Chapter Eleven

SEVERAL DAYS PASSED and John Willis stayed true to his word. He became a regular visitor at the Detweilers’ cottage, stopping by to check on “the patient,” as he took to calling her. Then, when she began to put her full weight on the knee, he would offer to hold her elbow and walk up the lane with her.

Alone.

To Eleanor’s dismay John Willis hid his affections in the same manner as Mary Ann: he simply did not. His manner of speaking with her openly about subjects such as the romantic—and sometimes overtly passionate!—innuendos behind the Song of Solomon did not go unnoticed by Eleanor or Maem. Several times, in the heat of a discussion, the topic between the two starry-eyed duo grew so intense that Eleanor had to send Maggie from the room.

Fortunately most of his visits tended to be during the day, and Eleanor was thankful that Maggie had started school, although Maggie herself felt the complete opposite.

Now that the cottage was set up and the Detweiler women were situated in the community, they could begin their earnest effort of starting to offer sewing services. Already Widow Jennings had spread the word—in what way, Eleanor could only imagine—and several people had stopped by to inquire further. As Eleanor had predicted, many women were too busy working outside of the home and could use the assistance of an extra set of hands to help with sewing, especially with wedding season arriving soon. Young women needed new blue dresses for their upcoming marriages. The very fact that so many knew of the weddings ahead of time surprised Eleanor, who was used to the game of secrecy that surrounded courtship. Apparently the younger women of Quarryville were not held to such traditions, a point that Mary Ann used to her advantage.

“The difference is,” Eleanor stated firmly, “that they are already engaged!”

“Oh fiddle-faddle!” Mary Ann said dismissively. “I shall be too, soon enough. Wait and see!”

By the time Saturday arrived, Willis had already made plans to take Mary Ann to the youth gathering on the other side of the g’may. While he didn’t live in the church district, he knew many of the youths from spending time with his aunt and her husband throughout the years. And with the heat of summer abating now that September had come, the youth were taking advantage of the good weather to play volleyball.

While Mary Ann detested volleyball, a fact she did not share with Willis, she immediately accepted his invitation.

Shortly after Saturday’s supper, a simple fare of fresh bread, pasta salad, tomatoes, and meatloaf, Mary Ann stood by the open kitchen window, her face turned to the breeze as she waited and watched for his arrival. Her fingers tapped nervously against the counter as her eyes scanned the empty road.

“Oh, Mary Ann!” Maggie gushed, spinning around in a circle near the kitchen table. “Just think of it! You’ll be married by November for sure and certain!”

“Hush!” Eleanor scolded her when Mary Ann did not. “This whole courtship is far too much in the open as it is. We don’t need anyone to overhear such talk!”

Maggie shrugged and looked around. “No one is here but us.”

“And that’s bad enough!”

But Maggie didn’t care, choosing to enjoy the romantic notions that filled the house. Mary Ann seemed to live in a fog, her eyes always misted over and her lips smiling as if she had the greatest of secrets. Even Maem had begun secretly drafting a list of who to invite to the wedding. Whenever Eleanor was nearby, she hid it so that she avoided being chastised for putting the buggy before the horse.

Still, Eleanor felt concern for knowing so little about John Willis. Earlier in the week Jacob had stopped by, bringing a large box of freshly butchered meat: ground and chunks for stew. Mary Ann had immediately questioned him about what he knew of Willis, to which Jacob had only commented that Willis was set to inherit a nearby farm from a widowed aunt who had no surviving sons. Willis visited each August before returning to his family’s farm that was north of Narvon.

Jacob’s lack of information only confirmed Eleanor’s suspicions that something was not quite right. However, as much as she disapproved of Mary Ann’s open conduct with Willis, she could not deny that the feelings were returned in kind.

“Where is he?” Nervously, Mary Ann glanced at the clock. She wore her new dress, the light green one that she had made shortly before their father passed away. The color flattered her lightly tanned skin. “He said he’d be here by six thirty.”

“It’s only six fifteen, schwester,” Eleanor said.

Mary Ann scowled.

“You don’t even care for volleyball,” Eleanor stated. “Being someone you are not just to please another is no different from lying.”

“Oh, hush, Eleanor!” Mary Ann glared at her. “I’m trying new things. What is so wrong about that? Besides, what do you know of my likes and dislikes?”

Ignoring her sister’s dirty look, Eleanor responded, “I know you dislike volleyball, and from the impatience you are displaying right now, I reckon you also dislike waiting!”

“Maem!” Mary Ann whined.

But Maem merely smiled to herself, pretending to read the Bible that lay open on her lap.

“Come, Mary Ann,” Eleanor said gently, hoping her softer tone might calm down her sister. “Sit for a spell so you don’t look so anxious.”

But Mary Ann heard none of that, or ignored it, for she continued to stand at the window and gaze outside, her eyes searching the horizon.

A few minutes later the sound of horse hooves could be heard in the room, although the hedge of evergreen trees hid the horse and rider from view. Excited, Mary Ann hurried to the front door and stood on the stoop, a smile on her face that could not be missed. Eleanor joined her and watched as a lone man sauntered around the trees.

When Mary Ann saw that it was Christian, and not Willis, her smile disappeared and she seemed deflated of enthusiasm. “Oh, help! It’s only Bechtler,” she mumbled, grumbling even more when Eleanor nudged her ribs.

“Good evening, Christian!” Eleanor called out, raising her hand to wave to him.

He stopped his horse, a beautiful black Dutch harness with a striking white blaze that ran from its forehead to its nose, and nodded his greetings to the two ladies. Within seconds he dismounted from the horse, and holding the reins in one hand, he approached the house.

“Good evening to you too,” he said as cheerfully as one could expect from Christian Bechtler. He turned his face toward the sky, shutting his eyes for just a moment as if enjoying the feeling of the sun on his cheeks. “God’s blessed us with some fine weather this week.”

“Indeed he has.” Eleanor smiled at him and wished that Mary Ann would stop scanning the horizon over his shoulder. Her impertinence toward Christian was a source of never-ending discomfort for everyone in the family, especially since his interest in her was more than obvious even if it was unspoken.

Clearly Christian noticed Mary Ann’s surveillance of the road, and as politely as he could, he stepped aside so that she could have a better view. His reward was a forced smile of appreciation that lacked any warmth from her. Eleanor wished that she could shake her sister for her lack of manners, especially to such a kind man as Christian Bechtler. His admiration of Mary Ann never wavered, despite her obvious dismissal of his high regard for her.

“Where is he?” she mumbled to herself.

Being an honorable and righteous man, Christian did not inquire as to whom she waited for or what held her so captivated down the road. Eleanor suspected he already knew. Instead, Christian smiled at both of the sisters and announced with great fanfare, “I’ve come with an invitation! An outdoor supper at my haus on Friday evening. Like a picnic.”

He seemed quite pleased with himself, but Mary Ann hardly glanced at him.

“For all of you, of course,” Christian added.

Maggie poked her head outside the window. “Even me?”

He laughed. “What type of picnic would it be without you, sweet Maggie?”

“Mayhaps Maem will let me leave school early!” With great enthusiasm Maggie disappeared from the window, and the sound of her voice speaking to her mother carried through the air.

Eleanor tried to hide her amusement at Maggie’s eavesdropping and inquiry as well as the sound of Christian’s laughter. It was a sound she hadn’t heard very often while in his presence. His intensity, so apparent in his dark eyes that seemed to watch everything without ever expressing his emotions, hindered good humor, it appeared to Eleanor. Hearing him laugh, especially at Maggie, made her realize that she may have misjudged Christian Bechtler.

“Shall we bring something, Preacher?”

He nodded, his eyes occasionally darting toward Mary Ann, who continued to display her distraction from their conversation. “Jacob Miller and his family will be there as will Widow Jennings and a few other folks from the g’may. I have everything covered except for dessert. Mayhaps you might find time to bake a pie or two?”

“Of course!” Silently, however, Eleanor couldn’t fathom arriving at a picnic with so many people with just a pie or two. Dessert was as important to the meal as the main course. Certainly they would bring cookies, cake, pie, and, depending on the weather, ice cream. Fortunately, with the sewing jobs beginning to trickle in, they could afford to make extra desserts for when they visited others.

From behind the hedgerow of evergreen trees, the sound of an approaching buggy could be heard. Christian glanced over his shoulder, and when he turned back to the two women, Mary Ann had lit up, her lack of interest in anything suddenly replaced with great enthusiasm.

“John Willis has been calling,” Eleanor said softly.

“Ah. I see.” He looked at Mary Ann one more time. She began waving to Willis when she could see him, her attention focused strictly on him. Christian cleared his throat. “And Willis will be invited to the picnic as well.”

At the mention of John Willis, Mary Ann finally turned toward Christian as if seeing him for the first time. “Ja?” She smiled, already taking a step in the direction of the buggy. Eleanor flushed when she saw that Willis had arrived in an open-top courting buggy, a fact that was certainly not lost on either Christian or Mary Ann. “Oh, a picnic will be wunderbarr fun! Danke for the invitation!”

And with that she hurried to the buggy. Eagerly stepping onto the footrest, she hoisted herself up so that she could sit beside Willis.

“Good day to you,” Willis said in the general direction of the house. His attention, however, was on Mary Ann.

“Oh, Willis!” she gushed. “Christian just invited us to a picnic at his haus next Friday at supper time! Isn’t that special?”

“Indeed!” He smiled at her. “Now let’s go for our ride.” He slapped the reins on the back of the horse, and the carriage lurched forward in such a way that Mary Ann fell against Willis, her laughter a little too loud for Eleanor’s taste.

In silence Christian and Eleanor watched them leave, Mary Ann gracing them with one last wave before the buggy turned the corner and disappeared behind the trees.

“I’m afraid my schwester is not of the old school where emotions are kept to oneself in the interest of personal etiquette and public discretion.” Eleanor sighed, turning to face Christian. Her embarrassment at Mary Ann’s behavior was only countered by her wish that Christian might find happiness. “Her notions of courtship lack the common sense, I reckon, of one who has been exposed to the world. Perhaps she should gain that exposure to the world so that she can understand disappointments often follow blind happiness.”

Christian remained standing there, staring at the empty lane where the buggy had just left. He seemed deep in thought for a few seconds and then, finally, said, “Such a disappointment would change her very regard for courtship, perhaps not just of one suitor but of all, ja?”

Frowning, Eleanor tried to make sense of his question. “I do not confess to know what the future would hold for her, Christian, should she encounter such a disappointment.”

“Ah.” At last he tore his gaze from the lane and looked at Eleanor, his dark eyes sorrowful and full of melancholy. “I do not wish exposure to the world for your schwester, Eleanor.” He remained silent for a few moments as he studied the landscape. Finally he continued talking. “I don’t know how much Widow Jennings has shared with you, Eleanor, but I once knew a young woman who was quite similar to your schwester. Her vibrancy for life equaled her energy to experience living. Unfortunately circumstances forced her to know the world all too soon, I’m afraid. I would not wish such a fate on anyone, especially someone like Mary Ann.”

From inside the house Eleanor’s mother called out to Christian, inviting him inside for a glass of meadow tea. He bowed his head to Eleanor, excusing himself to climb the two steps at the front door. When he disappeared inside the house, Eleanor stared after him, mulling over what he had just confided in her. While Widow Jennings had mentioned something about Christian Bechtler and a young girl, she had given no hint to the circumstances that resulted in his never marrying her. Now, based on what he told her, Eleanor’s imagination ran wild, and she said a quick prayer that God would watch over her sister. After so much turmoil in their lives, an unfortunate circumstance befalling Mary Ann would be the worst of things to happen.