She nodded demurely.
He took a sip of his coffee, then looked to her father. “I’m working at the flooring shop right now full time during the day, but I’d be happy to come over and help you out after I’m finished for the day.”
Ach, Jacob was kind and thoughtful and hardworking. A man Rachel could easily admire.
“You would do that?”
“Sure, I’d be happy to. Besides, it would give me a chance to get to know your dochder better.”
He glanced up and boldly shot Rachel a wink. Ach, what must her vatter think of this forward man?
Dat’s face became animated. Ach, he must have really taken a liking to Jacob. “That would be wunderbaar. And you could take supper with us.”
“I’d like that. I can start tomorrow.” He scratched the stubble on his chin. “We should have a few hours for working, especially in summer yet.”
She’d get to see Jacob and have supper with him every day? Ach, that almost sounded too gut to be true!
“I…I won’t be able to pay you.” Her father frowned.
“I wasn’t expecting anything. It will be my pleasure. My vatter owns a large horse ranch in Kentucky. I enjoy caring for the animals. I can do most anything required on a ranch. Just put me to work.”
“Wunderbaar, Jacob. Der Herr has sent you our way, I’m sure of it.” Dat beamed.
Jacob’s gaze moved to Rachel. His eyes studied her intently. Ach, was he remembering their kisses in the buggy too?
Dat nodded, eyeing the two of them. He knew they were sweet on each other for sure and for certain.
TEN
Der Herr had been smiling down on him and Jacob knew it. Ach, it seemed He was leading him every step of the way, holding his hand in this new community.
Wasn’t that why he’d gotten along so well with his host family and others in the g’may? Wasn’t that why he’d secured a job so quickly—a job he enjoyed?
And of course he’d met Rachel. Wonderful Rachel. He knew it was still early in their relationship, but as far as he could see, she was everything he’d always dreamed of in a maedel. In a fraa. Mamm and Dat had been wise in sending him to this community.
He’d enjoyed working side-by-side with Marlin. The man really seemed to have taken a liking to him. Perhaps he was glad to see someone interested in one of his dochdern. That was quite possible, considering that his oldest dochder had been deemed an alt maedel in their community.
Jacob followed Marlin’s leading into the house, first washing up at the mudroom sink. Ach, he wished he could take a shower too, before seeing Rachel. She’d likely want a kiss goodnight—he knew he did—and he wanted to smell gut for her. But he hadn’t even the forethought to bring along an extra set of clothes. Au naturel is how he would have to remain. Oh well, she was likely used to the primal scent of a hardworking man. A trait common in their culture.
“Jacob, this is my oldest dochder, Leah.” Marlin moved close to the woman at the sink and lightly kissed her cheek.
Jah, he loved his dochdern.
“Gut to meet you, Leah.” Jacob grinned at the homely blonde. She seemed thin, to his thinking. Was that part of the sickness Rachel had mentioned? His heart went out to Leah.
He couldn’t see any reason the buwe in this community wouldn’t have courted her. She wasn’t as schee as his Rachel, but she certainly wasn’t ugly.
She nodded demurely. “Welcome to our home.”
“Denki.” He glanced around the room, but didn’t see Rachel.
“She’ll be down soon, Jacob. Likely wants to look her best for her beau.” Marlin chuckled.
Ach, so Marlin suspected they were courting. Gut. Because he had every intention not only to court Rachel Schmidt, but to marry her someday too, Gott willing.
“Is there anything I can help out with?” He offered.
“Nee,” Leah said. “As soon as Rachel comes downstairs, we can sit down to eat. Everything is pretty much ready.”
Marlin eyed Jacob. “Why don’t you go fetch her?”
“You want me to go…upstairs?” Jacob’s jaw slacked. Surely he’d thought that would be considered inappropriate. But if he had Rachel’s vatter’s permission…
Marlin nodded.
Jacob didn’t need any more encouragement. He considered finding Rachel a privilege. As soon as he hit the top of the stairs, he listened for movement.
Rachel’s bedroom must be to the right of the hallway. But he shouldn’t just walk in. What if she was…
He cleared his throat. “Uh, Rachel?” He squeaked out.
“Ach!” He heard her gasp before he saw her. “Jacob?” She poked her head out of a room.
She was gorgeous as ever. A million years could pass and he’d never tire of beholding her beautiful countenance. And her smile. Ach. Just her smile seemed to make his knees weak.
“Your dat said I could find you up here.” He glanced back toward the stairs. “Leah said supper is ready.”
He was unsure how their household was run, but he guessed tonight was Leah’s night to make supper. He’d ask Rachel later. Right now, he just wanted to claim a kiss before they had to rush downstairs.
“Okay.” She eyed him timidly and stepped out of her room.
He inched near, begging permission with his gaze. At her consensual nod, he pulled her into his arms and dipped his head. His lips brushed hers, reminding him how gut a kiss with Rachel felt. Hopefully she felt the same way about him. Her arms wrapped around him, but he stepped back.
“Ach, I’m sorry. I’ve been outside working. I know I can’t smell gut. And I’m likely all sweaty.”
She opened her mouth to speak. “I—”
“You two coming or should we eat without you?” Marlin’s voice called up the stairs.
“Uh, jah, we’re coming,” Rachel hollered, her cheeks rosy. She took a deep breath and tugged on his hand, leading the way to the stairs. “Kumm.”
If Jacob had his way, he’d tell Marlin and Leah to go ahead and eat without them. If only…
They could eat anytime. Kisses were few and far between. Then again, if they stayed upstairs…alone…kissing. Nee, that would not be a wise idea.
He didn’t know how Rachel did it, but she held this unseen power over him. He was clay in her hands and she could mold him into anything, talk him into anything, get him to do anything.
How in der welt was that possible? They’d only met just yesterday.
Ach, she was dangerous. A wild exciting crazy dangerous. And, Gott help him, he loved her. Craved her. Needed her.
Jah, kissing alone in a bedroom would definitely have to wait till after they were married. Because he was sure and certain that she was, without a doubt, the one.
ELEVEN
After supper, Jacob insisted on helping Rachel with the dishes. Dat sat in his usual place in the living room—his beloved hickory rocker that matched Mamm’s—and read The Budget newspaper. Leah had retreated to her room again. It seemed she’d been spending more and more time there. Alone.
Rachel’s heart ached for her schweschder. What must it be like to walk in her shoes? What was Der Herr’s plan for her life? Surely not pain and suffering. Surely not a life alone. But who was she to guess at what Gott’s purposes were for another person? Nee, she couldn’t even begin to think she knew the thoughts of Der Herr.
A sudden verse she’d heard during church popped into her head. For I know the thoughts I think toward you, saith the LORD. Thoughts of good and not of evil. To give you an expected end.
Jah, Der Herr desired gut. Even for Leah. But how? When?
With dishes now finished, Jacob grasped her hand and tugged her toward the door.
“Just a minute.” She held up a finger, then stuck her head around the wall into the living room. “Dat, Jacob and I are going out.”
“I won’t wait up for you,” Dat called.
Gut. Because if there was a chill in the air, she’d like the option of ducking into the house, with privacy.
&nb
sp; They stepped outside and Jacob pointed to one of the fields. “I saw your sheep today.”
Her smile widened. She loved caring for her sheep. They were friendly, yet docile, and they followed her as soon as she came near. Sometimes, she didn’t even need to speak a word.
“Do you use their wool?”
She nodded. “I process it and sell it. Kumm, I will show you.”
Excitement spiraled in her belly at the thought of showing Jacob a huge part of her world. Hopefully, he’d love it just as much as she did.
They stepped into the barn and she led him to her wool production wing. Too bad it was the wrong time of year for processing so he wouldn’t be able to see the production in action.
“Wow! This looks impressive. What is it?” He chuckled.
“Well, first of all, Dat and I bring the sheep in and keep them in this large stall. They tend to like to stay together and it’s less distressing to them.” She explained. “Then, one by one, we bring them out and shear them.”
She showed him the shears.
“Electric?”
“Jah. We have a generator that powers our electric equipment. We separate the wool, depending on which part of the body it’s from.
“After that, we put it into this and fill it with very hot water.” She pointed to their giant cast iron pot that had always reminded her of a witch’s cauldron she’d seen in a Halloween display. “Then we leave it for a day.”
“Why?”
“It separates the lanolin. Lanolin is like an oil in the fiber that can be used for creams and lotions. So, after it’s been sitting, the next day, we collect the lanolin. It rises to the top of the water and we just skim it off.”
He nodded. “Interesting.”
“Jah. Sheep are such useful creatures.” She smiled. “From there, we wash the fleece. It takes a couple of rinses to get it nice and white. We put it out on screens to dry. Then after it dries, we pull it apart to thin it out. We try to remove the pieces of grass and debris.”
She picked up a pair of flat brushes. “After that, we card it. It’s basically similar to brushing hair.” She pointed to their carding machine. It was a contraption that had two thick wooden dowel-like wheels. One was fat and the other was much smaller. They both had tiny metal spikes like the brushes. It was turned by a handle on the side.
“What is that?”
“You can either card it by hand or use this. This is a carding machine. We run the wool through it and it thins it out and makes it kind of fluffy.” She demonstrated by turning the handle.
“From there, we pull it into long strips called roving, then I will take the roving, pull them to a certain thickness and put a little twist into it, then feed them through this.” She pointed to a wooden spinning wheel. “This will spin and collect the yarn on the bobbin. It’s pretty much done after that.”
“Do you sell it then?”
She nodded. “Jah. I will take it to the dry goods store and they sell it for me.”
“You are a remarkable woman, Rachel King.” He pulled her close and into his arms. The look of admiration in his eyes was unmistakable.
She gasped when she realized what he’d said. She leaned back and stared at him, searching his eyes. Surely he was teasing. “King?”
“I can dream, can’t I?”
“Jah, but I don’t think the leaders are going to approve of a marriage after two days.” She smiled, content to be in Jacob’s strong arms, hearing his heart beat against her ear. Ach, she could stay like this forever.
“I know. We’ll have to be patient, for sure. I’m just staking my claim.” He caught her eye and winked, then brushed her lips with a soft kiss.
“I’m all yours,” she whispered.
“Nee, not yet.”
“My heart is, I mean.”
“I’m glad to hear it. I think you know where my heart lies.” The back of his hand slowly trailed her cheek.
Jah, next to mine. What would it be to lie next to Jacob as his fraa? Her cheeks warmed at the thought. “I think I love you.” Ach, had she really said that out loud? Oh, no. “Ach, I mean—”
He put a finger to her lips. “Shh…”
He gazed into her eyes. “I know I love you. I don’t know how, but somehow, before we even talked to each other, it’s like my heart said ‘that is her.’ It seems like sometimes, the heart just knows.”
“Maybe it was Der Herr.”
“Ach, it was definitely Der Herr. I have no doubt about that.” He stepped back. “Rachel, before we…I…I need to tell you something.”
“You can share anything with me.”
He shook his head. “You won’t want to hear this. It is not gut.”
He moved away from her touch, leaving her bereft.
She wished she could wipe the frown and the look of worry from his face.
“But you should know. Especially if you are to become my fraa someday.”
“Should…” She swallowed. “Should I be worried?”
He shrugged, his eyes pained. “Maybe.”
“What is it, Jacob?”
“It’s about why I left home.” He paced the barn floor. “I was selfish, Rachel. I was wrong. I’m ashamed to even admit what I did.”
Worry took root in Rachel’s heart. Please, Gott. I don’t want to lose Jacob. Whatever it is, give me understanding. Help us through it.
“What did you do?” Her voice emerged feathery and whispered.
“I stole something. Well, not quite stole. I tricked my brother into signing over mei vatter’s property to me. And I deceived mei vatter by changing Ephraim’s name to my own without Dat’s permission.” He blew out a breath. “But now Dat won’t change the will back. He says it is Der Herr’s will. And my brother, Ephraim, he wants to kill me.”
“What?”
“It is why my mamm and dat sent me here. Well, for that reason and to find a fraa. I didn’t lie about that part.”
“So, money is important to you then? More important than relationships?” The thought hurt her heart. But the Bible did say that the love of money is the root of all evil. She didn’t want to think of Jacob as evil, though.
“Nee, not at all.”
“Well, then, why?”
“I’ve always craved mei vatter’s approval, but he’s always favored mei bruder, Ephraim. I thought that, well, somehow this would change things. Ephraim isn’t a gut man. He’s always been rebellious, yet Dat has continuously supported him. I never understood that.” Emotion pricked Jacob’s voice and she longed to comfort him.
Ach, he was like a little child inside. He was hurting. Doing anything and everything just to get his vatter to notice him, to no avail.
“But forcing someone to love you when they don’t…” He broke down in tears.
Rachel stepped near and gathered him into her arms. “Ach, Jacob. I’m sure your vatter loves you in his own way.”
She wished she could write a letter to Jacob’s father letting him know the immense grief his son suffered. She was certain that they’d never sat down and had a heart-to-heart conversation. Sometimes, things could be resolved, or at least better understood, if the two parties came together for a heartfelt discussion.
She knew it wasn’t her place, but she was determined to do it anyway. Jacob’s father needed to know how his son felt.
“And your mamm?” she asked.
“Ach, I’ve never doubted Mamm’s love. She has always supported me. She was my best friend.”
“I’m glad to hear that.”
He took in a deep breath and pulled away. “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be. You are a human being with human emotions. They are given to us by Der Herr. Never feel ashamed of them.” She pulled him back into her arms.
“You are not disappointed?” He mumbled into her head scarf.
“Nee. I am not perfect, either. I have sinned too.” She pulled back now and stared at him. “Were you required to make a kneeling confession?”
“Nee. They l
et Dat and I work it out since it was a family matter. And since Dat had chalked it up to Gott’s will…” He shrugged. “But I have since confessed to Der Herr.”
“That is what matters, ain’t so?”
“Jah.” He nodded. “But someday, if mei bruder ever gets over his anger, I need to apologize to him too. Even if he was wrong on his part too.”
She didn’t know exactly what his brother’s part was, but she trusted Jacob to expound if he thought it was necessary. Better to let him share in his own time.
“You are a gut man, Jacob King.” She studied him in admiration.
“How can you say that? I just told you that I was greedy and deceitful and—”
“And the man I’d be honored to call mei mann.”
He traced her cheek with his finger. “Ach, Rachel. I am not worthy of you. For sure, it was Der Herr who brought me here. I have no doubt of that now.”
Rachel closed her eyes as he bent toward her. Kissing Jacob felt like the most right thing in the world at this moment. Nothing was going to separate them, she was sure of it. She would be Jacob’s for always and forever.
TWELVE
Nine months later…
Jacob’s heart somersaulted as Marlin stood up to speak to the congregation. In their district, it was the deacon’s job to publish engaged couples’ intentions to marry—a ceremony that would typically commence within the following month or two.
“Now, I will announce the banns.” Marlin suppressed what looked like a mischievous smile.
Jacob’s own grin stretched from ear-to-ear. He couldn’t help it. Ach, this was one of the most exciting days of his life!
“Jacob King and Leah Schmidt will marry on Tuesday of the following week at our farm.”
Jacob’s cheeks warmed and his head snapped up to look at Marlin.
Leah? Nee, her father had misspoken. He’d surely meant to say Rachel’s name. He wouldn’t correct him in front of the entire congregation, though. That was not his place.
Jacob’s eyes roamed the g’may and found his intended, shooting a wink in her direction. They both rose from their seats and immediately left the haus.
An Amish Deception Page 5