Courting Emily (A Wells Landing Book 2) Page 3

  “Your dat sent word that he’d bring some men to come paint this weekend,” Elam continued.

  Emily nodded. “We thought you could use some help.”

  He looked away, and she couldn’t read the expression in his dark green eyes. “Danki.” He turned back to her, his features blank.

  Nay, that wasn’t it. His expression was . . . controlled, as if he didn’t want her to see what was going on behind it.

  “He also said you would be coming by tomorrow to help Mamm.”

  He did?

  Emily tried not to let her surprise show. She should have expected as much. Just like she had told Mary last night, her father had set his mind to her marrying Elam Riehl. “Jah,” she said, hoping she didn’t look too stunned. What was it the Englisch said? Like a deer in the headlights?

  She supposed her vatter would get someone to take her place at the market or not open their stand at all.

  “Why are you here today?” she asked Elam, then backtracked when she realized how rude she sounded. “I mean, Becky usually tends your booth.”

  He gave a quick nod. “Her youth group went on an overnight fishing trip.”

  So he had to come to the market after milking the cows and helping his mamm get the younger kids off to school. No wonder his eyes drooped at the corners.

  “I’m sure she appreciates that,” Emily finally said.

  “Jah,” Elam said. “Danki again.” He rapped his knuckles against the table in front of her, then turned back toward his booth.

  Elam could feel her eyes on him as he made his way back to his booth. It was strange being in town in the middle of the afternoon, and he was a little jumpy. There was just so much for him to do at the farm, but he and his mamm had agreed that Becky should be able to do as much as possible during her run-around time. As far as Elam was behind in the everyday chores, one more day wouldn’t matter.

  Oh, he kept up the milking and such. He had the girls to help him with that. But it took him nearly twice as long as it had when his father was well.

  That had been just a year ago, but it seemed like much longer.

  Elam was grateful that his father was still alive after the kick he’d received last September. Many a lesser man would have died. Yet as lucky as James Riehl had been, sometimes Elam could not help thinking he’d be better off if he had died.

  He couldn’t help those thoughts, and they stayed in his prayers each day. He didn’t mind the extra work, not really, but seeing his father barely able to get around, not able to do any of the things he enjoyed made Elam grieve for his father as if he had succumbed to the crushing blow that fateful day. In a way, Elam supposed he had.

  But it had not been God’s will. That much Elam understood, even if he didn’t understand the why.

  Dan Troyer had just preached on that very subject last church Sunday.

  They weren’t supposed to question God. There was a wisdom in all that He did. But Elam did question, he did wonder. He prayed for forgiveness, then prayed for understanding. Then he got up at three-thirty and milked the cows.

  Elam slid behind his table and checked his cooler to see how much milk he had left. Three more jugs and he would go home.

  He checked the sun. With any luck he’d make it there just in time to start the milking again.

  Chapter Three

  “Whoa.” Emily pulled back on the reins and brought the buggy to a stop in front of the Riehl family’s house. She had prayed last night that it wouldn’t look as bad as she remembered, but it did. It looked . . . ragged, frayed around the edges, and in sore need of paint.

  She knew her father and the other men had made plans to come tomorrow and get the house and barn spruced up. In the meantime, she and her sisters would spend the afternoon helping Joy Riehl get everything in the house spick-and-span new.

  As if reading her thoughts, Joy came onto the porch drying her hands on a linen towel. She shaded her eyes against the bright noonday sun. “Ach, Emily Ebersol, have you come calling?”

  Emily hopped down from the buggy and grabbed the basket from behind her seat. Her sisters, all save Bea, filed out of the buggy. Susannah went around to unhitch the horse.

  “We came to help you today.”

  Joy’s expression was unreadable as she looked around at all their faces.

  “We brought you some bread and cookies.” Mary stepped forward holding the box filled with goodies. The girls had stayed up late last night baking in order to bring the offering today.

  A smile warbled on Joy’s lips as if she wasn’t sure whether to laugh or cry. “Come in,” she said, her voice thick. “Come in.”

  The girls smiled and tromped to the porch, stopping to greet little Johanna Riehl as they entered the house.

  “Have you come to mop?” Johanna asked them in Deutsch. At four, she hadn’t learned English yet and wouldn’t for another couple of years when she finally started to school.

  “Jah,” Emily said, smiling down at the sweet-faced child. She was blond-haired and blue-eyed just like her mother.

  Johanna popped her thumb into her mouth and solemnly surveyed the older girls.

  “Are you going to help us mop?” Emily asked her.

  Johanna nodded. “I’m a good helper,” she said.

  Emily laughed. “I’m sure you are.”

  She took Johanna by her free hand and led her into the house.

  The girls immediately got to work. Emily and Susannah started on the downstairs while Rose and Mary made their way upstairs.

  Her sisters returned a few minutes later carrying the sheets from the rooms. They laughed and joked with each other as they carted the bedclothes into the screened-in back porch where Joy Riehl kept her propane-powered washing machine.

  Susannah grabbed the broom from beside the refrigerator and started to sweep.

  “Where are your dusting rags?” Emily asked. She would set young Johanna to wiping down the baseboards behind Susannah.

  “I—I don’t know what to say.” Tears filled Joy’s eyes. Emily could see how tired and run-down the poor woman looked, and her heart went out to her.

  “There is nothing to be said, Joy Riehl.” She shot Elam’s mother a quick smile.

  “Danki,” Joy whispered.

  “Why don’t you go take a nap?” Emily suggested.

  Joy shook her head. “Nay. I should help. Strip the rest of the beds . . . draw the water to mop.”

  But Emily wouldn’t hear of it. “A nap,” she said firmly. “You can help us most by taking a nap.”

  Joy grabbed her fingers and squeezed hard. “You are a blessing, Emily Ebersol. You and your sisters.”

  “Danki, Joy Riehl.” Emily smiled. “Now about that nap.”

  Finally Joy agreed and retired to one of the downstairs bedrooms to rest.

  Emily noticed there were two rooms downstairs and sadly enough Joy and her husband no longer shared a bed. She mentally chastised herself for being such a busybody. But she remembered how happy the couple had looked before the accident. Not that they showed outward affection. But a body could tell when two people were well-suited. Joy and James Riehl were one of those couples.

  “Where do you suppose Elam is?” Susannah asked. She didn’t bother to look up from her task of sweeping under the kitchen table, but Emily could hear the intention in her tone.

  “I wouldn’t know.” Her voice held an edge she immediately regretted. “I suppose he is out in the pasture tending his stock.”

  Mary nodded, a smile twitching at the corners of her mouth.

  “Why?” Emily demanded. “Are you thinking of courtin’ him?”

  “Emily Jane! What a thing to say. Surely you know I was asking for your sake.”

  “My sake?” Emily squeaked.

  “Jah. Seems to me that with Luke gone, Elam would be the perfect choice for you.”

  “I don’t see how,” she huffed. “Besides, Luke is bound to return anyday.”

  Susannah stopped sweeping. All the teasing had drained f
rom her features leaving her expression serious. “You really believe he’ll come back?”

  Emily nodded emphatically. “Jah. I do. He just has to get this racing nonsense out of his system.”

  “And then what?” Susannah asked. “Do you really think Dat will let you marry him after all that?”

  Technically, after a confession and shunning, the person would be welcomed back into the church. But Luke hadn’t joined the church yet. He shouldn’t even have to go through that when he returned.

  “I don’t know why not. After he joins the church.”

  Susannah shook her head. “That’s the way it’s supposed to work but . . .” She trailed off not needing to say the words for Emily to understand. Their father was honest and fair to a fault, but he would not allow his daughters to consort with someone of the world. He simply would not tolerate it.

  But Emily already had her argument in place for when Luke did return. What better testament to the power of God’s forgiveness and supremacy than for the bishop’s daughter to marry a wayward soul who had returned to grace.

  “Elam’s cute, though. Don’t you think?” Mary asked.

  Emily shrugged, unable to voice the words that ran through her mind just days ago. Elam was handsome, in a burly sort of way. Though she would never describe him as cute. He was steady, solid, and dependable. He sounded like one of those Englisch commercials for trucks she had seen on the television in the hardware store. He had nice eyes, she decided. Clear and green, though the last time she had seen him they had been clouded with pain and worry.

  “All finished.” Johanna smiled up at Emily, then popped her thumb into her mouth.

  “Oh, no, liebschdi. Let’s get your hands washed before we do that.” Emily pulled the child’s thumb from her mouth and led her over to the sink.

  Johanna dutifully climbed onto the stool and allowed Emily to help her wash her hands.

  “You will be a gut mother,” Susannah said quietly.

  “When the time comes,” Emily softly returned.

  Just after three o’clock, Bea arrived. “The teacher let us out early today,” she called as she marched into the house. Bea had been disappointed that their father hadn’t let her skip school to help the Riehls and had vowed to join the other sisters as soon as possible.

  Miriam and Ruthie Riehl followed behind her, their footsteps quiet. Were they trying to not disturb their father’s rest? Emily hadn’t seen him the entire time she’d been cleaning.

  So far they had caught up the laundry, changed the sheets on all the beds save the ones downstairs, and swept and mopped from top to bottom.

  “Emily,” Norma squealed and threw herself into Emily’s arms. “I have missed you.”

  Emily returned the young girl’s hug. “I’ve missed you too. Have you been gut for Lilly Joyce?” she asked, indicating their new teacher.

  Norma solemnly nodded. “She’s nice,” she said, then lowered her voice for only Emily to hear. “Just not as nice as you.”

  Emily chuckled and squeezed the girl a little tighter before letting her go. “Are you hungerich?” She took the child by the hand and led her toward the kitchen. “Come on, girls, let’s get a snack before we start the rest of the chores.”

  “We must be quiet,” Miriam said with a shake of her head. Her hair gleamed like copper in the sunshine streaming through the freshly cleaned windows.

  “Elam will be angry if we wake Vatter.”

  Elam’s not here, Emily wanted to say. Yet she held her tongue. Is this how he ran his household? No wonder they all looked so . . . sad.

  “Is everyone still here?” Becky burst through the front door, a pink flush topping her bright smile. “I am so glad to see you.” She gave Emily a quick squeeze, then went to hug Susannah as well.

  “How were things at the market today?”

  Becky shrugged. “The same I suppose. I missed you being there.”

  “We were just about to have a snack,” Susannah said.

  As if on cue, Mary and Rose appeared tripping down the stairs to join the rest of the girls in the kitchen.

  “It’s almost like a sisters’ day, jah?” Rose asked, smiling all around.

  “Almost,” Becky agreed with a grin of her own. Emily hadn’t seen her smile like that in . . . ach, in a year for sure.

  “What’s going on out here?”

  “Mamm,” Johanna squealed, jumping up and down as Joy approached.

  “Have you been a gut maedel?”

  “A very good girl.” She nodded solemnly, though nothing could dim the sparkle in her clear blue eyes.

  Joy swung her into her arms and sat at the table watching as the young girls bustled around preparing a snack large enough for everyone.

  Emily was glad to see the purple smudges under Joy Riehl’s blue eyes were not as dark as they had been before, the lines of worry bracketing her mouth not nearly as deep. The rest had done the woman some good. Emily’s heart warmed at the thought.

  “Joy.”

  A hush fell over the room as James Riehl called out to his wife. He had one hand clutching the wall and the other braced against his heart.

  Uneasy glances flew around the room as all the Riehl daughters ducked their heads. Even Joy looked a little afraid that she had disturbed her husband.

  Afraid wasn’t quite the word. More like chagrined. But why?

  “James.” Joy hastily rose to her feet, allowing Johanna to slide to the ground. “I’m sorry. Did we wake you?”

  He moved his hand up to cradle his head as if the noise in the house was more than he could take. “I . . . my head hurts.”

  “I’ll get you something.” She rushed toward the back of the house. Emily could only suppose to the room where James slept. Emily had seen a variety of prescription medicine bottles on the nightstand.

  She approached where James stood at the entrance of the kitchen. “Here,” she said, offering him her arm. “Come sit down at the table. We were just about to have a snack.”

  He looked her up and down, starting with her prayer kapp and ending with the toes of her black walking shoes. “Who are you?” he asked.

  She tried not to let her surprise at the question show itself to his watchful gaze. “Emily Ebersol.”

  He gave a gentle nod, but no spark of recognition showed in his eyes. He slid his arm through hers and allowed her to lead him to the table.

  He wobbled on unsteady legs, or maybe it was his balance in general. He swayed as if he’d had too much dandelion wine, then collapsed into one of the kitchen chairs. The Riehl girls watched him as closely as the Ebersol girls watched the Riehls. What was wrong with everyone?

  “Mary, get one more plate down, if you please.”

  Mary nodded, the strings of her kapp dancing wildly around her shoulders as she reached for another setting.

  Joy returned with a bottle of pills and a glass of water, but other than her helping James take his medication, everyone else seemed frozen.

  What was wrong with everybody? She looked to Becky for answers, but the young girl was too busy watching her father to pay Emily much mind.

  “Would you like to go back to bed now?” Joy hovered at her husband’s side. Emily could already see the grooves that bracketed her mouth etching themselves deeper.

  “This girl offered me a snack,” he rasped, pointing to Emily.

  He was pale, wan, as if he hadn’t been in the sun in months. Emily supposed he hadn’t been, if he was unable to make his way from the bedroom to the kitchen without assistance.

  “I’ll bring you something to eat in your room. It’s nice and dark in there,” Joy said as if it was the best place on earth. The comment further cemented Emily’s thoughts. But how could he survive in the dark? Everyone needed sunshine.

  “Nay,” James looked as though he tried to shake his head, but stopped the action midway. “I think I would like to eat here,” he said. “With her.” He raised a hand to point at Emily again.

  She wasn’t sure if she should
be honored or frightened. One thing was certain: James Riehl didn’t spend much time with his family anymore and that broke her heart. He was walking proof that God was good, life was precious, and they should all be grateful for the time they had together.

  She smiled at James. “I’d be honored.”

  The girls relaxed a bit, though the noise level dropped. Emily was certain it was in deference to James’s head injury. No one had said for certain, but she got the impression his head ached constantly and everything from light to sounds were magnified.

  Yet it seemed as if the family needed something to be normal for once. Or at least for once in the last year. It was one other thing she could offer them in addition to a clean house.

  Once everyone had a plate, Emily looked to Norma. “Did anything exciting happen at school today?”

  The young girl glanced from Emily to her father before her gaze came to a stop on her mother. She shrugged, though Emily could tell she had something she wanted to say.

  “Tell us,” Emily encouraged. Something inside her said James Riehl needed this family connection more than he needed the pills his wife had brought him.

  “Jacob Beiler brought a bullfrog to school today and turned it loose just before math.”

  “Inside the building?” Emily tried to imagine the one-room schoolhouse with a frog jumping wildly about. That shouldn’t have been too much of a problem.

  “Lilly Joyce is a’scared of frogs,” Norma added while the twins nodded solemnly. They looked like they were about to burst with something they wanted to add, but neither one said a word.

  Bea laughed. “You should have seen her face.” She gave her own interpretation of the horror on the teacher’s face. “She ran screaming from the building hollering, ‘Mach schnell! Mach schnell! There’s a frog in the schoolhouse.’”

  “She made us all leave and stand out in the yard while she figured out what to do,” Norma added.

  “Then she sent Jacob back in to get the frog,” Miriam finally said, unable to hold in the words any longer.

  Emily was certain the Beiler family would be getting a visit from someone about the infraction, but she couldn’t help the chuckle that escaped her. She was well aware of the adventures of Jacob Beiler as she taught him last year. The freckled face bu was a bit of a handful thanks to his playful nature.