Abram's Daughters 05 The Revelation (3 page)

Never once had she allowed her eyes to meet Eli's gentle blue lines, even though she had observed him furtively. Now and then, while she worked around the house, cooking, hanging out wash, canning, and mendings she did find herself thinking about the possibility of getting to know him, considering Leah's gentle urging.

Since arriving, Eli had been renting a small farmhouse a mile or no away, making his living off the fruit of the land and assisting other farmers and doing odd jobs, as were several of the fine young ()hio men who'd also helped with the harvest and silo filling around (iobbler's Knob and the surrounding areas. The newcomers already appeared well settled into their respective homes families assigned lo them for the time being.

Even after only a few weeks following last summer's trade, Sadie had begun to hear inklings from several of the women at work frolics that Eli was a right nice choice for a "perty girl like Ella Jane

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Peachey." One of Smitty's nieces, Ella was still an unclaimed treasure at thirty-five. Hearing such "whispers down the lane" through the Amish grapevine made Sadie bristle this was not at all the way such matters were typically approached during youth's blush of courtship. Yet Sadie knew that if ever the Lord should will her to marry again, she would be ever so grateful, scarcely minding others' gossip. She would be as good and faithful as she had been when she was dear Harvey's wife.

Of course, she did not want to enter into another marital union for the mere purpose of numbing her grief over her husband's death, a grief that ached deeply even still. It simply wouldn't be right, and for that reason alone she must be cautious, protecting her heart.

Sadie sighed. Her tentative curiosity about Eli was nothing akin to what Leah must be feeling now that her Jonas was home. Sadie felt sure that if she were in Leah's shoes, she would have told Jonas she still loved him. But then, she was not nearly as patient as her sister, and she had no desire to get in the middle again. She was, in fact, so nervous about botching things she purposely busied herself these days with additional household chores.

Ready for some fresh air, Sadie wandered out through the stable area to the barnyard, noticing that the animals had worn a narrow path through the paddock. Then and there she hoped to goodness her life living in the Dawdi Haus wasn't in any way a parallel to that dreadful rut.

She was undeniably certain she was meant for more than her present existence. And though she thought she would like to help things along, even beseech the Good Lord for a fine husband, she knew she had no choice but to practice the virtue of patience truly, her biggest area of failing.

Her impulsive tendencies were further reflected in her desire to get to know her son. She found herself wishing to see Jake again, even though she knew there was little hope of that. And even if there was, it would come at the cost of certain jeopardy for Lydiann, who apparently remained besotted with Jake and seemingly lived from one letter to the next.

Locating the butterfly handkerchief in her pocket, her sole con-

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HPCtion to Jake, Sadie looked at it fondly. Always she carried it with Iwr, now that this treasure was back in her possession thanks to i < ah.

She thought again of Jake. If he had any idea how closely conucct't'tl he and Lydiann were blood-wise, wouldn't he be absolutely n pulsed at the thought of their courtship?

Their relationship was doomed from the start, Sadie thought sor-

11 >wl ully, feeling terribly responsible.

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foV ell, I would urge you not to consider such a thing," Aunt Lizzie blil I ,eah on the Wednesday following Jonas's confession.

I ,eah was leaning against the icebox in the kitchen, waiting for It i midnight chocolate cake to finish baking. She wasn't surn-'-(l at Lizzie's forthright response. "I'm not sayin' I want to It ! > a stink," Leah said, defending her wish to speak with Bishop uiiiirager and his wife about Jonas. "I just feel like my head kijjlit burst if I don't do something 'bout how I feel. It's so unfair B |nnas."

I ,i/.zie shook her head and reached out a hand. "You should Uimv by now our bishop is an exception to the rule. He won't klilj'.c. Not one smidgen."

"Still . . . wouldn't you speak up if the tables were turned?"

"Ain't any of your concern what Jonas agreed to do during his miving. He gave up makin' furniture and whatnot for you. Don't

1 see? This is a man who's in love, really and truly. Be grateful he's Kllin' to return to farmin'." I Jonas a farmer.

I I ,c*ah had difficulty contemplating the idea. As a boy, Jonas had vcr complained about helping with the milking or tending to his idler's apple orchard, at least not that she'd ever known. But he (isn't nearly as called to the soil as even she had been as a young-

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ster. He was strong and able hardworking, too no question about that, but he'd had a gift that had lain dormant all those years before he received his training in Ohio from David Mellinger.

Just yesterday she had received a letter from Jonas asking if he might pick her up at the end of the lane this Saturday night, at dusk . . . like when we were courting age . . . if you 're willing.

Willing? Smiling, she'd quickly found a pen and a page of stationery and written her answer, placing her note to him in the mail today. By tomorrow he would know she was very happy to see him again, though she had been a bit guarded about signing off with love, as he had to her and she had to him in times past. Truly, she wanted to say those important words to his face on this glorious occasion. In many ways, they were starting their courtship all over again.

Aunt Lizzie was regarding her with a gentle expression. "You're daydreamin' again."

"Jah, s'pose I am. But somebody oughta talk up to the bishop."

"Maybe so, but it oughtn't be you, dear one."

Can't accomplish anything if you don't try, Mamma had always said. Even though fourteen years had passed since Mamma had gone to heaven, Leah wondered what her mother might advise her to do. For all she knew, Mamma might admit she had learned a hard lesson about speaking out of turn. It nearly got her shunned, thought Leah, remembering what Lizzie had shared privately some years back.

"I just feel it's necessary to voice my opinion," Leah murmured.

"Your mamma got herself in hot water with the bishop. Best you not do the same. Don't take up this topic with such an unyielding man." ]Jyluc returned to the dirty dishes. "I'm hopin' you'll listen to me . . . 'cause, for sure and for certain, your mamma would be sayin' the same thing."

"I'll think on it." Leah headed to the wood stove and opened the oven door to check on the cake baking inside. She would wait till she saw Jonas on Saturday evening to discuss the subject further let him determine what she ought to do about visiting the bishop. ;

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I l.inuah was at the back door to greet her before Leah was even {w.iv up the walkway. "Awful nice to see ya again."

"I'(cliu' some better?" Leah noted how pale her sister's face was i how I rail she looked overall.

"( June sit with me." Hannah waved her into the kitchen and Urtl -i i hair out from the table. "Would ya like some tea?"

"No, you should be the one to sit," Leah insisted. "77/pour the Of whatever sounds gut to you."

"Hut "

I won't be treated as a guest in my sister's house, for pity's i She went to the cookstove and picked up the teakettle. "You i i ..iid how you're doin', Hannah." -"Oli, I'm all right."

[ ,t*iih eyed her. "Ain't a wise thing for a preacher's wife to fib."

I liiunah sniffled and dabbed at her eyes. "I've been strugglin' Brlhing awful . . . can't sleep much at night, not with so much

P."

"Then you best be seein' a medical doctor."

"Aunt Lizzie says the same," Hannah said, coughing.

"Maybe you've got a touch of autumn flu. It's going round, I f. Abe says plenty of pupils are missin' from school."

I Innnah touched her stomach lightly. "I hope it's not something Miiiiier with this baby."

I .ciili listened but felt she could do no more than continue to enIt I lannah to the hand of the Lord and to His mercy.

"I'.ven Gid suggested I pay a visit to Dr. Schwartz." Hannah k l awful serious. "But only one person can help me," she added, [1 she s dead."

"Who's that?"

-'()ld Lady Henner," Hannah said. "I don't care to admit it,

Rvin' you and I disagree on powwow doctors."

Leah said nothing.

"Our family's seen so much heartache, 'specially when it comes litthin' babies."

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Eager to get off the subject of hex doctors, Leah brought up newborn Ruthie Schwartz, Mary Ruth's baby. From what Leali could tell, Ruthie was thriving under her doting parents' nurturing, which came as no surprise, since, like Leah, Mary Ruth had always displayed an especially gentle way with babies and young children. "She's got a mighty strong set of lungs for such a wee one."

"Jah, I should say. I wouldn't mind hearin' her squeal again rea I soon. One time wasn't enough to hold baby Ruthie." She stopped abruptly, and Leah assumed, by the faraway look in Hannah's eyes, she was chafing under Gid's long-ago decision to keep her from spending time alone with her twin, Mary Ruth having turned Mennonite years back. Though Mary Ruth was not welcome in the Peachey home, at least Hannah could visit with her sister at Dat's house and elsewhere when others were around.

"When you'd like to, I'll take ya over to see Mary Ruth and the baby again," Leah volunteered. "Whenever you're up to it."

"If ever I am," Hannah muttered.

"Well, of course you'll be."

"That's easy for you to say, ain't so?"

Leah looked hard at her. "You seem put out with me."

"S'posin' I oughta be ashamed of myself. I have no right to talk so to ya. Not after all you've been through yourself." Hannah hung her head.

Leah remained silent as she sipped more tea. It was rather clear something more than a physical ailment was troubling Hannah, anil Leah prayed her sister wouldn't fall back into the gloom that had plagued her in earlier years. The idea occurred to her to get her mo rose sister out of the house, perhaps for a long ride, but what with ;i sudden crash of thunder, she knew better than to suggest it this minute.

"You should head on down the hill to home," Hannah urged. "Wouldn't do for you to get caught in the storm . . . then again, for some, maybe it mightn't be such a bad thing."

Leah looked at Hannah, surprised. "What on earth are ya saying?"

"Haven't you ever heard how Old Lady Henner got her powers?"

"I don't care to know, really." She set her teacup aside, rose quickly, and pushed in the chair. Glancing out the window, she

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Junked over the stretch of woods beyond Hannah's many flower Mriidens, the trees swaying to beat the band. "Seems a big storm's j* lin'win'," she said, hurrying for the door.

L I liinnah hollered at her, as if afraid Leah might not hear in the IjiiiilM (>( the rising gale and now the pelting rain. "Old Lady Henner b)t mnick by lightning when she was little! It nearly killed her, but Hfe heal ing gifts came to her thataway."

^^k Hannah must be off in the head, thought Leah, shivering, never ^Hing heard such a tale.

I he morning after the storm, the sky was as gray as the old ivyMirwn stone wall alongside Gid and Hannah's house, and the atHiitxplicre was heavy with the threat of more rain to come. The girls i luiltered as they dressed for school, and Hannah had trouble keeping her mind on preparations for bread baking.

"Nearly time for breakfast," she called to them, hoping Gid .lit soon return from helping with the milking down yonder in Kbersol barn.

She stewed about her condition, thinking that if the pain grew

sc she'd have to say something to Gid. The last thing she wanted i to disappoint her husband, who was bent on this being their t son. Hannah was s ized with the knowledge that, though many

ntlis yet from birth, their coming child was in jeopardy, and she

l *ll helpless to prevent it.

With more determination than was necessary, she pounded the I limul dough hard, wondering if the possibility of rain was sinking |hi more deeply into despair.

Alter she slipped into a clean work dress and apron, the first I lung Leah did that Thursday morning was tiptoe downstairs in her I .( ip feet to look out the kitchen door at the barn. From where she Liimil, her nose nearly against the windowpane, she could see the li| liining rod on the top of the barn roof. Thank goodness for it, she llmught, having witnessed a most astounding event yesterday, fol-

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lowing her unsettling visit to Hannah. Queasy with concern over the words Hannah had hurled at her as she darted into the torrent of rain, Leah had lifted her long black apron over her head as a sligln shelter. About the time she passed the outhouse, a white lightning bolt had struck its jagged finger at the barn roof, and she saw flashes of electricity. Stunned, she had run helter-skelter to the house, tak ing cover on the very spot where she stood now.

Even recalling the unforgettable sight caused her heart to race, so she offered a quick prayer. "Thank you, Lord, for sparing Dat's barn and the animals . . . and for giving my father the wisdom to mount the lightning rod in the first place." After saying, "Amen," she opened her eyes and stared again at the roof, still in awe.

Last evening, when she had shared with the rest of the family what she'd seen, their eyes had lit up, though it was clearly Abe who was most interested in hearing how the sparks shot out like "Englishers' fireworks on Independence Day," as he put it. Naturally, this remark encouraged raised eyebrows from Dat, Aunt Lizzie, and even Sadie, what with Abe's growing curiosity in forbidden things such as fast cars and modern electricity. Neither was to be sought after one iota.

Realizing how busy a day she had ahead of her, Leah decided to put yesterday's excitement behind her, along with Hannah's strange words about Old Lady Henner. Turning back to the house, she went into the kitchen, preparing to make her usual eggs-and-bacon breakfast. Better for lightning to hit the barn than one of us, she thought.