Jacob's Way (34 page)

“Oh, it's just something to make tea in. It's one of the few things we brought from our home when we had to leave, but it is stored.”

“My mother told me how much you two did for Ben. I'm very grateful to you.”

“We only did what anyone would have done,” Jacob said mildly.

“Perhaps so, but you were there, and you did it. And we're very grateful to you.” She took the tea, sipped it, and then nodded. “This is very good.”

“We'll be having lunch in about an hour,” Reisa said eagerly. “I hope you'll be able to stay.”

“Well, I do want to see Ben.”

“He'll be anxious to see you, too. He's told me about you,” Reisa said.

The three sat there talking, and soon Reisa was giving her version of their business. She spoke of how it had been Ben's willingness to help that had provided a wagon. As she spoke, Prudence admired the beauty of the young woman, and she also noted that she was not completely indifferent to Ben Driver.

They were on their second cup of tea when suddenly boots sounded, and Reisa said, “That's Ben.”

Pru rose at once, and when Ben came in he smiled broadly, came over, and put his arms around her. He picked her completely up off the floor and kissed her on the cheek. “Pru!” he exclaimed. “It's been so long!”

“It's been too long, Ben, but it won't be anymore.” Pru stepped back from his embrace and said, “You've lost weight.”

“You should have seen me before Phineas started fattening me up. I looked like a snake.” Ben sat down and pulled Pru to his side. “Now, tell me all about my nephews and that husband of yours and about yourself.”

“
Zaideh
,” Reisa said, “would you come upstairs with me? I want you to help me write some letters back home.”

Jacob rose and said, “Of course, Reisa. Excuse us, please.”

As soon as the two were gone, Prudence turned and took Ben's hand across the table. “How are you, Ben?”

“Oh, I'm all right.”

“Now, Ben, we've always been able to talk straight to each other. Don't you remember when I was sixteen and madly in love with Farley Stapleton? You sat me down and told me what a fool I was making of myself.”

Ben could not help smiling. “I was too rough on you.”

“No, you weren't. I was being a fool.”

“We could always talk, Pru.” Ben held her hand in his and studied it. “We used to have some mighty long talks, didn't we? Well, I'm treading water, Pru,” he said slowly. “Nothing has gone right—and I don't see any happy ending.”

“Have you given up on God?”

“No, but I expect he must have given up on me.”

“That's foolish talk, Ben!”

“I expect you're right.”

“From what I hear he saved your life.”

“Reisa and Dov did that.”

“Your theology has gotten pretty bad. God used them, but he cares about
you.”

Ben shook his head. “I expect my theology went down the drain some time back during the war when I lost friend after friend for a lost cause. I just seemed to lose all hope, Pru. Then when I lost Paul
Jennings
there at the very last, life caved in on me. It was only two weeks before the war was over. We'd gone through the whole thing together. I thought it was all over. We'd lose the war, but Paul and I would make it through. Then when a sniper got him, it was like his bullet hit me, too. I haven't cared much about anything since then.”

Pru did not answer for a time, and then she said directly, “What about Reisa?”

Startled, Ben blinked and stared at Pru with a strange expression. “What about her?”

“What do you feel for her?”

“Why, I'm grateful, of course. She saved my life—she and Dov.”

Pru said, “I thought we were going to talk straight.”

“What do you expect me to say, Pru?” Driver said almost roughly. “I like the girl a lot, but she's Jewish, and I'm a backslider. What can be made of that?”

“I can't make anything of it, but God can. In any case, I'm glad to see you.”

“How long will you stay with Mother and Father?”

“A week at least.”

“Good. I want to see those nephews of mine.”

Suddenly Pru knew she had to say something about their father. “Dad will change, Ben.”

“I don't think so.”

“Yes, he will. He's a strong man, but God will break him down. That's what I've been praying for—that whatever it takes, no matter how hard, Dad will learn to act like a father and not like a judge.”

“That's hard talk, Pru.”

“I love Dad, but he's wrong. And when we're wrong with God, whatever he has to do to bring us back will be for our good.”

At this point footsteps interrupted them, and Sam and Dov entered.

Dov pulled off his cap and smiled. He seemed to fill the whole room, but there was a soft look in his eyes, and he smiled but said nothing. Ben introduced them, and Pru was impressed with this gentle giant who shook her small hand so carefully.

“You'll stay and take lunch with us,” Sam said, and his tone permitted no denial.

Pru did stay, and the meal was very good indeed. She allowed Ben to take her on a tour of the place, and then Reisa proudly showed her their wagon.

Finally Pru had to leave, for it was a long drive back. Sam brought the mare and wagon around, helped her in, and stood beside her for a moment. “What's this about some boys you got, Miss Pru?”

Ben answered for her. “They're my nephews, Sam. I sure would like to see them.”

Sam Hall didn't hesitate. “I want you and your husband and your boys to come out here and spend a day. We'll take those boys of yours fishing.”

“Well, that would be very kind of you, but we wouldn't want to put you out,” Pru said.

“There ain't no put out to it. You bring them boys out here, and we'll go coon huntin' and trot linin' in the river.”

Pru looked over at Ben and saw the eagerness in his face. “You don't know what you're asking for, but we'll be glad to do it,” she said.

“When could you come, ma'am?”

“I suppose the day after tomorrow, if you're sure. Just after lunch.”

“I'm plumb sure! Why, I'm just lookin' for an excuse to get out of work. Just think of all the loafin' we can do with them young fellers. Right, Ben?”

“I expect you're right about that, Sam.”

They all laughed merrily. And Pru left them that way, her heart a little lighter.

John Driver watched from his study window as Pru drove up the long drive. Several minutes later, when he heard her steps in the hall, he went downstairs to greet her.

“Why, Pru, you've been gone. You been to Richmond?”

“No. I went to see Ben.”

John Driver hesitated but could not think of an answer. He turned and would have left, but Pru took his arm. “Walk with me a bit.”

Driver wanted to refuse, for he knew what was on Pru's mind. Nevertheless, they stepped off the porch and walked slowly toward the big grove of trees that shadowed the house. They reached there without either saying a word, but finally Pru stopped, and he turned to face her.

“Dad, I'm taking Martin and the boys to see Ben the day after tomorrow.”

“You're a grown woman, and you do as you think best.” He was unhappy, but he knew he could say no more.

Pru said quietly, “You're wrong, Dad. Very wrong.”

Driver could not answer this. He simply stood there, unable to speak. Pru suddenly stepped forward and put her arms around him. She put her head on his chest and held him tightly, and when she spoke her voice was very quiet. “I've always respected you, Dad, and loved you. You gave me a father to use for a model when I chose a husband, and I'll always be grateful to you for that. And I'll always love you.”

Without another word Pru turned and walked away.

John Driver suddenly found himself crushed by her gentleness. He would have taken it better if she had lashed out at him, but she was her mother's daughter. They both had a gentleness in them that he had always loved. There was a directness, too, and Pru's words struck him with great force. He turned blindly and walked away, not knowing where he went. He had been so happy when Pru and Martin and the boys had come, but now everything seemed to have turned bitter in his mouth.

Twenty-Six

M
arianne stopped at the door of her husband's study and knocked gently. When his voice answered, “Come in,” she stepped inside and found him standing in front of the large bay window. At once she noted that he was distressed, but she crossed the room to stand before him.

“I wish you would reconsider, John. It would mean so much to Ben if you'd come with us.”

Driver had slept poorly the previous night. When Marianne had told him just before going to bed of her plan to go along on the visit to their son, he had been visibly upset, saying at once, “You'll have to go without me.”

Marianne's heart was grieved as she studied her husband's face. She loved him, but now she said quietly, “John, anything else that you ask of me, I'll do it—but I must see Ben. He's our only son now, and I love him dearly.”

“You must do as you think best, Marianne.”

For one moment Marianne considered changing her mind, but her desire to encourage Ben was very strong. “I think we'll probably stay for dinner; I don't know exactly what time we'll be back.”

“All right.”

Driver's tone was clipped, but Marianne ignored his obvious displeasure. Leaning forward she kissed him, then turned and left the study.

When she reached the kitchen, she found Dorrie with what seemed to be a pile of food on the table.

“What in the world is all this, Dorrie?”

“You cain't go bustin' in on folks with a whole army without takin' some vittles. These is jist a few things I throwed together.” The “few things” involved three pies, a cake, a quarter of beef, and several large bowls of cooked vegetables.

Trask grinned and winked slyly at Marianne. “She don't cook this good fo' me.”

“You don't need it! You gettin' fat as a possum! Now you load dis on the wagon for Miss Marianne.”

Picking up a bowl of black-eyed peas, Marianne went outside with Trask and Dorrie to the large carriage where Martin was waiting. The boys were already running around like wild Indians, shouting and shoving each other.

Martin asked, “What's that?”

“Dorrie thought we should take some food.”

“Not a bad idea. Those poor fellows don't know how these boys can eat. Let me help you load that, Trask.”

Soon the food was loaded, and the boys were placed inside the large buggy. It was a covered buggy in case of rain, with curtains that could be drawn. Martin helped Marianne to climb in the front, then placed Pru and the boys on the back seat. Picking up the lines, he spoke to the team, “Get up there!”

The buggy jerked as the horses leaped forward, and Marianne caught a glance of John peering out the window of his study. “I'm sorry John wouldn't go with us,” she said quietly.

Glancing at Marianne, Martin didn't answer at once, but when they pulled off on the main road, he said, “He'll come around.”

As they moved along the dirt road at a brisk pace, Johnny insisted on singing songs. He started the song “Dixie,” and the other boys joined in.

His voice masked by their singing, Martin added, “I've been praying that John would see how much Ben needs him—especially now.”

Marianne was very fond of Martin. He was a fine husband and a devoted father, and she knew that he loved John. “He's making a terrible mistake, Martin.”

“Well, God can do wonders. We'll just have to keep on praying that he'll work on John's heart.”

Ben was splitting white oak for the cooking stove, a job he enjoyed. He and Dov had sawed the logs into eighteen-inch lengths, and he lifted the splitting maul, bringing it down firmly. The white oak split as cleanly as if it were rock. He'd always liked splitting wood, though sawing the logs into the proper lengths was tedious. He raised the maul again, quartered the log, then split it into smaller sections. When Reisa came to watch, he smiled at her. “You want to try it?”

“All right.” She came over and took the splitting maul from Ben, but it was so heavy she could barely lift it over her head. He laughed and came to reach around her. Gripping the handle he lifted it, saying, “Just let it drop on the wood.”

“Like this?” Reisa let the maul drop, conscious of his arms around her. The wood split, and she turned with a smile saying, “I did it!”

Driver was standing so close he could see the iris of her eyes and thought how clear they were. He felt the turbulence of her spirit as a man might feel strange currents of wind blowing across him. He felt suddenly that she was a light in darkness to him, a personality, a fragrance, and a will. He had noted that this woman constantly searched the world for color and warmth, treasuring these things as other women valued clothing and fine furniture. He felt also that Reisa longed for the comfort of a man's closeness that would end the solitary quality of her life.

Reisa asked uncertainly, “What is it, Ben?”

“Nothing. I was just thinking how strange it is that you and I met. Doesn't seem very likely—you in Russia, and me in jail in America. But somehow we came together.”

“Our people have a story about men and women in love.”

“What is it?”

“It tells about the time God made a creature, a beautiful creation. But somehow the creature displeased God, so he tore it in two. One half of it was man and one half was woman.” Her eyes were thoughtful as she spoke, and a slight smiled turned up the corners of her lips. “Each of these was incomplete, so they wandered all over the world looking for their other half. Only one would fit; none of the rest would match what they were. And if they found each other, they were joined again and were very happy.”

“Nice story,” Ben remarked. “Most people don't find the right parts, seems to me.”

“But sometimes they do. My grandfather and his wife were like that—and my parents also.”

Ben suddenly reached out and touched the single lock of raven hair that had escaped her blue headscarf. She looked at him, saying nothing—but a woman's silence meant many things. He was not sure what she was thinking, but something in this woman pulled at him like a mystery. Whatever it was disturbed his own solitary way, and as they stood there under the pale early November sun, Ben Driver knew that he had never met a woman exactly like this one.

A sound caught Driver's attention, and he turned away to look across at the buggy that approached. “There they are,” he said, “One o'clock, right on schedule.” He leaned the maul against the wood pile. With Reisa at his side, he walked over to the drive, waiting until the buggy came to a stop, then called out, “Hello!” The boys came pouring out of the buggy, then Martin leaped out and stepped forward to shake Ben's hand with a hard grip. “Good to see you, Ben,” he smiled.

“You're looking fine, Mart,” Ben said, then went to help his sister and his mother out of the buggy.

“This is your Uncle Ben, boys,” Pru said quickly, then placing her hand on their heads, introduced them. “Ben, this is Johnny, this is David, and this is Robert.”

Robert, the youngest, stared up at Ben, saying in a loud voice, “Hello. What happened to your eye?”

“I had an accident.”

“Are you really my uncle?”

“I really am,” Ben grinned. “Are you really my nephews?”

“Yes, sir,” Johnny said quickly. “It's good to meet you.” At the age of twelve, he felt it necessary to be somewhat of a role model, and put his hand out. Ben shook it and then did the same for the other boys.

Marianne came over and embraced Ben, who kissed her on the cheek. “Hello, Mother. It's good to see you.” Then he turned to Pru, noting the warm light in her eyes. “Sis, I can't tell you how much I appreciate your coming out.”

“Oh, we came out to have a good time,” Prudence smiled. “Martin, this is Reisa Dimitri. Come along, and I'll introduce you to her grandfather.”

The room had always seemed very large to Reisa, but it seemed to grow smaller somehow as the visitors entered. The boys darted everywhere looking at everything and talking loudly. Dov was standing with his back against the wall, smiling slightly. Robert came to stare up at him, his eyes large. “I'd like to be big like you when I grow up,” he announced.

Dov smiled down at the small boy, then suddenly knelt to one knee. “It is not always good to be big. It's hard to find a bed big enough. Better you should be like your father.”

Sam and Phineas were dressed in their Sunday clothes for the occasion. They had both shaved, and for once their hair was combed. When Phineas discovered that Martin was a doctor, he said instantly, “I've got this here ache in my shoulder, Doc. You think it could be rheumatism?”

Sam spoke up with irritation, “Will you hush! He always thinks he's ailin' with somethin'. Jist don't pay him no never mind.”

Pru said to Reisa, “We brought some food. Nobody could feed an army like this. Would you help me bring it in?”

“I will bring,” Dov said. He went out quickly, followed by Robert, who was fascinated by the huge man. The youngster fired questions incessantly, Dov doing his best to answer as many as he could.

The room was a beehive of activity, but when it sorted itself out Martin said, “Mr. Dimitri, I wonder if you would give me a little help.”

Surprised, Jacob said, “Why, anything, sir.”

“I've been asked to teach a class of men in my church concerning the Jewish sacrifices in the Old Testament. “

“Ah, that is most interesting.”

“Well, I've got a great many books, but Pru tells me you're a scholar in the Jewish way.”

“I have studied somewhat.”

“Would you be willing to help me? I'm bogged down in all the old sacrifices. I can't really get it all together in my mind.”

“Oh, certainly!”

Soon the two men were sitting at the table, Sam close beside them, anxious to miss nothing.

Reisa said to Marianne, “You have not seen our wagon that Ben bought and fixed up.”

“I'd like to see it very much,” Marianne said.

Reisa led Marianne outside, and proudly pointed out the fine points of the wagon. Marianne opened and shut the compartments, oohing and ahhing at the workmanship. “It's wonderful, Reisa,” she smiled. “Did you design it?”

“Oh, we all worked on it—but Ben did the compartments. He's such a good carpenter.”

For a while Reisa talked with animation of the experiences she'd had on the trips she'd made with Ben and Dov, but finally Marianne asked gently, “Are you happy here, Reisa? It must have been very hard to leave your homeland.”

“I am content.”

“I'm not sure I would be, but I'm glad you are.”

“I worry about my grandfather. He's getting on, and he's all I have.”

“That comes to all of us—but you will marry.”

Reisa smiled then, spreading her hands in a quick gesture. “Marry who? There are few Jewish young men here.”

Marianne asked, “Would you consider marrying a Gentile?”

A tremor of fear swept through Reisa's heart. “Oh, I could never do that,” she said firmly. “Such a thing would never make me happy.”