The Amish Nanny

by Patricia Davids

  He remounted and gave the team the command they were waiting for. Both horses leaned into their collars. The two-thousand-pound log glided along the ground, making a shallow furrow as they pulled it between the trees and out to the collection area beside the road. Tomorrow, the Englisch trucker Ethan occasionally worked with would bring the heavy equipment needed to load and transport the logs to the sawmill.

  Ethan unhooked the log and jumped back onto his arch. He turned his team and they trotted back to where he was working. They waited patiently while he prepared a second section of the tree for transport.

  “They are an impressive pair.”

  He looked up to see a young woman standing at the edge of the woods. It was Clara’s youngest sister. The one who worked for Elam. “Danki. They’re good fellows.”

  She held out a small blue-and-white cooler. “Katie Sutter sent me with your lunch. Where would you like it?”

  “On that stump.” He pointed toward the tree he’d just cut down. She put the lunch pail where he indicated, but she didn’t leave.

  She walked to the head of his team, speaking softly to alert them to her presence. Dutch lowered his head to sniff at her pockets. She laughed. “How did you know I brought apples just for you and your friend?” Slipping it out of her apron, she held the apple flat in her hand and offered it to Dutch. He eagerly nibbled it up. She took a second piece of fruit and offered it to Fred, who did the same.

  She looked around them to Ethan. “Did you train them yourself?”

  “I did. You are Clara’s sister, ja?”

  “I’m Betsy. The youngest of the Barkman clan.”

  “I thought it was you. My thanks for bringing my lunch out here. I hope it didn’t put you to any extra trouble.”

  “No trouble. I came because I wanted you to give a message to Clara. Greta and I are having supper with Elam and Katie tonight. Grandfather is spending the night in town. Carl received word that a friend is in the hospital. He and Lizzie have gone to visit him.”

  “I’ll give her that message.”

  “Danki.”

  He secured his chain and came to stand by his horses’ heads. This might be his chance to find out more about Clara. “I see you aren’t afraid of my big fellows.”

  “Nee, I love horses of all sizes, unlike Clara. I’m honestly surprised that she drove herself to your place this morning.”

  “Buttercup is not what I would call intimidating.”

  She laughed. “That’s exactly why my grandfather bought him for Clara.”

  “Was your sister feeling all right when she left home this morning?”

  Betsy’s smile faded. “As far as I know. Why?”

  “She had a dizzy spell. I would have called it a fright. She looked terrified for a moment. I thought she was going to faint.”

  Betsy eyed him sharply. “I’ve never known her to do such a thing.”

  “Maybe it was more of a strain for her to drive the pony than we think.”

  “Maybe,” she said slowly.

  It was clear that Clara’s sister didn’t believe that any more than he did.

  * * *

  Two hours after Clara had fed Amos and Lily lunch, Micah finally came in. His shoes were muddy, but his red eyes and the tearstains on his face concerned her the most.

  She said, “I expect you are hungry.”

  “A little,” he mumbled.

  “Do you think that you deserve a meal?”

  “I guess not.”

  At least he recognized that his actions deserved consequences. She carried a tomato-and-cheese sandwich on a plate to the table. “Go wash up. We will talk about this when you come back.”

  “Are you going to tell Onkel Ethan what I did?”

  “Nee.”

  “You’re not?” He looked so relieved that she felt sorry for him.

  “I’m not going to tell your onkel. You are going to tell him. Now go wash up.”

  Looking dejected, he shuffled out of the room. When he returned a few minutes later with clean hands, he sat down at the table and gazed at her with soulful sad eyes. “Please don’t make me tell Onkel Ethan. He’ll be really mad. He’ll...he’ll beat me.”

  Clara sighed and took a seat across from him. “You make your transgression worse by maligning your onkel. He is not a cruel man. I know because I was raised by my onkel after my parents were killed and he was a cruel man.”

  “He was?”

  Clara nodded. “Like you, I was the oldest. I had three younger sisters to look after. My onkel beat us at least once a week. I don’t mean a spanking. I mean a beating with a wooden rod or sometimes with a belt.”

  “Truly?” The look in his eyes said he didn’t know whether to believe her or not.

  “Truly. My sisters and I had bruises that lasted for weeks. Micah, I bathed your brother and your sister a few days ago and there were no bruises on them. If you show me bruises your onkel gave you, I won’t make you tell him what happened today.”

  He sat silent for a long time. Finally, he pushed his plate away. “Onkel Ethan has never hit me.”

  Although she suspected that was the case, it was good to know for sure.

  “Why did God do it? Why did He take our parents away? What did I do that was so bad?” He dropped his head onto his arms.

  Clara laid a comforting hand on his head. “You did nothing bad, Micah. It was not your fault. I wish I had an answer. We can’t know God’s plan for us, but we know that He loves us and He will always be with us, even in our sorrow. You will see your parents in heaven and live with them there forever. Until then, you must live your life on earth in a way that will please them. Do you understand?”

  He sat up and wiped his eyes. “I guess.”

  “Goot. Now eat your sandwich and then you will go to the henhouse and you will clean out all the straw, and then you will put fresh new straw in all the hen’s nests.”

  “Why do I have to do that?”

  “So that you will remember, next time you want to break eggs, what will be in store for you.”

  “I think I’d rather have a spanking. It would be over quicker and it wouldn’t make me all itchy. If I do all that, do I still have to tell Onkel Ethan about breaking the eggs?”

  “Ja. You do.”

  * * *

  Ethan could tell something was up the minute he walked into the house that evening. Clara had been on his mind all day. He had hurried through his work in order to get home as quickly as he could. Once, he narrowly missed getting cracked on the head by a falling branch because he wasn’t paying attention to what he was doing.

  Micah was sitting at the kitchen table looking as if he wanted to bolt out the door. Clara was at the table with him, mending clothes. She laid her sewing aside and said, “Micah has something that he needs to tell you.”

  This couldn’t be good. Ethan straightened his shoulders and stared at the boy. “What is it?”

  Micah rose to his feet and stood tall. “Today, I broke twenty-five eggs. I did it on purpose and I’m sorry.”

  Ethan glanced at Clara. “Is that it?”

  “That’s it. I made him clean out the chicken house and put fresh straw in all the nests, so he has been punished.” Clara nodded at the boy and he took his seat. He watched Ethan with wary eyes.

  If Clara had given the boy extra chores then the matter was closed as far as Ethan was concerned. “All right. You will not do something so irresponsible again, right?”

  “Nee, Onkel, I will not. May I be excused now?”

  Ethan nodded. The boy was up and out the door quicker than a scurrying mouse. Ethan hung up his hat. Clara seemed well enough now. She looked calm and at home in his kitchen.

  “Was it a hard day?” she asked.

  “Hard enough. I won
der if I will ever get to come home without hearing about some mischief that boy has got into.”

  “Maybe after he is grown.”

  “Maybe. How was your day? Any more dizzy spells?”

  “Nee, and I’m sorry if you were worried about me.” She finished stitching a torn sleeve on one of Lily’s dresses and bit off the thread. She rose to her feet. “Supper is in the oven.”

  Ethan considered whether he should tell her about his conversation with her sister and decided it was best to keep their relationship honest. “I spoke with Betsy today.”

  “Did you?”

  “I mentioned your dizzy spell this morning. She says she’s never known you to have one before.”

  “I wish you hadn’t said anything about it.”

  “I’m sorry. I was worried about you.”

  “As you can see, I’m fine.”

  She did look fine. More than fine. It was hard to keep his eyes off her. There was something about her that made him want to be closer to her. It made him want to know her better. He realized it was more than simple attraction. It had been years since he felt this way about a woman. He couldn’t help wondering how Clara felt about him.

  Not that it mattered. He wasn’t looking for a relationship. He had the children and a business to take care of. He did not need another complication in his life. If he followed his inclination to know Clara better, he suspected that she would prove to be a big complication.

  She was gathering her things and getting ready to leave. He wanted to wish Clara a good evening, but when he opened his mouth, he said, “Why don’t you join us for supper?”

  She looked up in surprise. “Why?”

  “I almost forgot to tell you. Betsy sent a message. She and Greta are having supper with the Sutters, your grandfather will be in town and Lizzie has gone with Carl to visit a friend in the hospital. You’ve gone to all the work to fix us a meal, the least I can do is ask you to join us. We can discuss with the children what will happen if you get that teaching position. I haven’t broached the subject with them. Honestly, I’ve been afraid of how Lily will react.”

  “You must not let that little girl wrap you around her finger.”

  “I would like to see you put up with her crying for a day and a half. It scares me more than a widow-maker falling on my head.”

  “What exactly is a widow-maker?”

  “It’s a tree that is leaning against the one you want to cut down. You have no idea when and if it will fall while you are working around it.”

  “Your work is dangerous, isn’t it?”

  “Chain saws, falling trees, half-ton horses pulling two-ton logs. Sure, it can be dangerous if a person is not careful.”

  “And are you a careful man?”

  Was she simply curious or was she worried about him? No one had worried about Ethan Gingerich in a long time.

  “I say my prayers. I pay attention to the woods, my equipment and my horses. A man cannot do much more. The rest is up to God. But you haven’t answered my question—will you stay for supper?”

  Lily entered the room as he was speaking and began jumping up and down. “Eat with us, Clara. Please?”

  “All right, I’ll stay.”

  Clara wondered if she was out of her mind as Lily jumped for joy. Sharing the evening meal with Ethan would be different than feeding everyone at breakfast. It was more intimate.

  Going home to eat alone wasn’t appealing, but it might be better than trying to swallow food with Ethan watching her.

  He looked surprised but pleased by her answer. “Goot.”

  Standing and staring at him like a ninny wasn’t going to make the evening go better. She took Lily by the hand. “Help me set the table. Ethan, you and the boys go wash up.”

  Lily happily arranged the plates Clara handed her, giving Clara a much needed moment to regain her composure. By the time everyone had washed up, she was ready and so was the meal.

  Ethan sat at the head of the table with the boys on his right-hand side. Micah sat closest to him because he was the oldest.

  The chair on Ethan’s left-hand side remained empty. That was where his wife would sit when he married someday. Lily occupied the next chair. Clara took a seat beside her and tried to hide her nervous jitters.

  When they were all seated, Ethan bowed his head and clasped his hands. Everyone did the same and prayed in silence. When Ethan looked up, he cleared his throat. It was the signal to begin the meal.

  Clara loaded Lily’s plate with a little of everything and took only a small portion for herself. She was too nervous to eat. The meal progressed in silence for a few minutes until Micah said, “Rosie could have her foal anytime now.”

  Ethan nodded. “I’m hoping for a filly.”

  Amos took a bite of bread and said, “That’s who I’ll use to haul logs when I’m grown up.”

  “Don’t speak with your mouth full,” Clara chided. “So you want to be a logger like your onkel?”

  Amos nodded. “I do. Our papa was a logger, too. I helped him a lot.”

  “No, you didn’t,” Micah said. “You were too little.”

  “I was not. I helped lots.” Tears welled up in Amos’s eyes.

  Clara tried to ease Amos’s bruised feelings. “I’m sure both of you boys were a big help to your father. Ethan, is that why you started logging, because your brother worked in the trade?”

  “Our father was a logger. It seemed natural for me to keep working with the horses after he was gone.”

  Clara felt a shiver crawl down her spine. Of all the things she could imagine doing, working with his huge team wasn’t one of them. “Did you finish at Elam Sutter’s today?”

  “I did. Tomorrow, I will be working at Chuck Marshall’s place. He’s an Englisch fellow who wants some of his trees thinned.”

  “Why would an Englisch fellow hire a horse logger? Don’t they use big machinery?” Amos asked. Clara wondered the same thing.

  Ethan chuckled. “He hired me because my horses and I are environmentally friendly.”

  Amos frowned. “What does that mean?”

  Ethan leaned toward him. “It means the horses make very little impact on the forest. We don’t have to build a road to use horses the way you would to get heavy machinery and trucks into the area. We don’t have to clear-cut areas to work in. In a few weeks, it will be hard to tell that the horses and I have been there. In a few years, the trees we leave behind will be worth more per board foot because they will be taller and stronger after the forest has been thinned.”

  Clara was impressed. “I had no idea that there was so much to it.”

  “Believe it or not, horse logging is becoming popular with the Englisch. Well-trained teams can fetch a fine price, and a trainer can earn a fair living. I hope I can always log with my four-footed friends, but it’s smart to diversify. Raising and training Belgian teams will give me a second income, and I won’t have to travel so much.”

  Clara looked at Micah. He was pushing his food around on his plate but not really eating. “Micah, do you plan to be a logger and a horse trainer, too?”

  He shrugged. “I don’t know. I need a job I can start doing soon.”

  “I’m sure that your onkel would be happy to have you working by his side.” She waited for Ethan to agree. When he didn’t, she shot him a pointed look and arched her brow. He took the hint.

  “Ja, I would like that very much when you are a little older,” he said quickly. “But the choice will belong to you, Micah, and to you, Amos. There are many fine trades a man can learn. You can be a cabinetmaker or a carpenter. You can work for an Englisch business or own your own.”

  Lily tried to stab a carrot stick with her fork. “I don’t want to cut down trees.”

  Ethan reached over and tugged the ribbon of her ka
pp. “You want to grow up and marry a handsome fellow and raise lots of babies.”

  “Only if they don’t cry,” she said. She gave up trying to use her fork and picked the carrot up with her fingers.

  “All babies cry,” Ethan told her.

  Lily turned to Clara. “Do they?”

  Clara nodded. “I’m afraid so.”

  “Is that why you don’t have any?”

  Clara felt herself blushing at Lily’s innocent question. “I don’t have any because I’m not married.”

  “Why aren’t you married?” Amos asked.

  “That’s a personal question, Amos, and none of our business,” Ethan said. Clara gave him a grateful look.

  Lily held her carrot stick up to examine it. “I might want to raise rabbits, then. They’re quiet.” She popped the vegetable into her mouth and crunched loudly.

  Clara chuckled as she and Ethan exchanged amused glances. She realized her jitters were gone. Was it time to discuss how long she might be with the family? She spoke to Micah. “Are you eager for school to start?”

  “Not really.”

  “Because you won’t know many of the children?”

  When he nodded, she said, “I feel the same way. I applied for a teaching job at Walnut Creek school earlier this summer. If I get the job, I’ll have to learn who everyone is and remember their names.”

  Micah frowned at her. “How can you be a teacher all day and take care of us?”

  “She wouldn’t be able to do that,” Ethan said. “Clara only agreed to help us until she finds out about her other position.”

  Micah focused on his plate. “So you might be leaving us soon?”

  Clara couldn’t read his expression. Was he upset or glad. “I might be. Then again, I might not get the job.”

  “I want to go to school,” Lily said.

  “Me, too,” Amos added.

  “When you turn six you can go to school all day,” Clara assured them.