A Sister's Secret (31 page)

“Suit yourself.”

“If there are any more attacks made on you or your family, I’d appreciate hearing about it. Some who’ve committed crimes like this against the Amish have done it simply because you’re different, and that doesn’t set well with me.”

“Nor me, but it will be up to our church leaders and the nature of the crime whether it’s reported or not.”

Jack shrugged and headed for the door. “Let me know when that rocking chair’s done,” he called over his shoulder.

“Jah, I surely will.”

The door clicked shut, and Roman let his head fall forward into his hands as he released a groan. “I wonder which one of our English neighbors phoned the sheriff, and more importantly, who told ’em about the attacks?”

Cleon shook his head. “Could someone in your family have mentioned it?”

“Maybe so, but I need you to do me a favor.”

“What’s that?”

“Don’t say anything about the sheriff showing up here today, or that he plans to keep an eye on things.”

“Why not?”

“I don’t want the family to get the idea that they’re being watched, and I don’t want ’em thinking I called the sheriff.”

“I won’t say a word unless you speak about it first.”

“I appreciate that.” Roman slid his chair away from the desk. “Now let’s go on up to the house and see if supper’s ready. Grace and Anna have been taking most of their meals with us since you left, so I’m sure everyone will eat together at our place tonight.”

Cleon nodded.

“If you’d like to meet me here at the shop tomorrow morning, I’ll give you some woodworking tools and show you what I need to have done.”

“I’ll be here, bright and early.”

***

Tension had filled the air between Grace and Cleon all during supper, and Grace had even noticed something going on between Dad and Cleon. It was as if they knew something and had decided not to share it with the rest of the family. She’d been tempted to ask about it but figured it might be best to question Cleon later on—if she got the chance.

By the time Grace took Anna home to their house and was getting her ready for bed, she felt ready to go to bed herself. But she knew she couldn’t. Not until she’d told Cleon she was carrying his baby.

She slipped Anna’s nightgown over the child’s head and pulled back the bed covers. “Hop into bed now.”

“Aunt Martha says I can have a puppy of my own,” Anna said as she nestled against her pillow.

“Are you sure about that?” Grace knew her sister was trying to build up her business, and giving dogs away wouldn’t bring in any money.

Anna nodded, her blue eyes looking ever so serious. “She says I can have Rose if it’s all right with you, Mama.”

Grace stroked her daughter’s arm, relishing the warmth and softness of the child’s skin. It felt good to hear Anna call her Mama. They’d been drawing closer every day, and Grace wouldn’t do anything to spoil things between them. She nodded and smiled. “You may have the puppy on one condition.”

“What’s a ‘condition’?”

“It means you must agree to help take care of the dog.”

Anna’s eyes brightened. “I will. I’ve been helpin’ Aunt Martha with the puppies ever since I came to live here.”

Grace bent over and kissed Anna’s forehead. “All right, then. You can call Rose your own.”

Anna snuggled beneath the covers with a satisfied smile, and Grace slipped quietly out of the room. The last she’d seen Cleon, he had been downstairs in the living room reading the latest issue of
The Budget.

***

Knowing he needed to speak with Grace before she went to bed, Cleon left the living room and started up the steps. He’d just reached the top when he bumped into Grace.

She covered her mouth with the palm of her hand. “Oh! You startled me. I—I was heading downstairs so we could talk.”

He nodded. “You’re right. We do need to talk. Let’s go to the living room so our voices won’t be heard.”

Once they reached the living room, Cleon took a seat on the sofa, and Grace sat in the rocking chair across from him. No furniture had been in the house when he’d left Holmes County, so Grace’s father must have provided it in his absence.

“I know you’re pregnant.”

“I’m pregnant.”

They spoke at the same time, and Cleon repeated himself to be sure she had heard him.

Grace’s mouth dropped open. “You know?”

He nodded.

“Who told you?”

“Does it matter? The point is you didn’t tell me, and I’m wondering why.”

“I—I was afraid you might think I had gotten pregnant on purpose so I could trap you into staying with me.”

Cleon slowly shook his head. “That’s lecherich. How could you have gotten pregnant on purpose? It’s not like we were using any birth control methods.”

She dropped her gaze to the floor. “I know, but I’ve heard of some women who try to time things around their monthly cycle, and—”

He held up his hand to silence her. “I know you didn’t get pregnant on purpose, and under normal circumstances, I’d be looking forward to becoming a daed.”

“But not now? Is that what you’re saying?” Grace’s chin trembled, and her eyes filled with tears. He made no move to comfort her.

“Things are so verhuddelt right now I’m not sure how I feel about much of anything.”

“I’m sorry for my part in your confusion.”

“You want me to forgive you for keeping Anna a secret, yet you keep another secret from me. That makes no sense.”

“I—I was scared you would leave and scared you would stay for the wrong reasons.”

He grimaced. “I told you earlier today that I would take care of you and Anna.”

“I know, but—”

“Until you can learn to be honest with me, I don’t see how we’ll ever be able to have a real marriage, Grace.”

“Are you saying that you don’t love me enough to try to make our marriage work? It takes two, you know.”

Cleon flinched. Was that what he was saying? “I’ll be starting work for your daed tomorrow morning, so I’d better get to bed.” He stood and rushed out of the room, knowing if he didn’t get away from Grace, he might say something he would be sorry for come morning.

Chapter 35

When Grace awoke the following morning, she felt as if she hadn’t even gone to bed. Besides the morning sickness she’d been dealing with for weeks, her head hurt, and her hands shook so badly that, as she cracked eggs, several pieces of shell fell into the bowl. If only Cleon would forgive her. If he could just show some excitement over the baby she carried in her womb.

Soon after Grace and Cleon had become betrothed, they’d begun talking about the family they would have some day. Cleon had said he wanted a large family, and Grace had looked forward to the day when she could hold another baby in her arms and know it wouldn’t be taken from her. Now she would have that baby, as well as her five-year-old daughter, but she feared she would never have her husband again. Not in the real sense of the word, anyway.

A knock at the back door halted Grace’s thoughts. Since Cleon hadn’t come downstairs for breakfast yet, she dried her hands on a towel and went to see who was at the door. Martha stood on the porch.

“Why didn’t you come in rather than knocking?”

“I—I wanted to be sure I could talk to you alone.”

Noting how pale her sister’s face looked, Grace felt immediate concern. “Are you feeling grank this morning?”

Martha shook her head. “Not physically, but I’m sure sick at heart.”

Grace’s heart pounded against her chest. “Has there been another attack?”

“I’m not sure.” Martha stepped closer, and her voice lowered to a whisper. “Where’s Anna? I don’t want her to hear what I have to say—at least not yet.”

“She’s upstairs in bed. I figured I would wait until breakfast was ready to wake her.” Grace motioned to a couple of wicker chairs sitting on the other end of the porch. “Let’s sit over there.”

Once they were seated, Martha leaned over and massaged her forehead. “Rose is dead.”

“Rose?”

“The puppy I promised Anna she could have if you said it was okay.”

“She asked me about it last night, but I’d forgotten that she’d called it ‘Rose.’” Grace touched her sister’s arm. “What happened? How did the pup die?”

“I’m not sure. I found both kennel doors open when I went out to feed the dogs this morning, and then I discovered them running around the yard.” Martha paused. “Except for Rose; she was dead.”

Grace covered her mouth.

“I don’t know how I’m going to tell Anna. She really liked that puppy and was looking forward to calling it her own.”

“I’m her mamm; it’s my place to tell her.”

“I feel awful enough about losing one of my dogs, but I hope it won’t affect how things are with you and Anna.”

“I hope not, either. Do you have any idea why the hundli died or how the dogs got out of their kennel?”

“They got out because the doors were open, and I guess the pup could have climbed onto one of the bales of hay that sat near the barn and then fallen off.”

“You don’t suppose someone did this on purpose, do you? I mean—let the dogs out of their cage and ... and killed Anna’s puppy?”

“I hope that’s not the case.”

“How do you think the cage doors got open?”

“I don’t know. Maybe I forgot to latch them when I fed them last night.”

“But you’re always so careful when it comes to things like that.”

“That’s usually true, but I’ve had a lot on my mind lately, so I suppose I could have forgotten.” Martha released a sigh. “Are you sure you don’t want me to tell Anna?”

“No, I’ll do it after breakfast.”

“Guess I’d better go bury the puppy.” Martha released a sigh. “I don’t want Anna to see it that way.”

“No, that wouldn’t be good.” As Grace rose from her chair, a wave of nausea hit her, and she clutched her stomach.

“Are you okay?”

“I’ll be fine. It’s just a touch of morning sickness.”

“What did Cleon say when you told him about the boppli?”

Grace rubbed her hands briskly over her arms and shivered even though the early spring weather had turned quite warm. “He already knew.”

“He suspected it? Is that what you’re saying?”

“I guess Cleon learned about it when he went to Dad’s shop to see if he would hire him.”

“Dad told Cleon you’re in a family way?”

Grace nodded. “I’m sure he thought Cleon knew about the baby. He probably figured I’d already told him. Now Cleon thinks I deliberately kept another secret from him, and—” Grace couldn’t finish her sentence.

“Didn’t you explain why you hadn’t said anything yet, and that you had planned to tell him last night?”

“I tried, but Cleon doesn’t trust me anymore, and he—”

“He what, Grace?”

Grace took a few seconds to compose herself as she sniffed and wiped the tears from her cheeks. “Cleon didn’t show any enthusiasm about the baby. I—I don’t think he wants to be a daed. At least not to any of my children.”

Martha wore a look of disbelief and slowly shook her head. “I didn’t think things could get much worse around here.”

“Me, neither. It makes me wonder if God cares how much we’re all hurting.”

Unable to control her emotions, Grace leaned her head on Martha’s shoulder and sobbed.

***

When Cleon entered the kitchen, he was surprised to discover that it was empty. When he’d first wakened, he thought he’d smelled coffee brewing, so he figured Grace had to be awake. He had tossed and turned most of the night and needed a cup of coffee to clear the cobwebs from his foggy brain.

He spotted the coffeepot sitting near the back of the stove and was about to take a mug from the cupboard, when he noticed a carton of eggs on the counter, a sure sign that Grace must be nearby. Maybe she was using the necessary room or had gone outside for something.

Cleon poured some coffee and was about to take a drink when he heard footsteps coming down the stairs. A few seconds later, Anna entered the kitchen dressed in a long, cotton nightgown.

“Where’s Mama?” she asked, rubbing her eyes and looking around the room.

“I’m not sure. She must have been in the kitchen at one time, because breakfast has been started.” Cleon motioned to the coffeepot and then to the eggs. “She wasn’t here when I came downstairs, and I don’t know where she is now.”

Anna padded over to the table and climbed onto a chair. “I’m hungry. I wanna eat now so I can play with Rose.”

“Who’s Rose?”

“My new puppy. Aunt Martha said I could have her if Mama said it was okay.” Anna’s head bobbed up and down. “Last night Mama said it was all right with her.”

Cleon leaned against the counter and studied the child. Her long brown hair hung down her back in a mass of heavy curls, reminding him of how Grace’s pale blond hair had looked on their wedding night after she’d taken it down and he’d begun brushing it for her. His heart clenched as he thought about how soft Grace’s skin had felt beneath his touch, and how full of love his heart had been for her that night. He ached with the knowledge of her deception. Didn’t honesty come with love? Had she ever truly loved him?