantees that Leona and I could be together. She’s been through a lot and is hiding from love to guard her heart from further pain
.

As Jimmy opened his truck door, the truth slammed into him with such force he nearly fell out of his truck. As he stood and regained his balance, a blast of chilly March air took his breath away.

I’ve been hiding, too
, he thought.
By refusing to talk to Jim and unwilling to let go of my anger, I have pulled away from God
.

Jimmy gulped in some air.
Jim is the only dad I’ve ever known, and no matter how hard I try to forget him or how many times I call him Jim, he will always be Dad to me
.

He reached inside the truck for his cell phone, which he’d left lying on the seat.
I’d better call Dad right now and tell him I forgive him
.

“I’m glad you finally got here, Jimmy,” Eli called as he bounded across the open field where several other cars had parked. Eli had ridden over to the Stauffers’ place with his folks this morning, and they had left an hour sooner than Jimmy had.

“I’m glad I was invited,” Jimmy responded as his friend drew near. He placed the phone back on the seat.
I’ve waited this long to call Dad; I guess a few more hours won’t matter
.

Eli clasped Jimmy’s shoulder. “Of course you’d be invited. After all, you work for our bishop’s son, and you’ve shown yourself to be a good friend to many who are here today.”

“Any idea what I can do to help?” Jimmy asked as he and Eli headed toward a group of men who stood near the foundation where the new barn would be.

Eli nodded toward the tall Amish man with a long, flowing beard who stood on the other side of the yard talking to some of the men. “That’s Yost Zimmerman, and he’s the one to ask. Yost has built more barns and been in charge of more barn raisings than anyone I know.”

Jimmy hurried off to speak with Yost, but he’d only made it halfway there when he spotted Abraham Fisher and his two youngest boys. The twins were joking around, grabbing each other’s hats and throwing them in the air, and Abraham had even gotten in on the act.

Jimmy felt a pang of jealousy as he thought about how he’d always wanted a brother or sister.
I wish my dad had paid me a little more attention instead of being too busy with his work so much of the time
. Jimmy thought about his mother and how she had been the one to see that he’d been able to do some fun things. She had taken him to the park when he was little, seen that he’d gone to church activities, and had been there to listen whenever he needed to talk.
If I ever have the opportunity to be a father, I’m going to be there for my kids, and I’ll make sure they have good memories from their childhoods
.