Everyone enjoyed the cakes, pies and other sweets provided by the women. Noah had come for his piece of Rachel’s chocolate-cream pie, as promised. He appeared to relish every bite before he was back for more. Rachel couldn’t help feeling pleased that he took so much pleasure from it. Charlotte and Ruth Peachy sat side by side with their bowls of vanilla pudding. It seemed the most natural thing when Charlotte reached over to wipe pudding off the little girl’s mouth when Ruth was done. Rachel ate a tiny slice of shoofly pie and then enjoyed a small taste of Miriam Zook’s butter coffee cake. Soon, with bellies full and the time growing late, families began to gather their leftovers and their youngsters to leave.
Later, only the Amos Kings and Rachel stayed behind to visit a little longer with the Samuel Lapps and to help Katie with the cleanup. As she collected dishes to bring to the kitchen, Rachel saw the older Lapp brothers begin to take apart the front-room tables. She had met all of Noah’s brothers this day. They were a fine bunch of young men and boys who teased each other while they worked together as a team. Hearing them reminded her of her own three brothers back home in Millersburg, and she got misty-eyed for a few seconds. There was at least one Lapp brother close in age to each of her brothers, Moses, David and Thomas, who were all younger than she. Today would be their day for Sunday visiting, too, and it did make her feel a little better to know that, in a way, things were the same here as back in Millersburg.
The kitchen was clean, and the food was put away in Katie’s refrigerator and pantry or in dishes ready for the Kings to take home. The men had gone outside to look at Samuel’s new milk cow. Katie, Aunt Mae, Rachel and her cousins sat on the front porch. Katie bounced her baby daughter on her knee. Little Hannah had been happy and smiling since she’d woken from her nap and eaten. She seemed content to sit on her mother’s lap and gaze at the other women.
Rachel studied the little girl and had the strongest urge to hold her. “May I?” she asked Hannah’s mother.
“Ja. Don’t be alarmed if she fusses,” Katie warned as she surrendered her baby into Rachel’s outstretched arms.
Baby Hannah cuddled against her without complaint. Rachel felt an overwhelming contentment as she rocked to and fro in the front-porch rocking chair, enjoying the warmth of the spring afternoon in the companionship of women she liked and respected.
Soon it was time for the Kings to return home. They didn’t have far to go, but it was getting late and there would be time for the family to enjoy the rest of the day reading, playing games or just resting in the comfort of their own home. Rachel stood and handed Hannah back to her mother. To everyone’s surprise, Hannah fussed a little before she settled down as Katie stood, rocking her against her shoulder.
“Good food and fine company,” Aunt Mae said. “A perfect Sunday visiting.”
Rachel and her cousins agreed. “Ja, and the weather is fine,” Nancy added. They went inside to gather their dishes and the leftovers given to them by their hostess.
“It’s been a gut day,” Rachel said as she prepared to descend the porch steps. There was no sign of the men yet, but she expected them to appear at any moment.
Katie smiled as she continued to pat her daughter’s back. “I enjoyed your company.” Her gaze shot past Rachel toward the barnyard. “You’ll come again soon. Don’t wait until next Sunday’s church services to see us.”
Rachel murmured agreement as she glanced back to see Samuel, her uncle Amos, Noah and three of his brothers as they stepped from the barn and started toward the house. She watched the men’s approach, trying not to look too much at Noah, but it was Noah who drew her attention. When she realized that he watched her, she felt her face warm and quickly glanced away.
With a dish in hand, she followed Charlotte as her cousin crossed the yard toward their buggy. Suddenly, Charlotte stopped and Rachel nearly bumped into her.
“Noah, would you like any of these cookies?” Charlotte asked. “Annie Zook made them.”
Rachel didn’t hear his response. She was trying desperately to move away, to give them time to visit alone. But as she hurried to turn, she tripped, and it was Noah who was suddenly there to steady her, his hand warm through her long dress sleeve.
Blushing, Rachel was saved from having a conversation with him when Aunt Mae appeared to urge them into the buggy. She could feel Noah’s gaze as she climbed inside. She didn’t glance back, but kept her eyes trained ahead.
Rachel hated that he had this strange effect on her. She had to avoid him as best she could without things appearing odd to anyone. Earlier in the day, several of the neighbor women had wondered aloud why Noah and Charlotte had not begun to court openly yet, but even if they were not official sweethearts, Rachel would not interfere. “It’s only a matter of time,” Miriam Zook had assured a small group of women when neither Katie nor Aunt Mae was present.
Since then, every time Rachel was affected by Noah’s presence, she felt a sense of betrayal toward her cousin, guilty about the way Noah made her feel. She knew what it felt like to be betrayed...and it was the worst thing she’d ever experienced.
Chapter Five
The day was warm, with a stiff breeze that tore at the garments Rachel and Charlotte were hanging to dry. Rachel secured cousin John’s overalls on the clothesline. Satisfied that the wooden clothespins would hold, she bent and lifted a wet mint-green shirt, enjoying the warmth of the sun on her face as she pinned it into place next to the overalls. The linen scent of detergent mingled with the aromas about the farm...the bright-red roses planted in the yard near the house...the smell of the family cow in a nearby pasture...the freshly tilled earth in the vegetable garden.
The wind tugged a dress from Charlotte’s hands and sent it flying across the yard toward her cousin. “Rachel!” she cried. “Get it!”
Rachel laughed as she quickly caught the damp garment before it hit the ground. “I almost missed it.”
“Gut catch,” her cousin said with a grin. She looked carefree and happy in a pale blue dress, white apron, and white prayer kapp.
Rachel returned her grin as she hung the dress. “These clothes won’t take long to dry in this weather.”
“Ja. It’s the perfect day for laundry,” Charlotte agreed as she reached into the basket for her sister’s black apron. “Dat and BJ are going to clean out the side room in the barn for this Sunday’s singing,” she continued, referring to her brother John, often called BJ, for Big John, when the family gathered. Little John was Sarah and Eli’s son—Charlotte’s nephew. “I think Dat is afraid if we stay in the house we’ll keep him up at night with our songs and fun.”
“It’s a gut space,” Rachel said. She grabbed a black prayer kapp and pinned it on the line. “How many will come?” The young people’s singing was an event held the evening of each church Sunday, usually at the same farm or home as the church services that morning. It was a time for young men and women of the community to intermingle for song and fun. Rachel had always enjoyed singings in her Millersburg community in Ohio.
Charlotte looked thoughtful as she continued to hang clothes. “There will be four of us—you, Nancy, BJ and me...the four oldest Lapp boys. The Zooks and Mary Hershberger...”
Noah will be coming, Rachel thought, a little disturbed to realize that she was pleased.
“And then there will be some young people from the next church district...I’m not certain how many.” Charlotte bent for a shirt and nearly collided with Rachel, whose thoughts had drifted. She laughed as she drew back quickly. “I don’t know. Fifteen or twenty?”
It would be a large gathering. “We’ll have a wonderful time,” Rachel said.
Charlotte grinned. “Ja. Lots of gut food, fine singing and wonderful company.”
The young women finished the chore and headed toward the house, their spirits high and their appearance disheveled