His tone made her feel cherished and reminded her of all the times he’d come to her defense. “A little teasing sounds like a big improvement, considering the other issues we’ve dealt with recently,” she said. “Do you suppose Clarence or Saul will say anything to anyone about my being Ella’s mother?”
“I hope they realize the risk they run of upsetting Ella—especially since Julia and Tim have now explained that she was a gift from God to them.” Jeremiah clasped her hand. “And she is, no matter what the circumstances of her conception.”
He held her gaze for a moment, his faith and affection unwavering. “We’ll have to trust that as leaders of the church, they’ll respect the confidentiality of your confession as well as what’s at stake for the Nissleys. Believe me, in my years as a bishop, I’ve heard and honored secrets much deeper and darker than yours, Sunshine. And so have they.”
Lydianne blinked. His words made her curious, but she knew better than to ask what those secrets might’ve involved and whose they were. It was a blessing to know that her past was safe in Jeremiah’s keeping, and that her relationship with Aden hadn’t offended him.
“Truth be told,” Jeremiah whispered as he leaned closer to her, “I’m ecstatic knowing that you’ll be able to give me children, Lydianne. I couldn’t possibly have loved Priscilla any more than I did—we shared a special, blessed marriage even though our nursery remained empty. But I feel so hopeful now—so ready to raise the babies we’ll have together.”
He cleared his throat and looked away. “But of course, I’ve gotten ahead of myself again, haven’t I? One of these days I’ll give you a chance to answer the question I haven’t asked you yet.”
After a moment, Jeremiah gazed at her again. “See you around five, Lydianne. I’ll be parked out back, hoping we’ll get away faster if we don’t have folks stopping us to talk.”
As he rose to go, Lydianne’s emotions danced and she almost blurted out that yes, she’d marry him. But it was best to let Jeremiah follow all the steps of his courtship, wasn’t it? And what was her hurry? He certainly didn’t show signs of courting anyone else.
“I’ll be ready,” she said softly. “Have a gut day, Jeremiah.”
He turned, with a tender smile that made her feel like the most beloved woman in the world. “It’s already been the best day ever, because we’ve talked and kissed, Lydianne. I live for the day when we can share so much more.”
When he’d disappeared into the upstairs hallway, Lydianne allowed herself to believe that her fondest dreams finally had a chance of coming true—that a man who knew of her past and loved her anyway wanted her to be his wife.
Chapter Twenty-Six
A little before five, Jeremiah went behind The Marketplace to hitch his mare to his buggy. He’d enjoyed about an hour of chatting with the Wengerds in their nursery shop, the Hartzler women in their quilt and candle shop, Martin and Gabe in the corner of the building that was filled with their beautiful furniture, and the Helfing twins as they sold the last bags of their noodles—and told a few stories on his nephew, Pete. All this visiting was only a way to bide his time, however.
What was taking Lydianne so long? When he’d last seen her, she’d been helping his redheaded nieces, Alice and Adeline, redd up the tables in the refreshment area—around four-fifteen. Didn’t she know how eager he was to whisk her away? To spend time alone with her, someplace where well-meaning members of their church couldn’t interrupt?
Maybe she’s making me wait—playing hard to get after the way I swooped in on her this morning. Now that I’ve told her I love her, Lydianne knows she can say “jump” and I’ll immediately ask her “how high?”
A few minutes later when she emerged, however, Lydianne’s smile made Jeremiah forget his impatient musings.
“Sorry I wasn’t here sooner, but Gracie was showing me the pumpkin placemat she’d cross-stitched—as Martha Maude looked on,” she explained while he helped her into his buggy. “I thought it best to give them a little of my time, seeing’s how Gracie has latched onto me as her other mother, and Martha Maude’s going along with that line.”
Jeremiah stepped up into the rig, agreeing with Lydianne’s logic. “Jah, I could’ve cheered out loud when Gracie rushed toward you and got all the kids going about how they wanted you to be their mamm,” he replied as they backed away from the hitching rail. “But let’s leave all that behind us, shall we? Seems like a nice evening for a ride and dinner at the café in Willow Ridge. Hopefully, we won’t see anybody we know, like we would here in town.”
Lydianne chuckled. “Everyone around here seems very aware that we’re spending time together,” she remarked softly. “The way their minds—and the grapevine—work, a lot of them already have us hitched up and having kids.”
“Is that a bad thing?”
Her faraway expression teased at him as she welcomed the hand he wrapped around hers. “It’s just a sudden thing,” she clarified softly. “Every couple should take the time to know each other’s sore spots and all those little habits that are easy to overlook—until that first rush of romance dies down and they grate on your nerves. Those little irritations can become stumbling blocks to a close relationship.”
Jeremiah admired her mature way of making that point. “Surely you don’t have any such habits!” he teased.
“Of course, I don’t,” she shot back. “I’ve lived alone for so long, I’ve become the perfect companion—for myself. And you’ve had a wife and your mother seeing to all your needs, so you’ve gotten used to the way they’ve always done things. The minute I become Mrs. Shetler, your apple cart will get upset in a big way.”
The way she’d said Mrs. Shetler, as though she’d tried it on for size in her mind, made Jeremiah’s soul glow. “Maybe I have a few ideas for easing that transition. And Mamm’s already offered to move out so we’d have our privacy,” he said. “She was one of the first to see us as a gut match, and she reminds me of that every chance she gets.”
Lydianne’s eyes widened. “Where would she go? As I recall, she lived with Jude after his first wife died, helping manage his kids. But once he married Leah and her mamm moved in with them, she came back to your place.”
“My mother’s motivated to do whatever it takes to make us happy—and to bring her some more grandkids,” he added with a gentle laugh. “Mamm got along fine with Priscilla, but it was her biggest disappointment when our babies didn’t start arriving. She accepted our situation as best she could—like Priscilla and I had to—but our childless state hung over the household like a constant cloud.”
Lydianne gazed out over the passing countryside. “Jah, a baby changes everything. For better or worse,” she murmured.
Jeremiah squeezed her hand. “But we’ve got plenty of time together before we start our family,” he said in a lighter tone. “After all, the school year’s off to a fine start. Nobody’s keen on replacing you, Lydianne—especially now that the scholars have become so attached to you.”
“Not to mention the fact that you haven’t proposed, and I haven’t answered. Everyone seems to be overlooking that.”
Jeremiah’s eyes widened and he focused on the winding road. Lydianne’s observation hadn’t sounded judgmental or disappointed—and as they rolled along the county highway, she remained as calm as the autumn dusk that was falling around them. How many women would be able to mention a marriage proposal in such a lighthearted, matter-of-fact tone, as though it was an event that just hadn’t happened yet? His first inclination was to pull onto the shoulder of the road and pop the question straightaway, yet that felt wrong.
“‘To everything there’s a season,’” he remarked, relying on the Bible to get him through a tricky spot.
“‘And a time for every purpose under the heaven,’” Lydianne said without missing a beat. “What with writing a verse of Scripture on the board each day, I’m pretty gut at quoting the Bible—but being around a bishop full-time would increase my repertoire a lot, no doubt.”
/> Jeremiah laughed out loud. “Trading verse for verse, like a contest, must surely rank as the least likely way to win a woman’s heart. But it’s nice to know you wouldn’t back down or feel intimidated by my years of Bible study and preaching if I did challenge you.”
“I don’t have it in me to back down, just because you’re a man and I’m not. That’s one of those little habits I spoke of earlier,” she said with a sweet, wide-eyed smile. “And maybe it’s a maidel thing, too.”
“You and your maidel friends certainly didn’t back down from the challenges of running The Marketplace,” Jeremiah agreed. He gestured ahead of them, feeling lighthearted as the outskirts of Willow Ridge came into view. “We’re almost there, and I can already smell the meat roasting in the outdoor grills. Ever eaten at the Grill N Skillet?”
Lydianne shook her head. “I’ve heard it’s the best place around, though. And now that I’ve caught a whiff of seasoned beef and pork, I could eat an entire cow by myself,” she stated in all seriousness. Then she laughed. “That sounds like something Billy Jay or Stevie would say.”
Chuckling, Jeremiah guided his mare along the road that ran past the Simple Gifts store, because it was faster than circling his friend Tom’s dairy farm. A few minutes later, he pulled into an empty spot along the café’s hitching rail.
“Always busy on Saturday nights,” he murmured as he set the brake. “Guess I didn’t consider that I know several folks in this town, so we may well see someone who’ll find it very interesting that I have a pretty woman with me. Are you all right with that, Lydianne?”
Her cheeks glowed at his compliment. “If I want my dinner, I’d better take that in stride, ain’t so?”
Jeremiah stepped to the ground and grasped Lydianne around the waist to help her down. He was tempted to get lost in her kiss again, right there in the parking lot, but he thought better of it. She was such a blessing—and in such a good mood this evening—he didn’t want to jeopardize their first real date. He contented himself with placing his hand in the small of her back as they approached the door.
The Grill N Skillet rang with dozens of conversations as aromas of beef, chicken, cornbread, biscuits, and other down-home food on the buffet wafted around the main dining room. He quickly surveyed the sturdy wooden tables, hoping to find an empty one—
“Jeremiah Shetler!” someone called out above the noisy crowd.
“Here’s two chairs with your names on them,” another fellow chimed in, just as Jeremiah spotted four arms waving in the air about halfway back.
He smiled at two longtime friends, pointing so Lydianne would know which way to go between the crowded tables. “Honest to Pete, I did not know these guys and their wives would be here tonight,” he said. “But we’ll be in gut company—”
“Of course, we will,” she reassured him. “If they like you enough to call you over, how can I not like them, too?”
Once again, Jeremiah reminded himself that Lydianne was more than equal to the task of stepping into a bishop’s life and social circle, even if she was several years younger than he was. As he shook the hands of the two longtime friends who’d called them over, he made the introductions.
“Lydianne, this is Tom Hostetler and his wife Nazareth from here in Willow Ridge, and Vernon Gingerich, who married Nazareth’s sister, Jerusalem—they live in Cedar Creek,” he said as she gripped the hand of each smiling person in turn. “Miss Christner’s our new schoolteacher in Morning Star.”
“Pleased to meet you all,” Lydianne said as she took the empty chair nearest the two women.
Vernon’s wife flashed her a bright smile. “Back in the day, Nazareth and I taught school for most of our lives, out East,” she remarked.
“Never in a million years did we dream we’d both hitch up with bishops after we moved to Missouri,” Nazareth put in with a laugh. “Just goes to show you that God’s plan can take you down some totally unexpected paths.”
“And His plans are always the best,” Jerusalem put in. “As you can see by our plates, we’ve already made our first round at the buffet—”
“So your arrival is the perfect excuse for a refill,” Tom piped up with a boyish smile. “By golly, it’s so gut to see you, Jeremiah, your meals are on me. And don’t give me any guff about it!”
Just that easily, his friends had welcomed Lydianne, and minutes later they were filling plates at the buffet table. It was a joy to watch her select slices of brisket, scalloped potatoes, and spoonfuls of the various salads and side dishes as she chatted with Nazareth and Jerusalem. The Hostetlers and Gingeriches were somewhat older than he was—old enough to be Lydianne’s parents—yet she was already conversing so easily with them, that Jeremiah knew she wouldn’t feel left out if he talked with Tom and Vernon some of the time.
Even though Amish women had much in common from one town to the next, some gals were shy around folks they didn’t know. It had taken Priscilla a long time to get beyond feeling intimidated when they’d socialized with other bishops—especially because the lot had fallen to him when he was in his thirties, and the other church leaders were so much older and sterner.
It’s yet another blessing, Lord, that Lydianne can hold her own amongst my colleagues, he prayed when they bowed briefly over their plates at the table.
The meal was delicious, and the six of them moved effortlessly from one topic of conversation to the next. Every now and then he clasped Lydianne’s hand under the table, and when she squeezed back, Jeremiah felt deliriously happy. When he glanced at the wall clock over his second slice of pie, he was astounded that more than two hours had passed—without a single dead spot in the conversation.
“We’ll have to mosey over to Morning Star some Sunday and attend your service, Jeremiah,” Vernon said with a twinkle in his blue eyes. “Just to be sure you folks’re still following the proper path.”
“Puh!” Jerusalem put in. “Church is all well and gut, but I want to make it over to The Marketplace some Saturday and see what all the fuss is about!”
“Jah, folks hereabouts are saying it’s quite the place to shop, with Plain crafters and businesses all under one roof,” Nazareth chimed in.
Lydianne beamed at them. “Within the next month, when we start setting out Christmas items, I suspect we’ll be really busy. We’ve gotten off to a more profitable start than any of us figured on—”
“And with our church getting a percentage of the sales,” Jeremiah remarked, “we’ve paid for the property and the new schoolhouse, so everybody benefits. The five maidels who organized it have done us all proud.”
“Well, where there’s a woman, there’s a way!” Jerusalem crowed, and the six of them laughed so loudly that folks at other tables looked over to see what the big joke was.
After he’d thanked Tom for their dinner and they said their good-byes, Jeremiah followed Lydianne between the crowded tables to the parking lot. It had been one of the most pleasant evenings in recent memory, and he was pleased that Lydianne had enjoyed it, too.
“What lovely, funny friends you have,” she remarked as he helped her into the rig.
Jeremiah laughed as he slid onto the seat and turned on the headlights and the safety flashers. “Vernon and Tom are the best,” he agreed. “Their lives took a sudden turn when they met the Hooley sisters. Vernon had lost his devoted Dorothea, and Tom’s wife left him for an English fellow a few years ago. It’s wonderful to see them so happy again . . . and all because a couple of open-minded maidels took a chance on them.”
As the mare clip-clopped onto the county highway, Jeremiah considered another possibility and how he should phrase it. With Lydianne sitting so close that her skirt rustled against his pant leg as the buggy moved, he didn’t want to ruin their fine mood by saying something dumb or inappropriate.
“It’s another plus that we’ve met up with Tom and Vernon,” he began softly, “because one of these days—if I happen to ask a certain young lady for her hand—we’ll need one of them to officiate at th
e wedding.”
“That’s a big if,” Lydianne teased, happy to continue her flirtation concerning his proposal. Then her expression waxed more serious. “But why only one of them? No matter whom you choose, the other fellow’s likely to feel bad that he didn’t get picked, jah? After all, how often does a bishop get remarried?” she continued more fervently. “Why shouldn’t your ceremony—your entire wedding day—be as extraordinary as you are, Jeremiah?”
He was so startled, he drew in his breath. He felt ten feet tall and head-over-heels for the beautiful woman beside him.
Lydianne turned her head, however. “But it’s none of my beeswax, of course,” she said breezily, “because I haven’t been asked to participate in any way.”
As his laughter rang out into the autumn night, Jeremiah slipped his arm around Lydianne and hugged her firmly. He suspected she would always be able to take him by surprise—and as long as she took him for her husband someday, he would be forever delighted.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
“Jeremiah! We need to go to the Detweiler place, right now!”
His mother’s urgent voice coming up through the heating grate roused Jeremiah from his daydreams of Lydianne as he shaved early on Sunday morning. Mamm rarely interrupted his routine when he was preparing for a church service, so he quickly rinsed his face. “I’ll be right there, soon as I put on my clothes,” he called down to her.
All manner of possibilities, none of them good, rushed through his mind. Should he wear his Sunday suit and be ready for church, or everyday clothing more suited to a physical emergency? He opted for the shirt and pants that still lay over the back of the chair after his date with Lydianne, figuring he’d have time to change before heading to the Flaud home for the service.
The sight of Billy Jay crying in Mamm’s lap at the kitchen table told him he might be in for a long morning, however. “What’s happened, son?” he asked softly as he placed his hand on the boy’s tousled hair.
First Light in Morning Star Page 23