Mary's Home by Jerry S. Eicher

Author:Jerry S. Eicher
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780736969352
Publisher: Harvest House Publishers

TWENTY-TWO

Mary exited the mudroom door of Deacon Stoltzfus’s home on Sunday evening and searched the darkness outside. She hadn’t paid attention to where Stephen had parked his buggy when he drove in for the hymn singing hours earlier. The man had seemed happier and more relaxed all evening, perched on the second single men’s bench while the sacred hymns had been sung. She wasn’t filled with anticipation at the thought of her evening ahead. That was an emotion Josiah had always provoked, but neither did she feel dread. Stephen was a pleasant enough person underneath his strangeness.

Stephen’s broad hat appeared in the barn door. His hand was on his horse’s bridle, and he headed toward the far end of the buggy line. Mary stepped off the porch and wrapped her shawl tightly around her shoulders before dashing across the frozen lawn. Winter was only weeks away from the feel of things, when the snowstorms could sweep down from the Adirondacks with a furor.

“Goot evening,” Mary greeted Stephen at the buggy.

He jumped, and the tug slipped out of his gloved hand.

Mary ignored the mishap to offer, “Shall I help on the other side?”

“If you wish, or want to, Mary. But in this cold, with the wind picking up, if you think it best, you can climb in the buggy and wait. I’m used to hitching the horse, as you can see, by myself.” He gave a nervous laugh.

“Did you enjoy the hymn singing?” Mary walked over to the other side and slid on the tug, followed by the snap of the harness.

His gaze followed her, but he seemed lost in his own thoughts. “Oh,” he finally said. “I’m not used to, as you can imagine, getting out on Sunday evenings—that is, for the hymn singing. But yah, the hymns are always a blessing to sing, as are all the Lord’s ways, and His will.”

Mary climbed into the buggy, and Stephen tossed her the reins before he pulled himself up the step.

Stephen took the lines and called out, “Giddyap!” His horse walked forward, plodding slowly out of the driveway. Stephen settled himself before he glanced toward Mary. “So how is your project—that one with the, you know, the Englisha man? Is it coming along?”

“Okay, I guess. The women’s sewing circle was this week, and we completed more than a dozen blankets. I took the finished products down to Mrs. Gabert’s.”

“Will there be more? I mean, of these blankets in the future, with this…what was his name?”

“Willard.” Mary shifted on her seat.

Willard hadn’t been at Mrs. Gabert’s home when she stopped by. But he was still in the country, down south in Virginia doing talks in churches. Mrs. Gabert had told her with a warm smile that Willard would make the arrangements to ship the blankets to Kenya.

Stephen was mid-sentence when Mary tuned back in. “…almost, at least it could be, if you hear the name only, an Amish man.”

Mary chuckled. “Willard isn’t an Amish man, believe me. Not even close, but that’s beside the point.

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