The air hummed with the continuous drone of insects, and the pastureland around them was green and thick as Earnest took Adeline and Sylvia around in the buggy. He was mindful to take the back roads, not wanting to parade Adeline around, as Rhoda feared he was doing. While he preferred not to keep secrets any longer, he understood Rhoda’s concern and appreciated where she was coming from. Dear Rhoda . . .
Earnest fell sober at the knowledge of all he might have lost this past May, when Rhoda had been so shocked—and deeply hurt—by the news of his first marriage and the details of the demise of that relationship. He had been wrong to keep the secret from her, and while at the time her request for some space had shaken him, he was thankful now that their relationship was on the mend. I could not ask for a more forgiving wife. . . .
Earnest slowed the horse when, some time later, Adeline pointed to a makeshift sign advertising local raw honey and asked if they might stop at the large roadside stand. “I would love to get some,” she said.
Before Earnest realized where they were, he had pulled over onto the dirt shoulder and come to a halt.
“Dat,” Sylvia whispered behind him. “Maybe just keep goin’.”
There was such an urgency in her voice that Earnest looked about and groaned inwardly. Where’s my head? he thought, recognizing the farm. So, instead of turning into the lane, he stayed put several yards back from the stand, where a young Amish couple were completing their purchase.
Earnest had always admired the small pond with the narrow walkway around it, and Preacher Amos Kauffman’s expansive, rolling lawn. But it was too risky for him and Sylvia to get out with Adeline in tow, yet he didn’t want to offend Adeline, either.
“What an attractive place,” Adeline observed as she leaned forward to look out.
“Isn’t it?” He glanced toward the preacher’s house, thinking Amos was likely occupied in the barn or out in the field. Or so he hoped. Maybe this won’t be so bad after all.
“What kind of bushes are those?” asked Adeline, pointing nearby.
“Redbud,” Earnest said, still holding the driving lines, having half a notion to drive on. “They flower in spring.”
“You know,” he heard Sylvia say, “raw honey is much cheaper at the General Store. Let’s go there.”
“Gut idea.” Earnest nodded his head, but it looked as though Amos’s youngest daughter, Connie, tending the stand, might have already spotted them.
“We’re here now,” Adeline said, getting out of the buggy. “Please . . . I’ll be just a minute.”
Adeline hurried over to the long table, all smiles, and realizing there was no stopping her, Earnest halfheartedly climbed out, too, and tied the horse to the fence along the perimeter of the front yard. How can someone so fancy be my daughter? he mused, the idea still not squarely settled in his mind.
Momentarily, he hung back near the carriage with Sylvie, letting Adeline have a look at the ears of corn piled up on the table alongside the cucumbers, lima beans, tomatoes, and potatoes—many more varieties of vegetables than his family sold. In a couple of weeks, the watermelon would be in full swing, August being the month for the mouthwatering treat, and he could almost taste the sweet flavor. But the curly green vines and leaves of the plants hadn’t yet begun to yellow and turn brown, signaling the ripening. So he would have to wait.
A mosquito bit his arm, and Earnest slapped at it—the nearby pond attracted the annoying pests. By now Sylvia was standing next to him, watching Adeline, too.
“She’ll think we abandoned her,” Sylvia whispered.
Earnest nodded and hoped this purchase Adeline was bent on would be quick. He and Sylvia made their way along the fence as Adeline set three honey jars aside, talking animatedly to fourteen-year-old Connie.
Sylvia waved at Connie when she looked their way, but the girl frowned slightly when she put it together that Adeline was with them.
“What brings ya to Hickory Hollow?” Connie asked, eyeing Adeline with curiosity.
“I’m exploring the area . . . hanging out for a little while.”
Connie pointed to the various fruits and vegetables, as well as the jams and jellies, and Adeline seemed to take them all in. “Everything was picked fresh this mornin’.”
She turned then to Sylvia and Earnest. “My wind-up clock is running real gut now.” She laughed a little.
Earnest shrugged. “Didn’t take much to repair it.”
“Well, I’m grateful,” Connie said, glancing at Adeline, then back at Earnest.
Earnest noticed that Sylvia remained quiet and close by his side.
“Did my Dat tell ya that he and Titus reseeded our pasture?” Connie asked, making small talk. “It’s practically a thick carpet now. The cows are gonna love it.”
The girl looked again at Adeline, clearly puzzled by their being together. “Uh, miss . . . do ya want these jars of honey?” she asked, moving down to where Adeline was still examining the options.
Adeline raised her head and smiled. “There are so many tempting choices, sorry.” She paused a moment. “May I ask, is your fruit organic?”
“Nee, but you can prob’ly get that two farms over.” Connie motioned behind her. “You’ll pay more, though, and my Dat doesn’t think there’s much difference, really.”
Seeing the two of them interacting, it crossed Earnest’s mind that Rhoda had been absolutely right about not taking Adeline around in the buggy. What was I thinking?
“Does your wife need anything?” Adeline asked just then, startling him. “I’d like to get something . . . return the favor of your generosity in some small way.”
Earnest hardly knew what to say as Connie’s big blue eyes began to blink, and she again looked questioningly at Earnest. On top of that, here came her parents down from the house, Amos carrying a large crate of more ears of sweet corn, and his wife, Eva, tagging along.
Goodness, thought Earnest. Now I’ll have to make introductions.
Immediately, he felt ashamed for thinking that way. Of course he would introduce Adeline. English or not.
———
Sylvia tensed at the sight of her fiancé’s parents. Now what? she fretted, wishing she had stayed home. Considering the shaky ground that she and Titus were on here lately, she was worried.
“Willkumm,” called Amos Kauffman as he and Eva made their way down the lane to the roadside stand. He set the box on the table, took out a blue paisley kerchief to mop his forehead, and went over to shake Dat’s hand. “Gut to see ya this fine summer mornin’, Earnest.” The preacher looked Adeline’s way, and a wave of inquisitiveness passed over his countenance.
Sylvia could see that her father was in a quandary. Surely he’s not thinking of telling them who Adeline is. . . .
Dat removed his straw hat. Then, looking at Adeline, he said, “Adeline, this is Preacher Kauffman and his wife, Eva.”
“It’s very nice to meet you,” Adeline said with a smile.
“Are you visiting in the area?” Eva asked Adeline, eyes bright with interest.
With an awkward glance at Dat, Adeline nodded. “Yes, but I haven’t decided how long I’ll be here.”
Sylvia held her breath while Dat shifted his weight from one foot to another.
“Adeline is my daughter,” Dat told them, a serious look on his face. “From my first marriage.”
Titus’s father didn’t actually sputter, but Sylvia was fairly sure the preacher was on the brink of it. At the very least, Preacher Kauffman hardly knew what to say. His eyebrows rose abruptly, then lowered. “Well, what a surprise, I must say.”
Eva reached out her hand to shake Adeline’s. “We didn’t know Earnest had another daughter,” she said, her eyes trained on Adeline’s face.
“To be fair, he didn’t know, either,” Adeline said, giving Dat a faint smile. “So we’re out getting acquainted while he shows me around your beautiful community.”
“Oh, Hickory Hollow’s a little bit of heaven on earth, for sure,” Eva said, looking first at Adeline, then at Dat, as if trying to see a resemblance.
Then, thinking she should do something to halt the conversation and get Adeline moving along, Sylvia picked up a jar of blackberry jam. “Mamma loves this, and we don’t grow blackberries, so this would be ideal, Adeline,” she said, showing her. “That is, if you’d still like to surprise her, maybe?”
“I certainly would,” Adeline said. To Connie, she added, “I’ll take two blackberry jams, three jars of the raw honey, and those wonderful-looking potato rolls, please.” Adeline opened her shoulder bag and removed her wallet.
Dat stepped back, not saying more, and Preacher Kauffman started talking about his plan to plant a rose arbor on the south side of the house. “In honor of Preacher Mahlon.”
“I daresay he’d approve,” Dat replied.
“He surely would.” Eva bobbed her head, continuing to appraise Adeline as Connie made change for her. Thankfully, it wasn’t long before Dat was saying “So long.”
Adeline took her time to politely say how lovely it was to meet the Kauffmans before she fell into step with Sylvia as they followed Dat back to the horse and carriage.
Dat must’ve wanted to get things out in the open right away, thought Sylvia, considering all he’s gone through with the ministerial brethren recently.
Then, just as Sylvia and Adeline were walking around the horse to climb inside the carriage, Sylvia happened to see Titus Kauffman coming their way in his father’s spring wagon. Titus slowed up, gawked a bit, and then absently waved before making the turn into the lane.
It won’t be long and he’ll hear the news, Sylvia thought with a prick of concern.