Noah's Sweetheart (13 page)

Rachel chuckled. “I’m sure there is some of each.”

Noah waited while Rachel cut him two pieces of cake and set them along with two blueberry muffins on a plate for him to take home.

She smiled. “In case Samuel is hungry when you get home.” She stopped as if to listen, and he heard the sound of horse hooves and turning wheels on dirt in the yard near the house. “Your
dat
has brought the wagon around,” Rachel said.

Noah nodded. Using two fingers, he sneaked a piece of cake and placed it between his lips. “I like chocolate.”

“I couldn’t tell,” Rachel replied, her eyes twinkling.

“Noah!” Samuel called.

“Coming,
Dat.
” His brown eyes warmed as they settled on Rachel. “I will enjoy the cake and muffin.”

Rachel nodded as she followed Noah through the house and front door. “Enjoy the desserts, but offer some to your
dat.
” She stood on the porch, watching as Noah descended the steps.

Suddenly, he turned to capture her gaze. “I’ll see you soon,” he promised.

Her heart fluttered within her chest. “You’d better go. Your
dat
is waiting.”

“Some things are worth making one wait,” Noah returned with a smile, which sent Rachel’s pulse racing. He left then to join his father on the wagon.

Amos and Mae saw them off with Rachel watching from a distance. It had been an unusual evening, she thought. Who could have imagined that they would be out looking for a child so late at night?

No blame would be given this night. Jacob had disappeared and was found, that was all that mattered to anyone, including the boy’s father.

“Sleep in for a while in the morning,” Aunt Mae told Rachel as they returned to the house and prepared to ascend the stairs.

Rachel nodded. She looked up as her cousin appeared at the top of the stairs. “Jacob is sleeping,” Charlotte said. She looked concerned as she continued, “How is Abram?”

“He is glad now that he has his boy again. He has just gone to bed,” Aunt Mae answered from behind Rachel. “You should all sleep in tomorrow. There will be plenty of time to get our chores done. Nancy?”

“Mam?”
Nancy came in from outside and went to the bottom of the stairs.

Mae smiled at her daughter. “Head on up to sleep, now.”

Nancy nodded. “
Gut
night,
Mam—Dat,
” she added as Amos joined Mae.

Then she headed up to bed, with Rachel following closely.

“Mam.”
Charlotte paused on the stairs and faced her mother. “Abram need anything?”

Mae smiled. “Abram has everything he needs for now.”

Satisfied, Charlotte continued upstairs. Rachel and Nancy were ready for bed when she joined them in their room.

“What a frightening night,” Rachel said softly as she climbed into bed.

“Ja,”
Charlotte replied. “Terrifying. Thank the Lord that Jacob was found.”

“Amen,” Nancy murmured sleepily, and then a couple of seconds later, she said, “I’m tired.”

“We should get to sleep,” Charlotte said, snuggling down under the covers. “I think
Mam
forgot that we’ll have two extra mouths to feed in the morning.”

Chapter Ten

D
espite her aunt’s urging to sleep in, Rachel was up at the crack of dawn. Nancy, she saw, slept on. Charlotte was already out of bed and downstairs.

Rachel dressed and went down to find Aunt Mae and Charlotte fixing breakfast for Uncle Amos, Abram and little Jacob.

“Looks to be a fine day,” Rachel greeted as she entered the kitchen.

“Ja.”
Amos flashed her a smile. “Ya look well rested.”

“I am.” She pitched in to bring food to the table.

Little Jacob waited while Charlotte fixed him a plate of eggs, bacon and a freshly baked biscuit. He grabbed a fork and started to dig in.

“Jacob,” his father scolded softly, “we need to thank the good Lord.”

The boy looked at Abram, nodded and put down the fork.

When all of the breakfast food had been placed on the table, Aunt Mae, Charlotte, Rachel and Nancy, who had just joined them, stood and bowed their heads. Amos, Jacob and Rachel’s cousins John and Joshua bowed their heads and waited patiently while Abram led them in a prayer of thanks to the Lord God.

“Lord, You have blessed us with many things…this fine food Mae has placed before us…the love of family and friends…and helping us to find my Jacob.” He was silent a moment as if overcome with emotion. Rachel chanced a look and saw that he was.

“You have given us much and we thank You for it. Help us to continue to do Your will. In this, we pray.”

“Amen,” everyone said.

Abram gave his son an approving look. “Eat, Jacob.” And the boy was only too happy to oblige as he ate with a gusto that made his elders chuckle even while Charlotte urged him to slow down so that he didn’t get a bellyache.

Rachel helped to clean up after the meal, and then she accompanied Charlotte, Abram and Jacob to the Peachy farm. They arrived to find Sarah with Jacob’s brothers and sisters. The children ran toward Jacob when they saw him, firing several questions at once.

Jacob answered one or two while Abram watched silently until finally he spoke up. “Mary Elizabeth, did you feed the chickens?”

“
Nay, Dat.
We only just arrived.”

His expression soft, he said, “Go feed them, then.” His daughter nodded and then scurried away. He turned toward his son. “Nathaniel—”

“Going to let out the horses now,
Dat.
”

Abram nodded approvingly.

“Rachel and I will milk the cows,” Charlotte said, and without waiting for an answer, she waved her cousin toward the barn to get the job done.

Rachel didn’t mind doing the milking. It was a chore she did happily. There was something calming about the simple task…the scent of the barn…the warmth of the cow’s teats as she gently squeezed and pulled rhythmically…the heifer’s low, pleasurable mooing as her milk supply was relieved.

Abram had four milk cows. Rachel and Charlotte each milked two and transported the milk from their stainless steel buckets into a large gas-refrigerated storage can. They would bring enough into the house for the family’s use. The rest would stay cold and ready for sale for the community residents and the occasional English dairy farm looking for any extra fresh milk to pasteurize.

As the young women picked up their stools, Charlotte said, “We can stop at the house to see if anything needs doing before we head home.”

Everything was being taken care of back at the house. Cousin Sarah had stayed to help, and the kitchen was spotless as the young women entered.

“Where is Abram?” Charlotte brushed stray strands of blond hair from her face, tucking them under her
kapp,
as she entered the house.

“He has gone out into the fields.” Sarah smiled. “He took Jacob with him.”

“Afraid to let him out of his sight,” Rachel suggested.

Charlotte nodded. “Are you going to stay awhile?” she asked her older sister.

“I told Abram I’d stay until he got back. You can go home. I’m sure
Mam
has things for you to do.”

“She does. Where are the girls?” Charlotte approached the stove where her sister stirred a pot of simmering chicken stock.

“Upstairs in their room.” Sarah briefly gestured over her shoulder toward the front of the house before she added a bowl of cut carrots to the stock.

“I’ll just say goodbye,” she told Rachel, “and then we’ll leave.”

Rachel would have offered to come, but she had the feeling that Charlotte wanted to see the children alone. She turned to find a thoughtful look in Sarah’s expression. Perhaps Charlotte’s behavior seemed strange even to her sister.

* * *

“Rachel! Noah is here to take us to Miller’s!”

“Coming, Charlotte!” Rachel hurried to get ready for the trip into town. It had been a long time since she’d been shopping. Today Charlotte, Noah, Joshua and she would be heading to not only Miller’s but to other stores before stopping for ice cream. She had looked forward to the trip since they first spoke about it weeks ago.

She wanted to get a few things for the classroom and her new house. Her new church district had given her money to buy what she needed. Perhaps she’d purchase some linens and kitchen utensils….

And she was pleased that it was Noah who would be taking them.

With her
kapp
set neatly on her hair and her apron secured over her royal-blue dress, Rachel hurried downstairs to join the others. She wore black shoes since she would be traveling among the English. If she’d stayed home, she would have gone barefoot because of the warm, sunny day.

Charlotte stood talking with Noah on the front porch when Rachel appeared.

“Rachel, I won’t be able to go,” she said. “Here—” She handed her Aunt Mae’s list. “You can handle the shopping, can’t you?”

“Ja.”
Rachel frowned as she accepted the sheet of paper. “But I thought you were going, too.”

“That was my plan,” her cousin said, looking unconcerned, “but I just found that Grandma Emma needs me to help her in the house. She’s feeling poorly and wants me to spend the day with her.”

Ride into town with Noah but without Charlotte? Rachel felt a bit discomfited. Was it proper?

“Joshua will be going,” Charlotte said, as if she’d read Rachel’s mind. “He wants his ice cream.”

Aunt Mae joined them on the front porch, wiping her hands on her quilted cooking apron. “All set?” she asked.

Joshua burst out of the house, and Charlotte grabbed hold of her brother and ruffled his hair. “I told Rachel that I’ll be staying to help Grandma Emma today.”

Aunt Mae nodded as if she’d known about the arrangement. “Would you mind taking John? He may want to go. Joshua?”

“Mam?”
He squirmed out of his sister’s grasp.

“Go find your brother and ask him if he wants to go into town with Noah and Rachel.” Mae eyed her youngest son’s tousled hair. “And get your hat! You’ll not leave the house without your head properly covered.”

As if to tease his older sister, Joshua skirted an area far from Charlotte before he ran to do his mother’s bidding.

“You want me to stay and help?” Rachel offered, feeling that she should.

“
Nay,
child. You go into town. I need someone who knows how to cook to do my food shopping. You’ve been working hard since you came to Happiness. Go and enjoy your ice cream.”

Wearing a straw hat on newly combed hair, Joshua appeared moments later with his older brother.

“We’re going for ice cream?” John put on his banded straw hat as he approached.

“Ja.”
Noah pulled dollar bills out of his pants pocket.

“I’ll go!” His excitement waned as he suddenly gave his mother a little-boy look. “You sure
Dat
won’t mind?”

“
Nay,
he’ll be fine with it. You go, son, and have a nice time in town.”

“I’ll be sure to get everything on your list,” Rachel promised.

“Don’t forget the raised doughnut mix,” Aunt Mae urged, “and have a wonderful time.”

Noah helped Rachel onto the front seat of the wagon, while the two King boys climbed into the back. Rachel felt the dip and sway of the vehicle as Noah climbed on board and sat next to her.

Aunt Mae came off the porch and shielded her eyes from the sunlight with her right hand. “Noah, mind you bring them home before supper time.”

“I will, Aunt Mae.” He grinned at her as he picked up the reins. “Want any candy?”

Mae’s eyes lit up with delight. “Licorice,” she said.

“Licorice it is,” Noah replied with a grin, and then they were off on an adventure into town for shopping and fun.

Rachel was silent as Noah guided the horse-drawn wagon down the lane and then left onto the paved road. Behind them, Joshua and John teased and taunted one another.

“I can eat more ice cream than you!” Joshua said.

“I’m bigger. I can eat more.” John pushed down the rim of his brother’s hat and Joshua tilted back his head to look up at him and said, “Can
not.
I may be little but I’ve got a bigger hunger than you!”

The exchange between them continued until their claims and excuses had become so funny that they laughed uproariously. Rachel and Noah flashed each other grins before they too succumbed to laughter.

“John, Joshua,” Noah said when the hilarity had died down. “I know someone who can eat more than the both of you put together.”

“Who?” John asked.

“Rachel!”

Her eyes widening, Rachel looked shocked. “Noah Lapp, you know that’s probably true!”

Which was the last thing anyone expected her to say and everyone laughed again merrily as they traveled down the road on the beautiful, sunny day in Happiness, Pennsylvania.

They reached Miller’s Store first. Rachel brought in her aunt’s list, and with Noah’s help, she was able to gather and purchase all the requested supplies quickly.

John and Joshua wandered about the shop, exclaiming about the cookies and candy for sale.

“All done, boys,” Rachel announced. “Time to go. You want to try to out-eat me in ice cream,
ja?
”

Noah took some of her purchases, set them in the rear of the wagon, and then helped her to climb up onto the seat.

“Did you get everything you needed?”

“For Aunt Mae,
ja,
” Rachel said. “Among other things, I purchased two bags of doughnut mix for her.” She straightened her skirt over her legs. “I had hoped to find a few things for the house.”

“I know where you can get some household items. Shall we head there next?”

“Will they have linens and cookware?”

Noah nodded. “And fabric and many other household goods.”

“That would be helpful,” she said. “I would like that.”

Noah took her to a small Amish shop located on a back road just outside of Happiness. He guided the horse onto the drive that led to a farmhouse and reined in by a small white outbuilding. He climbed down and roped the leathers around a hitching post.