Ettie swiped a hand through the air. “It was all part of Gott’s plan. We didn’t even know what was happening when we first started on this journey.”
Nell and Jedidiah smiled at one another.
“I don’t know how everyone’s going to take the news,” Nell said. “The bishop has approved.”
“Then that’s all you need be concerned about. You can’t worry about what people will or won’t think.” Ettie knew Nell was worried about what Abraham's brother, Simon, would think; it wasn’t long enough since she’d buried Abraham. And Jennifer was likely to voice her disapproval as well.
Chapter 25
A few days later Ettie made Elsa-May go with her, back to the park behind the library. A quiet picnic in the fresh air under the shade of the trees...that was what she believed they needed. Ettie spread out a cloth on the table. When she’d finished, Elsa-May picked up the picnic basket, placed it on the table, sat down and proceeded to pull out some sandwiches.
“It's a lovely day for a picnic,” Ettie said as she slid onto the bench.
“It is, but I don't know how we’re going to eat our way through all these sandwiches.”
“Didn't I tell you?”
Elsa-May tilted her head to the side. “Didn't you tell me what?
“Jennifer is joining us.” Ettie was determined to figure out if she was right about what was causing her to be so against Jedidiah.
Elsa-May’s eyes bugged wide open. “I didn't know.”
“There’s one thing we never found out about Jedidiah.”
“What’s that?” Elsa-May asked.
“Who did he loan money to? I’d guess one of the people was Moses. That’s why he didn’t like us asking around.”
“You might be right, but that’s none of our business, is it? It’s between Jedidiah and whomever.”
Ettie cast her gaze downward. A lot of things weren’t her business, but that didn’t mean she didn’t want to know about them. Ettie looked up to see Jennifer walking toward them. “Ah, here she is now.”
Elsa-May glanced at Jennifer, and then whispered, “What are you up to, Ettie?”
“Nothing at all. I just thought Jennifer might like to have a picnic.”
Jennifer greeted the ladies when she came closer and then sat down with them. “Lovely day.”
“We were just talking about how nice the weather is, weren't we, Elsa-May?”
“That's right.” Elsa-May offered Ettie a piercing look that Jennifer couldn’t have seen as she was sitting next to Elsa-May.
Ettie placed some sandwiches on a plate and pushed them toward Jennifer. “I'm glad that dreadful business is all over for your shweschder.”
Jennifer took a sandwich and nodded. “Me too. I never thought things would work out between her and Jedidiah.”
“You didn’t care for him?” Elsa-May asked.
“Nee, it wasn’t that, was it, Jennifer?” Ettie placed her sandwich down and looked at Jennifer.
She stared back at Ettie. “You know, don't you?”
“What would I possibly know?”
“Don't tell Nell. It’ll crush her that I didn’t tell her. I had to keep letting her think Jedidiah was no good for her.”
Elsa-May frowned. “Why's that?”
Ettie ignored Elsa-May, and said to Jennifer, “You knew he was still alive, didn't you?”
She nodded.
Elsa-May said, “Did he contact you?”
“Nee.” She sighed. “I saw Titus going into the general store that day that Jedidiah disappeared, and he came out with a bundle of clothing. I had asked him to do something for me earlier that day, and he’d said he was too busy. I said he shouldn't be too busy to do something for his oldest schweschder and he said it was very important. Naturally, I was curious when I saw him at the general store and I followed him when he left. He headed down an alleyway and met with Jedidiah. He handed over the clothes, Jedidiah gave him money and then they shook hands. I knew he was leaving. I thought he’d just run out on her, but I could never figure out why our brother was helping him. I never knew why until the other day at your haus.”
“Why did you never say anything to Nell over all those years?” Ettie was pleased Jennifer had a reason to have said all those things to Nell. It wasn’t that she was mean-spirited, after all.
“And what would I say? Titus was the one who knew something.”
“Why didn't you ask Titus about what you saw?”
“I learned a long time ago that no good comes from prying into things.”
Elsa-May then stared at Ettie and Ettie frowned at her sister.
Jennifer continued, “All I could do was be there for Nell and be her shoulder to cry on. If I could convince her that the man was never good for her and never really loved her, I hoped that would save her some pain. She was better off to think he was useless. And more so, never loved her the way he should’ve. I tried to get that into her brain the best I could. If I’d told her he was still alive she might never have married Abraham. She wouldn’t have had her boys or her grosskinner.”
Elsa-May said. “You did just what any older schweschder might've done.”
“I didn’t lie. I just kept quiet. I felt awful, but once I’d made the decision to keep my lips closed, I couldn’t go back on it.”
“Can't be helped,” Ettie said. “Now they’re going to have the happy ending they were always meant to have.”
“They will,” Jennifer said.
“And that's all an older schweschder can ask for her younger schweschder,” Elsa-May said with a smile before she bit into her sandwich.
Ettie smiled back at Elsa-May knowing she meant well, at times. A graceful black swan gliding along the water took Ettie’s attention and made her smile. As nice as the picnic was with the dappled sunlight on her skin and the gentle breeze on her face, Ettie’s mind soon drifted to the Charmers. When she was sitting by the window at home, she felt better because she could keep an eye on them.
Ettie tried to push the Charmers to the back of her mind and think about Nell and Jedidiah’s wedding next week. It would be a happy occasion and it was rare that two older people married.
Her mind didn’t stay on the wedding for long before it drifted back to those pesky neighbors. What were they doing right now? Knocking down the fence again to blame it on Snowy, or going through their mail once more?
“Ettie!”
Ettie stared at Elsa-May. “We were talking to you and you were staring blankly at nothing.”
“Oh. Was I?”
“I thought you were having a stroke.” Jennifer giggled. “What were you thinking about so deeply, Ettie?”
Ettie placed her fingertip on her chin. “That a wedding is a much pleasanter event than a funeral.”
Elsa-May and Jennifer looked at each other and started to giggle. Then they broke into all-out laughter. Ettie stared at them, wondering what it was they found so funny. And then she found herself laughing, too.
Amish Mystery: Plain Secrets
Ettie Smith Amish Mysteries Book 17
Copyright © 2018 by Samantha Price
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
This is a work of fiction. Any names or characters, businesses or places, events or incidents, are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
Print ISBN 978-1-925689-62-4
Chapter 1
Seething with rage, Selena drove up to the caretaker’s house hoping he’d be home. Now she regretted not contacting him sooner, but the past years had been nothing short of hectic.
She parked her car close to the small house at the address she’d programmed into the vehicle's GPS, jumped out and looked at the place. The house was nicely kept, white, with r
ed roof and red window frames. The red was a little bold for an Amish person’s house, Selena considered. A wide porch wrapped around two sides of the house and two large white wooden chairs sat neatly between two windows, turned slightly toward one another. A small round table stood between them. It was the kind of cottage that would feature in a magazine as a perfect weekend-getaway spot. If only her grandfather’s house looked as nice, but thanks to this caretaker, it didn’t.
With her hands curled into fists, she summoned her courage and marched over and knocked on the door. A minute later, a tall Amish man opened it, and she stepped back in fright at his looming presence. A split second was all it took for him to look her up and down, and then a smile swept across his angular facial features. Before she could utter a disapproving word in regard to his care-taking failures, he stepped outside without a word and strode past her. Selena watched in amazement while he turned his face up to the sky.
“Denke, Gott. I didn’t expect you to answer me so soon.” He turned his head and locked eyes with her. “I was praying for the right woman and here you are. You’re perfect.” When she stepped to the edge of the porch, confused, his gaze dropped to her clothes. “Although, you’re not Amish, which might pose a problem if you’re not willing to join my community.”
She stared at him. Her mother had told her Amish people were barking mad, and Selena had figured it was an exaggeration, but now she had the evidence before her. Although, when she’d met her grandfather back when she was eight, he hadn’t seemed crazy. “I’ve got no idea what you’re talking about. I’m Selena Lehman. Abner Troyer was my grandfather.”
“That’s excellent! You don’t look like him at all.” Using hand gestures, he said, “He had brown eyes and white hair, and you have the most amazing green eyes.” He stepped closer placing his hand down by his side. “They’re quite remarkable. They go so well with your light brown hair. It’s not golden brown, it’s more of a … I don’t know what it’s similar to. I like it.” He smiled at her revealing his straight white teeth.
This was a perfect looking man to go with his perfect looking house, but what about her place? Where was that in his list of priorities? “Are you John Yoder?” She was taken aback by the man’s behavior; now she hoped this man wasn’t the caretaker of the house she was soon to take possession of.
“There are four John Yoders in the community. Are you looking for the John Yoder who’s looking after your grandfather’s house?”
“Yes.” She heaved a sigh of relief. “Where can I find him?”
“That’s me.” He pointed to himself. “Officially I’m John Yoder, but to save the John Yoder confusion in the community, I go by my middle name, Gabriel. You can call me Gabriel, or even Gabe if you’d like.”
“I’ll stick with Gabriel. Like the angel.” She hoped he’d be offended, but he appeared not to notice.
“Good. I thought you’d come eventually. I haven’t minded looking after the place.”
“Looking after?” The anger within her cranked up a notch. “I just drove there and saw people living in it.” She stared at him knowing he’d offer some lame excuse. Was he pocketing the rent money—keeping it for himself?
“I figure you can …”
“You don’t even know me, so you can stop figuring anything. Besides, to set you straight, I’m not your ‘right woman’ either. I came here because you’re supposed to be caretaker of Abner’s house. I went there just now to find a houseful of screaming children.”
“Ah. You’ve met the King family.” His silly grin was back.
Selena sighed. “Whoever they are, they shouldn’t be in my house.”
“Why?”
Wasn’t he listening? “It’s my house.”
He raised a finger in the air. “Ah, that’s not quite correct. I’m left as caretaker until it’s transferred to you, and I do believe your onkel—”
“Grandfather.”
“Yes, your grandfather left it to you but you can’t have it until your thirtieth birthday. I’m led to believe that’s not for quite some years. Until then, I have the entire sayso over the place.” His gaze traveled up and down her, having another good look. “You don’t look anywhere near thirty and I’m a good judge of age. Also, I have the documents relating to the house to tell me what age you are.” He gave a small chuckle at his own words. “You’re not married yet, are you?”
She crossed her arms at her waist, not liking the weird stranger at all. He was tall, and technically he was handsome with his sun-kissed skin and beautiful teeth, but he was acting goofy and his mannerisms matched her assumption of him.
It was tiresome after her long drive to have to explain herself to a stranger, but if she didn’t she’d have no chance of getting those people out of her house. “I know what the will said. I’m getting married soon—that’s why I’m here to see my house.”
The smile left his lips. “You’re getting married?”
She nodded.
He looked up to the sky. “Why? Why test me like this?”
Selena cringed. “Look. I just want the people out of my house. I’m here to see if I’ll sell it after I marry, or lease it.”
“Wait a minute. I have to get used to the idea we’re not getting married.” He hung his head.
Selena froze, not knowing what to do. Were all the Amish as odd as her mother had said? She dared not speak again until he did.
He placed his thumb and forefinger on the bridge of his nose and she saw his lips moving as though he were whispering to God. Then he placed his hand by his side and raised his head. “Okay. Now, you said you’re getting married to … someone?”
After a frustrated huff, Selena tried to speak, but couldn’t. This man was nothing like the Amish people she’d pictured in her mind’s eye. She never expected there to be anyone with his looks in the community. She wondered what he’d be like if he hadn’t been raised Amish. She cleared her throat and reminded herself why she was there. “That’s not the point. I’m devastated about there being people in the house adding wear and tear when you’re supposed to be the caretaker. Are you responsible for allowing them there?”
He nodded for a moment and then said, “Yes, I am, but you have to understand there are taxes and repairs that need to be met and paid for. Sometimes, it’s not good for a house to be empty for years. A house needs to be lived in or it will fall into ruin. A house needs to be loved, just like a man.”
She ignored that last remark. He didn’t look like a man who’d be short of female attention. “Oh, didn’t my grandfather provide money for the upkeep?”
He stared at her for a moment. “No.” He took a step closer. “Are you really getting married?”
She looked up at him towering over her and wanted to back away; instead, she stood her ground. “Yes.”
“I can show you through the house. The Kings won’t mind. Did you tell them who you were?”
“No. I was too shocked. I didn’t go inside. I mean, I didn’t even knock on the door. I saw people running around and kids hanging out the windows and all kinds of carrying on. I looked up your address and came here.”
“Yes, good.” He stood staring at her, his dark eyes crinkling at the corners.
“When could you show me through?”
“Now, if you’d like. I’ll just hitch the buggy. It won’t take long.”
“We can go now?” she asked.
“That’s right.”
She wasn’t going to argue. “Good. We can go in my car.” She knew from what her mother told her the Amish could ride in cars, they just couldn’t own them or drive them.
He looked over at her car and then brushed his hand over his head, sweeping his almost-shoulder-length dark hair over to one side. “I’m not going in that.”
Her mouth fell open. It was one of her fiancé’s new cars, a Mercedes—sleek and black and new. Most people gave her compliments whenever she drove up in it. No one had ever acted like him toward it, as though it was detestable. “Why not?”
He held his chiseled chin high. “You can come with me.”
“In a buggy?”
“That’s right. It’ll take me two minutes.” Without waiting for an answer, he strode off toward the barn.
Anger had given her courage, but now the adrenaline let-down made her legs feel like jelly and she sat down on the stone steps of the porch. From there, she heard him calling out to what she thought must be a horse, and then she heard some noises. Two minutes—plus thirteen—later, he drove a horse and buggy around from behind the barn.
“Let’s go,” he called out. By the time she reached the buggy, he’d put on a hat. “Wait.” He jumped out of the buggy and hurried to her side and took hold of her hand. “I’ll help you.”
She tugged her hand away annoyed at being touched by the stranger. “I’m quite capable of getting into a buggy.”
His smile didn’t falter at her angry words and he watched her until she was seated. Then he walked back around and climbed into the driver’s seat.
If Selena could get past the strange man sitting beside her, she didn’t mind having a ride in a buggy while she was in Amish country. This is how her mother had traveled until she left the Amish at eighteen. “And are these people on a lease?”
“No, they just pay when they can.”
“Pay when they can?” Selena screeched clutching at her throat. This was getting worse by the minute.
“They pay, they do pay. You see, Molly’s been sick and often Matt has to miss work to look after her. It all works out in the end.” He glanced over at her. “If they weren’t in it, there wouldn’t be anybody and there’d be no money for the upkeep.”
Simmering with anger, she sat still. She’d assess the situation when she got there. It sounded more and more like it would be easier to sell, but what state would the place be in? She had to keep all this from Eugene. He was under enough stress with his job already.
“You seem upset.”
“I am. I’m worried about what my fiancé will think.”
Ettie Smith Amish Mysteries Box Set 6 Page 13
