Last Bride, The (Home to Hickory Hollow Book #5) (3 page)

T
he next morning, Tessie kept busy pressing the hand-washed
Kapps
—hers and Mamma’s. While she ironed, she considered yesterday’s trip to West Chester and relived her feelings as she’d walked into the courthouse, feelings of excitement and also trepidation. There was no question that she and Marcus were pushing the boundaries of the Hickory Hollow church, being there in the first place.

After the noon meal, she helped clean, skin, and cut up a whole chicken for supper. Tessie did not make eye contact with Mamma, because one cautious look from her and Mamma might suspect something. She was known to read Tessie like the books lining the kitchen shelves. And up until she’d started seeing Marcus King seriously, she and her mother had been very close.

Tessie thought fondly of her overflowing hope chest, wishing she might use the many homemade items right away to set up housekeeping with Marcus. Even so, patience was a
true virtue.
“Good things come to those
who wait,”
the Wise Woman was known to say. Tessie must wait for Marcus to say just when, and try to keep an agreeable attitude, too.
Sometimes the hardest part
of all.

Mamma finally broke the stillness later that day, after supper. “You’re quieter than usual, dear.”

“Maybe so.” Tessie kept her eyes on her devotional book as she sat in the front room. They were waiting for her father to return from visiting Dawdi Dave, where he’d gone to share a slice of Mandy’s gift of apple pie. The tranquil, reverent hour for family Bible reading and evening prayers was upon them, yet Tessie’s thoughts were a whirl. She felt both nervous and giddy about her and Marcus’s plans—the most peculiar combination of emotions she’d ever experienced.

“Cat’s got your tongue?” Mamma said, tilting her head and eyeing her further. “What’s a-matter?”

“Nothin’s wrong, Mamma.”

“Ach, you can’t fool me.”

“I’m fine, really.” She made the mistake of glancing up and seeing Mamma’s deep azure eyes still studying her from across the room.

“Goodness, Tessie girl, you look awful pale. Are you sure you’re not ill?”

“I feel all right,” she said, thinking the more her mother kept at it, the more likely she
would
feel sick. She changed the subject. “I wonder if Mandy’s busy tonight.”

“Well, you can go on over and see, I ’spect. Unless you’re more interested in the old oak tree out back.” Here, Mamma smiled.

Tessie decided it might be a good idea to visit Mandy after
silent prayers. But what if
she
started asking questions, too? After all, Mandy had seen her dashing up the road yesterday to meet Marcus. No, the more Tessie considered it, the more she knew that a visit to Mandy was not at all prudent.

Oh, if only she could talk to Marcus, even for a brief time. That would help calm her some. She felt so guilty. Would Mamma discover she’d disregarded their wishes? Her mother had a way of fishing things out of her.

My joy
might be fleeting,
she realized as she heard the back door creak open and Dat shuffle onto the porch.

The following day, Mandy enjoyed the familiar prattle of dozens of first cousins, all women between courting and middle age. She searched her aunt’s kitchen and adjoining rooms for Tessie, hoping to sit with her. Mandy had brought along a generous supply of ham-and-cheese sandwiches to share at the noon meal, carrying in a food hamper from her carriage just as others had.

“Ach, there you are!” she said, touching Tessie’s elbow.

Her sister turned and smiled. “Hullo, Mandy.”

“I see you made it. ’Tis
gut.
”

Tessie nodded, but her smile was less than convincing. “I decided to come at the last minute.”

“Well, glad ya did.”

Tessie was tight-lipped today, and her eyes scanned the room, which made Mandy wonder what was wrong. Was Tessie nervous about seeing someone, maybe? For her friendly, well-loved sister, this was so out of character. What had happened to the carefree, self-assured Tessie Ann?

Together, they returned to the kitchen, where the large table was already filled with cousins. Seeing that, the two of them went to sit at a big folding table set up at the far end.

“It’s like we’ve been shunned,” Mandy whispered, smiling.

“Sister, for goodness’ sake!” Tessie rebuked her.

More cousins were already upstairs sweeping and washing floors, and some were outside beating throw rugs. Still other young women sat at tables in the front room, working on various mending projects and jabbering in
Deitsch
. It was going to be a wonderful-good frolic, to be sure.

Mandy and Tessie sat alone for only a few minutes at their separate table before two more cousins came in the back door. “We’re eager to get our hands into some dough,” Emmalyn’s older sister Faye said happily as she and her sister Becky sat down with Mandy and Tessie. These married cousins lived on the far east side of Hickory Hollow, and it was good to see them, since it wasn’t often Mandy got over to either of their homes. Becky, especially, had a talk on, telling about her four little ones, including a set of twins. Faye, too, seemed to want to share about her babies and even hinted that she hoped she was expecting yet again.

Tessie glanced at Mandy, her expression turning sympathetic, and Mandy appreciated that, guessing her sister understood what she must be feeling. Yet Mandy wished they might have had time alone before these chatty cousins arrived, because Tessie was definitely not herself. Mandy had never seen her so
verleedich—
downhearted.

Tessie wished she’d stayed home from yesterday’s hen party even as she retrieved the letter that arrived in the mail the following day. She’d felt as if everyone could guess she was up to something—Mandy in particular had seemed concerned.

She sighed and opened the letter. Marcus had written to say he was moving into the rental house that very afternoon, once he returned from helping fill silo for Paul Hostetler up the road. Marcus evidently had received some nice wood furnishings donated by relatives.
Most of my family suspects I’m getting hitched later
this fall, but I haven’t confirmed that, not even
with Daed.

What matters most now is that you’
ll meet me tomorrow morning near Maryanna Esh’s grove
of trees. If you’re still in agreement, I’ve
got a van driver lined up for us.

Since there was so little time, Tessie would have to write back and slip the letter into his mailbox yet today. Busy as he was during daylight hours and after—and now with setting up the house, too—there was just no telling how to track him down. “I need to give Marcus my answer,” she whispered, holding the letter against her heart.

As soon as possible!

Marcus opened the pages of his journal later that night. He felt an urgency to document their elopement since he and Tessie were missing out, not having a typical Amish church wedding. Keeping such an account would in no way help that, but it might be something to show their children someday.

Thursday, September 26

My last day as a single man. I found a letter from Tessie Ann tucked into the mailbox on my front porch. Her words were exciting, just knowing she truly wants to become my bride tomorrow. She has always had an encouraging way about her, and I’m grateful. Some men’s wives are just the opposite.

I am considering when we’ll manage our first night together, since tomorrow is Friday. We cannot afford to have Ammon wondering why Tessie’s out late on a weeknight. If only we could have gone to the courthouse on a Saturday!

At least everything else is set in place. I have cash to pay the judge and I’ve told my boss I’ll be off work tomorrow. I’ve also made reservations at the Kling House Restaurant, where I’ve requested a table near the wood-burning fireplace—more private there, I think. We’ll have us a wonderful-gut meal to start our happy life.

One thing is up in the air: two required witnesses. There is no one from Hickory Hollow I want to entrust with our secret. I’m looking to God for this necessary detail.

Tessie waited till after dusk, then hurried up the road to her childhood home, needing some alone time in her favorite old tree. The gas lamp burned gaily in Mandy’s roomy kitchen as Tessie ran past the east side of the house, glad for the solitude. Going to the splendid gnarled oak, she deftly climbed to the familiar branch.

So many happy times here as a girl.

Once she was settled, she tucked her long dress and apron tightly between her knees and leaned on the strong limb, feeling the lingering warmth from the sun-drenched afternoon. Tessie recalled how terribly skinny she’d been, no matter how much she ate, back when she’d first managed to clamber up this high. Even all those years ago, Mamma had called her a dreamer of many dreams.
“Ach,
so many,”
Mamma sometimes would add with a shake of her head.

“She could have said I was an odd duck,” Tessie whispered aloud.

From her lovely spot, she could see the fair moon rising in the distance, just above the Wise Woman’s little house. “Denki, Gott, for this special haven,” she whispered into the twilight, wondering what Marcus would think if he could see her this minute.