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СКАЧАТЬ rolled onto her side and lay a moment with her eyes closed. She counted to ten silently, unhappy to be bested by a stubborn she-goat. She thought she heard Annie cry out something, but she couldn’t be sure.

      Sensing someone above her, she looked up and saw Eli gazing down at her with concern. “Are you all right?” he said huskily. He crouched down to examine her more closely, and she felt the sharp impact of his bright azure eyes.

      “Ja, I’m unhurt.” She gave him a crooked smile. The only thing that ailed her was embarrassment.

      Looking relieved, Eli rose and extended his hand toward her. Martha stared at it a moment, debating whether or not to accept his help. She lifted her gaze and noted his tousled hair along with the dirt streaks and grass clippings on his handsome face and on his clothing. Two animals were in their pens, but there were still two critters running loose. The young man’s appearance and her own state of disarray with messy hair and grass-stained frock suddenly struck her as hilarious. She began to laugh. Her laughter started as a wide smile, then became a chuckle before it blossomed into a full-out belly-clutching roar.

      She could sense that Eli was startled as he stared at her in silence with his hand still extended. Then his features crinkled with amusement, and his blue eyes began to twinkle. His chuckle turned into a laugh as if he, like her, had realized suddenly the hilarity in their situation—two grown adults bested by livestock.

      Her laughter felt wonderful; it had been a while since she’d felt this good. Martha reached for his hand, and Eli pulled her to her feet. Her loud outburst eased to a soft giggle. Then the thought came to her that this wasn’t proper behavior for a widow, and she quickly pulled herself together.

      “What do ya think?” she asked him. “Can we get the last of them?”

      “Ja.” He grinned. “Can’t let a couple of critters get the better of us.”

      Martha couldn’t contain her chuckle. “I think they already have.”

      “Not for long!” he exclaimed as he spun and gave chase to the goat that dared to come too close. “Bet I can grab him first!”

      “Not if I get to her before you do!” she cried, taking off after him. The goat continued to elude them. This was the most fun that Martha had enjoyed in years, and she wasn’t going to feel guilty about it. She forgot about her sorrow and felt alive again, almost as if God was reminding her that she had her life to live.

Chapter Two

      It took him and Martha over twenty minutes to capture the last two animals. While they chased them, Eli saw that his sister-in-law had climbed out of the buggy to wait. While he and Martha ran around, Annie kept her excited son firmly against her side while holding the plate of brownies in her other arm. His nephew clapped his hands and made gleeful noises as he and Martha finally cornered the goat and sheep. Diving for the lamb, Eli grabbed the animal while Martha caught the goat and fell to her knees to attain a better grip.

      His breath came in harsh, rapid spurts, but Eli felt invigorated. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d enjoyed a good run. As he studied Martha, he noted her disheveled appearance. He knew that he looked no better. His lips twitched, but Eli managed to control the urge to laugh.

      “We should move slowly,” Martha whispered, as if speaking in a loud tone would cause the goat to escape from her arms.

      He nodded. “Wouldn’t want one of ’em to get away,” he agreed softly.

      “Ja. You want to go first or shall I?” She looked young and approachable with her white kapp slightly askew and grass stains on her matching cape and apron. The goat began to struggle in earnest, and Martha shifted to get a firmer grip. “Why don’t you head toward the barn first?”

      “Oll recht,” he said, eyeing her with concern. “Are you sure you’ll be able to hold her?”

      She beamed at him. “Ja. I’ve got her gut now. I’m not about to let her go.”

      Eli inhaled sharply. He gazed at her, entranced. The widow was breathtaking when she was happy. Since her husband’s death, Martha had been quiet, reserved. She’d been sad and grief-stricken whenever he’d caught a glimpse of her during church and on visiting Sundays. But during the past hour, she’d smiled and laughed...and looked like the happy young woman she’d been on the day she’d married Ike King.

      Martha frowned, and Eli realized that he’d been staring. He quickly picked up the lamb and carried the frightened animal across the yard and into the barn. He gently placed it in the stall with its sibling. Then he returned to assist Martha with the goat.

      His gaze quickly sought her as Eli stepped out into the bright sunshine. The animal was trying to chew Martha’s kapp strings. Martha shifted the goat to keep the strings out of its reach. “Fence first?” he asked. “Or goat?”

      She didn’t hesitate. “Fence. I can hold her awhile longer, and I don’t want any of the other animals to get out.”

      There were cattle and other sheep grazing in the distance. Eli went to the fence and quickly made a repair. Then he returned to carefully lift the goat from her arms and set the animal inside the secured pasture. Martha stood and brushed dirt and bits of grass from the hem of her skirt and her apron as he rejoined her.

      Smiling, he shook his head. “I don’t think you’ll be able to get out the stains without a washing.”

      She flashed him a rueful smile. “Ja.” She fell into step with him and they headed toward Annie and EJ. “Danki for your help.”

      “My pleasure. I enjoyed it.” He felt his heart thump hard as they locked gazes. Startled, he quickly refocused his attention on his sister-in-law. “Annie, Jacob or Peter will come for you later.”

      Annie nodded, then released EJ, who stumbled toward him on unsteady legs. Eli swung the boy high and then into his arms. “I have to leave, buddy. Your uncle Noah needs me for deliveries. He’s probably wondering where I am.”

      “I’m sorry.” Martha looked apologetic. “I’ve kept you from your work.”

      “It was worth it,” he assured her and meant it. “I needed the exercise.” And he’d enjoyed seeing this other side of Ike King’s widow. He grinned. “I haven’t had this much fun in years.” He gave his nephew a hug, then set him down. “Be a gut boy for your mudder.” He laughed when the child beamed an innocent smile at him.

      Annie caught her son’s hand and drew him tenderly to her side. “Jacob will be disappointed that he missed the chase.”

      Eli shrugged. “I think we did well considering. Don’t you, Martha?” He studied her, saw her smile and nod. “And Jacob would have been thick in the middle of it with us if he’d been here.”

      Martha lifted a hand to straighten her head covering, but her hairpins had shifted, making it impossible for her to fix it. “Would you like something to drink before you go?”

      “Nay. I appreciate the offer.” He stifled the urge to help Martha with her kapp. He grabbed his hat from the front seat of the wagon, finger-combed his hair and put his hat back on his head. He became conscious of Annie’s regard.

      “What exactly did Noah want you to do today?” Her blue СКАЧАТЬ