Elijah And The Widow (Lancaster County Weddings 4) (12 page)

“She’ll be here. She had something to do for her
mam
first.”

“A girl who thinks of her
mudder
,”
Dat
said. “That is a
gut
trait in a
dochter
.”

When Nancy arrived a short while later, Eli saw that his father’s jaw might drop to the floor, but
Dat
managed to smile and hide his thoughts. Because Nancy looked like anything but a good daughter with her jet-black hair, heavily made-up eyes and lips covered with ruby-red lipstick. To give them credit, his family greeted the young woman warmly while they tried not to stare at her gold-ball lip piercing.

Eli studied his brother Isaac, noting how happy he was to have this young girl dressed in black and wearing a strange necklace here among his family.

“
Hallo
, Nancy,” his mother greeted her with a smile. “We put out the food. Are you hungry?”

“I wouldn’t mind eating.” The girl, having heard that it was Hannah’s birthday, had brought a gift. She handed the wrapped package to his mother. “For Hannah.”

“Thank you, Nancy.” Katie eyed the prettily wrapped package. “Isaac, why don’t you get Nancy a plate and help her to get some food? Make sure you introduce her to the family.”

“Ja, Mam.”
Isaac grinned at the dark-haired girl. “Come with me, Nance. You like cake?
Mam
bakes a
gut
birthday cake.”

“Is it vegan?” Nancy asked, apparently concerned.

“Huh?” Isaac said. “I don’t know what that is, but it’s wonderful and I think you will like it.”

“We must pray for him,” his eldest brother, Jed, murmured fervently in Eli’s ear.

Amused although he attempted to hide it, Eli looked at him with raised eyebrows. “Because she is different?”

Jedidiah shook his head. “Because she will hurt him.”

Eli sighed, silently agreeing with his brother’s assessment of Isaac’s new English girlfriend. He knew what it was like to love the wrong woman, someone out of his reach, at least for now. But he would rather love a kind and God-loving widow who had everyone’s best interests at heart than a girl who was not only not Amish but different from most
Englishers
.

Everyone in his family was kind and gracious to Nancy, and Isaac appeared happy. Eli was pleased that his family lived the way of the Lord, accepting others as they were, despite their differences. They were human and made mistakes, but they treated everyone as God would want them to.

Loving Martha wasn’t wrong at all. It just wasn’t the right time for them. He would have to wait until she was over her late husband before he told her of his feelings. Then when the time was right, if the Lord willed it, he would set out to court her...and win her heart.

* * *

Sunday morning, Eli ate breakfast with his family before they headed across the road to the farm belonging to the Amos Kings. Eli felt slightly anxious. His brothers’ teasing the previous day concerned him. How had they guessed about his feelings for Martha? Was he really that transparent?

“What do you think of Nancy?” Isaac asked as they walked down their dirt lane toward the main road and the Amos King farm beyond.

“She seems nice,” their younger brother Daniel said generously.

“She is nice,” Isaac assured them, looking pleased. “I know she looks odd with her dark hair and lip piercing, but she is a
gut
person. We have a lot in common.”

Eli and his mother exchanged looks. “You do?” his mother asked. “Like what?”

Isaac smiled as he glanced back at her. “We both love our families.”

Mam
smiled. “That is a fine quality in a person.”

Isaac halted and waited for their youngest brother and sister to catch up.

“You help
Dat
on the farm,” Eli said carefully. “How does she spend her day?”

“She waits tables at her mother’s
coffe
shop after school.”

“So she is a hard worker, too,”
Dat
said as he walked next to
Mam
.

Eli hung back to trail behind, but he could hear everything said and he participated in the conversation. Daniel, Joseph and Hannah walked next to their father up in the front of the family group.

“When will you see her again?” Eli asked.

“Tomorrow night. She invited me to have dinner with her
mam
and
dat
.”

“Will you be home afterward?”
Mam
asked casually.

“
Ja
,
Mam
, don’t you worry. I’ll be home. I told Jedidiah that I’d help out at the construction site tomorrow morning.”

At Isaac’s glance, Eli said, “Me, too.”

The family reached the paved road and prepared to cross it, waiting for several cars and two trucks to pass. Martha King’s buggy came into view briefly as she drew her horse to a halt as she waited for a car to pass before turning onto her brother-in-law’s property.

Mam
waved and called, “Martha!”

Martha smiled and returned the greeting. Her gaze settled on Eli before moving on.

Eli felt the sudden urge to pick up the pace. He wanted to get to Amos’s, where he could casually spend time with Martha. He crossed the road and walked the newly graveled road with his family until they reached Amos and Mae King’s farmhouse. Martha was climbing out of her parked buggy as he entered the yard.

“Martha,” Eli murmured. As the members of his family split up to meet with friends and neighbors who had arrived before them, Eli headed toward Martha. He halted, changing his mind about approaching when a group of churchwomen beckoned to her. He shifted direction as she joined them, hurrying instead toward his brothers Jacob and Jedidiah, who were talking with Amos and John, his son.

Martha.
What was he going to do about Martha? Maybe he should avoid her, but what if someone noticed? How would he feel if someone within the community asked him why?

Several girls within the community stood in the backyard visiting with one another. It wasn’t long ago that he would have been content to stand among them, teasing them, being flattered by their attention. But they no longer held any interest—not even in the smallest way. There was only one reason why—Martha.

Chapter Sixteen

“M
artha, you’re looking well,” Alta Hershberger said.

“That’s kind of you, Alta.”

“Not at all, just noting the truth.”

Martha stood outside with a group of churchwomen after helping them to set out food and drink on a table in her brother-in-law’s backyard.

“You seem to be managing well on your own,” Miriam Zook said. “It must have been a rough winter for you.”

“
Ja
, thanks to the
gut
company of Missy’s daughter Meg, I did fine.”

Missy Stoltzfus smiled. “She enjoyed staying with you. Ever since she was ill, Arlin has been worried about her. He was forced to face that she is doing well when she stayed with you and enjoyed herself.”

“She’s a lovely girl, Missy,” Annie Lapp said. “All of your five daughters are.”

Missy looked pleased.

“How are you managing financially?” Alta asked Martha. The woman was the resident busybody, but Martha took no offense, for she was pleased with what she’d accomplished during the past week.

“
Gut.
I’ve talked with several local shops in the area and three have agreed to sell my jams and jellies.”

Alta frowned. “You are going into business? That doesn’t seem wise.”

“Her jams and jellies are delicious,” Katie Lapp said, approaching from behind. The women moved to include her in the discussion. “Samuel brought home your hot pepper jelly and told me how
gut
it was. I was amazed after I tasted it. There was something about it that made me go back for more. I’m afraid I ate most of it.”

Martha was delighted. “I’ll send more over for you. Samuel wouldn’t take a sealed jar, even after all he and your boys did for me. They did a wonderful job with the repairs to my house.”

“’Twas their pleasure, I can assure you,” Katie said.

“Mam!”
Hannah Lapp appeared next to Katie. “Joseph fell and hurt himself. He is asking for you.”

“How bad?”

“Skinned his knee and his elbows.”

Katie shot each of the women a look of apology. “Excuse me while I attend to my youngest
soohn
.”

“I hope he’s all right,” Martha said with concern.

“I’m sure he’ll be fine.”

As soon as Katie left, Mae exited her house and joined them. “Do you think we’ve enough food?” she asked with a worried look toward the food table.

Miriam Zook followed the direction of Mae’s gaze. “Are you teasing? We have enough to feed our entire congregation plus that of the next church district,” she assured her.

“Plenty of food,” Alta said briskly, before the woman returned her attention to Martha. “Now, about this jelly business... Why would you want to go into business?”

“Why not?”

“Because it doesn’t seem right.”

“I sold my cakes and pies at Spence’s Bazaar every week when I lived in Delaware,” Sarah Lapp said. “My family depended on that money.”

“And, Alta, didn’t you sell your pickles and relishes for a time?” Miriam asked.

Alta made a sound like a
harrumph
. “That’s different. I had two little ones to feed.”

“And Martha has a large farm to maintain,” Annie pointed out.

“It seems to me that Martha would be better off marrying again. She’s been alone long enough.”

“You never remarried, Alta,” Miriam said.

“For me, it was different. I had both of my
dechter
and Martha has no one.”

Martha was sad to be reminded again of the fact. “I don’t think I’ll ever marry again.” Not after Ike. Not after John. And the only man who interested her was too young.

“We could find you a husband.” Alta glanced about the yard as if searching for someone whom Martha could marry.

“Nay!”
Martha exclaimed, horrified by the idea.

But Alta was determined. “Let’s see...” Ignoring Martha’s distress, the woman looked about the yard, her eyes gleaming as searched for a potential beau. “There.”

Martha looked and was stunned to encounter Eli’s blue gaze. He was crossing the yard with Jacob and Noah, heading toward the food. He flashed her a small smile as he continued on.

“Eli Lapp,” Alta pronounced happily. “He’s available and he needs to settle down.”

“Nay,”
Martha whispered with a shake of her head.

“Stop interfering, Alta,” Miriam scolded. “Mind your own business.” She paused. “Unless you’d like us to find
you
a husband.”

Alta raised her chin and stiffened her spine. “What? I’m only thinking of Martha’s welfare.”

Miriam shook her head. “Perhaps you should turn your attention toward husband hunting for Sally or Mary,” she said, referring to Alta’s daughters.

“Sally is seeing someone,” Alta said in a snit. “Mary will find someone in time. She doesn’t need me to help her.”

The women in the group demanded more information about Sally Hershberger’s sweetheart.

Martha had felt a tingling along her spine from the moment she and Eli had locked gazes earlier. She continued to feel the impact of his presence in the yard.

“Martha.” Annie drew her aside. “Don’t pay my aunt any mind. Her heart is in the right place, but she still manages to create problems for everyone she comes in contact with. Her husband died when her girls were young. She was lost and angry until she finally got herself together for Sally and Mary. I often wonder if she would have married again if someone had bothered to ask. Instead she’s made everyone’s business her own. I think that she intimidates most of the men she encounters. She’s a forceful woman, and at times even I’m frightened of her.”

“Annie...” Martha was uncomfortable but felt as if she had to tell her friend. “About Eli...”

Her friend smiled. “You like him.”

“You can tell?” she gasped.

“Not for certain, but I thought you might. You both seem so easy around each other.”

That was news to Martha, that Eli felt easy in her company. “Please do not say a word to anyone. Not even Jacob. I’m too old for Eli, and he has plans of his own. I want what’s best for him. I need him to be happy.”

Annie looked thoughtful. “I won’t mention it to anyone,” she promised.

“Not even to Jacob?”

“I don’t like keeping things from my husband.” Annie settled her interlocked fingers on her pregnant belly. “But for your sake, I’ll keep your secret for now.”

“Danki.”
Martha hadn’t known how tense she’d been until Annie’s promise made her relax with tremendous relief.

“You should tell Eli. What if he feels the same as you?”

Martha nodded. “If I come to believe that he feels the same, I will tell him.”

Annie grinned.
“Gut.”
She glanced behind her. “Because he’s coming this way.”

“Who? Eli?” The thought made her heart start to pound.

“
Ja.
With Jacob.”

Martha drew a sharp breath, and her hands felt clammy.

“
Hallo
, husband,” Annie greeted Jacob with a loving smile. “Eli, I hear you’ve finished Martha’s repairs. She told me what a
gut
job you did.”

“I wasn’t the only one who worked on her
haus
,” Eli said, approaching from behind Martha. “It was a Lapp family project.”

Eli’s nearness made her vibrate the length of her from her nape to her toes. Searing her friend with a warning glance, Martha faced the twin brothers.

“You did more than the lion’s share, Eli.” Martha gazed up at him, astonished by how handsome he was and how much he affected her heart and peace of mind.

“Oh, dear. Here comes Alta!” Annie gasped.

Eli frowned, and Martha knew she needed to escape before Alta said something to embarrass her and Eli.

Martha explained, “She doesn’t approve of me selling jellies.”

“She does have strange notions about what’s right and wrong,” Jacob admitted.

“Let’s go for a short walk,
ja
?” Annie suggested.

“Are you sure you’re up to it?” Jacob asked his wife.

“I have at least another month before the birth of our daughter. I’m feeling particularly well today.”

Martha felt surprised by her friend. “You know it’s a girl?”

“
Nay.
It’s just a feeling that I have.”

There was tenderness in his expression as Jacob smiled at his wife. “I don’t mind one way or another. I just want our child to be healthy and well.”

“Did you eat?” Annie asked him. “I saw you by the food table.”

Jacob shook his head. “Just checking out the selection.”

“Why don’t we get something to eat?” Eli suggested. “We can sit and enjoy our meal under that tree there.” He gestured to one of several tables that were set up in the shade.

“I should see if Mae needs any help.” Martha wanted to stay and spend time with Eli, but she didn’t want to give Alta or anyone else fodder for gossip.

“I will see you later,” she said before she walked away.

“We’ll see you later, Martha,” Annie said. “Come. Let’s eat. The woman has things to do. Maybe she’ll come back to eat dessert with us.”

* * *

Now that the Lapps were no longer daily working visitors, Martha realized how much she’d come to enjoy having Eli and his family working about the yard and house. Her days now were silent and solitary. She missed Eli more than ever and there was nothing she could do about it, except hope that with the passing of time she could move on and forget the handsome young man who had somehow changed her.

The last time she and Eli had conversed was during last visiting Sunday. They’d spoken briefly but for the most part she’d hung back, not wanting the others to recognize her deep feelings for Eli.

All day long, she’d felt him watching her from the other end of the yard. While she’d joined Annie, Jacob and Eli for dessert after the midday meal, she’d kept her distance afterward, leaving quickly after she’d eaten her pie to visit with other community church members.

Fortunately for her, Alta Hershberger had seemed to give up the idea of finding her a husband. She didn’t know what she would have done if Alta mentioned Eli as her potential husband one more time. Martha knew that Eli was a man she liked, but that didn’t mean she should harbor secret dreams of a life together.

The weather was hot and humid. The heat hung heavily in the air, sapping her strength. She’d needed to make more jellies to sell since the stores had already let her know that they’d soon be looking to restock. Fortunately, Meg and her four sisters had helped with jam making this past Monday. They’d cooked up three different kinds of jellies and jam, and now the jars sat in bright, colorful rows in her pantry, on her kitchen table and along the length of her kitchen countertop.

She’d put on the wash first thing that morning and hung the clothes out to dry when they were ready. Martha went to check the degree of dampness and realized that the towels and sheets were never going to dry in the day’s humidity. She unpinned the laundry, brought it inside to put into the gas clothes dryer. While her wash spun dry in her machine, Martha left the house to check her vegetable garden. The plants were growing nicely. In a few weeks, there would be cherry tomatoes to pick and soon after that the first of her green peppers. The day was unusually warm. She was perspiring profusely by the time she headed back to the house. Her clothes stuck to her body as she walked. Martha noted the haze in the air and decided that there’d be a thunderstorm by midnight.

That night, she ate a simple supper of iced tea, potato salad and leftover fried chicken, which she’d made for herself two days previously. Afterward she went to sleep in the small room where she’d slept since her husband’s passing. It didn’t matter that his belongings were gone from their bedroom. She was more comfortable in her room with its single bed and wooden rocking chair.

She opened a bedroom window and was glad to allow in a soft breeze. Thunder rumbled in the far distance as Martha got ready for bed. The cooler air and the distant noise were soothing and too far to be distracting. If there was lightning in the air, she couldn’t see it yet. She fell asleep, believing that the storm would miss her farm, happy that the air had cooled off enough to make her bedroom comfortable to sleep.

The rainstorm came with a vengeance about midnight. Martha shot up, wide-awake, her heart pumping wildly, after a particularly loud thunder boom. From her bed, she gazed toward the window and saw multiple flashes of bright light followed by heavy rumblings of thunder. Her heart raced as she climbed out of bed to close the window and to get a better look at the storm’s intensity. Should she reach out and close the shutters?

She gasped, backing away, as lightning zigzagged across the sky. There would be no opening that window a second time. She flinched at the thunder that followed the bright flash of light, then watched with amazement as the rain began to fall harder and faster, a heavy downpour that came in seconds, immediately flooding the yard below.

I hope my garden survives this rain.
The wind picked up, gusting across the yard and house. Martha feared for her trees and bushes that were vulnerable in the open, liable to be uprooted if the rain and wind continued as they were. Lightning glowed, illuminating the yard below. She saw the trunk of a solitary tree bending in the stiff breeze.

There was no way she’d be able to go back to sleep. Throwing on a robe, she went downstairs for a glass of iced tea and to watch the thunderstorm from the first level of the house.

A sharp crack of loud noise startled her. Gasping with fear, she hurried to the window in time to see that lightning had struck her barn, causing the wooden structure to burst into flames.

Crying out, she ran outside, oblivious to her state of dress and the pouring rain that drenched her within seconds. She stared at her burning barn, wondering what to do. How she was going to get help. Perhaps her neighbors had heard the noise and seen the fire.

She gazed in helpless horror as flames rushed up from the building’s roof, her heart pounding, ignoring the rain, the lightning and thunder raging around her. The rain had slowed, but the wind blew what little fell against her face and neck.