He lifted his shoulders in an exaggerated shrug. “Jah, okay.”
Martha scurried off toward the restroom with Sadie beside her. Once they were inside, she turned to Sadie and said, “I just can’t figure out what the problem is between Toby and Luke.”
“I don’t know. Toby and Luke used to be such good friends. I first noticed some problems between them when Luke was dating Ruth.” Sadie groaned. “It made me wonder if Toby might be jealous.”
Martha squinted. “Why would Toby have been jealous of Luke dating my sister?”
“For a while, I thought maybe Toby might be interested in Ruth, but when I asked him about it, he said he had no designs on Ruth. When she broke up with Luke and started dating Martin Gingerich, Toby said he was glad—that he thought Martin was a better choice for Ruth and he hoped they’d be real happy.” Sadie frowned. “Ruth was happy, but for such a short time—until Martin’s life was taken by whoever rammed their buggy last winter.”
Martha nodded as the memory of that fateful night invaded her mind. She and her family had been waiting for Ruth and Martin to show up for Christmas Eve supper, but they never came. Dad and Cleon had gone out looking for Martin’s buggy and discovered they’d been in a horrible accident. At the hospital, they’d been told that Martin was dead and Ruth needed a hysterectomy. Ruth had been devastated when she’d learned that she’d not only lost her husband of two months but would never be able to have any children of her own, either.
“I’m glad Ruth’s found love again,” Sadie said. “She deserves to be happy. I know she’ll make a fine fraa for Abe and be a good mudder to his kinner.”
Martha nodded. “All of Abe’s children, especially Esta, have taken a liking to Ruth.”
“So, are you and Luke courting?” Sadie whispered.
“Of course not. I told you at the table that Luke and I are just sharing a pizza.” Martha slid over in front of the mirror to be sure her kapp was on straight.
“I can tell you like him. It’s written all over your face.” Sadie stood beside Martha. “I think Luke likes you, too.”
“What makes you think that?”
“I never saw Luke look at Ruth the way he looked at you out there.”
Martha felt the heat of a blush sweep across her face, and she covered her cheeks with her hands. “Even if I do feel something for Luke, and even if he returns those feelings, there’s no hope of us ever being together.”
“Why not?”
“Unless someone can prove that Luke’s not responsible for the attacks against our family, Dad would never give his blessing for Luke to court me.”
Sadie’s eyes widened. “You don’t really think Luke had anything to do with those horrible things, do you?”
“Not me. But my daed suspects Luke.”
“He has no proof, right?”
Martha shook her head. “There’s no proof of Luke’s innocence, either.”
“What are you going to do?”
Martha shrugged. She wasn’t about to tell Sadie that she planned to do some investigating on her own. Sadie might tell Toby. Knowing Toby, he’d probably blab it to his dad or someone else. For now, Martha would tell no one what she planned to do.
Luke leaned his elbows on the table and stared at Toby. “Are you trying to make me look bad in front of Martha?”
Toby’s eyes narrowed. “What do you mean?”
“I think you know what I mean. You brought up my truck, made it sound like I wasn’t a good person because I hadn’t joined the church, and suggested I marry Martha.”
“Huh?” Toby’s eyebrows shot up. “I never said that.”
“Jah, well, you said I should find a good woman to marry, and you looked right at Martha when you said it.” Luke grunted. “What were you trying to do, give her some hope of something that’s never going to happen?”
“Does that mean you don’t like her?”
“Jah, I like her; Martha’s very nice. But that doesn’t mean I’m going to marry her.”
Toby ran his index finger around the middle of his glass. “If you started courtin’ Martha, you might fall in love and decide to get married, jah?”
Luke shrugged.
“Is there something holding you back?”
“Of course there’s something. Martha’s daed, that’s what’s holding me back!”
Toby gave him a knowing look. “That’s right. You’re not one of Roman Hostettler’s favorite people these days, are you?”
Luke shook his head. “Unless I can prove I’m not responsible for the attacks that have been made on Roman’s family, I’ll probably never be accepted by him.”
“How you gonna prove that?”
“I don’t know.”
“If you ask me, the best thing you can do is sell that truck and—”
Luke held up his hand. “Enough about my truck. Like I said before, I’ll sell it when I’m ready.”
Toby wrinkled his nose. “You always did like to have the last word, didn’t you?”
Luke opened his mouth to defend himself but closed it again. What was the point of discussing something with someone who obviously wanted to goad him into an argument? For some time, Toby seemed to need to make Luke look bad. Ever since they were twelve years old and Luke had been declared the winner of a game of horseshoes Toby thought he should have won, there’d been a competitive spirit between them. Could Toby still be holding a grudge because Luke had always been able to do things better than him?
Luke balled his napkin into the palm of his hand. Can I help it if I’m better at playing ball, buggy racing, and fishing than Toby? He ought to grow up.
Martha and Sadie returned to the table just then, and Luke pushed his thoughts aside. He didn’t want his lunch with Martha to be ruined, so he would do whatever was needed in order to keep the peace with Toby.
Luke was glad when their pizzas finally came. Now he could concentrate on eating.
By the time they’d finished their pizza and Sadie and Toby had left the restaurant, Martha’s nerves were taut. Not only had she and Luke not been able to visit during their meal, but there’d been such tension between Luke and Toby that it had been hard to think of anything to talk about. She hadn’t enjoyed her pizza that much, either.
“What was the problem between you and Toby?” Martha asked Luke as they walked out the door and approached her buggy.
Luke leaned against the driver’s side of the buggy and folded his arms. “I think Toby is falsch.”
“Resentful? Why do you think that?”
“Ever since we were kinner, I’ve been able to do things better than him.”
She pursed her lips. “Lots of people can do things better than me, and I don’t feel falsch toward them.”
“Jah, well, Toby’s the bishop’s son. I think he feels he has to live up to his daed’s expectations to be perfect.”
“That’s narrisch. I doubt anyone expects Toby to be perfect just because his daed’s the head minister in our church.”
“It might seem crazy, but if Toby thinks he’s expected to be perfect and knows he’s not. . .” Luke reached under his straw hat and scratched his head. “And if he’s struggling with issues concerning me. . .”
“Then he needs to get over it,” Martha interrupted. “He needs to be the best person he can, not compare himself to you or anyone else.”
“That’s what I think, too.” Luke moved away from the buggy and reached out to stroke Martha’s horse behind its ear. “I’ve been thinking about the attacks at your place. I wonder if someone might be trying to make me look guilty in order to get even with me for something.”
“Like who?”
He turned his hands palm up. “I don’t know, but I’m aiming to find out.”
“How?”
Luke shrugged. “Haven’t figured it out yet.”
Martha drew in a deep breath and decided to say what was on her mind. “Would it be all right if I asked you a personal question, Luke?”
“Ask away.
”
“Would you mind telling me where you were around three o’clock on Thursday morning?”
“In bed, of course. Where else would I be in the middle of the night?”
She swiped her tongue over her lower lip as she struggled for the right words. Should she tell Luke that she’d seen a man dressed in Amish clothes running across the field?
Luke took a step closer to Martha. “Why did you ask where I was early Thursday morning? You don’t think I had anything to do with you getting doused with that bucket of paint, I hope.”
She swallowed hard. “When I left the barn, I shined my flashlight on the field behind our house, and I saw a man who looked like he was wearing Amish clothes running through the field.”
Luke slapped his hands together, causing Martha to jump and her horse to whinny. “I told you someone’s trying to make it look like it’s me!” He shook his head vigorously. “It wasn’t me, Martha. You’ve got to believe me.”
“I want to believe you, and I’m hoping to do some investigating so I can find out who’s responsible.”
Luke’s face blanched. “You’re kidding, right?”
She shook her head.
“Snooping around could get you in trouble with your daed, not to mention that it could be dangerous if the culprit finds out you’re on to him.”
“Or her. It could be a woman, you know.”
Luke grasped Martha’s arm. “Promise you won’t do anything on your own?”
“I can’t make that promise. I—”
“How about we work together on solving these crimes?” he suggested. “After all, ‘two heads are better than one.’ ”
She nodded as a sense of relief flooded her soul. If Luke wanted to help her find out who was responsible for the attacks, then he couldn’t be responsible.
Where are you going?” Mom asked as Martha headed for the back door. “If we don’t get this kitchen cleaned up right away, we’ll be late for Sadie and Toby’s wedding.”
Martha grabbed a shawl from the wall peg near the door. “I know, but I want to check on Heidi’s puppies.”
Mom sighed as she lifted her gaze toward the ceiling. “You and those hundlin. I wouldn’t be surprised if you weren’t late for your own wedding because you were checking on some dog.”
“Heidi’s puppies are only a couple of days old, Mom. I need to be sure all five are getting plenty of milk. One of them’s a runt, you know.”
“I’m sure everything will be fine. Heidi did well with her last batch of pups, didn’t she?”
Martha nodded. “Except for that one pup I found dead in the yard.”
“Accidents happen,” Mom said.
“I know.”
“My point is,” Mom said in a patient tone, “that you spend too much time with your hundlin and not enough time socializing. You’ll never find a husband if you don’t take an interest in courting.”
“I’d need to find someone interested in courting me first.”
Mom reached for the dishwashing liquid. “I’m sure the right man’s out there. You’ve just got to look for him.”
I’ve already found him; I just can’t tell you who he is, Martha thought as she draped her woolen shawl across her shoulders. Besides, Luke may never come to like me the way I do him. “I’ll dry the dishes as soon as I get back from the barn,” she said.
Ruth entered the room just then. “I’ll dry the dishes so Martha can check on her hundlin.” She grabbed a sponge from the counter and began wiping off the tablecloth. “I know she wants to be sure they’re all right before we leave for the wedding.”
“Danki, Ruth.”
“You’re welcome.” Ruth made a clicking noise with her tongue as she wagged a finger in Martha’s direction. “Just make sure you’re not checking on puppies the day of my wedding. I can’t have my main attendant being late to the service.”
“I promise I won’t be late.” Martha slipped out the door and hurried for the barn. She found it unlocked, but that was no surprise since Dad had done his chores earlier that morning. Ever since the paint episode, he’d been locking the barn door at night. It remained unlocked during the day, but Martha wasn’t too concerned because someone was usually at home.
When Martha entered the dog run where she kept Heidi and her pups, she gasped. One of the puppies was dead! Her thoughts went to the day she’d found one of Heidi’s first batch of pups with a broken neck. It was the puppy she’d promised to give Grace’s daughter, Anna. The child had been devastated, refusing the offer of another pup. Martha had never figured out the reason the puppy had broken its neck, but she had a hunch someone might have done it on purpose.
“I’m sorry, Heidi,” Martha said, patting the sheltie’s head. “I hope this puppy wasn’t the victim of another attack.”
Heidi whimpered and lifted her head as Martha reached into the box and picked up the dead pup. It was the runt of the litter. Maybe it hadn’t been foul play, after all. The barn door had been locked last night. Perhaps the puppy hadn’t been getting enough milk or had gotten stuck under its mother and smothered. Now she was down to only four puppies, which meant one less pup to sell. Would she ever get her kennel business going well enough to make a decent living? Hopefully, Polly, her female beagle who was due to have a litter soon, would deliver a healthy bunch of pups. Most shelties sold for anywhere from $300 to $350, but beagles only brought in $200 to $250 if they were trained to run rabbits. Martha would be grateful for whatever she made from either of her female dogs.
She glanced down at the limp pup in her hand. Maybe I’m not supposed to raise hundlin. Maybe I should look for a full-time job. She shook her head. No, I’m happiest when I’m caring for my dogs.
“What do you mean you’ve got to work today?” Luke’s mother asked when Luke announced that he wouldn’t be going to Sadie and Toby’s wedding.
“It’s Thursday, Mom,” Luke said around a mouthful of oatmeal. “John wasn’t invited to the wedding, and he’s open for business as usual.”
“Couldn’t you have asked for the day off to attend your friend’s wedding?” she persisted.
“I didn’t feel like I could. We’ve got a lot of orders. John needs me in the shop while he makes some deliveries. Besides, Toby and I aren’t getting along so well these days. I doubt he’ll even miss me.”
“Of course he will.” Mom reached over and touched Luke’s arm. “You and Toby have been friends since you were kinner.”
“We used to be friends. Here lately, though, all we do is argue.”
“Can’t you bury your differences for one day? You know what the Bible says about—”
“If the boy says he has to work today, then he has to work,” Luke’s dad said as he stepped into the room. “We should be grateful our son has a good-paying job, Betty.”
Mom’s dark eyebrows furrowed as she took a sip of her tea. “I am grateful. I just think Luke should be at Toby’s wedding.”
Luke opened his mouth to comment, but his dad cut him off. “It’s not as if he’s one of Toby’s witnesses, you know.”
“That’s true. Even so—”
“We’d better drop this discussion and eat our breakfast, or the two of us will be late for Toby’s wedding,” Pop said as he sat at the head of the table.
Mom nodded. “Jah, okay,”
The spicy aroma of cinnamon wafted up to Luke’s nose as he poked his piece of toast into the oatmeal and dipped it up and down. Mom always seemed to be fussing about something these days. She wanted him to join the church, find a good woman, and get married. Luke had other things on his mind right now, and marriage wasn’t one of them. At least it hadn’t been until he’d taken an interest in Martha.
I need to do something to fix things between me and Roman, he thought. I need to find a way to get back into his good graces and remove my name from the list of suspects Martha’s working on.
Martha had a hard time concentrating on Sadie and Toby’s wedding as she sat on one of the backless wooden benches w
ith some other women her age. All she could think about were Heidi’s pups and whether the four surviving ones would be all right. She’d been relieved that Dad had agreed to lock the barn before they left home that morning. At least she didn’t have to worry about anyone breaking in while they were gone.
She glanced over at the men’s side of the room, searching for Luke. He wasn’t in sight. Had he stayed home from the wedding because of the disagreement he’d had with Toby the other day, or had he been expected to work for John? Probably the latter, she decided. Luke might not appreciate the way Toby got under his skin, but Martha didn’t think he would deliberately skip out on the wedding because he had a grudge against Toby.
Martha clutched the folds in her dress. I hope he’s able to be at Ruth and Abe’s wedding in January. It’s going to be a joyous occasion, but it won’t be nearly as joyous for me if he’s not there.
When Toby’s father called for the bridal couple to step forward, Martha’s attention was drawn to the front of the room. Her eyes misted when she saw Sadie look lovingly at her groom. Toby looked happy, too, wearing a smile as wide as the Ohio River.
If Luke would only look at me like that. If he would just ask to court me.
Anxious to get out of the stuffy house where a third group of guests had been served their wedding meal, Roman stepped onto the Eshes’ back porch for a breath of fresh air. The sun shone brightly on this crisp November afternoon. A group of children frolicked on the lawn, while several young people milled about.
“You’re looking kind of wistful,” Bishop King said as he stepped up beside Roman and motioned to the children in the yard. “Are you wishing you were young again?”
Roman shook his head. “Although I’d be happy to have half their energy.”
“Me, too.”
“How’s it feel to have your youngest buwe married off?”
“It feels rather good. I’m happy my boy’s found a nice fraa and will soon be starting a family of his own.” The bishop grunted. “Not like Toby’s so-called friend, Luke, who didn’t care enough to come to the wedding.”
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