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There were cattle and other sheep grazing in the distance. Eli went to the fence and quickly made a repair. Then he returned to carefully lift the goat from her arms and set the animal inside the secured pasture. Martha stood and brushed dirt and bits of grass from the hem of her skirt and her apron as he rejoined her.
Smiling, he shook his head. “I don’t think you’ll be able to get out the stains without a washing.”
She flashed him a rueful smile. “Ja.” She fell into step with him and they headed toward Annie and EJ. “Danki for your help.”
“My pleasure. I enjoyed it.” He felt his heart thump hard as they locked gazes. Startled, he quickly refocused his attention on his sister-in-law. “Annie, Jacob or Peter will come for you later.”
Annie nodded, then released EJ, who stumbled toward him on unsteady legs. Eli swung the boy high and then into his arms. “I have to leave, buddy. Your uncle Noah needs me for deliveries. He’s probably wondering where I am.”
“I’m sorry.” Martha looked apologetic. “I’ve kept you from your work.”
“It was worth it,” he assured her and meant it. “I needed the exercise.” And he’d enjoyed seeing this other side of Ike King’s widow. He grinned. “I haven’t had this much fun in years.” He gave his nephew a hug, then set him down. “Be a gut boy for your mudder.” He laughed when the child beamed an innocent smile at him.
Annie caught her son’s hand and drew him tenderly to her side. “Jacob will be disappointed that he missed the chase.”
Eli shrugged. “I think we did well considering. Don’t you, Martha?” He studied her, saw her smile and nod. “And Jacob would have been thick in the middle of it with us if he’d been here.”
Martha lifted a hand to straighten her head covering, but her hairpins had shifted, making it impossible for her to fix it. “Would you like something to drink before you go?”
“Nay. I appreciate the offer.” He stifled the urge to help Martha with her kapp. He grabbed his hat from the front seat of the wagon, finger-combed his hair and put his hat back on his head. He became conscious of Annie’s regard.
“What exactly did Noah want you to do today?” Her blue eyes twinkled as she studied him.
“I’ll be making deliveries for him.” Eli groaned and briefly closed his eyes as he realized that he was in no condition to greet Noah’s customers.
His sister-in-law snickered. “Not looking as you do now.” Her expression turned thoughtful. “You’re not the same size as Noah, but I imagine he’ll have clean clothes you can borrow.”
“But will he have enough soap and water?” Eli heard Martha laugh as he climbed into the buggy. The sound rippled over him, making him smile.
“You can wash up in the house,” she suggested. “I may be able to find something clean for you to wear.” She paused when Annie whispered in her ear. Eyes widening, Martha gave a short gasp of laughter. “On second thought, maybe you should ask Noah.”
“Ja, you’d best get moving, Eli,” Annie urged. “It looks like you have your work cut out for you before you make deliveries.” Laughter lurked in her blue eyes, and Eli scowled playfully at her.
“Danki, Eli,” Martha said. “I couldn’t have caught them without your help.”
“You would have eventually,” Eli said, “but I’m glad I was able to assist.” He readjusted his hat before he reached for the leathers. “It may be a gut idea to have your fence checked.” He gave them each a nod. “Martha. Annie. Have a gut day.”
With a click of his tongue and a flick of the leathers, he drove the vehicle toward the main road. A quick glance back showed him that Martha watched his departure. He smiled. The widow lingered in his thoughts as Eli pulled into the graveled lot next to his brother’s furniture shop. He tied his mare to the hitching post and turned as Noah exited the building.
“Where’ve you been?” Noah asked as Eli approached. His brother gaped at him as they drew closer. “What happened to you?”
Eli removed his hat to run a hand through his hair. “I took Annie to Martha King’s for Jacob.”
“You had an accident!” Noah gasped, eyeing him with concern. “Annie—is she all right?”
“Ja, she is fine. But there was no accident. I had a run-in with two sheep, a cow and a goat.” He chuckled at his brother’s puzzled look. “I helped Martha with escaped livestock.”
“And you got to looking this way how?”
Eli smiled crookedly. “They’re wily critters. The cow wasn’t hard to corner, but Martha’s two sheep and goat were too cunning. Martha fared worse than me.” He felt his mouth twitch before he allowed laughter to escape. “I actually enjoyed the chase. But I’m afraid I can’t make deliveries looking like this.” He gestured at his clothing. “Do you have a clean shirt and pants I can borrow?”
“Ja.” Noah gazed at him with twinkling brown eyes that held mischief. “Rachel will enjoy a gut laugh when she sees you.”
Eli gave him a sour look. “I’m not going to the house. If you don’t care how I look, then I don’t.”
His brother’s amusement faded. Noah sighed. “They’re on the wall hook near the sink.”
“Danki.” Eli washed his face, neck and hands in the back room; then he dried his face with a clean towel from a stack on the shelf above the sink. As he changed his clothes, he thought of Martha. He envisioned her with her hair neat under a freshly laundered kapp. He imagined her wearing a purple dress with a clean black work apron. He smiled as he pulled the stopper on the sink and the water drained while he hung the towel to dry.
He rejoined Noah in the front room. “Better?”
“Better than what?” Noah joked. “The pants are a little short, but they’ll do. No one will notice but me.”
“Then I’m presentable enough for deliveries.”
“As gut as you can be,” his brother teased.
Eli snarled at him playfully. “Then let’s get to work. Do you have a list?”
“Ja.” Noah gave him a sheet of paper. As Noah explained about the pieces for delivery, Eli found his mind wandering...back to the King farm and the woman whose laughter had delighted him while lighting up her features.
“Eli! Pay attention!” his brother said sharply. “Did you hit your head while you were chasing animals?”
Eli thought of the impact of Martha’s smile. “Something like that,” he murmured before he made an effort to focus on work.
* * *
“I’d have loved to join the chase,” Annie admitted as she followed Martha into the farmhouse.
Martha picked up EJ to carry him inside. “It was fun, but I’m glad it’s over and they’re penned up again.” She smiled at the child’s resemblance to Eli. “It was exhausting—I was at it for a while before you and Eli came. Thank the Lord you did, or I’d still be chasing them.”
“I wish I had your energy,” Annie said with a sigh. “Lately I’ve been too tired to do much of anything. This little one here—” She gestured toward her son. “He keeps me busy. I’m glad it’s late April and the weather is finally warming again. I’ll have to take EJ outside to play often. Maybe he’ll tire himself out in the fresh air. Then I can have a long lie-down while he takes his nap.”
“’Tis wonderful to get out of the house, ja?”
Annie eased herself down onto a kitchen chair and gestured for Martha to set EJ on the floor beside her. She regarded her son with tender warmth. “Ja. It was a long winter. Especially for you.” She watched her son as he sat quietly and stared up at his mother. “He’s being a gut boy. Do ya have a pan or pot he can play with?”
“Ja, in the cupboard.” Martha opened a door and took out two pans along with a big metal stockpot. Then she dug into a drawer for wooden and metal spoons.
“You may regret giving those to him,” Annie warned as Martha placed the spoons inside the biggest pot and gently pushed it in the boy’s direction.
The toddler immediately reached for the spoon and began to bang on the sides of the pot. “I see what you mean,” Martha said with a laugh. Before EJ had a chance to protest, she switched the spoon for a plastic spatula. The child grinned at her happily, stuck the spatula in a pan and stirred it about.
“Have you started on your vegetable garden?” Annie asked conversationally when her son was settled.
“I worked up the soil, but I haven’t decided what to plant. You?”
Annie’s smile held regret. “No garden this year, I’m afraid.” She patted her pregnant belly. “I can’t bend to garden.”
“I’ll put it in for you,” Martha offered.
“You’re a gut friend, but I can’t let you do that.”
“Then I’ll bring you vegetables from mine,” Martha insisted and was pleased when Annie didn’t argue.
The women chatted and enjoyed tea while EJ played contently on the floor. Martha enjoyed the delightful morning spent in good company.
“What was all that whispering about?” Martha asked her friend as she had a surge of memory of Annie murmuring gibberish into her ear before instructing her to laugh, then encourage Eli to go to Noah’s.
Annie grinned. “Do you know what it’s like to be married to a twin? Eli is a consummate tease. I was just attempting to get one up on him.”
Martha chuckled. “I see.” She unwrapped Annie’s brownies and poured EJ a glass of milk while the boy’s mother encouraged him to climb onto her lap. Annie rewarded him with a cookie before she reached for a brownie.
Martha rejoined her friend at the table. A heavy knock resounded on her back door. “Who on earth...?” Answering it, she was startled to see her brother-in-law with three Lapp men—Samuel and his sons Jacob and Eli.
“Amos!” she exclaimed with surprise. “Is everything oll recht?”
“Ja, Martha, all is fine,” her brother-in-law assured her. “We’ve come to discuss your farm.”
An older version of her late husband, Amos wore wire-rimmed spectacles.
She allowed her gaze to stray briefly to the twins, especially Eli, who’d entered the house behind Amos and Samuel. Like the other men in the room, Eli had taken off his hat and held it. “I planned to seek your advice on who to hire to plant my fields.”
With a smile for his wife, Jacob went to Annie’s side and gathered EJ from her lap. The boy was happy to go to his father. Jacob smiled as he held his son close. “Martha, there’s no need to hire workers. We’d like to do the planting for you.” He hesitated before continuing. “We’ll need seed. We can order it for you.”
“’Tis already been bought.” She felt uncomfortable being the focus of so much male attention. “After Ike purchased the new equipment, he ordered and paid for seed in advance. He mentioned that delivery would be this spring, but I have no idea when.”
“Do you know where he bought it?” Eli asked, drawing her gaze.
“I have the receipt. I think he bought it from the same place as you, Amos.” She’d found the receipt on the floor near her clothes chest recently. After its discovery, she’d been thankful that Ike had prepaid for the seed. She didn’t know why he had, except that it might have had to do with his excitement over his new farm equipment.
“If you’ll get it, I’ll check on the delivery date for you. Will Wednesday of next week be gut for you?”
“But what of your own properties?” Martha was grateful for their help, but not at the risk of taking them from their own farmwork.
“We’ll be done before then,” Samuel assured her.
“Your help means a lot to me.” She felt the onset of emotional tears and blinked to clear them.
Eli smiled. “Friends and family help each other.”
The memory of his grimy face and dirty clothing as Eli had chased after her animals flashed into her mind. The pleasure from the image startled her. “I’ll get the receipt,” she said before she hurried upstairs to her old room. The bill of sale was right where she’d put it, inside the trunk near the foot of the bed she’d once shared with her husband. Then she returned quickly to the waiting men and handed Amos the receipt.
Her brother-in-law nodded with satisfaction as he studied it. “Ja, same place.” He stuck the receipt into the crown of his hat. “I’ll let you know what I find out.”
Martha inclined her head. “Danki.”
“Are you ready to go home?” Jacob asked his wife.
“Ja.” Annie smiled at her handsome husband, who lovingly cradled their young sleepy son. She turned to Martha. “It’s been a lovely day, Martha. Will you stop by our haus soon? We can visit while EJ naps,” she said.
“I’d enjoy that,” Martha agreed. “After the planting, if you’re feeling up to it.”
“I’ll make dessert for Wednesday,” Annie offered.
“No need. There will be more than enough food.” She’d make sure of it.
Amos and Samuel put on their hats as they stepped outside. Martha followed more slowly with Annie and Jacob. She watched as Jacob, using one hand, helped Annie into their vehicle before he handed her their son. Amos and Samuel stopped to talk near their vehicles. Then Amos got into his buggy and left, while Samuel Lapp waited by his vehicle as he looked back toward the house. “Martha, have you seen Eli?”
“Here, Dat,” Eli’s deep voice startled her from behind, causing her to spin to face him. “Martha.”
“Eli! I didn’t realize you were still inside.”
“Annie forgot EJ’s hat.” He held up the child’s small black-banded straw hat to show his father, and with a nod Samuel climbed into his vehicle.
Eli returned his attention to Martha. Her heart pounded as she gazed up at him. There was something about him with his golden locks, azure eyes and charming smile that did something strange to her insides. Alarmed by the feeling, she didn’t smile back.
“If you need anything, just ask,” Eli said. “All of us Lapps are handy with construction tools.”
“That’s kind of you.” And it got Martha to thinking. The house needed repairs. Maybe after the planting she could hire the Lapps.
“Eli?” his father called through the open buggy window.
“Coming, Dat.” He seemed reluctant to go. “It didn’t take long to finish Noah’s deliveries,” he said as if she’d asked. “Some customers weren’t at home. As you see, I found clean clothes.” He started to cross the yard, then paused to grin back at her. “Don’t be chasing livestock while I’m not here,” he teased.
Martha had to smile. “I won’t.” Senses tingling, she watched as he climbed into his father’s buggy and while they drove away from the farmhouse down her dirt lane. Eli Lapp was too charming, too handsome and too young—seven years younger—for her to give him another thought. She was getting ahead of herself. So what if she noticed an attractive man when she saw him? It didn’t mean anything. She was still determined to remain single and manage on her own.
Chapter Three
Martha carried a large chocolate cake as she exited her farmhouse. She smiled at Meg Stoltzfus, who waited on the front porch.
“Let me,” the girl said as she took the cake plate.
It was visiting Sunday. Meg, the young woman who’d stayed with her after Ike’s death and through the winter, wanted to ride with her to the Samuel Lapps, their hosts. Meg often visited or attended church with her since moving back home. Despite their ten-year age difference, Martha and Meg had become good friends.
“How does your vadder feel about your riding with me again?” Martha asked as they headed toward her buggy. She didn’t mind driving alone, but Meg wanted to come for reasons of her own, and Martha enjoyed the company.
Meg leaned inside Martha’s vehicle and set the cake on the back floor. She grinned as she straightened. “I enjoy the extra room. It feels crowded in the back of Dat’s buggy.”
Martha approached the Stoltzfuses’ carriage. “Morning, Arlin.” She smiled. “Nice to see you again. Missy, you, too.” Missy was Arlin’s wife. “I hope you don’t mind Meg coming with me again. She’s a wonderful girl. I enjoy her company, especially after the winter I had.” After Ike’s death.
Arlin’s stern, weathered face softened. “Staying with you was gut for her,” he admitted.
Meg’s four sisters were seated in the backseat of the vehicle. “Hallo.” The girls returned her greeting.
“Dat, can I ride with Martha, too?” Charlie, named Charlotte at birth, was Meg’s youngest sister. Charlie’s nickname had worked out well since Martha’s niece, who lived in Happiness, too, was also named Charlotte. The older Charlotte was happily married to Deacon Abram Peachy.
Arlin frowned while he seemed to struggle with his daughter’s request.
“I don’t mind if she rides with us, Arlin, but it’s entirely up to you.” Martha made the offer carefully; she didn’t want to offend.
“Ja, Dat, it will be fun if Charlie rides with us.” Meg beamed at him. “I promise we’ll take gut care of her. This afternoon we’ll ride home with you.”
Finally, Arlin gave a curt nod. “Oll recht,” he said, glancing back toward his youngest. “You may go with Martha and Meg.” There were murmurs from the backseat as Charlie scrambled from the vehicle on her mother’s side. He held up a hand. “Don’t ask!” he warned his other daughters. “The rest of you will ride with your mudder and me this morning.”
Ellie Stoltzfus leaned forward between her mother and father. “We are comfortable right here with you, Dat.”
The man’s expression softened. “We should go,” he said gruffly. “Katie will be wondering where we are.”
Friends and families gathered to spend time with each other on visiting Sundays. Unlike church days when service started early, visiting occasions began leisurely with folks leaving for their destination midmorning. Martha enjoyed visiting family and friends.
“I’ll follow you,” Martha told Arlin, and the man nodded.
As Arlin steered the horse back toward the main road, Martha, Meg and Charlie climbed into Martha’s vehicle, and Martha drove her horse to follow. The Lapp farm was on the opposite end of their village. As they drove past the William Mast property, Martha spied William and Josie approaching in their gray family buggy. “Morning, William. Josie,” she called. She waved to the couple and their three children, who happily waved back. Martha continued to steer past Jacob and Annie’s house, the Joseph Zook farm and Zook’s Blacksmithy.
“Looks like Jacob and Annie may have already left,” Meg commented. “I don’t see anyone at their house.”
“Ja,” her sister said. Charlie leaned forward and gestured past Meg and Martha toward a residence on the left side of the road. “Look! There are Noah and Rachel. And their baby!”
Martha caught sight of Rachel and Noah exiting their house. “Noah! Rachel!” She slowed her buggy and waved.
The couple grinned and returned the wave. “Martha! Heading over to Mam and Dat’s?” Noah said as he cradled his daughter lovingly against his chest.
“Ja. ’Tis a great day for visiting.”
“Ja, a fine one indeed,” he called back pleasantly. “We’ll see you when we get there.”
“Who else do you think will be coming?” Meg asked as Martha drove on to catch up with Arlin.
“Not Reuben Miller, if that’s why you’re wondering,” Charlie said. “Ya know he’s not from our church district. Mostly likely, he’ll be visiting his own friends and neighbors.”
Meg got quiet. “I didn’t ask about him.”
Martha shot her a sympathetic look. “Have you seen him recently?” This past winter Martha had become Meg’s confidante. She’d heard all about Meg’s feelings for Reuben Miller, who had shown an interest in the girl last year at a youth singing. Reuben had sat across from Meg and paid her special attention during two additional singings, but then had become noticeably absent ever since. “Meg?”
“Nay.” Meg kept her eyes on the road ahead. “It’s been a while.”
“The Zooks will be there,” Charlie offered, obviously trying to cheer up her sister. “Peter should be with them.”
“Peter.” Meg groaned. “The last thing I need is that boy following me with those dark puppy dog eyes of his.”
“Meg, what’s the matter with you?” her sister exclaimed. “Peter is a nice boy, and he likes you.” She sighed dramatically. “And he’s so handsome.”
“Too handsome for his own gut,” Meg replied irritably. She drew a sharp breath. “Reuben is nice and as handsome as Peter.”
“I’m sure he is,” Martha interjected. “But I imagine that your sister is concerned because Reuben doesn’t visit you as often as he should. Peter clearly likes you and wants nothing more than to make you happy.” Directly ahead, Arlin slowed his horse, and Martha followed suit, pulling to rein her horse behind him. “I’ve never seen Peter bother you or be a nuisance to anyone.”
Meg shrugged. “Just ’cause he keeps his distance doesn’t mean he’s not annoying,” she said stiffly.
Martha stifled a smile. Meg always reacted strongly whenever Peter Zook’s name was mentioned, a strange thing considering her claims that she harbored no feelings for him.
“Reuben’s probably busy with farmwork,” Meg offered.
“Ja, most likely,” Charlie said softly as she leaned in her seat to be closer to Meg. “I only want you to be happy, Meg. I hope Reuben visits you soon since you like him so much.”
Meg rewarded her with a smile. “I know you want me to be happy, Charlie. I want the same for you.” She stayed silent a moment. “What if Reuben thinks I’m not interested in him? Maybe that’s why he’s stayed away.”
Martha doubted it but kept her thoughts silent. “The Kinzer Fire Company Mud Sale is in June. So is the Lancaster County Carriage and Antique Auction. Maybe you’ll see Reuben at those events.”
Mud sales were fundraising events exclusive to Lancaster County, where the Amish community helped to raise money for local fire departments. Each Saturday throughout the spring, members of their Happiness community donated craft and other items to be auctioned off to the highest bidder as well as food for sale for those attending the event. Mud sales got their name because typically the ground was muddy in the aftermath of spring rain showers when these sales or events took place. Those who attended mud sales frequently knew enough to bring their rain boots.
During the winter months, she and Meg had crocheted pot holders, sewn aprons and made other craft items for local mud sales. Most of their items would go to the two sales she had mentioned to Meg—the Kinzer Fire Company Mud Sale and the Lancaster County Carriage Auction—because they benefited the fire companies closest to their Happiness community. Every weekend through late winter and early spring there’d be other mud sales at different locations. There were also one or two that took place during August.
“He did tell me he’d worked as auctioneer at the Kinzer Mud Sale two years ago,” Meg said brightly.
Martha smiled as she continued to follow Arlin’s vehicle as it turned onto the dirt road to the Samuel Lapp farm. “Then there’s a gut chance you’ll see him there.”
“Look! There’s Annie!” Charlie exclaimed as Martha parked her buggy in the side yard next to Arlin’s vehicle. The girl waved vigorously through the side window. “Annie!”
Annie Lapp grinned as she saw them. Arlin and the rest of Meg’s family got out of their vehicle, the girls quickly following their mother toward the house.
Martha caught sight of Eli Lapp surrounded by a laughing group of community girls. Clearly he was a favorite with them. Martha sighed. Had she been that carefree at their age?
She climbed down from her buggy, retrieved the chocolate cake from the back floor and followed Meg and Charlie to Annie’s side. “Hallo, Annie,” she said after the Stoltzfus sisters had greeted her good friend and moved on. “I’m glad you came.”
“I’m feeling great today.” Her friend lowered her voice. “EJ has been taking long naps, and I’ve been able to get some rest.” The fact that the boy remained quiet and content within his mother’s arms confirmed it. Annie’s gaze settled on Martha’s plastic cake tote. “Is that chocolate cake?”
“Ja, with dark fudge frosting.”
“You better hide it from Noah. He loves anything chocolate.” Annie smiled fondly at the mention of her brother-in-law’s enthusiasm for chocolate. “He’s liable to eat several slices before it’s time to eat.”
Martha chuckled at the idea of hiding her cake. “Is he that bad?”