Mary knew exactly how Moses's mother would have felt. Happy to see her baby, but aware the child would never really be called her own. As difficult as it must have been for Moses's mother, she knew that seeing her baby grow up with a better life was worth her own torment and pain. It was something that Mary could relate to all too well.
“Excuse me?” Samuel asked, waving his hand in front of her face.
She saw that the service was over, and everyone was moving out of their seats. “Sorry,” Mary said. “I was just thinking about the story of Moses. It’s rather inspiring.”
“Most of the stories in the bible are,” Samuel replied dryly. “I have some friends that I typically talk to during the meal. I’ll collect you and Lois when I’m ready to go.”
Mary nodded, her lips pursed together tightly in a show of obedience.
As the house emptied, Mary watched as clusters and groups formed around the front of the building. The level of chatter went from a quiet buzz to extremely loud. Even Lois seemed put off by it, whining for the first time all morning. Her aunt and onkel weren’t there, but they weren’t regular attendees, so that was nothing unusual.
Samuel glared at her and shook his head. It was the baby; he wanted her to make Lois stop crying. Mary held her securely and swayed her, singing softly into her ear. Lois quieted, but not before she had drawn attention their way.
“Who’s that?” said one of the men in Samuel’s group.
He was a stranger, a fine looking man who wore a well-made suit.
“That’s just Lois’s nursemaid,” Samuel said, stepping back in front of the man and blocking his view.
Mary could no longer see him, but she wanted to know if they were still discussing her. Stepping a bit closer while continuing to rock Lois in her arms, she was able to hear at least one more question that pertained to her.
“Tell me the truth. Is that girl more than just a nursemaid to you?”
“What? Certainly not!” Samuel replied, his voice much louder than the other man.
Right then, Mary froze, curious as to why the thought seemed so repulsive to him.
“Well, if you’re not interested in a girl who’s that beautiful, then I shall look forward to seeing more of her.”
Mary tried to get a better look at the man who was speaking. Who was he?
“Trevor, I assure you she’s just Lois’s nursemaid,” Samuel said, his tone revealing his impatience.
Mary swallowed hard, upset that his sister’s close friend was nothing more than a servant in his eyes.
“You need to open your eyes,” Trevor replied, laughing as he spoke. “Or better yet, maybe you should keep them closed so I can call on her.”
Samuel appeared to stutter, his voice weak for the first time. “Well, you’re free to do as you wish. I can’t agree with you on every point, can I? She’s very busy, and I doubt she’d be interested in you.”
Trevor placed his hands on his hips. “You really don’t see her as anything else?”
Samuel grumbled something with irritation. Mary couldn’t hear what he said.
“All right, then, so you won’t be upset if I talk with her now?” Trevor said.
Mary looked up and saw Samuel shrug and Trevor heading toward her.
Chapter 12
Mary waited for Samuel’s friend to approach.
“Excuse me?” Trevor said. She smiled at the handsome man, and then he stopped in front of her. “I hope I’m not a bother, but my name is Trevor Hills. I’m a friend of Samuel.”
“Oh,” she replied. “Hello, I’m Mary O’Connor.” Damian’s last name caught in her throat. It always brought back so many awful memories.
“I saw you over here by yourself and felt compelled to introduce myself,” Trevor said giving a quick glance back at Samuel. He then looked directly into her eyes. “I hope you don’t think I’m too forward, not waiting for a proper introduction.”
Mary knew right away he was attracted to her. Trevor seemed like a nice man. He’s nothing like Samuel, at least, she thought. She noticed Trevor’s gaze had dropped to Lois. “Oh, and this is Lois.”
“I’ve met Lois already. She has the same lively eyes as you.”
Mary gave a nervous giggle. No one had ever pointed out their eyes shared the same blue shade, but Mary noticed many similarities in their appearance.
“Beautiful,” he said, now staring at her.
If I married a man like him, Lois and I could have a nice life.
Samuel’s friends were all wealthy from what she had been told by Freda, and Trevor seemed no different. What were his intentions, though? Movement over Trevor’s shoulder caught Mary’s attention. “I see Samuel waving at me. I think he’s ready to leave.”
“Oh, well if you ever want to talk, just find me. I won’t be far,” he said, smiling as he turned away.
Marrying him would not only free her from Samuel, it would also ensure she got to raise her daughter free from financial struggle. The only issue was the same one that plagued her before; she would have to confess her lies to him and the whole community. Would he even want her after he knew the truth?
She felt someone looking at her and when she looked up she saw Rebecca, the bishop’s daughter and the third living person who knew the truth of Lois’s identity. Rebecca smiled and gave her a nod and Mary was forever grateful that she had vowed to keep the secret.
Samuel loomed before her. “What did he talk to you about?”
“Nothing much at all.” Mary shook her head. "We just exchanged names."
“Are you ready to go back home?” Samuel asked, his voice soft and subdued.
“Jah, whenever you’re ready.”
“Would you like me to carry Lois to the buggy?”
“Nee, it’s okay. I don’t want her to wake,” Mary replied. Since it was the second time that he had shown any humanity toward her since Beth’s death, she was genuinely caught off guard.
“She must be getting heavy.”
Mary found herself smiling at him. “I’m used to it.”
“Very well,” Samuel said. “Then, let’s go home.”
On the way back, Mary couldn’t stop her mind from wandering. Even the noisy streets couldn’t help her shake a strange feeling. Why was Samuel being so nice all of a sudden? Did he feel challenged due to Trevor’s remarks and actions? Maybe he did care about her in some way. After all, he would no longer have a nursemaid if she married. He could always get another, but not someone that Lois was used to.
When they got back home, the first thing she did was put Lois in her crib. The nursery was chilly, so Mary covered Lois with an extra blanket before retreating to her own room. Mary closed her bedroom door and then collapsed onto the bed. All she could think about was the long day she’d just had.
Things were just getting too complicated. She had never wanted to deceive anyone. It had been okay when the three of them knew, but with her friends now gone, it seemed more of a deception.
Not wanting to give in to sadness, Mary decided to wipe away her tears and make the most of what remained of the day. Samuel had disappeared shortly after they got back from church, but he was a busy man, so she thought little of it. The afternoon passed by quickly, and Lois remained asleep for all of it.
When dinnertime rolled around, Mary went to wake her daughter to eat. As she pulled her bedroom door open, Samuel stood before her with his hand raised. She jumped, startled.
“I was just about to knock,” he said.
“I was just going to wake Lois for dinner,” Mary said, trying to hold back laughter.
“Freda has Sunday mornings off naturally, and then she serves the Sunday dinner that she prepared ahead of time. Dinner will be ready soon, and Freda can feed Lois.”
Mary frowned. “Why?”
“I was hoping you might join me tonight, rather than eating in the kitchen. That is, if you’d like, of course. It’s okay if you’d rather not,” Samuel said, swallowing noticeably.
Mary didn’t kno
w what to say, so she smiled and nodded.
“I’ll take that as a yes,” he said with a smile. “I’lI see you soon, then.”
With that, he was gone leaving Mary in a state of confusion. What was going on with him? Why had Samuel gone from arrogant and overbearing to being kind, almost friendly, and gentle?
Hoping not to embarrass herself, Mary fixed her hair and washed her face. After she figured she looked presentable, she headed to the kitchen with Lois. Once Lois was safely settled with Freda, Mary went directly to the dining room. Part of her wanted to eat with Freda and Lois as usual, but another part of her wanted to know what Samuel was up to.
When Mary entered the dining room, Samuel immediately stood and motioned for her to approach. “I’m happy you accepted my invitation,” he said, smiling from ear to ear.
“It wouldn’t be very kind of me to turn down such an offer, would it?” she replied.
“It wouldn’t, but I hope you had another reason, at least,” Samuel said, sitting back down as she did. “I hope you like soup and roast meats. I believe Freda also has custard and pie for dessert.”
As they sat together and ate, Mary couldn’t help but glance up at him from time to time. Samuel was acting differently. Perhaps he wanted to keep her on as his nursemaid while also fending off Trevor and any other would-be pursuers. Were those his real intentions? Or … could it be he was interested in her as a woman?
“May I ask you about yourself?”
Mary raised her eyebrows while she finished her mouthful.
He continued, “Beth always talked about you and her other friend, but I never had the time to sit and listen. I only heard briefly about your childhood,” Samuel said.
“The story of my life isn’t something to discuss at dinner. I’m sorry,” she said, now averting her eyes.
“It might not be, but I’d still like to hear it. I’d like to learn that and other things about you,” Samuel said.
He was making an effort so she should do the same. Mary nodded slowly and let out a long, drawn-out sigh before speaking. “I never knew my vadder. He abandoned my mudder and me when I was just months old. I’m still not sure why. My mudder did her best to raise me, but she eventually got sick and passed away. From there, I drifted from home to home until someone located my Mamm’s Mamm. She was Amish and she raised me from the time I was twelve. Things got better. I don’t want to see another child go through what I went through.”
Samuel stared at her for a moment without saying anything. Then, he looked down and shook his head. “I’m so sorry that you had to experience such hardship. Every child deserves a good start in life, and I want Lois to know how special Beth was, and William too, of course. You’re right, though, to think every child should have a good home, and that’s exactly why I stepped in to take care of Lois.”
Mary swallowed hard. “Beth was definitely an amazing woman. I too hope Lois grows up knowing how blessed she was to have Beth in her life, even though their time together was brief.” As she took another mouthful, Mary couldn’t help thinking how strange the whole ordeal was.
“Despite what you might have heard, I can understand what hardships bring to someone’s life. I believe I owe you an apology. I never stopped to think how this might all be affecting you as well. After all, you and Beth were very close. And, it’s only around a year and a half ago your own husband died.”
“Jah, It hasn’t been easy losing the two most important people in my life.”
He stared at her. “And?”
“I’m still far from getting over my childhood, but Beth helped me overcome so many obstacles that would have just destroyed me. I miss her,” she said, holding back the tears from falling.
“As do I, but we both still have a reason to be happy and smile. She’s in the kitchen right now,” he said, pointing in its direction. “Lois can be our constant reminder of Beth and the special person that she was.”
Mary felt nauseous all of a sudden, but it was guilt if anything. She felt bad letting him believe that Beth was her daughter’s mother, but what other choice did she have? Telling him now could undo his sudden change of heart, and it might get her fired. The truth never had to be told.
“I’m just happy you allowed me to help,” Mary said.
“How could I not? I hadn’t thought of it, but when you first showed up after the accident, I knew it was the right thing to do. And now, your story has reassured me of that. I have my faults, but I’ll not let anyone hurt Lois or take away the life she deserves. Do you think you could make a similar pledge?”
“Jah,” Mary said, without missing a beat. “I made that a long time ago.”
Samuel looked pleased. “Well, dinner was lovely. It was even better than I had hoped. I have to get some work finished before it gets too late, but we’ll talk again.”
“I’d like to sit here for a while if you don’t mind,” Mary said.
And with that, Samuel nodded and walked out of the dining room, leaving Mary by herself. She sighed quietly, wondering exactly what had just happened. Did his friend, Trevor, somehow prompt him to see her as a woman for the very first time? It seemed as though, now that she’d caught his friend’s attention, Samuel had taken notice as well.
If that were true, however, would it be a good thing or a bad one? Samuel might not be the easiest person to deal with, but if she were to marry him, it would solve all her problems in one go.
She shook her head and laughed. Why hadn’t she thought of it before now? If she married Samuel, her problems would be over.
That was the plan. She’d pray and hope that he would fall in love with her. It didn’t matter that she didn’t love him. It was Lois who mattered in all this.
Chapter 13
The day Mary had been dreading had arrived. It was the day of William and Beth’s joint funeral. Mary knew Karen would be just as distressed as she. It had always been the three of them—Karen, Mary and Beth. Although, she was certain Karen had felt left out when Mary and Beth were gone for those months leading up to the birth. She’d been excluded and they hadn’t even told her where they were staying. They couldn’t, or Karen would’ve seen which friend of hers was pregnant.
There was no viewing, only a simple service at Bishop Elmer’s house before the horse and buggy funeral procession to Beth and William’s earthly resting place. They would be buried together in the graveyard the Amish and Mennonites shared.
Mary hung onto Lois as she slept in her arms through the service. Rebecca, the bishop’s daughter, looked over at her a couple of times giving her sympathetic smiles. Rebecca had been true to her word about not revealing the truth of Lois’s birth and, for that, Mary was thankful.
The bishop mentioned Lois more than once and everyone turned around to stare at the baby in Mary’s arms, the child they all believed had been orphaned. When the service was over, the bishop’s Aunt Agatha, walked over to her. “Is she getting heavy?”
“A little.”
Agatha stretched out her arms. “I’ll take her from you.”
“Nee, she’s fine.”
“I’m sorry for your loss. Beth was a good friend of yours.”
Mary nodded. “She was. I miss her terribly.”
Agatha looked down at Lois, and then back up at Mary. “Have you noticed the boppli has exactly your hair color?”
“I don’t think it’s the same.” No one had ever mentioned they shared the same red hair or the same fair skin.
Aunt Agatha was not going to be dismissed so easily. “Neither William or Beth … They both had dark hair.”
“Jah, so someone way back in both of their families must’ve had red hair. Excuse me, Agatha. I need to talk with someone.” She headed away from her and caught up with Karen.
“There you are. I saw you and then I lost you,” Karen said, leaning forward to give her a sideways hug mindful of the baby.
“I’m looking after Lois now,” Mary said.
“Jah, I heard. How’s it working out with Samuel
?” Karen grimaced.
Mary whispered, “He’s not so bad when you get to know him.”
“Hmm. That’s what Beth always used to say.”
They both looked back at the two wooden coffins.
“I guess we should say something to William’s relatives. I think the only relatives of his are that man and woman over there,” Karen said.
“I’ll come with you.”
After they spoke to William’s relations, learning that they were his aunt and onkel from a community in Michigan, it was time to go to the gravesite.
Once Mary got out of Samuel’s buggy, he insisted on carrying the baby. She stood and stared after them as they headed to the graves. She needed to hold onto Lois for comfort.
Then an arm looped around hers. It was Freda, who’d been traveling in the buggy with them. “Come along. I know she was your best friend. I’ll be your strength. Lean on me.”
“Denke, Freda.” Together they followed the crowd to the freshly dug side by side graves.
Karen found Mary again and stood on her other side. Mary looked over at her baby in Samuel’s arms. Lois wasn’t far away, and no matter how bad things had been for her, Mary thought, God had always made sure she’d had friends close by. She prayed the same would be true for her daughter. Mary looked at the coffins now being lowered into the ground. All William and Beth had wanted was a child, and she’d allowed them to have that in the last months of their lives.
The Amish Woman And Her Secret Baby: Amish Women of Pleasant Valley Page 6
