“Don’t worry, I wasn’t going to say anything explicit. I’ve kept it a guarded secret, too. But I wanted to hear about your progress. My mother’s been considering taking Monday afternoon off work to get a head start on cleaning the cabin.”
Nick panicked. “Monday? I thought I had until Wednesday or even Thursday!”
“There’s no chance you can complete the work early?”
“Neh. That would mean I’d have to finish it tonight since I can’t work on the Sabbath.” Even if Nick worked until midnight as fast as he could, he still wouldn’t be able to finish the project. What’s more, he wasn’t prepared to call off his arrangement with Lucy yet.
Jenny frowned. “I’d hoped if you had enough time to come here, it meant maybe you were further along with the project.”
“I can understand why you’d think that,” Nick admitted. “But even if I had skipped the party, there’s no way I could have finished everything at the cabin tonight. I’ll do as much as I can though. Maybe I can finish by Tuesday. And just so you know, I only stopped by here to grab something to eat. I’m on my way to your cabin now.”
“Okay, I’ll do my best to keep my mother from coming over early. She has a million things to do in preparation for Christmas anyway, so if she takes the afternoon off I’ll suggest she goes shopping or something.”
“Denki,” Nick said. “If you stop by the hardware store on Tuesday, I can update you on my progress then.”
Jenny agreed, and then Nick said he had to get going. She replied, “Since you’re going past my house, can I have a ride home? My friends are going to be here all night. And I’ve never ridden in a buggy in the winter before.”
Nick couldn’t say no after Jenny had been so patient about his progress on the cabin. “Sure,” he agreed.
Jenny dashed inside to let her friends know she had a ride home. “All set?” Nick asked when she hoisted herself into the seat next to him.
“Yeah. They were in the middle of a song so I didn’t want to interrupt them, but your friend Katura said she’d pass along the message for me.”
Terrific, that’s all I need—Katura starting a rumor about Jenny and me. But Nick had more pressing concerns on his mind. Namely, he was worried about Lucy. After Nick dropped Jenny at the end of her driveway, he continued to the cabin. He’d worked by himself there every night except Friday, but suddenly the place seemed to echo with emptiness because Lucy wasn’t there. A month ago, Nick could have gone for an entire year without so much as waving hello to her; now, he missed her after spending even a single day apart. The longing felt nearly unbearable, so as Nick worked, he again prayed for Lucy’s healing, adding, And Lord, please give me patience until I can see her again.
* * *
Lucy’s head was swimming as she slowly made her way downstairs. Even before she reached the kitchen, she could smell something cooking and she felt guilty she’d slept so long; she had planned to make shepherd’s pie for lunch, but Betty must have made something else instead.
When Betty saw Lucy, she set down a pot and came to Lucy’s side. “How are you feeling?” she asked. Lucy saw the concern in her eyes. Betty wasn’t her mother, but she had undeniable maternal instincts toward Lucy.
“A little groggy but much better. Sorry I overslept,” she said. Katura and Mildred were clearing the table. “I was planning to make shepherd’s pie, but it looks like you’ve already eaten lunch.”
“Lunch?” Betty’s forehead wrinkled. “We’re cleaning up after breakfast.”
“You are? But you just ate breakfast. What time is it?”
“It’s eight o’clock in the morning. Sunday morning. You slept right through lunch and supper yesterday. Through the night, too,” Mildred announced.
“Really?” Lucy was utterly discombobulated.
“It’s true,” Betty said, lifting her hand to Lucy’s forehead. “Your fever is gone but you’re very pale. Go sit in the parlor, and I’ll fix you a cup of tea. Katura, please check to see if the fire needs more logs.”
While Katura stoked the fire in the woodstove, Lucy took a seat next to it. If I slept all through Saturday, what happened when Nick showed up yesterday evening? she wondered. Katura seemed to read her mind.
“Don’t worry, last night when Nick showed up I told him you were sick and couldn’t go out. But he was kind enough to give me a ride to caroling practice. Penny is every bit as fast as I’ve heard she is.”
Lucy was immediately ruffled. Did Nick take as much pleasure in demonstrating to Katura how fast Penny could run as when he’d shown Lucy? She brooded over why he had taken Katura to the rehearsal anyway. He had work to do on the cabin, so why was he at the practice? Then Lucy realized that since she’d been sick, Nick probably didn’t have an excuse to get out of going to the rehearsal. She was dismayed to realize her illness had probably hindered his work.
Katura blathered on, “Of course, I had to ride home with Mildred since Nick left early with an Englischer. She was a blonde woman, but what was her name?” Katura tapped her chin as if trying to remember. “Ah, right, it was Jenny. Jenny Nelson. She was one of the Englisch carolers who came to the rehearsal, but she said she didn’t like to sing. She’d kumme there looking for Nick. The two of them took off together after about ten minutes.”
Lucy felt queasy. Jenny Nelson? Nick’s friend whose family owned the cabin was a woman? Lucy had assumed his friend was a man, an assumption Nick allowed her to believe by not correcting her when she referred to him as the Nelson boy. Come to think of it, Nick hadn’t ever told her his friend’s name, had he? Why would he have concealed the fact his friend was a female? Lucy could think of only one reason. Suddenly, she felt like her lungs were made of cement and each breath she took required enormous effort.
Nick couldn’t possibly be romantically interested in Jenny. Although Nick hadn’t been baptized yet and technically could date an Englischer, Lucy had no doubt he was true to his faith. He was true to the Amish. But was he true to Lucy? Did he set me up from the beginning? she speculated. Or am I letting my imagination run away with me because I feel so crummy?
Lucy struggled to contain her qualms. Her trembling hands didn’t go unnoticed when Betty brought her another cup of lemon tea.
“Steady now, or you’ll spill it.” Lucy’s stepmother hovered over her, clucking her tongue. “It’s a gut thing it’s an off Sunday—you need more rest today.”
Lucy swallowed a sip of the hot liquid before protesting. “I feel much better now, and by evening, I’ll have even more energy. All that sleep really helped.” She felt desperate to see Nick so she could address the situation between him and Jenny.
“I’m glad you’re feeling better, but you still need to stay in today. No visitors,” Betty said authoritatively, which annoyed Lucy. She wasn’t a child.
When her father came in from outdoors carrying wood in his arms, Lucy told him how much better she felt, assuming he’d side with her about going out with Nick that evening. Instead, he deliberately arranged a log in the fire and said, “You’re an adult, Lucy, so I’m not going to stop you from going out. But I think you should exercise common sense and do what’s right for your health. I also think anyone who truly cares about you would be willing to wait another day or two until you’re more rested before taking you out in the cold.”
Her father’s reference to Nick wasn’t lost on Lucy, and since she didn’t want him to think poorly of Nick, she begrudgingly agreed she’d stay in and wouldn’t receive visitors. Besides, it was the Sabbath so it wasn’t as if Nick could work on the cabin anyway. Even though she was desperate to see him for her own sake, Lucy was relieved her absence wouldn’t set him back on the cabin repairs. Still, she harbored hope he’d stop by the house. That way, maybe she could settle her qualms by asking him about Jenny Nelson.
But the hours ticked by and there was no sign of Nick. While he wasn’t obligated to check
on her, Lucy was surprised he didn’t, especially since the other night he’d claimed how concerned he was about her health. She tried to convince herself he didn’t want to bother her while she was recovering, but her thoughts kept circling back to Jenny Nelson. Why hadn’t he mentioned his friendship with her if indeed there was nothing to hide?
Fidgety all day, Lucy was too listless to work on embroidering her final napkin for the auction and by the time Katura and Mildred left for rehearsal, Lucy was grumpier than ever. It just figured the one time she actually wouldn’t mind chaperoning them, Lucy was forbidden to go.
While Lucy silently stewed in the corner of the parlor, Betty brought her a piece of mail. “This came for you yesterday,” she said. “I forgot all about it.”
The return address indicated it was from Bridget so Lucy retreated to her room to read it. She carefully unsealed the gold envelope to reveal a homemade Christmas card. On the front Bridget had designed a simple star sparkling with glitter. Above it were the words, “All is bright,” in big print. Beneath the star she’d inscribed the King James Version of John 8:12: “Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.”
The note inside was short but sweet:
Dear Lucy,
Thank you for your beautiful card. I won’t forget my skates and I’ll also pack an extra pair of leggings to cushion me when I inevitably fall on my backside!
Even though I’ll see you in a week, I have to tell you something that can’t wait that long, something I can only confide in you about... I have a suitor. His name is Joshua and he’s a mason. I’ve never met anyone like him. He’s dependable and trustworthy, not to mention good-natured and strong. One look from him and I forget my own name. I think I’m in love.
I can’t wait to see you!
Love from your cousin,
Bridget
Sliding the card back into its envelope, Lucy suddenly understood how Katura felt—or at least, how Mildred said Katura felt—because Lucy had a suitor and Katura didn’t. Even though Lucy loved Bridget like a sister, she had to admit she was envious. Lucy wanted good things for her cousin, but she wanted them for herself, too. I want to be able to claim I’m in love and I want it to be real, she lamented. She was tired of playing at a courtship and she was disheartened to realize Nick wasn’t as “dependable and trustworthy” as Bridget claimed her Joshua was.
The worst part was, Lucy couldn’t even confront Nick about his relationship with Jenny because Lucy was housebound. She was sick. Fragile. Weak. If Lucy was so frail she couldn’t go out on a Sunday evening like everyone else her age, how had she fooled herself into thinking she might have been on her way to falling in love? How had she dared hope someone might fall in love with her, might wish to marry her?
It serves me right, she thought. I tried so hard to convince others Nick and I were courting I almost wound up believing it myself.
If there was one good thing about being ill it was that she had no energy left over to do anything else, including cry. So, instead, Lucy layered her bed with as many quilts as she could gather and dropped into a deep sleep.
* * *
Nick had a list of reasons for being agitated. Not only had he missed seeing Lucy on Saturday night, but he had stayed awake until two o’clock waiting for Kevin to return home. Nick met him at the door demanding to know why he was out so late. In response, Kevin lipped off, saying he didn’t need a lecture from Nick.
“Better from me than from Daed,” Nick had retorted. After all he’d sacrificed to repair the cabin—including indirectly putting Lucy’s health at risk—his brother didn’t seem to care one whit. Nick was beginning to wonder if he should have just allowed Kevin to suffer the consequences of his actions.
Then, on Sunday afternoon, Nick had intended to take a ride to visit Lucy, but his aunt and uncle and their family stayed later than they expected and once again Nick was corralled into entertaining his younger cousins. It was seven o’clock before Nick could finally break away. He wasn’t sure what to do—stop at Lucy’s or go to the singing in hopes of seeing her there. He was concerned if he stopped at her house and Lucy was still ill Katura would rope him into giving her a ride again. Ultimately, he decided he’d go to the singing first and find out if Lucy was feeling better. If not, he’d pay her a visit at home.
When he arrived, he didn’t see her near the snack table, nor did he find her in the parlor. Aware she had a penchant for withdrawing to a quiet place, he looked but didn’t find her in the bedroom where the coats were piled, either. Nick would have to ask one of her stepsisters where she was. When he spied Katura whispering into Melinda’s ear, he circumvented the pair and located Mildred in the kitchen instead.
“Jah, she feels a lot better, but her daed strongly suggested she stay in,” Mildred said. She’d just finished eating a cupcake and was licking frosting from her fingers.
“Okay. I’ll pay her a visit at home, then,” Nick replied, starting for the door.
“Uh, I wouldn’t do that if I were you.”
Nick did a double take. Was Lucy angry he hadn’t checked in on her health? “Why not?”
“Her daed said something to the effect of anyone who really cared about her would give her time to get better. I’m pretty sure he was talking about you.”
“Oh.” Nick pulled his ear. He supposed that made sense. But how long would he have to wait? Then he was struck with an idea. “Could you give her a note from me?”
“Sure,” Mildred agreed. Then she tittered, “I’ve never delivered a liebesbrief before.”
Nick was too distracted trying to find a pen and piece of paper to reply to Mildred’s remark. He found a felt-tipped pen someone had left near a list of the songs they were practicing, but all he had to write on was a napkin. Since there was no way to keep his comments private he kept them short.
Dear Lucy,
I’m sorry you’ve been ill. I hope it’s all right if I call on you tomorrow night at six. Maybe if you’re feeling better I can take you out for supper?
Nick
The ink was bleeding into the napkin, distorting his already messy penmanship, but it would have to do. He folded it in half. “Please don’t lose this,” Nick urged Mildred.
“I won’t use it,” she answered, having misheard him over the singing, which had begun in the next room. Then she added, “I won’t read it, either.”
Nick didn’t care one way or another if she did, as long as she delivered it to Lucy. Since there was no longer any reason to stay at the singing, he headed for home as fast as Penny could take him. All he wanted was to go to sleep and wake up one day closer to seeing Lucy again.
Chapter Ten
Nick wants to take me out for supper? Lucy could only imagine it was because he felt guilty about Katura catching him sneaking off with Jenny. Lucy would go with him, but only to tell him she was ending their arrangement. She decided since she was finishing the last of the linen napkins anyway it would be better if she didn’t prolong the inevitable by continuing to walk out with Nick even one more day. She was going to confront him about Jenny, too. Not that Lucy needed an explanation at this point, but she was curious. Also, she wanted to watch him squirm when he discovered Lucy knew about his relationship with an Englischer.
As eager as she was to end her arrangement with Nick, Lucy dreaded telling her stepsisters and Betty she was no longer being courted by him. It would only be a matter of time before Melinda Schrock found out, too, and she’d humiliate Lucy with her smug I-told-you-so comments. It wasn’t as if Lucy would be in poor company; plenty of young women had been ditched by Nick. In this case, at least Lucy had the satisfaction of being the one who was doing the ditching. Besides, Bridget was coming soon. She’d console Lucy. Either that, or she’ll tell me I shouldn’t have been so foolish in the first place since I knew
what Nick did to her.
“Are you sure you’re up to going out tonight?” Betty fretted. Lucy was glad her father was working late so he wasn’t home to add to the anxiety.
“Jah. I’m only going out for supper. I shouldn’t be gone for more than an hour or two.”
“I hope not,” her stepmother said. “Your father and I have been lenient about you going out on weeknights because... Well, I’m beginning to have second thoughts about our decision.”
Out of respect for her father and Betty, Lucy carefully considered their advice and concerns, but that didn’t mean Lucy needed their permission to go out at night. Once again, she resented Betty treating her like a child. Worse, Lucy suspected her stepmother had been close to saying they’d been lenient about allowing Lucy to go out during the week because they figured it was so rare for her to be courted they’d better take advantage of it while the taking was good. Even if their assessment was right, it was hurtful.
“I know the limitations of my health,” Lucy retorted with needles in her voice. She rebelled by waiting on the porch for fifteen minutes before Nick was scheduled to arrive. By the time his buggy circled the bend, her nose was so cold she couldn’t feel it.
“Lucy!” Nick exclaimed when he saw her. “You shouldn’t have waited outside for me. You’re shivering.”
“I’m aware,” she said, her voice even frostier than her face.
Nick tipped his head curiously. “Here, let me help you up.”
“I can manage,” Lucy said, pushing his hand away. Since she hadn’t bothered to bring her embroidery, she used both hands to pull herself into the buggy. She allowed Nick to arrange the blanket around her, but even that irritated her. It was as if he were tucking a baby into its cradle.
They were barely down the lane when Nick said, “It’s so gut to see you again. I was worried when I heard you were sick.”
Her Amish Holiday Suitor (Amish Country Courtships Book 5) Page 14