calculating eyes. When he had determined the obvious, that Sofia wasn't there, he asked to look through the rest of he house.
"Sure, if you like," Annie said. Abram stayed at the officer's side as he looked through the house. His gaze flitted to paintings and empty spaces. He even had Annie open the door to her bedroom, something that she did not make her look pleased. When he had finished his search of the house, he took his leave. At this point, the sweet smell of sugared breads had permeated the first floor. Some of the girls had taken the trays of food from the kitchen and begun to distribute them, There was laughter and more singing, as the youths hummed with excitement and speculation.
"A bit odd, that one," Annie said, once the police officer was gone. "What did he think, we'd kidnapped the poor girl?"
"Something happened to her. You saw that wound on her head, and the clothes she was wearing before were torn and she didn't have any shoes, only muddy socks," Abram said. "When she heard that police officer's voice, she was terrified."
"Why would she be scared of the police?"
"She wasn't scared of the police. She was scared of that officer specifically. That's why I asked Samuel to take her. She was so scared she was shaking."
"You think that Englischer police officer did something to her?"
"I don't know. I don't think she does either. But there's something wrong about this situation. It was as though God guided my words, when I was speaking with that officer. And maybe it's nothing, but I couldn't let her go with him, not when she was so scared."
"Humph. You really are willing to go a long way for a stranger, and an Englischer to boot."
"It's not so much. The Ordnung says that we should help others. "
"Be careful Abram," Annie said. "Even if she wasn't troubled, she would be an Englischer, and very, very young. If you're interested in finding another wife, I will be happy to help. You've lived too long alone as it is. It will be good to bring some light into your house."
"I—I don't--" How could Abram think of replacing Rebekah in his home or in his heart?
"It's just good to see you out for something other than Church meeting or the like. And this is the most alive I've seen you in a long time. I thank God for bringing the Englischer girl into your life for that. I just hope by God she is safe and will be able to return to her mamm and daed unharmed. Well," Annie corrected herself, "Having suffered no more harm. Are you going to ride home tonight, or do you think you'll need to stay over?"
"I asked Samuel to take Sofia to stay the night at my sister's. I should go also, to make sure she's comfortable."
"Comfortable, ja." Annie pursed her lips. "Be careful, Abram. You don't know this girl. She doesn't even know herself."
"Ja, danki." Abram said, thanking her.
Annie didn't let him go until he had piled her up with a take home container of cinnamon smelling friendship bread and creamed potato casserole. "Just a little something to share with Esther," she said. "You take care of yourself, ja. Take care with your heart."
It was a fair warning, Abram thought. Not that he had any expectations beyond helping the Englischer girl. The man he had been briefly, before Rebekah and his vows to the church might have been able to cross into her world, but for now, his place was here.
Food in hand, Abram walked past the room where the singing circle was still in full swing. A tremulous soprano coursed over the group, and soon the others joined in. Abram paused at the entrance, leaning against the door frame.
It as a hymn of thanksgiving that Abram had sung all through his childhood, as all of them had, and he sang it with all his heart. No matter how it all had ended, he was grateful to his bones that Rebekah had been his wife. He wished that she had stayed with him long enough for their love to have settled from the newness of passion to the steadiness of true and lasting love, bound together in the eyes of the
"Sure, if you like," Annie said. Abram stayed at the officer's side as he looked through the house. His gaze flitted to paintings and empty spaces. He even had Annie open the door to her bedroom, something that she did not make her look pleased. When he had finished his search of the house, he took his leave. At this point, the sweet smell of sugared breads had permeated the first floor. Some of the girls had taken the trays of food from the kitchen and begun to distribute them, There was laughter and more singing, as the youths hummed with excitement and speculation.
"A bit odd, that one," Annie said, once the police officer was gone. "What did he think, we'd kidnapped the poor girl?"
"Something happened to her. You saw that wound on her head, and the clothes she was wearing before were torn and she didn't have any shoes, only muddy socks," Abram said. "When she heard that police officer's voice, she was terrified."
"Why would she be scared of the police?"
"She wasn't scared of the police. She was scared of that officer specifically. That's why I asked Samuel to take her. She was so scared she was shaking."
"You think that Englischer police officer did something to her?"
"I don't know. I don't think she does either. But there's something wrong about this situation. It was as though God guided my words, when I was speaking with that officer. And maybe it's nothing, but I couldn't let her go with him, not when she was so scared."
"Humph. You really are willing to go a long way for a stranger, and an Englischer to boot."
"It's not so much. The Ordnung says that we should help others. "
"Be careful Abram," Annie said. "Even if she wasn't troubled, she would be an Englischer, and very, very young. If you're interested in finding another wife, I will be happy to help. You've lived too long alone as it is. It will be good to bring some light into your house."
"I—I don't--" How could Abram think of replacing Rebekah in his home or in his heart?
"It's just good to see you out for something other than Church meeting or the like. And this is the most alive I've seen you in a long time. I thank God for bringing the Englischer girl into your life for that. I just hope by God she is safe and will be able to return to her mamm and daed unharmed. Well," Annie corrected herself, "Having suffered no more harm. Are you going to ride home tonight, or do you think you'll need to stay over?"
"I asked Samuel to take Sofia to stay the night at my sister's. I should go also, to make sure she's comfortable."
"Comfortable, ja." Annie pursed her lips. "Be careful, Abram. You don't know this girl. She doesn't even know herself."
"Ja, danki." Abram said, thanking her.
Annie didn't let him go until he had piled her up with a take home container of cinnamon smelling friendship bread and creamed potato casserole. "Just a little something to share with Esther," she said. "You take care of yourself, ja. Take care with your heart."
It was a fair warning, Abram thought. Not that he had any expectations beyond helping the Englischer girl. The man he had been briefly, before Rebekah and his vows to the church might have been able to cross into her world, but for now, his place was here.
Food in hand, Abram walked past the room where the singing circle was still in full swing. A tremulous soprano coursed over the group, and soon the others joined in. Abram paused at the entrance, leaning against the door frame.
It as a hymn of thanksgiving that Abram had sung all through his childhood, as all of them had, and he sang it with all his heart. No matter how it all had ended, he was grateful to his bones that Rebekah had been his wife. He wished that she had stayed with him long enough for their love to have settled from the newness of passion to the steadiness of true and lasting love, bound together in the eyes of the
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