The Promise of an Angel (A Heaven On Earth 1) (25 page)

Andrew lowered the towel from his face. When he looked up, his father had laid his hand over the pages of the opened Bible. Andrew waited, assuming his father planned to read the scriptures pertaining to children obeying their parents.

His father closed the book. “The Bible is clear about not being unequally yoked. You will accompany Clare King tonight. Her parents expect you to bring her home.”

Andrew wanted to challenge his father’s comment, fearing it meant Judith’s application for baptism would be rejected, but he held his tongue. He had nothing against Clare King. She was a fine baptized girl. But knowing how she’d voiced her interest in him months ago, he didn’t want her to get the wrong idea tonight.

Andrew recalled the church gatherings in Clare’s district. He had commented that the food was good, and Clare’s mother made a point to tell him which dish Clare had cooked. He never repeated that mistake. Clare and her mother had followed him like flies on honey, coaxing him to eat more of the rice pudding.

His father cleared his throat. “The King girl is of marrying age.”

Andrew sucked in a ragged breath. He’d agree to accompany her home after the singing, but he would never marry her—even to gain his father’s approval. Didn’t he remember her family’s failed effort to marry her to a third cousin from Pennsylvania? Even the promise of farmland didn’t keep the man in Michigan.

Andrew hung the towel around his neck. “I’ll make sure she gets home.” He held the ends of the towel, thinking it was a noose slipped around his neck. His father gave a satisfactory nod, then walked away. Andrew followed in silence. Once he entered the house, he went straight to his room.

Andrew tried to focus on what he would tell Judith as he clasped the hook-and-eye on his vest. He dreaded attending the singing now. He sat on the edge of his mattress to pull up his black socks and shove his feet into the snug-fitting shoes.

Before his father broke the news that he would be escorting Clare, he’d worried that the courting buggy hadn’t been fixed up the way he wanted. Now it almost seemed fitting for it to be grungy tonight. He certainly wasn’t out to impress Clare.

Chapter Twenty-Two

A
ndrew climbed into the courting buggy and gazed at the clear night sky. The ride home from singing would be cold, and the open buggy didn’t offer any shield from the wind. He was glad he’d remembered to bring a blanket. The heat of guilt spread over him. If he were driving Judith, he’d offer her his coat—his embrace to shield the wind. He couldn’t make any encouraging advances toward Clare. She needed to know, in a tasteful way, that he wouldn’t be calling again.

He made a clicking sound, signaling Patsy into a trot. He wanted to be the first to arrive at Judith’s house, hoping he’d have a moment alone with her. Clare’s family had arranged for her younger brother to bring her to the gathering.

Seeing Levi’s buggy parked near the barn, Andrew growled under his breath as he tethered Patsy to the post. He drew a deep breath. He wasn’t sure how the night would play out, but he had no intention of pairing up with Clare . . . and he hoped Levi’s plans were not to mingle with Judith.

Andrew tugged his vest into place, then tapped on the door. He craned his neck as he tried to view the sitting room from the door window. Neither Judith nor Levi was in sight.

When Judith opened the door, the aroma of apple pie baited his senses. Distracted by the memory of their kiss, he couldn’t think of what to say. All he could think about was how much he liked the taste of her sweetened lips that day.

Judith waved her hand toward the wall hook and smiled. “You can take your hat off and stay if you wish.”

He slid the hat from his head and placed it on the hook. Once composed, he turned back to her and licked his lips. “I smell baked apples.” He raised his brows. “I remember how tasty they were in the orchard.” He studied the fullness of her lips.

“Andrew Lapp,” she scolded under her breath.

He leaned closer. “My
mamm
adds
Thomas
when she wants to make her point clear.”

Levi poked his head around the corner of the kitchen. “Bishop Junior, I see you’ve decided to join us.”

Andrew followed Judith to the kitchen and stopped near Levi. “I like to sing.”

Levi rolled his eyes. “But does anyone like to hear you?”

“Levi, stop that.” Judith’s brows furrowed.

Andrew groaned. Public protection by a woman would only feed Levi’s insults. A knock on the door drew Judith’s attention, and she excused herself.

Levi motioned toward the door. “Hiding behind the skirt, Bishop—”

“Has Andrew arrived?” Clare’s question drowned out Levi’s words.

Levi raised his brows. “You have a date?”

Andrew didn’t want to call her a date, but he didn’t want to admit that his father had made the arrangements either. He was stuck, and the expression on his face must have made that plain.

Levi crossed his arms and chuckled. “You dog.”

Andrew rolled his eyes. He didn’t know what being a dog was in Levi’s eyes, but he didn’t like the thought. Andrew stepped around the corner as Clare continued to question Judith.

“What time do you think the singing will end?” She didn’t wait for Judith’s reply. She turned to Andrew when he came into view. “
Mamm
asked that you have me home by ten o’clock.”

“Sure.” Andrew studied Judith, wishing he could decipher her expression. Her posture hadn’t shifted; her smile remained warm. If he had arrived sooner, he could have explained. But the longer he watched her, the more convinced he became that she wasn’t disappointed. The situation wasn’t awkward to anyone but him.

Judith glanced at Clare, then at Andrew. With a slight tilt of her head toward Clare, Judith widened her eyes at him.

“
Ach
, I’m sorry. Judith Fischer, this is Clare King. She lives in the south district.” Andrew traveled every other Sunday with his father for the services held in Clare’s district. It had slipped his mind that Judith wouldn’t know her, since not all the families attended services held outside of their own community.

“My brother Timothy is tending to the horse.” Clare looked at Judith. “I hope you don’t mind if he joins us.”

“It will be
wundebaar
to have you both,” Judith replied.

Clare cringed. “Three, actually. He brought a friend.” She turned to Andrew. “Sadie Hartzler. You know her, she’s my neighbor.”

Distracted by watching Judith for signs of discomfort, Andrew failed to acknowledge Clare, and she continued.

“We don’t count the
Englisch
farms in between us. The Hartzlers are my Amish neighbors.”

Andrew nodded, more pretending than following her explanation. He studied Judith’s natural smile.

Clare held up the covered dish she’d brought. “I made rice pudding. I know how much you liked it the last time I made it.”

Andrew offered a half smile. He remembered eating the pudding and thinking he might choke.

More arrivals drew Judith’s attention away from them as she greeted the newcomers.

Andrew motioned to Clare. “I’ll show you where you can leave the dish.” He stepped into the kitchen, and Clare followed.

Levi and a few others loitering in the kitchen came closer when Clare placed her dish with the others on the counter.

Levi craned his neck around Andrew’s shoulder. “What’s that?” He smiled at Clare as she removed the lid. “Rice pudding?”

“Jah.”
Clare clasped her hands behind her back and swayed as she looked at Andrew. “I was told before it tasted
gut
.”

“I look forward to trying some.” Levi glanced at Andrew, then turned back to Clare. “I’m Andrew’s cousin Levi.”

“I’ve seen you before, but I don’t think you noticed me. Last year”—she leaned closer and lowered her voice—“at the bonfire party near the Weavers’ stone pile.”

Levi cocked his head and grinned.

Clare’s face reddened. “I’m baptized
nau
. I no longer participate in
rumschpringe
.”

Andrew cleared his throat. “I’m going to say hello to Samuel.” He left Clare talking with Levi and silently prayed that they would find a connection tonight. Maybe if he left them alone long enough, Levi would offer to drive her home when the singing ended.

Maybe he would keep Samuel company and listen to the idle chatter in between songs from his room. But when he opened the door he saw Martha in the room.

“I just wanted to say hello to Samuel.”

“Andrew.” Samuel tapped the mattress beside him.

Martha closed the book she’d been reading and stood. “I’ll be back in a few minutes.”

“I haven’t heard any singing yet,” Samuel said.

Andrew sat next to the boy. “I’m sure it will start soon.”

Samuel positioned his hands on the mattress so he could raise himself into an upright position. “Are you going to come over so we can build
meiya
?”

Andrew ruffled Samuel’s hair. “You need to have a
gut
night’s sleep first.”

“I will,” Samuel promised.

The door opened, and Martha came back in with a frown on her face. She plopped down on the wooden chair next to the bed and let out a long sigh.

Andrew smoothed out Samuel’s hair with his hand. “I’ll see you
meiya
. Sleep well.” He glanced again at Martha, then slipped out of the room.

Levi met him at the end of the hallway. “Help me out, will you?”

“Depends.”

Levi looked both ways and leaned forward. “Fix it up so I can be alone with Judith.”

Andrew shook his head.
“Nay
.” He took a step forward, but stopped when Levi’s hand pressed against his chest.

“I’ve
kumm
to my senses,” he whispered.

“Have you
nau
?” He motioned toward Samuel’s room. “Have you told that to Martha?”

Levi shrugged. “
Nett
so direct.” He looked again toward the bedrooms. “Martha wants me to take her away. Leave the faith.” His eyes widened. “I thought about it. Until last
nacht
. A car pushed me off the road, and the buggy nearly flipped.” Levi tapped his chest. “
Ich kumm
to
mei
senses
nau
. I’m not leaving the faith. Besides, Judith will make a fine
fraa
. And if she’s got a wedding to plan, she’ll drop the angel talk . . . The community will accept her again.” Levi made a sharp nod. “Help me out,
jah
?”

“You stay away from Judith. She’s over you.” At least he’d been praying she was.

Perhaps Levi did have a sobering incident—but he hadn’t mentioned once that he loved Judith. Andrew moved past him and continued to the kitchen. This wasn’t a good night to be obligated to give someone else a ride home.

Judith thought she could be happy for Andrew. He’d found the courage to ask Clare to the singing—that was a start. But the poor guy looked so uncomfortable. He squirmed in his seat as if he had a burr in his pants. He sat between Levi and the man who had introduced himself as Clare’s brother, Timothy. Timothy seemed pleasant enough, as did his date, Sadie.

As they sang the song Clare suggested, a cheerful tune with a fast beat, Judith scanned the row of men seated across the table from the girls. Andrew’s shoulders were the broadest of all. Dragging fallen trees out of the woods and lifting the furniture he made had built his rugged stature. Judith’s thoughts drifted to the memory of Andrew holding her in his arms, the ticking of his heart against her ear . . .

“Judith?” Levi tapped her hand. “It’s your turn to pick a song.”

She sat upright and turned to Deborah on her left. “Why don’t you choose one? All I can think of are slow hymns.”

Deborah picked a song, and they all joined in. Judith gave her friend a grateful smile. She knew she was the only one who had never attended an evening of singing before.

They sang several more songs before people stood and stretched. Judith took that as a sign to prepare the refreshments. The men wandered out to the porch, and the women clustered around the kitchen counter sharing recipes and talking about who was driving whom home.