Mount Hope by Sarah Price

Author:Sarah Price
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: ebook
Publisher: Charisma House
Published: 2016-07-28T04:00:00+00:00

With the harvest brought in and last field of hay cut, there was more time for visiting in the afternoons. While Fanny didn’t mind spending time with Elijah, she did mind the fact that the Coblentzes made their way over to the Bontragers’ farm too frequently in her opinion. The way that Henry continued to trifle with both of her cousins did not go unnoticed by Fanny, and while she wasn’t one to speak her thoughts out loud, she made her displeasure known by remaining silent in his company. She could barely watch as Henry flirted with Julia one minute and then engaged in teasing discourse with Miriam the next.

On three separate occasions Jeb arrived to come calling on Miriam only to find himself displaced by Henry. The scowl on his face clearly expressed his disapproval of seeing Henry engaged in conversation with Miriam. But once Jeb arrived, Henry would immediately shift his attention to Julia, which seemed to suit her well enough.

Benjamin often joined the group too, seemingly eager to steal Julia’s attention when Henry was engrossed with Miriam. As Fanny watched the awkward dynamics of the group, she could only thank the good Lord that she usually had reason to stay away from the gatherings. Naomi often gave her so much work to do that she could easily escape to the shed or the garden.

Of course, the worst part was observing as Mary continued to exploit Elijah’s affections.

If she felt any thirst, Elijah would fetch her some water. If she wanted to stretch her legs, he was the first to offer to accompany her. While Thomas sometimes joined the young visitors, he did not seem to take any particular interest in Mary. Instead, he much preferred to leave in the early evening hours to visit with his own friends, rather than court a young woman.

And that left Mary with only one other person’s attention to misuse for her own gain: Elijah.

“Come sit with us, Fanny,” Mary said to Fanny.

It was early evening on a Saturday. They were all seated around the picnic table, a small open fire burning in a makeshift fire pit that Elijah and Benjamin had made from river rocks. Henry had not offered to help, claiming that he wore a new shirt that he preferred not to soil, and Jeb remained by Miriam’s side, not trusting either one of them if he were to leave to cart back the rocks.

“Nee, I cannot,” Fanny said as she walked from the barn, a bucket full of fresh milk in each hand. “Naomi wants me to make cheese this afternoon.”

“Cheese?” Mary laughed and looked at Elijah. “Why, Fanny, that’s such a long process to make cheese. It’s so much easier to simply go purchase it at the store.”

She stumbled over one of the rocks that had been carelessly left on the path. Henry stepped forward to grab her arm so that she neither fell nor dropped one of the buckets.

“Careful there, Fanny,” he said, his lips so close to her ear that she could feel his warm breath on the back of her neck.

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