Emma bit down on her lip. “The detective said that someone was looking for something.”
“I hope poor old Frank didn’t suffer,” Ettie said. “More tea anyone?” Ettie rose to her feet and picked up the large china teapot and peered at each lady in turn.
Emma thought it amusing that Ettie referred to Frank as old; she was sure that Frank was younger than Ettie. “Jah, I’ll have a top up, denke, Ettie.” Emma stretched her hands as far as she could towards Ettie. She knew she risked being burned by hot tea as Ettie’s shaking hands poured the tea into her cup.
“Do you remember seeing anything odd when you were at Frank’s haus, Emma?” Elsa-May asked.
“He had some old soup or something of the kind on the stove; there were things all over the floor and the mattresses were shredded. That’s all I can think of.”
“Definitely sounds as though they were looking for something all right,” Ettie said.
“They would’ve gone over the place for fingerprints already,” Emma said.
“They won’t find any fingerprints,” Elsa-May said in a very firm voice. “The person who did this was looking for something and most likely something small since they shredded the mattresses.” Elsa-May drummed her fingertips on her chin. “I wonder what old Frank could have been hiding.”
“What do we know about Frank then?” Silvie said.
“He wasn’t always Amish you know. He came to the community when he was in his late twenties. He married Sally soon after.” Ettie gave a little giggle. “Tongues wagged when they got married so soon. Some said he only joined the community to marry Sally.”
Emma dropped her gaze while she wondered if tongues would wag about her and Wil if they got married too soon. She was sure that they would.
“Sally was a little older than Frank, but he didn’t seem to mind,” Ettie said.
“What line of work was he in before he came to the community?” Maureen asked.
“That’s a gut question dear, but I don’t know. If I did know, then I’ve forgotten.” Ettie turned to her older schweschder. “Do you know, Elsa-May?”
“It’s such a long time ago and I was busy with my kinner and raising a familye back then. I didn’t really pay much notice; I never spent much time in Sally’s company. We were never that close with them were we, Ettie?”
“Nee.”
“He bought a farm and farmed the land. No one ever talked about what he did before, because his old life was buried when he got baptized,” Elsa-May said with the hint of a smile on her face.
“I think the key to all this is what he did before he joined the community. We must find out what he did before,” Emma said. “Can you Google him on your laptop, Ettie?”
The widows’ giggled at Emma. “I know, I know. I was shocked when I first learned that Ettie had a laptop and Elsa-May had a cell phone, but we need to find out who did this to Frank. What if they haven’t found what they want and they kill someone else?”
“We weren’t laughing at you,” Elsa-May said.
“If there was any other way we could investigate, we would use it,” Ettie said. Ettie pulled out her laptop from the drawer in the dresser. She opened the lid and pressed some buttons and waited a while. “I’m afraid it’s gone flat. I haven’t charged it lately. I’ll go into town tomorrow and use the electricity at the library to charge it.”
“I distinctly remember telling you to always keep the thing charged,” Elsa-May said firmly while glaring straight at Ettie.
“I will. I will. No need for anger. It goes flat over time; it’s hardly my fault,” Ettie said.
“I wasn’t angry, Ettie. I just don’t know why you can’t keep the thing charged. I thought you would’ve learned that lesson by now. You remember that other time you didn’t have it charged?”
“What time was that?” Emma knew these old ladies had done more investigating before, and investigating Henry Pluver’s murder six months ago was not their first.
“Nothing, don’t you worry about a thing, Emma. Ettie will have it charged tomorrow and we can all meet back here at the same time tomorrow night and find out Frank’s background – that is, if there’s anything about him on the internet.”
“He’s been Amish for so long that there may be nothing about him on the internet,” Ettie said.
“We’ll find that out then won’t we, Ettie. But now, we’ll have to find that out tomorrow instead of tonight because you didn’t have it charged.”
Ettie hung her head then closed the lid of her laptop. “Jah, sorry Elsa-May.”
“Well, do it tomorrow, Ettie.” Elsa-May shook her head at her schweschder’s incompetence.
“Can we meet the day after tomorrow?” Emma knew she was brave making such a request. She did not want Elsa-May’s attitude toward her schweschder to transfer to her. She added quickly, “I’ve got Wil and someone who’s staying with him coming to dinner tomorrow night and Silvie will be there too.”
“Do tell,” Maureen said.
Emma giggled, remembering she hadn’t told Maureen about Bailey. “There’s a man who wants to join the Amish and the bishop asked Wil if he could stay with him for a while before he makes the decision to get baptized. He’s been staying with the bishop for the last few days.” Emma turned to Elsa-May. “Did you meet him at the bishop’s haus, Elsa-May?”
Elsa-May looked away from Emma as she spoke. “Nee, I haven’t met him yet. I know of him, that’s all. He was out in the fields when I visited recently. Well, everyone all right to meet the night after next?”
Everyone agreed to meet back at Elsa-May and Ettie’s haus.
Chapter 4.
Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
James 2:17
Emma relaxed on her porch. She had just cleaned her haus from top to bottom and she planted some snow peas, pumpkin and squash. She figured she deserved a little break while dinner cooked. Today Wil was coming to dinner with the new man, Bailey. She had vegetables and chicken roasting in the oven.
She looked across her farm that was once leased by Henry Pluver and was now leased and farmed by his son, Bob. Bob kept to himself and that suited Emma just fine. He seemed to be doing a gut job since taking over his daed’s leases and had even employed a couple more people to help him. Wil told her that he was going to try and get Bailey a job with Bob, or have him work for Bob for no pay, just to see what it was like to work on an Amish farm and mix with the Amish folk.
Maybe with Bailey living with him, Wil wouldn’t come around as much. Emma smiled at how Wil would call in to see her at odd times; it never entered his head that some times may not be convenient. How different her late husband, Levi was to Wil. Levi was grounded and practical whereas Wil had his head in the clouds most of the time.
How funny it was that she could find love with two totally different menner. Levi was all about work, even when he was at home he found things to work on. Wil was happy to live on the income that came to him from leasing out his farm and from his investments. Wil lived life at a much slower pace than Levi had. Wil found enjoyment with his tinkering with silly inventions. Levi had always seen Wil’s inventions as a complete waste of time and energy.
Emma looked to the trees on the horizon. She noticed how the sky just above the trees was much paler than the sky up higher. The sky high in the sky was the bluest of blue. She looked over the wheat that gently blew in the breeze. Peace filled her being as she closed her eyes and pushed all thoughts and worries out of her mind.
Silvie was the first to arrive and interrupted Emma’s quiet time. After she tied up her horse, she walked toward Emma.
“Hello, Silvie. Come and sit with me for a while. Wil and Bailey haven’t arrived yet and I don’t have to do anything with the dinner for a few more minutes.”
“I brought some apple pie and bread. I’ll just take it into the kitchen.”
When Silvie returned, she slumped into the porch chair beside Emma.
“You seem tired, Silvie.”
“I’ve done a lot of work today. I worked this morning at the baker’s and then I did some chores this afternoon. There’s a lot to do when you live by yourself and don’t have someone to help you and these odd shifts are a lot to handle. Sometimes I’m on the late shift and then the early shift. It doesn’t give me much time to sleep.”
“I guess I’m blessed to have Wil help me with things,” Emma said.
“Jah, and Maureen has her bruder, John, do things for her.”
“Silvie, if you have anything you need done, just say so. Wil would happily do anything and I’m sure John would too.”
Silvie forced a laugh. “Well, it’s mainly the little things. Like have someone make me a cup of tea when I’m feeling poorly. Or have someone feed the animals once in a while.”
“Gott will have someone for you, don’t be concerned, and just trust.”
Silvie nodded. “I have been trusting, but I’m starting to worry that I’m getting too old to have kinner. What if Gott doesn’t bring me someone until I’m too old? You know it gets harder to conceive the older you get.”
Emma bit her lip and looked across her farm. “I’ve always wanted kinner too. I used to take it for granted that I would have some one day.” She had pushed thoughts of kinner right out of her mind. Maybe she was doing the wrong thing in keeping Wil at arm’s length for so long while she waited an acceptable time before marrying him, but what if in so doing she was destroying her chances of having kinner?
“I didn’t mean to worry you, Emma.”
Emma turned to look at Silvie. “You’re right, Silvie. I’ve heard that too, about being too old to conceive. It seems that older women in the community don’t have a problem conceiving if they’ve already had kinner, but first timers like we are have trouble if it’s their first. Oh dear, you know what I mean, don’t you?”
“Jah, I do. If a woman in her late thirties has already got four kinner she has another easily, whereas if it’s her first it’s harder.”
Emma nodded. “Exactly. I don’t know why that is, but I’ve noticed that pattern of things before.”
“Me too,” Silvie said.
“We can’t worry about those things though. If Gott blesses us with kinner, we will have them, but if not then that’s not in His plan for us. We can’t worry about it.”
Silvie smiled a tight-lipped smile.
Emma said, “Look at the beautiful view, the colors the gentle swaying of the trees in the breeze. Listen to the birds.”
After a moment Silvie said, “I don’t take enough time to appreciate the simple things.”
“Me either, we should do more of it.”
“When do you think you and Wil might marry? He’d marry you tomorrow. I’m sure of it.”
Emma chewed the end of her fingernail. “It’s too soon, don’t you think? It’s only been six months since Levi died.”
“If you love him, I don’t see that there’s anything wrong with it,” Silvie said.
“People might talk. I just want to do the right thing I don’t want people to talk about me.”
“What would the right time be? What if Wil doesn’t wait for you?”
Emma laughed. “I know that he’ll wait for me. We are committed to each other in that way; he knows I’ll marry him at some point.”
After a moment’s silence, Silvie asked, “Do you need any help with the dinner?”
“Jah, come on let’s go inside.” Both women stood up and went inside.
Moments later there was a knock on the door. Emma was surprised. Could this be Wil, knocking all of a sudden rather than barging in?
Emma opened the door. “Wil.”
“Hello, Emma. This is Bailey.”
“Hello, Bailey; pleased to meet you. Please, come in. Come through to the kitchen, dinner is nearly ready.”
Emma’s kitchen was huge, plenty big enough for the long table, which could comfortably sit twelve people, but today she had one end of it set for the four of them.
Emma watched Silvie’s face as she looked at Bailey. It was obvious from the look in Silvie’s eyes that she found Bailey pleasing to look at. Emma turned to study Bailey and saw that he had the same look on his face. Wil introduced the two of them.
Bailey was a very good-looking man. He was tall with a medium build, thick light brown hair that was cut in a typical Englisch cut with short sideburns, parted at the side with a little length on top. He appeared to have a day’s growth of whiskers. Emma could see why Silvie was so taken with him. To top everything off, he had a beautiful smile.
Everyone sat at the table and Emma placed the roasted chicken, vegetables and the cold cuts in the middle of the table, so each could help themselves. There were two fresh loaves of seeded bread that Silvie had brought from the bakery where she worked.
Wil said to Bailey, “You probably already know that we each say our own silent prayer of thanks to Gott before we eat?”
Bailey nodded and closed his eyes.
Once everyone had finished giving thanks they opened their eyes and began to eat.
Bailey helped himself to chicken and some roasted sweet potato.
“What made you want to join the community, Bailey?” Emma asked.
“I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about life and God and I could see that I was living a shallow life with no meaning. I came to realize that what’s important is God’s salvation.”
Silvie giggled. “You’ll have to learn to speak Pennsylvania Dutch.”
“I can do that. I don’t think that will be a problem. You could help me.”
Emma secretly smiled at the way the two of them were speaking to one another. It was clear that they were attracted to each other and very much so. Emma hoped that this was the right man for Silvie.
They would certainly have beautiful bopplis. Bailey’s hair would have surely been blonde as a child and his eyes were as blue as Silvie’s.
But, they would have to wait a while if they were interested in one another. Bailey had yet to be baptized and would have to wait a time to see if he wanted to live the Amish ways.
Ideally, Bailey should not be influenced by the love of a woman. But what was ever ideal? It wasn’t ideal for Levi to die and leave her childless and alone. Did anyone ever lead an ideal life or live the life that they imagined for themselves? Surely disappointment and struggle was a part of life.
Wil quickly swallowed the food in his mouth. “Bailey, it’s an important commitment. If you decide to join you will have to commit before the whole church to serve Gott with your heart, soul, mind and body. You will be bound to that for life.”
“The bishop has explained it all to me, Wil. I’ve already made that decision it’s just the bishop I’m waiting on. He says I have to wait a time. He didn’t tell me how long I must wait before being baptized. I’d be baptized tomorrow if I could.”
“Nee, it would be far too soon. You’d only have an idealized view of what being Amish is. You have to live it to know it.” Wil put his fist to his heart.
Emma stared at Wil; she had never heard Wil speak so definite on any matter.
“I’ll have to take your word on that since I haven’t lived it much so far,” Bailey said.
Chapter 5.
Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath,
or that is in the water under the earth.
Exodus 20:4
When their visit with Emma was over, Wil and Bailey walked home.
“Wil, what should happen if I want to take a lady on a date?”
Wil laughed. “Silvie?”
“You noticed?”
Wil nodded.
“How do I get to know her better; how do the Amish do that?”
Wil scratched his chin. “I don’t know if you should be distracted by a woman at this stage, Bailey. Did the bishop tell you that you should learn our ways first?”
“I know I shouldn’t, but it’s a bit h
ard not to be distracted by a beautiful woman. I’ll keep my intentions honorable of course.”
Wil slapped Bailey on the shoulder. “What we do is take them on a buggy ride or sometimes we take them out for a meal, as the Englisch do.”
“A buggy ride sounds the thing to me, nice and romantic.”
“Do you know how to drive a buggy?”
“Jah. The bishop showed me how to hitch a buggy and drive one. I know all the road rules too.”
“Wunderbaar. You can take one of my buggies.”
“Thank you, Wil. I’ll do that. Should I call on her? Do you know where she lives?”
Wil hoped he was doing the right thing and would not get into trouble with the bishop. “Jah, it’s the old red haus just before you turn onto the road that takes you into town. Don’t get too interested in her though; you’re supposed to learn our ways first.” Although Wil considered he should have dissuaded Bailey, he knew what it was like to love a woman and he found it difficult to stand in love’s way.
“I might call on her tomorrow.”
“One more thing, Bailey. The Amish, I suppose you know, are not physical before marriage.”
“I know that, Wil. I’ll be a gentleman.”
Wil was a little concerned; he hardly knew Bailey and if anything went wrong he would hold himself responsible.
Once they arrived back at Wil’s haus, Bailey went up to his bedroom and Wil stayed downstairs in the living room. Wil hoped that Emma would accept his proposal of marriage soon. She had said that she would marry him, but had given him no timeframe. He would wait for her because he understood that it was important for her to be ready to love him fully, but that did nothing to stop his yearnings for her.
* * *
Silvie was sweeping her small patio when she heard a buggy. Her heart raced when she saw that the man driving the buggy was Bailey.
Her hands flew to straighten her apron and prayer kapp before she stepped down to meet him. “Bailey, this is a nice surprise.”
Bailey got out of the buggy. “Hello. I hope you don’t mind me calling in on you like this.”
Hidden (Amish Romance Mystery) (Amish Secret Widows' Society Book 2) Page 3