A Christmas Engagement by Linda Byler

Author:Linda Byler
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781680996821
Publisher: Good Books
Published: 2021-01-15T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Six

SHE WENT BACK TO WORK.

The week after Thanksgiving was a slow time, but only for the one weekend, before Christmas shoppers created a throng of people dressed in the holiday reds, greens, and occasional dots of silver or gold. Decorations were hung at every vendor’s stand and free candy canes appeared in dishes or hung from greenery that embellished the brick walls.

Liz was happy to be back. Orders flooded the kitchen and she picked up the pace accordingly, enjoying the hustle. And Annie was happy to have her back. She knew there was no way she could have kept up with the crowds on her own. Matthew was fully occupied with his own duties, so he and Liz kept their distance, and no one suspected anything. They figured her sister’s wedding had thrown Liz for a loop, making her rethink her life choices the way major life events often do. She’d likely quit to find another job where she might have a better chance of meeting a man. Whatever her reasons for quitting and then returning, they were relieved to have her back.

All except for Priscilla, who eyed her with a cold glance, swung her head to the side, and lifted her shoulders in a puzzling gesture. A little while later, Liz saw her with Matthew, standing much too close as she giggled and spread her hands to elaborate on the point she was describing. Matthew smiled and talked to her in a friendly way. Liz felt a pang of pity for Priscilla. Clearly, she was insecure. It wasn’t unusual for the girls to be eager for Matthew’s attention, but it was the first time Liz had felt animosity from one of the other workers. Did Priscilla sense that there was something between her and Matthew?

Christmas was in the air, with the whole market bustling. Cash registers whirred, and at the end of the day, Matthew was grinning at the bulging zippered bank bag.

He asked to take Liz out that Saturday evening. She said yes. He told her there would be no surprises, merely a visit to Esther’s sister Verna and her husband. Over on Lampeter Road. He would pick her up in his buggy.

Mam was thrilled to have her be picked up in a buggy, with Matthew Zook no less. She offered to iron her covering, while Liz hurried upstairs for a shower. Liz riffled through the array of colorful dresses hanging in her closet before settling on a deep purple one. She slipped into it, surveyed the results, and promptly shed the imposing garment for one of a deep sea green color, fairly new and much nicer. She didn’t have much time to do her hair, so she combed, rolled along the sides, gave a quick spritz of hairspray, and twisted it into a bun on the back of her head. She donned her white head covering, tied the black apron about her waist, and pulled on her thin black stockings and her shoes before she ran down the stairs, her purse and coat flying along.

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