Mattie's Pledge

by Jan Drexler

  Jacob was in the pen with the ewes and one ram, petting each of them in turn, his crook resting in his elbow. He looked like the shepherd boy, David, from the Good Book.

  Mattie climbed onto the top of the stone wall and walked along the top, balancing with her arms out at her sides just as she had done every day when Daed had kept the pigs in this field. “When will you leave to follow the wagons?”

  “As soon as the last one reaches the top of that rise.” Jacob pointed with the curved end of his crook. “You can walk ahead of the sheep with me. Margli and Peter will follow behind to make sure none of them straggle.”

  “Will I need a crook?”

  “Ne.” Jacob reached out with the end of the long stick to guide a ewe into line with the rest of the flock. “They follow me pretty well. You won’t need to use one.”

  She jumped down from the wall and met him at the gate. “Then why am I walking with you?”

  “To keep me company, of course.” His smile started in his eyes and crept to his mouth.

  A flush heated Mattie’s face. He only wanted her company? She could have stayed with her family after all. But the memory of Mamm’s tears stopped her. Naomi was better at helping Mamm than she was. She could ride with her family tomorrow, and the day after. Nothing she could say today would help Mamm.

  She opened the gate while Jacob led the ram out, the ewes following. He called them all by name, and they bleated in answer. Each one looked like the others to her, but he had no trouble telling them apart.

  Margli and Peter guided the rest of the sheep through the gate, pushing them with the side of a long, thin willow rod whenever one of them balked. As she joined Jacob at the front of the flock, she glanced behind. The lead ewe followed Jacob and the rest of the sheep followed her. If this was the way they traveled, herding the flock should be a simple task. She waved at Margli at the back of the line, and then turned her attention to the road ahead. The way was easy, and with the picket fences dividing the farm yards from the byway, the sheep followed their shepherd willingly.

  They traveled for a few miles and then crested a rise. Glades Pike continued straight through the rolling fields, but they had left Brothers Valley. Soon they would pass through the town of Somerset, and then they would be farther west than Mattie had ever gone before.

  “What will happen when we get to Somerset town? Won’t the sheep run off?”

  Jacob glanced at the sheep following behind. “They might. But we’ll keep them together as much as we can. That’s when we’ll need your help. With three behind the flock instead of two, they’ll stay in line better.”

  “Do you like herding the sheep? Wouldn’t you rather drive one of the wagons?”

  He didn’t answer her question right away. They reached the ford through a little stream, and he waited until all the sheep were safely through before looking at her. “When we first left home, I thought Daed had given me the worst job of all when he said the sheep were my responsibility.” He stepped to the side of the road. “We’ll let them browse a little here by the water before we move on.”

  Mattie joined Margli as she sat down on the grass along the road, but Peter waded into the little stream again, his hat in his hand. “Help me, Margli. We can catch some crayfish for dinner.”

  Margli shuddered. “Not me. You can catch all of them that you want. I’m going to rest while I can.”

  “I’ll help you.” Jacob followed his brother into the stream. As he turned rocks over, Peter grabbed the creatures and dropped them into his hat.

  Margli picked some dandelions and twisted the stems together, one by one. “I’d rather make flower necklaces, wouldn’t you, Mattie?”

  Mattie picked some flowers and braided the stems to make her own chain. “What will you do with yours when it’s finished?”

  “I like to put them on the sheep. They look pretty like that, don’t you think?”

  Mattie lifted her dandelions out of a ewe’s reach. “Don’t they eat them?”

  “Ja, they do.” Margli sighed. “But they’re still fun to make.”

  Jacob waited until all the sheep had finished eating from the bushes along the stream, then led them to a quiet eddy where they drank. Soon they were back on the road, a few of the sheep decorated with flower garlands. Peter ran ahead to catch up with the wagons, carrying his hat full of crayfish.

  Mattie watched Jacob. He had said he thought taking care of the sheep was the worst job his daed could give him, but he walked with a swinging step, enjoying himself.

  “What changed your mind?”

  He glanced at her. “About what?”

  “The sheep. You said you didn’t want to take care of them.”

  “When I learned to know them, I found out I was wrong.” He turned to watch the flock following him, with Margli bringing up the rear. “I thought they were stupid animals, and I never liked the smell, or the work of shearing them. I was afraid they would take off in all directions once they were away from the sheepfold at home.” He reached down and scratched the head of the lead ewe. “But they grew on me. They need me, and as long as I take care of them, they’ll follow me anywhere.”

  “Doesn’t it get tiresome? Wouldn’t it be more exciting to drive one of the wagons?”

  Jacob shrugged. “This is peaceful. As we walk I can let my mind wander and think about all kinds of things.”

  “Like what?”

  “Like the farm I’ll have when we reach Indiana.”

  “You mentioned your farm before. Having your own place is a lot of responsibility and work, isn’t it?”

  “It’s time for me to have my own place and my own family. To have a home that I’ll never have to leave again.”

  They came to the top of another rise and the town of Somerset nestled in the valley below. Mattie let her eyes drift past it to the hills beyond. “Not me.”

  “You want to keep traveling.”

  “What could be more exciting? I want to go farther on. I never want the road to end.” Mattie waved to the distant hills beyond the town and the fields rising to the western mountains. “Do you see the road going up through the hills? I want to see what’s on the other side.” She faced Jacob. “I want to see the open spaces of Iowa. I want to see the mountains. I’ve heard there’s an ocean to the west, beyond Oregon.” She looked to the mountains again. If she was a bird, she could fly to those far lands and never have to stop in one place.

  “And I can’t think of anything worse than not having a home.” Jacob’s voice was so quiet, she almost missed his comment.

  Ahead, on the road, Peter came running toward them, his hat firmly on his head.

  “They’re stopping in Somerset,” he called as he came close. “Some are buying supplies. Daed said to take the sheep through to the other side of town and find a place to stop for dinner.”

  Jacob glanced at the sun. “By the time we find a place to stop, the noon hour will be upon us.”

  As they drew closer to the town, Mattie dropped back with Margli and Peter to help get the flock safely through the streets. Peter had cut a willow branch for her and trimmed the end to give her a strong but light rod for the sheep.

  “You don’t poke at them,” he said. “You guide them like this.” He thrust his rod along the left side of one ewe and she turned to the right. “If they don’t obey, you can hit them a little. Their wool is thick, so you won’t hurt them.”

  Mattie practiced with her rod, helping to bunch the flock closer together as they reached the outskirts of Somerset. An inn by the side of the road had its doors and windows open to the spring sunshine. Some men sat on a bench set between the front of the inn and the road. She stared. Cole Bates and his brothers. So this is where they ended up after they had disappeared during the night. Jacob had chased them off, claiming he had caught one stealing a horse, but Mattie couldn’t believe it. No one would accept a family’s hospitality and then steal from them.

  One of the ewes ducked past Mattie’s feet to grab at some dus
ty grass growing along the fence in front of the inn. Mattie went after her, her willow pole extended to drive the sheep back into the road, but the hungry ewe ignored her. It planted its feet in the dried mud and nibbled at the grass and weeds.

  Mattie buried her fingers in the thick fleece. “Come on, now. Get going.”

  A shadow fell over the sheep’s back.

  “Having a bit of trouble, are we?” The voice was silky smooth. The words were English.

  Mattie released the sheep and stepped back. The night before, he had been dark and mysterious. In the sunlight he was no different from any other man.

  Except that he wasn’t Amish.

  Mattie’s tongue clung to the roof of her mouth. Cole leaned over and scratched the sheep’s ears.

  “It’s easy for a sheep to get separated from the flock, isn’t it?” His wide smile pulled an answering smile from her.

  “I don’t know. I’ve never herded sheep before.”

  “You looked like you knew what you were doing, until this one decided it was hungry.” Cole leaned closer to her. “If I didn’t know better, I’d think it came over here just so we could get acquainted.”

  “I . . . I already know who you are. You’re Cole Bates. You and your brothers were at our farm last night.”

  The smile grew even wider. “Yeah, that’s right. I remember seeing you there.” His eyes never left hers, pulling her in. “What’s your name?”

  “Mattie Schrock.”

  She heard someone running toward them.

  “Mattie,” Peter called. “We need to keep the sheep together.”

  Mattie grasped the ewe’s wooly neck and tugged. “I need to go.”

  “It was nice meeting you.” Cole grasped one of her hands and brought it to his mouth. His lips were soft, barely touching the skin on the back of her hand as he gave it a kiss. “I’ll see you again soon.”

  Mattie finally got the ewe walking down the street toward the rest of the flock. She dared to look back at the inn. Cole stood at the fence along the roadway, watching her.

  Andrew Bontrager shifted in his saddle as they passed through the outskirts of Somerset and into farmland again. He’d gladly give this job up to Papa this afternoon. Walking sounded good after five hours in the saddle. Up ahead, Eli Schrock turned his wagon off to the side of the road where a stand of trees gave some shade. Andrew’s stomach growled. Dinnertime couldn’t come soon enough.

  He drove the team onto the shady grass just beyond the Schrocks, where Papa took the lead horse’s bridle. Andrew eased up, putting his weight on his left foot, then slowly lifted his stiff right leg over the saddle and slid to the ground. His brother-in-law, Thomas Fisher, had advised him to ride often through the last few weeks to prepare for all the time he would spend on horseback during this trip, but something more appealing had always come up.

  Late-night rides in Papa’s spring wagon with Mattie Schrock, for one. He felt a grin starting at the thought of Mattie. She was a feisty girl who loved to match wits with him. So many of the girls around were moony-eyed cows who would do anything to get him to look in their direction. But he had tired of that kind of thing by the time he was twenty-two. Of course, he’d miss Fronie Mast with her giggling kisses, and Heddy Cable with her sly, teasing looks in his direction during the church meeting, but Mattie’s verbal sparring was fun. An evening with her made him feel like maybe he could settle down with one girl.

  With both feet on the ground, Andrew flexed his knees, trying to keep them from trembling. He should have listened to Thomas.

  Lydia Schrock, Annalise Yoder, and his mamm took charge of the communal meal, and soon pots were hanging over the fire and the fragrance of stewing meat drifted over the clearing.

  The men gathered in groups of three or four, and Andrew walked over to where the younger men were standing around one of the Hertzlers’ horses. Josef Bender had the horse’s left front hoof between his knees in the traditional farrier’s pose.

  “Ja, ja, ja. A loose nail is all.” He straightened up, letting the horse’s hoof drop to the ground. “I haf my toolbox, and quickly it will be fixed.”

  “She hasn’t gone lame, then?” Elias Hertzler stroked the mare’s neck.

  “Lame she is not. There is no harm done.”

  As Josef turned to go, Andrew let loose with the laugh he had been holding in. He turned to Jacob Yoder, standing next to him. “He has the funniest accent. Where did he come from?”

  Jacob raised his eyebrows and Andrew grinned before his face could turn bright red. Josef was Jacob’s brother-in-law, and he remembered it too late. He had spoken before thinking and put his foot in his mouth again.

  He slapped Jacob on the back. “I was just making a joke. He’s a good guy, and it’s a real bonus to have a farrier along on the trip.”

  Jacob’s face relaxed into a grin. “He is a good guy. He came over from Europe alone when he was fourteen, and that’s why he has the accent. But he knows his horses.”

  As the men separated, Jacob started walking toward the Yoders’ wagon, and Andrew followed him, grinning at the group of girls gathered there.

  “We haven’t gotten a chance to talk much yet.” Andrew shortened his stride to match Jacob’s. “I heard that you know the Schrocks from back when they lived along the Conestoga.”

  Jacob looked up at him. “Our families were neighbors, so we spent plenty of time together as children. Isaac and Noah were a lot older than me, but the girls were good friends with my sisters.”

  Andrew laughed. “They’re still a lot older than you. But a six- or eight-year difference is greater when you’re a kid than when you’re grown up.” He glanced ahead of them to the girls. Mattie was there, watching the two of them, along with her sister, Naomi. Next to them was the Hertzler girl, Johanna. She might be a lot of fun, and he for sure wouldn’t get tired of looking at her. She had a sweet look about her.

  He glanced at Jacob and saw the other man’s eyes were on the girls too. Jacob seemed to be the type who would choose one girl and marry her without any thought that there might be more than one that could catch his eye, and from the look on his face, Jacob had already made his choice. But which one?

  Soft giggles came from the girls as they drew closer.

  “It looks like all the pretty girls survived our first morning on the road.” Andrew sidled close to Mattie, making sure his hand brushed her arm.

  Mattie stepped just far enough away from him to avoid his touch. She always played hard to get. He glanced past Naomi’s red face to Johanna. She smiled at him, then ducked her head, her hand over her mouth. He left Mattie’s side and stepped close to the Conestoga girl. He bent toward her.

  “Did you have fun this morning, Jo?” He kept his voice low and she had to lean closer to him to hear his question. That nickname had appeared on his tongue without thought, but he liked the way it sounded, pronouncing the J like an Englisher would.

  She giggled and glanced at the others. “It is a fine day for a ride. How about you?”

  He straightened, giving an exaggerated stretch and yawn that made all the girls laugh. “Driving the wagon is like sitting in a rocking chair. I slept all the way here.”

  Naomi left the group and walked toward her family’s wagon. Just as well. With her cast eye, she always made him uncomfortable. She was nice enough, and a good cook. She would make someone a fine wife, but it wouldn’t be him.

  Mattie grabbed Jo’s hand. “We need to help get dinner ready. You boys should get some rest while we’re stopped.”

  The girls caught up with Naomi, their skirts swinging in the breeze as they ran across the grass.

  Andrew plucked a dandelion blossom and brushed the furry center with his thumb. “She’s a nice girl.”

  Jacob turned toward him. “Which one?”

  “Does it matter?” Andrew looked at his new friend and grinned. “When they’re that pretty, why not enjoy them all?”

  Jacob raised those eyebrows again, but Andrew kept on grinning. Thi
s trip might turn out to be fun after all.

  6

  Mattie didn’t help Jacob with the sheep in the afternoon. Instead, she chose to walk behind the spring wagons with Naomi and Johanna. Jacob worked to keep his disappointment from showing. As it was, he was making Bitte skittish, and her agitation transferred to the rest of the flock. In his mind all he could see was the girls having a grand time with Andrew Bontrager while he slogged back here on the dusty road with the sheep.

  Jacob kicked at a rock in the road. No matter how he wanted to dislike Andrew, he couldn’t. He was just too likable. But when it came to Mattie . . . Jacob kicked at another rock, making Bitte jump sideways.

  How could one man be attractive to so many girls?

  Or was it Mattie who was attractive to so many boys?

  He hadn’t missed the exchange between Mattie and Cole Bates back in Somerset. The man reminded Jacob too much of George McIvey, the Englisher who had stolen Liesbet away last year. His sister would still be alive if it hadn’t been for that man. And he didn’t have to spend too much time wondering to know that Cole Bates probably wanted the same thing from Mattie. To steal her away from her family. All these Englishers were like that. Rough, coarse, selfish, and dangerous. If the Bates boys showed up again, he’d be sure to send them on their way.

  Bitte bleated and Jacob slowed his walk. Being a shepherd meant putting his flock ahead of everything, and he was letting his feelings put the flock in jeopardy. Jacob patted the ewe and scratched her ears. She butted her head against his leg, then moved to the side of the road to crop some grass. He stopped then, letting all the sheep move to the side of the road for a rest.

  “How far are we going today?” Peter asked when he caught up to Jacob.

  “I don’t know, but I’m sure we’ll walk for a few more hours before we stop for the night.”

  “You’re right.” The boy sighed.

  Just seven years old, Peter was more like Jacob than he was like Hansli. Jacob pushed at the memories of his brother with the straight blond hair. So light it had almost been white. Ten years ago, he and Hansli had been as close as brothers could be. Jacob had taught him to fish and to swing on the rope in the barn loft. They had hunted mushrooms and greens together in the spring and played in the haystacks in the summer. They had made plans to build a bobsled that winter. Jacob was going to teach him how to use the saw.