Miriam and the Stranger (11 page)

There was an excuse for her weakness, Miriam assured herself. In the years she had taken care of Mr. Bland, she must have become comfortable around
Englisha
men. Perhaps
too
comfortable. Was that the explanation for why she had such an unusual
reaction to Tyler Johnson? No wonder
Mamm
had entertained misgivings about her job with Mr. Bland. Still, the Lord would see her through this difficult situation. In the meantime she wouldn’t spill her thoughts to Mose. It wasn’t necessary. They might even marry this wedding season, and as a minister’s
frau
her past would lie forever behind her.

“You seem comfortable enough with me tonight.” Mose’s voice interrupted Miriam’s thoughts. He turned to face her with a pleased expression on his face.

“Just thinking, that’s all.” Miriam forced a smile. “About us and the future.”

Mose nodded. “That’s
gut
. I’m glad you’re taking this seriously. I’m planning on leaving after the weekend, and I’m thinking we should see each other only once more before then. Perhaps on Sunday evening?” He smiled. “I can bring you home like a proper dating couple.”

Miriam lowered her head. “Whatever you think is best is okay with me.”

Mose seemed pleased again. “Can I look forward to a letter writing time between us once I return to Wayne County?”

Miriam’s head spun. Would there be no marriage proposal? Was a time of letter writing all that Mose offered after this week of intense scrutiny? Did Mose pick up the discord in her heart over Tyler Johnson?

Mose leaned forward to ask, “Or do you need more time to think about this?”

“Oh, no!” Miriam let out a little gasp. “
Yah
, I can write letters.”

“So it’s settled then.” Mose had a big smile on his face. “We must take this slowly… even though I could use a
frau
at home in Wayne County next week.”

What was she to say to that? So she said nothing.

Mose continued. “I know that my house is empty, and I’m
lonely, but I can’t think of taking you away from your schoolteaching job before the term is over. And more time would also give each of us a chance to think about whether marriage is what the Lord wants for us. I hope you understand that I meant no harm by my sudden appearance in the community or by my suggestion that we correspond by letter for a while. I understand that a woman’s heart turns slowly, and I have been grateful that you’ve been as open to me as you have been.”

Miriam cast her gaze to the porch floor. There was only one proper response, and she must say it. With a steady voice Miriam spoke. “I will pray about this, and I’m not offended by your attentions. I can understand your position, and I trust
Daett
and
Mamm’
s judgment on the matter. They haven’t led me wrong before.”

Admiration filled Mose’s face. “You truly are a woman blessed by the Lord, Miriam. I continue to be amazed.”

“Oh, I do have my faults,” Miriam managed to whisper. “For which I ask forgiveness each day.”

“Ah, but we all do,” Mose said. “Faults are nothing to be ashamed of. They keep us humble and walking in the Lord’s strength.”

She could breathe again, Miriam told herself. Slowly the throb of her conscience drifted into the background.

Mose cleared his throat beside her. “But there is something I wish to tell you before I leave.”

“
Yah?
” Miriam glanced up at his face. Surely the man wouldn’t confess detailed faults of his own. Mose would expect her to follow his example after that.

“I understand that you’ll be coming to Possum Valley for your sister’s wedding soon.”

“
Yah
.”

Mose smiled. “I’ll be seeing you of course when you do.”

“Sure,” Miriam said at once. “That’s better than reading and writing letters.”

Now why had she said that? She sounded overeager again.

Mose spoke as if he hadn’t noticed. “I should tell you another thing. There might be a change, a serious change, in my ministry before long.” Mose let out a nervous chuckle and seemed to gather his courage. “Far be it from me to know the mind of the Lord or to even think of my own worthiness for such a high and holy calling, but it would be remiss of me if I didn’t mention the possibility. You would think for sure I was trying to hide something from you.”

Miriam waited with her gaze fixed on his face. She whispered a silent prayer,
“Please, no secrets.”

But Mose appeared pleased with her attention and began to speak again. “Our district is ordaining a bishop this fall at communion time. We’ve been without a bishop for a year now, and I guess it’s time. What I’m saying is that there is a chance the lot might fall on me. If it does, I beg the Lord for mercy and strength for the task. But this would be one more thing you should consider in a marriage relationship with me.”

Miriam stared at him. “You might be made bishop?”

“
Yah
.” Now Mose studied her. “Is that a problem for you?”

“No, of course not.” Miriam folded her hands on her lap. “You know this would be a great honor.”

“And one I am unworthy of,” Mose added at once.

“And so would I be unworthy.” Miriam’s fingers dug into her palm. She might be a bishop’s wife? The thought took her breath away. So this was where the Lord’s plan was leading her? No wonder the road had been so rough and difficult. One didn’t become a bishop’s
frau
without preparation. A great light seem to shine right out of heaven into her heart. This explained so much of her past sadnesses and even her temptations with Tyler Johnson. The Lord had clearly been testing her. She had been too blind to see
before this. And yet, she had somehow been able to trust the Lord and prevail.

“You have nothing to say to this?” Mose had turned in his chair to face Miriam.

“It’s… it’s just so much to fathom, I guess,” Miriam managed. “I’m just a schoolteacher.”

Mose smiled at this description. “You’re also quite humble, and before the Lord’s eyes that’s of great value. We will submit this to the Lord and await His decision, but I’m glad I told you and that you’re still willing to continue the relationship.”

Had Mose really thought she wouldn’t? Or had he wanted to see her reaction? Either way she had apparently passed the test. Mose studied the darkened horizon beyond Uncle William’s greenhouse. “Your sister Shirley is getting a
gut
man, you know.”

The bishop subject must be over, Miriam told herself. She responded, “
Yah
, I know. Glen is
gut
for her.”

She could play along with Mose’s light conversation, but she would have appreciated a few more moments to ponder this turn of events. Becoming a bishop’s
frau
was not a light matter. She still hadn’t absorbed the full implications.
Mamm
would be so impressed, and
Daett
would glow with joy from ear to ear. That was if Mose was chosen in the lot, but somehow she knew he would be. Likely Mose would get most of the votes, but it only took three votes from the members to make any of the ministers a candidate. Surely the Lord would pick Mose, Miriam told herself. Too many things pointed in that direction.

“Maybe we should go inside.” Mose stood to his feet, not waiting for an answer before he headed for the front door.

Miriam followed him. Once inside, the smiling faces of Uncle William and Aunt Fannie greeted them. There was no sign of Jonathon, who had already been sent to bed.

“Time that I should be on my way,” Mose announced. “Thank
you so much for the supper, Fannie, and for the way both of you have taken me into your home this week. I am most grateful.”

“It was a great pleasure,” Aunt Fannie gushed. “Do you want another piece of pie before you leave?”

Mose laughed. “And swell my stomach to indecent proportions? I think not. But thanks anyway.”

Miriam winced. She should have thought to offer Mose food before he left, but her mind wasn’t working very well.

“I’ll see you on Sunday then.” Mose smiled in Miriam’s direction and then opened the front door and was gone into the night.

“Abrupt sort of man,” Uncle William muttered. “But a solid man too.”

“He certainly needs a
frau
,” Aunt Fannie added. “He’s way too skinny, whatever he says. Only a
frau
can fatten up that kind of man.”

Uncle William grinned but didn’t say anything. Miriam moved into the kitchen to hide her red face. This conversation disturbed her, as did the rest of the evening.

Footsteps followed her into the kitchen, and she heard Aunt Fannie’s gentle voice.“I’m sorry if I offended you, Miriam. I didn’t mean my comments about Mose to sound the way they did.”

Miriam forced a smile. “That’s okay. I’m troubled about something else.”

Aunt Fannie took a seat at the kitchen table. She looked up with a smile on her face. “Did Mose propose tonight, and did you accept? Is that it? I can see where that would be a big adjustment.”

Miriam shook her head. “He didn’t propose. Mose wants to write letters for a while. He doesn’t want to take me away from my schoolteaching job until the end of the term.”

Aunt Fannie’s face lit up. “Then that’s a proposal of sorts. It’s obvious your heart has fallen for the man, and I can see why you would. Mose is such a solid man and so decent, and a minister.”

“Make that a bishop,” Miriam said. “They’re having an ordination this fall.”

Aunt Fannie appeared startled. “But Mose wouldn’t know this, or has he somehow gotten all the votes? The man’s an amazement, but even that’s going a little far.”

Miriam pressed her lips together. “No, but the lot will be in his book. Too many things point in that direction.”

Aunt Fannie shrugged. “You should leave this in the Lord’s hands, Miriam, but I can see why you would be troubled. Being a bishop’s
frau
is a high honor indeed and a great responsibility.”

Miriam forced herself to speak. “And there’s something else, Aunt Fannie. That reporter Tyler Johnson stopped by the schoolhouse again to ask questions. He now knows that I gave the money to the relief fund.” There, the words were out of her mouth.

Aunt Fannie regarded Miriam strangely. “And you told him this?”

“No, he asked one of the schoolchildren.”

Alarm now showed on Aunt Fannie’s face. “Will he write a story about your gift?”

Miriam fiddled with the edge of the chair. “He says he won’t.”

Comprehension dawned on Aunt Fannie’s face. “So Tyler must greatly admire what you did. Oh, Miriam! Take this as another sign of the Lord’s blessing on your life. And forget about the fact you gave the money or who knows. That’s part of your past and is behind you now.”

Miriam remained silent. What was there to say? She couldn’t tell anyone about how the Lord had tested her heart and how much fault had been found there.

Aunt Fannie soon stood to give Miriam a hug and a quick kiss on the cheek. “I think we’d better all get to bed now. This is still the middle of the workweek, and all this excitement has exhausted everyone.”

“
Yah
,” Miriam agreed.

At least she had opened up partially about Tyler Johnson, and Aunt Fannie didn’t seem worried. The Lord would take care of her heart, Miriam assured herself. She would trust, and she could sleep in peace now.

Miriam took the stairs slowly and entered her room to prepare for bed. She had so much she could be thankful for. She might someday be a bishop’s
frau
. She would think about Mose and not Tyler Johnson. How many unmarried Amish women would turn down the offer Mose had brought from Ohio?

Chapter Eleven

A
t close to noon the next Monday, Tyler Johnson eyed the man seated across the table. The restaurant fan hummed above their heads, but the sound didn’t drown out the conversation or that of several other patrons at tables near them.

When they had come in, Tyler had tried to steer Mr. Westree, the chairman of the relief fund, toward the far corner for some privacy, but to no effect. Mr. Westree had made sure they took a table in the center of the room. The man’s motives were transparent and obvious, but Tyler could do little about it. They served only to sound further alarms bells about the man’s character beyond the questions he already had.