As Cevilla walked out of the barn into the hot, steamy morning, she pulled out her handkerchief. The clouds had burned off, which disappointed her. She’d hoped for some rain today, but God had other plans, apparently. She couldn’t remember the last time they’d had such a drought. It wasn’t exactly the desert here, but the crops and gardens needed rain, that was for sure. She’d just started for the Yoders’ house to offer help with setting up lunch when she spied the older woman and her niece/granddaughter/whatever their relationship was talking right outside the barn. She headed that way, pleased someone closer to her age was here for once.
“Hello,” she said, hobbling toward them. She patted her brow. “Welcome. I haven’t seen you two here before. Are you visiting our community?”
The woman turned to Cevilla, a look of annoyance over her face. “Nee, we are not. And we’re having a private conversation, if you don’t mind.”
Cevilla bristled. She’d never been treated so rudely by someone she’d just met. And now that she was closer to the woman, she could see she was perhaps a decade or more younger than she was. Doesn’t explain her lack of manners, though. Cevilla, who could throw out a sarcastic word or two when pushed, forced a smile. She’d had proper breeding. “I’m sorry to interrupt. “
“It’s all right.” The younger girl looked at her with mix of apology and defeat. “We were finished talking.”
“We were not—”
“I’m Nina Stoll. This is mei grossmutter, Delilah. Mei bruder, Levi, and daed, Loren, are here somewhere. We moved into the community a few days ago.” She looked directly at Cevilla when she talked, and she had a firm voice that was a little on the low side.
What a polite girl. Her grandmother could learn from her. “Nice to meet you. I’m Cevilla Schlabach. I’ve lived here a long time, so if you have any questions about the community or the area, just ask me.”
Delilah nodded, then tugged at Nina’s arm. “If you’ll excuse us. We need to find mei sohn and grosssohn.” With that, she walked away, Nina following her.
Cevilla shook her head. Perhaps Delilah was having a bad day. If so, she might have had a reason for her shortness. And even rude people have other things going on that no one knows about. No need for Cevilla to be offended. Settling into a new community wasn’t easy, as Cevilla had discovered when she moved to Birch Creek, which hadn’t been the most welcoming place at the time. The atmosphere was different now. “I’ll invite them to supper this week,” she said, shuffling toward the Yoders’ home. It was the proper and hospitable thing to do. She couldn’t very well expect good manners from someone else if she wasn’t willing to use them herself. Who knows, maybe Delilah Stoll and I will end up gut friends.
* * *
“You didn’t have to be rude to her, Grossmammi.” Nina climbed into the hot buggy, sweat dripping down her face. It was bad enough that her grandmother had embarrassed her in front of Seth and his friend, but then she had to turn around and be impolite to Cevilla, who seemed like a nice, sweet old lady who probably had her feelings hurt. She crossed her arms as she sat in the backseat, waiting while Daed gave their new horse, Happy, a drink of water before they headed back home. He was a gentle animal. Unlike her grandmother.
Grossmammi gave her a curt look, but Nina saw the regret in her eyes. “Unfortunately, she interrupted us at the wrong time,” she said as she climbed into the front seat of the buggy. She whirled around, her face pinched and indignant. “I wish you would just appreciate what I’m trying to do, Nina. I always have yer best interests at heart.”
Nina refused to look at Grossmammi, choosing to examine her forearm instead. The wasp sting was almost invisible, unlike the swollen lump above Seth’s eye. When she first saw him this morning, she felt horrible, but he seemed to be feeling all right. Then her grandmother had to shock him with the supper invitation. Nina could tell he wasn’t thrilled with being invited. Not only that, but Grossmammi had been nosy about how he spent his time. Her grandmother was strong-willed and blunt, and she usually got her way. But this time Nina had put her foot down when the service was over, telling her she was going to uninvite Seth. At least she’d tried to tell her that.
“We will not rescind our future invitation to Seth.” Grossmammi faced front as Daed and Levi got into the buggy. “That is final.”
“Yer invitation,” Nina whispered as Levi sat down next to her.
Her brother took off his hat. “Whew, it’s boiling out today. Maybe we should have stayed for lunch. I saw some of the men putting their horses in the pasture. The Yoders’ spread is large enough.”
“I was unable to prepare anything, so we aren’t staying.” Grossmammi didn’t turn around as she spoke. “Besides, the community should be reaching out to us.”
“I don’t see why.” Daed chirruped to the horse and started backing out the buggy.
“We’re the new ones here. That’s how it works. You did enough when you visited the bishop, Loren—without me.”
Nina and Levi exchanged looks, then shrugged. Levi was only a year younger than her twenty-two, and they had always been close. He fanned his red face with his hat for a few minutes, then settled back in his seat.
As they traveled home, Nina relaxed a little. Her grandmother was quiet almost the entire way, and she considered the subject dropped. But as they were turning into the driveway, she said, “Nina, I’ll give you a shopping list in the morning. Geh to Schrock Grocery and pick up what we’ll need for supper Thursday night. I should be able to use the oven by Thursday afternoon.”
Nina sat straight up. “He didn’t agree to come Thursday night.”
“That’s why I plan to re-invite him.”
Nina groaned and fell back against the seat.
“There’s nee use arguing with her,” Levi said, opening one eye. How he’d managed to fall asleep in the hot buggy, Nina had no idea.
“I heard that.” Grossmammi turned and gave Levi a hard look.
Levi grinned. “Sorry, Grossmammi.”
“Very well. Apology accepted.”
Levi had always been able to charm their grandmother, while Nina struggled just to talk to her. Nina couldn’t charm anyone, and she and her grandmother seemed to have clashed more than usual since they’d arrived in Birch Creek.
As soon as her father pulled up to their barn, Nina jumped out of the buggy. The air wasn’t much cooler outside than it was in the stuffy buggy, and she’d give anything to find a pond and go swimming, church dress and all. Instead she went and sat under a large shaded tree in the backyard while the rest of her family went inside the house.
She was still hot and sweaty, but at least she didn’t have to listen to Grossmammi’s plans anymore. She knew her grandmother would do exactly what she said she would—invite Seth again and keep at him until he said yes. Nina would go to the store and pick up whatever they needed. Grossmammi always got her own way. Nina just wished that for once, something would go her way instead.
* * *
Bright and early Monday morning, Seth was out in the hayfield with Ira and Judah, raking in the first cut of the season. Of all the farmwork, Seth disliked this job most, especially in muggy heat like today. Though it was early, he and his brothers were dripping with sweat. But Ira and Judah were expertly and efficiently raking up the hay, not minding it a bit. As he dragged his rake across the loose hay, Seth reminded himself of the days when his father hadn’t owned this field, and barely had enough money to buy hay for their one horse, much less the six horses and fifty cattle they now owned. That reminder gave him a little more energy, and by the time lunch rolled around, the hay raking was done. One thing about hard work—it sure made a man hungry.
Ira walked beside him as Judah ran toward the house. Judah was fourteen now, and with his long legs and torso he would probably outgrow Seth and their father one of these days. Maybe even Ira, although that would be a tall order, no pun intended.
“Zeb, Zeke, and Owen are going fishing at Jalon’s pond Tuesday evening,”
Ira said. “They invited us to geh with them.”
Seth stiffened, remembering he was expected at Martha’s Tuesday night for supper. Right after church, they had quickly met up near her buggy before her parents arrived and agreed to at least keep up the ruse and go through with the impromptu invitation. Delilah seemed particularly nosy, and he didn’t want her finding out they’d made up plans. After supper they would go to his woodshop, and he would show Martha how to correctly plane a rough board. That was hard work and took some muscle strength. It was also boring compared to the actual carving of the wood. He hoped that if they started with a hard, dull job, she would abandon her interest in woodcarving altogether.
But that wasn’t what alarmed him now. He and Martha were supposed to go to his woodshop after supper, and it wasn’t that far from the Chupps’ pond. He’d thought he wouldn’t have to worry about anyone finding it because it was rather deep in the woods. But Martha had found it, and Chris Ropp had found it last year, showing up at the door, then asking him about his hobbies and making notes. He still didn’t know what the whole point of that was, but two people stumbling upon his woodshop was unsettling.
Usually he tried to be there when he knew not too many people would be at the pond—and since he stopped going there on Sundays, that was mostly in the evening and at night. Making his way there—and then working with Martha, no less—while his brother and friends were fishing would be cutting things close. “It’s a little late in the day to be fishing, don’t you think?”
“Nah.” Ira took off his hat and swiped a hand through his damp hair. “It’s been so hot lately that it’s better to fish at night. We probably won’t catch much and will end up swimming, but that’s fine by me.”
It wasn’t fine by Seth. He and Martha would have to wait until after dark to go to his woodshop to avoid risking exposure. Which meant he’d have to spend extra time with her at supper, which might lead to her parents getting the wrong idea. He didn’t want them, or anyone, to think he and Martha were more than acquaintances. “I’ll take a rain check.”
“Why?”
They walked to the back patio. “I’ve got . . . plans.”
“What kind of plans?” Ira raised a brow at him.
“Plans.”
Ira stopped. “It’s not like you to be secretive like this.” He tilted his head to the side. “Then again, you have been making yerself scarce lately.”
Seth froze. Ira had noticed? Which meant other people in his family might have noticed too. “I’ve been busy,” he said, realizing too late that the excuse sounded weak.
“Doing what?”
“Stuff.” He knew Ira wouldn’t let this go, so he might as well admit the truth—at least partially. “Martha Detweiler invited me for supper Tuesday night. That’s all.” He braced for Ira teasing him about having dinner with a woman.
But Ira didn’t tease him. He frowned, his eyes narrowing. “She did?”
“Ya.”
“Why?” Ira slammed his hat back on his head.
“I’m helping her out with something,” he said, hedging. “It’s nix serious.”
“Serious enough for you to miss out on fishing.”
Seth did like to fish, at least he used to. He just hadn’t fished in a while, not since he’d picked up woodcarving and found that much more satisfying. “Look, I don’t even want to geh. But she insisted, and I didn’t want to hurt her feelings.” There was more than a grain of truth in that. For some reason, he didn’t want to hurt Martha.
Ira glowered, like he’d been forced to eat a bag of lemons. “Is this the first time she’s invited you somewhere?”
Frowning, Seth nodded. Where was his brother going with this? He looked . . . angry. Which didn’t make sense. Why would he be mad about Seth having a friendly supper with Martha? “Ya,” Seth said. “The whole thing happened because of a mix-up.”
“I see.” Ira paused, his glare deepening. “Then you don’t like her?”
“You mean am I interested in her?” He laughed. “Definitely not. That’s the furthest thing from mei mind.”
Ira’s expression relaxed. He studied Seth for a minute, then gave him a smile that to Seth seemed insincere. “Too bad, then. You’ll be missing out on all the fun.”
“I know. I’d rather be fishing, trust me.”
His brother tilted his head, his halfhearted smile disappearing. “Ya. So you say.” He opened the back screen door. “I’m sure Judah’s eating all the food by now.” He disappeared into the house.
Seth rubbed the back of his sweaty neck. Nothing was going on between Ira and Martha, was there? Nah, that didn’t make sense. If there was, Cevilla wouldn’t have tried to get him to pretend to date her—or to be more exact, have tried to match them together—and Martha certainly wouldn’t have invited Seth for supper. Besides, there was the whole issue of Martha running away from any single male in sight, and that included his brother. But he couldn’t shake the feeling that Ira was still irritated. Did he like Martha? No. He would have said so. Or at least hinted about it.
Maybe they should all take a swim to cool off. He’d ask Ira and Judah if they wanted to join him for a quick dunk in the pond after lunch. They wouldn’t be gone long, and the break would do them all good. Perhaps their father would even join them, like he did when they were kids. Right before their financial troubles started.
He looked around the farm, wiping the sweat off his neck. God had blessed them so much since their father had become bishop. As he did with farming, Daed took the position seriously and performed it with diligence. And while Seth didn’t believe his family was being rewarded for their father’s duties as a bishop, their good fortune had coincided with Emmanuel Troyer’s disappearance. Seth didn’t miss the former bishop. He’d been hard and tightfisted, and later everyone found out he’d been keeping the community fund closed to everyone, at a time when their family could have used the help. He didn’t care if Emmanuel never returned.
Seth stopped his thoughts. He needed to forgive. And he had forgiven Emmanuel. He just hadn’t forgotten. Through hard work and God’s grace, his family now had a farm that was turning a profit, one his father was already hinting about handing down to him and Ira and Judah. Trouble was, Seth didn’t want the farm. But his father’s retirement was a long time off. Plenty of time for Seth to become a skilled woodcarver.
He turned and went inside, forgetting his thoughts about the farm. Eventually he’d tell his father the truth, that he would rather make a living as a woodcarver than as a farmer. What would be the point of telling him now? So far, his carvings weren’t good enough to sell. He’d pursue his dream someday, though. He was just biding his time until he could.
* * *
On Monday afternoon, Martha was alone in the optics shop office when she heard the bell ringing over the front door. Her uncle had already gone to the house to eat with his wife while their children were in school, as he did every day, leaving Martha to mind the place. She didn’t have a problem with that. She usually just took orders and checked out people who were picking up their repaired items. When her uncle returned, she would have her lunch break. She glanced at the clock on the wall, a simple one compared to the fancy watches and clocks Onkel Hezekiah often worked on. A few minutes earlier she had gone to get her lunch from the back, knowing Hezekiah would return any minute. Sometimes she went home for lunch since her house was next door, but often she enjoyed the solitude of eating outside.
She peeked out front and was surprised to see Cevilla there, dabbing her forehead with a handkerchief. “Hi,” Martha said as she came out. “Would you like a cold drink?”
Cevilla nodded. “Please. It’s like an oven out there. I think it’s even hotter today than it was yesterday, and that was hotter than a pat of butter melting in a frying pan.”
Martha had to agree. The summer had been brutal, and Cevilla looked like she was wilting. She returned to the back and picked up a bottled water from the large cooler her uncle kept well stocked duri
ng the summer. Then back with Cevilla, she twisted off the top and handed it to her. “You didn’t walk here, did you?”
Cevilla shook her head. “Richard dropped me off at yer mamm’s a little while ago. It’s been a while since I visited with her. I stayed for a quick bite, and then I stopped at yer onkel’s haus. Hezekiah caught me up on the optics business while he was eating his lunch.”
Martha smiled. “He’s a little obsessed with his work.”
“Nix wrong with that, as long as God and familye and friends aren’t ignored, and I get the impression they aren’t. Anyway, I thought I’d stop by to say hello before Richard comes for me.” She took a sip of the water. “And, of course, to ask what you and Seth were talking about before church.”
Martha’s face heated, which didn’t take much since the shop was hot inside too. She should be at least a little angry with Cevilla for trying to match her and Seth with the plan B nonsense, but instead she felt embarrassed to be talking about Seth at all. “Oh? What made you think we were talking before church?”
“Because I saw you two coming into the service together.”
Uh-oh. When she and Seth entered the barn at the same time, the service was just about to start, and she thought everyone was facing front. She also thought they had done a pretty good job sneaking inside. Apparently not. She almost said that she and Seth had arrived at the same time and that’s why they walked in together, but she wasn’t going to lie—especially to Cevilla. “We had a little chat. That’s all.”
The Farmer's Bride Page 8
