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She’d been alone in the house these past few weeks, and she was managing. There were memories of her husband in every room. She could almost hear his voice calling to her as he entered the house from outside. She and Ike had been married more than a year when he’d suffered a fatal heart attack while shoveling snow during an early heavy November snowstorm. During the winter months that followed, she’d had to come to grips with living the rest of her life alone. She would never know the joy of growing old with her husband nor experience the wonder of holding their baby son or daughter. But Ike’s death was Gottes wille and she prayed to the Lord daily for the strength to accept it.
Martha shifted her attention toward her farm fields. It was the season when families gathered to work up the soil and plant seed. Soon she’d have to find someone to help with the planting. She could appeal to the community, but the farm was hers, and eventually she would have to find a way to manage on her own. If she didn’t, she might have to sell the property and go home to Indiana.
Thoughts of Indiana made her think briefly of her former betrothed, John Miller. She had cared for him deeply and she’d thought he’d felt the same. But then John had chosen to leave the Amish way of life—and her. She had joined the church and would have been shunned if she’d gone with him. Not that he’d ever asked me. The knowledge still made her feel a little pang whenever she recalled the day he’d told her that he was leaving.
Martha straightened her spine. She must accept that her life hadn’t gone the way she’d envisioned. She had loved and lost two men—John and her husband, Ike. She sighed. There was no use questioning God’s plan. She would find the strength to rise above the challenge to become self-sufficient. Fortunately, Ike had left her enough money to last for several months, perhaps even a year if she was careful. But she needed to discover a way to earn income before there was nothing left to buy supplies, care for the animals and maintain the house.
As she turned from the window, she caught a flicker of movement out of the corner of her eye. She groaned as she saw her first challenge. Two sheep had escaped from the pasture and were munching contently on the side lawn. Then she watched as her best dairy cow widened the fence opening as it followed the sheep.
Martha hurried downstairs. If she didn’t put them back where they belonged, the animals might wander into the road. As she raced outside, she made a quick decision to corral the sheep first. She eased toward the closest one, and when the animal bolted out of reach, she ran after it. Her attempts to corner her livestock became an unwelcome game of cat and mouse between her and the sheep as she raced about the yard in hot pursuit.
The animal stopped several feet away. Martha paused to catch her breath, hoping that if she remained still for a few minutes, the sheep would become too busy eating to notice when she approached. She bent over and rested her hands on her knees, peering at them in watchful anticipation. Straightening slowly, she took a small step toward it and then stopped. When the animal didn’t move, Martha eased closer, then froze when the sheep suddenly looked up from his food, gave her an evil look and took off. She spun toward the other lamb that stood within range, but it baaed loudly at her and scuttled away.
Determined, she gave chase, zigzagging back and forth in an attempt to block one and then the other’s escape. The sheep ran toward her Holstein, and Martha shrieked in frustration as the cow mooed and shifted into a loping run. She found herself running after three animals instead of two. She became dismayed when she heard bleating and noted the escape of a fourth animal—Millicent, her temperamental milk goat.
“Move!” she hollered as she ran about waving her hands in an attempt to herd them in the right direction. “Nay! Nay! This way!”
“Shoo! Shoo!” a deep voice exclaimed, startling her.
Martha spun and saw Elijah Lapp, her friend Annie’s brother-in-law, as he joined in the chase for her livestock. She gasped as something soft brushed past her—one of the escaped lambs.
Flashing her a grin, Eli raced after the animal. She started to follow but slowed when she spotted his vehicle parked in the dirt drive close to the farmhouse. Recognizing Annie seated in the market wagon with her young son, Martha waved at her before she renewed her efforts to capture and pen up her animals.
It felt like a comedy of errors to Martha as she and Eli ran about the yard in hot pursuit of four pesky farm critters. Eli reached to snatch the smaller lamb and nearly fell when it eluded his grasp. He righted himself as the lamb headed in her direction, and Martha extended her arms to capture it. She slipped to her knees but managed to get a firm grip on the sheep.
“Got him!” she cried. Triumphant, she grinned at Eli, who gave her a nod of approval before he went after the second lamb.
Where could she put it until the fence was repaired? Martha gave it some thought. In the barn. She fought to pick up the struggling animal as she stood, then stumbled into the building and locked it inside a stall before she left to rejoin Eli. Outside Eli had control of the cow and was urging her toward the barn.
“In the stable next to the sheep!” she instructed, and he immediately obeyed.
While Eli was inside the barn, Martha went after her wily goat. The beast bleated loudly as if daring Martha to capture her. Martha sprang forward just as the goat rammed into her. Taken by surprise, Martha wobbled and then fell face forward. She got a mouthful of grass and dirt as the animal took off behind her.
Martha rolled onto her side and lay a moment with her eyes closed. She counted to ten silently, unhappy to be bested by a stubborn she-goat. She thought she heard Annie cry out something, but she couldn’t be sure.
Sensing someone above her, she looked up and saw Eli gazing down at her with concern. “Are you all right?” he said huskily. He crouched down to examine her more closely, and she felt the sharp impact of his bright azure eyes.
“Ja, I’m unhurt.” She gave him a crooked smile. The only thing that ailed her was embarrassment.
Looking relieved, Eli rose and extended his hand toward her. Martha stared at it a moment, debating whether or not to accept his help. She lifted her gaze and noted his tousled hair along with the dirt streaks and grass clippings on his handsome face and on his clothing. Two animals were in their pens, but there were still two critters running loose. The young man’s appearance and her own state of disarray with messy hair and grass-stained frock suddenly struck her as hilarious. She began to laugh. Her laughter started as a wide smile, then became a chuckle before it blossomed into a full-out belly-clutching roar.
She could sense that Eli was startled as he stared at her in silence with his hand still extended. Then his features crinkled with amusement, and his blue eyes began to twinkle. His chuckle turned into a laugh as if he, like her, had realized suddenly the hilarity in their situation—two grown adults bested by livestock.
Her laughter felt wonderful; it had been a while since she’d felt this good. Martha reached for his hand, and Eli pulled her to her feet. Her loud outburst eased to a soft giggle. Then the thought came to her that this wasn’t proper behavior for a widow, and she quickly pulled herself together.
“What do ya think?” she asked him. “Can we get the last of them?”
“Ja.” He grinned. “Can’t let a couple of critters get the better of us.”
Martha couldn’t contain her chuckle. “I think they already have.”
“Not for long!” he exclaimed as he spun and gave chase to the goat that dared to come too close. “Bet I can grab him first!”
“Not if I get to her before you do!” she cried, taking off after him. The goat continued to elude them. This was the most fun that Martha had enjoyed in years, and she wasn’t going to feel guilty about it. She forgot about her sorrow and felt alive again, almost as if God was reminding her that she had her life to live.
Chapter Two (#ulink_5c4d03a1-4ed9-54de-ad42-e6838ecb0ddc)
It took him and Martha over twenty minutes to capture the last two animals. While they chased them, Eli saw that his sister-in-law had climbed out of the buggy to wait. While he and Martha ran around, Annie kept her excited son firmly against her side while holding the plate of brownies in her other arm. His nephew clapped his hands and made gleeful noises as he and Martha finally cornered the goat and sheep. Diving for the lamb, Eli grabbed the animal while Martha caught the goat and fell to her knees to attain a better grip.
His breath came in harsh, rapid spurts, but Eli felt invigorated. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d enjoyed a good run. As he studied Martha, he noted her disheveled appearance. He knew that he looked no better. His lips twitched, but Eli managed to control the urge to laugh.
“We should move slowly,” Martha whispered, as if speaking in a loud tone would cause the goat to escape from her arms.
He nodded. “Wouldn’t want one of ’em to get away,” he agreed softly.
“Ja. You want to go first or shall I?” She looked young and approachable with her white kapp slightly askew and grass stains on her matching cape and apron. The goat began to struggle in earnest, and Martha shifted to get a firmer grip. “Why don’t you head toward the barn first?”
“Oll recht,” he said, eyeing her with concern. “Are you sure you’ll be able to hold her?”
She beamed at him. “Ja. I’ve got her gut now. I’m not about to let her go.”
Eli inhaled sharply. He gazed at her, entranced. The widow was breathtaking when she was happy. Since her husband’s death, Martha had been quiet, reserved. She’d been sad and grief-stricken whenever he’d caught a glimpse of her during church and on visiting Sundays. But during the past hour, she’d smiled and laughed...and looked like the happy young woman she’d been on the day she’d married Ike King.
Martha frowned, and Eli realized that he’d been staring. He quickly picked up the lamb and carried the frightened animal across the yard and into the barn. He gently placed it in the stall with its sibling. Then he returned to assist Martha with the goat.
His gaze quickly sought her as Eli stepped out into the bright sunshine. The animal was trying to chew Martha’s kapp strings. Martha shifted the goat to keep the strings out of its reach. “Fence first?” he asked. “Or goat?”
She didn’t hesitate. “Fence. I can hold her awhile longer, and I don’t want any of the other animals to get out.”
There were cattle and other sheep grazing in the distance. Eli went to the fence and quickly made a repair. Then he returned to carefully lift the goat from her arms and set the animal inside the secured pasture. Martha stood and brushed dirt and bits of grass from the hem of her skirt and her apron as he rejoined her.
Smiling, he shook his head. “I don’t think you’ll be able to get out the stains without a washing.”
She flashed him a rueful smile. “Ja.” She fell into step with him and they headed toward Annie and EJ. “Danki for your help.”
“My pleasure. I enjoyed it.” He felt his heart thump hard as they locked gazes. Startled, he quickly refocused his attention on his sister-in-law. “Annie, Jacob or Peter will come for you later.”
Annie nodded, then released EJ, who stumbled toward him on unsteady legs. Eli swung the boy high and then into his arms. “I have to leave, buddy. Your uncle Noah needs me for deliveries. He’s probably wondering where I am.”
“I’m sorry.” Martha looked apologetic. “I’ve kept you from your work.”
“It was worth it,” he assured her and meant it. “I needed the exercise.” And he’d enjoyed seeing this other side of Ike King’s widow. He grinned. “I haven’t had this much fun in years.” He gave his nephew a hug, then set him down. “Be a gut boy for your mudder.” He laughed when the child beamed an innocent smile at him.
Annie caught her son’s hand and drew him tenderly to her side. “Jacob will be disappointed that he missed the chase.”
Eli shrugged. “I think we did well considering. Don’t you, Martha?” He studied her, saw her smile and nod. “And Jacob would have been thick in the middle of it with us if he’d been here.”
Martha lifted a hand to straighten her head covering, but her hairpins had shifted, making it impossible for her to fix it. “Would you like something to drink before you go?”
“Nay. I appreciate the offer.” He stifled the urge to help Martha with her kapp. He grabbed his hat from the front seat of the wagon, finger-combed his hair and put his hat back on his head. He became conscious of Annie’s regard.
“What exactly did Noah want you to do today?” Her blue eyes twinkled as she studied him.
“I’ll be making deliveries for him.” Eli groaned and briefly closed his eyes as he realized that he was in no condition to greet Noah’s customers.
His sister-in-law snickered. “Not looking as you do now.” Her expression turned thoughtful. “You’re not the same size as Noah, but I imagine he’ll have clean clothes you can borrow.”
“But will he have enough soap and water?” Eli heard Martha laugh as he climbed into the buggy. The sound rippled over him, making him smile.
“You can wash up in the house,” she suggested. “I may be able to find something clean for you to wear.” She paused when Annie whispered in her ear. Eyes widening, Martha gave a short gasp of laughter. “On second thought, maybe you should ask Noah.”
“Ja, you’d best get moving, Eli,” Annie urged. “It looks like you have your work cut out for you before you make deliveries.” Laughter lurked in her blue eyes, and Eli scowled playfully at her.
“Danki, Eli,” Martha said. “I couldn’t have caught them without your help.”
“You would have eventually,” Eli said, “but I’m glad I was able to assist.” He readjusted his hat before he reached for the leathers. “It may be a gut idea to have your fence checked.” He gave them each a nod. “Martha. Annie. Have a gut day.”
With a click of his tongue and a flick of the leathers, he drove the vehicle toward the main road. A quick glance back showed him that Martha watched his departure. He smiled. The widow lingered in his thoughts as Eli pulled into the graveled lot next to his brother’s furniture shop. He tied his mare to the hitching post and turned as Noah exited the building.
“Where’ve you been?” Noah asked as Eli approached. His brother gaped at him as they drew closer. “What happened to you?”
Eli removed his hat to run a hand through his hair. “I took Annie to Martha King’s for Jacob.”
“You had an accident!” Noah gasped, eyeing him with concern. “Annie—is she all right?”
“Ja, she is fine. But there was no accident. I had a run-in with two sheep, a cow and a goat.” He chuckled at his brother’s puzzled look. “I helped Martha with escaped livestock.”
“And you got to looking this way how?”
Eli smiled crookedly. “They’re wily critters. The cow wasn’t hard to corner, but Martha’s two sheep and goat were too cunning. Martha fared worse than me.” He felt his mouth twitch before he allowed laughter to escape. “I actually enjoyed the chase. But I’m afraid I can’t make deliveries looking like this.” He gestured at his clothing. “Do you have a clean shirt and pants I can borrow?”
“Ja.” Noah gazed at him with twinkling brown eyes that held mischief. “Rachel will enjoy a gut laugh when she sees you.”
Eli gave him a sour look. “I’m not going to the house. If you don’t care how I look, then I don’t.”
His brother’s amusement faded. Noah sighed. “They’re on the wall hook near the sink.”
“Danki.” Eli washed his face, neck and hands in the back room; then he dried his face with a clean towel from a stack on the shelf above the sink. As he changed his clothes, he thought of Martha. He envisioned her with her hair neat under a freshly laundered kapp. He imagined her wearing a purple dress with a clean black work apron. He smiled as he pulled the stopper on the sink and the water drained while he hung the towel to dry.
He rejoined Noah in the front room. “Better?”
“Better than what?” Noah joked. “The pants are a little short, but they’ll do. No one will notice but me.”
“Then I’m presentable enough for deliveries.”
“As gut as you can be,” his brother teased.
Eli snarled at him playfully. “Then let’s get to work. Do you have a list?”
“Ja.” Noah gave him a sheet of paper. As Noah explained about the pieces for delivery, Eli found his mind wandering...back to the King farm and the woman whose laughter had delighted him while lighting up her features.
“Eli! Pay attention!” his brother said sharply. “Did you hit your head while you were chasing animals?”
Eli thought of the impact of Martha’s smile. “Something like that,” he murmured before he made an effort to focus on work.
* * *
“I’d have loved to join the chase,” Annie admitted as she followed Martha into the farmhouse.
Martha picked up EJ to carry him inside. “It was fun, but I’m glad it’s over and they’re penned up again.” She smiled at the child’s resemblance to Eli. “It was exhausting—I was at it for a while before you and Eli came. Thank the Lord you did, or I’d still be chasing them.”
“I wish I had your energy,” Annie said with a sigh. “Lately I’ve been too tired to do much of anything. This little one here—” She gestured toward her son. “He keeps me busy. I’m glad it’s late April and the weather is finally warming again. I’ll have to take EJ outside to play often. Maybe he’ll tire himself out in the fresh air. Then I can have a long lie-down while he takes his nap.”
“’Tis wonderful to get out of the house, ja?”
Annie eased herself down onto a kitchen chair and gestured for Martha to set EJ on the floor beside her. She regarded her son with tender warmth. “Ja. It was a long winter. Especially for you.” She watched her son as he sat quietly and stared up at his mother. “He’s being a gut boy. Do ya have a pan or pot he can play with?”
“Ja, in the cupboard.” Martha opened a door and took out two pans along with a big metal stockpot. Then she dug into a drawer for wooden and metal spoons.
“You may regret giving those to him,” Annie warned as Martha placed the spoons inside the biggest pot and gently pushed it in the boy’s direction.
The toddler immediately reached for the spoon and began to bang on the sides of the pot. “I see what you mean,” Martha said with a laugh. Before EJ had a chance to protest, she switched the spoon for a plastic spatula. The child grinned at her happily, stuck the spatula in a pan and stirred it about.
“Have you started on your vegetable garden?” Annie asked conversationally when her son was settled.
“I worked up the soil, but I haven’t decided what to plant. You?”
Annie’s smile held regret. “No garden this year, I’m afraid.” She patted her pregnant belly. “I can’t bend to garden.”
“I’ll put it in for you,” Martha offered.
“You’re a gut friend, but I can’t let you do that.”
“Then I’ll bring you vegetables from mine,” Martha insisted and was pleased when Annie didn’t argue.
The women chatted and enjoyed tea while EJ played contently on the floor. Martha enjoyed the delightful morning spent in good company.
“What was all that whispering about?” Martha asked her friend as she had a surge of memory of Annie murmuring gibberish into her ear before instructing her to laugh, then encourage Eli to go to Noah’s.
Annie grinned. “Do you know what it’s like to be married to a twin? Eli is a consummate tease. I was just attempting to get one up on him.”
Martha chuckled. “I see.” She unwrapped Annie’s brownies and poured EJ a glass of milk while the boy’s mother encouraged him to climb onto her lap. Annie rewarded him with a cookie before she reached for a brownie.
Martha rejoined her friend at the table. A heavy knock resounded on her back door. “Who on earth...?” Answering it, she was startled to see her brother-in-law with three Lapp men—Samuel and his sons Jacob and Eli.
“Amos!” she exclaimed with surprise. “Is everything oll recht?”
“Ja, Martha, all is fine,” her brother-in-law assured her. “We’ve come to discuss your farm.”
