A Bride's Agreement

by Elaine Bonner

  If possible, Elsie’s eyes grew even wider. Her jaw went slack, and she looked at Regina as if she hadn’t seen her before. Having never been close to Sophie, it hadn’t bothered Regina so much for her eldest sister to learn they were not connected by blood, but Elsie was a different matter. Until this moment, Regina hadn’t feared her revelation would diminish Elsie’s love for her, or that Elsie would see her as anything other than her sister. But now she hated to think the news might weaken the special bond she and Elsie had always enjoyed.

  Tears welled in Elsie’s eyes, and she sprang from her chair to embrace Regina. “Oh my liebe Schwester, what an awful thing for you to learn.” Then, pushing away from Regina, she took her hands. Her chin lifted, and her face filled with almost defiant loyalty. “I do not care how you came to be my sister. You are my sister, and you will always be my sister. Blood doesn’t matter.” She glanced over at Sophie, who was brushing cookie crumbs from the front of Henry’s gown. “And I know Sophie feels the same way.”

  Sophie quirked a smile that vanished so quickly Regina almost missed it. “Of course,” she mumbled as she continued brushing at Henry’s clothes. “But it is too bad Herr Rothhaus does not feel as you do, Elsie.”

  It stung that Sophie didn’t enthusiastically reiterate Elsie’s sentiment, but Regina dismissed the omission, considering it but another of Sophie’s oversights.

  Elsie gasped, and her forehead pinched in anger. “You mean Diedrich does not want to marry you because you were not born to Mama and Papa?”

  Regina shook her head, eager to correct Elsie’s wrong impression of Diedrich. “Nein. Diedrich still loves me and wants to marry me.” But even as she said the words, a faint but insidious voice whispered inside her head. Does he still love me? And if he did, why hadn’t he tried harder to change his father’s mind about her?

  Elsie blinked. “But Sophie said Herr Rothhaus—”

  “Diedrich’s Vater,” Sophie said in a matter-of-fact tone as she reached into the cabinet. “Ah, here are the jars of sauerkraut.”

  Regina explained to Elsie the callous way in which her birth father and grandfather had treated Herr Rothhaus’s family. The retelling stung the open wound on her heart as painfully as if she’d squeezed lemon juice into it. She sniffed back the tears. “So Herr Rothhaus has forbidden Diedrich to marry me. And unless Gott helps Diedrich change his Vater’s mind…” Unable to finish the thought, she shook her head.

  Elsie’s expression turned indignant. “What those men did was terrible, but it happened before you were born. How can Herr Rothhaus blame you?”

  Stifling a sardonic snort, Regina fought a wave of despair. “Because I am of their blood. And I cannot change that.”

  Elsie gripped Regina’s hands, and her voice turned resolute. “Then we must pray that Gott will change Herr Rothhaus’s heart. As our Lord promises us in Matthew 21:22, ‘And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.’”

  At the familiar scripture, Regina’s frustration burst free. She yanked her hands from Elsie’s. “But I have been praying, and nothing has happened.” Not wanting Elsie to see the flood of tears cascading down her face, she turned her back. She hated the anger in her voice but couldn’t keep it out. “When Diedrich defied his Vater and refused to break our engagement, Herr Rothhaus disowned him. I did not want to cause Diedrich to sin by dishonoring his Vater, so I broke our engagement. I also thought if Diedrich could talk to his Vater again, he would have a better chance of changing Herr Rothhaus’s mind about me. But so far, he hasn’t been able to.” Or won’t.

  Elsie marched around to face Regina. Grasping her shoulders, she forced her to meet her gaze. “Then for whatever reason, it is not Gott’s time to change his mind. With Gott, all things are possible. He will give us the power to do whatever we need to do.” She cupped Regina’s face in both her hands as Mama might do. “Gott will give Diedrich the power to change his Vater’s mind. If we pray believing that will happen, it will happen.”

  Swiping at her tear-drenched face, Regina nodded. Despite the pain it had caused Regina to recount her heartache, sharing it with Elsie had also lightened her burden. Besides Mama, Regina knew of no one who could storm heaven with prayers on Regina’s behalf more forcefully or with more sincerity than Elsie could. She sniffed. “At first I believed Gott would change Herr Rothhaus’s heart. But nothing has changed, and I’m beginning to wonder if it will ever happen.”

  Elsie’s mouth tipped up in an encouraging smile, and she patted Regina’s hand. “You must have faith, Schwester.”

  Regina went back to mixing the potato salad that didn’t need more mixing. Faith. Could Mama be right that Regina’s lack of faith was hindering God’s working? “Mama says by breaking my engagement to Diedrich, I am showing a lack of faith. She and Papa think if I reinstate our engagement, Herr Rothhaus would see how committed Diedrich and I are to each other and would soon relent and give us his blessing.”

  Sophie, who had remained quiet, crossed the room in three quick strides. “Nein!” Alarm filled her face. Elsie and Regina exchanged surprised looks. As if gathering her composure, Sophie squared her shoulders and cleared her throat. When she spoke again, her voice was tempered and her words measured. “I have told you, Regina, you are doing the right thing. And I am sure Elsie will agree with me.” She shot their sister a look that defied contradiction.

  Elsie blinked. “I—I can see virtue in both ways of thinking….”

  Sophie gripped Regina’s shoulder, and her expression turned almost fierce. “Under no circumstances should you reinstate your engagement unless Herr Rothhaus grants you and Diedrich his blessing.”

  Her sister’s repeated advice did not surprise Regina, but the passion with which she imparted it did.

  Elsie ambled across the room to extract Henry from the bottom of the cupboard. A thoughtful frown creased her forehead. “Of course Diedrich should not defy his Vater. But I can see Mama’s point.”

  Sophie crossed her arms over her chest and assumed a wide, dictatorial stance. Her stern look reminded Regina of the expression on Sophie’s face when she scolded Henry. “To even contemplate marriage without the blessing of both families is inviting disaster, Regina.”

  Regina wondered if Sophie had forgotten Papa’s reluctance to allow Ezra to court Sophie. Only Ezra’s sound Christian upbringing and his unimpeachable work ethic had swayed Papa from insisting Sophie marry a German farmer instead.

  Looking down her nose at Regina like a strict schoolteacher, Sophie tapped her foot on the floor. “Since Ezra and I married, I have heard of three girls—all from good Christian families—who married against the wishes of their parents or their husbands’ parents.” Her right eyebrow arched. “All ended very badly.”

  Elsie’s eyes widened. “What happened to them?”

  Regina stifled a groan. For the life of her, she could never understand why Elsie was always so quick to take Sophie’s bait and beg for her to repeat gossip. Surely Elsie knew their sister was itching to tell the tale.

  “Well,” Sophie began, a smug look settling over her face. “I heard of one couple who married against the young man’s family’s wishes.” She snapped her fingers. “Within one month, he had left her and gone back to his parents. The poor girl had no choice but to return humiliated and scandalized to her own parents’ home.” Her voice lowered. “Of course the girl was ruined after the divorce. No decent man would go near her.”

  Elsie shook her head in sorrow. It was enough to spur Sophie on.

  Sophie’s eyes sparked as if she relished the tale she was about to impart. “And then there was the girl who defied her parents and eloped with her young man.” She clucked her tongue. “Her parents sent the sheriff after them all the way to Madison. They had the young man arrested for stealing their horse, though the girl said it was hers. The young man went to jail, and the girl was sent to live with a maiden aunt in Louisville.” Bending down, she whispered, “They say the poor thing wasn’t right in
the head after that.”

  Regina couldn’t figure out how people knew the state of the girl’s mind if she lived as far away as Louisville. But she had no interest in encouraging Sophie by inquiring.

  Sophie’s brow scrunched, and she tapped her lips three times as if gathering her thoughts. “And of course there was the couple who—”

  “Sophie, please. I’d rather not hear any more.” Regina’s nerves bristled. Though she was sure Sophie’s intention was to save her and Diedrich from a similar tragic ending, her sister’s gossiping made her skin prickle. Turning away from Sophie, she swathed the bowl of potato salad in a linen towel and tucked it into a waiting basket.

  Sophie sniffed, a sure sign her feelings had been bruised. “Well,” she snapped, “they died.”

  Elsie gasped.

  Fearing Sophie would feel compelled to recount grisly details of the grim story, Regina hurried to change the conversation to the possible job opportunity for Ezra. But although listening to Sophie’s tragic stories had made her squirm inside, she couldn’t deny the cautionary tales had made an impression. Sophie’s words kept echoing in her head. “Within one month, he had left her and gone back to his parents.” Diedrich had known Regina for less than three months. But he had known his father all his life. However much he loved her, she couldn’t expect his allegiance to her to be stronger than what he felt for his parent. Sophie had solidified Regina’s resolve. She must not reinstate her engagement to Diedrich until Herr Rothhaus found it in his heart to bless their union. And if not… No, she must not think that. If only she had the faith of Mama and Elsie. Dear Lord, help my unbelief.

  Elsie covered a basket of dishes and eating utensils with a towel. “I do hope Ezra gets that job, Sophie. It might be a little crowded, but William’s Mutter has two upstairs rooms she doesn’t use. I’m sure she would rent them to you until you could find a home of your own here in Salem.”

  Just then, William and Ezra strode into the kitchen wearing wide smiles. Ezra snatched Henry from his spot on the floor and swung him up in his arms. “There is my little man.” Giggling, Henry grabbed a wad of his father’s shirtfront in his chubby hand and said, “Dada, Dada.”

  Sophie hurried to her husband, her face tense. She gripped his arm. “What did you learn?” Her voice sounded breathless.

  Ezra’s smile stretched so wide Regina feared his lips might split. “I start in two weeks.”

  “Praise Gott!” Sophie sank to a chair, all the starch gone out of her. Her hands trembled in her lap.

  Regina and Elsie sent up their own prayers of thanks, and hugs and kisses were exchanged all around.

  Ezra held up a hand palm forward in a gesture of caution. “The pay won’t be nearly what I was making as part owner of my own shop. But if the factory makes a go of it here, there will be plenty of opportunity for advancement.”

  Sophie stood, and some of the tension returned to her features. “If they make a go? You mean the factory might not stay here?”

  Ezra offered a nonchalant shrug, seemingly unfazed by his wife’s concern. “Well, there is no guarantee, of course, but people are always needing wagons.”

  Appearing somewhat satisfied with her husband’s answer, Sophie pressed her hand to her chest as if to suppress her jubilant heart. “At least it is a stable job for the present, and you can continue to practice your trade.” Her lifting mood seemed to pick up steam, and she brightened. “Now if we can just find a house here, we could be moved within the month.”

  It was on this happy note that, a few minutes later, they all piled into Ezra and Sophie’s Conestoga with baskets of picnic fare and traveled a mile’s distance to the farm of a man named Jim Barnett.

  At the end of a long lane, they pulled into a grassy expanse beside a large, weathered gray barn. Sitting in the back of the wagon, Regina rested her chin on her forearm draped across the wagon’s backboard and gazed out at the deepening gloaming. The setting sun painted streaks of pinkish-orange, purple, and gold across the darkening blue-gray sky. In a deep blue strip beneath the colorful hues, the first star of the evening winked at her like the eye of a playful angel. Was Diedrich back at the new house admiring the same view? At the wistful thought, warmth filled her. How she longed to share all the sunsets of her life with him—to stand beside him at twilight as they gazed together on the evening’s first bright star. But unless God softened Herr Rothhaus’s heart…

  The wagon jolted to a stop, yanking her from her musings. Several other wagons and teams had already arrived, and dozens of people milled about the area. Roast-pork-scented smoke filled the air, teasing Regina’s nose. As she climbed from the wagon, she spotted the smoke’s origin. At the edge of a fallow field, two blackened patches of ground glowed red with smoldering embers. Above the embers stood iron spits on which two whole hogs roasted to dusky perfection.

  Will jumped from the back of the wagon then helped Elsie and Sophie to the ground. “Mmm.” He rubbed his belly. “Can’t wait for a plate of that roast pork.” Mimicking his uncle, Henry, perched on his father’s arm, rubbed his own belly, drawing a laugh from his elders.

  Regina helped Sophie and Elsie spread quilts over the grass a few yards from the wagon, where they would have an unobstructed view of the fireworks later. As she headed back to the wagon for the basket that held their eating utensils, she noticed Ezra and William standing near the wagon and shaking hands with a scraggly bearded man wearing a fringed deerskin shirt.

  “Zeke Roberts,” the man said around the corncob pipe in his mouth as he pumped William’s hand.

  William introduced himself and then Ezra. “This is my brother-in-law, Ezra Barnes. He and his wife and baby and my wife’s other sister have come down here from Sauers to join in our celebration this evenin’.”

  “Is that right?” Regina heard the man say as she reached into the wagon for the basket of utensils. He gave a throaty chuckle. “You fellers wouldn’t know a young feller up there in Sauers by the name of Diedrich Rothhaus, would ya?”

  At Diedrich’s name, Regina froze. As far as she knew, Diedrich had never been to Salem. How could he know this man?

  When Ezra explained that Diedrich was living on land owned by his parents-in-law, the man guffawed. “Well, I’ll be switched!”

  At his exclamation, a chilly foreboding slithered down Regina’s spine. She stood as if paralyzed. A series of soft pops told her the man had paused to draw on his pipe.

  A snort sounded, followed by Zeke’s voice. “Why, young Rothhaus has agreed to join up with me and head to the Californee goldfields next spring.”

  CHAPTER 24

  Regina pummeled the steaming bowl of potatoes with punishing blows of the masher. At least her frustration would make for some of the smoothest mashed potatoes served at today’s threshing. Shortly after dawn, the threshers began arriving at the farm. She’d hoped to find a moment to speak to Diedrich alone and confront him with what she’d heard Zeke Roberts say. So far, she hadn’t seen Diedrich today. But she had no doubt he was working somewhere in the field loading wagons with bundles of wheat and would appear in the yard with the other workers when the dinner bell rang. Diedrich still owed Papa a summer’s worth of work on the farm, so whether or not his father decided to come, Regina was sure Diedrich would participate in today’s threshing. And before the dinner break was over, she was determined to learn why he hadn’t informed Roberts he was no longer interested in going to California. That is, if he was no longer interested.

  She plopped another golden dollop of butter atop the potatoes then beat the melting lump into the snowy mound until it disappeared. In the week since Salem’s Independence Day celebration, Zeke Roberts’s words had tumbled around in her brain, tormenting her thoughts and robbing her of sleep. When she’d recovered from the immediate shock of hearing the man’s claim that Diedrich planned to accompany him to California, she had confronted him, intent on learning the details behind his astonishing comment. But Roberts had seemed unable to remember the exact date he’d
met Diedrich in the Dudleytown smithy. Regina surmised it must have been while she was in Salem caring for Elsie. But even if that were so, how could Diedrich promise Roberts he would travel with him to California next spring then a few days later pledge his love to Regina and promise to stay here in Sauers with her? Finding scant satisfaction in the man’s vague answers, she’d leveled a relentless barrage of mostly fruitless questions at him until William finally took pity on Roberts and escorted Regina back to their picnic spot, little the wiser for her efforts. Wielding the masher, she punished the potatoes again.

  “You have them mashed enough, I think, Tochter.” Mama maneuvered through the shifting maze of cooks to stand beside Regina at the kitchen table. “We want mashed potatoes, not potato soup.” She glanced across the room to where Sophie bent over the baskets of dishes and eating utensils Helena Entebrock had brought earlier. Sophie appeared to be sorting through the dishes and other tableware donated by all the families in the threshing ring specifically for use at threshing dinners like today’s. She was likely gathering place settings to take outside to the makeshift sawhorse tables Papa and some of the other men had set up in the yard earlier.

  Mama handed Regina a stoneware plate. “Here, cover those potatoes with this and put them on the stove to stay warm. Then help your sister set places at the tables.”

  “Ja.” Regina nodded, happy for the opportunity to escape the hot kitchen for a while.

  When she and Sophie had loaded four baskets with enough dishes and utensils for twenty-two settings, they gratefully headed outside into cool, welcoming breezes and the shade of the old willow tree.

  Though reason told Regina that Diedrich was beyond her sight, she couldn’t help turning her face in the direction of the wheat field.

  “Have you talked with him yet?” Sophie’s tone was matter-of-fact as she transferred a plate from the basket to the table.