Jedidiah's Bride. Rebecca Kertz

Чтение книги онлайн.

СКАЧАТЬ regard. And then the woman smiled, and Jed relaxed. “Thank the Lord that you were there to save my sons,” she said. Unlike Sarah’s red-gold hair, Ruth’s hair was dark brown with streaks of soft gray. Sarah had inherited her mother’s features—nose, chin, smile, but not her hair or eye color. Ruth’s eyes were green, while Sarah’s gaze was a vivid shade of bright blue.

      Jed glanced over to check on Ruth’s progress. Satisfied that she was managing, he held out a hand for Sarah’s cake plate. With Ruth’s basket in one arm and Sarah’s cake plate in the other, he escorted the two women to the Miller house. Mary Miller came to the door as they climbed the porch steps.

      “Ruth! Sarah!” Mary greeted as she came forward to accept the family’s food offerings.

      “Ruth’s,” Jed explained as he handed his cousin the basket and gave Edna Byler, a neighbor who’d followed closely behind Mary, Sarah’s cake. “I will talk with you later,” he told the two women.

      “Will you sit at our table for the midday meal?” Ruth asked.

      Jed smiled. “I would like that.”

      “We will see you then,” Sarah’s mother said as she carefully climbed the porch steps.

      Sarah nodded as Jed met her gaze before she followed her mother into the house. Jed looked back to see her standing at the screen door. She quickly moved inside and disappeared from sight.

      Sons? He suddenly realized what Ruth had said.

      Thank the Lord that you were there to save my sons. The twins weren’t Ruth’s grandsons, nor were they Sarah’s sons, Jed realized. They were Ruth’s sons...and Sarah’s brothers!

      And now he understood why there was no husband in sight for Sarah. She wasn’t married and didn’t have children! Jed suddenly felt elated.

      I’ll be eating at Sarah’s table. Jed was pleased at Ruth’s invitation. He was leaving tomorrow, but until then, he could enjoy the day, learning more about Sarah Mast. He grinned happily, buoyed by the prospect.

      Soon, the community and their guests gathered for church inside the Millers’ new barn. The service began with a hymn from the Ausbund. Jed realized that his community back in Happiness, Pennsylvania, sang the same hymn during services, but the melody was different. Still, Jed was able to catch on quickly, and he sang the hymn with confidence with the rest of the congregation.

      Jed saw Sarah, who was seated beside her mother and twin brothers, listen intently as Preacher Byler addressed the church members. He couldn’t help look her way from time to time until he saw her glance in his direction and then back over her shoulder as if she could tell someone was watching her.

      He focused his full attention on the preacher and didn’t gaze in Sarah’s direction again...although he was conscious of her for the rest of the service.

      * * *

      Sarah tried not to look in Jedidiah’s direction, but a prickling along the back of her neck made her wonder if he’d been watching her. Several times she glanced his way only to see that he paid strict attention to Sunday services. Sarah realized that she must have imagined his stare. But then the feeling of being watched came back so strongly that she took a quick look behind her. If Jed wasn’t studying her, then who was?

      Jed stood outside the barn door as Sarah left with her twin brothers. “May I help carry out the food?” he asked.

      Sarah shook her head. “We can manage. You’d best join the men. There’s my dat. You can sit at that table. The rest of us will join you shortly.” She watched as her two older brothers sat down near her father. “There is Toby and Ervin. They are older than me.”

      Jed studied the two young men who sat across from their father. “How many siblings do you have?”

      “Besides the twins and the two eldest?” she asked. He nodded. “I have an older sister. Emma married and moved to Ohio with her husband, James.”

      “I see.” Jed seemed thoughtful as he looked away briefly. “Then you are the only daughter at home.” He focused his eyes on her.

      “Ja,” Sarah admitted. Jed’s intense regard made her quickly look away.

      “Your mam...she is unwell?”

      Taken off guard, Sarah flashed him a look. “She says she is fine.”

      “But you don’t believe it.” His voice was soft.

      Sarah sighed as she felt the warmth of his concern. “Nay. She has been tired and sick for weeks now.”

      His expression filled with sympathy. “Is there anything I can do?”

      His response surprised her. “I appreciate your kindness. Ja, there is something you can do...pray for her.”

      “I shall keep her in my prayers,” Jed said quietly.

      Sarah blinked back tears. “Danki.” She took a deep breath and pulled herself together. “I must go inside. Please...feel free to sit at our family table. I can introduce you first if you’d like.”

      Jed suddenly grinned, and Sarah felt her face warm. “Go help inside. I can introduce myself.” He turned and headed toward the table.

      Sarah stood a moment as she saw Jed speak with her father and brothers, watched as her father gestured for Jed to sit across from him. Her brothers shifted on the bench to make room for Jed, who then sat next to her eldest brother, Ervin. Relieved at how well her family appeared to receive him, Sarah headed toward the Miller farmhouse.

      Sarah felt a lurch in her chest as she entered the house with thoughts of Jedidiah. Women filled Mary’s kitchen, working to unwrap food that had been prepared previously. She attempted to force Jed from her mind. “What can I do to help?” she asked as Mary set a casserole dish on the counter.

      “You can start with those,” her mother said, gesturing toward platters of meat and bowls of salads. She uncovered a bowl of potato salad and moved to place it next to the casserole dish.

      Mary gestured for her mother to sit. “Ruth Mast, don’t you overdo!” She smiled at Sarah’s mother. “We like having you here.”

      Sarah was happy to see her mother take a seat. “I’ll be careful,” Mam said.

      Pleased that her mother was able to join the day’s meal, Sarah made numerous trips outside as she carried platters of cold meat, bowls of homemade potato salad and coleslaw, and dried corn casserole to the food tables. She was glad that Mary refused to let her mother carry anything, happier yet to note that Ruth Mast didn’t object but remained seated in the kitchen until all of the food had been uncovered or unearthed from the gas refrigerator and brought outside. After the meal, they would take the leftovers inside and return to put out the desserts.

      Men, women and children mingled, enjoying the food. Sarah set down the last dish on the food table. Where was Jed? She didn’t immediately see him at her family table. She searched the grounds until she found him standing by a tree not far from the table as if he was waiting for her. His eyes brightened as Jed watched her approach. He nodded as she drew closer.

      “Hungry?” he asked.

      Sarah СКАЧАТЬ