The Matchmaker (31 page)

Emma caught her breath at this late statement. Was
that
what this was about? Aspirations? Was she accusing Gideon of marrying Emma for her good standing in the
g’may
, instead of the real reason: that he loved her? While it was true that Hannah was still considered a newcomer to their church district and community and had not yet approached the bishop to become an official member of the
g’may
, that had nothing
to do with Gideon’s proposal. Did she honestly think that Gideon, of all people, would think less of her for that?

“Nonsense!” Emma stood up and faced her friend, trying patiently to not be motivated by emotion when she spoke. “This has nothing to do with ‘aspirations’ being too high or too low! I find that mildly offensive, Hannah. After all, our aspirations should be to honor God and not set ourselves above others by showing prejudice. Have we not learned anything in the past few months?” She tried to calm down and took a deep breath, shutting her eyes for a long moment as she formulated her next words. “I’ve already apologized for any part that I had in your disappointment with Paul, and my heart aches for your pain at the perceived loss of Gideon. Just as we were mistaken with Paul, you were mistaken about Gideon. But I can assure you that this has nothing to do with ‘aspirations,’ Hannah.” She uttered the word as if it were poison.

She meant what she had said and felt a degree of disgust, both at Hannah for having voiced such a statement and at herself for her own past behavior living it. Hadn’t it been Emma’s hopes to help Hannah turn away Ralph Martin, a pig farmer, in the hopes of attracting the attention of Paul Esh, a young Amish man from a well-respected family in the
g’may
? Hadn’t Paul expressed his own prejudice at the thought of marrying Hannah, considering her unknown background less suitable for the son of a bishop, and preferring to propose to a more notable young woman: Emma? And then there had been the issue with Hetty at the picnic, the moment when Emma had shown such an ugly face to so many, disappointing them as well as herself. Finally, Emma knew that Gideon had been correct when he had accused her of having prejudice against Jane, not just because she was
the talk of the
g’may
, but also because she suspected Gideon of taking a fancy to her.

Oh, Emma had learned some valuable lessons indeed. The experiences of the past two months had humbled her, teaching her to accept people for who they really were and not what they stood for. It was a lesson well learned and not a moment too soon. She reflected frequently on how far she had come, often wondering if Gideon would have proposed to her if she had not traveled such a journey.

The tears were now falling freely from Hannah’s eyes and she was covering her face with her hands, sobbing.

“Dear Hannah,” Emma said, her voice softening as she moved to sit beside the distraught woman on the sofa and tried to console her. “I’m so terribly sorry for any pain that you might feel.”

Quickly Hannah stood up and turned her back so that Emma could not see her tears. She tried to straighten her shoulders, attempting to put on a facade of strength that she clearly did not feel. “If you’ll excuse me,” she said softly, her voice wavering under her distress. “I’m suddenly not feeling very well and . . . and I think I might go lie down for a spell.”

Emma hung her head, knowing that it was time for her to leave. With a deep breath she stood up and started to walk toward the door. She turned her head and took a final look at Hannah, who was standing in the same spot, not moving and clearly waiting for Emma to leave. “I hope you feel better soon,” she whispered. She slipped out the door and headed for the buggy, thankful that with its help she could leave quickly.

When she arrived home, she found Gideon waiting for her on the porch. While she hadn’t told him everything, not wanting to embarrass Hannah, she had indicated that
she was headed to share news that would greatly distress her friend. Had he suspected anything, he was too much of a gentleman to put his thoughts to words. Instead, he had offered to take her to see her friend, a kind offer that Emma had politely turned down. This was something she needed to do alone.

Now as she stopped the horse and buggy in front of the small barn, she found herself relieved. His consideration, as he was waiting for her return, knowing that Emma might need extra support, was thoughtful. Yet, upon seeing him there, she realized that, in hindsight, she should not be surprised. Gideon King was truly an unselfish man with great compassion for others. It was just like him to be overly concerned and show up to comfort her when she needed it.

With an apprehensive look on his face, he regarded her countenance as he crossed the driveway to help her unharness the horse from the buggy. When she gave no indication of what she was feeling, beyond an unusual silent air about her, he merely started to unbuckle the traces connecting the horse’s harness to the buggy.

They worked in silence, side by side, Gideon occasionally glancing at her and Emma still deep in thought. When they had finished tending to the horse, he walked with her to the
haus
.

“If you wish to talk about it . . . ” he finally said as she sank onto the sofa, leaning her head against the back of it.

Shutting her eyes, she sighed and tried to think about how to share her emotions with him without harming Hannah. There was no easy way around it, so she chose to merely shake her head. “
Nee
,” she responded but smiled gently at him. “What is the saying? ‘Less said, soonest mended.’ I think that applies nicely here.”

“Gut
advice, Emma,” he said, taking a seat next to her. He reached out to brush aside a piece of stray hair that had fallen from her bun. “Now, let me tell you my news for the day!”

Not wanting to take away from his obviously good mood and interesting news, she sat up and tried to forget about Hannah. Time would heal that wound. “Please do tell me your news. I’m ready for a distraction, I think!”

“I spoke with the bishop today.” There was a sparkle in his eye. He reached out and took her hand in his.

She questioned him with her eyes. “And that is such big news?”

He laughed at her. “
Nee
, it is not. You knew that I was going to speak to him.” He lifted her hand and kissed the inside of her palm. “But it is the next part that I don’t think you would have anticipated!”

“You delight in teasing me!” she protested.

“Indeed, I do!”

She threatened to withdraw her hand.

Again he chuckled and held it tighter. “
Ja
,
vell
,” he began. “I was speaking with the bishop and informing him of our intentions. And wouldn’t you know it that Alice was sitting in the next room, working on some mending. I do believe I caught her peeking around the corner while I made the arrangement for the banns.”

Emma gasped. “She didn’t!” He gently prodded her leg in jest. “She did indeed!”

Her mood began to lift and she joined him in laughing. “I can only imagine the reaction on her face!”

“And I wouldn’t be surprised if half of the
g’may
doesn’t know already!” He didn’t seem disappointed by this proposition. “I do believe that there will be no secrets safe in our
g’may
as long as Alice Esh is part of it!”

Within two days word spread of their upcoming announcement. Upon hearing the news, Anna insisted that Samuel bring her to the Weavers’ residence where, with one look at Emma’s face beaming with mirth and happiness, whatever she had just heard was instantly confirmed. They embraced and the room soon filled with laughter. Anna insisted that Emma sit with her and share the details of this surprising news.

“I suppose I should not find it so shocking as some other recent announcements,” Anna said, her way of indicating her own feelings toward Paul’s rash marriage and Francis’s unexpected engagement. “Gideon always did seem to be a fixture at the supper table, more so toward the end of my time living here, come to think of it.”

In hindsight Emma saw it too. How she had missed Gideon’s affection for her, she never could say. They had known each other for so long that, indeed, she thought of him as family already. “I can’t say when it happened,” Emma confessed, for in truth she didn’t dare reveal Hannah’s secret admiration of Gideon, which had triggered the discovery of her own feelings for the very same man. “But once I recognized how I felt, it was oh so clear!”

Anna laughed, delighted with Emma’s admission. “It’s such
wunderbaar gut
news, Emma. And to think that he offered to move here so that your
daed
would not become unsettled. Gideon King is the very best of men, I believe!”

“As do I!” Emma happily agreed. “Even when he does scold me so!”

At this, they both laughed, knowing full well that, despite their upcoming marriage and Emma’s vow to improve herself, Gideon’s days of scolding Emma were not over.

Chapter Twenty

T
O
E
MMA
, IT felt strange to be standing in the sitting room of her
haus
, the room so familiar but the setting so surreal. The last time when so many people had gathered in their home had been years ago when Irene married John King. Today, however, the sea of people gathered there celebrated a different Weaver
dochder
getting married to another King: the older King
bruder
.

After the bishop had announced their engagement, only two Sundays ago after the worship service, Emma noticed that everything moved at an accelerated pace. Irene had been most helpful, visiting more frequently and outlining all of the things that needed to be done and organized: the house cleaned, a new dress made, invitations delivered, and food preparations assigned. These were not deeds that Emma would have either wanted or, for that matter, been able to undertake in such a short time. Emma’s appreciation for her older
schwester
’s guidance and participation was almost as great as her relief that both Irene and John expressed enormous joy over the upcoming nuptials. If Emma had ever been fearful that the couple might react with anything less than an abundance of joy, she was quickly reassured that their reaction was quite the opposite.

“I always hoped that things would turn out this way,” Irene had even confided in her as they were putting the finishing touches to the blue wedding dress that Emma would wear for the wedding ceremony and at the party that would follow. “Perhaps John might have taken a bit of convincing, but he was quick to see that the two of you are intended for each other! And knowing my John, I knew that his
bruder
would be a right
gut
husband to you. We’ve been hoping and waiting for this day for well over a year now!”

Something Emma hadn’t expected, however, was her
daed
’s interest and involvement in the planning of the wedding. At this rather unpredictable time of year, he had been terrified at the thought that Emma might not be able to marry at home, so with Gideon’s help, they had arranged for a temporary room to be built off of the sitting area that wrapped around to the porch. By enlarging that area and converting the wall of windows into an open doorway, the extra space permitted the wedding to be held at the Weavers’
haus.

Now as Emma looked out at the guests, almost four hundred of them and still counting, she was glad that her
daed
had been so wise and Gideon so accommodating.

Earlier in the day the worship service had seemed extra lengthy to Emma. She did catch Gideon’s eyes upon her a few times from across the room while the congregation sang from the
Ausbund
. She thought she saw him smile, which caused her cheeks to color. But then, just as quickly, he looked away, not wanting her to feel embarrassed.

When the time came for the ceremony, Emma rose from her bench and walked slowly to stand beside Gideon and in front of the bishop. Her
schwester
stood to her left while Gideon’s
bruder
stood to his right. The resemblance between
the two
schwesters
and their
bruder-
husbands was quite noticeable even for someone who would not have been aware of their kinships. To Emma it felt as if everything were falling into place, orchestrated by God Himself. Indeed, an aura of peace and rightfulness surrounded the congregation.