скачать книгу бесплатно
“I own the house free and clear, Martha,” he’d told her on the day she’d agreed to be his wife. “The house wasn’t finished, but I got it done and did most of the work myself. I paid someone to do the plumbing.”
Martha had stared at the brick house and thought it sturdy but too big.
“Someday we’ll have children to fill the bedrooms,” he’d told her.
Martha had blushed. That was a lot of bedrooms to fill, and she wasn’t a teenager with years ahead of her to have that many babies.
“Ya do want kinner?” Ike had asked, watching her closely.
Martha had nodded. “I love kinner.” And he’d looked relieved.
“We will be happy together, Martha.” His smile had been warm, and she’d felt loved. But there had been no babies during their time as man and wife.
Ike was a good man. She missed him, but she wondered how their relationship would have fared with no children. She’d been deeply hurt by his change in behavior, as if he’d believed that she’d defied him on purpose by not getting pregnant. As if it hadn’t been Gottes wille.
We married for better or worse. Ike had been an active member of the Amish church. If he’d loved her, her husband would have accepted their marriage and their life together with or without children.
Martha sighed. She had to stop thinking about what should have been instead of what was.
“I will manage,” she murmured as she entered the big empty house alone. Ike had left her a nice nest egg, which would tide her over for several months. If the farm produced well this season, then she would be set for another year. She was glad that the property was paid for and the only thing she needed to be concerned about were life’s basics and whatever she needed to keep up with the farm. She needed to fix the things that Ike had ignored, for she could ignore them no longer. She knew that the Lapp men did carpentry work for the community. She could hire them to do the repair work.
Monday morning, Martha was cleaning the kitchen after breakfast when the Stoltzfus sisters arrived. She’d baked earlier and set out a plate. “Muffins?” she asked.
“We ate before we came,” Meg said. “Perhaps later with tea after we’re done?”
Martha smiled. “I made blueberry, chocolate chip and sweet.”
“I wouldn’t mind one now,” Charlie said. When Meg looked at her, the girl blinked. “What? I didn’t eat much breakfast.”
“Tea, anyone?” Martha asked.
“Nay.” Charlie happily took a bite. “May I have some water?”
“I’ll have a cup of tea.” Nell, the eldest sister, came in from the outside. “I went to check on your animals,” she told Martha. “They look well. Have you given thought to selling any of your baby goats?”
Martha shook her head. “Nay. Do you know someone who is interested?”
“Ja, me.”
“Nell, what will Dat think if you come home with another animal?” Meg asked with a shake of her head.
“He’ll think it a gut idea,” Nell assured her. “Martha, I’d like a female if you’re willing to part with it. Think about it and name your price. Then let me know. Ja?”
“Nell loves animals and is always looking to add to our livestock.” Charlie took a sip from the water Martha had given her and set the glass down.
“I’ll think about it,” Martha said. She owned several goats. She probably could part with one or two.
Katie Lapp and Martha’s sister-in-law Mae arrived next. “I didn’t expect you to come,” Martha said with surprise as she held open the door for them.
Katie smiled as she entered. “We wanted to help.”
Mae followed Katie inside with a pie plate in her arms. “Snitz pie,” she declared.
Martha grinned as she accepted it. “Sounds delicious. Danki, Mae.”
The women dispersed to different rooms to give the house a thorough cleaning. Martha was a good housekeeper, so the work didn’t take long.
When they were done, the women gathered in Martha’s kitchen for refreshments. Martha made tea and coffee and set out the Snitz pie and the plateful of muffins and another dish of homemade cookies. As they ate, they caught up on community news and then left before early afternoon.
Martha needed to buy groceries to fix Wednesday’s food. She decided to make a quick stop on her way to the market to check on her friend Annie.
“Martha, what a pleasant surprise!”
“I wasn’t sure if you’d be resting.” She’d brought the last of the Snitz pie and made Annie up a basket of baked goods.
Her friend smiled. “EJ finally fell asleep, and I’ve just put on the tea kettle. Would you like a cup?”
“Nay, I should go so that you can have some quiet time and rest.” The teakettle whistled, and she insisted on making Annie’s tea. “After your baby’s born, I’ll come to help.” She would live to enjoy others’ children since she couldn’t have any of her own.
Annie blinked against tears. “You’re a true friend, Martha. I’ll keep that in mind.”
“Gut.” Warmed by their friendship, Martha cut Annie a slice of Snitz pie. “I have a few things to be repaired at the house.”
“How many things?”
Martha grimaced. “A lot.”
“Jacob’s father and bruders are fine carpenters. They built this haus.”
“I remember. I thought about asking them, but I know they’re busy with farmwork. Do you think they’ll agree to take a look when they have time?”
“Ja. I’m sure they will.” She leaned back in her chair and placed a hand on her pregnant belly. “If the others are otherwise engaged, Eli can do your repairs. He takes on extra work wherever he can find it.”
Her heart skipped a beat at the memory of Eli Lapp’s teasing grin. “To save money for his carriage shop,” she murmured.
“Ja. I told you about that, didn’t I?”
Martha nodded. “Would you like me to check on EJ before I go?”
“Would you?” Her friend appeared grateful, and Martha headed upstairs to the child’s bedroom. EJ slept with his legs curled beneath him with his little derriere pointed upward. She could see his sweet face; the little boy looked vulnerable and adorable. And he made Martha long for a baby of her own. She returned to the kitchen and her friend. “He’s still napping.”
“I love to watch him sleep,” Annie admitted. She started to rise.
“Sit,” Martha ordered gently. “You don’t look well.”
“I’m fine.”
But she didn’t look fine to Martha. Annie looked exhausted and uncomfortable, seated at the kitchen table with her eyes closed.
“Shall I get Jacob for you?”
Annie blinked her eyelids open. “Nay, he has too much to do today.” There was love in her gaze and deep affection in her tone.
“Stay home Wednesday, Annie.” Martha filled the dish basin in the sink, then collected her friend’s cups and plates.
“You don’t have to wash those.”
Martha turned to her with raised eyebrows. “Ja, I do. You’ve been a gut friend to me, Annie. It’s the least I can do.” She dried and put away the dishes. When she was done, she saw that her friend had fallen asleep in the kitchen chair.
“Annie,” Martha whispered, touching her shoulder lightly. “Let me help you to bed. You should lie down before EJ wakes up.”
Annie nodded and pushed back her chair. Martha took hold of her arm and Annie leaned against her as Martha walked her to her bedroom and helped her into bed. “I’ll come back to check on you later.”
Annie had already closed her eyes. “No need. Jacob said that he would be home early.”
“Rest. I shouldn’t have stopped.” Martha placed the small quilt at the end of the bed over Annie.
“Nay,” her friend murmured. “I enjoyed your company.”
EJ’s bedroom was in the next room. If the toddler woke up, his mother would hear him. “I’ll lock the doors on my way out.”
“Danki,” Anne whispered.
As she stepped outside, Martha was surprised to see Jacob and Eli ending a discussion. Jacob headed toward Zook’s Blacksmithy while Eli walked to his vehicle with a tool belt draped over his arm. She was surprised to see his buggy alongside hers.
As if sensing her presence, Eli glanced in her direction. “Martha,” he greeted her with a respectful nod. “I didn’t expect to see you here today.”
“Eli.” She couldn’t help notice that the blue of his eyes matched the azure sky above. “Just stopped to check on Annie. Mae made Snitz pie, and I thought to share it.”
He smiled. “That was kind of you.”
“Annie is my friend.”
“Still I’m sure she appreciated your thoughtfulness.” He reached up as if to climb into his vehicle.
“May I speak with you?” Martha asked before she could change her mind. It was the perfect opportunity to see if he was interested in doing her house repairs.
“Ja.” He faced her with eyes filled with curiosity.
“I know that you, your vadder and your bruders are skilled carpenters. I’d like to hire you to do some work on my haus, if you’re interested.” She didn’t know why she suddenly felt jittery inside. She would have to get used to hiring people and taking care of the things that her late husband had handled in the past.
His blue gaze brightened. She saw that she’d piqued his interest. “We can stop by if you’d like,” he said pleasantly. “Give you an estimate.”
She felt relieved. “That would be wonderful. Danki.”
“May we come tomorrow?” he asked when she turned to leave.
Martha faced him. “Morning?”
His expression filled with warmth. “What time?”
“Come anytime. I’ll be there all morning.” She felt her heart beating wildly as she turned back to her buggy and reached for a handhold. Eli was suddenly beside her, silently offering his assistance. Their gazes locked. His features held only polite indifference. Relieved, she allowed him to help her into her vehicle. After he released her fingers, she could still feel the warmth of his firm, gentle grasp. She opened her mouth but was suddenly at a loss for words.
“I’ll see you tomorrow, Martha.”
She didn’t answer him, which bothered her as she sat a moment and watched while he sprang up into his wagon. Their gazes met, held, until he touched the brim of his hat and dipped his head.
Martha watched him leave before she followed the same path toward the road. The memory of their brief encounter stayed with her as she drove toward the market, while she shopped, paid for her groceries, then drove home.
Later that evening she scolded herself for worrying needlessly about her reaction to Eli Lapp. She finally put things into perspective. He was her friend’s son, and he’d been kind to her. Gratitude. That was all it was.
Chapter Five (#ulink_86219d1c-b5f5-5462-9629-c05ab3cd7c5d)
The next morning Eli sat next to his father as he steered their buggy toward Martha’s farmhouse. As he’d suspected, Dat was pleased to do the work for the widow. “Amos is worried about her,” he’d said when Eli had first mentioned it to him. “He knew that his bruder had ignored the haus repairs. I imagine that Martha has been wanting things fixed for some time.”
“Then ’tis gut that we can help her,” Eli had said, and his father had agreed.
It was a warm and sunny day. Spring flowers had burst into bloom, adding a splash of color to the houses built along the main roadway. Residents, both English and Amish, were outside tending to chores in their yards or on their farms.
Eli and his father lifted a hand in greeting to Abram Peachy, church deacon and friend, who was driving his buggy in the opposite direction. “Abram,” Dat greeted him as their vehicles drew abreast of each other. “Nice to see you on a fine day such as this.”
“Should have more of the same tomorrow,” Abram said. “’Twill be a gut planting day for Martha’s.”
“Ja, you’ll be there then?” Dat asked.
Abram bobbed his head. “Ja, ja. Wouldn’t miss it. Martha’s family.”
“We will see you tomorrow, Abram,” Dat said, and they went their separate ways.
They rode in silence until they reached the King property. As Dat steered the horse into the widow’s driveway, Eli spied Martha in the backyard hanging laundry.
She glanced back as if sensing their presence and waved.
“She knows we’re here.” Eli watched as she stopped what she was doing and approached with a smile.
“Martha,” his father greeted her as he climbed from the vehicle.
“Samuel.” She gave him a nod. Her gaze slid in his direction. “Eli.”
“Hallo, Martha.” She looked well, he thought. The fresh air and spring warmth clearly agreed with her.
“You’re out early this morning,” she said.
“Is this a bad time?” Samuel asked.
She shook her head. “Nay, this is the gut time. It’s kind of you to come.”
“Do you have a list of what you want done or would you prefer to show us?” Eli felt himself the focus of her brown gaze. His thoughts flashed back to her seated on the ground, laughing, after one of her escaped animals got the better of her.
