Her Restless Heart (20 page)

"I think this calls for a celebration," Leah announced.

"Celebration?" Anna, Naomi, and Mary Katherine said at the same time.

"What kind of celebration? We close early?"

Leah chuckled. "No, Anna. We can't really do that. We wouldn't want to disappoint anyone who was visiting the area and intending to stop by here, would we?"

Anna pouted, but she shook her head.

"So then what do you have in mind,
Grossmudder?"
Naomi asked.

She smiled. "I think we should have supper out. In a restaurant. The four of us."

"Really?" Anna's voice rose in a squeak.

"Really. My treat."

Anna glanced at the clock. "It's four o'clock."

"Too early to close," Leah said with a smile as she walked behind the counter and took out the day's receipts to add.

"But we could get the early bird special," Anna said persuasively. "Save you some money."

Leah laughed and shook her head. "It's so kind of you to think of my pocketbook. We'll close at 4:30."

Anna pumped a fist in the air. "Yes!"

Naomi looked at Mary Katherine. "Thank goodness the bishop isn't here to see that. He'd faint."

Without being asked, the cousins straightened displays, swept the floor, and emptied wastepaper baskets. When their grandmother emerged from the back room with her coat over her arm, her purse and the day's deposit in her hand, her eyebrows shot up.

"Well, perhaps I should treat us to supper more often."

"You should," Anna told her with an impish smile. Then a shadow fell over the door. "Oh, no, a customer!" she cried. "Quick, lock the door, and we'll go out the back way!"

"Don't be silly," Naomi told her. "It's a man. He won't stay long. Probably just here to pick up thread for his wife."

The door opened, and in strolled Daniel. "Hello, ladies!"

"Daniel! I thought you went back to Florida?"

"Came back for a visit. Are you closing?"

"We're going out for supper," Leah told him. "Would you like to join us?"

He brightened and nodded. "That would be wonderful."

They walked to a nearby restaurant that was frequented by locals and tourists alike. Maybe Mary Katherine was imagining it, but Daniel seemed to maneuver things so that he sat near her.

She wondered about that. The last time she'd seen him— when he'd been here to sell his parents' property—he'd acted as though he was interested in her.

Leah asked him about his mother, and he passed along a message from her. Naomi asked if he'd met a friend of hers who was vacationing in Pinecraft. And Anna wanted to know if the ocean was warm enough to swim in.

Daniel had questions of his own. "So, I hear you and Jacob are dating," he said quietly while the others gave their orders to a waitress.

Mary Katherine stared at him, surprised. "Who did you hear this from?"

"I hear things."

"All the way down in Pinecraft?"

He shrugged. "Been back for a few days."

"What are you having tonight, sir?"

Daniel picked up his menu. "You order, Mary Katherine."

When it was his turn, he flashed the waitress a charming grin. "Sorry, I was too busy talking to look at the menu. I'll have the baked chicken special."

"S'okay," the waitress said, smiling as she took his menu.

He turned back to talk to Mary Katherine, but Anna— always inquisitive—had questions for him. Florida sounded so exotic to her, she said. She wanted to know more and asked him endless questions about Pinecraft.

She wasn't the only one. Naomi was asking her own questions, Mary Katherine noticed. Glancing at her grandmother, Mary Katherine wondered if she should switch seats with her sister so that they could talk.

Daniel glanced at her, and she thought he looked a little frustrated. Dessert was ordered—no one passed up dessert here—and when the time came for the check to be presented, Mary Katherine looked up from talking to Anna and discovered Daniel gone.

"Ready to go?" he asked when he returned.

"We're waiting for our check," she explained.

"It's taken care of."

"But
Grossmudder
was treating us," Anna said.

"It's my treat. My parents gave me a nice little present for taking care of selling their property," he said.

"Well,
danki,
Daniel," Leah said. "That is very nice of you."

"Does this mean we get another dinner to celebrate?" Anna asked as she followed them out of the restaurant.

"You were celebrating?" Daniel held the door open. "Is it somebody's birthday? It's not Mary Katherine's."

"The bishop decided not to give us any problems—" Anna began.

"Anna!"

She covered her mouth. "Sorry."

Daniel glanced at Mary Katherine, but she shook her head. Her grandmother didn't have to remind
her
that such things weren't to be discussed.

They walked back to the shop, arriving a few minutes before their driver was scheduled to arrive.

Daniel put a hand on her arm and drew her aside. "Could I see you tomorrow?"

"I'm working."

"Lunch," he said, his eyes direct on hers. "Everyone has to eat lunch."

Their ride pulled up to the curb.

His fingers tightened on her arm. "Please?"

"Why do you want to talk to me?"

"Just let me take you to lunch and talk?"

"Mary Katherine, are you coming?" Anna called.

"Be right there!" She looked at Daniel. "Fine. I'll meet you at noon at the place we just ate at."

Anna rested her chin on Mary Katherine's shoulder as she sat before her loom. "So, what does Daniel want?"

"To talk. That's all."

"Talk? About what?"

"I have no idea. I guess I'll find out when I talk to him."

Anna moved to throw herself into a nearby chair. It took only a minute before she was reaching for her ever-present knitting. "I think he's still interested in you."

Mary Katherine worked on a couple of rows, sliding the shuttle in and out.

"Mary Katherine!"

"What?"

Exasperated, Anna stared at her. "Say something!"

"I know you love a romance, but he could be here just to talk about something with me."

"Uh-huh."

Mary Katherine glanced at the clock. "Time to go."

"I want to hear everything when you come back!" Anna called after her.

"Me, too," said Naomi as she opened the door for her.

"You, too?"

"Me, too." Naomi grinned. "Have a nice lunch."

Daniel was waiting for her at the restaurant. He rose to seat her, and she saw that ice water and a menu were already at her place at the table. He wasn't wasting any time.

So she wouldn't, either.

"What is it you want to talk about?"

"Are you or are you not dating Jacob?"

She rolled her eyes. "You know it's no one's business if I am."

"It's mine."

The waitress came with her order pad, and then left them alone.

"How do you figure it's your business?" she asked him.

He reached over and took her hand. "You know I'm interested in you."

"But I told you before you left that I wasn't interested," she said, trying to be gentle.

"While I'm here I thought I'd see what's going on with you." He looked up when he was served a soft drink. "What was Anna talking about last night? About the bishop?"

"It's not really something I can discuss." She twirled her straw in her glass of iced tea.

"Likely poking his nose in things he doesn't need to. I know about him the same way I know about you and Jacob." He leaned forward. "Why don't you come to Florida for a visit? See what it's like where I live? You might want to stay."

She rested her chin on her hand, her elbow on the table, and stared out the window of the restaurant. "You know, the last time you were here I was feeling pretty restless. Actually, up until recently that was true. I didn't know if I even belonged here. But I'm not feeling that way anymore."

"What changed?"

"I think I was still hurting over the way my father was," she told him.

Her food was served, and she thanked the waitress but didn't immediately begin eating. "I didn't think God had listened to me. I was so mixed up I didn't even see what was in front of me. Who was in front of me."

"Jacob," he said heavily.

Even though dating was considered very personal, something that wasn't shared as she knew it was in the
Englisch
world, she felt he deserved to know. She saw his look of disappointment and felt bad, but didn't know what to say. Finally, she nodded.

"A lot of people come to my town for a break from the winter weather," he said. "But then they leave. I'm starting to wonder if I'll ever find a wife."

She reached across to take his hand. "I'm sorry. But you know, God's set aside a woman for you. He'll bring the two of you together when it's time."

He squeezed her hand. "You're a sweet woman, Mary Katherine. I kept thinking about you and decided to come back and see if you and Jacob were engaged."

Someone appeared at the side of the table. They looked up and saw Hilda, the mother of a schoolmate of theirs.

"Why, Daniel, I thought you'd gone back to Florida!" she exclaimed.

"I did. Just making a quick visit back," he told her. "How's Lizzie?"

Mary Katherine quietly withdrew her hand, but the woman saw and a speculative expression crossed her face.

"Married and has two
kinner
already," she told him.

"That's nice," he said, but there wasn't a lot of enthusiasm in his voice. "Tell her I said hello."

"I'll do that."

She left them, and Mary Katherine picked up her fork and tried her chicken salad. It was excellent, as usual. She glanced over at Daniel, who was picking up his hamburger.

Evidently, he wasn't so lovesick for her that he couldn't eat, she thought, trying not to smile. Not that she'd wanted him to be.

Well, maybe she did. But just for a few minutes. She couldn't help feeling flattered that two men were interested in her. She was only human, after all.

Very human.

15

J
acob watched Hilda drive away in her buggy and wondered if she knew just how devastating what she'd said had been to him.

He knew she didn't have a mean bone in her body, that she hadn't come to deliberately upset him. But she'd felt he should know. Daniel was back in town, and she'd seen him holding hands with Mary Katherine in a restaurant at lunch.

There had to be some explanation. She'd called him and said that she was going out to supper with her grandmother and her cousins and so couldn't go for a drive with him. She promised to stop by later in the week, and he had looked forward to it ever since.

He walked to a rough wooden bench at the edge of the field and sat down. Taking off his hat, he wiped his forehead with a bandanna, then tucked the bandanna back into his pocket. He watched Ben walking toward him carrying an insulated jug and two plastic cups.

A flock of birds flew overhead. "Guess they're hoping we'll drop some seed," Ben said.

He passed Jacob the cups and poured their water. "So what did Hilda want? I'm guessing it wasn't good. You don't look happy."

"She said I deserved to know."

"Nope. Doesn't sound good." He gestured for Jacob to move over and sat beside him.

"Said Daniel was back in town and she saw him holding Mary Katherine's hand."

"Hilda loves to gossip. Always has."

Jacob glanced at him. "But she wouldn't tell an untruth."

"Well, there has to be an explanation. You're going to ask Mary Katherine about it, right?"

Jacob glanced at him and nodded. "Of course. And we're not engaged. She can see whoever she wishes."

He felt Ben pat his back awkwardly.

"I'm sorry. But you need to ask Mary Katherine about it. Wait until you talk to her."

His throat was dry, and it hurt to swallow. "It's all my fault."

"How do you figure that?"

Jacob looked at him. "I knew Daniel was interested in her the last time he came to town. It made me realize she meant more to me than I thought. So I decided to pursue her. She said at first she only wanted to be friends, but lately . . ."

"Lately she feels more for you. I've seen it."

"You have?" Jacob looked at him. "You're not just saying that because you think I want to hear it?"

Ben drew back and looked affronted. "I wouldn't do that."

Jacob sighed. "No, you wouldn't."

He tossed back the last of the water in his cup and then set it down. "It's what I get for tampering with God's will," he muttered. "Maybe He planned for Mary Katherine and Daniel to be together."

"Well, you know what they say."

"Best-laid plans?"

"No, I was thinking, 'If you love something, let it go. If it comes back to you—' "

A flock of birds flew overhead, interrupting him. He raised an imaginary shotgun and fired.

"What—?"

"Oh, sorry," Ben mumbled, looking embarrassed.

Jacob stood and flexed his shoulders to work out the ache. It was a good ache, one that came from hard work. But his muscles hadn't been used like this since harvest. He'd be grateful for a hot shower later and one of the meals he'd frozen last week. He knew the first days back to the all-important planting were going to be exhausting, so he made up some simple casseroles—with recipes from his mother and his sisters—and all he had to do was put one in the oven.

Then he suspected that he'd be sitting around thinking about why Mary Katherine had been with Daniel at the restaurant.

Sighing, he stood. "Let's get back to work while we still have some daylight."

The bishop's home office was as austere as the man himself.

Aside from shelves filled with volumes of books ranging from several editions of the Bible to histories of the Amish, there was little decoration. The big wooden desk he sat behind held a jar of pencils, a desk blotter with a calendar, and the biggest Bible she'd ever seen.

He was dressed very formally in the kind of Sunday suit he wore when visiting the services in the homes of the people of the community.

"So, how can I help you, Mary Katherine?"

"I've come to tell you I want to join the church."

She was surprised that he wasn't surprised but instead stared at her intently over steepled fingers.

"Do you think you're ready? It seems to me that you are still in rebellion."

"Rebellion? I don't know what you mean. I've been uncertain whether I should join and I finally made my decision."

He shook his head. "I'm not as certain that it's the decision you should make."

She hadn't expected this. Oh, she hadn't thought he'd give her some kind of big rousing welcome, but he was telling her no? She took a deep breath. "Why is that?"

Placing his hands on the desk, he leaned forward. "It seems to me that you've had too much exposure to the
Englisch
world. There have been a number of incidents that demonstrate this. One," he said, ticking off a finger, "you were seen coming out of Jacob's house—"

"I did NOT go into—"

"Do not interrupt!" He gave her a quelling look. "Two, you spoke disrespectfully to your father. And three, you were seen sitting with Jacob in his buggy beside the road."

"Well, I had no idea you listened to gossip and half-truths," she told him, trying to keep her voice level.

Color rose in his thin, lined cheeks. "That's impertinent, young lady. I am the arbiter of correct behavior in this community."

"My behavior has been above reproach," she said, sitting up straight. "I simply locked the door for Jacob that day while he hitched his horse so we could go for a ride. And yes, we were riding home one evening and pulled off to the side of the road to talk. But nothing happened. And so far as my father—I had no idea he complained to you but I don't believe what I said to him is anyone's business but ours."

"He came to me to seek advice on whether he had been incorrect in how he behaved in his home. I advised him that he had not."

Mary Katherine sighed and shook her head. "I'm sorry to hear you say that. It just isn't right the way he treats my mother or me."

"It's a
fraa's
role and a dutiful daughter's role to—"

The beginnings of a headache began to pound behind her eyes. Stay calm, stay calm! she warned herself. You have to go through this man to get what you want and deserve.

"Bishop, I'm here to begin the process to join the church." She met his gaze unflinchingly. There was no way she was going to be goaded into an argument with him. But there was also no way that she was going to be deflected from her goal. She was going to start the preparations to join the church.

"Are you taking this step to pursue a relationship with Jacob? To marry him?"

"I'm taking this step to become a member of the church and have a relationship with God. That's the most important reason."

He subsided into a silent study of her. If she hadn't grown up with the man who was her father, he might have been able to intimidate her. Perhaps he might have even been able to do that a year ago. But not anymore.

Finally, with a begrudging air, he opened a big book that looked almost like a ledger, and made notes with a ballpoint pen. He rustled in a file for some papers and handed them to her.

"These outline your course of study." He stood. "That will be all."

With that, she was done. She'd set in motion one of the biggest decisions of her life.

She couldn't wait to tell Jacob. Then she'd tell her grandmother and her cousins. Oh, and her mother. And Jamie. A whole list of people.

But Jacob was the most important one. Jacob.

Jacob was hitching up the buggy when he heard a car in the drive. He looked out and saw Mary Katherine paying the driver, then turning to look for him.

He felt conflicting emotions rush through him. On the one hand, his heart leaped with joy at seeing her when he hadn't for a few days. But he felt dread, too. Had she come here to tell him that she'd decided on Daniel?

If she was going to tell him she wanted to be with Daniel, it not only meant the end of his own plan to ask her to marry him—it meant that he'd probably never see her, as she'd be moving to Florida. Of course they'd live there since Daniel loved it so much. Jacob was losing more than a possible wife . . . he'd be losing his best friend.

He sent his horse back into its stall in the barn. Poor horse. He'd thoroughly confused it by making it think it was going to take him for a ride—something it loved to do—but he couldn't do anything about that.

Mary Katherine looked as she had before her mother had fallen ill—happy, a smile on her lips, her stride confident and energetic as she waved and walked toward him.

She stopped close to him, so close, then frowned. "Were you going somewhere? I saw you hitching up the buggy."

"I was going to your grandmother's house to talk to you."

Now that she was closer, he saw how her blue eyes sparkled, how her cheeks were flushed rose-pink.

"I wanted you to be the first to know. I—"

"I already know," he blurted out.

"You do? How could you? I just came from—"

"Someone saw you with him."

"Oh. I guess the Amish grapevine's working better than usual. But I could have just been going in to talk to him about anything."

"You were holding his hand."

She stared at him. "Holding his hand? What? Why would I want to hold his hand?"

"Because you're in love with him."

"In love with him? Are you
ab im off—
crazy?" She shook her head as if to clear it. "Why would I hold the bishop's hand?" She made a face. "I'm not even sure the bishop's wife wants to hold his hand."

They stared at each other. "What are you talking about?" he asked her.

"What are YOU talking about?"

"Someone stopped by to tell me that you were holding hands with Daniel at a restaurant in town the other day."

"Me?" She was so surprised that her voice came out in a squeak.

Then the light went out of her eyes and her smile faded. She frowned. "You thought that I was flirting with Daniel, didn't you?" she asked in a dull voice. "You thought that I would do that to you?"

He didn't know what to say. Spreading his hands, he shrugged. "I was coming in to talk to you about it."

"Why?" she asked in a bitter tone. "It seems to me that you've already made up your mind."

She spun around and started back down the drive, her back stiff and straight.

"Mary Katherine!"

She shook her head and waved her hand, but she didn't slow, didn't turn.

"Where are you going?"

"Home!"

"Let me give you a ride!"

She waved her hand at him again, still not turning, and her stride was carrying her away from him. He made his feet move and he ran after her, grabbed her arm, and spun her around to face him.

"Look, I'm sorry, it gave me a bad moment, and I was coming to talk to you."

She tried to shake off his hand, but he wouldn't let her. Her eyes were filled with angry tears. "Let me go! I'm not going to justify my actions because you have some petty jealousy of Daniel!"

"But he pursued you last time he was here. How do I know he's not doing it now?"

"It doesn't matter what he's doing. I haven't done anything wrong. Of all the stupid, immature—"

"I know it!"

She stopped struggling and her shoulders sagged. "You've just ruined one of the most important days of my life!"

Jacob must have been so surprised at what she said that he let her go, because she was able to pull from his hands and run from him. A buggy was coming up the road and when she ran toward it, it stopped. He couldn't see its occupant, but Mary Katherine must have known whoever was in it because she nodded and climbed inside.

He stood there at the end of his drive, breathing hard from the exertion of running after her, angry with himself for letting petty jealousy over another man cause them to argue.

She'd said he had ruined one of the most important days of her life. In their miscommunication she'd thought he'd been talking about the bishop . . . there could be only one reason she'd gone to talk to the bishop . . . one reason she'd considered it one of the most important days of her life.