Ben stopped shoveling at the sound of a horse’s neigh. He spotted Grace riding toward them, a smile on her face. Ben stabbed the metal part of the shovel into the ground and approached the left side of the horse once it stopped. “You should add horseback riding to your list of fun activities.”
“I forgot how enjoyable riding is.” She leaned down and patted the animal’s neck. Her expression stiffened. “But buggy horses are not intended to be ridden for mere pleasure. They provide a service.”
The woman had already let her guard down, but he wouldn’t mention it. Ben raised his hands toward her waist. “Can I help you down?”
“Nay, I’ll be fine.”
Of course she wouldn’t accept his help. The horse turned his head close to Ben’s backside and snorted. He jumped away from the animal’s reach and gave Grace plenty of space to dismount. He liked bicycles better. They didn’t bite.
She swung her leg over the back of the horse, but the horse sidestepped as she slid down. Before he had a chance to react, Grace lost her footing and landed in a puddle of water.
Ben rushed to her side. “Are you okay? Did you get hurt?”
“I’m okay. Please,” she said, scrambling to arrange the bottom of her dress skirt. “Turn around.”
It wasn’t like her legs were showing. She didn’t need to fret over covering her shoes. He stretched out his hand. “Let me help you up.”
She shooed her hand toward his. “I don’t need your help,” she snapped. “I just want you to turn around and stop gawking at me.”
He crossed his arms. “And just what am I gawking at?”
“You know what.” Her eyes shifted from her dress hem up to him. She pushed a stray hair away from her face and left a streak of mud across her forehead.
The red tinge spreading over her cheeks made it difficult not to stare. He fought to restrain his laughter, but when his eyes met her icy glare, he turned. She sputtered something under her breath.
Splash.
Water sprayed his backside and rippled at his feet. He peeked over his shoulder. She’d slipped on something and fallen back into the puddle. Ben turned and extended his hand. “Don’t you think it’s about time to swallow your pride?”
She opened her mouth but then closed it and surrendered her hand.
Ben assisted her to her feet, wrapping his arm around her waist until she was steady. He hadn’t held a woman to keep her from falling since Neva, and she’d clung to him drunk.
Toby surfaced from the woods carrying an armload of sticks. His brows bent in puzzlement, but he said nothing.
“You can let go of me nau,” she said in a hoarse whisper.
Ben released her. He rubbed his mud-covered hands down the sides of his pants.
“Are you . . . ready for the sticks?” Toby lifted his armload.
“Almost.” Ben grabbed the shovel. He needed to do something to expel his nervous energy. The simple gesture of helping Grace left him weak-kneed and breathing fast. He wasn’t sure why. Ben sank the head of the shovel into the ground and moved the mud from around the wheel. He removed a few more shovelfuls, then used the weight of his body to rock the buggy up far enough for Toby to arrange the sticks in the hole.
Toby rose from his knees. “Should get traction nau.” He motioned to Grace. “If you wouldn’t mind hitching the horse, we can see if this is going to work.”
She wheeled the horse in a sharp circle, then backed him into position. A moment later, she announced that Jasper was ready.
“Wait until we give you the signal,” Ben said. He and Toby went to the back of the buggy and got in position to push. “Okay, go.”
She coaxed the horse.
Pushing hard against the buggy, Ben grunted. The buggy moved an inch or so, then stopped. A moment later, while they were still pushing, Grace appeared.
“Where’s mei nephew?”
Ben relaxed his arms and stood upright. “What?”
“Mitch. I sent him to get the groceries.”
“And you need to know where he is nau?” Ben shook his head.
She peered through the buggy window. “He didn’t even get them all.”
“Grace.” Ben motioned to the puddle he was standing in. “Can we talk about that after we get the buggy out?”
She squared her shoulders. “You don’t have to use that patronizing tone.”
Ben glanced sideways at Toby. “Talk to her, please. We can’t move this buggy if she doesn’t get the horse to cooperate.”
Toby turned to her. “He’s right, Grace.”
She looked at the remaining groceries once more and then returned to the head of the horse. She clicked her tongue. The buggy jerked forward, then started to roll backward. Ben and Toby thrust their weight against it and kept it from dropping back into the hole. She gave another command and the horse lurched. This time the buggy cleared the area, although it wobbled like a bent wheel on a bicycle.
“Okay, you can stop,” Toby called out.
As they inspected the damaged wheel, she rummaged through the inside of the buggy.
Grace held up an apple core. “I would offer you an apple, but it looks like you have already helped yourself to mei groceries.”
“I didn’t eat that,” Ben said.
“Me either.” Toby pointed into the woods. “I saw an apple core in the woods when I was gathering sticks, but I didn’t think anything of it.”
“Maybe your nephew got hungry.” Ben turned his attention to the cracked wheel. He nudged Toby. “This isn’t safe.”
“Hopefully, it’ll stay on long enough to get back to the barn.” Toby wiped more mud from his hands onto his pants. “I’m sorry,” he said to Grace. “We’ll have to walk. I don’t think the wheel can handle the extra weight.”
“That’s a gut idea.” She took hold of the horse’s reins at the bit and clicked her tongue. “Let’s go, Jasper.”
The horse lurched forward, and the buggy hobbled on its cracked wheel. The way it wobbled lopsided, Ben wouldn’t be surprised if it fell off the axle on the trip back to the house. He caught up to Grace. “You might want to steer the horse away from the potholes.”
She glanced over her shoulder at the wheel. “Do you think it’ll make it back to the haus?”
“I don’t know. It’s limping pretty badly. Do you have an extra wheel? Toby and I can change it.”
“Nay, but I’ll ask around. I’m sure someone does.”
He glanced at the clear blue sky peeking through the bare trees. “Were you going to find out about the wheel today?”
“Why do you ask? Because I wouldn’t feel comfortable loaning the buggy if that’s why you’re eager to change the wheel.”
“Wouldn’t dream of asking to borrow your buggy.” The horse might be a gentle giant in her hands, but Ben wanted nothing to do with trying to control the beast. “I was thinking about going fishing. That is, if you think your daed wouldn’t mind if Toby and I use his poles.”
Grace narrowed her eyes. “Hasn’t the bishop assigned you work?”
“Jah, to get your buggy back home. Would you like to go fishing with us?”
“I don’t have time to waste.”
“Fishing is never a waste of time,” Ben said. “Maybe if you had some fun, you’d smile more.”
She opened her mouth as if she were going to say something but shook her head instead. Except for the sound of wind in the bare trees and the shrill cry of a hawk nearby, all was calm. Too calm. Ben didn’t like the awkward silence between them.
He eyed her left leg. “Did you get hurt?” He’d asked her after she’d fallen from the horse, but her puffed-up pride may have prevented her from being honest.
“I’m fine.” She tipped her chin higher. “Why do you ask?”
“You’re limping. I thought—” Toby speared him in the ribs with his elbow.
“What?” Ben waited, but Toby merely furrowed his brow and shook his head. Ben turned back to Grace. “I can put you up on the horse if it’s too painful to walk.”
“I told you I’m fine.” Her voice broke.
Ben didn’t need another elbowing by Toby to know he’d said something wrong. He changed the subject. “So, do you think we could use the fishing poles?”
A lump had formed in the back of Grace’s throat. She wouldn’t get the first word out without squeaking. Where was the rain when she needed it to wash her face of tears? She tilted her head back and hoped he didn’t see them fall. My grace is sufficient . . . Reciting the verse had always helped when someone whispered behind her back about her limp, or in Ben’s case, pointed it out. My grace is sufficient . . . It wasn’t working.
Her wet dress clung to her legs and made it cumbersome to move. Almost home, she silently coaxed, catching a glimpse of the barn through the woods.
Fishing. He had an easy life. She couldn’t even rest from her responsibilities long enough to apply the poultice to her legs and relieve some of the joint swelling. Once she took care of Jasper, she had clothes to wash. Maple syrup to can. She had enough work to keep her busy the rest of the summer. When did she have time for fun? Not that fishing was fun—she respected but despised the river.
They reached the yard and Toby pointed to the smokehouse. “Would it be out of your way if the buggy sits over there?” he asked Grace. “It would be easier to change the wheel if we leave it out in the open instead of parking it under the lean-to.”
“As long as it’s away from the clothesline.” She led Jasper to the spot and unhitched him. “Make sure the poles are returned to the rightful place. And nett with their lines tangled either.” She collected the groceries scattered on the floor of the buggy. She called for Mitch the moment she stepped inside the house.
“He isn’t here,” Aenti Erma said, taking one of the bags from Grace’s arms.
“Where did he go?”
“I haven’t seen him since breakfast.” Aenti set the grocery bag on the counter and reached for the other one in Grace’s arms. “You’re all wet, child. Why don’t you change into something warm before you catch a kalt.”
Grace emptied the contents of the grocery bags onto the counter, recalling the apple core she found inside the buggy and the other one in the woods. The bag of apples, the pears . . . the walnuts, all were missing. Things a boy would pack if he were on a mission to find his father. She rushed from the room.
“Grace?” Aenti followed her to the door. “What’s wrong?”
“I have to find Mitch.”