Their Pretend Courtship, page 7
Yet even more unbelievable was the fact that she seemed oblivious to how bad the food she prepared actually tasted. Despite several frank comments from her mother and others in the community, Honor’s enthusiasm for cooking and sharing the desserts and dishes she’d made never waned. So Eliza watched intently as Freeman took his first bite of a muffin.
Honor was also watching intently. “How is it?” she asked.
“Mmf,” he mumbled, still chewing. He swallowed and then downed a big gulp of iced tea. “I’ve never tasted blohbier muffins quite like these.”
Eliza recognized he was being as diplomatic as he could while still being truthful, and she momentarily felt bad for Honor, who really did try very hard. However, Honor appeared clueless as to what he really meant, and commented, “I’m hallich you like them. You and Jonas should take the rest home with you. Since you’re bachelors, it’s probably rare for you to eat homemade treats.”
“Neh, that’s okay,” Freeman replied, a little too quickly, waving his hands for emphasis. “One is enough for me.”
Honor quizzically wrinkled her brow. “But you just said you loved blohbier desserts.”
Freeman avoided answering by taking another swallow of iced tea, so his brother chimed in, “Denki, Honor. That’s very considerate of you.”
She beamed at him and then someone brought up the subject of the blueberry festival. As everyone else was talking, Eliza mulled over Jonas’s response to Eliza. It was clear to her that he was covering for his brother’s impoliteness and she was impressed by this small kindness. She tried to catch his eye so she could smile at him, but he was gazing out at the lake. As she studied his profile, she found herself thinking, For someone with such a prominent, masculine-looking jawline and forehead, he sure does have soft, pretty eyelashes...
The seven of them must have relaxed on the island for a good hour, joking, telling stories about what they’d been doing over the summer and even singing a few contemporary worship songs together. Eventually, they made their way back down to the water and waded around the rocks for a while before Glenda said she had promised to be home before suppertime, so she needed to leave.
“I’ll take you back,” Ervin quickly volunteered before anyone else could lay claim to the rowboat.
“I need to head home, too,” Mary said, to Eliza’s dismay. Although no one would have considered her friend to be gabby, she’d certainly been engaging in the conversation more than she usually did when men were included. Eliza could tell she was having a good time and Eliza was enjoying herself, too. She’d forgotten how carefree she felt when she didn’t have to keep an eye out for her little brothers.
“Okay. But I know how much you like to paddle and you haven’t gotten a chance yet,” she replied to Mary. “My arms are tired, so I’ll sit in the middle of the other canoe with Jonas and Honor, as long as they’re willing to do all the work.” This seating arrangement seemed like the best of both worlds. It would give Mary the opportunity to visit with Freeman, while preventing Eliza from being alone with Jonas.
“Sure, I’ll paddle,” Honor agreed. “Jonas seems to steer us exactly in the direction I want him to go, without my even telling him to head left or right. We make a really gut team, don’t we, Jonas?”
He shrugged. “You are a strong paddler, but for my part, there’s not much I have to do to guide the canoe. It’s pretty much a straight line from the Hiltys’ beach to the island.”
For some reason, Eliza felt bothered by his response. I’m a strong paddler, too, she thought, even though she knew it was prideful, regretting that she’d pretended her arms were tired. Which was odd, because it wasn’t as if she had anything to prove to Jonas. “I hope you don’t plan to race again,” she remarked, knowing that if they raced, Mary wouldn’t be able to enjoy a leisurely discussion with Freeman.
“Why not? You’ll be on the winning team this time,” Honor teased.
“Suit yourself, but you’ll be paddling into the wind.” She climbed into the canoe and sat with her back toward Jonas. There was no sense facing him since they weren’t going to converse, anyway. I know I asked him not to let anyone know we’re courting, but he has spent more time chatting with Honor than with me. What if he’s as interested in her as she apparently is in him? she thought, worrying.
As they set out for the opposite shore, it occurred to her that while Honor may have won the previous race to the island, Eliza couldn’t allow her to win over Jonas’s affections. It wasn’t that she wanted him to develop any romantic feelings toward her—after all, that was what had happened with Petrus and it had ended in him being bitterly disappointed. But she couldn’t risk Jonas dropping her to court Honor.
If that happens, I’ll be stuck walking out with Willis. So from now on, no more group outings—Jonas and I are going to go out alone, she resolutely decided.
* * *
Freeman and Mary easily won the race. Once both teams had crossed the lake and everyone had disembarked at the Hiltys’ property, Glenda and Ervin had to leave right away. So the other three women put the paddles and life vests into the storage shed while Freeman and Jonas hoisted the canoes onto the storage rack.
As they were dragging the rowboat to drier ground, Freeman whispered, “On the way back, you can let me off at Abram’s haus—I’ll say I want to drop in and see if he’s home. That way, you’ll have some time alone with Eliza.”
“Neh, I won’t—she lives farther away from our haus than Honor does.” Jonas intended to drop off the women according to the proximity of their houses from the lake. Which meant first he’d stop at Mary’s house, then Eliza’s and then Honor’s.
“You still don’t get it, do you?” Freeman muttered. “Anyone can tell by her expression that Eliza’s annoyed at you. You’ve been paying more attention to Honor than to her this entire afternoon.”
His comment really riled Jonas. Partly because he knew his brother was right. But mostly because Jonas felt like Freeman was paying even more attention to Eliza than Jonas had been paying to Honor. “What excuse will I give for dropping Honor off first and then circling all the way back to drop off Eliza? It will be obvious that I want to spend time alone with her, just like it’s obvious that Ervin wants to be alone with Glenda. If you think Eliza seems upset with me now, how do you think she’ll feel if Honor finds out I’m courting her?”
“Jah, I guess you’re right.” Freeman lifted his straw hat to wipe his brow. “But mark my words, Eliza is not hallich with you.”
It’s not my fault she wanted to go on a group outing, Jonas silently observed. Regardless, for his own sake, he couldn’t allow their afternoon to end on a sour note. So when he stopped at the end of Eliza’s lane, Jonas made a point to get out of the buggy and give her his hand to help her down, something he’d never ordinarily do if they were just friends. At least, not unless she cajoled him into it, the way Honor had done.
He was worried that Eliza would push away his arm or ignore him, but she slid her hand into his. Just as when he’d helped her out of canoe, he was aware of how slender and silky it felt. Instead of letting go when both of her feet touched the ground, he led her to the side of the buggy, out of Honor and Freeman’s range of view, and then he released her fingers.
In a hushed tone, he said, “I had schpass at the lake today. But I think it would be nice if we went out alone next time, if you wouldn’t mind?”
“Neh,” she replied firmly and Jonas’s stomach dropped. Was she really that annoyed at him? But in the next breath she clarified, “I wouldn’t mind at all.”
“Wunderbaar,” he uttered in relief. “I’ll pick you up next Sunndaag at two o’clock and I’ll have something special planned.”
In a saccharine voice that rivaled the tone Honor had used when he’d held her bag for her, Eliza cooed, “Anything we do together will be special, Jonas.”
He should have felt reassured by her sentiment, but he didn’t trust the abrupt shift in her demeanor. Also, she was speaking too loudly for someone who’d claimed she wanted to keep their courtship private. It seemed as if she wanted Freeman and Honor to hear her. Jonas could only think of one reason for that: she was trying to make his brother envious that they were walking out.
Neh, that’s narrish, he told himself. She already had the opportunity to walk out with him—or at least, to accept a ride home from him—and she’d turned him down. Then again, maybe now that she’d spent more time with Freeman, had she changed her mind? Or was the volume of her voice simply a reflection of her enthusiasm about going out alone with him? It was irritating to Jonas that he felt he had to keep second-guessing her motives, yet something about her behavior just didn’t add up. But he forced himself to respond. “Gut. I’ll see you then.”
Turning to saunter away, Eliza gave him an over-the-shoulder smile. “Hopefully we’ll see each other on the bauerei this week, too.”
“I’ll keep an eye out for you,” Jonas replied. As he returned her smile, he thought, Two can play this game...even though he couldn’t be sure whether she was actually playing a game or not.
Chapter Six
“Guder mariye, Mary,” Eliza and four of her little brothers sang out together as they saw her coming up the lane on Wednesday morning. It had been raining since Monday, so it was the first time this week they were able to go blueberry picking. After being cooped up in the house for what seemed like a long time, they were all glad to be outside again and were eager to start their trek to the farm.
“Guder mariye.” Mary bent down and patted Eli’s head. The four-year-old was sitting in a red wagon, with an empty pail for transporting the berries home on his lap. “Are you coming to pick blohbiere, too?” she asked him.
“Jah,” he exclaimed.
Samuel elaborated, “He’s not tall like me because he’s only four and I’m six. So he can’t reach the high biere. But I’m going to show him how to pick the low biere.”
“That’s very helpful of you,” Mary said. “Is Eli going to be kind in return and let you ride in the wagon with him?”
“Neh. I don’t need a ride. I’m going to run with my other breider.” Samuel promptly galloped off to catch up with his older brothers, who were already starting down the dirt lane.
“My mamm is feeling under the weather and Mark has a slight fever, too. I thought it would be a gut idea if I brought Eli with us so she and Mark could rest.” Eliza pulled the wagon behind her as the women began walking. Speaking in Englisch so Eli couldn’t understand, she said, “I’ve been curious to hear about how it went on Sunndaag. Did you enjoy being in the canoe alone with Freeman? Did the two of you get a chance to chat?”
“Neh. Not really. He was too focused on racing you, Honor and Jonas back to the other side of the lake.”
“Ach. That’s exactly what I thought may have happened, especially when I saw how fast you two were paddling.”
“I don’t think we were paddling any faster than Honor and Jonas were,” Mary answered modestly, as usual. “I think we were quicker because we had one less person in our canoe.”
“That’s what Honor said, too. She seemed a little indignant that you and Freeman beat us.” Eliza muttered beneath her breath, “I guess it was hard for her to accept that she and Jonas weren’t as gut of a paddling team as she thought they were.”
“Is that envy I hear in your voice, Eliza?” Mary asked, gently reproaching her.
“Why would I be envious?”
“Because Jonas seemed to be paying more attention to Honor than to you.”
Uh-oh, did Mary notice that, too? “Well, it did bother me a little that Honor was being such a flirt, but I wouldn’t say I was envious. I think Jonas was just being careful about how much he talked to me so no one would guess we’re courting. Because when he let me off at my haus, he made a point of mentioning he wanted to go out alone with me next Sunndaag. So it’s not as if I’m worried that he’d prefer to be Honor’s suitor instead, or anything like that.” Even as she was speaking, it occurred to Eliza that she was trying a little too hard to assure Mary that she wasn’t concerned.
“That’s gut.” Mary chuckled to herself. “Although I have to admit, I’d rather Honor pursue Jonas than Freeman. She’s so determined that I’d never stand a chance if he became the object of her affection.”
“Well, you might stand a chance if you opened up to Freeman a little,” Eliza suggested, repeating her earlier advice. “Give him a little sign that you’re interested.”
“You mean I should act like Honor does around menner? No, denki,” Mary said firmly.
“You don’t have to be that bold. But maybe you could... I don’t know. Bring him some blohbier pie? He said he loved it...and you know your pie is so much better than anything Honor could ever make.”
“You’re baremlich,” Mary said, but she giggled.
“Neh, I’m just being honest. One taste of your pie and Freeman would literally be eating out of your hand.” Eliza playfully cautioned, “Just please don’t give Jonas any, or he’ll fall for you, too. Then you’ll have both Kanagy breider vying for your attention, and who would that leave me for a suitor?”
“Oh, I wouldn’t worry about that if I were you,” Mary said wistfully. “If Jonas ever ended your courtship, there’d be someone in line right behind him eager to become your suitor.”
Jah, that’s what I’m afraid of—and it would be Willis Mullet, Eliza thought. And that’s why I’m not going to let Jonas break up with me...even if it means acting bolder and more flirtatious than Honor acts.
* * *
Jonas stepped out of the barn, smack into Honor’s path. She was carrying a flowered plastic container similar to the one she’d given him on Sunday.
“There you are, Jonas. Emily told me she saw you go into the barn. I have something for you.” She held out the container and Jonas hesitated to take it. Even if Honor was the best baker in all of the New Hope district, he would have been reluctant to accept whatever goodies she was offering because he didn’t want to do anything to encourage her apparent interest in him. But neither did he want to be rude, so when she pushed the container into his hand, he accepted it. “It’s blohbier kaffi kuche. I figured the muffins I made you on Sunndaag are long gone by now.”
“Jah, you’re right, they are.” Jonas had fed them to the chickens, who’d gobbled them up in no time. “That was thoughtful of you. I’ll, um, I’ll just tuck them back into the barn so they aren’t sitting out in the sun. I don’t have time to run over to the haus to put them inside.”
“That’s a gut idea. Maybe we can enjoy one together later, when you’re ready for a kaffi break. I’ll be here on the bauerei picking biere for a while, so just give me a shout.” Before Jonas could tell her he wasn’t planning to take a coffee break, something caught Honor’s attention. “Look, there’s Eliza and Mary. I’m going to try to catch up with them so I have someone to chat with while I’m picking.”
She flew across the dirt driveway calling their names, and Jonas went back into the barn and set the container of blueberry coffee cake inside an empty wheelbarrow by the door. Then he hastily made his way to the western corner of the farm, carrying the jar of nails he’d forgotten the first time he’d gone into the barn to retrieve his hammer and some boards.
Earlier that morning, he’d discovered a portion of the fence around the perimeter of the property had been damaged in the previous night’s thunderstorm. The wind had snapped a large, rotting branch off a maple tree and it had landed on the fence, breaking several boards. Jonas had spent the early morning hours cutting up and clearing away the fallen limb. Now it was necessary to repair the fence, which discouraged deer from visiting the blueberry farm.
It’s too bad I can’t build a fence to keep the birds away, too, he thought as he began replacing the splintered boards. While some people recommended netting, it was too expensive and time-consuming to install on a farm this size. He’d spoken to an Englisch farmer who’d told him that birds were able to tear or peck their way through it to get to the fruit, anyway. The reflective scare tape Jonas and Freeman had used apparently didn’t work as well when the sun wasn’t out, either—they’d found evidence the birds had been eating the berries during the rainy weather.
So Freeman had insisted on buying several rubber snakes, as well as a plastic red-tailed hawk, to use in addition to the scare tape. The problem with using fake predators was that they frequently needed to be moved so the birds wouldn’t get used to them being in the same spot and figure out they weren’t real.
It occurred to Jonas that he was a bit like a scarecrow himself, trying to keep Eliza from getting too close to Freeman or vice versa. I’ve got to keep on my toes so they don’t realize I’m a phony, too, he thought. And that includes coming up with a special date for this Sunndaag.
He’d been brainstorming about it ever since he’d dropped off Eliza at her house, but so far, the only activity he knew she’d really like was canoeing on the lake. But that didn’t seem very original, since they’d just been there with their peers. He supposed they could go for a hike at the gorge, although that wasn’t exactly a unique outing, either. In fact, hiking there was such a popular Sabbath recreational activity that they were bound to meet their peers or other district members out on the trails. So Jonas mentally crossed that option off his list, too.
Why did I ever say I’d plan something special? he asked himself. Now she’s going to have high expectations, even if she did claim she’d consider anything we did together to be special. But Jonas didn’t know her well enough to come up with an activity or a destination that he was certain she’d really enjoy. It was getting to the point where he wondered if pretending to court her was worth the stress it was causing him. Maybe I should just step aside and let my breider find out the hard way what Eliza is really like, he mused.
