Pastures of Faith Read online

  She seemed content with that and sat back against the seat, sitting closer to Daniel than she had before. Occasionally, her arm would brush against his and a tingle of excitement would pulse through his veins. He wished that he could hold her hand or, even better, put his arm around her shoulders. But he knew that to do so would be improper and he didn’t want to do anything to disrespect her or, worse, make her think less of him as a suitor.

  A few minutes later, he pulled the buggy into the parking lot of the convenience store. He stopped the horse at the hitching post and smiled at Rachel. “Ice cream?” She smiled and nodded, letting him help her out of the buggy. They walked into the store, glad to see that it was empty of peering eyes.

  Outside, they stood by the buggy, eating their ice cream and talking. He told her stories about growing up in Lancaster, about his brothers and sisters. He liked the way that she laughed at his stories, covering her mouth with her hand in a delicate gesture of modesty. The more she laughed, the more encouraged he was to tell more stories.

  “And this one time,” he began. “Emanuel found a snake in the corn field and chased our sister Susie with it. She was just a little girl and Junior chased Emanuel up that big tree in the front of Mamm’s yard. He stayed there until Daed returned from the auction and demanded to know what was going on.” He laughed at the memory of gentle brother Emanuel in the tree. “He had to do extra chores for two weeks for that one.”

  “I can imagine!” Rachel laughed.

  “What about you?” he asked. “What was it like growing up in Ohio?”

  He noticed that she stiffened her back and seemed to become tense. It was as though the happy energy that she had just shared with him disappeared at the mention of Ohio. “Much the same, I’m sure,” she said, averting her eyes.

  “Did your brothers tease you?”

  She shook her head. “Daed was more protective of me then and wouldn’t let the boys tease me, that’s for sure and certain.”

  Daniel sighed and looked up at the sky. There were thousands of stars twinkling down upon them. “Guess it wasn’t so bad here, either. A few little scraps and tussles but mostly peace and good harmony.” He looked back at her and smiled. “You ready to head back now? Getting late with such an early morning.”

  She nodded her head. “Sure was nice to get some ice cream, Daniel.”

  “Sure was nice to spend some time with you, Rachel,” he replied, smiling to see her blush in the glow from the light of the store.

  “Daniel…” she whispered, avoiding his eyes.

  “Aw, Rachel,” he laughed. “You have such a pretty way of flushing right up to your eyelashes!”

  “Daniel!” she said again, this time more firmly.

  He laughed again. “Come on, then. Let me take you home before you blush right up to the roots of your hair.”

  Daniel made certain that he drove the horse home along the longest route that he could. The night was beautiful and he enjoyed just sitting in her presence. She was sitting closer to him than she had before and he liked knowing that she was just inches away from him. Even better, that she was feeling comfortable around him, trusting him to take care of her. But, he thought, she should feel that way. After all, they were officially courting, even if no one else knew but them.

  It was amazing to him that so much had changed in just a few short weeks. Only a few months back, he had no desire to court a woman. His focus had been on what he liked doing best: farming. Now, he was courting a young woman, taking her out to singings and for ice cream in his older brother’s pretty little courting buggy. Everything had changed since Rachel had arrived at the Lapp farm. Everything and everyone, he corrected himself. And he liked the changes that he was seeing around him.

  Back at the farm, he walked her up to the door. The house was dark and quiet. He was certain that David and Samuel were out with friends, probably racing horses in the dark on some windy road. Everyone else was probably sleeping. By eight-thirty, the farm was usually quiet in the evening. Daniel guessed it to be just after nine o’clock. He hadn’t wanted to return so early but he knew that it was proper to do so, especially since they had to get up early for working in the fields.

  He leaned against the wall by the door for a moment, his eyes adjusting to the darkness as he stood before her. “Next few days will be a lot of work. Best be getting to sleep now, Rachel.”

  He could barely see her nod in the darkness. “I will, Daniel.”

  Daniel reached out and touched her hand. For a long moment, they stood on the porch in silence, their fingers entwined. He caressed the back of her hand with his thumb and gazed into the darkness in the direction of the fields. Her hands were soft, clearly not used to outdoor work. She’d have blisters for certain tomorrow.

  “Best get going then, ja?” he finally said, breaking the silence. He opened the door for her and stepped back, waiting for her to enter. If he wanted to take her into his arms and kiss her, he didn’t. He knew that wasn’t the way of the People. Kissing was saved for marriage, everyone knew that. But the thought of breaking that rule sure crossed his mind. “Good night, Rachel Lapp,” he whispered as she walked back.

  Rachel paused for a moment, turned back to look at him and, to his surprised, leaned over to gently brush her lips against his cheek. It was soft and sweet but completely unexpected. “Good night, Daniel Lapp,” she whispered back before disappearing into the house.

  He stood on the porch for a moment, dazed and elated. His heart pounded inside of his chest and he felt warm inside. She had kissed his cheek as she said good night. Clearly she was feeling the same way about him as he was about her. He smiled to himself, thrusting his hands into his pockets as he walked down the steps from the porch and headed toward his parents’ house.

  Chapter Fifteen

  “Aw look it,” Samuel said, resting his hand against the edge of the combine. David, Daniel, and Jake looked in the direction he was pointing while Jonas checked the harness of the mules. Across the field, Rachel and Linda were approaching. Rachel wore a simple blue handkerchief over her head instead of her white prayer kapp. Both girls wore simple green dresses, Rachel with a black apron covering the front. Neither wore shoes. They were laughing, holding hands as they walked. “Wonder how long it’ll take until she gets all flustered and runs off crying about something or another!”

  Daniel shot a hard look at his youngest brother. “Samuel, you leave her be today.”

  Samuel started laughing, flapping his hand over his chest. “How your heart must beat, seeing your beloved maedel come to help with the harvest,” he said, his voice slightly higher than normal as he mocked Daniel.

  “I’m warning you, brother,” Daniel said, his voice low and his eyes sharp.

  Jake took off his hat and stepped gingerly between the two brothers. “Now, now,” he said calmly. He laid a hand on Daniel’s shoulder and paused, making eye contact for a moment before he turned to Samuel. “The way you quibble with that girl then crow about it like that old banty rooster my Sylvia has, sounds like mayhaps you have your own little crush on the lass,” he teased, his eyes sparkling at young Samuel.

  “Ain’t so!” Samuel demanded.

  Jake shrugged his shoulders and glanced at Rachel. “What does the good book say? ‘Me thinks you doth protest too much.’”

  Samuel made a face, annoyed that David was laughing at his rebuke from Jake. Even Daniel had to suppress a smile at the way Jake had changed the direction of the conversation from confrontational to putting Samuel on the hot seat. “The bible doesn’t say that!”

  “Ja vell,” Jake said nonchalantly, a wink tossed at Daniel. “Mayhaps it should!”

  David nudged his brother. “Ja, keep teasing Daniel about his interest in your lady love.”

  “Ain’t no lady love in my life,” Samuel protested, clearly not pleased that David was jumping into the action.

  “Of course not!” David teased. “But not for lack of wanting, ja? Just like Jake said! You teasing that girl
because you want to come-calling on her!”

  Samuel reach down and plucked a potato from the ground and threw it, none too lightly, at David who ducked in time to miss being hit in the shoulder. “Say one more word and the next one won’t miss!” he warned. He was angry and his face taunt. But, Jake had clearly laid down the boundary. If Samuel wanted to prove that he, indeed, did not favor Rachel, he’d have to leave her alone. Otherwise, the more he teased, the more he would prove Jake right. Daniel wished he could thank Jake for his quick wit and wisdom but felt that, at this point, the less said, the better.

  “Hullo ladies!” Jake said cheerfully, tipping his straw hat at them. Rachel blushed but Linda broke free and ran ahead, quick to give her uncle a friendly hug. “Well now, that’s some greeting!” he said as he set her back on the ground.

  “Gonna help with the potato harvest!” she announced proudly.

  “I see that,” Jake responded, a friendly smile and nod at Rachel as she finally joined the group. “Well, potatoes sure are good to eat. Let’s see how good they are about popping out of the ground behind that there combine and jumping right quick into those baskets!” Linda giggled at his joke and ran back to Rachel’s side, eager to follow the stoic example that she set.

  For the rest of the morning, Jonas drove the mules along the fields of potatoes, the combine digging into the ground, lifting the potatoes to the surface. For the first few rows, everyone followed behind, picking the potatoes and tossing them into wooden baskets and crates that they carried with them. When the baskets and crates began to get filled, the men carried them over to a wagon that was nearby and dumped them into the holding bed. Linda took the empty baskets and crate, racing back through the dirt to where Rachel continued to pick up the potatoes. Linda ran back for more empty baskets and crates.

  Slowly, the rhythm of the harvest began to unfold. David and Samuel would carry the baskets filled with heavy potatoes to the wagon, Linda carried the empties back to rows of waiting potatoes. Rachel, Jake and Daniel continued to bend over, popping potatoes out of the dirt and tossing them into the buckets. Yet, through it all, there was friendly conversations and fellowship among the small group of workers. Several times, Jake shared funny stories about his adventures as a new farmer that ended with the group sharing a good laugh, most often at Jake’s expense. Despite the heat and sun, it didn’t seem like work at all.

  Several times during the morning, Rachel paused, stretching her back and lifting her face toward the sun. Daniel stopped working, pausing long enough to watch her as she took the briefest of breaks, her eyes closed and a hint of a smile playing on her lips. When she smiled like that, he thought she looked as though she had found that inner peace that she had lacked upon her arrival.

  His mind seemed to replay scenes from the past few months, starting with her first day and ending with her standing in the middle of this field on this very day. In between, he saw her comforting Linda, serving him a cold drink at the church Sunday dinner, sitting next to him in the buggy on the way to the market, and walking next to him across the field between Jake’s farm and his daed’s.

  “Daniel?”

  He gave a gentle shake of his head and returned to the moment. She was staring at him. He wondered for how long. “Ja?”

  “Something wrong?” she asked. “You are staring…”

  “Just admiring the beauty of God’s creations,” he said soft enough so that only she could hear. When her cheeks flushed, he chuckled before he quickly returned to his work, knowing that his words had left her flustered. He was glad that she was flustered. After all, it was how he felt whenever she was around and Daniel realized that it was time for him to take better control of the situation.

  When the sun was overhead, the group retreated toward the shade of the house for dinner. David and Samuel unharnessed the mules and took them to the shed for a break and some water. As the others walked across the field, Daniel fell into step next to Rachel. They walked close together so that no one else could hear their conversation.

  Daniel caught Rachel as she stumbled on a large rock. “Careful there, Rachel.”

  “Danke,” she said.

  He let his hand linger on her arm until he was certain that she was stable. “You sure put in an impressive morning of work,” he said softly.

  “You act as though you are truly surprised,” she replied, a teasing tone in her voice.

  “Mayhaps I am,” he retorted in a tone that was just as playful. “You don’t have a good track record with outdoor chores.”

  “Daniel!”

  But they both laughed as his jest.

  Inside, there was an aura of happiness around the table. Sylvia had walked over with baby Gideon to help Lillian and Katie prepare the noon meal for the hungry workers. An extra table had been set up in Katie’s large kitchen so that everyone could enjoy each other’s company. Linda proudly chattered to her mother about how many potatoes she had picked up and her younger brother Jacob demanded to be able to help in the afternoon.

  Jake picked him up and tossed him in the air a few times. “Tell you what, partner,” he said. “You talk your mamm into letting you help us, and I’ll make certain that you are my right hand man!” The four year old grinned and giggled, hitting the floor with both feet running to clamor at his mother for permission.

  It was Junior who put a stop to his noise with a stern look at Jacob and a wink at Jake. “Enough from the two of you,” he said, but the sparkle in his eye gave away the fact that he was pleased with his son’s eagerness to help with the fieldwork. “Unless your mamm objects, I’ll answer for her with permission, young man, but only if you calm down and finish the fine food that blesses our table on this fine day.”

  “Yes daed,” the little boy said solemnly, sitting down at his spot at the smaller table. But everyone could tell that he was secretly delighted to have, at last, been elevated to being old enough to help in the fields.

  The afternoon passed quickly enough, especially with Jacob tagging along beside Jake, Daniel, and Rachel. He dug through the overturned dirt to find as many potatoes as he could, announcing every time he filled a basket for one of the men to carry over to the wagon bed for unloading. Rachel helped him find potatoes in the dirt, pointing out the stray ones that someone else had overlooked. Whenever he found one, he gave her a big grin and carried it over to one of the baskets.

  By the time evening came along, everyone was tired and ready to quit for the day. There would be a whole week of searching for potatoes in between morning and evening chores. Jake said his good-byes, heading through the field to walk the short distance to his own farm while Daniel picked the exhausted Jacob up and swung him onto his shoulders. It had been a long, hard day but with good laughter and fun among the family. Rachel walked a step behind Daniel, holding Linda’s hand, as they returned through the field toward the houses.

  “Sure was a wunderbaar gut day, ain’t so, Rachel?” Daniel asked. He slowed down so that he could walk next to her.

  “Ja,” she agreed, smiling. “But I sure am tired.”

  He breathed in deeply, lifting his face to the sky. “Fresh air and sunshine will do that to you.” He hesitated before asking softly. “But, are you too tired to go walking tonight?”

  She blushed and glanced around to make certain no one heard. Linda was playing with the two small potatoes that her daed let her take with her. She hadn’t heard. “Perhaps a short one would be nice.”

  It was after the children had gone to bed that she heard the soft knock at the door. The sky was a bluish orange with the sun setting behind the hill. Rachel hurried to the door and quickly stepped outside before Junior or Lillian noticed her absence.

  Daniel grabbed her hand and hurried down the stairs, pulling her gently behind him as they walked past the barn and away from any curious eyes. After such a long day in the field, the farm was quiet but Daniel didn’t want to take any chances. Wagging tongues were best avoided.

  Once they were behind the barn, Dan
iel turned around and pulled her close to him. At first, she resisted and tried to free herself. But he kept his one arm around her waist and stared down into her face. “Rachel, you are most beautiful!”

  “Daniel, please,” she said but there was laughter in her voice. “You shouldn’t hold me so!”

  “You are my girl, Rachel. I want to hold you.”

  “Daniel…” she reprimanded softly.

  He sighed and relented, loosening his grip. “It is painful being near you all day.”

  “I hate to think that I cause you pain,” she replied, lifting her eyes to look at him in the fading light of dusk.

  He leaned his head down and pressed his forehead against hers, his eyes shut and his heart pounding. “But it is a pain that I wouldn’t trade for anything in the world.”