“I guess you’re right. She’s such a sweet kid. I never expected she could act differently.”
“There have been so many changes for her in the past week that it must all seem terribly confusing. Does she live here now? Does she live with you and Ernest? Children need security. That’s part of the reason she clings to you. You are her security.”
“You will notice she is not clinging to me at the moment. She’s hiding in her safe place. I could be out helping with the search instead of babysitting her.”
“Now who is being difficult?” she asked with a tiny smile.
“You’re right. Is there anything I can do to help you since I’m confined to the farm? The outside chores are done.”
She thought for a moment. “You could wash the buggy so it will be clean for Sunday service and take my letters to the mailbox. I’ve written an article about Grace for The Diary and for Family Life Magazine.”
“I’ll get right on it. If Grace comes looking for me, send her outside and I’ll put her to work. Maybe that will help her mood.”
Owen came in for lunch and found Grace sitting at the kitchen table. Her eyes were red from crying but she seemed calmer. She ate a little but spent more time pushing the food around on her plate. It wasn’t until she heard Meeka barking outside that she perked up.
“Can I go play with Meeka?” she asked hopefully.
Ruth pointed to Grace’s plate. “Finish your lunch and then you can.”
That was all it took for the child to gobble down the rest of her meal and slide out of her chair.
Owen smiled at Ruth. “It’s a good thing Meeka can cheer her up.”
“The dog has been amazing with her. It breaks my heart to see her so unhappy sometimes.”
“It does mine, too. I know how much she misses her mother. I wish I could do more for her.”
Ruth shared a warm knowing look with him. Owen sensed she understood what he was going through.
The searchers returned in the late afternoon. Owen was waiting on the porch. He could tell by their faces that nothing had been found. He was surprised to see the sheriff pull in behind them and get out of his car. It was a subdued group that gathered in the living room. Grace was still playing outside in the backyard with Meeka. Owen stood by the window to keep an eye on her.
“The only place left to search is the bottom of the lake,” Faron said. “We have covered every inch of the roads within five miles of this place. The fields and pastures have been searched and still no sign of a car.”
“Or of the woman driving it,” Ella added.
Sheriff McIntyre turned his hat in his hand without making eye contact with anyone. “It’s been five days. I can’t expend more resources on a large-scale search.” He looked up and met Owen’s gaze. “I’m officially calling the search off.”
CHAPTER ELEVEN
OWEN DIDN’T LIKE the idea of giving up. “She could still be alive. There are some areas covered with large snowdrifts.”
“That’s true,” Ernest said.
The sheriff sighed deeply. “We can always hope, but according to Grace she didn’t have any supplies with her. No extra blankets for warmth and the car wasn’t running, so no heater. After five days the odds of survival in weather like we’ve had goes down quickly. Volunteers can continue searching, but my men and I won’t be directly involved the way we have been. That said, I know some of us will be out looking on our own time. It’s possible her vehicle will be uncovered when the last of the snow melts. Then the mystery will be solved, but that won’t help Grace unless her Amish mother has some kind of identification on her, or we are able to trace the car to the owner. We need to locate Grace’s relatives, otherwise she is technically an abandoned child.”
“She’s not abandoned,” Ruth said. “She is being cared for.”
Owen felt a chill along the back of his neck. “You’re not going to take her away from us, are you?”
“The welfare of the child comes first. The law is clear on that. However, I’ve spoken to our child protection people and they agree that an Amish child should be with an Amish family. By law the Child Protective Services have a responsibility to see that she is being taken care of properly.”
“What does that mean?” Ruth asked.
“It means they will have to monitor her situation. They will make an initial visit to assess her health and well-being and they will make periodic follow-up visits until Grace can be placed in a permanent situation. Hopefully, that will be with her family.”
“If we don’t know her last name, how are we going to find her family?” Ella asked.
Ruth cleared her throat. “I have done something I hope will help.”
The sheriff pinned his gaze on her. “What?”
“I wrote an article about finding Grace and sent it to the Amish newspaper The Diary and to our Family Life Magazine in the hopes that someone will come forward and identify her.”
The sheriff gave a slight shake of his head. “Don’t all the Amish in this area already know about her?”
“The Diary and Family Life are national publications.”
He looked taken aback. “I see. I kinda wish you hadn’t done that without checking with me first.”
Ruth looked surprised. “Why?”
“Because we may find ourselves swamped with people wanting to claim her. I’ve seen it before. News of an abandoned child brings out the people desperate to have a child or who have deluded themselves into believing the child is theirs.”
Ruth looked at Owen. “I’m sorry. I thought I was doing the right thing.”
“You did what you thought was best.” Ruth often did what she thought was best without consulting others. Hopefully this time it would turn out to be the right thing.
* * *
“THE KINGS ARE HERE.”
This time it was Ella standing and holding open the front door as she bubbled over with excitement. Ruth didn’t have the heart to scold her daughter. Besides, the fresh air drove some of the excess heat out of the kitchen. Ruth pulled her pot roast from the oven and set it on top of the stove. She slipped her pan of biscuits in and dusted her hands on her apron. Ella dashed out to greet her friend Sarah as soon as their tractor stopped. Ruth walked to the door to welcome her guests.
The two young women embraced and immediately began sniffling. Sarah wiped her eyes with her fingers. “I can’t believe you’re really leaving us, Ella. What will I do without you?”
“We will write each other every week.”
“But you were the best volleyball player on our team. Those boys are sure to beat us now.”
Ella laughed. “They will, won’t they? I pray you will find a husband of your own to make you as happy as I am.”
“Not in this Amish community I won’t. There isn’t anyone here I would remotely consider marrying.”
“Then you shall come and stay in Jamesport with Zack and me. We will find you some suitable fellows to consider.”
Sarah glanced to where Joshua King was helping Laura Beth and baby Caleb out of the trailer hitched to the back of his tractor. Sarah leaned toward Ella. “Laura Beth thinks the unsuitable ones are the most interesting.”
“I heard that,” Joshua said.
His wife patted his cheek. “My little sister is right about that.”
Joshua shook his head. “One unsuitable husband in the family is enough.”
“You are quite suitable now.” Laura Beth winked at him.
Owen came out of the house with Grace standing shyly at his side. Although he had met the family before, Grace hadn’t. Ruth introduced her to Laura Beth and Caleb. Grace stood on tiptoe to get a better view of the baby in her arms. Caleb grinned and cooed with happiness at the sight of her.
Grace looked at Owen. “I think he likes me.”
“I’m sure he does,” Laura Beth sa
id. “Would you keep an eye on him while I help Ruth in the kitchen?”
Her eyes grew wide. “Sure.”
Grace followed Laura Beth and Sarah into the house. Ruth smiled at Owen. “We didn’t even have to tell her that Laura Beth and Caleb are safe.”
“Maybe she’s getting over the fear of meeting new people. I hope so.”
She glanced at Joshua opening the tailgate on his trailer. He had found acceptance and love in the community when he expected rejection. Before that he had been a wanderer like Owen. Would Owen ever find a place to put down roots and start a family the way Joshua had? Ruth hoped that he would. He deserved to find happiness. It surprised her how much she wanted that for him. If only he could settle down the way Joshua had. But then Joshua had Caleb and Laura Beth to hold him in Cedar Grove. What would it take to hold Owen? A wife? A family?
She realized where her thoughts were taking her and pushed them aside. “I’d better get back to the kitchen before I burn the biscuits.”
* * *
OWEN WENT DOWN the steps to help as Joshua lifted two heavy baskets out of the trailer.
“Danki. My wife brought enough food to feed ten people. I told her Ruth wouldn’t let us go away hungry, but she said it was impolite not to bring enough for everyone.”
The women were all busy in the kitchen chatting and laughing. Ernest was in the midst of them trying to sample the food they were dishing up. A blue-and-white quilt had been laid on the floor in the corner. Grace lay on her stomach face-to-face with Caleb, who was laughing at the expressions and sounds she was making.
“Where do you want these?” Joshua held out his basket.
“On the table will be fine,” Ruth said.
Owen put the basket he carried on the table, too. “Can we do anything to help?”
Sarah and Laura Beth turned startled eyes in his direction. “In the kitchen?” Sarah asked.
“Whatever you need.” Owen rubbed his hands together, indicating he was ready to get to work.
“Get Ernest out of our way,” Ruth said, giving the older man a gentle push toward the door.
“That gravy needs more salt,” he said as Owen took his arm.
“Come along, Onkel Ernest, the women can manage without you.”
“Did I ever tell you about the time I held a fish fry and did all the cooking, including making cupcakes by myself?”
“Ja,” all the women said in unison.
Ernest looked momentarily deflated but quickly brightened. “But did I tell you about the time I made supper for the bishop and accidentally filled the sugar bowl with salt?”
“We have all heard that story a dozen times,” Owen said as he steered his uncle out of the room.
“Well, it’s a good story.” Ernest walked ahead of them into the living room.
Faron was setting up the checkerboard. “How about a game, Onkel Ernest?”
“I’d love to. Did I ever tell you about the time I won fifty checkers games in a row taking on all comers?”
Owen and Faron looked at each other and laughed. “You did tell us that story and how it was Granny Weaver who bested you in game fifty-one,” Faron said.
“She’s as sharp as a tack. Don’t let her age fool you. She’s a cutthroat checkers player. Speaking of cutthroats, did I tell you about the time I went fly-fishing for cutthroat trout out in Colorado?”
Faron’s brow wrinkled. “I don’t think I’ve heard that one.”
Grinning, Ernest sat down across from Faron and began his story. Joshua looked at Owen. “I’ve heard this one. I’d like a chance to see the Icelandic sheep Ruth has been talking about.”
“Sure, come on.” Owen nodded toward the back door.
Ernest looked over his shoulder. A wide grin split his face. “If you want to hear a good fishing story, Owen, ask Joshua about the time he used his car for bait.”
“I know I haven’t heard that one,” Owen said as he and Joshua walked out. The sheepish expression on Joshua’s face told Owen it was quite a tale.
“Ernest is talking about the night I arrived in this community. I wasn’t Amish back then. I took a wrong turn during a thunderstorm and accidentally drove into some floodwaters below Laura Beth’s place. My car was swept away but not before Laura Beth managed to save me and my son. I had a lot of important things in the car. Money, cell phone, my release papers from jail, my tools, all things I was going to need at my new job once I had dropped Caleb off with his grandparents. It was my estranged wife’s last wish before she died. She wanted Caleb to be raised by her Amish parents. I was ex-Amish. I didn’t like the idea, but I was a single father. I worked as an oil rig mechanic in some out-of-the-way places. I couldn’t raise the kid.”
Owen opened the gate to the pasture and let Joshua walk through before closing it behind them. “I can see your dilemma.”
“I was stranded at Laura Beth’s place for several days. She fell head over heels in love with my son before I fell for her. Talk about a mismatched couple. She was a childless widow planning to move to Ohio to find a new husband. I was a drifter looking to stay out of jail and land a new job. I met Ernest while I was searching for my car downstream. He was fishing. He has been telling endless tall tales about seeing big fish driving my car around the lake ever since.”
“It appears things worked out for you and Laura Beth.”
He grinned. “It did. I give all the credit to Gott. It took me a while to see what I really wanted and that was to come back to the Amish. From there marrying Laura Beth was easy and the best thing I ever did. I hear you are something of a drifter.”
“I’ve seen a lot of the country. My sister and I were separated after our parents and the rest of our brothers and sister died in a buggy-and-car crash. I was thirteen, she was three. As soon as I was able, I went looking for her. The maiden aunt who took her in was afraid I would take her away, so she moved around a lot. I followed one lead after another for years.”
“Did you ever find her?”
“I did. A few months ago. She didn’t remember me or our family.”
“That must’ve been tough.”
“It was.” Mindful of his sister’s letter, Owen didn’t share more information about her. He pointed ahead of them. “There’s one of Ruth’s Icelandic sheep.”
Joshua stopped and propped his hands on his hips. “Are you kidding me? That walking brown mop is a registered sheep breed? That must be a ram with the horns.”
“Nope. Even the females have horns. There is a polled or hornless type, but Ruth prefers the ones with horns. She says it makes them easier to control. They are remarkably tame. She can take one by the horn and lead it anywhere.”
“Does that double coat make it harder to shear them?”
“I’m gonna find out any day now. I’ll let you know. Care to join us?”
“I’ll leave the sheep wrestling to those who are so inclined. We grow lavender. Smells a lot better and doesn’t put up a fight when you cut off the blooms.”
Owen laughed. “I’m not sure I could interest Ruth in doing something easier than raising sheep. She’s hardheaded and she likes to do things her way.”
“It must be something in the water out here. My wife and her sister can be very stubborn women.”
“Supper is ready!” Laura Beth yelled from the back door.
Joshua’s soft smile as he waved to let her know they had heard her told Owen how much he loved his wife. “She might be set in her ways but she’s a really goot cook.”
The men started back toward the house. “If you get tired of roaming, Owen, you could do worse than settling here. The people and the place grow on you quickly if you give them half a chance.”
Owen didn’t reply. He was already feeling the tug of a connection, but it was Ruth making him feel that way. When Faron left, would she continue to blame him, or would she accept his
presence for a few weeks without dredging up hard feelings from the past? They had decided they could be friends, but he was starting to worry that friendship wouldn’t be enough for him.
* * *
AFTER A DELICIOUS MEAL, the men went into the living room to continue visiting while the women stayed to clean up in the kitchen. Ruth was washing the dishes while Laura Beth rinsed them and handed them to Ella and Sarah to dry and put away. Ruth didn’t realize she had been ignoring the conversation around her until Laura Beth nudged her with her hip. “What’s your opinion?”
Ruth felt the heat rising in her cheeks. “I’m sorry. I wasn’t listening.”
“We were talking about Grace’s mother,” Sarah said, putting a plate into the cabinet beside her.
Ruth looked around, but Grace was out of sight. Ruth hoped she was out of earshot, too. “I think she raised an adorable child, but something wasn’t right in their house.”
Laura Beth accepted a sudsy plate from Ruth. “Why do you think that?”
“Because Grace has been taught to hide whenever her mother tells her to go to a safe place. Here, the safe place is under the sink in the bathroom.”
“Why would anyone teach a child to do that?” Sarah asked.
Ruth shrugged. “We don’t know.”
Sarah passed the dried dish to Ella. “I don’t want to believe that she drove off and left her child, but I think it is possible, otherwise we would have found the car by now.”
“Faron says the only place left to search is the bottom of the lake,” Ella added.
Laura Beth stopped rinsing the glasses. “What will happen if her family is never located?”
“I assume that the bishop will have her placed for adoption.”
“Will you take her?” Laura Beth asked.
Ruth stared at the suds in the sink. She had given a lot of thought to the question and she still didn’t know the answer. “I’m very fond of the child, but I’m not sure what the right thing is for her. My children are grown. Perhaps a younger family would be better.”
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