Miriam's Secret (23 page)

“There now!” Aunt Fannie scolded. “Your silver tongue will get you nowhere. And these young women will be told all about your tricky ways.”

Wayne and Uncle William both laughed, so Aunt Fannie must be teasing, Miriam decided. It was just as well. All she needed was to meet a man full of tricky ways, though she had to admit Wayne looked way too honest to have many tricks. But what did she know about men? Besides, Shirley doubtless had
Wayne's full attention by now, which Miriam should be thankful for. This could be another sign of the Lord's blessings on this trip—Shirley falling for a young Amish man so soon after their arrival in Oklahoma.

“We'd better get unpacked,” Miriam commented, which probably sounded stupid, but that's what came out of her mouth.

Thankfully Shirley covered for her. “I'm sure we'll see you later, Wayne.”

Aunt Fannie didn't waste a beat. “Wayne's staying for supper, so you'll both be seeing him then.”

“I'm sure neither of them can wait,” Uncle William offered.

Hopefully he's still teasing, Miriam thought. She definitely
could
wait. She said nothing, anxious now to get inside and settle in.

“He's fallen hard for you, Miriam,” Shirley whispered on the way to the house.

“Shirley, he was looking at you the whole time!” Miriam whispered back.

Aunt Fannie obviously overheard because she whispered at the door, “He'd be such a decent catch. You couldn't go wrong, Miriam.”

Why do you think I could catch him?
Miriam almost asked.

Aunt Fannie raised her eyebrows. “Don't tell me there's a boyfriend back home? One I haven't heard of?”

“There is.” Shirley didn't waste any time exposing the truth.

“There is not!” Miriam protested.

“It can't be both ways.” Aunt Fannie was perplexed. “Surely you're not attached to a man, Miriam? Your
mamm
would have told me.”

“I'm not.” Miriam set her face in decisive lines that seemed to convince Aunt Fannie.

Even Shirley backed down a little. “Well, let's just say she
could
be.”

A happy smile spread over Aunt Fannie's face. “That's different. At least our men are still in the running then.”

“Ivan's a very decent man in Possum Valley, and he likes Miriam very much.” Shirley wasn't finished. “He's asked Miriam most emphatically to date him, and she might still agree.”

Aunt Fannie stared at both of them. “Is that so, Miriam?”

“No, it is
not
so!” Miriam picked up her suitcase and waited for directions.

Aunt Fannie shrugged and waved her hand toward the upstairs. “Your rooms are up there, girls. Take your pick. It's not like there are any young folk in the house.”

Miriam made a beeline for the stair door. Shirley was right behind her. The sound of Aunt Fannie's voice followed them up the stairs. “I'd come up and help unpack, but I'm in no condition for stairs right now.”

“You stay right where you are!” Shirley's voice was firm. “We're okay.”

“She's absolutely right,” Miriam spoke over her shoulder. “We'll be right down when we're unpacked.”

At the top of stairs Miriam waited until Shirley caught up. “What are you up to anyway?”

Shirley didn't appear bothered in the least. “I'm not up to anything. You know I think you shouldn't fall for someone else. Ivan's the man for you.”

Miriam groaned. “Don't worry, I'm not going to fall for someone else. But I'm not going to be with Ivan either.”

Shirley studied her. “Then you aren't interested in this…this Wayne fellow?”

“Of course not!” Miriam snorted with her response.

Shirley smiled. “Then it's settled.”

Miriam's thoughts went another direction as she looked around the upstairs. The house must have been built not that long ago according to how fresh and cheery everything appeared.

“Not like our old farmhouse back home,” Shirley observed. “It reminds one of freshness and money.”

“Don't say that,” Miriam corrected. “I don't want to think about money. Now which room is yours? It looks like we have four choices.”

Shirley pointed. “That one.”

“Then I'll take the one next to you.” Miriam dragged her suitcase into the room.

Shirley stood at the door for a moment. “Aunt Fannie and Uncle William must plan on lots of children. Or they did!”

Miriam smiled. “The Lord doesn't always lead the way we think He will. I mean, look at us.”

Shirley nodded and went into her new room, presumably to begin unpacking.

Miriam flung her suitcase on the bed and rushed about hanging her few dresses in the closet. The rest of her things fit easily into the dresser drawers. Her two pairs of shoes went on the closet floor. The suitcase went under the bed. Out in the hall she peeked into Shirley's room. “I'm going down.”

Shirley glanced up. “Be there soon.”

Miriam knew it would be a while though. Time enough for her to tell Aunt Fannie about Ivan without Shirley's interruptions or positive comments about his attention and how Miriam should take Ivan back.

Going downstairs, she found Aunt Fannie on her rocker with a broad smile on her face. “Done already?”

Miriam nodded and took a seat on the couch. “I don't know how much
Mamm
told you about our reasons for coming here.
Perhaps you should know that it's about more than just helping you with the new baby.”

Aunt Fannie's attention perked up, but she didn't comment.

Miriam continued. “Shirley was seeing a…well, a man the family considered worse than
Englisha
because his family was formerly of our faith, and they are now very wealthy and of the world. The lure of his money was strong, and it was best that Shirley remove herself from temptation before things went too far.”

“I see,” Aunt Fannie said. “And what about you, Miriam? What were your reasons for coming?”

Miriam hesitated and then said, “For several years I was a caregiver for an
Englisha
man. He was like a second
daett
to me in some ways. Anyway, when Mr. Bland passed on a little while ago, he left me his farm. It's one of the nicest farms in our area. When Ivan Mast—a young man I used to like—found out, he wanted to break up with the girl he'd been seeing and come back to me. He claimed his renewed interest in me wasn't just because of the farm, but I didn't believe him. Shirley, however, doesn't think it matters why he's interested in me. She thinks I should encourage his attention toward me.”

“Life gets so tangled sometimes, doesn't it, dear? Your
mamm
explained some of this to me. This will be a good time for you not to worry about things back home. Just enjoy your time here, and let us take care of you while you take care of us,” laughed Aunt Fannie. “And if it's a fresh start you both need, then the Lord must have willed this trip.”

“I agree. And thanks for being so understanding.” Relief flooded through Miriam.
Yah
, she would gather her strength here in this new country so full of promise. Sure, someday she would return to Possum Valley, but for now she'd forget all about the troubles she'd left there.

“So tell me about the family back home,” Aunt Fannie invited, changing the subject.

Miriam waited for a moment and then began speaking after the stair door opened and Shirley came into the living room and sat down.

Chapter Twenty-Three

L
ater that evening the supper table was laden with mashed potatoes, gravy, a pot roast, and fresh salad from Aunt Fannie's greenhouse. Shirley sat at the table with her hands folded. She sent a brief smile toward Wayne across the table from her.

He smiled back, but his attention was clearly fixed on Miriam—and had been ever since he'd come in at Aunt Fannie's call for supper.

Now
that
was a change, Shirley thought. She still hadn't made up her mind whether she should be interested in Wayne, if only to distract him from Miriam, but here was her answer. Wayne apparently wasn't distractible. Still, she hadn't really tried yet—other than a smile or two, which could be interpreted as friendliness. Maybe Wayne needed a more overt message. No, she would stay out of this, Shirley decided, though it would have made her feel better if Miriam had given in to Ivan's attention. That man was obviously motivated by money, yet just as
love had grown in her heart for Jonas, so love would have grown in Miriam's heart for Ivan. But,
nee
, Miriam had rejected Ivan as unworthy of her love, and now another Prince Charming was apparently riding to the rescue.

“You're awfully quiet.” Aunt Fannie sent Shirley a questioning look. “I remember you as the talkative one of the family.”

“I figure young Mahlon Troyer will get her talking soon enough,” Wayne teased, mentioning someone from the youth group they'd been talking about.

Shirley almost gasped. Wayne sure was oblivious to her interest in him. Thankfully Miriam came to her rescue.

“Wayne, Shirley left her heart in Holmes County. For now, anyway.”

Wayne leaped right in. “Oklahoma is perfect for love and marriage. There's much less competition out here.”

Aunt Fannie cleared her throat.

Wayne's face reddened a little. “Of course, that can work the other way too.” He studied his plate of food.

Thankfully Aunt Fannie filled the awkward space with quick chatter. “Well, I'm sure everyone will be glad to see you two girls. We don't have that large a community, so all of us are close—in heart, at least, even if we are spread out a bit.” Aunt Fannie laughed. “Don't worry, we drive horse and buggy to see each other. At times the distance seems farther with all the open spaces, but you'll get used to that. The
Englisha
people here are all of the solid, down-to-earth type. Our neighbors are willing and ready to drive us to Coalgate or even further for our shopping or to pick up our visitors, like Mr. Whitehorse did this afternoon. I'm already coming to think of you two as residents, not visitors. You're like part of the community already. In fact, we haven't told anyone how long you're staying. Your
mamm
just
said it might be for more than a week or two or three. And by the time the baby comes, I'm sure you'll be settled right in—permanently, if that's your desire, of course. We have plenty of room.”

“I'd like that, as would the others, I'm sure,” Wayne said, having recovered from his embarrassment.

Uncle William pushed away his plate. “Isn't there pie or something?” He looked around. “There ought to be for our celebration of two
gut
-looking young women arriving in Oklahoma.”

“Of course there are!” Aunt Fannie gave Uncle William a fake glare. “Blackberry and rhubarb. You surely can't eat both.”

“I can try.” Uncle William's laugh filled the kitchen.

“Spoken like a true man.” Aunt Fannie began to get up.

Miriam reached over and pulled on her aunt's arm. “I'll get the pies. You're to rest now, remember?”

Aunt Fannie sat down with a grateful look.

Miriam got up to bring over both pies and slide them onto the table.

Shirley noticed that Wayne's gaze followed her sister's every move. She was torn between being a bit jealous that he seemed to prefer Miriam and yet happy that he might cheer her up.

Shirley took a piece of rhubarb pie and passed it to Wayne while Uncle William cut the first piece out of the blackberry.

“Wayne, you're also eating both, aren't you?” Shirley teased. The words came easily now that she didn't have an ulterior motive.

Wayne didn't respond to her tease other then to give her a quick smile. That hurt more than she wanted it to.

Wayne leaned across the table. “Miriam, did you bake these since you arrived?”