squeeze Aunt Lizzie's arm or hug her neck, for no particular reason today. Jah, she would.
Sadie felt her father's eyes on her throughout breakfast. And Mamma's, too. Had they heard her coming home late again last night? Did they suspect something?
Breathing in, she held the air a second or two, then exhaled, wondering if Leah had broken her word and talked to Mamma. Or maybe it was Dat who'd learned first from Leah the wicked secret they shared.
She was so tired she scarcely cared; in fact, she could hardly pick up her fork. So weak she was, nearly trembling as she sat at the table, the smell of the food turning her stomach. How many more hours before she could lie down and rest, take a quick nap? This afternoon, maybe, while Mamma, Hannah, and Mary Ruth headed down to the general store in Georgetown. Leah and Dat would be busy outside, so she'd have the house to herself, if Mamma didn't mind her staying
73
int
Hie. She must have some time to herself here perty soon. I|dihI Holiil hour or so of sleep would help a lot. I "live more days before we visit Mamma's cousins," Mary It 11 wiin saying, all smiles. "Cousin Rebekah wrote me a letIt idling 'bout the Bridal Heart quilt she and the others are kin' lor Anna. Seems it won't be long and there'll be a killing "ii Mamma's side of the family."
I The news didn't come as a surprise to anyone at the table, illy. Both Sadie and Leah probably Mamma, too ferried Mamma's cousin's oldest daughter and her beau, nlli mid King, to be published soon in their own church
I1 I, come autumn. Of course, they'd all be invited to the I' niber wedding.
I i'lie squirmed with talk of Anna Mast and a possible lil>ling. According to age, she would be next in line for set' I|1H down, and rightly so. Sadie knew this, though she Illu'd inwardly at the thought. Her attraction to Derry miuniiz was complicating things. What was she to do?
I Inviting Aunt .Lizzie for breakfast proved to be a mighty | l ulea. Leah felt nearly satisfied after Mamma's delicious m<. .crumbled up with diced cup cheese. After the bacon
I1 i "list, she had little room for waffles. She took one any-
ipping black coffee to tone down the sweetness of the i|i|i- synip. She observed Sadie, who wasn't herself at all, ling nearly motionless across the table not saying
it'll during the entire meal, her face pale, the color nearly ur hum her eyes, too. Hannah was her usual quiet but smil-
I Ni'll, reddish blond hair gleaming on either side of the < i It I It* part, though she spoke occasionally, mainly to ask for
i mil helpings of everything. Mary Ruth, bubbly and
75
ly J2i
refreshed from a gut night's sleep, entered into the conversation with Mamma and Aunt Lizzie.
Dat said nary a word. Too hungry to speak, probably. As for Mamma, she looked happy to have her sister near, and she mentioned that maybe Lizzie would like to come along next Sunday "to visit Peter and Fannie and the children."
Lizzie seemed glad to be included in the outing to the Masts' orchard house and wore the delight on her bright face. "Jah, that'd be nice," she said.
"We'll be goin' to pick apples in a few weeks, soon as Fannie says they're ripe 'n' ready," Mamma said. "Why don'tcha come along then, too, Lizzie?"
"When we make applesauce can Aunt Lizzie help us, Mamma?" asked Mary Ruth, leaning round their aunt to see Mamma's answer.
Leah hoped her aunt would agree to attend the work frolic. There was something awful nice about having Mamma's younger sister over. She was as cheerful and cordial as Sadie was sassy these days.
"The Masts grow the best Mclntosh apples, jah?" Aunt Lizzie said between bites.
"Mm-m, such a gut apple for makin' applesauce," Mary Ruth spoke up.
"So's the Lodi . . . and Granny Smith apples, too," Hannah said, grinning at her twin.
Dat looked up at Sadie just then, as if all their talk had found its way to him, disrupting his thoughts. "Most folk have a preference for apples," he said. "Ain't so much the name as the
Sadie felt her father's eyes on her throughout breakfast. And Mamma's, too. Had they heard her coming home late again last night? Did they suspect something?
Breathing in, she held the air a second or two, then exhaled, wondering if Leah had broken her word and talked to Mamma. Or maybe it was Dat who'd learned first from Leah the wicked secret they shared.
She was so tired she scarcely cared; in fact, she could hardly pick up her fork. So weak she was, nearly trembling as she sat at the table, the smell of the food turning her stomach. How many more hours before she could lie down and rest, take a quick nap? This afternoon, maybe, while Mamma, Hannah, and Mary Ruth headed down to the general store in Georgetown. Leah and Dat would be busy outside, so she'd have the house to herself, if Mamma didn't mind her staying
73
int
Hie. She must have some time to herself here perty soon. I|dihI Holiil hour or so of sleep would help a lot. I "live more days before we visit Mamma's cousins," Mary It 11 wiin saying, all smiles. "Cousin Rebekah wrote me a letIt idling 'bout the Bridal Heart quilt she and the others are kin' lor Anna. Seems it won't be long and there'll be a killing "ii Mamma's side of the family."
I The news didn't come as a surprise to anyone at the table, illy. Both Sadie and Leah probably Mamma, too ferried Mamma's cousin's oldest daughter and her beau, nlli mid King, to be published soon in their own church
I1 I, come autumn. Of course, they'd all be invited to the I' niber wedding.
I i'lie squirmed with talk of Anna Mast and a possible lil>ling. According to age, she would be next in line for set' I|1H down, and rightly so. Sadie knew this, though she Illu'd inwardly at the thought. Her attraction to Derry miuniiz was complicating things. What was she to do?
I Inviting Aunt .Lizzie for breakfast proved to be a mighty | l ulea. Leah felt nearly satisfied after Mamma's delicious m<. .crumbled up with diced cup cheese. After the bacon
I1 i "list, she had little room for waffles. She took one any-
ipping black coffee to tone down the sweetness of the i|i|i- synip. She observed Sadie, who wasn't herself at all, ling nearly motionless across the table not saying
it'll during the entire meal, her face pale, the color nearly ur hum her eyes, too. Hannah was her usual quiet but smil-
I Ni'll, reddish blond hair gleaming on either side of the < i It I It* part, though she spoke occasionally, mainly to ask for
i mil helpings of everything. Mary Ruth, bubbly and
75
ly J2i
refreshed from a gut night's sleep, entered into the conversation with Mamma and Aunt Lizzie.
Dat said nary a word. Too hungry to speak, probably. As for Mamma, she looked happy to have her sister near, and she mentioned that maybe Lizzie would like to come along next Sunday "to visit Peter and Fannie and the children."
Lizzie seemed glad to be included in the outing to the Masts' orchard house and wore the delight on her bright face. "Jah, that'd be nice," she said.
"We'll be goin' to pick apples in a few weeks, soon as Fannie says they're ripe 'n' ready," Mamma said. "Why don'tcha come along then, too, Lizzie?"
"When we make applesauce can Aunt Lizzie help us, Mamma?" asked Mary Ruth, leaning round their aunt to see Mamma's answer.
Leah hoped her aunt would agree to attend the work frolic. There was something awful nice about having Mamma's younger sister over. She was as cheerful and cordial as Sadie was sassy these days.
"The Masts grow the best Mclntosh apples, jah?" Aunt Lizzie said between bites.
"Mm-m, such a gut apple for makin' applesauce," Mary Ruth spoke up.
"So's the Lodi . . . and Granny Smith apples, too," Hannah said, grinning at her twin.
Dat looked up at Sadie just then, as if all their talk had found its way to him, disrupting his thoughts. "Most folk have a preference for apples," he said. "Ain't so much the name as the
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