Читать книгу Elijah And The Widow - Rebecca Kertz - Страница 13

Chapter Four

Martha enjoyed a pleasant visiting Sunday before heading home after the midday meal. It had been nice to see her friends. Watching the Lapps with their extended family, she’d felt the love and the joy that filled their lives.

She regretted not having a family of her own, one that she’d never have now that Ike was dead. There were times she’d wanted to see her parents and siblings, but they rarely ventured from Indiana and had come to visit only once, for her wedding. She had no intention of visiting her childhood home. There were memories there, hurtful memories. It was there that her sweetheart had asked her to marry him...before he’d changed his mind and chosen to leave their Amish life for the English world.

She loved her Happiness community. The people here had welcomed her with open arms from the first. They were always available for whatever she needed. She had made many friends, and her brother-in-law, Amos, his wife, Mae, and their children were her family. While she wished she could see her mam, dat, her bruder, Micah, and sister, Ruth, she knew that this was where she belonged. She had married Ike and made this community her home. Why would she want to leave? It had taken Ike some time to ask to court her and then become his bride. They had been seeing each other for months at community gatherings before he’d made his intentions known.

As she steered her horse onto her dirt driveway, Martha recalled how nervous Ike had been on the day he’d asked her to be his bride. Once news reached the church community that he finally had popped the question, no one had seemed surprised.

“Took him long enough,” Mae had said. “But don’t ya fret, Martha—Ike will be a gut husband. I know he thinks highly of you. He’s been working up the nerve to ask you.” The fact that Ike had discussed her with his family was unusual, as courting was done discreetly and never discussed outside the involved couple until it became serious when the banns were read in church.

Hearing news of the impending marriage, Annie had confided to Martha that she’d wondered what had taken him so long to propose. Everyone had noticed the way Ike had followed Martha with his gaze at community gatherings.

Before the wedding, gossip about Ike’s earlier interest in Annie had caused Martha moments of unease. Since Annie was her closest friend, Martha had gone to her for the truth.

“Ja, he asked to court me,” Annie had said, “but not because he cared for me. He simply assumed that I’d grab my last chance for a husband.” Her friend had eyed her with concern. “Martha, you’ve nothing to worry about. Ike didn’t love me. His wife had passed on just a short time before he moved back to Happiness. He never once looked at me the way he looks at you. I have to admit I did give marrying him some thought, but only because I was determined to steer clear of young attractive men like Jacob. I’d had my heart broken by Jedidiah, and I wasn’t looking to get hurt again. Jacob loved me, and I fell in love with him, too.”

“You were meant to be together,” Martha had agreed with a smile.

“I didn’t even have to tell Ike. His interest had turned elsewhere.” She’d regarded Martha with warmth. “He’d met you.”

The day of their wedding was the happiest day of her life. Their first seven months of marriage had been wonderful; she was in love with her new husband, who was kind and attentive. Later, after he’d become disappointed that she hadn’t conceived, Ike had changed. He no longer paid her much attention. He’d spent all of his time on farmwork and looking for new farm equipment. She’d been upset when the shiny new equipment had arrived, but she’d kept silent. She couldn’t have stopped him from making the purchase. He was in charge of the farm and she the house. If her husband could afford it, why shouldn’t he have the best tools?

The men were coming to her farm for the spring planting on Wednesday. They would have a chance to use Ike’s equipment then. She had food to prepare and the house to clean. Meg, Charlie and Nell Stoltzfus would arrive tomorrow morning to help her get ready for the workers.

As she’d exited her buggy and approached the house, she couldn’t help but notice, as she had many times, the repairs that were needed to the farmhouse. Despite her gentle requests to fix things, Ike had turned a blind eye to the problems. He had bought this farm with its large English farmhouse incomplete. It must have used a lot of her late husband’s money and time to finish the house enough to live in it. He had grown tired of working on it or had stopped caring about needed repairs.

“I own the house free and clear, Martha,” he’d told her on the day she’d agreed to be his wife. “The house wasn’t finished, but I got it done and did most of the work myself. I paid someone to do the plumbing.”

Martha had stared at the brick house and thought it sturdy but too big.

“Someday we’ll have children to fill the bedrooms,” he’d told her.

Martha had blushed. That was a lot of bedrooms to fill, and she wasn’t a teenager with years ahead of her to have that many babies.

“Ya do want kinner?” Ike had asked, watching her closely.

Martha had nodded. “I love kinner.” And he’d looked relieved.

“We will be happy together, Martha.” His smile had been warm, and she’d felt loved. But there had been no babies during their time as man and wife.

Ike was a good man. She missed him, but she wondered how their relationship would have fared with no children. She’d been deeply hurt by his change in behavior, as if he’d believed that she’d defied him on purpose by not getting pregnant. As if it hadn’t been Gottes wille.

We married for better or worse. Ike had been an active member of the Amish church. If he’d loved her, her husband would have accepted their marriage and their life together with or without children.

Martha sighed. She had to stop thinking about what should have been instead of what was.

“I will manage,” she murmured as she entered the big empty house alone. Ike had left her a nice nest egg, which would tide her over for several months. If the farm produced well this season, then she would be set for another year. She was glad that the property was paid for and the only thing she needed to be concerned about were life’s basics and whatever she needed to keep up with the farm. She needed to fix the things that Ike had ignored, for she could ignore them no longer. She knew that the Lapp men did carpentry work for the community. She could hire them to do the repair work.

Monday morning, Martha was cleaning the kitchen after breakfast when the Stoltzfus sisters arrived. She’d baked earlier and set out a plate. “Muffins?” she asked.

“We ate before we came,” Meg said. “Perhaps later with tea after we’re done?”

Martha smiled. “I made blueberry, chocolate chip and sweet.”

“I wouldn’t mind one now,” Charlie said. When Meg looked at her, the girl blinked. “What? I didn’t eat much breakfast.”

“Tea, anyone?” Martha asked.

“Nay.” Charlie happily took a bite. “May I have some water?”

“I’ll have a cup of tea.” Nell, the eldest sister, came in from the outside. “I went to check on your animals,” she told Martha. “They look well. Have you given thought to selling any of your baby goats?”

Martha shook her head. “Nay. Do you know someone who is interested?”

“Ja, me.”

“Nell, what will Dat think if you come home with another animal?” Meg asked with a shake of her head.

“He’ll think it a gut idea,” Nell assured her. “Martha, I’d like a female if you’re willing to part with it. Think about it and name your price. Then let me know. Ja?”

“Nell loves animals and is always looking to add to our livestock.” Charlie took a sip from the water Martha had given her and set the glass down.

“I’ll think about it,” Martha said. She owned several goats. She probably could part with one or two.

Katie Lapp and Martha’s sister-in-law Mae arrived next. “I didn’t expect you to come,” Martha said with surprise as she held open the door for them.

Katie smiled as she entered. “We wanted to help.”

Mae followed Katie inside with a pie plate in her arms. “Snitz pie,” she declared.

Martha grinned as she accepted it. “Sounds delicious. Danki, Mae.”

The women dispersed to different rooms to give the house a thorough cleaning. Martha was a good housekeeper, so the work didn’t take long.

When they were done, the women gathered in Martha’s kitchen for refreshments. Martha made tea and coffee and set out the Snitz pie and the plateful of muffins and another dish of homemade cookies. As they ate, they caught up on community news and then left before early afternoon.

Martha needed to buy groceries to fix Wednesday’s food. She decided to make a quick stop on her way to the market to check on her friend Annie.

“Martha, what a pleasant surprise!”

“I wasn’t sure if you’d be resting.” She’d brought the last of the Snitz pie and made Annie up a basket of baked goods.

Her friend smiled. “EJ finally fell asleep, and I’ve just put on the tea kettle. Would you like a cup?”

“Nay, I should go so that you can have some quiet time and rest.” The teakettle whistled, and she insisted on making Annie’s tea. “After your baby’s born, I’ll come to help.” She would live to enjoy others’ children since she couldn’t have any of her own.

Annie blinked against tears. “You’re a true friend, Martha. I’ll keep that in mind.”

“Gut.” Warmed by their friendship, Martha cut Annie a slice of Snitz pie. “I have a few things to be repaired at the house.”

“How many things?”

Martha grimaced. “A lot.”

“Jacob’s father and bruders are fine carpenters. They built this haus.”

“I remember. I thought about asking them, but I know they’re busy with farmwork. Do you think they’ll agree to take a look when they have time?”

“Ja. I’m sure they will.” She leaned back in her chair and placed a hand on her pregnant belly. “If the others are otherwise engaged, Eli can do your repairs. He takes on extra work wherever he can find it.”

Her heart skipped a beat at the memory of Eli Lapp’s teasing grin. “To save money for his carriage shop,” she murmured.

“Ja. I told you about that, didn’t I?”

Martha nodded. “Would you like me to check on EJ before I go?”

“Would you?” Her friend appeared grateful, and Martha headed upstairs to the child’s bedroom. EJ slept with his legs curled beneath him with his little derriere pointed upward. She could see his sweet face; the little boy looked vulnerable and adorable. And he made Martha long for a baby of her own. She returned to the kitchen and her friend. “He’s still napping.”

“I love to watch him sleep,” Annie admitted. She started to rise.

“Sit,” Martha ordered gently. “You don’t look well.”

“I’m fine.”

But she didn’t look fine to Martha. Annie looked exhausted and uncomfortable, seated at the kitchen table with her eyes closed.

“Shall I get Jacob for you?”

Annie blinked her eyelids open. “Nay, he has too much to do today.” There was love in her gaze and deep affection in her tone.

“Stay home Wednesday, Annie.” Martha filled the dish basin in the sink, then collected her friend’s cups and plates.

“You don’t have to wash those.”

Martha turned to her with raised eyebrows. “Ja, I do. You’ve been a gut friend to me, Annie. It’s the least I can do.” She dried and put away the dishes. When she was done, she saw that her friend had fallen asleep in the kitchen chair.

“Annie,” Martha whispered, touching her shoulder lightly. “Let me help you to bed. You should lie down before EJ wakes up.”

Annie nodded and pushed back her chair. Martha took hold of her arm and Annie leaned against her as Martha walked her to her bedroom and helped her into bed. “I’ll come back to check on you later.”

Annie had already closed her eyes. “No need. Jacob said that he would be home early.”

“Rest. I shouldn’t have stopped.” Martha placed the small quilt at the end of the bed over Annie.

“Nay,” her friend murmured. “I enjoyed your company.”

EJ’s bedroom was in the next room. If the toddler woke up, his mother would hear him. “I’ll lock the doors on my way out.”

“Danki,” Anne whispered.

As she stepped outside, Martha was surprised to see Jacob and Eli ending a discussion. Jacob headed toward Zook’s Blacksmithy while Eli walked to his vehicle with a tool belt draped over his arm. She was surprised to see his buggy alongside hers.

As if sensing her presence, Eli glanced in her direction. “Martha,” he greeted her with a respectful nod. “I didn’t expect to see you here today.”

“Eli.” She couldn’t help notice that the blue of his eyes matched the azure sky above. “Just stopped to check on Annie. Mae made Snitz pie, and I thought to share it.”

He smiled. “That was kind of you.”

“Annie is my friend.”

“Still I’m sure she appreciated your thoughtfulness.” He reached up as if to climb into his vehicle.

“May I speak with you?” Martha asked before she could change her mind. It was the perfect opportunity to see if he was interested in doing her house repairs.

“Ja.” He faced her with eyes filled with curiosity.

“I know that you, your vadder and your bruders are skilled carpenters. I’d like to hire you to do some work on my haus, if you’re interested.” She didn’t know why she suddenly felt jittery inside. She would have to get used to hiring people and taking care of the things that her late husband had handled in the past.

His blue gaze brightened. She saw that she’d piqued his interest. “We can stop by if you’d like,” he said pleasantly. “Give you an estimate.”

She felt relieved. “That would be wonderful. Danki.”

“May we come tomorrow?” he asked when she turned to leave.

Martha faced him. “Morning?”

His expression filled with warmth. “What time?”

“Come anytime. I’ll be there all morning.” She felt her heart beating wildly as she turned back to her buggy and reached for a handhold. Eli was suddenly beside her, silently offering his assistance. Their gazes locked. His features held only polite indifference. Relieved, she allowed him to help her into her vehicle. After he released her fingers, she could still feel the warmth of his firm, gentle grasp. She opened her mouth but was suddenly at a loss for words.

“I’ll see you tomorrow, Martha.”

She didn’t answer him, which bothered her as she sat a moment and watched while he sprang up into his wagon. Their gazes met, held, until he touched the brim of his hat and dipped his head.

Martha watched him leave before she followed the same path toward the road. The memory of their brief encounter stayed with her as she drove toward the market, while she shopped, paid for her groceries, then drove home.

Later that evening she scolded herself for worrying needlessly about her reaction to Eli Lapp. She finally put things into perspective. He was her friend’s son, and he’d been kind to her. Gratitude. That was all it was.