Read Online Elijah And The Widow (Lancaster County Weddings 4) by Rebecca Kertz - Free Book Online Page B

people.”
    “Thatdoesn’t mean they don’t worry their mudder .”
    “Why?” Martha asked, curious. From what she knew of the Lapp brothers, they were good men who loved their mother, their families and God, but not in that order. “Why do you worry about them?”
    “Every one of my children has given me cause for concern over the years.”
    “You can’t protect them, but you’d like to,” Martha said with understanding. She had prayed for the opportunity to become a parent, but the Lord had chosen other plans for her.
    “Ja,” Katie said. “Fortunately, my three oldest are happily married to their wives.”
    Martha studied the men in question—Jacob and Noah...and Jedidiah, who had just arrived to help out. “The Lord has blessed them.”
    “Ja,” Katie said softly. “He did.”
    For the next hour, the women served food to the workers. As Meg, Charlie and Katie filled plates, Martha checked to ensure there was plenty of food for everyone. Some of the dishes were disappearing fast. She went inside to refill platters and bowls and plates. After setting them on the food table, she returned to the house again to fetch two of the four cakes she’d baked yesterday. Martha saw the men eyeing them appreciatively as she set them on the table and uncovered them.
    “Cake,” Eli said, sniffing appreciatively. He was the first in line for a slice of Martha’s mint chocolate-chip cake.
    The other workers followed suit and came to wait for their share.
    After the men had filled their bellies, Martha watched as the crews went back to work. Their next job would be to cultivate the soil to ensure the ground was soft enough for seed. They might till the fields many times, if needed, to prepare the dirt properly.
    Martha found her gaze drawn to Eli as he and Jacob switched places behind Ike’s new cultivator. He appeared to enjoy working with the equipment while, walking along beside him, Jacob helped steer the horses and remove any obstacles, such as rocks and other debris loosened by the machine blades.
    Eli had pulled his straw hat low to shield his eyes from the sun. A light breeze rustled his royal-blue shirt and dark pants as he rose on the horse-drawn machinery from one end of the field to the other.
    She smiled as she switched her attention to Annie’s husband. Jacob was a good man who loved his wife. Annie had made a wise choice when she’d married him.
    Her thoughts turned naturally to her late husband. She was sincerely sorry that Ike had died without the joy of holding his own child. Martha tried to imagine him as a father of a houseful of children, but for some reason she couldn’t. Would he have been capable of tenderness toward his children, or would he have become impatient when the reality didn’t fit his imagination?
    Jacob Lapp was tender to EJ, and he didn’t mind showing it. Noah was sweet and loving toward his baby daughter. Was it a mother’s influence on her sons that had made them such good husbands and fathers, unashamed of showing affection?
    Ike had been gruff; she’d wondered since his passing if he would have been the father he’d hoped to be.
    “Martha?” Eli’s voice startled her later that afternoon as she cut up the second cake and transferred the slices to small paper plates. Earlier she’d made fresh iced tea, and Meg and Charlie had carried out more lemonade as well as chilled bottles of pop.
    “Back so soon?” Martha felt her face heat as she met Eli’s smiling gaze. “Are you here for another piece?” His regard made her feel tingly. “Is something wrong?” she asked when he hadn’t replied.
    He shook his head as he continued to study her. “I’d like to try the lemonade.” He watched her as she reached for the pitcher, poured him a glass. “We’re getting ready to sow seed,” he said.
    Martha gave a start. How long had she been lost in her own thoughts? “We are?”
    “Amos and my dat are still cultivating, but they’ll be done soon.” He directed her