So. Apparently Katie had done as she'd saidâshe'd found a horse for herself. Caleb slid down and began unharnessing Blackie. Katie was an independent woman, for sure. She hadn't even mentioned the new occupant of the stable to him.
Well, the stable belonged to Bishop Mose. Maybe she figured that it was not Caleb's business. Still, he felt that they were growing to be more like friends since the evening he'd taken her to Andy and Nancy's house for supper. She might have mentioned it.
The stable door opened. Katie stepped out into the yard, the sunlight picking up glints of gold in her brown hair. “Caleb, komm and see what my cousin Aaron surprised me with.”
“I can hear it already.” It had been a surprise, then. Somehow that eased the prickle of irritation he'd felt.
“Her. Aaron found the sweetest little mare when he was on a job over toward Fisherdale. He took her on a trial basis, just to see if she suits me.”
Caleb followed her into the stable. “From the way you sound, the answer must be yes, ain't so?”
“I sound like a new mammi, I'm afraid.” Katie reached up to pet the neck of the bay mare, and the mare rubbed against her sleeve. “Her name is Daisy.”
“She doesn't look much like a daisy.” He patted the animal's shoulder, running his palm along her back. She seemed like a nice, sturdy animal. Aaron had a good eye for horseflesh, he knew. “But if she makes you smile, that's probably as gut a name as any.”
“It was already her name, so it's not as if I had a choice. But I think it suits her.”
“Like I said,” he responded. “It makes you smile. Isn't that what you do when you spot the first daisies along the road? So, how does she drive?”
“I haven't had time to take her out yet. It was after supper when Aaron turned up with her, and I wouldn't try her for the first time at dusk.” She pulled her gaze away from the animal to look at him. “You don't mind that I'm using part of the stable?”
“How could I mind? You look like a little girl who's gotten a wonderful-gut gift for her birthday.”
Katie's smile lit her eyes. “That's how I feel, I think. I can't wait to take her out.”
Maybe it wasn't so smart to stand here watching that smile. Caleb moved back to Blackie and started taking the harness off. “Why don't you go for a drive?” he said. “Can't Rhoda watch the shop for a bit?”
“She can, but not today. I have the quilting group coming for the first time.”
“I'd nearly forgotten.” He coiled up the lines and hung the harness from its peg. “Mamm said to tell you she'll be here for sure.”
“Gut. I'm excited. And a little nervous, too, to be honest.”
“I don't see why.” And here he was, looking into Katie's eyes again. “They are just people who share your love for quilting.”
“Ja. I'm being foolish, maybe, but I want so much to have this work well.”
He thought it might be the first time she'd shown that she questioned herself, and he wanted to wipe the apprehension from her face. His hand moved, as if to touch her, and he pressed it flat against his leg.
“It will turn out for the best.” He stepped back outside. “You know, maybe we should keep the two horses separated for a bit, so that they don't get into a fight over who's the boss.”
Katie moved away quickly, as if maybe she'd been expecting . . . something, he wasn't sure what.
“Ja, that's fine. I can leave Daisy in the stall for now, if you want to turn Blackie out into the yard.”
“Right, sure.” He grasped Blackie's halter and led him through the gate into the small fenced paddock that took up most of the backyard. “We can switch them at lunchtime, if you want.”
“Ja. Sounds gut.” Katie spoke naturally, and whatever moment of strain he'd imagined was gone.
Imagined
, that was the word. He and Katie were easy with each other now, maybe because they each knew the other's pain.
Katie hadn't said anything more about losing the man she'd expected to marry, but he understood. He didn't talk easily about private things, either.
He suspected that Katie no longer considered marriage a possibility, based on the way she'd looked when she'd spoken of the man she'd loved. Maybe still loved, for that matter.
So, if he couldn't have another man sharing the shop space, at least Katie wasn't a danger to his heart.
He gave Blackie a final pat. Katie still stood by his buggy, looking into the stable at the mare.
“If it doesn't rain this afternoon, maybe I'll take her out on the road.”
He glanced toward the sky. Yesterday's clouds seemed to be clearing off. “I think we're done with the rain for a few days, at least. Gut thing. The creek is running pretty high.” He jerked his head toward the stream behind the stable.
“Ja, we could hear it from inside when we went to bed last night.” Katie fell into step with him as they walked toward the shop. “I hope it's not going to rain on Saturday. I'm supposed to go to the Mud Sale over at Fisherdale with Rachel Zook.”
“Sunny and mild, that's what I heard.” He glanced at her face. “So you will try to sell some quilts over at Fisherdale?”
“I'm not sure whether I'll take any quilts or just some smaller things.” Katie's forehead wrinkled. “I don't know yet how much space I'll have, sharing a booth with Rachel and her plants.”
“Is your sister going with you?” They'd reached the porch, and he held open the door to her side of the shop.
Katie shook her head. “She'll watch the shop in the morning. Then in the afternoon I told her she could close and go to the mall with Becky and her friends.”
His fingers tightened on the doorframe. “I didn't know about the trip to the mall.”
“No?” Her eyebrows lifted, and her tone asked why he would expect to.
“No.” He would not apologize for caring about his niece. “I am surprised that Andy and Nancy are allowing Becky to go. I wouldn't.”
Katie stared at him for a moment, her chin very firm. “Then perhaps it is lucky for Becky that you are not her father.” She closed the door between them.
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“Let's
put the quilting frame against the wall. We don't need it for the group today, but I'd like to have it out, especially so the new quilters can see it.” Katie held one end of the folding quilt frame and Rhoda held the other.
Rhoda slid her end against the wall of the shop's back room. “How's that? Gut?”
“Ja, I think that does it.”
Her little sister smiled at the quilting frame. “It reminds me of gross-mammi. She was such a gut quilter. And so patient.”
Touched, Katie put her arm around Rhoda's waist. “It wonders me that you remember her so well. You were only about five when she passed.”
Rhoda considered. “About that. I wasn't in school yet. But I guess you don't forget somebody who loved you that much.”
Katie hadn't looked for such a mature thought from Rhoda. “Ja.” She dropped a kiss on her sister's cheek. “I don't think I was so wise at sixteen.”
Rhoda flushed, obviously pleased, but then moved out of Katie's embrace with the quick change of mood of a teenager. “I suppose I have to watch the shop while you're busy with the quilting group.”
“You suppose right.” She frowned at the chairs. “I wish I had more seats for people. What if more turn up than I expect?”
“You're nervous,” Rhoda said, wonderment in her voice. “I don't believe it.”
Katie made a face at her. “Don't you dare tell anyone. But ja, I am. Why is that so surprising? This is important to the success of the shop.”
Rhoda shrugged her slim shoulders. “I just thought . . . well, you always seem so sure of what you're doing. Really, you shouldn't worry. It will work out fine, I know. For sure Molly will be here, and Naomi Brand.” She touched Katie's shoulder lightly. “It'll be all right. Honest.”
Despite her smile, Katie had to blink back a tear. Her little sister was comforting her. That was a change in their roles she hadn't expected.
“Denke, Rhoda.” Her voice was husky.
“I'll get the extra scissors you wanted to put out.” Rhoda whirled. “And the pattern books.”
Katie looked after her, a little bemused at seeing such enthusiasm from Rhoda. She was settling down here, finding friends and useful work. Surely Mammi and Daadi would be pleased.
As for Caleb . . . well, every time she thought Caleb had gotten over his suspicions of her sister, he said or did something that proved her wrong. They'd been having a nice talk about the horses, and she'd felt that they were actually cementing their friendship. Hadn't she trusted him enough to tell him about Eli?
And then Caleb had gone and spoiled it with his disapproval over the girls going to the mall.
Well, she couldn't stand here thinking about Caleb Brand. She had things to do. She started putting supplies out on the long table.
Some of the women, like Naomi, would bring quilts they were already making the patches for. Others might be starting from scratch. Katie could only pray that her idea to mix beginners and experienced quilters in the same group didn't backfire on her.
Footsteps sounded in the shop, and then Caleb was standing in the doorway carrying a small, armless rocker in each arm. Startled, she could only stare at him.
“I thought maybe you could use these for your group,” he said. “Mamm always likes to sit in a rocker when she's hand-sewing.”
“But these are two of your new ones.” After their tart exchange on the back porch, Katie hadn't expected to hear a word from Caleb for the rest of the day.
“It's fine.” He carried the chairs in and set them down in the corner. They rocked gently from the movement and then stilled. Like everything in Caleb's shop, they were skillfully made and lovingly hand-polished to a high sheen.
Maybe this was in the nature of a peace offering. And maybe she was the one who'd overreacted. After all, his objection had been to his niece going to the mall, and that hadn't been Rhoda's idea.
“Denke, Caleb. It is kind of you.”
He shrugged. “It's nothing.” He looked at her for a moment longer, and Katie thought he was going to say something more, but then the bell on the door jingled. “I'd best let you get back to work.”
She stood unmoving for a moment after he'd left, trying to still the butterflies in her stomach. This group was what she wanted, remember?
She walked into the shop to the sound of voices. Naomi Brand was here already, carrying a bag that undoubtedly held her new project, and with her was Emma Stoltzfus, aunt of Sarah Mast, the midwife. Katie had already heard that she was a very skilled quilter. Rachel Zook came in behind them, pushing a carriage holding her youngest, a little boy not quite three months old.
Rachel hurried into speech. “Ach, Katie, I hope you don't mind that I brought little Josiah. The older ones are in school, and my mamm is watching Mary, but I thought it might be better to have him with me. Gideon loves to watch him, but he's doing some work on my greenhouse today.”
“Of course it's fine.” Katie went to peek at the sleeping baby. “Goodness, look at those fat cheeks. Naomi, Emma, have you seen this bu lately?”
Naomi put her bonnet on the counter, and they came to bend over the carriage, both smiling at the sight. Sarah said that her aunt Emma had aged since she'd had a mini-stroke back in the winter, but she seemed lively enough at the moment, looking at one of the babies her niece had delivered.
“Ach, what a lamb he is, for sure,” Emma said. “And sleeping so peacefully.” She patted him with a gentle hand.
“It won't be long before he's running all over the place with the older ones,” Naomi pointed out.
“Don't remind me,” Rachel said. “I'm going to enjoy the baby stage while it lasts. Now, he stays in one spot while I'm working with the plants. Soon he'll probably be pulling them up by the roots.” She pushed the carriage into the corner. “Maybe he'll sleep through some of the time, at least.”
“He'll be fine,” Katie said. “And Rhoda loves babies, so she'd be glad to help out. We're going to use the back room.” She led the way, but then turned back at the sound of the bell. “You go ahead and get settled.”
Lisa Macklin hurried in, smoothing her hair down where its sleekness had been disturbed by the breeze. She looked as casually elegant as she had at the Mud Sale, with turquoise earrings dangling from her ears and a matching bracelet just visible beneath the sleeve of her soft jacket.
Katie wasn't tempted by Englisch clothing. She never had been. But the fabric . . . she longed to touch it just to see if it was as soft as it looked.
“I hope I'm not late. The girl who helps me in the shop didn't get in as early as I'd expected.”
“Not at all. People are just now coming,” Katie assured her. Aside from her large leather shoulder bag, Lisa was empty-handed. “Do you have a project you're working on?”
“Afraid not. You'll be starting from square one with me when it comes to quilting, but at least I know how to sew.” Lisa's eyes shone with enthusiasm. “I can't wait to pick out material for my first project.”
“Gut, gut.”
Katie was a little wary of that enthusiasm. From what she knew of Lisa, she was a busy woman with lots of irons in the fire. Katie wouldn't want to encourage her to start on a big project that might take more time and patience than the woman had.
“Why don't you go on to the back room and introduce yourself? There are some pattern books on the table you might want to look at.”