Treasuring Emma (29 page)

“What do you mean?”

“You’re the strongest woman I’ve ever known. I knew that through your letters. I fell in love with your confidence. Your independence. And when I met you, I saw how beautiful you were, how kind. I knew I was blessed.”

He held up a hand to stop her from interrupting. “But you’re not perfect. None of us are. It’s why we need Jesus. Why we need to lean on the Lord. To let Him help us. You want to fix everything, do everything yourself.”

Tears continued to build up, making Clara’s chest hurt. “But I can’t.”

Peter shook his head. “
Nee
. You’ve never taken time to grieve your
mammi
. You’ve worried too much about money. About me finding a job.” He kissed her cheek. “You’ve worked on this shop until you’re exhausted. And then Leona took ill. It’s too much to keep inside, Clara. Give some of your burden to me. Let me help you give all of it to God.” He drew her back into his arms. “Allow yourself peace,
lieb
.”

Mark tapped his fingers against the hickory rocker on the Shetlers’ front porch. Emma had kept him waiting here for over an hour. Dusk had already descended, and a short while ago he saw Peter and Clara head for home. He frowned, disturbed at the image of his cousin and his wife. They were holding hands. At one point she rested her head against his arm. Something had happened in the workshop after he left.

He rose and started to pace. It hadn’t been this difficult with Laura. And he’d been attracted to her, at least physically. But that didn’t stop him from taking what he wanted. She had made it so easy.

Unlike Emma.

He fought the urge to pound his fist against the porch railing. They were all getting under his skin. His dullard cousin, along with his controlling wife. Their noisy kids. Dumpy Emma. That idiot Adam. But most of all, the old woman.

Even being out here on her porch made his soul curdle. He’d never had such a reaction to anyone before. He searched hard to define it. Last night it came to him, unsettling him even more.

Fear.

He was afraid of her. And he had no idea why.

He stepped off the porch and looked around. Was there anything here worth going through with this? While Emma had been at the hospital and Clara and Peter had been working on the shop, he’d taken time to search the land, the barn, the house. No cash assets to speak of, but if he could marry Emma and sell everything out from under her, he’d make out pretty well. Once he left her and Middlefield behind, of course, she wouldn’t be able to divorce him and marry someone else; it wasn’t the Amish way. But he didn’t care. He’d have what he came here for.

During his time spent in town, he had looked into property values. Assuming he could find a buyer, he stood to pocket a tidy sum. But only if he and Emma married. And he didn’t see that happening. At least not as long as Adam Otto was in the way.

He ought to just leave Middlefield, cut his losses and get out. But pride wouldn’t let him concede, not quite yet. He wasn’t about to let these
dummkopfs
get the best of him.

He looked over at the shiny black pickup truck parked in the Ottos’ driveway. Adam hadn’t parted with it; maybe that was a hopeful sign. Maybe Adam would leave again, breaking Emma’s heart once more. And Mark would be there to pick up the pieces.

But his patience was running thin. It was time to give the Yankee boy a little push in that direction.

The door opened with a squeak. Finally Emma had arrived. Mark turned back to the porch.

But it wasn’t Emma. It was Leona.

“Sit down,
yung mann
. I want a word with you.” Leona leaned on her cane and pointed to her late son’s hickory rocker. She wasn’t surprised to see Mark recoil for an instant; she knew quite well how he responded to her. It took a moment for him to recover, to resume his casual stance.

“I’m waiting for Emma,” he said.

“She’s making supper right now.” Leona lifted her chin. “Apparently she forgot about you.”

“Or someone told her I left.” Mark’s grin never faltered, although fire reached his eyes. “Since she’s busy, I should be on my way. Remind her of our visit. I’ll come by again tomorrow.”

“Not before you and I have had a talk. Sit.”

He didn’t say anything, but he didn’t sit either. Leona sensed evil from the boy. She’d prayed mightily before coming out here. The courage of the Lord supported her. Yet she also felt something else. Pity for Mark King. Sorrow for what he had become, the path he had chosen to take. “There’s still time,
sohn
.”

Mark stepped back. “I’m not your
sohn
.”

“
Nee
. But you are God’s. And He’s calling you back to Him.”

He shook his head and moved toward the porch steps. “You don’t know anything, old woman.”

But Leona could see the change in his eyes. The fear that entered them. “Don’t be afraid, Mark. God will forgive you. For whatever you have done.”

“I have done nothing!” he hissed. Then he took a deep breath, straightened his shoulders, and gave her his chip-toothed smile. “I’m a faithful member of the Amish church. I attend worship. I follow the
Ordnung
.” His smile widened. “I wish to court your granddaughter.”

“You’ve made your intentions plain in that matter.” Leona breathed in. The chilly air cut through her thin sweater. “Why do you want to court her?”

Mark’s smile dimmed. “What do you mean?”

“You’ve just met her. You’ve spent little time together. What is it about
mei
sweet Emma that you love?”

“Her kindness,” Mark said quickly. “As you said, she is a sweet
maedel
.”

“And that’s the only reason?”

“
Nee
. There are more.” He averted his gaze for a moment. His eyes met hers again. The fear was gone. “But
mei
reasons for wanting Emma are none of your business.”

“Wanting Emma? Not caring for her? Or loving her?” Leona hobbled forward, pointing her cane toward him. “Emma’s heart belongs to someone else. You’ll not have it.”

Mark laughed. The sound rang hollow, humorless. “You’re
ab im kopp
, you know that? Whatever drugs they gave you in the hospital addled your mind. If it wasn’t already addled before.”

Leona leaned on her cane again. “Your insults don’t affect me,
sohn
. I’m only here to ask you to leave our
familye
alone.”

“Or what?” Mark bent halfway toward her to look her in the eyes. He didn’t bother hiding his contempt. “You’ll chase after me on those feeble legs of yours?”

“I won’t do anything.” Leona turned her back on Mark, making herself vulnerable to him. God was her fortress and guard, and she did not fear Mark King. She opened the door and looked over her shoulder.

“I won’t have to do anything. God will do what needs to be done.”

C
HAPTER
24

“Laura, this is a terrible idea.”

Laura Stutzman pulled her suitcase out of the backseat of her friend Abby’s car. “You promised you wouldn’t tell anyone where I was going.”

“But what about your parents? They’ll worry about you.” Abby leaned against the car. Behind them buses spewed exhaust. The grinding of the shifting gears nearly drowned out Abby’s voice.

“I left them a note.” Laura ignored the stares from passersby at the Nashville, Tennessee, station. “I’m an adult. If I want to take a vacation, I can.”

“This isn’t a vacation. And they won’t like that I helped you. They barely tolerate our friendship.”

“That’s not true, Abby.” Laura looked at her friend. “They’re just very . . . quiet.” Laura searched past Abby’s shoulder. “What time is it?”

“Eight thirty. And that’s another thing. You’re traveling all the way to Ohio at night?” She pushed a strand of long brown hair over her shoulder. “They didn’t have any buses going during the day?”

Laura shook her head. It wasn’t true, but she needed to get to Middlefield as soon as possible. As it was, she would have to take three transfers, plus hire a taxi from Ashtabula to Middlefield. Between fares and food along the way, it would take nearly everything she had.

But it was her only chance to get back what Mark King had stolen from her and from her family. “I’d better
geh
.” She gave her friend a one-armed hug, clutching her suitcase with the other hand. “Thank you for bringing me.”

“I’m going to regret it. And I’ll worry about you.”

“Don’t. God will watch over me.”

“I hope so.” Another bus belched a plume of exhaust. “I pray He will.”

Laura hurried to purchase her tickets. She climbed on the bus, relieved when she saw that it wasn’t full. She sat in the first row, nearest to the bus driver. God might be watching over her, but anxiety still coiled and writhed in her stomach like some poisonous and evil serpent.

Laura stared out the window and watched as the bus pulled out of the station. Her parents would be furious with her when they woke up in the morning. Not that they weren’t already angry. She had made a mistake trusting Mark. A mistake only she could fix.

Her family’s future depended on it.

Clara finished the supper dishes as Peter came into the kitchen. “The
kinner
are in bed. Julia must have exhausted them. Melvin fell asleep right away.” He came up behind Clara and put his arms around her waist.

She turned in his embrace and gave him a playful tap on the arm. “Peter. Mark could come in any minute.”

Peter’s smile turned rueful. He dropped his arms to his sides. “I’ve been thinking about asking him to leave, Clara.”

“Why would you do that? He’s
familye
.”

“He has given nothing in return for our hospitality.”

“We should expect
nix
, Peter. You know that.”

“Not in this case.” Peter took the dish towel from Clara’s hand and set it on the counter. “He knows we’re struggling, yet he hasn’t offered to pay for a single meal. He hasn’t worked a day.”

“He’s helped with the shop. And with you in the barn.”

“Chores Junior and Melvin could handle. I don’t know how to explain it, Clara. I don’t trust him. I haven’t for a while.” He suddenly stepped away and walked to the kitchen door. He peered out, as if he expected Mark to be waiting there. He returned to Clara, lowering his voice. “I don’t know how to explain it. I feel like we’re being used.”