The Amish Christmas Sleigh (6 page)

C
HAPTER
10

K
ate hurriedly changed her dress and underclothing and bundled up in her Sunday cloak to head back to Sebastian's. She had just tied her bonnet strings when a knock sounded at the door and her heart leapt.
Maybe it's Sebastian—though why he should come after the way I behaved is beyond me. . . .
All of this went through her mind in a flash as she hastened to open the door. To her surprise, Fran stood there, looking radiantly happy.

“Kate, do you have a few minutes? I'm sorry you're going out, but I simply have to talk to you.”

Kate caught the suppressed excitement of her cousin's posture and reluctantly widened the door. “All right.
Kumme
in.”

She chafed at the delay but tried to focus on Fran all the same. She didn't remove her cloak or bonnet, though, hoping it might be a clue that her leaving was urgent.

But Fran sank down onto the living room couch as if she had all the time in the world. “
Ach,
Kate—it's so
wunderbaar
.”

“What is it?” Kate asked, trying to conceal the impatience in her voice.

“I'm pregnant. We went to see Dr. McCully to double-check, but I'm about two months along.”

Kate felt her anxiousness slip away as genuine happiness filled her heart for the other woman. She rose and then bent to catch Fran close in a gentle embrace.

“Fran, that's such
gut
news. I have prayed for you.”

Fran pulled back and looked up into Kate's face. “I know.
Danki.
And now I'll let you go, but is everything all right? You seem a bit upset.”

Kate straightened and smiled. “Everything will be fine.”
I hope and pray . . .
“But I do need to
geh
.”

Fran got to her feet and Kate saw her to the door, deciding at the last moment that she might bring the tin of peanut butter kiss cookies she'd baked as a love offering to Sebastian. She raced back to the cupboard, grabbed the tin, and was two steps from the door when she heard another knock.

She groaned silently.
It must be Fran again. . . .
She flung open the door in mute exasperation to stare blankly at Bishop Umble.

“Kate, I heard you're not working at Sebastian Christner's anymore. Martha had a bad fall this morning and sprained her ankle. I hoped you would
kumme
and work for us for a bit to give her an extra hand.”

“I would love to, Bishop, but I . . .”

“I'm afraid I can't take no for an answer. I've got my sled right here, and I'll pick Ben up after school and send word to Fran and Daniel. We really need your help.”

Kate was quelled by the semi-stern eye the
auld
leader cast upon her and knew she had to give in for the moment.
A body just doesn't tell Bishop Umble
nee
. . . and I can always go to Sebastian's later on in the day once I get Martha Umble settled....

She held the door open and drew in a deep breath. “
Sei se gut, kumme
in. I—I'll go pack a light bag. . . .”

“
Danki,
Kate.” The bishop smiled and she had to blink twice to make sure she was wrong about the twinkle that seemed to shine in his eyes.

She turned back to the bedroom and decided that loving Sebastian was making her
narrisch
. . . .

 

Sebastian bent over the workbench and tried to scrape a dull edge into precision; the tool slipped in his usually capable hands and he cut his thumb.

“Here's a hankie, boy.” Tim offered a red checkered cloth and Sebastian gave it a doubtful glance, then took it anyway, using it to staunch the flow of blood.

“Thanks,” he muttered to his friend.

“Look, Seb, I knows yer torn up inside, but are ya really gonna let that woman go so easy like?” Tim questioned.

“Don't pick your nose,” Sebastian said absently, thinking about Tim's query.
What am I really going to do about Kate . . . and Ben? Can I let go of this shame and regret and try to face her again?

“If ya were up fer another try, I gots an idea,” Tim offered.

“What is it?”

Tim leaned close and began detailing a plan that would involve plenty of labor but might well be the way to win Kate's heart. Sebastian knew he had to try—he couldn't stand the thought of Kate believing he was like the man who'd killed her parents and hurt Ben.

“All right,” he said after a bleak moment's reflection. “I'll try.”

Tim whooped and clapped his hands, but Sebastian remained sober, praying that Kate would give him a chance and let go of the past.

 

“There's an elephant in my shoe,” Martha Umble declared upon seeing Kate.

Kate paused in undoing her cloak and stared at the older woman. “Did she hit her head when she fell?” Kate asked in an undertone to the bishop.

“
Nee,
I forgot to tell you that the tea Sarah King brewed her for pain seemed a mite potent and didn't really agree with the missus. Sarah said the oddities would wear off in a few hours.”

“Okaay,” Kate said, hanging up her cloak and slipping off her boots
. At least it should be an entertaining few hours.... Maybe it will make the time pass more quickly.

“I've got several sick calls to make,” Bishop Umble announced. “A few of the community are down with the flu. I'll leave you here, Kate, and I'll make sure to be back in time to swing past the school and get Ben.”

He was gone before Kate could reply, so she went over to Martha Umble, who was sitting in a cozy kitchen chair with her right foot elevated on a square stool.

“Can I get you anything, Martha?” Kate asked.

“The Christmas tree needs decorating, and there's a beaver in the closet. Move the beaver first.” Martha indicated the kitchen pantry with a wrinkled finger, and Kate sighed to herself as she went to remove the imaginary pest. “Now, that's not the way,” Martha chirped as Kate bent and tried to judge how big a beaver would be with the span of her empty arms. “You left his tail there. Pick it up!”

Kate obeyed, thinking that surely
Der Herr
must have a sense of humor. She disposed of the invisible pest outside, then came back to the kitchen, wondering where the bread dough decorations were for the nice little fir that had been set up on a living room side table. The Mountain
Amisch
usually kept the same simple ornaments made of bread or applesauce and cinnamon dough from year to year. The women would form simple shapes or twists with the dough and then apply several layers of shellac to the finished pieces to keep the mice away and to put a sheen on the ornament.

She found herself realizing that Christmas was not that far away, and though her community didn't usually exchange gifts until Second Christmas, she always wrote a special card out for Ben for First Christmas.
Now I might be able to write one out for Sebastian, as well, if . . .

“Stampede!” Martha bellowed and Kate glanced over in time to discover where the Umbles' ornaments were; Martha had the tin open and was apparently shattering the simple ornaments in an effort to combat oncoming cows. Kate rushed to her side and tried to take the tin from her without getting hit in the head by the fast-disappearing flying dough.

“Martha, please! We'll have to make all new ornaments. . . .” A pretzel-shaped piece of hardened dough klonked Kate in the forehead and she gave up, moving out of the line of fire to take a look in the kitchen cabinets for dough ingredients. The Umbles seemed to have only a little of the glue that was usually mixed with the applesauce and cinnamon, and Kate wondered if she dared to run over to Ben Kauffman's store for some, but one look at Martha's wild eyes convinced her otherwise.

The bishop returned with Ben around three o'clock, but not before Martha Umble had lived through a zoo breakout and an attacking flock of seagulls. It was enough to have emotionally exhausted Kate, except for the fact that she was too keyed up at the thought of seeing Sebastian as soon as possible.

But Ben seemed to have other ideas. “Kate, can I talk to you in the other room?” he asked as soon as he'd crossed the floor with his crutches.

Kate put a finger to her lips, indicating they should whisper as Martha was finally resting comfortably in the chair. She walked with Ben to the guest bedroom once the bishop had waved them off.

“Ben, what is it? I've got to go to the store to get some glue and I have to . . .”

“Bishop Umble told me you aren't working for Sebastian anymore. Does that mean that I can't go to the workshop?” His wide brown eyes were serious, and Kate swallowed hard, remembering her cruel words to Sebastian about his not needing to see Ben again.

“
Nee,
Ben . . . I mean, maybe for today you shouldn't go over. I have to talk to Sebastian. You see, I owe him an apology, and I haven't yet had the chance to offer it because of
Frau
Umble's ankle.”

“I'm going over anyway, even if I have to take the sled myself,” he announced.

“Ben,” Kate exclaimed in shock. It was completely unlike her
bruder
to ever be disagreeable, let alone outright defiant. “What are you saying?”

His gaze was stormy for a moment and then it seemed to pass. “Kate, I'm sorry. I guess I was disappointed about what the bishop said, that's all.”

She bent and gave him a quick hug. “It's okay. I will make things right again. Do you think you can wait for one day? I'm going to try to go to Sebastian's right now.”

He nodded, but there was something about his posture that made her uneasy. She dismissed the thought, deciding it was her imagination, and quickly left the room, only to realize she had no sleigh of her own to drive.

“Bishop Umble,” she whispered when she entered the kitchen. “Do you think I can use your sled for a bit?”

“The right runner's a bit wobbly. I need to check it after I have a nap.”

Then I'll walk....
Kate thought with determination.
If I cut through the fields, I can make it in probably less than half an hour. And if I'm freezing, I'll convince Sebastian to warm me up—if he'll accept my apology....

The thought propelled her as she dressed to go outside and into the wet snow.

C
HAPTER
11

“W
e got company comin'; I'd better get on,” Tim said, causing Sebastian to get to his feet as his friend departed.

Moments later the door to the workshop burst open. Kate straggled in, gasping slightly. He stared at her, loving every part of her, even the one piece of her heart that was angry and hurt.

“Sebastian—” Her teeth chattered as she spoke. “I hiked over here—to tell you that I'm sorry. I behaved like a foolish woman, throwing away happiness with both hands.” She paused for breath, and he slowly moved around the workbench to approach her.

She smelled like wet wool, but her own sweet fragrance still rose to his nostrils and he had a hard time not taking her into his arms. But he knew instinctively that she had more she wanted to say.

She looked down for a moment, then lifted her gaze to meet his eyes. “Sebastian, what I said—I'm not normally like that, but I realized that I had so much grief pent up inside and I took it all out on you. Can you please, please forgive me?”

He smiled at her a bit. “Can you forgive me? Can I forgive myself? The answer is yes to all because I know that
Gott
brought you into my life to change it, to lift the past out of its ruins and to build something new. I realize that I have no business telling kids like Steven about the kaleidoscope and new life without actually living it out myself.” He took a step closer to her. “Kate, will you help me live out a new life?”

He watched the color rise prettily in her cheeks. “
Jah,
” she whispered.

And then he did bend to take her in his arms, melding her sturdy frame to him, loving her gentle curves. He reached sure fingers to find the damp ties of her bonnet and slipped it off, then he undid her cloak. “Kiss me,” he commanded in a whisper, and she complied until he could no longer think, only feel and taste and want.

 

Kate was awash in sensation. Of their own accord, her fingers found one of the pins that held his shirt together and she tugged it free. He groaned in response, his eyes half-closed in pleasure. Her fingertips found the hot, satiny feel of his bare skin and she wanted more, moving on to the next pin down. She slipped it out, momentarily letting her finger run along the pointed edge, enjoying the prick of sensation before dropping the pin to the floor.

“
Ach,
Sebastian . . .” she whispered, spreading the blue cloth of his shirt. “You're beautiful.”

“
Nee.
” He shook his head and stared down at her with a hot light in his blue eyes. “You are beautiful, and soon you will be my
frau
and we can finish what we only play at now.”

His words sent a fever pulse rushing through her blood, and she stretched to kiss his mouth when a faint sound stopped her.

“What is that?” she asked, noting that he, too, had raised his head to listen.

“It's the school bell. I haven't heard it rung like that in years.” He gently put her from him. “I'd better go and check. Something must be wrong.”

Kate snatched up her cloak from the floor. “I'm going with you.”

He nodded his assent, then took her arm in his to go outside and hurriedly harness the cutter sled. Soon they were off across the darkening white fields, and Kate found herself praying that whatever was wrong would soon be righted.

They soon arrived at the school, where many other folks had already gathered. Kate saw that the bishop had been standing on the snowy steps, but he hurried down and through the small crowd when he saw Sebastian and her arrive.

“Kate,” Bishop Umble puffed, clearly distraught. “You're all right? I was so afraid after you took my sled that you'd had an accident.”

“What?” she asked blankly. “I didn't take your sled. I walked to Sebastian's.”

Bishop Umble stepped back with a frown. “Then who . . . ?”

A bolt of intuition caused Kate's heart to pound with sudden fear. “Where's Ben? Is he at your
haus?
”

“
Nee.
” The bishop shook his head. “Martha and I thought he'd surely gone with you, but that sled wasn't safe.”

Kate sat, frozen in horror as all manner of images of Ben being hurt rushed through her mind. “The workshop,” she said slowly. “We had words about him going to Sebastian's workshop. He must have somehow gotten into the sleigh and taken it alone.”

“Then we need to search the distance between,” Joseph King, a tall, dark-haired man, said briefly. “The dark will soon be against us.”

“
Jah,
” Sebastian agreed. “Some on sleds; some on foot. We need lanterns.”

“I want to go,” Kate said.

“
Nee,
sweetheart, please. I cannot worry about both of you. . . .” He paused and Kate shuddered as she felt the first drops of a freezing rain begin to pelt the area.

“
Ach,
Sebastian . . . what if . . .” She could not finish, and he squeezed her hand tightly.

“
Nee,
” he whispered. “Don't think. Pray.”

Jude Lyons, the schoolmaster, had opened the school and was handing out lanterns as more men came. Soon women brought steaming pots of coffee, and the rain made dull clinking sounds against the metal, seeming to grate on Kate's nerves despite her gratitude for everyone's help. But night was coming, and she could only wait.

 

“Tim!” Sebastian called wearily into the dark hollow of trees, holding his lantern high, after an hour of fruitless search.

“Now, what in tarnation are ya hollerin' fer, boy? I gots the little fella, back in an old cabin here, safe and sound. 'Course he was pert' near frozen before I got him in front of the fire, but . . .”

“You found him . . . praise
Gott!
”

“That's who to praise, if I don't say so myself. You wanna come and carry the lad out?”

Sebastian caught his friend in a backbreaking hug, then put him down. “
Jah!
”

Sebastian followed Tim Garland back under the long, snow-crusted limbs of some heavy pine. There stood one of several deserted cabins on the mountain, lit up now by a cozy fire in the fireplace, shining through the window.

“Here we go,” Tim said, letting Sebastian in the rickety door ahead of him.

“Sebastian!” Ben cried merrily. “I'm having hot chocolate.”

Sebastian swept a sidelong glance at Tim, who shrugged innocently. “Ya knows I always carry a supply of chocolate on me.”

“This is Tim,” Ben said, wiggling his bare toes near the fire, where he sat under a pile of old quilts.

“I suppose you conjured up the quilts, too.” Sebastian smiled at his friend as he spoke in an undertone.

“I does what I can, boy,” Tim said humbly.

Sebastian moved to kneel down close to Ben and to catch the
buwe
in a close hug. “You gave your sister quite a scare, Ben. And I'm afraid there'll be consequences for running off like that. . . .”

“That's all right, Sebastian. I know what I did was wrong, and I did get very scared when the runner gave way and the horse took off back toward the bishop's. It was so cold in the snow, but then Tim . . .” Ben yawned hugely. “Wait, where is Tim?”

Sebastian shrugged. “Hard to say.
Kumme,
let's get you back to your sister and call off the manhunt.”

Ben wriggled in his arms as he swept him up, quilts and all, and Sebastian knew how very much he'd come to care for the
buwe.

“What about the fire?” Ben asked, glancing toward the flames.

“Tim will see to it,” Sebastian said with assurance, then stretched to pick up his lantern and headed out into the night with his arms gladly burdened.

Kate promptly burst into tears when they began to ring the school bell again, indicating Ben had been found, and Sebastian walked in carrying her
bruder
.

“Don't cry, Katie,” Ben said, waking with a mournful sigh. “You can punish me because I know what I did was wrong.”

“Why did you do it?” she asked, feeling for him through the quilts, to reassure herself that he was real.

“I knew
Gott
didn't want me to, but I wanted to be grown-up and try to prove that I could manage a sled. Tim told me that a real man listens and obeys and doesn't run off plumb-crazy. . . .”

“Did he hit his head? Who's Tim?” Kate looked up at Sebastian worriedly.

“Ben's fine. Probably exhausted, that's all. Let me help you get him home to bed.”

Kate nodded, then thanked the bishop and all those she passed as Sebastian carried Ben to his sleigh. They rode back to Kate's in happy silence and then tucked Ben comfortably in bed, with several hot potatoes beneath the covers to keep his feet warm.

“I'd like to tuck you in, too,” Sebastian murmured suggestively, running his hands down her back when they'd closed Ben's door.

She stood stock-still, sensation drugging her with funny feelings up and down her arms and legs.

Sebastian sighed. “But I won't. There'll be plenty of time for that once we marry.”

Kate nodded, half-regretful.

But then he bent and brushed his lips across hers, pulling back for a heated second to murmur in her ear. “I wonder if I could have the pleasure of your company for a sleigh ride on Christmas Eve?” he asked.

She looked up at him in surprise. “But Ben . . .”

“Will be fine and fast asleep when we
geh
.” He smiled.

“
Ach
. . . all right. I'd love to.”

“
Gut,
” he whispered, bending to kiss her once more and then quickly leaving.

She stood for long minutes in the kitchen after he'd left, praising
Gott
for Ben's safety and looking forward with pleasure to the gift of a sleigh ride on the eve of the Christ Child's birth.

A few days later, Sebastian watched Tim button his parka.

“Well, boy, I expect this is the last run, bein' that Christmas is so close and all.”

“I know.” Sebastian sighed.

“Oh, now, don't you fret none—I'll be back next year, same as always.” Tim lifted the satchel of toys, and Sebastian held out his hand to his friend.

Tim shook it with a rough swallow, and Sebastian had to smile.

“You behave, old man.”

“Naw, you behave with that little lady. I look forward to deliverin' toys to your kids someday.” Tim grinned and Sebastian laughed.

“Give me some time.”

“Here now, don't take much a'tall when yous think on it. . . .”

“Never mind!” Sebastian opened the front door of the workshop, and Tim walked out into the north wind. Sebastian watched for a moment, then turned back inside to continue preparations for Christmas Eve with Kate.