She noticed the twin who’d said it had gotten a sharp dig in the ribs from the other twin.
Then they’d both gone quiet.
Something wasn't right.
“It's so nice to meet someone who knows Matt so well. Can you tell us any funny stories about him?” Beatrice asked.
“I've got so many memories, we had so many happy times together growing up. I don't really have any funny stories. There is nothing I would say was funny.”
Anne asked, “You didn't get into trouble or do anything naughty?”
“We probably did, but nothing that I can think of at the moment.”
“Anne and I did some naughty things while we were growing up, didn't we?”
Beatrice's twin nodded enthusiastically. “We sure did. We were in trouble all the time. We were known as the terrible twins.”
“That's not very nice,” Jane said.
“It's quite funny really.”
“Yeah, quite funny.”
“Why don't you tell us about all those funny things some other time?” Sadie said, smiling awkwardly.
“Sure, we’ll come again. You're such a good cook, Mrs. Yoder.”
“Denke. I have been told that before.”
“Well, it's true,” Beatrice told her.
“Why don't we go to the living room and I'll bring us all out some coffee?”
“Not for me, denke. I don't drink coffee.”
“I'll have hers then,” said Beatrice.
“I'll make the coffees, Sadie. You cooked such a lovely meal. Why don't you go to the living room with our guests?”
“Nee, Jane. It's quite alright. You go and I will … I won't be long.”
“Nee. I insist. You sit down and rest with the twins.”
Sadie shook her head. “Absolutely not. It’s my haus, and you’re still a guest. You do it.”
Jane fixed a smile on her face. “Okay.” She walked into the living room with the girls and sat down. This was her worst nightmare, but it got worse when the twins sat either side of her.
“Are you sure you don't know any stories about Matt?”
“Jah. We’d love to hear them.”
“Tell us anything about him, anything.”
“Jah, anything at all,” the other twin said leaning even closer to her.
All Jane wanted to do was run out of the room screaming. “There’s nothing to tell. Oh, I think that’s Sadie needing my help in the kitchen.” She bounded to her feet. “I won’t be long.”
“I didn’t hear anything,” said one twin to the other while Jane hurried away. When she walked into the kitchen, Sadie turned around to face her.
“Don’t send me out there, Jane.”
Jane moved closer, and whispered, “We’ll both go out together as soon as the coffee’s made.”
“Okay and we won’t offer them anything else to eat because they’ll stay longer if there’s more food.”
Jane nodded, smiling. “Good thinking.”
Jane felt wicked as she and Sadie huddled together stifling giggles.
Chapter 10
“What did you think about the twins?” asked Matt on Tuesday, as he drove Jane in the horse and buggy back to his house.
“Do you have a short memory?”
His mouth twisted. “What do you mean?”
“You told me they don’t like to be called ‘the twins,’ remember?”
He laughed. “That's right. I am forgetful when it comes to some things.”
“I really don't know how you want me to choose between them. They seem quite similar in their personalities. And they are very close. They even mentioned they wanted to marry brothers.” She stared at him carefully to see how he’d react to that news.
His eyebrows rose. “I didn't know that.”
“Perhaps you don't know them as well as you thought.” Or you haven't spent much time with them, she wanted to say.
“Maybe. I don't know what to say.”
“If you want my opinion neither one of them is suitable for you. I can't see you with either twin.”
“Denke, that's very helpful.”
“I don't know why. You can't have seen one of them as your fraa, could you?”
“As I said, they expressed an interest in me and I thought I should stop and wait, and consider them.”
“I can't tell you what to do, but if I were you, I would be ruling them both out.”
He looked over at her and smiled. “I think you're right.”
“Good, that means my job just got easier. I only have three contenders left.”
He grinned at her. “I wish you’d stop calling them that.”
“That's what they are and you know it.”
Matt playfully shook a finger at her. It reminded her of when they were children when they were larking about.
She looked at the winding tree-lined road ahead. “Now I just have to concentrate on Lanie, Abigail, and ….”
“And, Marcy.”
“Ah, that’s right, Marcy. Abigail’s cousin, who I don’t know.”
“But who you’ll get to know.”
Trying anything she could so he wouldn’t know she was in love with him, she said, “I’m flattered that you chose me to help you.”
“I wouldn't trust anybody else.”
“But, I’m sure you could make the decision yourself.”
“I just need an objective opinion. I’ll be a long time married and I don’t want to make a mistake. I loved your honest comment about the twins, and once you said it, I realized how right you are. Just because they were interested in me shouldn't make me see them any differently.”
For an intelligent man, he wasn’t making smart decisions regarding women. “I do like the idea of turning your haus into a bed and breakfast, but do you think there are getting to be too many in the area?”
“I’ll have to find out. If there’s a call for it, I’ll proceed with some plans.” He shot her a quick look. “I’m pleased you like the idea.”
“I do. It’ll be exciting for you to have a project to work on.”
“Even more so to have a woman by my side while I’m doing it. I’ll correct that, while we’re doing it—me and my future fraa.”
That was something she didn’t want to think about. “I’m enjoying staying with Sadie. She’s such good company, and so is Mr. Grover.”
“Mamm would love having you there, but I’m sure Mr. Grover sees it as his house since he thinks he runs the place.”
Jane smiled. “I’ve noticed that. He thinks the room where I’m staying is his. He’s always in there.”
“Just put him out and close the door on him.”
“Nee. I couldn’t.”
“You haven’t changed a bit, Jane. You still have a soft heart.”
She did, only when it came to animals. She had no patience with people sometimes, especially when they were annoying twins who didn’t know when to stop talking. “One day when I have a place of my own, I want a cat exactly like Mr. Grover.”
“Don’t you have a place already?”
“I do, but I don’t own it. I’m renting it from the bishop.” She knew he was wondering what happened to the money she made when she sold the farm before she moved. It was sitting in the bank. There was no point buying a house when she wasn’t settled. Just because she’d lived there for years didn’t mean she was settled. Her heart had to be in a place first before she bought a house. Unfortunately up until now, her heart had always been wherever Matt was.
“I hope you get everything you want, Jane.”
“Denke, Matt. I hope so too.”
He smiled. “Jane, I’ve arranged with Lanie that she collect you and spend some time with you tomorrow. I hope that’s all right.”
“Ach jah. The sooner I get to know all the girls, the better. I’ll look forward to it.”
“Good.”
“Then, when do I get to see Abigail and Marcy?”
“Later in the week. I’ll have Mamm invite them both
for dinner.”
“Okay. That sounds good.” Jane wondered why he’d arranged private time for her with Lanie when Abigail and Marcy didn’t get one-on-one time with her. Did that mean he really preferred Lanie out of the three women who were left? It sounded that way. Marcy was the front-runner, the favorite, in Jane's mind.
That night, Sadie went to bed early and Jane didn’t want to sit up by herself, so she headed to the bedroom. Just as she was changing into her nightgown, Mr. Grover sauntered into the room.
“Hello, there,” Jane said.
He meowed at her before he jumped onto her bed. Jane recalled what she'd told Matt about the cat thinking of the room as his. That didn’t matter, Jane was desperate for someone to talk with and Mr. Grover would have to do.
Jane pulled off her prayer kapp, tossing it onto the bed, and then she unwound her hair that she’d braided and coiled around her head.
She picked up her brush and then sat cross-legged on the end of the bed, facing the cat, and began her nightly routine of hair brushing.
“What am I to do, Mr. Grover? It’s plain that he prefers five women before me. Well, three, now that he’s ruled out the twins, and they’re clearly unsuitable. Why can’t he see that?” She stared into the cat’s eyes and he half closed them. Was she boring him with her tales of woe? That didn’t deter her. He liked it there on her soft quilt; he was a captive audience. It didn’t look like he was going anywhere, so listening to her was the price he'd have to pay.
“I thought things were going to be very different. I thought we’d be planning our wedding by now.”
Sadie stopped still in the hallway when she heard Jane’s words. She’d been about to knock on her door to ask her if she needed an extra quilt. A chilly night was headed their way. The fireplace wasn’t a large one and because of that, the fire mostly went out in the early hours leaving them to wake up in a cold house.
Sadie’s heart went out to Jane. She was in love with her son, and he’d broken her heart.
Still, what could she do if Matt wasn’t in love with Jane? She couldn’t force him to have feelings. Jane was her choice for Matt and she’d prayed off and on over the years that one day they’d be together.
Jane spoke again to Mr. Grover, “What do you care, you’re only a cat and you have a perfectly lovely life with a caring owner who loves you.” She tossed the brush onto the bed. “You’re a very lovely cat though.” She patted his soft fur. “One day if Gott wills it, I’ll have a house of my own, Matt will be my adoring husband, and apart from all our kinner, we’ll have a cat as lovely as you.”
A knock sounded on Jane’s door. “Jane, would you like another quilt, or a furry blanket? It’ll be a cold night.”
Jane winced, horrified. Had Sadie heard her? Just as well she’d been talking softly. “Nee, denke, Sadie. I’m fine. This quilt is very warm. It’s like having two.” Jane bit her lip.
“Okay. I’ll leave a blanket here by the door just in case you get cold later on.”
Jane jumped off the bed, opened the door and saw Sadie’s smiling face. It didn’t seem like she’d heard one single word. “Denke.” Jane took the blanket from her. “I’m sure I’ll be fine, but I’ll take it just in case.”
“Gut nacht, Jane.”
“Sleep well, Sadie.”
“I will. I always do.” Sadie turned and walked away, while Jane closed the door. As soon as Jane put the blanket on the end of the bed, Mr. Grover moved himself onto it and started pawing it. “Okay, you stay there and have that one. Don’t wake me in the middle of the night.”
Jane then opened the bedroom door just a little in case Mr. Grover wanted to leave at some time during the night.
When she got into bed, she whispered, “I hope she didn’t hear me.” Then she closed her eyes and instead of worrying about the other women, she imagined herself happily married to Matt. If it wasn’t going to happen in her real life, at least she could have things just the way she wanted them in her dreams.
Chapter 11
The next morning, Jane was in Lanie’s buggy heading away from the house.
“What do you want to do today, Jane?”
“Anything you'd like to do. Where's Mary-Lee?”
“At my mudder’s. She loves looking after her and it’s a perfect arrangement for when I want free time, but I don’t often want free time. I don't have anything to do because the truth is I don't have any friends so when Matt said you wanted to spend the day with me I was delighted.”
“Why don't you have any friends? You grew up in the community.”
“Everyone who has kinner Mary-Lee’s age is married, and I really don't have anything in common with those women now. They don't know what it's like to lose a husband. All the other widows are so much older, and all the single women are so much younger.”
“I see. That would be difficult.”
“Jah, there are no women in my exact situation. It’s hard. I’ve overlooked the differences, at least I've tried to, but my old friends don’t treat me the same. I think they’re scared. Scared that their husbands might die too if they’re too close to me.”
Jane frowned.
“I know that sounds silly, but that’s how they act around me. Like they think it's contagious. The other groups … well, I think it doesn't occur to them to be my friend I suppose.”
“That's hard. I didn't even think of people having problems like that.”
“Well, you wouldn't. You wouldn't think of that until you were in that situation, and now I'm in that situation. Matt’s been a friend to me, but because he's a man, I can't be too close with him without people talking. You know how things are?”
“I do. People do like to gossip—some people, that is.”
“They do.”
“Matt and I were close once, all through the years we were young children, but then we were told we were spending too much time together. We had to keep our distance by the order of the elders.”
“How did you feel about that?” Lanie asked.
“I wasn’t happy, but there wasn’t much we could do. We were so young back then.”
“That’s too bad. I think things were different years ago. The oversight was far stricter than they are now.”
Jane nodded in agreement. “I think so too. Well, I don't care what we do today. We can just go back to your haus if you like.”
Lanie giggled. “I don't want to do that because I spend every day there. I'm getting quite sick of myself, my own company, and quite sick of the haus.” Lanie laughed again, but Jane knew it was not a happy laugh. It was a frustrated one.
Jane felt so sorry for her. It couldn't have been easy to lose the man she loved when she was still so young.
“Take me anywhere you like. We could go into the farmers market and I’ll get some food supplies for Sadie.”
“Sure.”
When they arrived at the markets, Jane took up a basket and walked along the aisles looking at the selection of fresh vegetables.
“I know why you’re spending time with me. It’s okay. The others don’t know, but I know Matt is choosing between us. It’s hard for him, but it must be done. I’m just glad that I’m one of the ladies he’s considering.”
“You don’t mind that there are four more?” Jane picked up a lemon figuring she’d make a lemon tart.
“Four?”
Jane let the lemon fall from her fingers. It landed back with the others. “Oh, I’m sorry I thought you knew.”
Lanie laughed. “I’m just kidding. I couldn’t resist it. You should’ve seen your face.”
Jane gave a little laugh of relief. “I thought I'd put my foot in it. So, you’re the only one who knows what’s really going on?”
“That’s right. Matt and I have become very close over the past few months.”
Jane pushed her worries from her mind and placed six lemons in her basket. Matt had never mentioned Lanie, or any of the women in his letters. Exactly how close had Lanie become with Matt? It seemed like
she didn’t know him at all anymore. In a daze, Jane filled her basket up with food and then headed to pay for it.
“What shall we do next, Jane?”
All Jane wanted to do was go back to Sadie's so she could make her lemon tart. Anything to get her mind off the pressure she was feeling. “There’s a café around here somewhere. Are you hungry?”
“Jah, I am, but I forgot to bring money.”
“My treat.”
“Oh, are you sure?”
“Of course I am.”
Once Jane had paid for the food, Lanie took two of the four bags from her. “Let me take these and we can put them in the buggy now and come back.”
“Good idea.” On the way out through the markets, Jane wondered if she should ask a few questions of her own about Matt. Before she could, Lanie began talking again.
“I never come here. It’s always so crowded, so many people.”
“Where do you go?”
“My mudder grows fruits and vegetables, and we can and preserve them for the winter months. It’s a lot of work, but it sees us through. Anything else, we get from my aunt. She has her own chickens for eggs, and buys many things in bulk lots.”
“That’s convenient.”
“I know.” They reached the buggy and then they placed the bags inside. “I feel dreadful about forgetting my money. What if we go and get it? It won’t take long.”
“Nee, that’s fine. It’s my treat, like I said.”
“I feel awful.”
“Don’t. It’s fine. Order anything you want. I wonder what the food’s like. I’m quite hungry now.”
“It’s very good.”
Jane stared at her wondering how she’d know.
“Oh, I never shop at the markets but I have been to that café before. You’ll like it.” Lanie gave her a beaming smile.
There was something that felt a little off about Lanie. Jane didn’t know if she fully trusted her.
“It’s so nice to have a day where I’m not sewing. Sometimes my neck and shoulders ache so much. Desmond used to massage my shoulders at the end of a big work day.”
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