Ruth smiled at the elderly man with genuine appreciation. “Thank you, Herr Lapp. And please thank Frau Lapp for me, too.”
He nodded and left them.
Ruth felt Ezra’s eyes on her and turned to him. He opened his arms and wrapped her up in a hug.
“You are a good woman, Ruth Miller,” he murmured. “Truth will tell, and your reputation will sustain you.”
“I love you, Ezra. Thank you for standing with me.”
He pulled back, a surprised expression on his face.
“Did you expect me to abandon you?”
Ruth smiled and kissed him lightly on the cheek. “Not at all.”
When they returned to the kitchen, Miriam and Daniel were waiting for them, both displeased about the incident.
“Are you all right?” Miriam asked.
“I am fine. You two needn’t have waited. It is getting late.”
“We wanted to be certain you were all right,” Daniel told her, giving her an affectionate kiss on the cheek.
“Well, now you know, so you can take your babies home.”
Daniel grinned and picked up Jacob, who even at not quite four months’ was already becoming an armful. Miriam wrapped a blanket around his much smaller sister and they headed out.
Martha stepped forward to take Ruth’s hand. “I am so sorry about Tamara,” she said.
“It is not your responsibility to apologize for your sister,” Ruth said.
“Perhaps not entirely, but I feel somewhat responsible.”
When Ruth only raised an eyebrow in question, Martha sighed.
“I have been doing everything I can think of to put you and Father together,” she said, smiling sheepishly.
“Have you?” Ruth asked, surprised by Martha’s frank admission.
Martha grinned. “Yes, because in spite of what my jealous sister thinks, I believe that you will be very good for him.
“You truly think so?” Ruth asked. “Is it not too soon to be thinking of this?”.
Martha took both of Ruth’s hands in hers and squeezed them. “Not at all. Joseph and my other sisters all agree. And I know my mother would approve, too. She would want him to be happy, and we believe that he will be happy with you.”
Ruth felt tears threaten and took a deep breath. “Thank you. It means a great deal to me to hear you say that.”
“I am glad.” Martha smiled and released her hands.
Joseph’s wife, Lydia, stepped inside the kitchen and nodded her approval. “Here is your basket,”
“Thank you, Lydia and Martha. For everything.”
“Will we see you again, soon?” Martha asked.
“I hope so.”
Ruth stepped out of the house in time to wave to Daniel and Miriam as they headed down the drive and made her way to Ezra’s buggy, one of only three still standing in the yard. John and Joseph were returning the last of the church benches to the barn, and although Ruth had hoped to talk to John, she supposed that it would have to wait.
“Ruth?” Ezra called. “Are you ready to leave?”
“On my way,” Ruth called, deciding that she’d just have to find a reason to speak to John another day.
Ezra handed her up into the buggy then joined her and snapped the reins to start their horse down the driveway. They rode home in silence broken only by the sound of the gelding’s hooves on the road’s shoulder and the occasional swish of a passing car. Ruth was grateful Ezra did not wish to speak about what had happened today. She had much to consider.
22
As dusk descended, Ruth sat in her bedroom window, contemplating the peaceful scene below. The sun had set, and the moon was just rising, a huge, yellow ball resting on the horizon. She wrapped the quilt around herself tightly and rested her head against the rocking chair. If she closed her eyes, she would only see Tamara Raber’s hateful expression and be left to wonder once more what she had done to elicit so much hostility from a young woman she barely knew.
“What am I to do?” she whispered to the night. Tears threatened, but she ignored them. Ruth’s frustration at having discovered that there might still be hope for her to marry, and marry a wonderful man, only to be faced with Tamara’s awful behavior threatened to overwhelm her. How can I ever marry John, when his eldest daughter hates me so?
A soft knock on her door shook her from her thoughts.
“Come in.”
Naomi peeked around the door then entered, closing the door softly behind her.
“Is something wrong?” Ruth asked, knowing how close Naomi was to the birth of her child.
“No. I just could not sleep.”
Naomi crossed the room and settled awkwardly on the wooden trunk Ruth used for a table under the window.
“Daed told Seth and me about what happened,” Naomi said.
Ruth smiled and reached out to take Naomi’s hand. “I thought he might.”
“I cannot imagine how horrible it must have been for you, first Tamara and then the elders. How could they have ever suspected you of impropriety?”
Naomi’s fierce defense brought a smile to Ruth’s face. “I do not think the elders did, particularly, but as Herr Hersberger said, they needed to investigate such a charge, no matter its source.”
“Well, you did well today, Daed said. And with the Lapps on your side, this will blow over soon.”
“God bless Elizabeth and Aaron Lapp.”
Naomi studied her aunt. “So, why do you still look so troubled?”
“How can I not be troubled when John’s eldest daughter so clearly despises me?”
“What she feels toward you should not matter.”
Ruth swallowed tears. “How can it not? She is his daughter.”
“Yes, but so are Martha and Mary and Bethany and Hannah and Susanna—and they love you. Joseph and Lydia do too. Tamara is the only one, and she is just jealous of you.”
“For Joanna’s sake, I suppose. Maybe Tamara has a point, though. Maybe it is too soon.”
Naomi snorted in derision. “Not very likely. From what her sisters have to say about her, I do not think she has ever thought of anyone but herself in her entire life. And anyway, why should her opinion matter so much? It is John’s opinion that should matter, and he is clearly fond of you, Aenti Ruth. Anyone who watches him can see it.”
Ruth squeezed Naomi’s hand hard. “I am fond of him too, Naomi, but I am so afraid we are not meant to be.”
Naomi wrapped an arm around the older woman. “Everything will be fine, Aenti Ruth,” she said. “I am certain of it. Please to not let what happened today discourage you.”
“And what happens if it discourages John to the point at which he decides that being with me is too much trouble?” she asked. “He may be wondering if I am worth the disruption to his family.”
Naomi pulled back, but kept her grip on Ruth’s hand. “I do not believe that for a moment.”
“But I cannot know.”
Naomi hesitated. “You can always ask him.”
Ruth looked momentarily panicked. “Of course I cannot ask him!”
“Why not? Was it not you who told us the story of how Mamm had rejected Herr Petershwim and then asked Daed to marry her, instead?”
Ruth sighed, resigned. “I should never have told you that story.”
Naomi grinned. “I, for one, am glad you did—especially now that you are so worried about John. You should continue the family tradition.”
“Your mother was an Otto. She only married a Miller, so the family tradition is not mine to keep—it was yours and Miriam’s.”
Naomi giggled. “But you and Mamm were best friends, so it should be no surprise that you would follow her example.”
When Ruth remained silent, Naomi sobered.
“You care for him Aenti Ruth, and I am certain he cares for you as well. If the Lord wills that you and John will be together, John will find a way to deal with Tamara. Have some faith.”
Ruth looked up to meet her niece’s eyes. “I will try
.”
“Promise?”
“I promise.”
Naomi smiled warmly. “Good. Then I will not worry about you so much, when I should be getting a good night’s sleep for my baby, instead.”
Ruth shook her head and rose from her chair. “Let us get your baby back to bed,” she said, helping Naomi to her feet and leading her to the door.
“I will be fine on my own,” Naomi assured her as she stepped out into the hallway. “You need your sleep, too.”
“All right. Good night, then.”
“Good night.”
Ruth watched until Naomi entered the bedroom she shared with Seth then closed the door softly. She glanced at her abandoned rocking chair and decided Naomi was right: she needed sleep, too. Shedding her wrap, she blew out the lamp and crawled between the sheets with a sigh.
Are you thinking of me tonight, too, John? she wondered, as she willed herself to sleep.
23
Ruth was putting the last of the breakfast dishes away when she heard a carriage in the yard. She went to the door and stepped out just in time to see Seth help Mary King down from her buggy. Dear Lord, she prayed. What am I supposed to say to Thomas’ mother?
Seth was tying off Frau King’s horse, but he was looking her way, bless him, his eyes asking if she needed him. Ruth smiled at him and quickly shook her head. She knew that Mary King was a woman seeking answers about her lost son, not a confrontation.
When the older woman reached the top of the porch, she turned her eyes on Ruth. “I must speak with thee,” she said formally. Ruth heard as much plea as demand in her voice.
“Of course,” Ruth said. “Please come in.”
As they entered the kitchen, Frau King paused as though uncertain.
“Would you care for some tea, Frau King?” Ruth asked, thinking it would at least give her something to do.
“Mary, please. And no, thank you. I cannot stay long. My husband…”
Does not know you are here, Ruth finished silently. “Will you at least sit down?”
Mary King hesitated then moved to the kitchen table, taking a chair and settling into it as though she were much older than Ruth knew her to be. Ruth took the chair opposite her, so she could see her face clearly, and waited for the older woman to speak.
“My…Thomas…can…will you tell me…about him?”
Ruth nodded. “All that I can. We only spoke for a few minutes, though.”
“Is he…happy?”
“I believe he is.”
“He is married.”
“Yes.”
“Matthew mentioned children. Did you meet them, too?”
“Yes. Yes, I did.”
“Tell me about them, about…my grandchildren. Please.”
“If not for their dress, they might have passed as our own,” Ruth said, smiling at the memory of Thomas’ children and hoping to put Mary at ease. “Though they wore light and bright colors, they were dressed conservatively—not at all like so many of the English teenagers we see around town, who dress so outrageously. They were also very polite toward me. And Thomas’ affection for them was clear, just as theirs was for their father.”
“What are their names?” Mary asked, her eyes begging for news of the son she clearly still missed.
“Tommy and Katie,” Ruth said. “Thomas told me his wife’s name is Katherine, so they were both obviously named for their parents.”
Mary nodded, lowering her eyes to her clasped hands resting on the table. “I can pray for them now, now that I know their names.” She looked at Ruth. “That could not be a sin, could it?” the older woman whispered. “My Thomas ran away and was shunned, but it could not be a sin to pray for my grandchildren, could it?”
Ruth shook her head, blinking back tears. “I cannot believe it could be, Mary,” she said gently. “How could asking God’s blessing on anyone—even Thomas—be a sin?”
When Mary took a deep, shuddering breath, Ruth reached out to touch the older woman’s clasped hands. “Let me get you a cup of tea, Mary. All right?”
“Thank you. That would be kind.”
Ruth rose and moved to the stove, where the teakettle was already simmering. She took the newly-washed teapot back down from the cupboard along with a tin of tea.
“Thomas did not leave because of you,” Mary said after a moment. “My husband is wrong about that.”
Ruth paused then continued measuring tea into the tea ball. “I know.”
“Matthew could never accept that Thomas was not a farmer at heart,” Mary continued, her voice weary. “I think Thomas tried—he really did—but it was never in him, and Matthew could never accept that his eldest son would not follow his own way and the way of his father and his father before him.”
“I remember how difficult it was for my own father—and even Ezra for a time—when Ezra’s Isaac showed no inclination to farm,” Ruth said, understanding completely. “It was easier for Isaac than for Thomas, of course,” she added as she poured the hot water into the teapot and brought it to the table. “First, because Abram was the eldest son, and he always loved the farm, and second, because Isaac was always so good at fixing things. Even as a child I remember him finding broken toys or broken tools and finding a way to fix them. He had a natural talent with wood, and when Herr Yoder recognized it, he asked Ezra if he could work with Isaac, take him on as an apprentice.”
“Matthew never gave Thomas a chance to explore other ways of working,” Mary said. “It was always the farm for him, and he believed it should—and would—always be the farm for his first-born.”
Ruth fetched two cups and saucers from the cupboard. After moving the tea ball around in the pot until the color deepened, she filled the cups and handed one to Mary.
“Do you take cream or sugar, Mary?”
“A little cream, please.”
Ruth found the cream pitcher in the refrigerator and brought it and a spoon to her guest then resumed her seat, sipping her plain tea as Mary added a splash of cream to her own cup and stirred it gently.
“It was Matthew who drove our son away,” Mary said bitterly. “He worked Thomas so hard, practically from the time the boy could walk. There was never any choice for Thomas, any other possibilities.” Mary looked at Ruth with a fierce expression. “Matthew is why Thomas left! Not you!”
She dropped her eyes and took a sip of tea, clearly struggling to regain control of her emotions. “I had actually hoped my son’s interest in you would give him a reason to stay,” Mary whispered. “I knew you would never leave, and I had such hopes that his love for you would keep him home, too.”
Ruth sighed as tears threatened. “He was never going to stay, Mary. He wanted me to go with him. Thomas told me last week that back then he just had to get out. I told him that I understood, but now everything makes more sense to me. I am glad to understand better, and I am glad you came here today, Mary.”
Mary sipped her tea, and Ruth saw a tear slip from the other woman’s eye.
“Did he find something to make him happy, do you think?” Mary asked.
“He told me the man who hired him became his mentor. Thomas must have been happy with the work and the arrangement, because he married his mentor’s daughter. I do not know what he does, but whatever it is, it allows him and his children to dress well and drive a car to Paradise from wherever they live, so he must be successful.
“And he does love his children, Mary. That much was obvious. There is not only love between them but affection as well. It was good to see.”
Mary looked up and managed a slight smile. “I wish I had seen it.”
She paused. “I think they did come by the farm. My youngest son, Peter, said he saw a car stop on the road that afternoon. The people got out and were taking pictures, he could see, but since they were so far away, he thought nothing more about it.”
“I am glad,” Ruth said.
“I wonder if I will ever see them, ever get to meet my grandchildren”
“Katie wa
s wearing a small cross,” Ruth said, remembering that small detail. “It might have only been for decoration, of course, but it might also mean they are believers.”
Mary took a deep breath and drank down the rest of her tea.
“I will believe the latter,” she said firmly, returning her teacup to its saucer and standing. “I will believe that I will see them face-to-face one day, when all the worries of this world are behind us.”
Ruth smiled and stood with her. “It is a good thing to believe,” she said. On impulse, she came around the table and hugged Thomas’ mother.
“I am glad you came today, Mary. Thank you.”
“Thank you, Ruth Miller,” Mary said, stepping back and looking slightly embarrassed by the exchange. She turned toward the door then looked back over her shoulder.
“We will keep this visit just between us, yes?” she said hopefully.
“Of course,” Ruth assured her.
“Gut.”
Mary opened the door and stepped out onto the porch. Ruth followed and was pleased to see Seth waiting there to assist Mary to climb back into her buggy.
When she was headed down the drive, Seth approached the porch. “Is everything all right, Ruth?” he asked, his concern evident.
Ruth smiled. “Everything is fine.”
Naomi stepped out onto the porch, and Ruth sighed.
“How much did you hear?”
“Just the very end,” Naomi said. “I awoke from my nap and heard voices.”
Ruth considered how best to proceed, but Naomi touched her arm.
“Do not worry Aenti. I will not tell anyone what I heard.”
Romance In Amish Country Series Boxed Set: 1-3 Naomi's Story; Miriam's Story; Ruth's Story Page 14