Hope Chest (2 page)

“Maybe.”

“Are you saying that you’d wear men’s trousers if you could?”

“I—I might. I could do some of my chores a bit easier if I didn’t have a long skirt getting in the way.” Anna paused. “If I weren’t Amish, I could do many things that I can’t now.”

Oh, great! Now you’ve gone and done it. Why can’t you just be nice to Silas instead of trying to goad him into an argument?
Rachel shifted her legs, trying to get a bit more comfortable.
Can’t you see how much the fellow cares for you, Anna? If anyone should be wanting to wear men’s trousers, it’s me—Rachel, the tomboy. At least I’ve got the good sense to not announce such a thing. And suggesting that you might want to try out the English world is just plain stupid, especially since you already had that opportunity during your
rumschpringe
.

“I, for one, am mighty glad you’re not English,” Silas said, his voice rising an octave. “And you shouldn’t even be thinking such thoughts now that you’ve joined the church, much less speaking them. Why, if your daed or any of our church leaders heard you say anything like that, you’d have some explaining to do, that’s for certain sure.”

Anna moved away from the tree. “Let’s not talk about this anymore. I need to get home. Rachel was way ahead of me when I left the river, so she’s probably already there and has done half my chores by now. Mom let me have the afternoon off from working in the greenhouse, so I don’t want her getting after me for shirking my household duties.”

“Jah, well, I guess I need to be heading home, too.” Silas made no move to leave, however, and Rachel had to wonder what was up.

Anna rolled and pinned her hair into place; then she put her head covering back on. Just as she started to walk away, Silas stepped in front of her. “I still haven’t said everything I wanted to say.”

“What’d you want to say?”

He shuffled his feet a few times, gave his suspenders a good yank, then cleared his throat loudly. “I ... uh ... was wondering if I might come see you one evening next week.”

Rachel’s heart missed a beat. At least it felt as if it had. Silas had been sweet on Anna a good many years, so she should have known the day would come when he would ask to start courting her. Only trouble was if Silas started courting Anna, then Rachel’s chances would be nil, and she couldn’t bear to think about that.

“You want to call on
me?
” Anna’s voice came out as a squeak.

“Of course, silly. Who’d you think I meant—your little sister Rachel?”

That’s what I wish you had meant.
Rachel’s pulse quickened at the thought of her being Silas’s girlfriend and riding home from singings in his courting buggy. She drew in a deep breath and pressed against the tree limb as though she were hugging it. No sense hoping and dreaming the impossible. Silas didn’t care about her in the least. Not in the way he did Anna, that was for sure. To him, Rachel was still a girl, five years younger than he was, at that. She knew he felt that way, because he’d just referred to her as Anna’s “little sister.” Besides, whenever Silas had come over to their house, he’d always spoken to Rachel as though she were a child.

“We’ve known each other for many years, and you did take a ride in my courting buggy after the last singing,” Silas continued. “I think it’s high time—”

“Hold on to your horses,” Anna cut in. “You’re a nice man, Silas Swartley, and a good friend, but I can’t allow you to court me.”

“Why not?”

“Because we’re not right for each other.”

“Ouch. That hurt my feelings, Anna. I always thought you cared for me.”

Rachel could only imagine how Silas must feel. Her heart went out to him. How could Anna be so blind? Couldn’t she see what a wonderful man he was? Didn’t she realize what a good husband and father he would make?

“I’m sorry if I’ve hurt your feelings.” Anna spoke so softly that Rachel had to strain to hear the words. “It’s just that I have other plans for my life, and—”

“Other plans? What kind of plans?”

“I–I’d rather not say just now.”

“You may think I’m just a big, dumb Amish fellow, but I’m not as stupid as I might look, Anna Beachy.”

“I never meant you were stupid. I just want you to understand that it won’t work for the two of us.” After a long pause, she added, “Maybe my little sister
would
be better for you, Silas.”

I would! I would!
Rachel’s heart pounded with sudden hope. She held her breath, waiting to hear what Silas would say next, but disappointment flooded her soul when he turned on his heels and started walking away.

“I’ll leave you alone for now, Anna, but when you’re ready, I’ll be waiting,” Silas called over his shoulder. He broke into a run and was soon out of sight.

Rachel released her breath and flexed her body against the unyielding limb. Hot tears pushed against her eyelids, and she blinked several times to force them back. At least Silas and Anna hadn’t known she was up here eavesdropping on their private conversation. That would have ruined any chance she might ever have of catching Silas’s attention. Not that she had any, really. Besides their age difference, Rachel was sure she wasn’t pretty enough for Silas. She had pale blue eyes and straw-colored hair. Nothing beautiful about that. Anna, on the other hand, had been blessed with sparkling green eyes and hair the color of ripe peaches. Rachel was certain Anna would always be Silas’s first choice because she was so pretty.
Too bad I’m not
schee
like her. I wish I hadn’t been born looking so plain.

***

When Rachel arrived home several minutes behind her sister, she found her brother Joseph replacing the bolts on an old plow that sat out in the yard. A lock of sandy brown hair lay across his sweaty forehead, and his straw hat rested on a nearby stump.

As she approached, he looked up and frowned. “You’re late! Anna’s already inside, no doubt helping Mom with supper. You’d better get in there quick, or they’ll both be plenty miffed.”

“I’m going. And don’t be thinking you can boss me around.” She scrunched up her nose. “You may be twenty-one and three years older than me, but you’re not my keeper, Joseph Beachy.”

“Don’t go gettin’ your feathers all ruffled. You’re crankier than the old red rooster when his hens are fighting for the best pieces of corn.” Joseph’s forehead wrinkled as he squinted his blue eyes and stared at her dress. “Say, isn’t that blood I see there?”

She nodded.

“What happened? Did you fall in the river and skin your knee on a rock?”

Rachel shook her head. “I skinned my knee, but it wasn’t on a rock.”

Joseph gave her a knowing look. “Don’t tell me it was another one of your tree-climbing escapades.”

She waved a hand and turned away. “Okay, I won’t tell you that.”

“Let Mom know I’ll be in for supper as soon as I finish with the plow,” he called to her.

As Rachel stepped onto the back porch, she thought about all the chores she had to do. It was probably a good thing. At least when her hands were kept busy, it didn’t give her so much time to think about things—especially about Silas Swartley.

***

Silas kicked a clump of grass with the toe of his boot. What had come over Anna all of a sudden? How could she be so friendly one minute and almost rude the next? Worse than that, when had she developed such dissatisfaction with being Amish? Had it been there all along, and he’d just been too blind to notice? Was Anna going through some kind of a phase, like some folks did during their rumschpringe? But that made no sense, since Anna had already been baptized and joined the Amish church.

Silas clenched his fists and kept trudging toward home.
I love Anna, but if she’s really the woman for me, then why is she acting so disinterested all of a sudden?
He still couldn’t believe she’d suggested he start courting her little sister.

“Is that woman simpleminded?” he grumbled. “Rachel’s still just a kinner. Besides, it’s Anna I love, not her little sister.”

As Silas rounded the bend, his farm came into view. A closed-in buggy sat out front in the driveway, and he recognized the horse. It belonged to Deacon Noah Shemly.

“Hmm ... wonder what’s up.” He shrugged. “Maybe Mom invited Deacon Noah and his family to join us for supper tonight.”

When Silas entered the kitchen a few minutes later, he found his folks and Deacon Noah sitting at the kitchen table, drinking tall glasses of lemonade. It didn’t appear as if any of the deacon’s family had come with him.

“Is supper about ready?” Silas asked, smiling at his mother. “I’m sure hungry.”

Mom gave him a stern look over the top of her metal-framed glasses, which were perched in the middle of her nose. “Where are your manners, son? Can’t you say hello to our guest before you start fretting over food?”

Silas was none too happy about his mother embarrassing him that way, but he knew better than to sass her back. Mom might be only half his size, but she could still pack a good wallop to any of her boys’ backsides, and she didn’t care how old they were, either.

“Sorry,” Silas apologized as he nodded at the man who had come to pay them a visit. “When I saw your buggy, I thought maybe you’d brought the whole family along.”

Deacon Shemly shook his head. “Nope. Just me.”

“Noah came by to have a little talk with you,” Pap said, running his fingers through his slightly graying hair, then motioning Silas to take a seat.

“What about?”

“Your friend Reuben Yutzy,” the deacon answered with a quick nod.

Silas took off his straw hat and hung it on a wall peg near the back door. Then he took a seat at the table. “What about Reuben?”

The deacon leaned forward and leveled Silas with a piercing gaze. “As you already know, Reuben works for an English paint contractor in Lancaster.”

Silas merely nodded in response.

“I hear tell Reuben’s been seen with some worldly folks lately.”

“As you just said, he works for the English.”

“I’m talking about Reuben’s off-hours.” Noah gave his full brown beard a few good yanks. “Word has it that he’s been going to some picture shows and hanging around with a group of English who like to party some.”

Silas frowned deeply. “I see.”

“You know anything about this, son?” Pap spoke up.

“No. Why would I?”

“Reuben and you have been friends since you were kinner,” Mom reminded.

Silas shrugged. “That’s true, but he doesn’t tell me everything he does.”

“So, you’re saying you don’t know anything about Reuben being involved in the things of the world?” Deacon Noah questioned.

“Not a thing, and it’s probably just a rumor.” Silas scooted his chair back and stood. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’d best see to my chores before supper.”

“Reuben’s folks are mighty concerned that if he’s involved with the things of the world, he’ll never decide to join the church. So, you will let me or one of the other ministers know if you hear anything, won’t you?” the deacon called as Silas headed for the back door.

“Jah, sure.”

Outside, on the porch, Silas drew in a deep, cleansing breath. What in the world was going on here? First Anna acting off in the head, and now all these questions about Reuben. It was enough to make him a nervous wreck!

CHAPTER 2

Rebekah sat in her wheelchair at the table, tearing lettuce into a bowl, while her oldest daughter stood at the stove, stirring a pot of savory stew. They’d been working on supper for the last half hour and still saw no sign of Rachel.

“Are you sure your sister left the river before you did, Anna?”

“Jah, Mom. Several minutes, in fact.”

“Did she say she was coming straight home?”

“Not really; I just assumed she was planning on it.”

“Hmm...”

Just then the back door opened, and Rachel stepped into the room—her face all red and sweaty, her eyes brighter than a shiny penny.

“Sorry I’m late.” She hurried over to the sink to wash her hands and face.

Rebekah wiped her hands on a paper towel and reached for a tomato. “Anna said you left the river quite a bit before she did. What kept you, daughter?”

“I ... uh ... did a little bird-watching on the way home, and Anna must have missed me somehow.” Rachel picked up an empty pitcher and filled it with water from the sink. “Want me to set the table and fill the glasses?”

Rebekah nodded. “It seems as if you and Anna have been living in a dream world lately. Is this what summer does to my girls?”

Rachel shrugged. “I can’t help it if I enjoy studying God’s feathered creatures.”

Anna turned from her job at the stove and frowned. “Sure is funny I never saw you on the way home. If you were looking at birds, then where were you—up in a tree?”

“What difference does it make?” Rachel’s face flamed, making Rebekah wonder if up a tree was precisely where her daughter had been. Rachel had been climbing trees ever since she was old enough to run and play outdoors, always chasing after some critter, watching a special bird, or hiding from her siblings.