Toby took a seat beside Marianne. He picked up a magazine and thumbed through it. He was surprised when she spoke to him. “Mamm said I had a good heart.”
It wasn’t much, but it was a start. His heart expanded with love for his sister. “Mamm always spoke the truth. She loved you very much. She loves you even from heaven.”
Marianne didn’t reply. She got to her feet and went to look through the magazine rack.
He laid his magazine aside and looked at Greta standing by the window. Pushing out of his chair, he went to thank her.
* * *
Greta folded her arms and stared out at the gray sky as she waited. Toby came and stood beside her. Quietly, he said, “I appreciate what you’re doing for the cat. It means a lot to my sister. I would like to reimburse you for part of this cost. If you would give me your address, I will send you the money when I can.”
“Don’t worry about the money. I’m just glad that I’m able to help. Unlike some people,” she glanced over her shoulder at her uncle.
“Don’t be too hard on him. Not everyone believes we have a responsibility to care for all God’s creatures.”
“But you do.” She looked at him and saw only sincerity and kindness in his face. He had a nice face. The planes and angles of it gave him a rugged look, but they softened when he smiled and his smile reached his eyes, making them sparkle.
He said, “I like animals. Dogs, cats, horses, cows.”
“Sheep?” she asked.
“I don’t know any sheep personally, but I’m sure I would find something to like about them. They look...fluffy.”
“Only until they are sheared. Then they look naked and embarrassed.” She pressed her hand to her mouth as heat rose in her face. Why had she said that?
He chuckled. “You seem to know your sheep well.”
She giggled at her own foolishness. “I live with my grandfather. He raises them. Spend ten minutes with him and his hired man, Carl, and you will learn far more about sheep that you ever thought possible.”
“Do sheep get along with cats?” He took a step closer and leaned one shoulder against the wall. His nearness sent a wave of awareness shooting along her nerve endings. She was stunned by a compelling urge to move closer to him, too.
She didn’t, but she wanted to. Looking down to hide that longing, she said, “As far as I know. I am a little concerned about our dog, Duncan. He’s not a cat lover.”
“Maybe he’ll make an exception for a cat named Christmas.” The sweet, low timbre of his voice sent her pulse racing.
“Perhaps he will.” She tried to get a grip on her runaway emotions. He was making polite conversation and nothing more. What was wrong with her? She wasn’t the kind of woman to get silly over a man. She was practical and levelheaded. So why did she feel giddy and happy when he was close?
She stole a sidelong glance at him and found him regarding her intently.
What was he thinking? Did he find her attractive?
Foolish thought. She glanced away and saw her uncle watching them with a sour look on his face. Instantly, she was back in his house, hearing his angry voice belittle her attempts to gain his affection. Anger rose up to choke her. Shame burned like acid in her stomach.
Toby said, “I’m grateful that you have been kind to my sister and I wanted to thank you for that. Having you along is making this trip much easier on her.”
Greta gripped her hands together. If he knew the kind of person she was underneath the calm face she wore, he wouldn’t want his sister having anything to do with her.
* * *
Toby wanted to see Greta smile again. There was something about the gleam in her eyes and the delicate curve of her lips that warmed him and made him smile in return. There hadn’t been much happiness in his life in the past two months, but this woman gave him hope. Hope that he and his sister could find their way back to each other. Greta seemed to be the oil that calmed their troubled waters. Marianne responded to her in a way she hadn’t responded to the nurses or therapists she had seen in the hospital.
Maybe he was being ridiculous. He’d known Greta for less than two hours, but somehow it felt as if he had known her for a very long time. Tomorrow, they would part company. It saddened him to think he would never see her again.
“What’s wrong?” she asked.
She read him too easily. “I was thinking that it’s a shame our journey will be over so soon.”
A hint of color rose in her cheeks. She focused her gaze out the window. “It has been interesting.”
“Much more interesting than I thought it would be.”
“What’s taking that doctor so long?” Morris asked, shifting in his chair and drawing Toby’s attention.
Marianne came to stand in front of him and held out a newspaper. “Would you like something to read?”
“There’s nothing else to do.” He took it from her.
“Du bishcht wilkumm,” she whispered primly and sat in the chair beside him.
Toby shot a quick grin at Greta and kept his voice low. “That’s the first time I’ve heard you’re welcome sound like a reprimand.”
Morris scowled at Marianne but nodded once. “Danki.”
“At least she got him to say thank you. That’s more than I have ever done.” The chill in Greta’s tone smothered Toby’s mirth and caused him to look at her closely.
All sign of emotion had vanished from her face. Whatever was wrong between Greta and her uncle, it wasn’t as simple as a grumpy elder making travel difficult.
She abruptly headed for the door. “I need some air.”
Toby started to follow Greta. He wanted to know what was wrong, wanted to help if he could. He opened the door, but Marianne shot out of her chair and rushed to his side, her eyes wide with fright as she clutched his arm. “Where are you going?”
Toby had his own troubles to deal with. He should be concentrating on his sister and not on a woman he’d just met. “No place. I was looking for our van, but Arles isn’t back yet.”
As he watched Greta walk out to the road, he knew he was kidding himself. He couldn’t ignore her even if he tried. Something about her touched him in a way no other woman had.
Tomorrow she will vanish from my life and there’s nothing I can do about it. We live hundreds of miles apart. How would I see her? There could be someone special in her life already. This is crazy.
Sighing heavily, he closed the door and led Marianne back to her seat. She hung on to his arm until he sat down, her worried eyes glued to his face. He tried to soothe her. “I know Aenti Linda doesn’t like dogs, but I wonder if she likes cats?”
Marianne relaxed and smiled slightly. “She had one named Boots...when she and Mamm were little.”
“Did she? I never knew that.”
“Mamm told me. Boots was yellow with white paws.”
Morris rattled his paper as he turned the page. “They shouldn’t be made into pets. God created them to catch vermin.”
“Mamm said Boots caught lots of mice.”
Morris huffed his displeasure and raised the paper to hide behind. Toby wondered