Sisters of the Quilt Trilogy (23 page)

P
aul paced to Mr. Yoder’s barn again, watching for signs of Hannah. He’d spent days getting this trip all lined up, hoping, at the very least, to pass Hannah the letter that was in his pocket.

Come on, Hannah
.

His grandmother was inside with Mrs. Yoder, visiting while Mary slept. It had taken him weeks to talk Gram into coming here; she probably wouldn’t stay long.

He jammed his hands into his pockets and sighed. This wasn’t the way it was supposed to go. Not after all the planning and scheming he’d done to get here today. If he and Hannah stood a chance of seeing each other on the eve of Thanksgiving, he had to get this letter to her today.

Surprisingly, Gram had readily agreed to his plan, which included her asking Hannah to come to work for her the day before Thanksgiving while he was off from school. He wrote Hannah the letter, telling her how important it was for her to get her parents’ permission to accept Gram’s invitation to work that day so they could spend some time together. Determined to put the letter in Hannah’s hands personally, he’d told Gram they should visit the Yoders to check on Mary, never for a second anticipating that Hannah might not be there when he arrived.

When they knocked on the door where Mary was living during her recuperation, Mary’s mother, Mrs. Yoder, greeted Katie Waddell warmly, and Gram introduced her grandson to her. Gram asked about Hannah, and Mrs. Yoder informed them that she was at Naomi Esh’s place getting some honey.

Paul had excused himself and gone outside. He’d been pacing out here ever since. Rubbing the back of his neck, Paul’s attention never left the horizon. His muscles tightened more with every minute that passed. He couldn’t leave the letter with Mrs. Yoder or even Mary for that matter. If he did, it would probably cause quite an uproar.

He picked up a rock and threw it as far as he could. He’d missed his last class today and his work shift tonight to get this visit in, and now she wasn’t here. He scanned the ridge, fairly sure he was looking at the property Mrs. Yoder had said was Esh land.

He strode in that direction. Maybe she’d be right across the hill, dawdling time away while Mary slept.

Through the window, Hannah saw the dejected young woman turn to go. Matthew let go of Hannah.

“Elle.” He lurched for the door and stumbled. The shelves started tipping forward again. Hannah grabbed the shelf, and Matthew grabbed her. Several empty jars crashed to the floor.

The noise caused Elle to turn back, a look of concern in her eyes. She entered the room and grasped Matthew under his arm. He wavered awkwardly on one foot, still trying to get upright and balanced. Hannah put her strength under his other arm. Between the two females, they soon had Matthew balanced.

Hannah kicked the crutches out of their way. “Let’s get him to a chair in the kitchen.” Elle nodded, and together they escorted Matthew down the hall.

Except for her traditional clothing, Elle didn’t look like any Amish person Hannah had ever seen. She had strawberry blond hair, some of which was dangling about her face in spite of the traditional bun and
Kapp
. Her skin was as smooth and white as rich cream. Hannah could certainly see why Matthew was smitten with her.

When they reached the kitchen, he sat down. Elle shifted an adjacent chair and motioned for him to place his hurt foot on it. Then she whisked out of the kitchen and toward the living room. Matthew moaned and laughed as he placed his foot on the chair, calling out to her as she moved about. “It seems I’m destined to fall each time you’re near.”

“Oh, so it’s my fault you’re clumsy,” Elle shot over her shoulder as she walked into the living room. “Just like it was my fault the flue at school was stuffed.”

Matthew shrugged, but the playful delight had returned to his eyes. “She hasn’t decided if I’m guilty of the wood-stove incident or not.”

Hannah’s interest moved from Matthew back to Elle as the girl reentered the kitchen, carrying a pillow. She was mesmerizing in an unusual way, with dainty features, long brown lashes in spite of her hair color, and pale freckles across the bridge of her nose. Elle looked briefly at Hannah. Her eyes were a color Hannah had never seen before. A light lavender mixed with blue. Absolutely stunning.

She’d never heard of an Amish woman named Elle, but the newer generation challenged the older one on all fronts, and names were just one area that people were stepping out in. Not every child’s name was biblical anymore.

“Hannah Lapp, this is Elle Leggett.”

Leggett?
That wasn’t an Amish last name, was it?

The girl held out her hand. As Hannah shook it, she noted this girl had an air of confidence that Hannah could only dream of.

Elle paused beside Matthew’s chair, waiting for him to raise his foot so she could place the pillow under it.

Hannah turned the knob on the kerosene lamp in the middle of the kitchen table, making the room a bit brighter.

Elle gave the pillow that held Matthew’s leg one last dusting with the palm of her hand. “I … I didn’t mean to interrupt you.” Her eyes flicked over Hannah. “I saw Matthew’s mother heading for the barn. She said he was in the storage room and I should go on in. She didn’t say he had company.”

The concern that registered in Matthew’s eyes was distressing, and Hannah knew he was beginning to see what she had tried to explain. Hannah’s reputation was being tarnished by her own sister, and Matthew’s newfound friendship with Elle could be ripped up by the roots before it had time to grow strong.

Elle held out her hand. “Hannah, it was nice to meet you. Samuel is awful proud of his oldest sister. He speaks of you often at school.” She smiled. Elle’s features held no malice or petty jealousy but plenty of disappointment. She nodded at Matthew and turned to leave.

“No.” Matthew lightly smacked the table. “Don’t go.”

Elle looked from him to Hannah.

“Please stay.” Hannah eased into a kitchen chair and shoved one out for Elle. “So, you teach in our district?”

Matthew rolled his eyes, playfully mocking Hannah. “She’s been out of touch, bein’ at the hospital with Luke and Mary for weeks and now chained to the Yoder place while Mary mends.”

Inquisitiveness crossed Elle’s features. “And you’re here now because …”

Hannah stole a glance at Matthew. She liked this girl. Her direct but polite approach left no doubt what she wanted to know. “I … I sort of came for honey.” Her cheeks burned.
Sort of?
She hadn’t meant to word it like that, and now there was no backing up.

Matthew leaned forward. “Her real reason for coming here was to see me and talk. We’re friends, Elle.”

Elle eased into the chair Hannah had pushed her way.

Hannah noticed the same high spirits in Elle’s eyes that Matthew had, but there was something else, something harder, more assertive.

Elle leaned forward in her chair. “If someone doesn’t either clear the air or let me leave with my pride intact, you’re going to need another trip to the doc’s, Matthew Esh, and I’ll not be accompanying you this time.”

Matthew cocked his head. “There’s no more between Hannah and me than there is between you and her brother Samuel.”

Elle studied her.

Hannah searched her mind for something friendly to say. “I’ve never heard the name Elle among our people before. It’s beautiful.”

The girl stole a look at Matthew. “I was born in Pennsylvania, but I wasn’t born Amish.”

Trying to hide her surprise, Hannah stammered. “B-but you’re Amish now? How is that possible?”

Elle leaned back in the chair a bit and let her hands rest in her lap. “When I was ten, my mother became very ill. Abigail Zook, my mother’s best friend and a very loving Amish woman, began taking care of me. Not long after my mother died, my father left … and has never returned. To keep me out of the foster-care system, Abigail and her husband, Hezekiah, took me in while a search was made for any relatives I might have. None were found.” Elle dispensed the information like memorized lines from a book rather than a past filled with heartache and hope. She possessed an inner strength that Hannah found inspiring.

Matthew’s eyes were glued to Elle as he spoke to Hannah. “Abigail and Hezekiah have been married about fifteen years, but they were never blessed with children of their own. They only have Elle, and now she plans on joining our faith when the bishop says she can.”

The looks that ran between Elle and Matthew left little doubt that she was as interested in him as he was in her.

Matthew had told her right. It was the strangest thing she’d ever heard tell of among the Amish. But Hannah couldn’t let this go without making sure the girl had thought this through. “It’s hard to live without electricity once you’ve had it.”

Elle’s eyes widened as she nodded in agreement. “No doubt. But Kiah—that’s what I call Hezekiah—allows for bending a few rules.” She pulled a cell phone out of her hidden pocket. “What he’s not willing to bend rules on, I can live without.”

Hannah stared at her. “How can you be so sure?”

Elle laughed. “Life is filled with sacrifices of one type or another. I’ve seen both sides of life, the fancy way and the plain way. I choose plain. Not because it will save me, because it won’t. Just because it’s where my life is, with Kiah and Abigail. When I have kids, I’d like Abigail to get to hold my babies and know they’re her grandchildren, although she’ll still be young enough to have a baby of her own if she could have children.”

Hannah gave a slight nod, as if she understood the deep connection Elle felt to Abigail and Hezekiah. But she wasn’t sure she did.

Matthew ran the palms of his hands across the tabletop. “She drives a horse and buggy around the district to make visits to her students’ homes and such, but because she lives so far from here, she leaves the horse and buggy at the Bylers’, and a driver takes her home.”

Elle laughed. “More like the horse and buggy drives me. Can’t say I’ve gotten the hang of making the horse do my bidding.”

“I think the Bylers need to own a better-trained horse. I got one I’m working with that’ll be up for sale in a few weeks if they’re interested.” Matthew leaned forward, catching a glimpse of the clock. “Ya better go or the driver will leave, and you’ll be sleeping at the Bylers’ for the night.”

Elle stood. “Yeah, I’d better go. Hannah, it was nice to meet you. Samuel will like that I finally met you.”

“I’m glad we had this snippet of time, Elle.” Hannah rose. “I need to get the honey and go too. But I’ll clean up the mess in the storage room first.” She grabbed the broom and dustpan and walked out of the kitchen, giving Matthew and Elle a moment alone.

As she picked up the fallen crutches, Hannah heard thunder rumble softly in the distance. She leaned the crutches against the shelf. Sweeping the broken glass into the pan, she dreaded walking home. She hadn’t been on a walk alone since her attack, except from the house to the barn. Her palms were sweaty with the thought.

After putting the broom and dustpan in a corner, she grabbed the bag containing the jars of honey. The heavy jars could be used as a weapon if need be.

When she stepped onto the porch, Elle was in her gig, pulling out of the driveway.

Naomi came across the yard, leading a horse-drawn cart. “Someone needs to take Hannah home before the rains get here. Since you’re useless around the house these days, I chose you.”

Relief as well as humor washing over her, Hannah laughed.

Matthew growled playfully. “Thanks,
Mamm
.” He made his slow descent down the porch stairs.

With a smile plastered on her face, Naomi motioned to the small rig. “I hitched the pony cart up for you so you can easily climb in and out of this low-to-the-ground thing.” She winked at Hannah. “Now, go, Son. And if the rains catch you, stay at John Yoder’s for the night.”

“Gosh,
Mamm
, are you trying to get rid of me?”

Naomi chortled and turned to go inside.

Grateful for an escort, Hannah climbed into the weathered wooden rig. After settling on the bench, Matthew laid his crutches between him and Hannah. He took the reins and slapped them against the horse’s back. Hannah set the bag of honey in the seat, feeling nervous about being gone so long.