Elijah And The Widow (Lancaster County Weddings 4) (4 page)

“I’ve never seen Nancy happier,” Rachel said of her cousin.

Martha knew that Rachel had lived with her King relatives when she’d first arrived in Happiness. The schoolteacher’s cottage had been under construction back then. Once the house was complete, Rachel had moved from her aunt and uncle’s into her new home. Noah had been one of the men who’d worked on the teacher’s house. After Rachel and Noah had wed, they’d lived in the cottage until a new house could be constructed for them elsewhere.

Peter stood chatting with a group of young Amish men near the buggies. Martha eyed him a moment and turned to study Meg, who seemed annoyed by the young man. Anne’s younger brother broke away from his friends to saunter in their direction. He smiled when he saw EJ in his sister’s arms. “I’ll take him,” he offered as he reached for his nephew, who was clearly happy to see him.

Annie smiled gratefully as she handed off her son. “He’s a bit of a handful today.”

“He’s fine,” Peter said with a smile for the child. “He’ll be a
gut
boy for his
onkel
Peter,
ja
?” He casually glanced in Meg’s direction. “
Hallo
, Meg. You’re looking well.”

Meg narrowed her gaze. “Peter,” she acknowledged stiffly. When he looked back to EJ and walked away, the young woman appeared miffed that he hadn’t paid her more attention.

Martha hid a smile. She had felt the increasing tension between Peter and her young friend.
Meg doesn’t know it yet, but she may be sweet on him.

“Let’s go inside,
ja
?” Katie suggested. “’Tis a nice day but not as warm as I’d thought. May I help carry anything?”

Martha shook her head when Katie offered to take her chocolate cake. “I can manage.” She grinned. “I hear I should keep careful watch over this cake. Apparently there is someone in your family who may try to steal a piece before we’re ready to serve it.”

Katie laughed. “
Ja
, Noah, for certain. I’m afraid that most of my boys are partial to chocolate cake.” She smiled. “Except for Jed. Jed prefers Sarah’s cherry pie.”

Martha accompanied the ladies toward the house. Eli and Jacob came up from behind them. The twins were deep in conversation, oblivious to the women before them. She saw Eli nudge his brother’s arm with his elbow as he murmured something in Jacob’s ear. The two brothers laughed, the sound deep, masculine and joyful. Martha turned and found that she couldn’t tear her gaze from them as they drew closer to the women.

Suddenly as if he sensed his wife’s presence, Jacob glanced in her direction, his gaze brightening as it settled on his wife. He gave her a special smile. “Annie.”

“Jacob.” She nodded solemnly. “Gossiping again?”

He blinked as if taken aback. “
Nay
, I—we’re—” He apparently saw Annie’s smile because his lips curved up as he closed the short distance between them. “Trying to start trouble, wife?”

Annie blinked up at him innocently. “
Nay
, husband. I wouldn’t start trouble. ’Tis not the Lord’s way.”

Martha heard Jacob’s answering chuckle. She witnessed the couple exchange loving looks, and she wondered what it would have been like if Ike had cared for her as much as Jacob loved Annie.

An odd tingling started at her nape and traveled the length of her spine. Martha inhaled sharply when she realized Eli Lapp was staring at her. She experienced the urge to look away but didn’t. As their gazes locked and held, Martha heard Annie and Jacob talking, but their words were lost on her.

“Eli. Jacob. Would you bring out the other table?” Katie called.

“Ja, Mam.”
Eli broke eye contact as he and Jacob continued past them to climb the porch steps. The memory of his expression made it difficult for her to concentrate...and to breathe.

Martha and Katie followed the twin brothers into the house, while Rachel went to have a word with her husband. Missy and her daughters stayed behind and continued to chat with Annie and her mother, Miriam, along with Alta Hershberger, who just had arrived. Martha tried to force her reaction to Eli from her mind as she entered Katie’s kitchen, and she was successful until he and Jacob came out from another room carrying a small table. Then he was gone, and she could breathe again. “There is a lot of food, Katie,” she said with a smile.

“Plenty enough for all of us,” the woman agreed.

Martha wondered where she should put her cake plate as she looked over the kitchen countertop and trestle table.

“Chocolate?” Eli asked, startling her as he came up from behind.

She gave a nod but didn’t turn around until he added teasingly, “Quick, hide it. Noah’s coming.” She faced him and immediately noted his sparkling blue eyes and the way his male lips curved upward.

Her face warmed as she felt an instant attraction. She didn’t know whether it was his good humor or his teasing that appealed to her. Martha grinned, taken again by this playful side of him. “And you think I should give you the cake?”

“I can hide it for you.” He gave her a mock frown. “Don’t you trust me?”

“Should I
?
”
He amused her.

“
Ja
, you can trust me.” His voice was soft and her nape tickled again as she found herself doing just that. She handed him the cake. “I’ll put it in the back room,” he whispered.

She inclined her head. They heard Noah and Rachel as they entered the house. Eli slipped into the backroom while Martha stayed as Katie greeted the couple and smiled at her grandchild.

“Here’s my little
grossdochter
!” She beamed at the infant. “May I hold her?” She held out her hands.

Noah smiled as he handed the child to his mother. “Katy is a
gut
girl,
Grossmudder
. She slept until after seven this morning.”

“Wonderful!” her grandmother exclaimed as she held the baby close.

As Eli returned from the back room, Martha felt a little jolt in her midsection the moment his intense blue gaze sought and met hers. “Safe and sound,” he mouthed, causing her to smile.

Noah sniffed the air. “Do I smell chocolate?”

Martha regarded Eli with raised eyebrows before she went to check where he had put the cake—on the washing machine. He must have taken a peek beneath the plastic covering, as the scent of chocolate permeated heavily in the air and had filtered into the kitchen.

“It looks delicious,” a male voice murmured in her ear.

“Eli!” she gasped and turned, her heart beating wildly. “You startled me.”

His eyes twinkled. “I couldn’t resist taking a look, but I didn’t touch it.”

She narrowed her gaze as she saw his expectant expression. “And now you want a piece,” she guessed.

His handsome mouth curved into a grin.
“Ja.”

“I shouldn’t give you one.” She sighed dramatically, but she wasn’t really upset. She was pleased that he was eager to try it. “I may as well bring it into the kitchen. There’s no hiding it from your
bruder
now.”

Eli looked delighted. “Then I may have a piece now?”

Martha chuckled as she picked up the cake and carried it into the other room. “One. You may have one slice.” She grabbed a knife from among the utensils on the table. She sliced a piece, set it on a plate and gave it to him.

“Danki,”
he whispered, beaming.

“Do I get one, too?” Noah eyed Eli’s cake plate with a hungry look.

“
Ja
, of course. Big piece or little?”

“Bigger than Eli’s.” He flashed Eli a grin and then watched eagerly as she served him a slice of cake. His warm brown eyes gleamed with appreciation as he cut a mouthful with his fork and raised it to his lips. “I love chocolate.”

Martha smiled. “I never would have guessed.”

Eli beamed at her. “We all do.”

“Ja,”
Noah said as he raised a forkful to his mouth.

“Noah Jeremiah Lapp!” his wife scolded. Rachel winked as Noah stiffened before turning to her with a guilty look.

“Cake before dinner?” Rachel said with hands on her hips.

His expression warmed as he stepped closer. “It’s chocolate.”

Her brow cleared. “Ah, I didn’t realize. I certainly can’t have you missing out on a piece. After all, it may be all gone if you wait until after you’ve eaten a proper meal.”

She laughed when Noah blushed.

“It could be all gone,” Eli defended as he and Martha exchanged amused glances. He dipped his fork into the cake, brought it to his lips.

Martha couldn’t seem to take her eyes off him. “I should have brought two.” She covered the cake with the plastic lid. “Time to put it away before there’s none left.”

“
Gut
idea,” Rachel said after she and Martha had shared a smile. When Noah was finished, she grabbed hold of his arm. “We need to go outside.”

“Eli? Are you coming outside?” a young voice called into the house.

Eli smiled at Mary Peachey as the young woman entered the room. “Soon,” he told her. He didn’t leave immediately but continued to eat his cake. “That was delicious,” he declared after he’d eaten his last bite. Unlike Noah, who had rushed through his piece, Eli had savored every bite slowly.

“I’m glad you enjoyed it,” she said.

“I wouldn’t mind a second helping, but I won’t ask,” he added quickly when he saw her disapproval.

“Gut,”
she replied, trying hard not to be persuaded by his little boy smile.

He shrugged. “I should go.” He paused to study her a long moment. “
Danki
for the cake.”

“You’re welcome.” She turned to search for Katie.

“
Mam
’s
outside,” he said as if he’d read her mind.

Turning from his appreciative look, Martha refused to be charmed like the young girls who waited for him. She continued to feel his gaze on her as she crossed the yard to join Katie, Rachel and the other women who had gathered on the back lawn.

She knew the exact moment when he rejoined his friends. The girlish laughter that immediately came from the group at his arrival grated in her ears. Martha frowned. Why would she care who he spent his time with?

He took that moment to lock gazes with her. A small teasing smile played about his lips, making her heart race despite the fact that she didn’t want to notice or feel the slight hitch in her breathing.

“You can bring chocolate cake anytime,” he mouthed. A young girl drew his attention, and Martha looked away.

She had to admit that Eli was both handsome and kind, and if she’d been younger, never married and had never suffered a broken heart, she might have felt differently. Like the giggling girls across the yard, she might have welcomed the man’s attention. But she wasn’t young and she wasn’t looking for another husband or beau of any age.

Twice men had disappointed her. She wouldn’t allow one to disappoint her a third time. Especially a man like Elijah Lapp.

Chapter Four

M
artha enjoyed a pleasant visiting Sunday before heading home after the midday meal. It had been nice to see her friends. Watching the Lapps with their extended family, she’d felt the love and the joy that filled their lives.

She regretted not having a family of her own, one that she’d never have now that Ike was dead. There were times she’d wanted to see her parents and siblings, but they rarely ventured from Indiana and had come to visit only once, for her wedding. She had no intention of visiting her childhood home. There were memories there, hurtful memories. It was there that her sweetheart had asked her to marry him...before he’d changed his mind and chosen to leave their Amish life for the English world.

She loved her Happiness community. The people here had welcomed her with open arms from the first. They were always available for whatever she needed. She had made many friends, and her brother-in-law, Amos, his wife, Mae, and their children were her family. While she wished she could see her
mam
,
dat
,
her
bruder
, Micah, and sister, Ruth, she knew that this was where she belonged. She had married Ike and made this community her home. Why would she want to leave? It had taken Ike some time to ask to court her and then become his bride. They had been seeing each other for months at community gatherings before he’d made his intentions known.

As she steered her horse onto her dirt driveway, Martha recalled how nervous Ike had been on the day he’d asked her to be his bride. Once news reached the church community that he finally had popped the question, no one had seemed surprised.

“Took him long enough,” Mae had said. “But don’t
ya
fret, Martha—Ike will be a
gut
husband. I know he thinks highly of you. He’s been working up the nerve to ask you.” The fact that Ike had discussed her with his family was unusual, as courting was done discreetly and never discussed outside the involved couple until it became serious when the banns were read in church.

Hearing news of the impending marriage, Annie had confided to Martha that she’d wondered what had taken him so long to propose. Everyone had noticed the way Ike had followed Martha with his gaze at community gatherings.

Before the wedding, gossip about Ike’s earlier interest in Annie had caused Martha moments of unease. Since Annie was her closest friend, Martha had gone to her for the truth.

“
Ja
, he asked to court me,” Annie had said, “but not because he cared for me. He simply assumed that I’d grab my last chance for a husband.” Her friend had eyed her with concern. “Martha, you’ve nothing to worry about. Ike didn’t love me. His wife had passed on just a short time before he moved back to Happiness. He never once looked at me the way he looks at you. I have to admit I did give marrying him some thought, but only because I was determined to steer clear of young attractive men like Jacob. I’d had my heart broken by Jedidiah, and I wasn’t looking to get hurt again. Jacob loved me, and I fell in love with him, too.”

“You were meant to be together,” Martha had agreed with a smile.

“I didn’t even have to tell Ike. His interest had turned elsewhere.” She’d regarded Martha with warmth. “He’d met you.”

The day of their wedding was the happiest day of her life. Their first seven months of marriage had been wonderful; she was in love with her new husband, who was kind and attentive. Later, after he’d become disappointed that she hadn’t conceived, Ike had changed. He no longer paid her much attention. He’d spent all of his time on farmwork and looking for new farm equipment. She’d been upset when the shiny new equipment had arrived, but she’d kept silent. She couldn’t have stopped him from making the purchase. He was in charge of the farm and she the house. If her husband could afford it, why shouldn’t he have the best tools?

The men were coming to her farm for the spring planting on Wednesday. They would have a chance to use Ike’s equipment then. She had food to prepare and the house to clean. Meg, Charlie and Nell Stoltzfus would arrive tomorrow morning to help her get ready for the workers.

As she’d exited her buggy and approached the house, she couldn’t help but notice, as she had many times, the repairs that were needed to the farmhouse. Despite her gentle requests to fix things, Ike had turned a blind eye to the problems. He had bought this farm with its large English farmhouse incomplete. It must have used a lot of her late husband’s money and time to finish the house enough to live in it. He had grown tired of working on it or had stopped caring about needed repairs.

“I own the house free and clear, Martha,” he’d told her on the day she’d agreed to be his wife. “The house wasn’t finished, but I got it done and did most of the work myself. I paid someone to do the plumbing.”

Martha had stared at the brick house and thought it sturdy but too big.

“Someday we’ll have children to fill the bedrooms,” he’d told her.

Martha had blushed. That was a lot of bedrooms to fill, and she wasn’t a teenager with years ahead of her to have that many babies.

“
Ya
do want
kinner
?” Ike had asked, watching her closely.

Martha had nodded. “I love
kinner
.” And he’d looked relieved.

“We will be happy together, Martha.” His smile had been warm, and she’d felt loved. But there had been no babies during their time as man and wife.

Ike was a good man. She missed him, but she wondered how their relationship would have fared with no children. She’d been deeply hurt by his change in behavior, as if he’d believed that she’d defied him on purpose by not getting pregnant. As if it hadn’t been
Gottes wille
.

We married for better or worse.
Ike had been an active member of the Amish church. If he’d loved her, her husband would have accepted their marriage and their life together with or without children.

Martha sighed. She had to stop thinking about what should have been instead of what was.

“I will manage,” she murmured as she entered the big empty house alone. Ike had left her a nice nest egg, which would tide her over for several months. If the farm produced well this season, then she would be set for another year. She was glad that the property was paid for and the only thing she needed to be concerned about were life’s basics and whatever she needed to keep up with the farm. She needed to fix the things that Ike had ignored, for she could ignore them no longer. She knew that the Lapp men did carpentry work for the community. She could hire them to do the repair work.

Monday morning, Martha was cleaning the kitchen after breakfast when the Stoltzfus sisters arrived. She’d baked earlier and set out a plate. “Muffins?” she asked.

“We ate before we came,” Meg said. “Perhaps later with tea after we’re done?”

Martha smiled. “I made blueberry, chocolate chip and sweet.”

“I wouldn’t mind one now,” Charlie said. When Meg looked at her, the girl blinked. “What? I didn’t eat much breakfast.”

“Tea, anyone?” Martha asked.

“Nay.”
Charlie happily took a bite. “May I have some water?”

“I’ll have a cup of tea.” Nell, the eldest sister, came in from the outside. “I went to check on your animals,” she told Martha. “They look well. Have you given thought to selling any of your baby goats?”

Martha shook her head. “
Nay.
Do you know someone who is interested?”

“
Ja
, me.”

“Nell, what will
Dat
think if you come home with another animal?” Meg asked with a shake of her head.

“He’ll think it a
gut
idea,” Nell assured her. “Martha, I’d like a female if you’re willing to part with it. Think about it and name your price. Then let me know.
Ja?
”

“Nell loves animals and is always looking to add to our livestock.” Charlie took a sip from the water Martha had given her and set the glass down.

“I’ll think about it,” Martha said. She owned several goats. She probably could part with one or two.

Katie Lapp and Martha’s sister-in-law Mae arrived next. “I didn’t expect you to come,” Martha said with surprise as she held open the door for them.

Katie smiled as she entered. “We wanted to help.”

Mae followed Katie inside with a pie plate in her arms. “
Snitz
pie,” she declared.

Martha grinned as she accepted it. “Sounds delicious.
Danki
, Mae.”

The women dispersed to different rooms to give the house a thorough cleaning. Martha was a good housekeeper, so the work didn’t take long.

When they were done, the women gathered in Martha’s kitchen for refreshments. Martha made tea and coffee and set out the
Snitz
pie and the plateful of muffins and another dish of homemade cookies. As they ate, they caught up on community news and then left before early afternoon.

Martha needed to buy groceries to fix Wednesday’s food. She decided to make a quick stop on her way to the market to check on her friend Annie.

“Martha, what a pleasant surprise!”

“I wasn’t sure if you’d be resting.” She’d brought the last of the
Snitz
pie and made Annie up a basket of baked goods.

Her friend smiled. “EJ finally fell asleep, and I’ve just put on the tea kettle. Would you like a cup?”

“
Nay
, I should go so that you can have some quiet time and rest.” The teakettle whistled, and she insisted on making Annie’s tea. “After your baby’s born, I’ll come to help.” She would live to enjoy others’ children since she couldn’t have any of her own.

Annie blinked against tears. “You’re a true
friend, Martha. I’ll keep that in mind.”

“Gut.”
Warmed by their friendship, Martha cut Annie a slice of
Snitz
pie. “I have a few things to be repaired at the house.”

“How many things?”

Martha grimaced. “A lot.”

“Jacob’s father and
bruders
are fine carpenters. They built this
haus
.”

“I remember. I thought about asking them, but I know they’re busy with farmwork. Do you think they’ll agree to take a look when they have time?”

“
Ja.
I’m sure they will.” She leaned back in her chair and placed a hand on her pregnant belly. “If the others are otherwise engaged, Eli can do your repairs. He takes on extra work wherever he can find it.”

Her heart skipped a beat at the memory of Eli Lapp’s teasing grin. “To save money for his carriage shop,” she murmured.

“
Ja.
I told you about that, didn’t I?”

Martha nodded. “Would you like me to check on EJ before I go?”

“Would you?” Her friend appeared grateful, and Martha headed upstairs to the child’s bedroom. EJ slept with his legs curled beneath him with his little derriere pointed upward. She could see his sweet face; the little boy looked vulnerable and adorable. And he made Martha long for a baby of her own. She returned to the kitchen and her friend. “He’s still napping.”

“I love to watch him sleep,” Annie admitted. She started to rise.

“Sit,” Martha ordered gently. “You don’t look well.”

“I’m fine.”

But she didn’t look fine to Martha. Annie looked exhausted and uncomfortable, seated at the kitchen table with her eyes closed.

“Shall I get Jacob for you?”

Annie blinked her eyelids open. “
Nay
, he has too much to do today.” There was love in her gaze and deep affection in her tone.

“Stay home Wednesday, Annie.” Martha filled the dish basin in the sink, then collected her friend’s cups and plates.

“You don’t have to wash those.”

Martha turned to her with raised eyebrows. “
Ja
, I do. You’ve been a
gut
friend to me, Annie. It’s the least I can do.” She dried and put away the dishes. When she was done, she saw that her friend had fallen asleep in the kitchen chair.

“Annie,” Martha whispered, touching her shoulder lightly. “Let me help you to bed. You should lie down before EJ wakes up.”

Annie nodded and pushed back her chair. Martha took hold of her arm and Annie leaned against her as Martha walked her to her bedroom and helped her into bed. “I’ll come back to check on you later.”

Annie had already closed her eyes. “No need. Jacob said that he would be home early.”

“Rest. I shouldn’t have stopped.” Martha placed the small quilt at the end of the bed over Annie.

“Nay,”
her friend murmured. “I enjoyed your company.”

EJ’s bedroom was in the next room. If the toddler woke up, his mother would hear him. “I’ll lock the doors on my way out.”

“Danki,”
Anne whispered.

As she stepped outside, Martha was surprised to see Jacob and Eli ending a discussion. Jacob headed toward Zook’s Blacksmithy
while Eli walked to his vehicle with a tool belt draped over his arm. She was surprised to see his buggy alongside hers.

As if sensing her presence, Eli glanced in her direction. “Martha,” he greeted her with a respectful nod. “I didn’t expect to see you here today.”

“Eli.” She couldn’t help notice that the blue of his eyes matched the azure sky above. “Just stopped to check on Annie. Mae made
Snitz
pie, and I thought to share it.”

He smiled. “That was kind of you.”

“Annie is my friend.”

“Still I’m sure she appreciated your thoughtfulness.” He reached up as if to climb into his vehicle.

“May I speak with you?” Martha asked before she could change her mind. It was the perfect opportunity to see if he was interested in doing her house repairs.

“Ja.”
He faced her with eyes filled with curiosity.

“I know that you, your
vadder
and your
bruders
are skilled carpenters. I’d like to hire you to do some work on my
haus
, if you’re interested.” She didn’t know why she suddenly felt jittery inside. She would have to get used to hiring people and taking care of the things that her late husband had handled in the past.