The Matchmaker: An Amish Tale of Jane Austen's Emma (The Amish Classics Book 2)

by Sarah Price

  Only two months prior Emma knew very little about Samuel Wagler except that he had recently moved into a ranch house within their g’may. Prior to that he had lived with his older bruder and family in a neighboring church district, residing in the grossdaadihaus until it was needed by his bruder for his oldest son, now married and with an infant on the way. That was when Samuel had moved into their g’may.

  Emma had noticed the way his dark eyes seemed drawn to Anna during his first church service in his new district. It had taken Emma only a few minutes to formulate a plan and invite Samuel to share supper with them. And from that moment on she had been delighted to watch the commencement of Samuel’s courtship of Anna. Delighted, that is, until she realized that by marrying Samuel, Anna would be moving away to live in that ranch house with her new husband.

  That realization had saddened Emma and had been the other cause for tears during the wedding.

  After all, Anna had been like a mother to Emma and Irene. After their maem passed away, when Emma was not even in school yet, their daed vowed to raise his two dochders on his own. He had married later in life and his fraa, while younger than he, had great difficulty in carrying her pregnancies to full term, making the two children who did survive all the more precious. Henry doted on his two dochders, a fact that contributed to his decision to remain single. So, while other widowers tended to marry within a year or two, Henry Weaver refused to consider that option. Instead, he readily agreed when his older bruder volunteered Anna, his eldest and still unmarried dochder, to move to the Weaver residence and care for the children. What had been offered as a temporary solution soon became permanent for Anna. She enjoyed tending to the needs of her two young cousins, and with the full appreciation and support of her onkel Henry Weaver, she found that she had no reason to leave.

  That was until, fifteen years later, Emma introduced the now forty-five-year-old Anna to Old Widower Wagler.

  “Ja vell,” she said dismissively, trying to downplay the memory of her emotions at the wedding service. “Anna sure did look right gut standing next to Samuel, and any emotion I felt was from sheer joy at her marriage! A strong marriage is a wunderbaar gut thing, ain’t so?”

  Both men cleared their throats and shifted in their seats in response to her statement. After all, with neither being married, how did she expect them to respond?

  She looked pleased with their silence.

  “And you may have forgotten that it was I who helped arrange the match between the two,” she added, her pride of having a hand in the match more than apparent. “And this, after so many had speculated that Old Widower Wagler would never marry again.”

  The two men looked at each other, a brief glance that said more than words could communicate. While Gideon merely shook his head, it was her daed who commented. “Emma, it’s not for you to play matchmaker. Promise me you will do no such thing.”

  “Nee, Daed,” she retorted. “Not for myself, of course. But it gives me such joy to see others happy! Just think . . . after so many years Samuel has a new wife and, as such, a new life! Perhaps now his son Francis shall return and live with him once again. Why! We haven’t seen Francis since his maem passed away. When was that, Daed? About sixteen years ago?”

  “Just before your own maem passed, I believe,” Henry added, a solemn look upon his face.

  “Think of how happy that would make Samuel!” She practically hugged herself in delight, the thought of Samuel being reunited with his son bringing her a great deal of joy. “I must acknowledge my success in having made such a match for both Samuel and Anna. And with that in mind how could I possibly not strive to do the same for others?”

  At her words, Gideon leaned forward and stared at her. “Success? If you noticed the interest that Samuel had in Anna, you merely accommodated it with an invitation to supper. Nothing more, Emma. I wouldn’t call that a ‘success’ as if you had a hand in making a ‘match.’ It was bound to happen with or without your interference. And should you persist in trying to arrange such matches, you are more likely to do harm to yourself than good.”

  Clearly his words did not suit Emma and she scowled. Still, despite Gideon’s reprimand, she refused to let her mood be altered. “I have one more match to make,” she announced. “Why, our very own bishop’s son, Paul Esh, seemed to hang on every word of their wedding service. I’m certain he is longing to settle down himself.” She looked at her daed. “And rightfully so! He’s almost an old bachelor like someone else we know so dearly!”

  “Emma!” Henry coughed at her statement and glanced apologetically at Gideon. Being sixteen years Emma’s senior, Gideon more closely shared Henry’s concerns and mind-set than Emma’s. “Marriage is not for everyone.”

  The members in the g’may had stopped speculating long ago about when Gideon King, a well-established and prosperous Amish businessman in his own right, would settle down and start his own family. He seemed more than happy to relish in simple things such as weekly visits with friends. Still, Emma’s statement had caused a degree of discomfort in the room, at least for Henry.

  “I so agree!” Clapping her hands together, she quickly changed the direction of the conversation. “I understand that Gladys is bringing a young woman with her today to visit and share the supper meal.”

  Last Sunday after worship service Emma had invited Maedel Blank and her maem as well as Gladys Getz to join them for supper the following week. While the Blanks were regular guests at the Weavers’ Sunday gatherings, this was only the second time that Emma had extended the invitation to Gladys, who had never married but had taught school for years.

  When Anna had lived with the Weavers, both she and Emma had always enjoyed inviting people to their home for Sunday meals, selecting those who might not have other family in the area with which to share fellowship. Henry certainly never seemed to mind, enjoying the time spent with new and interesting people. Emma’s eclectic mixture of guests always seemed to bring a lively energy to the haus.

  Today, however, promised to be especially entertaining, for Gladys had mentioned that she would be bringing a guest with her, a young woman, who had recently moved in with her. She had referred to the woman, Hannah Souder, as her niece, but last Thursday during her weekly visit to the Blanks, Emma had learned from Hetty that the only relation between the two was of the heart, not the physical body.

  Now Emma turned her head to look at Gideon. “Have you met her yet, then?”

  Gideon shook his head, his dark curls falling over his forehead. “Nee,” he responded. “I have not.” Leaning forward, he stared directly at Emma. “She arrived at Gladys’s just the other day, I heard. Apparently she was staying with another family south of Strasburg beforehand, but I do believe that she is originally from a community in Ohio. Outside of Berlin, I think. She lived with Gladys’s schwester, if I recall properly.”

  “Ohio?” Emma said, lifting her eyebrows. She had forgotten that Gladys had family in Ohio. “Whatever is she doing here, then?”

  “Visiting.” The answer was direct and simple as if it explained everything. But it was clear that Emma’s curiosity was piqued. “Knowing Gladys, this Hannah Souder is a lovely, God-fearing woman, even if so little is known of her family.”

  It was the sorrowful way that he said those words that caused Emma to gasp. “Gideon! Pray tell!”

  He took a deep breath and sighed as he sat back in his seat. “I should have said nothing. I’d prefer not to spread idle gossip, Emma. It’s not fair to say.” He hesitated, leveling his eyes at Emma. “Or to judge. After all, the Bible tells us ‘to aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands.’ Mayhaps you might want to reflect on that. Gossip is surely the work of evil.”

  She looked visibly put out and made a face at him. “I should say so,” she responded, although her expression hinted at some disappointment that Gideon was not going to explain his comment about this Hannah Souder’s background. There was no time to further the discussion as they
were interrupted by the sound of a buggy pulling into the driveway. Glancing over her shoulder, she sought the view out the window. “It appears our guests have arrived!”

  Her daed quickly put the recliner into an upright position and looked around the room. “I hope it’s not too warm in here for them.” A look of worry crossed his face. He looked first at Emma and then at Gideon. “Mayhaps we should visit outside in the breezeway. You know that when the air is so still that it’s not good for the lungs.”

  Emma shook her head as if dismissing his concern, even though she hurried over to a closed window and lifted its lower pane. A gentle breeze blew through the opening as Emma turned back toward her daed. “Is that better, then?” She didn’t wait for an answer as she hurried to the door to greet the Widow Blank and her dochder, Hetty.

  “Our dear Emma,” Hetty gushed as she led her aging mother by the hand through the door. Both women were rather petite, although the elder Blank walked with great difficulty, hunched over and shuffling her feet. Hetty, however, was bright and alert, with round glasses that often slipped down to the edge of her nose. “How right gut of you to invite us to supper! I was just talking to my maem about how kind and thoughtful you are!” She turned and peered at her mother. “Didn’t I say that, Maem? About Emma being so kind and thoughtful?” She didn’t wait for an answer as she turned back to Emma. “And such a lovely home it is! I don’t think we’ve ever been here when it hasn’t always looked just perfectly maintained!” She enunciated the last three words as if making a point.

  Emma smiled but did not respond.

  Hetty hurried by Emma and greeted the two men who were in the sitting room. “Henry! Gideon! So nice to spend some time with you both!” She smiled as she looked from the one to the other. Her glasses tipped down on her nose, and with a shaking hand, presumably from excitement and not nerves, she pushed them back so that she could see properly. “You have a most thoughtful and kind dochder, Henry. Reminds me so much of my dear niece, Jane!” With a delighted laugh, she glanced over her shoulder at Emma. “Did I tell you that I received a letter from her a few days ago? Shall I read it? She always has such wunderbaar gut stories!” She started to reach into the simple black cloth bag that hung from her wrist.

  “Nee, Hetty,” Emma was a little too quick to reply, but kept a pleasant smile on her face. The last thing Emma wanted was to encourage the dreaded reading of Jane’s weekly letters to her aendi and grossmammi, especially with other company on the way. While the reading was inevitable, trying to limit it to a single iteration was most likely the best that Emma could hope for. Besides, she didn’t want to remind Hetty that she had already been subjected to the reading of Jane’s letter just three days ago. “I hear another buggy pulling into the driveway, and it would be most disagreeable to have to stop in the midst of the letter when they walk inside. You’d only have to start all over again, and I would think that would be rather tiring on such a warm day, ja?” Emma didn’t wait for her guest to answer but politely excused herself as she started back to the door, more to escape the constant chatter of Hetty Blank than out of curiosity as to who had just arrived.

  Pushing open the door, Emma was pleased to notice that it didn’t squeak as it normally did. Her daed must have fixed it during the latter part of the week, she thought. Such a gut man, she pondered, then turned, just briefly, to gaze at him. He was hovering near Hetty and her maem, wringing his hands as he inquired whether the two women thought it was too warm inside for visiting or if they were comfortable enough. Shaking her head to herself, Emma stepped outside and waited to greet the newly arrived visitors.

  Gladys exited the buggy first, her prayer kapp slightly askew on her graying head, and waved at Emma before she slipped the halter over the horse’s head. She moved the reins safely back and constrained them so that they would not slip over the horse’s croup and spook it while it was hitched to the side of the barn. Emma waited patiently for Gladys’s guest to emerge, and when she did, Emma was immediately intrigued.

  Hannah Souder was not exactly a pretty young woman, but the wisps of ginger hair that stuck out from beneath her prayer kapp and her bright, big eyes immediately spoke of an eagerness to please and learn. Her beauty seemed to radiate from the inside. Her steps conveyed the impression that she was bouncing behind Gladys with such eagerness that Emma found herself smiling, already liking this new addition to their Sunday supper gathering, even if her prayer kapp was not heart-shaped like the Lancaster Amish. Instead, it hugged the back of Hannah’s head, more rounded and stiffer like the rest of the Amish women wore in her Ohio settlement. Even her dress, a pale pink in color, which Emma thought did not particularly flatter her coloring, was slightly different in design.

  “Wilkum!” Emma greeted Gladys with a warm handshake before turning to Hannah. “And you must be Hannah Souder! I have heard much about you and have been looking forward to meeting you!”

  “Danke.” The response was simple and soft. She was shy. That was apparent from the way she couldn’t quite meet Emma’s eyes. As she made her way into the house, Emma observed her with curiosity. She noticed right away that Hannah barely exhibited any form of social grace as she was introduced to the Blanks, Henry, and Gideon. Despite the smile on her face, she stared at the floor shyly and made certain to stand behind Gladys, rather than next to her. She even hesitated to shake hands with Emma’s daed. Still, there was a kindness about the young woman’s face that made her immediately appealing to Emma.

  “I have the Scrabble game set in the sunroom,” Emma announced.

  Hetty clapped her hands and glanced around the room. “Oh, how I love Scrabble! Such a fine way to spend time together. I’d love to play, wouldn’t you, Maem?”

  When her mother squinted and frowned, clearly not hearing what her dochder had said, Hetty repeated her question louder. “Scrabble, she said. Scrabble!”

  Emma smiled as the two women hurried into the sunroom, joined by Gladys and Hannah, to play the game while she finished preparing the supper meal. She worked in the kitchen, preparing the platters of food while listening to the laughter and arguing in the other room over their selection of words. Her daed and Gideon sat on the sofa, talking about local news and occasionally interrupting to share their opinion about the validity of a word used in the board game. For Emma it was the perfect Sunday afternoon, and her insides felt warm with the love that was permeating her home.

  It was close to four o’clock when the gathering moved to the table for the light supper. With everything properly prepared earlier, Emma had little to do but set the platters and bowls in the center of the table before calling the guests to come for fellowship. Daed took his place at the head of the table and Emma was quick to sit beside him.

  “There’s an extra place setting,” Gideon pointed out as he sat at the other end of the table. “Are you expecting another?”

  There was no need to answer as the door opened and a young man walked through. “My deepest apologies, Emma,” he said as he removed his hat and greeted the gathering. “My daed asked me to visit with the neighbors, and the time got away from me!” He smiled at the others who were already seated around the table, his eyes falling upon Hannah. “Why, I do believe that I know everyone here except for one! Do introduce me, Emma!”

  With his freshly shaved face and bright blue eyes, Paul Esh brought a crisp liveliness to the gathering, and Emma was quick to introduce him to Hannah. When she lowered her eyes and blushed at his attention, a thought struck Emma in regard to the young woman’s social inadequacies and apparent shyness.

  I can help her, she thought. The way Anna helped me.

  Her mind quickly worked, playing forward the different ways that she could repay Anna’s kindness and devotion toward her over the years. After all, Anna had taught her how to properly balance being a godly woman with her commitment to helping the community. It is more blessed to give than receive, had been the way that Emma was raised. After the fifteen years of sacrifice that Anna had made, raising
her onkel’s kinner rather than her own, Emma had taken great satisfaction in seeing her happily married at last.

  Now this newcomer to their community, obviously from a smaller and less cosmopolitan settlement of Amish, could benefit from Emma’s friendship and guidance. Emma could help Hannah adapt to the ways of the Lancaster County Amish as well as possibly finding her too a suitable match . . . just as she had done with Anna!

  With a new sense of purpose, Emma leaned forward and paid extra attention to every word that Hannah spoke and to her every interaction. She also observed how her guests interacted with the young woman, especially Paul Esh. The more Emma watched, the more convinced she was that her role in assimilating this newcomer into the community in order to ensure that Hannah was properly acclimated and accepted, and possibly even married, was meant to be.

  Now that Anna was happily settled into her new life with Samuel, it was time for Emma to guide another young woman to a long life of wedded bliss. And by the end of the evening she was convinced that Hannah was the one that God intended for her to guide.

  Chapter Two

  EMMA PULLED BACK on the reins, a soft “whooooa” on her lips as she waited for the horse to slow down and stop in front of Gladys’s small ranch house. It was only a mile from the home she shared with her daed, but it was located on a much busier street. She waited patiently for Hannah to emerge from the front entrance, pausing to ensure that the door shut properly behind her before she crossed the small patch of grass and opened the buggy door.

  “Gut mariye, Emma!” Hannah practically sang as she climbed into the buggy.

  In her pink dress and odd-shaped prayer kapp the young Amish woman from Ohio was, indeed, fair enough. There was an amusing spring to the seventeen-year-old’s step that spoke of youth on the verge of womanhood. Her dark eyes sparkled and her ruddy cheeks hinted at plenty of time spent outdoors. Emma wondered whether her new friend had worked on a farm in Ohio and made a mental note to inquire further about her life back home.