Heart in Hand: Stitches in Time Series #3 (27 page)

“I’ll come with you,” Anna said.

“No need, I—”

“I promised Jacob I’d keep an eye on you.” Anna slipped her arm through one of Mary Katherine’s, then turned to Gideon. “I’ll see you before we leave?”

Mary Katherine waited until they were a distance away before she turned to Anna. “I don’t need a babysitter. You could have stayed to talk to Gideon.”

“I came to be with you, not to turn this into a date with him.”

“What were you and Naomi talking about so intensely that you almost didn’t see me walk past the display window?”

“Nothing important.”

“I think it was important, or you wouldn’t have missed seeing me.”

Anna smiled as she glanced at Mary Katherine. “It’s pretty hard to miss you these days.”

She just laughed when her cousin elbowed her. They found the section outside the firehouse where the loom was displayed. Anna watched as Mary Katherine looked it over and asked the owner questions about it.

Bidding was spirited on the Amish quilts, the hand-carved furniture, and farm equipment. Anna enjoyed watching but wondered if Mary Katherine was going to be able to endure
the hard folding chairs they were seated on before she had to leave.

A man took the empty seat next to Mary Katherine. Anna looked over and saw that Jacob had shown up, pleasing his wife to no end.

“How did the loom look?”

“I love it. I’m going to bid on it.”

He glanced at Anna and said hello, then the two of them held a quiet discussion on how much the loom was worth.

Bidding started a few minutes later. Mary Katherine bid, had her bid raised again and again. Anna scanned the audience to see who was interested in the loom and saw it was a woman who owned a craft shop. But Anna knew the woman didn’t weave.

“She must just want it to decorate her shop,” Anna whispered to Mary Katherine. “You said she buys some of the things in the shop from overseas.”

“I want that loom,” Mary Katherine said, her expression wistful. “I could work at home while the twins are little if I had it and just go into the shop a few days a week.” She sighed and then her breath caught. “I have to go find a restroom.”

After a quick whispered conversation with Jacob, she left them.

Jacob moved into her seat. “She really wants that loom. I know what she told me she wants to spend for it, but I’m determined to get it for her.”

Anna dug into her purse and pulled out some money. “Here, you can have this if you need it.”

He started to argue with her, but then the bid Mary Katherine had made was raised.

Jacob signaled he raised the bid, and the auctioneer focused on the woman bidder, cajoling her, and she nodded.

“Go for it,” Anna hissed to Jacob. “You know Mary Katherine pinches pennies until they scream. If she comes back, she’ll try to stop you from going higher.”

She glanced around at the other woman, then turned back to Jacob. “Besides, I think that’s as high as Mrs. Wilson is going to go.”

Anna watched as Jacob swallowed and then raised his hand.

The auctioneer’s voice rose in excitement. “Ma’am?” he said, looking at Mrs. Wilson.

The crowd turned to see her reaction. Indecision crossed her face, and then she shook her head.

The auctioneer slammed his gavel down on the makeshift podium. “Sold!”

Victorious, Jacob pumped the air with his fist. Then he caught sight of Mary Katherine standing beside him, her hands on her hips.

“You didn’t!” she said, looking scandalized. “That was way too much! I told you not to go higher than—”

He jumped up and took her hand. “Come on. Let’s go get your present.”

“Present?”

“
Ya
,” he said, grinning.

“This better be for the next five birthdays, Christmases, and anniversaries,” she huffed.

But Anna saw her radiant smile before Jacob swept her off to get the loom.

“We’ll be right back!” Mary Katherine called.

“Meet you out front where the driver dropped us off.”

Anna turned and searched the crowd for Gideon as she walked. A group of people parted in front of her, and as they did, she heard familiar voices.

With all the noise surrounding her, all she could hear was snippets of conversation, but Gideon and the other men were discussing someone working on her farm.

Her
farm.

Anna stopped in her tracks so quickly someone behind her ran into her, apologized, and then redirected his steps around her.

18

Anna heard her name called, but she ignored it and kept walking to the place where the driver would be picking up her and Mary Katherine.

A hand touched her elbow, and she stopped, not surprised to see Gideon at her side. “I was calling you. Are you leaving? You said you’d come see me before you left.”

“I have to get back to the shop.”

He frowned. “Okay. Sarah Rose is sitting with my mother. Let me tell them I’ll be right back.”

“There’s no need to—” she stopped. He’d already hurried away. It would be rude to leave without him now.

And she was in no mood to get into a discussion now about what she’d overheard. She had told her grandmother they’d be back around lunchtime, and no one ever knew when the shop could get busy.

So she stood there, arms folded across her chest, and silently fumed at the delay and the conversation the men had been having. How presumptuous of Gideon! Another example of him being a decider.

“Anna! Good to see you!”

“Bishop. Are you enjoying the mud sale?”

“Yes, indeed!” He held up the sandwich in his hand. “The firemen make a great kielbasa sandwich.”

Then he peered at her over the rims of his silver glasses and frowned. “Are you
allrecht
?”

“Fine. Thank you,” she added and tried to unclench her teeth.

“Was that Gideon I saw a minute ago?” he asked, squinting against the bright sunlight in the direction Gideon had gone.

“Yes. Did you want to talk to him?” She tried to keep the hope from her voice. It would be a perfect way to quietly slip away and not have to talk to Gideon.

“No. Just thought I’d say hello to both of you. Speaking of saying hello, I thought I’d stop by and say hello to Leah and everyone tomorrow at the shop while I’m in town.”

Anna felt herself relax a little. “She’d like that. You’re so different from the last bishop.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment. As long as you understand I’m not advocating pride.”

She smiled and then, when she saw Gideon approach, tried not to let it slip.

“Interesting,” he murmured as he turned to look at her.

“What?”

“That’s not the reaction I expected of a woman to her future
mann
.”

She felt her eyebrows go up. “Who said—”

“I know. Nothing’s been announced,” he said sagely, stroking his beard. “Gideon, have you bought anything?”

“Only snacks so far,” he said. “You know
kinner
. They can eat an hour before and still want to eat here.”

The bishop held up his sandwich and chuckled. “Well, I’d better be getting back to my dear
fraa
.”

He began to walk away and then turned back. “See you tomorrow.”

Anna could almost feel Gideon come to attention. He turned to her.

“You’re seeing the bishop tomorrow?”

“He’s just stopping in at the shop to say hello to my grandmother.”

“Oh.”

Mary Katherine walked up, licking an ice-cream cone. “Hi, Gideon.” She turned to Anna. “I’m ready to go when you are. Jacob is putting the loom in our buggy.”

“Tell Sarah Rose I said good-bye,” Anna told Gideon.

“When will I see you again?”

“Later. I have to go now.” Anna slipped her arm into Mary Katherine’s and started walking toward their ride.

“What was all that about?” Mary Katherine asked when they were far enough away that Gideon couldn’t hear.

“Don’t know what you’re talking about. We have to get back.”

Mary Katherine shivered and Anna stopped, concerned. “Are you cold?”

“Sure felt it back there.”

Anna rolled her eyes and began walking again. “Very funny.” She sighed. “I’m just upset with Gideon about something.”

“I guessed that. He looked a little confused. Does he know what you’re upset about?”

“No. I didn’t want to talk about it here. Too many people. And we have to get back to work.”

“Don’t wait too long,” Mary Katherine advised. She finished the cone, wiped her mouth with a paper napkin, and threw it in one of the trash receptacles. “It causes all kinds of problems when a couple doesn’t work things out as quickly as possible.”

A couple? Anna wasn’t so sure she and Gideon would be a couple after they talked . . .

True to his word, the bishop stopped by for a visit the next afternoon.

Leah took him for a little tour around the shop, and Anna noticed that he nodded with approval as he looked at the displays of authentic Amish quilts and the ones that were designed and sewn to brighten the homes of
Englischers
.

Mary Katherine was in that morning—she worked at the shop Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays and went home before closing. He stopped and watched her weave for a few minutes, asked a question, and made a comment that made her smile before he moved on.

Jamie walked past with bolts of fabric that needed restocking on shelves, and the bishop complimented the fabric wall hanging she’d done that hung on a nearby wall.

“I hope you’ll continue to feel welcome to attend church with us,” he said, and after Jamie nodded and he walked on she looked over at Anna, who raised her eyebrows and did a thumbs-up sign.

Anna remembered how he’d been perceptive enough to notice that she was upset the day before at the mud sale. Briefly, she toyed with the idea of going to him to talk about Gideon. His questions had shown that he was concerned.

“Do you have time for coffee?” she heard Leah ask him.

“I’d love some.”

But before she could show him to the back room, a customer came in asking for her.

Anna stepped forward. “Let me show you where we take our breaks. I’m sure Grandmother will only be a few minutes.”

She poured a cup of coffee and set it before him with a pitcher of cream and the sugar bowl. Then, after a moment’s hesitation, she poured herself a cup and sat down.

“May I ask you a question?”

“Of course.” He leaned back in his chair and smiled.

She took a deep breath. “I was thinking about what you said yesterday. I was upset—
am
upset about something. As you said, Gideon and I have been seeing each other. But there’s been some . . . problems.”

“Problems?”

“I’m wondering if he expects me to be like Mary.”

“Tell me how that is.”

“Quiet. Submissive.”

“That’s certainly not you.”

“Exactly.” Then she frowned. “You don’t think I should be, do you?”

“Oh my goodness, no. Why would you think that?”

She traced a pattern on the tablecloth and shrugged. “Well, I have seen some men—especially the last bishop—have the opinion that men should decide things.” There was that word again. “I didn’t think Gideon was like that. But he seems to be that way lately.”

Quickly, she told him about how Gideon had listened to someone saying she was visiting Samuel’s grave too often, so maybe she wasn’t ready to be dating him. And how she’d overheard him at the mud sale talking about getting someone to work on her farm.

He leaned back in his seat, steepling his fingers as she talked. “Sounds like you need to talk to him, clear the air.”

“I never had to do that with—” she stopped.

“Oh, are you expecting Gideon to be like Samuel?” he asked seriously.

She saw the twinkle of mischief in his eyes. “No, I—” she began, but then she stopped. “Maybe. I just think we should be partners if we get married.”

He leaned forward and patted her hand. “I think you could be great partners. I’ve seen the way the two of you have already worked together to resolve some problems Sarah Rose was having. That tells me a lot.”

Her eyes widened. “I hadn’t thought about it like that.”

“I’ll say a prayer for you. If God has guided the two of you together, nothing will set you apart.”

“But He put Samuel and me together and look what happened.”

He stroked his beard. “I know you’ve struggled with His will about that. Perhaps we should talk about it sometime.”

Leah walked in. “Sorry that took so long.”

“Anna here kept me company,” he told her.

She got to her feet. “Please excuse me, Bishop. I’ll let the two of you talk.”

As she walked back into the shop, she considered what he’d said. While his words had been short and simple, there was a lot of truth behind them. She needed to speak up, and she needed to do it now. It was obvious to the bishop that she wasn’t like Mary, and if that’s what Gideon wanted, it would be better to get that out in the open now.

No matter how much she was coming to care for Gideon, she had seen what happened to women she knew who were pressured by their husbands—or who pressured themselves—into roles they weren’t comfortable with.