Grace's Forgiveness (8 page)

He turned to Mr. Blauch. “Danki for introducing me to Noah. I’m relieved to find someone to possibly lighten my workload.”

“Good.” Mr. Blauch put his hand on Mark’s shoulder. “Don’t hesitate to ask for help if you get in a bind.” He pointed at Grace. “And another thing, you’re wilkom in our home anytime. It must be tough to live alone without family.” He dropped his arm to his side. “The main table is full of food dishes. The women must have everything set out. People are filling their plates. Let’s fill ours.” Mr. Blauch’s pleasant expression showed his approval. This had been a splendid conversation.

Mark swallowed around the lump in his throat. Mr. Blauch had taken an interest in him and treated him like family. The man’s kind comments reverberated in his mind. It was a generous offer, considering Grace’s daed had his property to manage. If he did need help, he would ask Grace’s daed. Mr. Blauch’s demeanor and tone seemed sincere.

Mark and Mr. Blauch set their heaping plates on the picnic table and sat.

He winked at Jonah. Did he have anything with him he could give to Jonah? “Mr. Blauch, I’ll be back in a minute. I need to fetch something from my wagon.”

Mr. Blauch, mouth full, nodded.

He strode to the stable and removed a miniature horse he’d carved from a bag he’d stuffed there to take to his shop tomorrow. He found Jonah with his parents. He exchanged pleasantries with Mr. and Mrs. Keim and then presented the horse to the little boy. “This is for you.”

Jonah’s mouth flew open. He set his spoon on his plate. “Danki. I’m going to name him Star.”

Mark cocked his head. “Why?”

“You painted a white spot on his head. I’m going to pretend it’s a star.”

He laughed. “I like the name.” He ruffled Jonah’s curls. “Take care, Jonah.”

The boy hugged Mark’s legs then sat on the bench next to his daed.

Jonah’s parents thanked him and wilkomed him to the community.

Mark returned to his seat and pulled his plate closer. “I’m anxious to sample everything on my plate.” He picked up the soft white bread and slathered it with chicken spread, then separated his pickles, beets, and celery into sections. He placed two oatmeal cookies on the corner of his plate.

Mr. Blauch dipped his spoon in buttered peas. “Everything is scrumptious.”

Grace passed them two jars. “Here’s lemonade to drink. Do you need anything else?”

Mark smiled through full cheeks and shook his head.

Moments later, she returned with her plate arrayed with much smaller portions of vegetables. She sat next to him.

Mrs. Blauch joined them and held an apple. “Would you like this, Mark? I grabbed it for you. I noticed you don’t have any fruit.”

The act touched him. Mrs. Blauch’s thoughtful gesture reminded him of his mamm. He missed her love and attention. A decent cook, he could almost taste his favorite foods of vegetable stew, bread pudding, and apple tarts. He accepted the apple. “Danki. I appreciate it.”

They conversed about the warm day, the delectable food the women had prepared, and how blessed they were to have a bishop to deliver such a fine sermon.

Mark drew in a breath. The message was good, but the man’s subject matter touched a little too close to home.

After they finished their meal, the women gathered baskets and loaded them in their wagons.

Ever since he met Grace, he sensed a spark between them. The more he talked to her, the more he liked her. They had skirted around their emotions with longing looks and kind words. She had captured his heart. He gestured her aside. “Your parents are delightful. Your daed offered me an open invitation to visit him at any time. You’re blessed to have such gracious parents.”

“Mamm and Daed have soft hearts. I’m pleased you’re comfortable around them.”

Levi and Sarah joined them, and they quieted. “We wanted to say farewell before we left. I’ll see you both tomorrow.” The couple sauntered off to retrieve their wagon.

“I should go home and check on my animals, but I don’t want to leave you.” Mark darted his eyes around. No one paid attention to them. He squeezed her hand for a moment. She didn’t jerk it away. Her soft skin and dainty fingers warmed his heart. He released it before anyone noticed.

Her face pinked. “Join Sarah and me for dinner tomorrow.”

“I look forward to it.” He waited until she’d reached her parents then walked to the barn to retrieve his buggy. On the way home, he laughed at the deer frolicking in the meadow. He nodded to the stagecoach driver passing by.

He liked the direction his life was taking, and especially the prospect of having Grace as a potential fraa. He was twenty-two and didn’t want to wait much longer to wed and start a family. Precious Grace might be the one. Jah, this had been a perfect day.

Arriving home, he secured his horse. Last night he’d searched for a larger kettle he remembered packing when he left Lancaster. Where had he put it? Maybe he’d find it in the old trunk he brought from home. In the corner of the barn, he peeked inside.

He gasped and lifted a flour sack. He hadn’t packed this bag. Dropping it, he ran outside and scanned his property. Quiet, and no one in sight, he rushed to the trunk. Who put it in here? He reached for it and untied the bundle. A box of Blue Diamond matches and a jar of water lay inside. Had the same intruder who’d sought shelter in his barn left this here?
Abel?
He shook his head. Abel would ask him for help. The stranger must be hiding from the law or too proud to ask for food and shelter. Why had this stranger chosen his barn to stash his belongings? He didn’t want any trouble. He stuffed it where he found it. Maybe the owner would kumme back and claim his stash, and he’d confront him. He’d keep a close eye out.

Chapter Four

Grace woke to the rooster’s crow Monday morning. She blinked a few times and sat up in bed. Her life had taken a wilkom change meeting Mark. His face flashed in her mind before she went to bed and when she opened her eyes. She’d pictured herself living with her parents or in a small home alone for the rest of her life. Mark presented possibilities she hadn’t allowed herself to dwell on. She hoped their interest grew and resulted in marriage. She was enjoying the hope she felt in her heart that she may experience being a fraa and mamm someday. She rose, dressed, and joined Mamm in the kitchen. “Bacon smells delightful.”

Sliding the rest of the bacon from the skillet onto a plate, Mamm raised her eyebrows. “You’re chipper this morning.” She gave her a mischievous grin. “Does Mark King have anything to do with your cheery mood? You like him, don’t you?”

She suspected her mamm worried her dochder would remain a spinster. Grace had wondered if God planned to have her remain unwed, since more than one man had rejected her daed’s offer to arrange a marriage with her.

She remembered waiting for her daed to kumme home and the first time he’d left to ask a man to marry her. The man had met her in church. He’d stared at the ground, and she’d hoped he was just shy and not avoiding looking at her cheek. Hope rang in her heart until her daed told her the man had declined his offer. No matter how kind her daed was in delivering the hurtful news, the words
ugly, alone,
and
unwanted
flashed in her mind and filled her with dread.

Six months later, her daed begged her permission to arrange another marriage. She had relented and regretted it. The man came to the door, took one look at her, winced, and said he couldn’t look at her face for the rest of his life and left. Her daed told her with tears in his eyes how sorry he was to have asked the man. He’d misjudged him. She felt ugly, alone, and unwanted all over again.

Grace never wanted to settle for an arranged marriage in the first place, but she thought it was the only way she’d ever have kinner. Her desire was to fall in love with the man she would wed, but she hadn’t thought it might be possible until now. “I do like him. I’ve enjoyed learning about him these past weeks.”

“At church yesterday, I noticed the gleam in his eye when he looked at you.” Mamm patted her hand. “The good news is your daed likes him.” Mamm joined her at the table.

It was important her parents approved of Mark, since she considered him a potential husband. “Maybe God sent Mark to Berlin for me.”

Mamm spooned scrambled eggs onto Grace’s plate and hers then sat. A smile lighted her face. “God sends us surprises when we least expect them. Maybe you’re right.”

Grace gulped her breakfast down in four bites, grabbed her bag, the picnic basket, and crossed the grassy yard to the barn. She raised her chin, closed her eyes, and let the breeze spread across her face. Summer was delightful. She secured her horse and buckboard. On the way, she waved to friends passing her. She waited her turn at the busy stable then handed the liveryman her horse’s reins. Strolling to the shop, she waved to friends opening their stores. The familiar rattle of wooden buggy wheels sounded on the dirt road in the middle of town. The peddler stood haggling with a man over one of his more elegant canes. An Englischer shook his fist at a driver kumming to close to him.

She turned her key in the lock and opened the door to their store. The connecting door opened. She jumped and brought her hand to her mouth. Mark’s handsome face stared back at her.

“Good morning. I didn’t mean to startle you.”

She giggled. “I’m fine.”

“I met with Noah Schwartz this morning, and he’s agreed to work for me. Thanks to your daed, my life should be much easier from now on. Noah was determined to start work right away. He’s working at my place as we speak.”

“You’ll not regret your decision. Noah’s a hard worker and has a cheerful disposition. He’s a pleasant person to have around. My daed has asked him for assistance a number of times. He liked Noah’s work ethic and his bright outlook on life.”

“Do you have any concerns about him?”

“He’s curious about the world. Daed worries he’s too inquisitive. He’s eighteen and has joined the church, committing to the Amish life, but he seems restless at times. Daed fears he’ll visit the outside world and not kumme back.”

“Maybe his choosing to work for me is a sign he’s planning on staying. I’ll do what I can to tamp down his interest in the outside world.” Mark perused the shop. “You’re not busy yet. Let me show you what I brought in today.”

She stepped inside his shop. He’d added more rocking horses for small Englischer kinner. The wooden horses had carved manes and big eyes. Unlike the first rocking horses he brought in to the store, leather reins hung attached for small fingers to grasp. Amish maedels would like the faceless dolls. Full-length trains on the bottom shelf now had cabooses next to them. The same three-inch tic-tac-toe wooden
X
’s and
O
’s on gray and black squared boards filled the second shelf.

Sarah entered. “Good morning. I hoped I’d find you here.”

Grace waved her over. “Cast your eyes on this hope chest. It’s exquisite.”

Mark blushed. “Jah, kumme in, Sarah.”

Sarah scurried over. “This is the most gorgeous hope chest I have ever laid eyes on.” She stroked the top. “It’s smooth and the perfect size. I love it.”

Grace opened the lid. “Mark, you outdid yourself on this piece.” She bent over and inhaled the fragrant scent of the wood. “Cedar smells so fresh and clean.”

Mark stuffed his hands in his pockets. “You’re kind. I must admit, cedar chests are my favorite to make.”

“I’ll go back to the store. Grace, you stay for a while and visit.” Sarah strode through the open door.

Mrs. Fisher and her dochder, Eve, entered. Both women ignored Grace but smiled at Mark. The woman paraded her dochder past Mark twice then paused. “I’m Mrs. Fisher.” She gestured to the attractive young woman beside her. “I’d like you to meet my dochder, Eve. She baked you a sugar cream pie to wilkom you to the community. Are you free for supper this evening? She’s not married and I understand you aren’t either. The two of you should get acquainted. She’s quite the cook. Wait until you taste her pie.”

Grace stepped back and stiffened.

Eve blushed and stared at the floor as she handed the dessert to Mark.

Mark accepted the pie. “I’m sorry. I must decline your offer, but it’s a pleasure to meet you both. I appreciate your invitation and the pie. Danki.”

Grace grimaced. Could the woman have been more obvious? How awkward this must be for Mark. Mrs. Fisher spoke with a sharp tongue and direct tone and seldom smiled. The woman would be a difficult mamm-in-law for any man. Grace studied Eve. Available and two years younger than she, Eve had flawless skin, a sweetheart-shaped face, a petite frame, blond hair, and the biggest deep blue eyes. She had said nothing. Would Mark consider her for a potential fraa? Maybe Eve’s mamm’s forward behavior wouldn’t bother him. She quaked at the troublesome thought.

Mrs. Fisher pinched her lips. “No. We’ll be on our way. I must warn you, Eve won’t be available for long.” She winced at Grace’s birthmark and paused. “And there aren’t many marriageable
attractive
Amish women in our community at present.”

Grace gasped and put a hand to her mouth. This woman had some nerve staring at her birthmark at the same time she emphasized the word
attractive.
She opened her mouth to speak but bit her tongue. No good would kumme from arguing with the abrasive woman.

Mark set the pie on the counter. “I understand, Mrs. Fisher. Have a nice day.”

“Mark, I should join Sarah.” Grace hurried to her shop before he had a chance to say a word.

Sarah gave her a sideways glance and peered out the window. “Were Eve and her mamm in Mark’s store? They’re getting into their buggy out front. You raced in here. Did Mrs. Fisher have anything to do with your hasty exit from Mark’s store?”

“Yes. Eve and her mamm brought him a pie. Eve didn’t speak a word. She might have if her mamm had given her a chance.”

“Mrs. Fisher is overbearing and rude. A smile doesn’t cross that woman’s face unless she’s in the presence of the bishop.” She hung an apron on a maple wooden hook rack for display. “I was going to kumme and fetch you. I need help unhooking a pinwheel keepsake pocket quilt from the wall for Lydia Keim, Jonah’s mamm. I told her I’d ask you to help me take it down while she goes to the bakery for a few minutes.”