Abram's Daughters 02 The Betrayal (4 page)

She supposed Lizzie had every right to spend her spare time with whomever she pleased, but it irked her to no end. Truly, she wished Lizzie might keep her nose out of Abram's and her family's business. Lizzie and Peter Mast both. They'd all lived this long just fine. Some things were best left unsaid.

She exhaled sharply and headed downstairs, refusing to dwell on her fears for another minute. In the kitchen she laid

out the flour, sugar, and all the necessary ingredients for the mouthwatering pies. As she did she thought ahead to the next Preaching service to be held here this weekend. Two hundred and more church members would come from a four-squaremile radius to gather where Abram's own father the respected Bishop Ebersol had raised this stone house as a shelter for his family and as a house of worship amongst the People. Hopefully, by then Lizzie's urgency could be put to rest. Ida made a mental note to talk with Abram about it once again.

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Bit*, vviili a bucket of soapy water in hand, set about to own I be bedroom walls, helping Mamma cleanse the it w;t'i I heir custom, creating a holy place for the SunBudiinj;. "Might as well get a head start on some heavy f," she'd told Mamma at the noon meal, ft* ii i;iit thing to make hay while the sun shines, too," Ml liiuI .said in passing, somewhat inattentive. Kit' was relieved to have the afternoon alone. Her twin mwir downstairs dusting, sweeping, washing floors, and uv, These days it was best on her nerves to have absoliuiili', though that was next to impossible with seven I in ihe house. She had been suffering such a peculiar Bhc up and down her forearms, confiding it only to Aunt nrliiT this summer.

Kill a surprise to discover Lizzie's remedy was to carry H a live-pound sack of potatoes, much the size of a wee lL-u and behold, when she did so, Sadie found it truly Ihcr pain. Accordingly, she clasped the potatoes quite

.mil ever so gently while spending time at Lizzie's away

tnmma's eyes.

ulo from frequent walks up to Lizzie's place, Sadie preI in spend her "alone" hours cleaning for Mamma or

11; and weeding the vegetable garden, along with visits

Ii m >r lo the Dawdi Haus to chat with Dawdi John. "day she wholeheartedly threw herself into her work, i ii|! back now and again to see if she'd covered every

inch of the light gray walls. The bedroom windows nrxi on her list of things to do. She'd already decided to

ilu'in single-handedly. No need asking for help from i.ih and Mary Ruth, not when they had plenty to keep

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ilicm occupied downstairs. As for Leah, she'd hurried out the hack door and headed up toward the mule road, as if going to visit Aunt Lizzie.

But Sadie was schmaerder. It didn't take much effort to

figure out Leah these days. All of them assumed she was going off to the woods to write to her beau. Just so she kept her promise and didn't reveal Sadie's wild rumschpringe to Jonas Mast. Both Leah and Lizzie had vowed to keep quiet, but Sadie had heard recently that her former sidekick, Naomi Kauffman, was said to be weary of flirting with the world. She was even taking baptismal instruction right along with Leah, preparing to join church. Of all things.1

Sadie didn't appreciate Naomi setting herself up as "holier than thou," which she certainly seemed to think she was here lately. And why? Just because she'd been far more careful than Sadie or plain lucky and hadn't gotten caught. Besides, Naomi's unexpected turn had more to do with Luke Bontrager, who was awful sweet on her, than most anything else. Of this Sadie was fairly sure.

If Naomi was to become the bride of the bishop's grandson, she had some fast confessing to do. Now, wasn't that a howdy-do.7 It was all fine and dandy for Naomi to make amends, turn her life around, and plan for a future as an upstanding young woman, so long as she kept Sadie out of it. Hopefully, Naomi didn't know the half about Sadie's fling, but what did she know? And if she started spilling the beans, what then? After all, Naomi had continued to see Derry's friend Melvin Warner after that first meeting at the Strasburg cafe. Derry had told Sadie this on several occasions, and she assumed it was true. . ...

43Tlfie betrayal

Mj'lwi Sadie was finished with the three upstairs bed' H| lie moved to the hallway and commenced to do the iv.uhing down walls, scrubbing mopboards, and mash^Khw stray spiders as she went. Her thoughts flew to Aunt ^m MM hc worked. The past few weeks, Sadie had been dis^ftd. Not only had her aunt changed her mind and ^1 adamant about her staying put, Lizzie was now saying ^iJii'l think Sadie needed a change of scenery after all. ^Brm't you see?" Lizzie had insisted. "Your father's cover^TiIII hlessing are mighty important. If you would but coni Preacher and the membership, you'd be pardoned by j ople." Aunt Lizzie went on to quote her favorite Scripj' '(jodly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation . . . but j I row of the world worketh death.'" I 'lill^ed to listen, Sadie felt hot under the bonnet when Inii Lizzie talked so pointedly.

*

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! wiirm to stay indoors a second longer, Mary Ruth I Hillside for a breather on the back stoop. King, the W shepherd puppy, came scampering across the yard to gi> I imh. Her skirt was mud spattered as she stooped to pet tli !,(, ii curious yet kindly gift from Gid Peachey last spring. I >l ing this, Mary Ruth smiled as Leah hurried toward the Ju y the clog panting as he followed close on her heels. B| hilln, Mary Ruth. I missed you!" Leah said. H uy Ruth hoped Leah wouldn't go running off to help H ht when she had a question to ask. "Didja get caught K ruin?" H ill's face reddened. "No ... I found shelter."

H ;liing, Mary Ruth decided not to beat round the bush.

Hi

Kg1 il liother you that Dat doesn't approve of you marryin'

I' "

Hj I ill seemed a bit startled by the question, but she met

^Miy Kulh's gaze with a gentle smile. "Does it bother you?' ^M IWsliif; there, Mary Ruth was aware of Leah's sweetness

46 f in Revert* e u, I s

j !l|! once again . . . her fine hazel eyes with tiny gold flecks, thr

|: dark curve of her long lashes, the way her expression seemed

to radiate trustfulness, even goodness. Yet Leah was intent on

ignoring Dat's wishes in order to become Jonas Mast's bride.

11 None of it added up.il i''

I I '|||| "Doesn't bother me in the least," she replied at last. "I'm

'"il just tryin' to understand."i i1

, Leah burst into a full smile. "That's what makes you so

i:i'M special. You have a gift of understanding, I daresay."

i j il'| 11 [[ Mary Ruth couldn't help herself; she actually choked a

little and tears welled up. "Much good that does me . . ."

i Leah was staring now, wearing a concerned frown. "What is it, Mary Ruth? Why are you cryin'?"

"Just thinkin', I guess." She forged ahead and stuck her

i neck out. "I hope you'll follow your heart. Have the courage

I i to marry the boy you love."

i il |i,|i| Leah's eyelids fluttered. "Didja think I might not?"

i jj j |

: Turning quickly, Mary Ruth looked over her shoulder,

! j ii Ji toward the barn. "Dat, well . . . he's made it mighty clear here

1 jj! lately that it's Gideon Peachey who's the right beau for you.

I :> He's said as much to all of us."

; i i|| "Dat has?"

j,. |: "He said 'if only Leah knew Gid the way I know him.'

' I, Things like that. And he said he was weary of keepin' it to

II :, j, | himself any longer after these many years."

II "Jah, I know that to be true, the years he's stewed about

4

j | She felt she ought to say one more thing. "Mamma's not

!! [I so much in favor of Gid, though. Just so you know."

I'l "You sure?"

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^Hlllim;' prefers Jonas, seems to me." Now she struggled ^H$ ft si might face. "She thinks your children will be ^Inunlsorne if you marry into the Mast family."Will why's that?"

I t ills has a right fine nose. Gut-lookin' all round, he is." i Hulli sighed. "I don't mean to say Smithy Gid isn't inc1, I li-'s just more rugged lookin', I guess you could I lirrriis Jonas is "

| iiU Iv.iiulsome and strong in body and mind? Is that j nil mean?" Leah had her now, and her sister's eyes j-i us il with glee. Sadie and Mamma sometimes grew ji n| Miiry Ruth's too-talkative nature, but Leah never i> tin mind.

' Ji continued. "When it comes to certain things, no

> Iiiivv defiant a choice might seem to others, if you m your heart you were meant for somethin' or some-

11 u-ii, I believe, 'tis best to be true to that."hi mt'nn it?"

i ih nodded. "I've seen how you throw yourself into your

i Iwork, You're a scholar, ain't? When the time comes,

t'll li.ivr the coufage to make the right decision. You'll sim-

li ivc lo put your hand to the plow and refuse to look

I

l ity Ruth's emotions threatened to overtake her again. in i. n due sister and friend, Leah," she managed through

i- US,

\lw:iys remember that." Leah smiled, reaching to hug

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Sadie headed toward the kitchen for a glass of cold water, so awful hot it was upstairs. But before she stepped foot in there, she happened to overhear Leah talking to Mamma as they baked pies. Leah was saying she and Aunt Lizzie h;ul taken shelter in a little hunter's shack on the hillock thai

morning. "The place was old and run-down like nothing you've ever seen," Leah said softly. "Right peculiar, I must say. Up there in the middle of nowhere, but it kept us safe and dry till the rain passed."

Sadie felt her throat constrict. Anguished memories rushed back and she was helpless to stop them. For all she cared, the shanty was good for one thing and only one: kindling.

Leah was frowning at Sadie now, catching her eye. "What? Did 1 say somethin' wrong?"

Himmel! she thought, not realizing how far she'd inched herself into the kitchen. There she was, standing in the doorway listening, evidently with a pained expression on her face. "Aw . . . no," she gasped. "I guess I'm surprised both you anil Aunt Lizzie got caught in such a cloudburst, that's all. Usually, Lizzie can tell by smellin' the air if rain's a-comin'." She paused momentarily, then "Looks to me like the bottom of your hem got awful grimy on your way back home."

Leah looked down at herself and seemed to agree she was in need of a good scrubbing. "But it won't do to wash up and change clothes now." She thanked Mamma for such helpful pointers with the pies, saying she hoped they tasted as good as they smelled, then scurried off toward the barn.

Sadie briefly followed after Leah. She stood in the open back door, staring out through the screen. She caught a49lO e t r a y a /

if nl I lio bottom of her sister's bare feet as she ran to the

Milking the cows, was something Sadie knew little

ii '"Hid, she'd helped Dat here and there occasionally, but

Lj> i pinch. Yet with Leah's wedding coming up soon,i-

> i worried sick she might have to take her tomboy

1 |.l,ii'.e outdoors with Dat. She was fond enough of her

I, I "it there was no way she was willing to do the kind of

Bvvi'ik Leah did and cheerfully at that. Besides, she

I |u hnvc been marrying first.

tuimiii broke the stillness. "Sadie, would you mind

til* Lycliiinn's diaper?"

nv yiwped inwardly. "Aw . . . must I, Mamma? I still have

p tu linish. . . ." Her legs felt as rubbery as the inflatable

Bli I -motors, so forbidden by the bishop.

Pttliunfl appeared to lapse into a gray mood, and her

I'liie eyes seemed to look right through Sadie ... to the

I lior heart. "Why is it you're not so lovin' toward your

rii-r anymore?" Mamma's voice wavered. "When she

i,ii ill-new, you were ever so helpful then."

H I in May, when Lydiann was first born, Mamma had

I 'i:idic out Iks the elder sister most mindful of the new

"iir. At the time, she'd felt her mother truly suspected

lhilij4 was amiss and was hoping to force a confession. So

| hut I gone along with helping to care for Lydiann, hop-

hide the shocking truth.

I|1W, though, she went out of her way to avoid babies and Kpectant mothers in the church community, especially k the common meals that followed Preaching service I other Sunday. At work frolics she sat on the opposite pf the quilting frame from the pregnant women. It just

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didn't seem fair other women were able to carry their babies to full-term. What was wrong with her?

Scarcely could she stand to be near Mamma anymore. She felt sure her mother was hovering and ready to report her to the ministers. If so, she would be required to offer repentance. "Obey or be shunned" the People's endless refrain.

"A quick diaper change can't hurt none." Mamma's voice jolted her out of her musings.

"In a minute." She reached for a stack of plates to set the table.

When Mamma's back was turned, Sadie hurried outdoors, pretending to walk to the outhouse. She knew Dat and Leah were out milking and, more than likely, could observe her il they were but looking.

Once she reached the outhouse, she turned abruptly and ran to the meadow, dodging cow pies as she picked her way barefoot through the pastureland, muttering to herself all the while.

Kicking at a clump of wild grass, Sadie raised her head to the sky, studying the clouds and the way the sun shone too hard on the tin roof. Sniffling, she brushed away hot tears.I'm the one black sheep of the family, she thought.

The far-off clanging of the dinner bell gave her pause. She was sorely tempted to keep on walking, never to return. Simply walk away, just as she planned in due time.

Folding her arms tightly, she headed back toward the barnyard and the house, wondering which was worseMamma's disapproving mood ... or her own restless heart?