Heritage of Lancaster County 03 The Reckoning (18 page)

Well, now she would. Hearing the minister expound on the verses was shaping something life-giving inside her, a

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craving in her heart for truth--something she'd experienced as a child on several occasions but had had no idea what to do about it.

She was ever so glad she'd come and could hardly wait

to tell Justin. Maybe he could bring her next week. Yes, that's exactly what she'd do. She'd invite him and they would come together.

The minute she arrived back at the mansion, she rushed off to the south wing. There, in the stillness of her suite, she wrote two short letters--one to Mary, the other to Rebecca. She described what she'd encountered at church, not hesitating in the least. The bishop would probably slap the no- communicating part of the shunning back on her when he found out, but she had to share it.

Dinner was served in the dining room at her request, and she spent much of the time discussing the church service with Garrett, Theodore, Leoma, and all the others. She noticed Rosie and Fulton nodding in agreement, but they seemed a bit surprised when she came up with the idea to bake up "a batch of goodies to take to the children at the hospice."

Garrett was all for it. "What's your pleasure, Katherine?"

She paused to recall her favorite sweet treat as a child. "Mississippi Mud."

"I beg your pardon?"

Several of the maids were chuckling.

"It's the perfect thing for children--rich and gooey, just right. They'll love it!"

Garrett appeared to be flustered. "I don't believe I know of a recipe for.., uh, this mud treat you mention."

"Mississippi Mud," she said again. I'll write out the

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recipe for you. I have it memorized."

"Very well," he said, concentrating on the prime rib steak on his plate.

"In fact, I'll help make it," Katherine offered. She didn't go on to say that this gesture of kindness was only the beginning of her plan to share her wealth with the people of Canandaigua.

Rosie waited until her husband's hands were free of clean table linens before sneaking over to give him a hug. "I'm so excited, Fulton!"

"Over me?" He grinned, bussing her cheek.

She poked him playfully, wriggling away. "You know what I'm talking about, now don't you?"

"Yes, I believe I do. And isn't it remarkable what a single church service can do for a person?"

"I daresay it's been a long time coming for our young mistress." She followed him out of the dining room and down the long main hall. It was her assumption that if a person mulled and puzzled over something as important as everlasting life long enough, and was open to God's leading, he or she would ultimately find it. Katherine, in Rosie's opinion, had been searching for truth all her young life. "I suspect the prayers of certain key people, not only Laura's, have played a part in what may be happening."

He gave her an approving wink. "Once again, I believe you are right, my dear." And he hurried into the kitchen.

Promptly after the noon meal, Katherine headed to the library--down the main hall, past the grand staircase, and to the left. She located a section where numerous Bibles

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were shelved. She had no idea which one had been Laura's personal Bible, or even if she had had a favorite. $o Katherine chose a large leather-bound King James Version and carried it off to her room.

Finding her notes scrawled on the church bulletin, she began to look up the minister's sermon text. Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God ....

She read the verse a second time, letting the words sink into her heart. Tears clouded her vision as she contemplated what this very Scripture might've meant to her as a child. Oh, to have heard this verse at the knee of Dat or Mam-- such words that had endured thousands of years since the Bible was written. The test of time, Preacher Yoder might've said, if only he'd known.

To think that the minister who said this phrase had been anointed by the almighty God himselP. Reading the passage again and again, she began to know, without a shadow of a doubt, that if she had read the complete Bible while growing up--perhaps even owned a Bible--her whole life might've turned out much differently.

Quickly, she went to the dresser drawer where she kept the handmade baby dress and found Dan's letter, scanning it again for the sentence that had pricked her heart when the letter had first arrived. I have found a love I've never known.., this I find in the Lord Jesus.

She wondered if this discovery had something to do with the restless anticipation she'd experienced earlier today. She thought of Laura's sunny disposition. In spite of the woman's debilitating disease and constant pain, her mother's day-to-day dealings with the servants and the domestic help were exemplary of godly love. And she had prayed for Katherine's salvation, of all things. Rosie had talked of it on several occasions. Laura, though she was dying, had spent her

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morning hours talking to the Lord... here, in this room.

She read again each of the Scriptures, this time out loud, and as she did, God's Word sprang to life in her, and she began to weep.

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Before the mixing of the muddy Mississippi confection ever began on Monday morning, Katherine placed a phone call to Natalie Judah. She told her of the plan to surprise the children, and without the slightest hesitation, Natalie sanctioned the idea.

I'll make the delivery sometime this afternoon," Katherine

promised.

"What a thoughtful gesture," said Natalie. "I'll alert the

other nurses so they're aware of your coming."

"I almost forgot to ask--will this cause a dietary problem

for any of the children?"

"Better bring along the recipe."

Katherine agreed, grinning to herself. She'd mentioned

the name of the treat, and Natalie, misunderstanding, had asked her to repeat it. But Katherine made it clear that the dessert recipe was an old Amish delicacy. "It's been in my adoptive family for hundreds of years," she explained.

This comment seemed to spark the nurse's interest even

further.

"I'll make copies for anyone who wants one," she volunteered.

Overjoyed, Natalie thanked her. "Say ... maybe we

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could have an Amish emphasis this year at our annual ba-

zaar. It's coming up on May first."

"Maybe sell our class quilts?"

Natalie laughed about that. "We'll have to hustle in order to finish the Country Songbird pattern."

"If we work fast, we can do it." After hanging up the telephone, Katherine scurried off to help Garrett and Selig make the mouth-watering recipe.

It was while they were making the syrup, while the brown sugar and butter were boiling, that the rich and sweet aroma transported her back to Rebecca's kitchen when Katie was just six years old ....

A stiff wind blew flakes of snow mixed with sleet, making tapping sounds on the windowpanes and the storm doors. The sun, hiding behind the heavy layers of snow clouds, refused to shine. Still, Mary and her mother and grandmother had come to help make four double batches of the tasty dish she loved better 'n most anything.

Katie and Mamma washed their hands at the sink, then tossed the hand towel back and forth merrily before starting to melt and brown the butter.

"Won't Dat and the boys be excited?" Mamma said. Katie giggled. "Jah, and they'll prob'ly finish off the whole dish before we can ever get seconds," she said, standing on a chair to reach the top of the counter.

She held a long rolling pin in her little hands and was making ready to help squash the graham crackers when it came time. Later, she would help her little friend Mary spread the crumbs all over the top of the gooey dessert. But the best part of all was the lip-smackin' session just around the corner--eating the delicious dish.

Mary scooted a chair over next to her. "I'm almost as tall as you," she said.

"Almost, but not quite."

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They leaned close together, taking turns trying to measure each other, but they giggled so much they couldn't stand up straight long enough.

"Ach, hold still now, and I'll see where your forehead comes on me," said Katie.

Mary sucked in a deep breath and held perfectly still until Katie got the job done. "Half a head shorter," Katie announced, to which Mary blew all her air out. "And ya have bad breath, too!" she hollered, then burst into laughter again.

"Miss Katherine?" Selig said, waving a tea towel in front of her face.

"Oh... er, what?" A bit startled, she apologized for daydreaming. "I guess this recipe pulls me right back to my childhood."

"We had a feeling you might've gone back and decided not to return," Garrett teased her.

Selig and Katherine joined in the laughter. What a won- derful-good time they were having. She could hardly wait for the "mud" to cool.

The children who could respond with spoken praise for her surprise treat did so.

Willy was especially expressive, his fingertips covered with graham cracker crumbs. He put up both thumbs and wiggled them in the air. "Can you teach my mommy how to make this stuff?." he asked.

I'll see that she gets this recipe--good enough?" Katherine folded the piece of paper in half and placed it on a clean spot on the table.

They talked about his weekend, what he did on Sunday.

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"Mommy and Daddy took turns reading my Bible to me," he told her, his eyes wide.

"I'm glad they did." She paused, remembering the church service and the Scriptures she'd looked up afterward, and how moved she was by the message of God's love.

"My brother came to visit me, too." Willy's expression was serious. "Josh looked real sad, though."

She knew he was speaking of his older brother. "I'm sure he was very happy to see you."

"Josh thinks I'm going to die, but I'm not. I'm going to get well and go home again and..." He stopped in mid- sentence.

Katherine's heart ached for the little boy. So young to be dealing with issues of life and death.

"I want to get well," he whispered, as if confiding a secret.

"We all want you to."

When it came time for him to rest, she wheeled the boy down the hall to his room. Colorful balloons floated gently in the corner near the window, and a lovely handmade quilt covered a portion of one wall. There was a recliner and a hide-a-bed for family members who wished to spend the night. Bright and cheery, Willy's room was filled with large, graceful ferns and freestanding plants.

She helped him into bed, pulling the covers up for him. "Sweet dreams, now."

"Aw, we didn't have time to play guitar today," he said suddenly, as if it were terribly important to him.

I'll come again on Wednesday," she said. "You can learn to play another chord then."

He nodded reluctantly and reached his arms up for a hug. "Good-bye, Katherine. I'll miss you."

She leaned down and caressed his head. "I'll miss you too, Willy."

"Come back tomorrow, okay?"

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"I'll see what I can do," she said, knowing that it would mean changing the schedule and having to get permission from the charge nurse. A bit complicated, but she would talk to Natalie and see what could be done.

On the drive home, she wished it were midsummer so she could take her young friend outside. They would sit in the shade of a maple tree, enjoying the flagrance of garden phlox and honeysuckle vines, feel the warm breeze, and watch the sun cast short shadows on the birdbath in the courtyard behind the hospice. As it was, she feared Willy might not live long enough to see July come at all.

Later Theodore drove her to the mall, where she found a gift shop. She wanted to purchase several cards for the sick boy, but as she was standing in front of the "Get Well" section, she noticed two Amish teens enter the store. Their dresses were similar to those worn in Lancaster County, and the connection instantly drew her to them.

"Wie bischt?" she said, forgetting she wasn't dressed Plain, let alone Amish, and that these girls might be frightened

by a greeting from a stranger who spoke their language. They were shy, lowering their heads, eyes cast down. Katherine stepped back a bit before she made a complete fool of herself. "Uh, sorry. Have a nice day." She turned to go, the cards for Willy still in her hand.

"Didja forget to pay?" the older Amish girl called.

Katherine felt her neck and cheeks grow warm. "Oh my, yes. I certainly did. Thank you ever so much."

The girls glanced at each other, grinning. Then one spoke up, "Weren't you out at our place buying jam the other week?"

Katherine couldn't believe it. These girls looked an awful lot like Mrs. Esler. "Yes, I bought the jellies. Are you related to her?"

"We're her youngest daughters," said one shyly.

"Jah, we spotted you from the front room that day," said

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the other. "We had an old quilt that was worn through, so we were puttin' some new batting in, which was why ya didn't see us. Usually we help Mamma with the jam and jelly business."

"Well, that makes sense, then."

The younger girl was eyeing her. "Do ya have any need for a good homemade quilt or two, miss?"

She smiled. "To tell you the truth, I'm working on one right now myself--along with six other women." She didn't say she was teaching a quilting class, though. "Have you ever made the Country Songbird pattern?"

Their faces brightened as if they'd just met up with an old friend. "Jah . . . we know it well. In fact, Mamma said just the other day we oughta start one of those with the birds all in blue."

She stood there, enjoying the company of these Plain girls immensely. Suddenly, she thought of the hospice bazaar. Here might be a way to finish the quilt in time for such an event.

She stuck her neck out even further and explained the craft show fund-raiser and what it would mean to the terminally ill children who were inpatients at the hospice. "If we could finish the quilt, I think it might bring quite a lot at the bazaar on May first."

The girls were still smiling. A good sign, she thought.