Waneta scowled at her then looked at Esther. “I’ve decided you may return to Ohio with Bessie. I walked to the phone booth today and called her. She said she’d be happy to have your company on the return trip.”
It was what Esther had wanted, so why wasn’t she happier about the prospect? Because Gabe needed her help and she liked helping him. “Did Daed agree to this? He wanted me to come.”
“And we both know why. I’ll write and tell him tomorrow. I’m sure he won’t object when I explain.”
“When is Bessie coming back?”
“In ten days. Take over on these apples, Esther.” Waneta left the kitchen with her packages. Esther hadn’t agreed to go, but she knew she had little chance of changing Waneta’s mind when it was made up.
Esther grabbed the paring knife and began peeling the bright red fruit. Maybe it would be best if she did leave. She hadn’t been trying to prevent her sisters from getting to know Gabe. She only wanted to repay him for his kindness. She was a little amazed that she enjoyed fashioning leather pieces as much as she did. In fact she had a few ideas for new items for him to sell.
She had seen several leather purses for sale in Fort Craig and realized Gabe didn’t have any among the items he’d made. He had men’s wallets and men’s belts but nothing specifically for women customers. She was eager to suggest he add some and see what he thought of the idea. She even had several sketches to show him.
Now she wouldn’t get to see how well his booth did at the festival. She would be going home before then.
She drew a deep breath. She had ten days left. She would show Gabe her drawings and see if he liked the idea, and then she’d find a way to help him make them. If she worked hard enough, she might manage to stitch all the items he would need for the festival.
An Amish man from a neighboring community arrived after supper to inquire about a new buggy for his son who was getting married. Zeke and his sons spent the evening going over plans, helping the man choose interior fabric and seat covers and then settling on the price in the living room. Esther didn’t get a chance to speak to Gabe alone.
After supper the women set to baking cakes, cookies and pies that would be taken to the picnic along with a large ham, fried chicken, potato salad and fresh vegetables from the garden. As Esther was helping clean up the kitchen afterward, Talitha touched her arm.
“Are you feeling well enough to go with us tomorrow? The gathering is at noon.”
Esther grinned and nodded. “I’m looking forward to it. Gabe introduced me to Lilly Arnett. It seems we share a love of wildflowers. She is coming, so I will know someone besides your family. I still have a slight headache, but I barely notice it most of the time.”
Talitha turned toward the living room. Esther looked that way and saw Gabe standing in the doorway. He nodded toward her, but there was an odd wariness in his eyes.
“I’m glad you’re feeling good enough to go. Lilly is looking forward to seeing your flower sketches. I wish I could go,” he said and looked at his feet.
Esther frowned. He wasn’t coming? “I thought you were going to join us? You said you could afford to take the day off.”
“I’ve fallen further behind in my work. I need to do some catching up.”
“That’s a shame.” Her anticipation faded away. She hadn’t been eager to go until Gabe said he was going.
“He needs a day away from that shop,” Talitha said to Esther. “He takes on too much.” She walked past him and left the room.
“I’m sorry you’re behind in your work.” Esther sucked in a quick breath when she noticed a stain on his shirt. “Gabe, there’s blood on your sleeve again.”
“I overused my arm trying to stitch. It’s nothing.”
“I thought Pamela was helping you.”
He shook his head ruefully. “She doesn’t have your skill at leatherwork.” He took a step closer. “Did I upset you? Is that why you didn’t come back this afternoon?”
“Nee, my stepmother had errands for me to run in town. They took longer than I thought they would.”
“I hoped it wasn’t something I said or did.”
She gazed at him quizzically. “Why would you think that?”
“Jonah said only about half our words can be understood by a person reading lips. Sometimes I forget to look at you when I speak, or I look away when I’m talking. I was worried that you didn’t understand how much I appreciate your help.”
Esther decided he needed to know the truth. “My stepmother doesn’t want me taking up all your time.”
“You’re not. How can she think that?”
Esther swallowed hard. “She wants you to have a chance to get to know my sisters better.”
Comprehension dawned on him. “Because they are hoping to find a husband here and you are not?”
She nodded. It sounded so cold when he put it that way.
His brow furrowed as he shook his head in disgust and threw his hands up. “I don’t have the—courting someone.” She missed part of what he said when he looked down.
“My work must come first. This family has—on—my success. Your sisters will—with brothers—fellows they’ll meet at the picnic tomorrow. Single women—in New Covenant. They’ll—sought after, I’m sure.”
Esther stood quietly waiting for him to finish.
The scowl left his face. He took another step closer. “I’m sorry to rant at you. Did you understand all that I said?”
“I think so. You don’t want to court anyone. My sisters can look elsewhere.”
A wry grin tipped up the corner of his mouth. “That’s about it.”
“I can understand you fairly well. You’re one of the rare people I find easy to read. For the most part you speak slowly and distinctly, and you have an expressive face, but if you look down or away from me, I miss things. Reconsider and come to the picnic. It will do you good and give your arm a chance to heal.”
He stepped back. “I wish I could. I’ll see you in the morning. Guten nacht, Esther.”
“Good night, Gabe.”
He turned and walked away.
Esther leaned on the table with both arms. She didn’t want to go to the picnic if he wasn’t coming. He needed to come. Even his mother thought so. Esther pushed away from the table and walked toward the stairs. How could she convince him to change his mind?
* * *
Gabe rose before first light, grabbed a cold biscuit from the bread box and washed it down with a glass of milk. If he got started early and worked through the morning, he might be able to spare an hour to attend the picnic. He wanted Esther to meet his friends. He wanted to see her enjoying herself.
Opening the front door, he paused when he noticed a light coming from the window of his workshop. He distinctly remembered turning off the overhead propane lamp when he left the building yesterday. Who had business out there at this hour?
He hurried across the farmyard and opened the door. An Amish woman sat at his stitching machine. He knew it was Esther without seeing her face. He walked up behind her. She raised her head. “Good morning, Gabe.” She turned around with a smile.
“How did you know I was here?”
“I felt the vibration of someone walking across the floor. I assumed it was you.”
“What are you doing?”
“I’m stitching the pieces I didn’t get done yesterday.”
“How long have you been out here?”
“About two hours. I have at least another hour of work to do. Hadn’t you better get busy? We don’t want to be late to the picnic today.”
“I said I wasn’t going.”
“And I’m helping you catch up on your work so you can. You mother said you need a day off. I agree with her, and you should do as your mother bids.”
“I don’t stand a chance of getting my own way if you’ve teamed up
with Mamm.”
She frowned. “Say that again but slower.”
He repeated himself, and she chuckled. “Very smart of you to recognize that. I’m almost done with what I have here. What’s next?”
“Dog collars and leashes. I cut. You stitch.”
She grinned. “Easy straight lines. What color thread are you wanting?”
“What do you think?”
“Mostly red, but I would do a few in blue and a few in pink.”
“Pink? For a dog collar?”
“Englisch women like their dogs to wear fancy things. I saw pink collars with rhinestones on several little dogs in town yesterday.”
“I don’t have any rhinestones.”
“You do have brass and chrome dots in round and diamond shapes. You even have little brass bells. I checked. Plain items are all good and well for your Amish customers, but the Englisch like fancy.”
He rubbed his jaw as he considered her suggestion. She could be right. Only a handful of the festivalgoers would be Amish, but over half of the rest would be women. “What else might an Englisch woman want to buy from us?”
“Not ax and hatchet covers.”
“There are plenty of lumberjacks in this part of Maine, and they like to protect their tools.”
“Women lumberjacks?”
“Some.”
She arched one eyebrow and gave him a skeptical look.
“Okay, not many.”
“Women like bags and purses, pretty belts, soft leather baby boots, perhaps.”
It was his turn to be dubious. “Plain bags and plain purses?”
He saw her take a deep breath. “Some plain, but some with fancy designs in the leather. Flowers, leaves, feathers, vines, and the inside of the purses would need to be lined with fabric. I’ve made several sketches.” She slowly handed over her drawing pad.
The shapes of the bags themselves were simple enough, but her elaborate designs would take hours to complete on each piece. “Fabric? Flowers? I thought your plan was to help me so I had less work to do, not more.”
“You’re right. I’m sorry.” She reached for her sketches.
He held them away from her and carried them over to his workbench to study them. If he simplified the scrollwork and reduced it so it was only on the flap or even down to a border, it could be done in a lot less time.
He turned around to face her. She had her hands clasped tightly in her lap. “You would have to do the artwork. I have no skill at drawing. We’d have to reduce the size and area of the decorations, but I think you are onto something.”
Her smile lit up her entire face. “You do?”
Her joyful expression was more than payment enough for any added work. “Let’s finish what we have cut. Tomorrow I’ll teach you the basics of tooling leather and we’ll see if we can produce a sturdy leather purse that someone will gladly part with their money to own.”
“Gabe, please. Speak a little slower.”
He swallowed a tinge of annoyance. It wasn’t her fault. He would have to learn she couldn’t always follow his long, rambling conversations. “Tomorrow I’ll teach you to tool. Hopefully someone will want to buy your purses.”
“They will. I’m sure of it.”
He pointed to the stitcher. “Get on with your work so you can enjoy an afternoon at the picnic.”
Her smile vanished as she crossed her arms and raised her chin. “I’m not going unless you go.”
“You’ve just given me more projects to get done, and besides, Lilly is expecting to see you.”
“Then she will be disappointed, and it will be your fault. I think if you promise to speak to all my sisters today and to visit with each of them in the evenings, I believe Waneta will be satisfied and continue to let me help you. Provided you make her understand ours is only a working relationship.”
That’s all it was.
Only could it be more? He liked her. A lot. Spending an hour or so with each of her sisters in the evening would be a waste of time, he already knew that. But if it meant spending the majority of the day with Esther working beside him, it would be worth it.
“Well?” she asked.
“It’s a deal.”
“Did I hear you right? You’ll do it? And you’ll come to the picnic?”
“You heard correctly.”
“I thought so.” Her smile returned.
He grew serious. “There is one problem.”
“Oh?”
“I don’t want one or more of your sisters to get their hopes up. They could misinterpret my attention.”
She frowned. “I hadn’t thought of that. You’re right. That would never do.”
He could get to know the sisters, but he wouldn’t raise anyone’s hopes. Not even Waneta’s. Somehow he had to make his cousin understand that he needed Esther’s help.
She turned around and sat at the sewing machine. “I’ll get as much work done as I can before my stepmother starts finding other tasks for me.”
Since Esther wasn’t looking at him, Gabe knew she was finished with their conversation. He knew a moment of envy. She could shut herself off from anyone and any problem simply by not looking. It had to be a small consolation for all that she was missing in the world. He followed her lead and set to work.
Several hours later the door opened and Waneta stepped in. She frowned at Esther, who hadn’t seen her yet. Gabe moved quickly to speak with his mother’s cousin. “Good morning, Waneta. How are you and your family this morning?”
“We were wondering where Esther had gotten off to. I see she is troubling you again.”
“Never think that. She has been a wonderful help. It was nice getting to work with Pamela yesterday, but Esther needs little direction and she is amazingly skilled at leatherwork. She is making my job easier.”
He paused, not certain his parents would approve of what he had to say, but he did need Esther’s help. “I’m sure my mother has shared her concerns about the family’s financial situation. I know how close the two of you are.”
Waneta drew back. “She hasn’t mentioned anything to me.”
“Then perhaps I shouldn’t. I don’t want to spoil your visit.”
“How would our visit be spoiled?”
“I confess Jonah told me you and Mamm had hoped to spark a romance or two between the families.”
“Did he? I must speak to the boy about that.”
“Don’t. None of my brothers are opposed to the idea of finding the right woman, but now may not be the right time.”
“How so?”
“Please don’t mention this to Daed or Mamm.”
“I can’t promise that until I hear what you have to say.”
He hoped he was doing the right thing. “Business hasn’t been good since we moved here. If things don’t improve before the fall, my brothers will have to leave to find work in the city or even return to Pennsylvania. I don’t believe they will consider taking wives this year with such an uncertain future.”
“Your mother never mentioned this in her letters.”
“I’m not surprised. Daed did not want to worry her and only shared this news with her recently. As you can imagine, she is concerned about her sons moving away. She has been looking forward to your visit for ages. Having you here is a blessing for her. She has missed you and her friends back home. The thing is, I think I may have a solution to our troubles.”
“How so?”
He gestured behind him, where Esther was still sewing. “If I can sell enough of my leather goods, expand this part of the family business, my brothers can remain here working with Daed and look to the future with more confidence. Amish families will move here. We’ll be the only buggy makers for two hundred miles. We just have to hold on until that happens.”
“I see.”
“I hope y
ou do. I’ve rented a booth at our upcoming festival to sell my goods to the Englisch tourists who attend. I need a well-stocked inventory of items for people to buy and to place orders for more.” He gripped his sore arm. “I’m not going to achieve that without help.”
“Can’t your brothers work with you?”
“They do when I’m making harnesses. For the smaller items, I need someone who knows how to sew and sew well. None of them have mastered the skill. I can’t tell you how grateful I am that Esther offered to help. Without her I don’t know what I would do. She’s a fine worker. I only wish I could pay her for her labor.”
“I’m sure that isn’t necessary. We are family after all.”
“Still, it doesn’t feel right. I’ll keep track of her hours and reimburse her when I’m able. With her help I may even have time to get to know your charming family instead of working out here until late at night. I know you must miss Esther’s company. If you need her, I will manage somehow.”
Waneta raised her fingers to her lips and tapped them. “Now that I understand better, and you’re sure she isn’t a bother, I’ll allow her to continue assisting you. She is handy with a needle.”
“You are a dear, Cousin Waneta. I’m glad you and your family are here. It will take Mamm’s mind off her worries, and perhaps in a few weeks and with the Lord’s blessing we’ll put an end to her concerns and she can focus on her real goals.”
“Which are?”
“Getting grandchildren. She constantly reminds her sons that she isn’t getting any younger. And neither are my brothers and I.”
“She should remind you. Grandchildren will be a great comfort to her in her old age. Esther may continue to help for as long as you want.”
Gabe patted his cousin’s hand. “Danki. I knew you’d understand.”
“Your mother sent me to tell you breakfast is ready.”
“I’ll let Esther know.”
“Her deafness makes her such a bother.”
Until that second he had been thinking he’d misjudged Waneta. He let go of her hand, struggling to keep his disgust from showing. “It doesn’t bother me,” he said in a flat tone.
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