Quakers of New Garden

by Claire Sanders

  Matthew climbed up the wagon and took the seat Leah had vacated. “I plead guilty to the charge, but Leah has promised to keep us supplied, so I don’t mind sharing.”

  Joseph passed the reins to Matthew, and the younger man drove toward the squash arbor, where Leah had situated her hives seven years earlier. She loved all of her cousins, but she had to admit that, as the eldest, Matthew held a special place in her heart. He’d turned nineteen the previous spring and would leave his boyhood behind any day now, but she hoped he’d never lose his easygoing nature. Matthew was like the rainbow after the storm, always looking on the bright side of whatever problem beset him.

  Leah walked into the house and found her aunt in the kitchen. “What a nice surprise,” Aunt Cynthia said, holding her arms open to embrace Leah. “How does thee like thy new home?”

  Leah removed her bonnet and hung it on its usual peg near the back door. “Caleb’s house is a fine place, Aunt Cynthia. And I’m already in love with his boy, Stephen.”

  “And Rose? Surely thee met her.”

  “Oh yes. She’s been most kind. It’s the other lady of the house that gives me the most concern.”

  Cynthia frowned. “Not little Olivia. She’s just a child.”

  “A child who’s sulking because her father left her with a stranger for a mother.”

  “But a child, nonetheless. Give it time, Leah. She’ll come around.” Cynthia poured coffee into two cups and set them on the kitchen table. “Now it’s time for we two married women to talk. Does thee have any concerns or questions about thy wedding night?”

  Leah felt heat climb her neck and settle into her cheeks. No doubt her face was the color of ripe apples. “Oh Aunt Cynthia.” Leah sank into a chair. “I can’t…I mean…”

  Cynthia settled herself in a chair and reached for Leah’s hand. “Who else is there to speak to? I remember my wedding night quite well, and I would’ve given anything to speak plainly to my mother about what happened. I’m only giving thee that opportunity.”

  Leah closed her eyes and drank deeply from the cup. Her aunt’s curiosity felt like a colony of ants marching across her chest. What should she say? How could she explain? She forced herself to meet her aunt’s expectant gaze. “I don’t have any questions.”

  “No? But how did thee know what to expect?” Cynthia patted Leah’s hand. “Was there pain?”

  Where were Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John? Any other time, the boys would be tramping through the kitchen asking for a taste of this or a bite of that, but the one time she needed them to divert her aunt’s attention, her cousins were in the fields.

  “Thee has nothing to be embarrassed about,” Cynthia said. “It is the Lord’s will for husbands and wives to love each other with their hearts as well as their bodies. Was Caleb patient with thee?”

  There was no escaping. Unless she chose to be rude, Leah would have to admit everything to her aunt. “I didn’t have a wedding night.”

  “No wedding night? Didn’t Caleb leave for Evansville this morning?”

  Leah’s throat closed around her voice. “Yes,” she whispered hoarsely.

  “He left without…” For all her boldness, not even Aunt Cynthia could say the words.

  “Yes,” Leah whispered.

  Cynthia propped her elbow on the table and rested her cheek in her hand. “Did thee say something, Leah? Did thee ask Caleb to wait?”

  “It’s not like that, Aunt Cynthia. The thing is…” There was only one way to tell her aunt. Leah took a deep breath and let the story fall out of her mouth like rocks tumbling down the side of a hill. “I suspect Caleb never told Uncle Abram he wanted a wife,” she said in conclusion. “All he needed was someone for his children, someone who was able to care for them until he could return.”

  Aunt Cynthia shook her head slowly. “I don’t believe it.”

  Leah used the hem of her apron to wipe away the tears that threatened to embarrass her. Why couldn’t Cynthia leave well enough alone? Being rejected by her husband had been bad enough.

  Hoofbeats sounded outside, and Uncle Abram’s voice called to his son. “Mark, take my horse. I’ll be back in a few minutes.”

  Cynthia’s gaze met Leah’s.

  “No, Aunt Cynthia, please don’t—”

  “This is between me and my husband, Leah. Thee shouldn’t interfere.” Cynthia stood, her hands on her hips, and waited for her husband to enter.

  Abram came through the door, removed his hat, and turned to his wife. “Thee looks as though a summer storm is brewing in thy stomach. What’s happened?”

  “Thee.” Cynthia pointed her index finger at her husband. “What has thee done to Leah?”

  “To Leah? What is thee talking about?”

  “When Caleb Whitaker approached thee about Leah, what did he ask for?”

  Abram looked out the open kitchen door, probably wishing he could escape through it. “Caleb told me about his decision to join the Army. He was worried about his aunt being able to care for the children.”

  Cynthia crossed her arms in front of her chest. Her foot tapped a warning rhythm. “And?”

  “And he wanted to know if I knew a woman who could live in the house and care for his children while he was gone.” Cynthia’s foot kept pace. “And?”

  “And I told him about Leah.”

  “Leah had a home. She didn’t need a job.”

  “She needed a home of her own. So I made a deal.”

  “A deal? Just what kind of deal did thee make?”

  “He could have Leah, but he had to marry her.”

  Cynthia dropped her arms and fisted her hands at her side. “I don’t believe it. Did thee give so little thought to Leah that thee bartered her away like a horse?”

  “I found someone who would take care of her for the rest of her life.”

  “She already had that with us.”

  “But now she’s off my—”

  Abram didn’t need to finish the sentence. Leah knew exactly what he’d meant to say—off his hands. She’d heard him say it time and time again during the seven years she’d lived in his house. She’d slept in a tiny room off the kitchen. She’d cleaned and cooked and shared the profits she’d made from the sale of honey. Nothing had ever been enough.

  Leah wouldn’t let him see her grief. She stood, straightened her back, and lifted her chin. “I’ll be taking the bees soon, Uncle Abram.” She turned to her aunt. “I hope thee will pay me a visit.”

  Cynthia reached out a hand to Leah, but Leah stepped away. One touch of sympathy would be her undoing. She took her bonnet from the peg and stepped outside. There was no going back to her aunt and uncle. There was no way to go except forward.

  Chapter 4

  Are you coming to church with us, Leah?”

  Leah looked at Rose and Olivia, decked out in brightly colored dresses with matching bonnets. “I

  prefer to attend the Friends’ First Day meeting,” she answered, tying her plain black bonnet over her prayer cap. “Is that all right?”

  “Of course, dear,” Rose assured her. “You are free to attend whichever service you prefer. I’ll ask Joseph to hitch a horse to the buggy for you.”

  Stephen, dressed in a brown jacket and pants, left his sister’s side and took Leah’s hand. “I want to go with Leah.”

  Leah smiled down at the boy. With so much rejection in her life, it was nice to have an ally.

  “Is it all right with you, Leah?” Rose asked.

  “Of course. Stephen will be most welcome.” Leah glanced at Olivia. The girl hadn’t spoken a word to Leah since her first night at the Whitaker’s. “Would thee like to join us, Olivia?” The girl’s eyes widened. “No thank you.” Olivia’s incredulous voice sounded as though Leah had asked her if she’d like to swim in a river with alligators.

  Leah decided to ignore Olivia’s conceited tone. “Then it’s just us,” Leah said to Stephen. “Shall we go?”

  The boy didn’t bother to answer. He sped through the doorway, yellin
g for Joseph.

  “That boy,” Rose grumbled. “The only time I see him slow down is when it’s bath time.”

  Leah laughed at Rose’s comment and followed Stephen outside. The boy was sitting in the front seat of a surrey while Joseph hitched a two-horse team. “There’s just Stephen and myself, Joseph. The buggy will be fine.”

  Joseph removed his straw hat and wiped his forehead with a kerchief. “Well ma’am, I hoped you’d let me join you this morning.”

  Leah bit her bottom lip. How shortsighted of her not to realize Joseph had no place to worship. “Of course. Thee is always welcome.”

  “Thank you, ma’am.” Joseph returned his hat to his head and called up to Stephen. “Are you planning on driving Miss Leah to church this morning?”

  “I’m big enough,” the boy answered. “I’ll be five years old in two months.”

  “Is that right?” Joseph said. “I hadn’t realized you were so close to being grown.”

  Leah grinned at Joseph and climbed into the seat behind the boy. “I’m glad to know I’m in such capable hands.”

  A few moments later, the three of them were on their way to the meetinghouse in Newport. “Like this?” Stephen asked as Joseph examined the boy’s grip.

  “You’re doing just fine,” Joseph replied.

  “Do you think Pearl will pull a surrey one day?”

  “Pearl?” Leah asked from the back seat. “Did Olivia agree to that name?”

  Stephen looked over his shoulder. “She said she didn’t care what we called a stupid old horse. Can you believe she said Pearl was stupid? Why, Pearl’s going to be the smartest horse ever born on this farm.”

  Leah bit her bottom lip. Olivia was like an unwatched pot of milk on a hot stove. She was sure to boil over, eventually, and scald anyone near her. Leah lifted up a prayer for the girl. She knew the Lord would open a way to Olivia’s heart, but the girl’s bad humor made everyone walk as though the floor were made of porcelain.

  When they arrived at the unadorned frame building that served as the gathering place for the Friends of Wayne County, Young John ran to her side. “Leah!” She opened her arms to embrace her young cousin, but he stopped before reaching her side. “Stephen! Thee came to meeting? Come on, I want to show thee something.”

  Stephen bounced on the balls of his feet. “May I, Leah? May I go with John?”

  “Of course,” she answered. “But don’t go too far.”

  “We won’t!” the boys answered simultaneously before running toward the back of the meetinghouse.

  Joseph tied the reins to a hitching post, chuckling. “Think we’ll see Stephen before it’s time to go home?”

  “John knows he must attend meeting. Uncle Abram can be a stern master if the boys step too far out of line. I’m sure Stephen will find us.”

  Joseph looked toward the meetinghouse then back at Leah. “Should I wait out here? Or maybe sit in the back?”

  “Thee is welcome to sit anywhere thee feels comfortable. However, it is our custom for women to sit separately from men.”

  Joseph didn’t appear to be convinced. His gaze darted from the meetinghouse to Leah, to the ground, and back to her.

  Leah searched for Uncle Abram but found his eldest son instead. “Matthew!”

  “Morning, Leah,” Matthew called, walking toward her. “I was hoping to see thee this morning. When would thee like me to bring the bee skeps?”

  “Joseph is building a bee shelter,” Leah explained. “I’ll get the bees once the shelter is finished.”

  “You can bring them later in the week,” Joseph said. “I ought to be finished in a few days.”

  “Good enough,” Matthew said.

  Leah laid a hand on Matthew’s arm. “Joseph has come to meeting today. Will thee see that he finds a comfortable spot?” “Of course. Would thee like to sit with me and my brothers? Perhaps thee could help keep them in line.”

  Joseph returned Matthew’s warm smile. “I’ll do my best. Thank you.”

  Leah noticed her aunt talking to a group of women. “If thee will excuse me, I’d like to speak to Aunt Cynthia.”

  “Thee go on,” Matthew said. “Joseph and I will find the boys.”

  Leah watched the women’s faces as she approached. Sister Greenwood smiled at her, but Sister Haines cupped a hand around her mouth and said something to Sister Letts. Sister Letts glanced at Leah then quickly looked away.

  Gossip. Leah had no doubt the women spoke of her. She lifted her chin and squared her shoulders as she joined the women. “Good morning, Friends.”

  Aunt Cynthia embraced her and kissed her on the cheek. “Good morning, Leah. I’m so glad thee made it this morning.

  Was that Stephen I saw with Young John?”

  “Yes. I asked Matthew to take charge of them.”

  Sister Greenwood, a white-haired woman with a round, kind face, patted Leah’s back. “Cynthia told us about thy marriage to Caleb Whitaker. Blessings on thee and thy new family.”

  “Thank thee, Sister.”

  Sister Letts wrinkled her jet-black brow. “How many children does Mr. Whitaker have?”

  “Two,” Leah answered. “A girl and a boy.”

  Sister Haines straightened her starched apron. “I know the Whitakers,” she said. “My girl goes to school with Olivia.” “Does Mr. Whitaker plan on joining the Society of Friends?” Sister Letts’s black brows seemed to rise to her hairline.

  “I’m not sure,” Leah answered. “We haven’t talked about it.” Sister Haines reached out to straighten Leah’s apron. “It’s a shame thee couldn’t find a better match, but I suppose it’s better than never being chosen.”

  Leah winced at the veiled insult. How casually Sister Haines spoke the cruelest of words. But it was true, wasn’t it? Leah hadn’t been chosen before her marriage to Caleb. Some would say she still hadn’t been chosen.

  Sister Letts scanned the groups of men who stood nearby. “Where is thy husband this morning?”

  “He went to Evansville to report for duty.”

  “A soldier?” Sister Letts’s bony hand splayed across her bosom. “Thee married a man who left his family to go to war? How awful!”

  A pain shot through Leah’s clenched jaw. Sister Letts knew nothing about Caleb or his family, and her words hadn’t been voiced in sympathy. Ten unkind retorts sprang to Leah’s mind, but her aunt saved her from the sin of voicing them.

  “Come with me,” Aunt Cynthia said. “Meeting will be starting soon.” They stepped away from the other ladies, and Cynthia bent her head close to Leah’s. “Thee has surely earned a blessing today,” she said in a low voice. “Thee held thy tongue even though those two gossips baited thee.”

  “If I have earned a blessing, it’s only because thee saw my temptation and rescued me.”

  Cynthia smiled and entered the silent meetinghouse with Leah at her side. Leah scanned the benches and saw Joseph seated next to Matthew and the younger boys. Stephen removed his hat but quickly put it back on when he noticed all the other men and boys kept theirs firmly in place.

  A great calm settled over the gathering. Leah breathed deeply and invited the Holy Spirit to touch her soul. She closed her eyes and gave thanks for all the Lord had provided, the bounty of the farm, and the beauty of the land. She asked God to keep Caleb safe and to return him to his family, and she prayed for Olivia and Stephen, asking the Lord to show her how to best help the children. She opened her eyes and found Uncle Abram watching her. A familiar hardness touched her heart, and she closed her eyes again. She’d spent many years asking God to help her understand her uncle, but she still found it difficult to forgive the man who’d always treated her like a burden.

  Before she could renew her prayer, a man cleared his throat. Leah opened her eyes. Brother Greenwood stood in the men’s section, his beard streaked with silver, and his gaze dark with serious intent.

  “Friends,” he began, and then cleared his throat a second time. “Friends, I wish to speak this morning on the s
ubject of the governor’s call for volunteers.”

  A murmur passed through the crowd. First Day meeting was a time for members to share thoughts put on their hearts by the Holy Spirit, not to discuss contentious political issues.

  “We all know the Friends’ testimony of peace,” Brother Greenwood continued. “We know we have done everything in our power to avoid war, but many men of our community wish to answer the call. Are we to turn our backs on those who love their country? Are we to cast them out of meeting because they fight for a just cause?”

  Brother Haines stood. “We all know why thee brings up this question. Thee has two sons, one of whom has already turned his back on the testimony of peace.”

  Low voices of dissension sounded through the congregation.

  “Brother Haines speaks the truth,” Brother Greenwood replied. “My son traveled to the capital to join the militia, but I speak of other Friends as well. Each person must answer his own conscience, and we can’t cast out Friends. When the insurrection has been put down and our sons and brothers return, will we gather them back to our bosom or send them on their way?”

  Brother Letts, an elder, raised his hands in a placating gesture. “The time may come for us to discuss this matter, but so far, only one of our congregation has volunteered. Surely this question can wait until a later time. Thee may be worried about something that will never happen.”

  Aunt Cynthia gasped loudly. Leah looked at her aunt then followed her gaze to where Matthew stood.

  “I plan to join the militia when the harvest is in,” Matthew said.

  Aunt Cynthia moaned. “No, son,” she whispered.

  “Sit thee down,” Uncle Abram commanded in a gruff voice.

  Matthew looked down at his father and then returned his gaze to the congregation. He wasn’t yet twenty, but he stood with the confidence of a man. “I have helped many of thee fight against slavery. I will not sit by now and let other men do my duty.” Heads shook from side to side as the Friends talked among themselves. Uncle Abram’s features looked darker than usual.

  Brother Letts spoke again. “Matthew Wall, is thee willing to sacrifice thy membership in the Society of Friends in order to fight thy fellow man? Would thee turn thy back on thy family and thy beliefs in order to kill?”