Courage in the Storm by Laurel Blount

Author:Laurel Blount [Blount, Laurel]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Penguin Publishing Group
Published: 2023-04-25T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Sixteen

The next morning Reuben sat stiffly beside Joseph as he drove the short distance toward the Lapps’ home. Naomi and Miriam were huddled in the back, but nobody was talking. The only sounds were the squeaks of the wheels and the clop of hooves as Joseph’s horse, Titus, pulled the family buggy over the damp pavement.

It was a raw, overcast day, and the wind chilled Reuben’s freshly shaven cheeks. The too-small coat he was wearing cut into him every time he shifted position, but the tension in the buggy made him far more uncomfortable. It hung as heavy as the gray clouds overhead.

He’d ridden along on countless trips to church just like this, and he’d sure never figured on doing it again. This felt unpleasant—and way too familiar—and he was already regretting the whole idea. But none of that mattered right now.

Miriam was struggling.

They’d expected to leave much earlier, but it had taken Miriam a long while to muster enough courage to climb into the buggy. Naomi and Joseph had been ready to give up before she’d finally managed it, and they were both plainly worried about what would happen when it was time to get out again. They’d find out soon because Joseph was turning into the Lapps’ driveway. He pulled to a stop and set the brake.

For a few seconds nobody spoke. Then Naomi cleared her throat.

“Come, Mirry. Things will be starting before long. It’s time to go in.”

There was no answer. Miriam was pressed against the back of the buggy, her face pale beneath her black bonnet. She’d not budged an inch the whole ride over. Reuben knew because he’d sneaked more than one glance behind himself, checking on her.

Miriam was the reason he’d ridden over with the Hochstedlers. He’d intended to drive himself. Since his plan was to draw attention away from Miriam, arriving in a truck would have certainly done it—and it would have allowed for a quick getaway later.

He’d also planned to wear a pair of good jeans and one of his nicer Englisch shirts. He didn’t have much choice, since the only Plain clothes he had were the ones Miriam had made for him. He’d been wearing those every day for his barn work, and they wouldn’t do for church.

The Englisch clothes would serve his purpose better anyway, and they’d allow the folks in Johns Mill no illusions about where he stood.

He’d had it all settled in his mind. But early this morning, Joseph had come into the workshop with another folded stack of clothes—this time a white shirt, black pants, and a black vest and coat.

“The coat won’t fit too good,” Joseph had warned. “It’s one of Caleb’s old ones and will bind across your shoulders, likely. There was nothing Miriam could do about that on such short notice. The rest of these things should be all right.”

He hadn’t looked too pleased, Miriam’s bruder, about the time and energy his sister had spent fussing over Reuben’s church clothes. But in Miriam’s mind, he knew, this was a gesture of kindness.

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