Read Online The Christmas Quilt: Quilts of Love Series by Vannetta Chapman - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Vannetta Chapman
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her in any way. If you have a difference of opinion with Eli, or any business matter that needs settling, you will save it—”
“But he—”
“You will save it for the proper time and place, which is not my home or any home on Sunday.”
Rachel’s face blushed red.
“Am I clear?”
Rachel drew herself up to her full height, and Annie was struck again by how tall she was, tall and exceptionally beautiful.
“Tell me you understand, Rachel.”
She pressed her lips together until they formed a white line. “Oh, I understand.”
He motioned, a ladies-first gesture. Rachel left the room, heading straight for the bathroom.
“Do you think she’ll be all right?”
“Today? Yes. But something is wrong she’s not speaking of. I’ll ask the bishop to meet with her, but I doubt she’ll be any more open with him. I’ll also write her mother.” His last words were added softly as he touched her arm gently and they returned to the sitting room.
Jacob and Reba were back from the barn. As they began a time of silent prayer, Adam slipped in through the mudroom. Within a few moments they all began eating and soon they put the rough start to their meal behind them. It wasn’t too hard, at least on the surface. Reba entertained them with tales from the veterinary practice. Charity updated them on how David was doing, and Rachel’s boys chimed in with stories from the schoolhouse. Soon the snow began to fall outside—not a heavy snowfall, but enough to cast a special glow on the day.
A fire crackled in the big cast-iron stove, and its coziness dispelled any earlier gloom. Eli challenged Matthew to a game of checkers and Jacob sat by the fire, showing Zeke how to whittle a piece of wood into a whistle.
Adam was pretending to read The Budget , but it was soon obvious from the sounds behind the paper that he was asleep.
Though Rachel didn’t actually participate, she did sit near the window and read.
Leah waddled out of the bathroom and up to the counter as Annie was setting out the desserts. “Little guys must be taking up a lot of room inside me. I can’t believe I had to go again.”
She glanced from Annie to Rachel, who stood and walked to the other side of the room, to watch Matthew’s checkers game.
Annie and Leah were carrying the leftover lunch food to the refrigerator in the mudroom when Leah started giggling.
“Are you going to share with me what you’re laughing about?”
“I wish you could have seen the look on your face, and on Samuel’s face, when Rachel said my knitted booties were horrid.” Leah’s giggles turned into full laughs and she had to put her dish down so she could hold her stomach. “Oh my, that was priceless.”
“Leah Weaver.” Annie lowered her voice to a whisper. “Here I was worried that Rachel Zook had hurt your feelings.”
“Didn’t hurt my feelings. Doesn’t keep her from selling the things I make, and I can use the money. Maybe we can fashion a sign saying horrid little booties .” Leah giggled again, then wiped her eyes and grew serious as they moved to the window, propped their elbows on the ledge, and studied the falling snow. “And did you see the way Adam jumped to my defense? It was nice.”
The silence stretched between them for a few moments.
“My life isn’t perfect by any measure,” Leah added. “But hers must be awful lonesome.”
“Lonesome?”
“Sure. You can be surrounded by people and still be lonesome. No one to speak to once the boys are in bed. No one to watch the snow fall with if you wake early in the morning.”
Annie reached forward and touched the windowpane. The temperature outside was dropping, and she was glad she’d be spending the evening beside Samuel. “You’re a pretty smart girl, you know that?”
“Doesn’t take smartness to understand why someone snaps or to see that Samuel’s sister-in-law is afraid of something.”
Annie was so surprised at Leah’s words that she jerked her head up, bumping it on the
“But he—”
“You will save it for the proper time and place, which is not my home or any home on Sunday.”
Rachel’s face blushed red.
“Am I clear?”
Rachel drew herself up to her full height, and Annie was struck again by how tall she was, tall and exceptionally beautiful.
“Tell me you understand, Rachel.”
She pressed her lips together until they formed a white line. “Oh, I understand.”
He motioned, a ladies-first gesture. Rachel left the room, heading straight for the bathroom.
“Do you think she’ll be all right?”
“Today? Yes. But something is wrong she’s not speaking of. I’ll ask the bishop to meet with her, but I doubt she’ll be any more open with him. I’ll also write her mother.” His last words were added softly as he touched her arm gently and they returned to the sitting room.
Jacob and Reba were back from the barn. As they began a time of silent prayer, Adam slipped in through the mudroom. Within a few moments they all began eating and soon they put the rough start to their meal behind them. It wasn’t too hard, at least on the surface. Reba entertained them with tales from the veterinary practice. Charity updated them on how David was doing, and Rachel’s boys chimed in with stories from the schoolhouse. Soon the snow began to fall outside—not a heavy snowfall, but enough to cast a special glow on the day.
A fire crackled in the big cast-iron stove, and its coziness dispelled any earlier gloom. Eli challenged Matthew to a game of checkers and Jacob sat by the fire, showing Zeke how to whittle a piece of wood into a whistle.
Adam was pretending to read The Budget , but it was soon obvious from the sounds behind the paper that he was asleep.
Though Rachel didn’t actually participate, she did sit near the window and read.
Leah waddled out of the bathroom and up to the counter as Annie was setting out the desserts. “Little guys must be taking up a lot of room inside me. I can’t believe I had to go again.”
She glanced from Annie to Rachel, who stood and walked to the other side of the room, to watch Matthew’s checkers game.
Annie and Leah were carrying the leftover lunch food to the refrigerator in the mudroom when Leah started giggling.
“Are you going to share with me what you’re laughing about?”
“I wish you could have seen the look on your face, and on Samuel’s face, when Rachel said my knitted booties were horrid.” Leah’s giggles turned into full laughs and she had to put her dish down so she could hold her stomach. “Oh my, that was priceless.”
“Leah Weaver.” Annie lowered her voice to a whisper. “Here I was worried that Rachel Zook had hurt your feelings.”
“Didn’t hurt my feelings. Doesn’t keep her from selling the things I make, and I can use the money. Maybe we can fashion a sign saying horrid little booties .” Leah giggled again, then wiped her eyes and grew serious as they moved to the window, propped their elbows on the ledge, and studied the falling snow. “And did you see the way Adam jumped to my defense? It was nice.”
The silence stretched between them for a few moments.
“My life isn’t perfect by any measure,” Leah added. “But hers must be awful lonesome.”
“Lonesome?”
“Sure. You can be surrounded by people and still be lonesome. No one to speak to once the boys are in bed. No one to watch the snow fall with if you wake early in the morning.”
Annie reached forward and touched the windowpane. The temperature outside was dropping, and she was glad she’d be spending the evening beside Samuel. “You’re a pretty smart girl, you know that?”
“Doesn’t take smartness to understand why someone snaps or to see that Samuel’s sister-in-law is afraid of something.”
Annie was so surprised at Leah’s words that she jerked her head up, bumping it on the
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