“I think it’s beautiful.” Nina sat down across from her and looked up at the tree. She drew in a deep breath. “So pretty and peaceful.”
With sweat dripping down her back, Martha didn’t think it was so peaceful. But Nina looked happy and relaxed, in stark contrast to her demeanor inside the shop. “How do you like Birch Creek so far?” Martha asked, wiping her forehead with the back of her hand. She should have brought her handkerchief with her.
Nina’s mouth tightened. “It’s . . . nice.” She lifted her gaze to Martha. “Everyone here is . . . nice.”
“Ya. It’s a great place to live.” Martha took a drink of her water. “I thought it would take some time to get settled here, but it didn’t take long for this place to feel like home. I’m sure the same will happen for you.”
Nina ran a stubby finger down the side of her bottle. Her fingernails were short and ragged, down to the quick, as if she had bitten them off. “I guess.”
“I think I heard you’re from Wisconsin?”
“Ya, a small community hardly anyone’s heard of. I lived there all mei life. I thought I would live there the rest of mei life.”
Martha’s heart went out to her. This woman was homesick. “Did you leave a lot of friends behind?”
“Not too many. They were special, though. It’s mostly the place, not the people, I miss.” She lifted her gaze again. “Where did you live before you moved here?”
“Everywhere.” She chuckled. “Mei daed has a wandering spirit, according to mei mudder. We’ve lived in lots of different districts and three different states. The last one before here was Kentucky. When Daed wanted to move from here, Mamm put her foot down and said we were staying put. Then mei onkel and his familye moved here, and he set up this business. Finally, mei daed was convinced this was the place to put down roots.”
“All that moving had to have been hard on you.”
“It was. I didn’t know anyone who moved around like we did, and when I was younger it was hard to make friends, knowing that I might move at any minute. Daed does carpentry work, and he never had a hard time finding jobs. I eventually got used to it.”
“I don’t think I can get used to it here,” Nina said, her voice barely above a whisper.
Martha decided to change the subject. “Yer grossmutter mentioned that yer familye is turning yer English haus into an inn. Did you run one in Wisconsin?”
She shook her head. “Mei daed used to be in construction, but he didn’t like the work, at least not anymore. I was surprised when he told us we were moving here and starting a new business.”
“It sounds exciting, though. Creating something new from something old. And we really need an inn here. Not that I want the community to get too busy or crowded.” Martha paused. “But I think it would be nice if visitors could stay here for a few days and have a restful vacation.”
“That’s what mei vatter thinks.” Nina finally opened her water and took a drink. “We’ll see how it works out.”
A buggy pulled into the driveway, and both women turned to see who it was. “Oh nee,” Nina said, hunkering down. “What’s she doing here?”
“Who?”
Nina looked at Martha and cringed. “Mei grossmutter. I snuck out earlier and didn’t tell her where I was going. I needed to get away from everything for a little while.”
Martha watched as the portly woman got out of the buggy without any effort. She had a pep in her step that was a bit enviable, considering her size and age. Her energy reminded her of Cevilla a little bit, even though Cevilla looked older than Delilah and walked with a cane. She would love to enter her golden years healthy and hardy like these women had.
Delilah turned around and looked at the front door. She headed toward it, stopping when she saw Martha and Nina sitting at the picnic table. “Nina?” She rushed over to them. “What are you doing here?”
Nina turned around. “Making friends.” She sat up a little straighter. “Just like you and Levi said I should.”
“It would have been nice if you would have told me you’d left,” she said with a sniff.
“You didn’t realize I was gone?”
“Nina, I’ve been very busy,” she snapped. “In case you haven’t noticed, we have plenty of work to do at home.”
“Then why are you here?”
Delilah gave her an exasperated look. “I have some business to attend to. We’ll discuss your disappearing later.” Her grim expression suddenly turned bright as she looked at Martha. “Hello, Martha,” she said sweetly.
“Hi, Delilah. Nice to see you.” She got up from the table. “I’ll walk you into the shop and you can tell me what I can do for you.”
“Nee need for that,” she said, using her hand as a fan and waving it in front of her flushed face. Without asking, she sat down at the table next to Nina, forcing her to scoot over. “You’re invited to supper with our familye, Martha.”
Delilah apparently enjoyed being hospitable, since she had just invited Seth to supper this week. “That’s very nice of you.”
But Nina didn’t look too pleased. Her head dropped into her hands. “Great.”
“You met mei grosssohn Levi, ya?” Delilah asked.
“Um, ya. Yesterday.” Oh boy. Something was up, something she had a feeling she wouldn’t like. Delilah and Cevilla had more in common than being hardy.
“Isn’t he a nice yung mann? Very successful. Learned how to frame a haus at twelve and did one by himself at thirteen. He’s an excellent carpenter and handyman. He’s also keenly interested in building and running the inn. Maybe more so than his vatter.”
“That’s . . . gut?” What was she supposed to say? Levi had seemed perfectly pleasant, but that didn’t mean she wanted to have supper with him. Well, it wouldn’t be with only him. It would also be with Nina, and her grandmother and father, of course. That might not be too bad. Maybe she was reading something into this that wasn’t there.
“Are you busy on Thursday?” Delilah asked, leaning forward.
Martha met her gaze. She had the same brown eyes Nina had, and they were filled with determination. Martha wasn’t sure what to do. She wasn’t busy Thursday night, unless she managed to convince Seth to let her work in the woodshop again this week, which was unlikely. She didn’t want to push the issue, or her luck, with him so early in their woodcarving relationship.
She also didn’t want to lie. She’d been doing more fudging and fibbing than she should have lately. “Nee,” she said. “But—”
“Then it’s settled.” Delilah pushed herself up from the picnic table bench. “Six o’clock sharp.”
“But—”
Nina lifted her head, her expression pained. “Don’t bother. It’s pointless to argue with her.” She took a long swig from her water bottle, then dropped it on the table and wiped the back of her mouth with her hand.
“Nina,” Delilah said, “that’s unladylike.”
Nina rolled her eyes.
But Delilah didn’t see that. She was looking at Martha again. “Since you don’t have prior plans, we will see you on Thursday. Nina, we’re going home.”
Martha’s mouth dropped open as Delilah flounced back to the buggy.
“I’m so sorry,” Nina sighed as she got up from the table. “Once she gets an idea in her head, it’s impossible to dislodge it. Trust me, Levi and I have tried.” She lifted her lips into a small smile. “It won’t be that bad. The food will be gut. Mei grossmammi is an excellent cook. And mei vatter is nice.” Her smile grew. “She was right about one thing. So was Levi.”
“What’s that?”
“I do need a friend. Danki for the drink and letting me bend yer ear. I feel a little better now.”
Martha smiled and stood. “I’m glad.” When Nina started to walk away, Martha caught up with her. “There’s just one thing I need to make clear.”
“Ya?”
“I’m not interested in yer bruder.”
Nina laughed. “You don’t have to worry about
that. Levi isn’t interested in you either.” She grimaced. “Sorry, that didn’t come out right. I mean he’s not interested in anyone. As far as I know, he never has been. That frustrates Grossmammi to nee end.” She paused. “Is it because you’re interested in Seth?”
“Of course not. Like we told you and Delilah on Sunday, we’re just friends.”
“I know. I was just hoping . . .”
“Hoping for what?”
“That you were.”
That was an odd answer. “Why?”
“Because then Grossmammi would get it out of her head that Seth and I should have a date.” Nina balked. “Actually, I’m pretty sure in her imagination she’s already moved past the date stage and has planned our wedding.”
That was a bit extreme. “Why don’t you tell her to mind her own business?”
“Why didn’t you tell her you didn’t want to come to supper?”
“Oh. You’re right.”
“Nina, we’re leaving now!” Delilah hollered.
“Coming!” She turned to Martha. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have told you all that.”
“It’s fine. You don’t have to worry about Seth either. He’s not interested in dating anyone. He’s busy with his own . . . stuff.”
“Just like we are. I wish she’d get it through her head that she doesn’t have to force me or Levi to geh out with someone.” She paused. “Even if I wanted to date or get married, I’d want to make mei own choice.”
Martha nodded. “Exactly. You don’t want the pressure.”
Nina looked at her, brightening. “Right.”
Martha wished she could do something to help her. Besides, she wasn’t looking forward to a night of Delilah’s matchmaking times two, despite Nina’s assurances. “I’m sure Seth and I can set yer grossmammi straight Thursday night.”
“How? Normal tactics don’t work with her.”
“We’ll come up with something.” Great. She was dragging Seth into this now. He wouldn’t like that one bit.
“Nina Stoll! Get over here, now.”
“I’ve got to geh.” Nina grinned at Martha. Her smile made her look like less of a tomboy and more feminine, and a little pretty. “Even if you can’t help me on Thursday, I appreciate your trying.” She gave Martha a little wave and started toward the buggy, only to turn around. “Do you like to fish?”
“Not really.”
“Oh. Well, that’s okay.” She turned, sprinted to the buggy, and jumped inside. Wow, she was really fast on her feet.
As Delilah pulled out of the driveway, Martha’s stomach twisted into another knot, which seemed to be the norm for her lately. What had she done? She’d given Nina hope, and she didn’t want to let her down. She didn’t realize how much she missed having a girlfriend here since Selah had moved back to New York, and Martha liked Nina, even though she’d known her for only a short time.
But how could she help her? She picked up Nina’s water bottle and her own and headed for the shop. When she got to the door she stopped. An idea had popped into her head. A terrible one, but one that might work. What if Delilah thought there really was something going on with Seth and me?
She shook her head and pushed open the door. Yep, that was a bad idea. But the more she tried to forget about it, the more it wouldn’t leave her alone. If Nina’s grandmother thought Martha and Seth were together, even though they said they weren’t, then she would have to drop the matchmaking altogether. That would not only help Nina, it would help Martha. She didn’t want to be set up with Levi any more than Nina wanted to be thrown at Seth. “It might do the trick,” she whispered as she tossed the plastic bottles into the recycling container behind the counter.
But this was teetering on deceptive territory. First Seth pointed out that she had tried to blackmail him with his secret, even though he had backtracked a little on the severity of it. Now she was considering a plan that meant she would have to fudge the truth . . . again. When had she developed such a criminal mind? Forgive me, Lord, but desperate times call for desperate measures. This will be the last time. I promise. All she had to do was hint at Delilah that she and Seth were an item. A very small hint. And she had to convince Seth to go along with it.
Which presented another problem. She was dragging him into another plan, eerily similar to Cevilla’s plan B, now that Martha thought about it. A plan both she and Seth had soundly rejected. Now Martha would be asking him to do what he’d already said he wouldn’t do. But didn’t the end justify the means? Surely Seth would understand that.
Ugh. Her brain started to hurt. Hopefully she would think of another plan, because she wasn’t too sure Seth would agree to her crazy idea.
* * *
Tuesday evening, Seth arrived at Martha’s house and walked up the front porch steps to the door. But when he lifted his hand to knock, he hesitated. He should have canceled this meal and canceled his session with Martha in the woodshop. This morning his mother had been quiet, her eyes red-rimmed and bleary, and he knew his father had told her about his glaucoma. But she had pretended nothing was wrong as she presented Daed with his favorite breakfast—egg and hash brown pie. Right before they bowed their heads for prayer, he and Mamm had exchanged a knowing look. They would keep their father’s secret as long as he wanted them to. After the silent prayer, when Seth prayed for his father’s healing instead of asking God to bless the food, it was breakfast as usual for the family.
But that wasn’t the only reason he didn’t want to be here. Although he was firmly committed to his father, a tiny niggle of resentment surfaced, and that disturbed him. How could he think about his own plans when his father needed him? The resentment extended to Martha, too, for intruding on his life. Which was why he was tempted to turn around and forget he’d even been invited to supper. What did he care what Delilah Stoll thought? He didn’t even know the woman, and from what he knew, she was too pushy and not all that pleasant. Neither he nor Martha needed to impress her.
Seth started to leave, but then he stopped and hung his head. He was better than this. He’d accepted the invitation, and he wasn’t a man who went back on his word. He would muddle through the supper and through his lesson with Martha. He would also set aside his selfishness and focus on the farm. This would be for only the short term, anyway. He firmly believed his father would be healed.
He took in a deep breath. Here we go. When he knocked on the door, Martha immediately answered it. “Hi,” she said quickly, then stepped out on the front porch and shut the door behind her. She laced her fingers together and glanced over her shoulder before facing him again. “We need to talk.”
“About what? And why can’t we talk inside?”
Martha took his arm and led him down the porch steps. When they were on the side of the house, she stopped and looked around again, as if she thought they were being watched.
Seth looked around, too, then stopped himself. Why would it matter if someone was around? “Martha, do you mind telling me what’s going on?”
She held her head down. “I . . . uh . . . I kind of sort of got us involved in something.”
Seth groaned. Not again. “What do you mean something? And how do you kind of sort of do anything?”
She looked up at him, remorse in her eyes. They were such a nice shade of blue, and for the life of him he couldn’t understand why he kept noticing that about her. But her pretty eyes didn’t change the fact that he wasn’t going to like whatever she had to tell him.
“Well, um, it involves Delilah Stoll, and . . .”
He scowled. For a woman he barely knew, she was causing him a lot of trouble. “And?”
“And Nina . . .”
The muscle in his jaw jerked. “And who else?”
“And her bruder and her daed and supper at their haus on Thursday.” The words sped out of her mouth like a runaway horse. “And we also kind of sort of like each other, but we only need to let Delilah know that. Now that it’s settled, we can geh eat.” She started to leave, but Seth gr
abbed her arm. She turned and looked at him.
“I have nee idea what you just said.” He let go of her arm.
She grimaced, and he listened while she told him about Nina and Delilah’s visit to Hezekiah’s shop. He could feel his blood pressure spiking as she told him about Delilah’s matchmaking plans, not only with him and Nina but with Martha and Levi. He knew that woman had been up to something. “Whose insane idea was this?”
“Mine,” she squeaked. She worried her lip. “But I got to know Nina, Seth. She’s really sweet, and so homesick.”
He couldn’t believe this. “So now you’re trying to set me up with her too?”
“Not at all. I wouldn’t do that to you.” She paused and lifted her chin. “But if we don’t nip this in the bud now, Delilah will continue to interfere.”
“And you think lying to her is the answer.”
“Not lying, exactly. We just need to convince her that we like each other.” She grinned. “We do, don’t we?”
“Martha . . .” He lifted his head toward the sky in frustration, then looked at her. “We don’t like each other like that. And this is sounding a lot like Cevilla’s plan B.” Which he didn’t like one bit. “I thought we agreed that was a bad idea.”
“We did. And it is. But at least Cevilla knows when to back off. I don’t think Delilah does.”
“Why not just tell her we’re not interested in her grosskinner?”
She crossed her arms. “You geh right on over to the Stolls’ and tell her that. I’m sure she’ll accept yer statement without question.”
He hesitated, his gaze darting around the Detweilers’ property. He didn’t relish the idea of meeting with Delilah by himself. He also had doubts about whether he could convince her. He’d been raised to be respectful, and he wasn’t sure how he could respectfully tell Delilah to mind her own business. “Fine.” He moved closer to her, and then he leaned down an inch or two, so he was looking directly into those pretty blue eyes of hers. “This is the last time you drag me into something I don’t want to do. Got it?”
“Got it,” she said, taking a step back from him.
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