The Protector (8 page)

Chapter 12

T
his was probably a bad idea, Loyal thought as he motioned for Beauty to move forward. He’d been excited to share the improvements he’d been making to her old house; had thought that there was surely no one else who would appreciate the changes so well.

But now that she sat next to him, he began to doubt his idea. Perhaps taking Ella to her former home was a bit like rubbing salt into a wound?

When he glanced behind him, he noticed two women standing in front of one of the large windows at the front of the library. One wore a benevolent smile while the taller woman’s glare was stern enough to freeze the hardiest of constitutions. “I guess your leaving with me didn’t escape anyone’s notice?”

After turning her head to the library again, Ella looked back his way and frowned. “I’m afraid not. That’s Ms. Donovan and Dorothy.”

Though he knew the taller woman was Dorothy Zook, he’d never had much of a willingness to talk to her. She was older but, more than that, had a reputation for being especially dour.

“Ms. Donovan is the librarian, right?” Vaguely he recalled his uncle mentioning her.

“
Jah
. She’s rather new to Jacob’s Crossing. She’s mighty kind.”

Ella’s lips were set in a fine line. Actually, Loyal realized that with each block they passed, she seemed more and more perturbed. Finally he decided to be as direct as possible. “Ella, are you having doubts about visiting the farm tonight? I hadn’t thought about it, but now I’m guessing it might be uncomfortable, stopping by a place that has so many memories. I would be happy to take you home if you are.”

Panic lit her eyes. “I’m not having doubts.”

“All right, then,” he said as he pulled the reins and worked the buggy’s break as they approached a red light. When they were stopped, he glanced her way again. Just to notice that she’d already been looking at him.

Ella’s cheeks pinkened.

And Loyal’s spirits rose.
Hmm
. . . Perhaps it wasn’t worries about her house that was occupying her thoughts.

Little by little, as the tiny town square faded from view, Ella seemed to relax. Soon the few cars they shared the road with passed them, and the quiet stillness of the country evening embraced them.

Ella crossed her legs and finally leaned back against the back of the bench. Now they were merely six or seven inches apart. When she’d first sat down, she seemed to hug the edge of the bench. So much so, that Loyal had been worried her skirts would be blowing out the opening of the buggy.

The silence stretched between them, but the tension eased, turning companionable. Loyal became aware of the scent of roses . . . she must have used a rose-scented shampoo or lotion.

He was just about to point out a fall display of mums in front of a farm when she spoke. “Loyal, Dorothy’s behavior is concerning me.”

Glad she was trusting him enough to share what was on her mind, he glanced her way. “Why? What is she doing??”

She bit her lip, then spoke. “She’s becoming possessive.”

“I don’t understand.”

“Well, see, I’ve known her for quite some time. When my father passed away, she stopped by often. And, over the last year, she’s been coming by regularly to give me company while my mother fought her disease.”

Loyal felt yet another burst of guilt. Though he knew his mother had stopped by every so often, he’d never even considered paying Ella a call. Actually, he hadn’t spared a thought about her feelings.

All he’d cared about was that she would put her farm up for auction. Sooner than later.

“She was a
gut
friend,” he murmured. His behavior, on the other hand, was shameful.

“Oh, Dorothy was,” she said quickly. “Though we didn’t see eye to eye on everything, I’ve counted myself very blessed to have her.” With a wary glance in his direction, she said, “It’s difficult to be alone, day after day.”

“I imagine it is.”

“Anyway, after my mother passed, Dorothy helped me get the library job, and she owns the duplex I am living in.” She darted another wary, uncertain glance his way. “Obviously, I owe her a lot.”

He had a bit of an idea about where her thoughts were heading. “Friendship is never one-sided, Ella. I’m sure Dorothy was glad to be able to help you. Giving sometimes makes a person feel as good as taking, don’t you think?”

“Thank you for saying that.”

“I’m not just saying it, it’s true. Why do you say she’s now acting peculiar?”

“She constantly watches me. Expects me to be with her all day long.”

“I don’t have much experience with that, but with my brothers, sometimes we take each other for granted. There’s been times when I’ve just assumed Calvin will help me with a chore, or Graham will accompany me to the market.”

“
Nee,
this is different.”

Loyal racked his brain a bit more. It was kind of enjoyable getting to hear someone else’s problems and being asked for advice. “Perhaps it’s just a case of too much togetherness? Sometimes, no matter how much you care for a person, a little space is a nice change of pace.” He smiled. “I’ve felt that way a time or two, you know. It’s one of the reasons I was anxious to purchase your farm.”

She smiled slightly, letting him know that she wasn’t upset about being reminded of his purchase. “Loyal, you make a good point, but I don’t know. See, I thought it might take some getting used to, living in town and working, but those things have been a real joy to me. It’s far harder to be alone on a farm with only your thoughts for days on end.”

She sighed. “But it is Dorothy’s attitude that is proving to be a trial.” After a pause, she said, “Dorothy seems almost jealous, Loyal. If I don’t want to eat every meal with her, or walk with her in the morning, she gets visibly upset.”

He was drawn into the story in spite of his original goal just to be a good listener. “Jealous how?”

“She turns angry. Glares at me. She makes cutting comments.”

“My word.”

Ella nodded. “She’s jealous of my time, and even seems to be jealous of you. She was not happy I was going to see the farm with you this evening. She’d planned for us to have dinner together. But, Loyal, we hadn’t even discussed dinner. She just assumed that I wouldn’t have anything else to do.” Clearing her throat, she added, “She couldn’t believe I’d rather do this with you.”

He felt his cheeks color. Had Ella completely mistaken his attentions? Stumbling over his words, he said, “I only wanted to show you the farm . . . to show you the wood floors . . .”

“Oh! Oh, of course! I haven’t misunderstood a thing!” she blurted, resting her hand on his arm. “I know you are just taking me to see the farm out of kindness. But I’m afraid Dorothy doesn’t see it that way.”

Her hand still clung to his forearm. Holding him.

How could four fingers leave such an impression on him? He was as aware of her hand as he was of her words. And of the array of feelings flowing through him.

Loyal struggled to sound merely concerned. Friend-like. “And how does Dorothy see it?”

“Like you’re being cruel.”

That stunned him. “I don’t understand.”

As if she’d just realized she’d been clinging to him, Ella pulled her hand away. Rested it on her lap. “I didn’t, either. But when I asked her to explain herself, Dorothy said that she was sure you just wanted to rub your ownership in.”

“That’s not who I am,” he said indignantly. “Ella, that never entered my mind.”

“I know. At least, I didn’t think it had.” She shook her head. “I’m sorry I even brought this up. I shouldn’t be talking about her, and I surely shouldn’t be talking about her to you.”

“Why not me? It is my motivations and actions that are being commented on.”

“And that is wrong. I guess I was just attempting to explain her interest. The reason she was watching us out the window with a scowl.” More quietly, she added, “And why I was first so tense when I joined you. I didn’t want you to be upset with me, Loyal.”

“I’m not upset. Please don’t be sorry. I’m glad you are sharing this with me.” And to his surprise, Loyal realized that he meant every word. He wanted to be a person she could lean on. He wanted to be her friend.

She raised an eyebrow. “You’re glad I’m pouring out all my worries to you?”

“If it makes you feel better, I am.” Feeling self-conscious, he added, “I must say, Ella, if I were you, I’d worry a bit about being too close to Dorothy. She sounds like the type of person who isn’t afraid to cause trouble.”

“I’m beginning to think you might be right.”

Unable to help himself, Loyal reached out and squeezed her hand. Wanting to reassure her with a simple touch. “I’m glad you talked to me. Do so, anytime.”

“I hate to burden you . . .”

“I don’t mind.” Taking a hold of the reins with both hands again, he let his words sink in as they drove the last few minutes out to the farm. The slight breeze cooled his skin, and there was the faint scent of a fire burning in the distance.

He smiled, enjoying the first scent of fall.

Little by little, the tension between them eased. He pointed out red leaves on a maple. She laughed at a squirrel scurrying by, his mouth full of acorn.

Loyal grinned and shared a story about some of the animals on his farm. “Katie is no match for the chickens,” he said. “I hope she learns to be as bossy with the hens as she is with the rest of us.”

Ella’s eyes lit up. “Speaking of your sister . . . I have to tell you that I’m enjoying your dear sister
verra
much. She’s a mighty sweet girl.”

“She’s sweet, and a lot of other things, too,” he said, glad she’d moved to a lighter topic. “She took a shine to you, I have to say. We all heard about how much she enjoyed your story. And about how much she is looking forward to the reading club.”

Ella beamed. For the rest of their journey, she chattered about the reading club and the prizes that could be earned and about his sister.

When she talked about books and the children, her eyes lit up, and all the worry and tenseness that seemed to characterize her drifted away.

Suddenly, she wasn’t just mousy Ella with the too-thick glasses and the curly brown hair. Loyal began to see that there was a sweet sense of humor resting underneath. And that her dark brown eyes were framed by thick, long eyelashes.

And that her nose was dusted with freckles. And that her smile was pretty, too.

It was like she’d suddenly become so much more than the woman he’d always taken for granted.

With some relief, he parked the buggy in front of the house. “We’re here.”

“Oh, yes. We are,” she practically shouted, scooting out of the buggy in a hurry. As if she couldn’t wait to feel the familiar dirt underneath her feet.

Loyal got out of the buggy at a far slower pace. Hoping to control his reaction to her.

Here, in her old home, Ella showed him yet another facet of herself. Here, Ella positively glowed.

She turned to him, all smiles and giddiness. “Can we go right inside? I can’t wait to see how the floors look. And then, when we’re done, perhaps we could eat outside? Over by that tall oak is a wonderful-
gut
place to picnic.” She bit her lip. “Is that all right with you? I don’t want to step on your toes . . .”

“My toes are fine, Ella,” he said, unable to help himself from grinning.

She smiled, too. Right before she opened the door and charged inside, chattering like a schoolgirl. Sounding young and fresh and adorable.

Slightly stunned, all Loyal could do was follow. And think that once again, Ella Hostetler was more than he’d ever imagined.

Chapter 13

I
t was hard being Katie Weaver. Not a person in the whole house was giving her any mind and she’d sure tried to get them to listen. “But why can’t I walk over to see Loyal? You’ve walked there by yourself.”

“For the same reason we told you ten minutes ago,” Lucy said. “It’s too far for a little girl to go. Plus, I would worry about you.”

“You could come with me. If you did, then I wouldn’t be alone.”

“Katie, you know I cannot. I’m cooking supper.”

“But I really want to go.”

“You should be helping me prepare our meal, don’t you think?”

Katie bit her lip. That was the problem with Lucy, she decided. Lucy always did the right thing. She was so good that Katie knew she could never be so perfect.

Especially since, most of the time, the right thing sounded like the boring thing.

Before Lucy actually gave her a task, Katie tugged on her eldest brother’s sleeve. “Calvin, come on. Please?”

But though he usually had more patience with her than anyone, Calvin frowned. “Katie, you need to mind your manners. Lucy told you no. You’re being far too bossy.”

She was only being called bossy because no one else liked what she was saying. “I am minding my manners.”

“Barely,” Calvin murmured. “You need to learn to accept when you don’t get your way.”

She didn’t get her way a lot.

But no one understood just how much she wanted to go to Loyal’s farm. In desperation, she turned to Graham. “Graham? Please?”

Patting her on the head, he said, “So, you’re now desperate enough to ask me?”

“Jah.”
Her cheeks heated, and she squirmed under Graham’s teasing stare. But she couldn’t deny it. There wasn’t really any reason to lie, was there?

“Katie!” her mother called out from her spot in front of the sink. “Your tongue is too sharp by half this evening. Enough. If you don’t stop being such a pest, I’m going to send you straight to your room.”

Katie winced. More than anything, she hated to sit by herself in her room. Tears pricked her eyes as she tried to tell herself not to push any more.

But with giving in came a lump of frustration deep inside. “Mamm, I know you want me to be a good girl, and I really do try.”

“Then why do you keep asking us to take you to see Loyal?” Calvin asked. “You know he’s working.”

“He’s not. Miss Ella is there.”

Around her, the whole kitchen stilled. Graham grinned. “Really? Tell us more, Katie.”

“Loyal stopped by here earlier and told me Miss Ella was going to visit his farm tonight. But, see, Miss Ella said next time we saw each other, she would talk to me about my books. And I loved reading them. And now she’s so close, and no one has any time to take me to the library, and I’m too small to go by myself.”

Stunned silence met her long stream of words. Feeling so frustrated, Katie swallowed hard and tried not to cry. If she cried, she was sure her mother was going to think she was crying on purpose, just to get her way.

But that wasn’t what she was doing. She just wanted to see Ella.

But instead of joining in with the criticism, Graham chuckled. “Come here, child,” he murmured, picking her up and popping her on his lap. “You probably won’t believe this, but I understand your feelings. I, too, was once the youngest. It’s hard, ain’t it?”

Katie nodded.

Lifting her chin with one finger, he looked her in the eye. “I’d take you, but it’s not the right thing to do. We can’t simply invite ourselves over to Loyal’s farm.”

“Why not? He’s still our
bruder
. . . . He loves us.”

“I know he does, but he might not care to be disturbed. After all, this is his special time with Ella.”

“But you all told me they were just friends. And I want to tell her that I finished my third book.”

With a weary expression, her mother looked at Graham. “Supper won’t be ready for another hour. Perhaps you could go with Katie over there? I have a canning party tomorrow and so I won’t be able to take her to the library then. This might be her only chance to see Ella. Katie, can you be good and not a pest?”

“Yes.” She almost said more but caught Graham’s fingers pretending to lock his lips. It was her reminder to leave well enough alone.

“All right, then. Go now.”

“Are you ready, Kit Kat?”

Katie sighed in relief. Graham only called her that name when he was happy with her. “I am.”

“Then let’s go.”

Just as they were walking out the door, she heard Calvin ask if any of them had been as much of a handful as she was.

Though a protest was filling her brain, Graham rested his hand on her shoulder again. “Patience and peace, Katie. You’ve gotten your way. That’s enough.”

Her lips curving upward; she supposed Graham had a point.

E
lla would have never imagined she would be comfortable eating a picnic dinner beside Loyal Weaver. Always too plain and too shy, she’d never been the type of girl who boys had flirted with or courted.

Then, of course, she was so isolated while taking care of her mother. She’d been occupied with that when other girls her age were going for walks and buggy rides with eligible men.

And picnic suppers, too.

But for all that, the main reason she hadn’t ever thought she could sit with Loyal comfortably was because he was, well, Loyal Weaver.

For most of her life, it was as if the two of them had lived in separate spheres. There’d never been any animosity between them, just nothing in common.

Loyal was the middle son of a well-off family in good standing in their community. In school, he’d been the most talkative of his brothers. He also had an easy way about him that had been contagious. People were instantly charmed by his quick wit and laugh.

And his lovely blue eyes and handsome appearance didn’t hurt his popularity, either.

In contrast, Ella was shyer, and her looks had never been much to comment on. While she knew she wasn’t exactly homely, her appearance was just the type to blend in, not stand out. Until recently, that distinction had suited her fine. She was the dutiful daughter, dependent on her mother’s needs. Spending much of her time alone.

Until Loyal had bought her family’s farm, the majority of their interaction had come from brief conversations after church. If that.

And now, here she was, sitting across from him on a quilt, eating roasted chicken and cornbread on her lap, and laughing about pigs. Pigs!

“Honestly, Ella, deciding not to raise pigs had to be the best decision you ever made. When we had a pair years ago, I grew to hate going to the animals’ pens.”

She couldn’t help but be charmed. “Because of their smell?”

“Most definitely. But also because of the fact that they are jealous animals. The female sow was in love with Graham. She followed him everywhere that she could—and once broke down a fence trying to get his attention.”

“And what did Graham think about that?”

“About what you would imagine, of course! He wanted Daed to butcher her immediately.”

Ella laughed. “That poor
pikk.
Good men are hard to come by. I bet your sow knew Graham was a catch.”

“All Graham knew was that he had enough troubles without a wandering pig added to the mix.” The corners of Loyal’s eyes crinkled. “It is funny now, because it was so long ago.”

“Time always does heal wounds, yes?” she said softly.

Removing his plate from his lap, he shifted. “Are you doing all right, Ella? Living in a new place, away from all the memories?”

“I’m doing better than I imagined I would.” After mentally weighing whether or not to tell him any more personal stories, she shrugged. “In some ways, I think my
mamm
has been gone to me for some time. She’d been weakened by her kidney ailments and by my father’s passing. I’m afraid she looked forward to death.”

“That’s hard to live with.”

“It was.” She waved a hand. “All this land was a blessing. But at times it was a curse, too. I’ve been separated out here from most everything.”

“I’m sorry. When my father passed on to heaven, at first we worried about my mother’s disposition. But then, of course, Katie refused to be ignored.”

The air between them warmed, but not from heat. Instead, it came from the new way they were able to speak to each other. The new understanding that was forming. . . . A bond.

Now it seemed possible for them to one day be true friends. And though, in the middle of the night, Ella might know she wished for more than that, here on the grass she was enough of a realist to understand that a romance between her and Loyal was unlikely.

She was a year older than he and as far financially as was possible. And, then, of course, there were the obvious differences. He was Loyal Weaver, the darling of their town. Everyone’s favorite.

She was not.

When his story was finished, she laughed and was just about to ask him to tell her more about his family when they noticed Graham and Katie riding up on a horse.

Ella looked at Loyal in confusion. “Did you know they were coming?” she asked.

“Not at all,” he replied, getting to his feet. Though he didn’t look upset, he didn’t look particularly pleased, either.

Loyal quickly stepped to the side as Katie rumbled past him and skidded to a stop a mere eight inches from Ella’s knees. “Katie, watch yourself,” he cautioned. “You just about ran over Ella.”

It was obvious Katie tried to look contrite, but it was also obvious that she wasn’t very regretful at all. “I was afraid we were going to miss you,” she said, taking a look in Graham’s direction almost spitefully. “I’ve been trying all afternoon to come see you.”

Finally reaching them, Graham shook his head. “
Nee,
she only recently decided that she had to come here. And she was near as difficult as could be until I volunteered to ride over here with you.” He grunted. “Which you still have not thanked me for, I might add.”

“Danke.”

Loyal would’ve reprimanded Katie for her lack of manners one more time—except that Ella was grinning like a Cheshire cat. “You wanted to come see your brother, child?” she said, bending down a bit so they were almost eye to eye.

“She misses me,” Loyal said.

Katie looked up at him and frowned. “But I didn’t come to see you. I came to see Ella.”

Graham winked his way. “If ever you need someone to make you feel unimportant, Katie is the one to pick.”

Embarrassed, because somehow Ella’s smile had grown broader, Loyal said, “Obviously.”

“Why did you want to see us?” Ella asked. “Did you have a question about the farm?”

Katie shook her head. “I wanted to tell you about my books.”

“Katie! That is something you could have done another time.”

“No, I couldn’t have. Miss Ella knows all about books. And she gave me a chart,” she added in a rush.

“She was really excited about it,” Graham said.

Loyal closed his mouth. He knew exactly what his brother had been dealing with. Katie on a mission to get her way was surely a force to be reckoned with.

“Come here, child, and sit with me.” Hesitantly, Ella also looked toward Graham. “We were just having a picnic, but Loyal bought a lot of food. There’s more than enough to share. Would you like to have some chicken?”

Graham eyed the food like a man who’d been without any for days. “Do you mind, brother?”

Ella stared at Loyal warily.

“Of course not.” Now that he wasn’t irritated with his sister, he was finally seeing the humor in the situation. Of course Katie would find a way to nose her way into anything members of the family were involved in. That was her way.

Katie edged closer to Ella and opened up the satchel she’d just noticed that Katie was carrying over her shoulder.

And Ella—after a quick glance Loyal’s way—leaned forward and ooed and aahed over the little girl’s accomplishments.

For a quick second, he stared at her and thought she was the prettiest woman he’d ever seen. The realization was sharp and unexpected. And definitely true.