The Matchmaker (35 page)

Authors: Sarah Price

Tags: #Fiction, #Christian, #Romance

BOOK: The Matchmaker

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But the idea of William and his two unmarried daughters leaving Sugarcreek was not received as well by everyone.

“Florida?” Mary scoffed at the idea as if someone had just given her a glass of spoiled milk. “Oh bother! Who will help me with the
kinner
?” With a helpless expression on her face, she looked first to her father and then to Lydia. “You know I haven’t been feeling quite well! The headaches and fatigue! And those two
kinner
are so active. Cris’s family provides no help at all. Why! They return the boys to me in worse shape than when they left, what with all the cookies and sweets!” Disgusted, she returned her attention to her father. “If you move to Florida, you simply must leave Anna behind. It’s not as if anyone would miss her . . . ”

The comment, while seemingly harsh, didn’t faze anyone in the room. With the exception of Lydia, Anna knew that it was an accurate statement and not necessarily spoken with malice. Her quiet nature often caused people, especially her family, to overlook her at larger gatherings. And to be needed by someone,
anyone,
was better than to be needed by none.

“And when we return, then what?”

Mary sighed. “If Salome Musser would let us move into the big
haus
, we might have room.” She picked at a white thread on the blue sleeve of her dress. “
Mayhaps
this might be the catalyst for her to finally do the right thing,
nee
? Who ever heard of such selfishness? And with only Leah and Hannah living there.” She looked up, suddenly aware that everyone watched her, stunned by her sharp words. “
Ja vell
, it’s true! Her son did buy the farm, after all.”

Another glance at the clock and Lydia suddenly stood up. “Think about it, William.”

For a moment Anna’s heart broke. Her father looked around the room, his eyes taking in the freshly painted walls (for he always hired three young men to repaint them in the springtime), wood-stained trim work (something that Anna worked tirelessly to clean each week), and perfectly waxed linoleum floor (another task that fell upon Anna). Cleanliness was, after all, next to godliness.

“To have another person sit in my kitchen?” Emotion welled up in his throat. “Tend my Lizzie’s gardens? Who could I possibly entrust with such a valuable piece of my life?”

Gathering her black sweater, Lydia ignored his reservations. She spared a genuine smile in Anna’s direction before picking up her basket. “I heard that George Coblentz is returning to Sugarcreek. His older sister is ailing and they may need a place to stay.”

“They?” William’s mouth fell open. “You mean he has young
kinner
?” He shook his hand in front of his chest as if warding off something bad. “
Nee
! I won’t have undisciplined young ones tearing through this
haus
! They’ll trample the rose bushes, for sure and certain!”

Laughing, Lydia placed her hand on his shoulder, the closest gesture of intimacy she ever shared with him. It was
a simple touch that spoke of a deep friendship and even deeper tolerance on her part. “Oh, William! You fret over the most mundane things! Besides, it’s just George and his
fraa
, Sara. Their children are all grown up now.”

Anna picked up her quilting, readying herself to continue working on the blanket since Lydia was leaving.

“Coblentz?” William tugged at his neatly trimmed white beard. “I don’t know anyone named Coblentz.”

Lydia slipped her arms into her sweater and quickly extracted the strings to her prayer
kapp.
Her hand on the doorknob, she turned to wave one last time to the three young women before responding to his statement. “Of course you do,” she said, opening the door. “George’s
fraa
grew up here. Sara? Sara Whittmore?”

Anna’s fingers froze over the material, the needle only partially pushed through the fabric. She dared not raise her eyes. To do so, she feared, would allow Lydia, of all people, to read her thoughts.

“They are the most delightful people, and you know what they say about a woman without
kinner
,” she said, her voice light and breezy. “They take the best care of the
haus
and gardens!” One last wave and Lydia disappeared out the door. Behind her, she left four people in deep thought: three who wondered about this George Coblentz and how the
g’may
would react to the news of the Eicher departure while the fourth stared at her lap, her eyes glazed over and her fingers unable to extract the needle.

Whittmore. The name was far too familiar to Anna. While the voices of her family faded into the background, long repressed memories awakened. She lifted her eyes and looked around the room, her eyes seeing the very objects that so alarmed her father just moments before. Rather
than fearing the hands that might touch them in just a few short weeks, her heart pounded at the very thought of them staying in their house.

She sighed, lifting her eyes to the ceiling as she fought the intense pounding of her heart.
Oh
, she wondered, a deep and hollow feeling forming inside of her chest.
Was it possible that, once again, he might actually walk these floors?
The very thought led her to distraction and made her so uncomfortable that she had no choice but to claim a headache and, soon after Lydia’s departure, retire to the safety and isolation of her room. The only problem was that she was not alone, for the memory of Sara’s brother, Freman Whittmore, accompanied her.

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