Heritage of Lancaster County 03 The Reckoning (19 page)

"How would you like to help finish the Country Songbird? I'd be happy to pay you to work with us."

They were shaking their heads, sharing sober expressions now. "We wouldn't think of takin' pay for it. But we'll hafta talk to Mam first," said the younger girl.

Katherine opened her purse and looked for a piece of paper. Quickly, she jotted down her address and phone number. "Won't you keep this handy, just in case?"

"Denki. We have a telephone . . . for the jelly business. So we can call and leave you know."

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Katherine was so thrilled to have met these kindred spirits, she came close to walking out of the store again without paying for the cards. Fortunately, she caught herself. "I'll look forward to hearing from you, then."

Later, she realized that she'd fallen back into the old speech pattern--adding "then" to the end of her sentence. It was plenty obvious to her that Rosie had been right when she'd said it would take some time getting used to the way English folk speak.

Still, she hadn't remembered feeling so completely comfortable with anyone. Unless it had been the day she'd stopped in at the Eslers' home to buy rhubarb jam.

Justin would find this amusing, she was quite sure. And she would tell him--the very next time he phoned.

Sitting at her writing desk, Katherine's mind was awhirl. She signed the cute card and wrote Willy's name on the envelope, wishing there was something she could do to add days and weeks to his life. Even years. But the tumor in his brain was inoperable, Natalie had said. "Our mission here is to make our patients as comfortable.., as contented as possible."

If money were the obstacle to his health, Katherine could've helped cure Willy easily enough. She would have given up her inheritance in order to give the darling boy his health. With all her heart, she wished it were possible.

Willy was smiling for her the next day. He held her colorful elephant card in both his hands, too close to his eyes, it seemed to Katherine.

She glanced at Nurse Judah, wondering about it.

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"It's all right," Natalie whispered, nodding her head. "He can see the words best that way."

A pain stabbed in the pit of her stomach. How long before the sunshine boy would go blind from the tumor? Or worse?

She stooped to open her guitar case, but Willy began to moan and the card fell to the floor. Before she could retrieve it or offer to play a soft, sweet lullaby, Willy rang the call bell. The nurse in charge arrived in seconds, and Katherine left the room.

Hours later, upon her return home, she went immediately to the drawing room and started a fire on her own. She began to play her guitar, remembering snatches of the hymn melodies she'd heard at Rosie's church. After several unsuccessful attempts at finishing, she turned to her old songs, strumming hard as she sang.

Rosie inched her way into the room at one point, during an interval of silence between songs. "Are you feeling all

right, Katherine?" she asked, a deep frown on her face. "Well... no."

Rosie crept closer. "Is it the hospice child? Is Willy worse?"

Her throat closed up, the lump stinging hard against the glands in her neck. All she could do was shake her head back and forth.

"Oh, dear lady. I'm so sorry." Rosie came and put her arm around Katherine's shoulders. "May I pray with you?"

She agreed, sobbing silently into her hands. Rosie's prayer was short butitcalmed her, gave her hope. "Thank

you," she said much later. "Suppose I've been needing that." "The cry or the prayer?" Rosie offered a box of tissues.

Looking up, Katherine nodded. "Jah, I 'spect I needed both."

Rosie smiled down at her. "There is still a good portion of Amish in you, I daresay."

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"Puh... I said it that way just for fun."

"Are you positively sure?"

She brushed the tears away and moved closer to the fireplace. "I met two Amish sisters yesterday ... at the card shop in the mall. They might come and help us finish the quilt in time for the hospice bazaar."

Rosie offered her another tissue to blow her nose. "That would be lovely, having more Amish folk around here."

"You think I'm going home someday, don't you, Rosie? Back to Hickory Hollow?" The question came clear out of the blue; she wasn't sure where.

"Well, I wouldn't be too surprised perhaps."

Katherine shook her head. "This is home to me now. I love my mother's mansion.., and everyone in it."

"If you returned, where would that leave your Justin Wirth?" It was as if Rosie hadn't heard Katherine's comment about the beautiful estate.

"This mansion ... and Mr. Wirth are absolutely wonderful," she insisted, and the thought of Justin all dressed up, sending his enticing smiles her way, made her heart flutter.

Rosie's eyes twinkled mischievously. "Has he popped the question yet?"

"Popped... what?"

"Has Justin asked you to spend the rest of your life with him? You know, say 'I do' in front of a preacher and a churchful of witnesses--be his Mrs. Wirth?"

She gazed at the ceiling, trying the name on in her head. "Mrs. Katherine Wirth. Hm-m, sounds pretty, don't you think?"

Rosie's eyes narrowed. "And are you ready to change your name again?"

Katherine turned and stared at the fire, purposely ignoring the pointed question. "Justin's a good man. I have a feel-

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ing he'll take me somewhere very special to dine when the question pops out."

They laughed together, Katherine reaching out to grasp Rosie's sturdy hands. She clung to her housemaid as one might hold fast to an older sister, and felt all the better for it.

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Rebecca was indeed surprised and happy to receive yet another letter from Katie. But she was alarmed at her daughter's comments about the worldly English church she'd attended. All that music--Ei, yi, yi--and the apostasy that minister had preached from his pulpit. It broke her heart anew to think that her girl was outside the fold--farther away than she'd feared.

She sat right down and started writing, never once thinking that she might oughta wait a few days before penning her thoughts.

Wednesday, March 25

Dear Katie,

I'm awful worried about you. Wish you'd be more cautious about the kind of meetings you go to with your English friends.

How's the weather there ? We've had our share of cold and snow here.

Frothing much new, except that I've been going over to help Mattie exercise Ella Mae's limbs, trying to get the muscles to come to life again so she can at least feed herself. But it's a right slow process, as you probably remember

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from when Mammi Essie had hers back years ago.

Mary said she didn't say anything in her letter to you about Daniel Fisher. Maybe it's because he's shunned, too, only the situation's much different with him. His Pop's terrible troubled over it. That's all I better say. Mattie said that Ella Mae told her that Dan stopped in to see her before he left again for New Jersey, that he was heading up north to look for you. Have you seo, n him yet?

Such a story Daniel has to tell. I suppose you're heard

it all by now anyways. It is sad, really, when you think of it. The poor fellow... .

Well, news is all, so I best sign off. Never forget how much all of us love you. The People want you to do what's right under God and the church. (Bishop John stands waiting and ready to hear your confession, dear girl.)

Your Mare

She sealed the envelope and got it right out in the mail before she could change her mind about some of what she'd written.

Because she was in a hurry, she chose Daisy, who could trot no matter the weather because she was young and downright spirited. The snow stung her face and the wind whipped at her skirt as she hitched up the horse to the family carriage. She was determined to get over to Ella Mae's and help Mattie with afternoon chores as well as exercising the Wise Woman's arms and legs some.

The ride took longer than usual due to the blizzard-like conditions. She could scarcely see the outline of Daisy's head, one horse-length ahead. Heavy, thick flakes blanketed the road, drifting up in uneven piles, but she persisted, shivering beneath the furry lap robes.

Only one other buggy was parked outside when Rebecca arrived at the Beiler home. One of Mattie's married daughters maybe.

Sure enough, when she got herself inside and out of the

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biting cold, Anna was boiling water for peppermint tea.

"Wouldja care for some?" she asked, big brown eyes smiling. "Jab, I'll have some, with plenty sugar."

Mattie looked up from the table where she was sitting with young Sally, choosing a pattern for a quilt. "You look like ya could use a gut hot drink about now."

She nodded. "It's awful bad out, making like it's gonna dump heavy on us."

Young Sally glanced up, smiling. "Ach, a blizzard? Yuscht what we need to have us a school vacation."

Rebecca eyed her. "Your Pop has a right fine sleigh, don't he?"

The girl nodded, looking mighty sheepish.

"Well, then, I don't 'spect there'll be any chance of school closin'--no matter how gut and hard the snow comes," Rebecca said, taking a sip of the tea.

Sally scrunched up her face and got back to her quilting work. "Jah... maybe."

Grinning at her, Mattie hugged her granddaughter to herself, holding her there for a moment. "This one needs extra learnin', if ya ask me."

"Maybe Sally just oughta have herself a taste of summer school come July," said Anna sternly. "Then maybe my daughter won't dawdle so during the school year."

The awkward subject was soon dropped and the conversation turned to Ella Mae. "How's she feelin' today?" Rebecca wanted to know.

"Oh, she's itchin' to talk--tries her best to make little grunting sounds, tryin' hard as anything to communicate," Mattie said. "Poor thing's havin' a time of it."

Rebecca was sorry to hear it. "Would she like some tea?" "Well, you know as gut as I do how she feels about a hot cup of mint tea." Mattie pulled herself up off the table bench with a sigh and went to pour her mamma some.

Rebecca spoke up. "I'd be glad to take it over to her," she

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said. "And while I'm at it, I'll have her doing her daily calisthenics."

Young Sally giggled, and Anna said 'twasn't funny being

two months shy of eighty and having just suffered a stroke. "Sorry, Mamma," Sally said, wearing a repentant face. "You best be" was all Anna replied.

Something about feisty Sally made Rebecca think of Katie at thet age. But she brushed the thought aside and took a tray of tea, honey, and some fresh cream across the house to the Wise Woman.

Katherine did tell Justin about the Amish girls at the gift shop when he phoned her after lunch. "I wish you could've seen me there talking with them. It was the oddest thing, really."

It was hard for her to know what he was thinking or how he might look on the other end of the line, but she was happy to hear the cheerfulness in his voice. "It's intriguing, this recent connection with the Amish... alq:.er your church shunned you, Katherine. I'm a bit surprised that you are still drawn to Plain folk."

She understood his reservations. "I suppose it does seem strange, but I really don't have any animosity toward my People. I don't dislike them.., not at all." She was thinking especially of Mary.

"But you can never go back, can you?" The words were confident, pointed.

She was silent. In such a short time, Justin had come to know her heart better, it seemed, than almost anyone. "That's true, I can't go back. I'm someone altogether different now."

"Well, if that's settled"--he chuckled--"why don't we plan a trip together?"

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"A trip? Where?"

"Have you ever heard of Niagara Falls? It's a true wonder of nature."

"And only a short drive from here--am I right?"

He laughed again, and the warmth of it was merry in her ear. "Only about an hour away. We could leave in the morning, spend the afternoon, and dine somewhere lovely at sunset."

She wondered if this might be the location for a marriage proposal, though she supposed it might be just another opportunity to spend some time alone together. "Sounds wonderful," she heard herself saying.

He explained that he was nearing the completion of a new oil painting and that he'd need another few days--"at the most a week, though I doubt it."

"Whenever you're ready," she said, smiling to herself.

"In the meantime, let's have lunch somewhere exotic. Tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow's fine, thank you."

I'll come by and pick you up around eleven-thirty?" "All right."

"Good, I'll see you then." He paused. "I miss you, Katherine."

Her heart danced in her chest. "I'm looking forward to seeing you, too."

They said good-bye, and she hung up the phone, more than eager to see him again.

Katherine kept her word, but when she went to visit Willy, he was scarcely aware of her being there. "Is he slipping away?" she whispered to Natalie, who was administering his afternoon shot.

"I'm afraid it's just a matter of days now," Natalie re

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plied, gently easing the needle out of his vein.

"And he was so happy about..." She paused, trying to compose herself. "He was talking about going home and... and..." She simply could not go on.

Willy's mother and brother came in the room just then, and Katherine felt she should leave. Before she could do so, the petite woman with shoulder-length blond hair spoke up. "I want you to know how much our Willy has talked of you, Katherine." She smiled, glancing down at the guitar case. "He was telling his father and me just last night that he's decided he doesn't want to play a harp when he goes to heaven."

"Oh?"

"Willy wants to play guitar."

"For all the angels," said Josh, straight-faced.

That brought a smile to Katherine's face, and she wanted to tell them what an amazing boy Willy was. "He's a delight--a ray of sunshine in many ways," she said, keeping her comment short and to the point for fear of breaking down emotionally. Quickly, she exited, giving the little family some privacy.