Gary?
“Grace, are you listening to me?” Ruth nudged Grace’s arm again.
“Wh–what was that?”
“Do you think there will be more attacks?”
“Oh, I hope not.” Grace pulled a bolt of blue material off the rack and held it up. “I think this is the one I want.”
“Should we look for some white to make your apron now?”
“Okay.” Grace followed Ruth to the other side of the room. Several shelves near the front of the store were stocked with bolts of white material, and she glanced out the window to see if Mom was still talking to Cleon’s mother. She didn’t see any sign of either woman. “I wonder what could be taking Mom so long,” she said, turning to face her sister. “I don’t see her anywhere, and I’m getting worried.”
“She and Irene probably went into one of the other stores. You know how gabby our mamm can get whenever she’s with one of her friends.”
Grace nodded. “Jah, she does like to talk.”
“What do you think of this?” Ruth asked, as she handed a bolt of white material over to Grace.
“It’s nice, but I’d like to keep looking awhile.”
“Want me to hold it out in case you decide it’s the best one?”
“Sure.” Grace looked out the window again, and she nearly dropped the bolt of material she held when she saw her mother standing on the sidewalk talking to Gary.
“What’s wrong, Grace? Your face has gone pale as goat’s milk,” Ruth said in a tone of obvious concern.
“It ... it’s that reporter. He’s talking to Mom, and I’ve got to stop him.” Grace thrust the material into her sister’s hands and rushed out the door.
***
Judith heard Grace holler even before she saw her running down the sidewalk, frantically waving her arms.
“What is it, Grace? What’s the matter?”
Grace gulped in a quick breath and grabbed hold of Judith’s arm. “I—I thought you were with Irene.”
“I was, but she was in a hurry to get home, so she left a few minutes ago.” Judith turned to the English man she’d been talking to and smiled. “My daughter’s choosing the material for her wedding dress today, and she’s real excited.”
“Is she now?” Gary looked over at Grace and offered her a wide grin. “Who’s the lucky man?”
“Mom, are you coming?” Grace gave Judith’s arm a little tug, and their elbows collided. “Sorry.”
“No harm done. I’ll come with you as soon as I’ve answered this man’s questions.”
“He’s some kind of a reporter, Mom. Dad wouldn’t like it if anything you said was put in some publication for the whole world to read.” Grace gripped her mother’s arm, and Judith noticed a look of fear in her daughter’s eyes.
The man stared at Grace, and his auburn-colored brows drew together. “Say, haven’t we met before?”
Grace’s eyes darted back and forth, and her face turned crimson. “Mom, let’s go.”
Judith had never seen Grace act in such a strange manner. She seemed afraid of the man. Did the thought of being asked a few questions make her that nervous, or was she still feeling jumpy about the break-ins?
Judith turned to the reporter and smiled. “I think we’d best be on our way.”
He gave her a quick nod. “Sure. I’ve got some business that needs tending to, anyway.”
Judith hurried off toward the quilt shop with her distraught daughter beside her.
“What did you tell that fellow?” Grace asked before they entered the store. “You didn’t mention the break-ins, did you?”
“Of course not. If your daed doesn’t want the sheriff to know, he sure wouldn’t want such news put in some magazine or newspaper for everyone to read.”
“What kind of questions did he ask, and what did you tell him?”
Judith shrugged. “He wanted to know my name and how long I’ve lived in Holmes County. Then he asked me a couple of questions about our family.”
Grace halted in front of the shop door. “What kind of questions?”
“Just wondered how many children I have and what type
“Grace, are you listening to me?” Ruth nudged Grace’s arm again.
“Wh–what was that?”
“Do you think there will be more attacks?”
“Oh, I hope not.” Grace pulled a bolt of blue material off the rack and held it up. “I think this is the one I want.”
“Should we look for some white to make your apron now?”
“Okay.” Grace followed Ruth to the other side of the room. Several shelves near the front of the store were stocked with bolts of white material, and she glanced out the window to see if Mom was still talking to Cleon’s mother. She didn’t see any sign of either woman. “I wonder what could be taking Mom so long,” she said, turning to face her sister. “I don’t see her anywhere, and I’m getting worried.”
“She and Irene probably went into one of the other stores. You know how gabby our mamm can get whenever she’s with one of her friends.”
Grace nodded. “Jah, she does like to talk.”
“What do you think of this?” Ruth asked, as she handed a bolt of white material over to Grace.
“It’s nice, but I’d like to keep looking awhile.”
“Want me to hold it out in case you decide it’s the best one?”
“Sure.” Grace looked out the window again, and she nearly dropped the bolt of material she held when she saw her mother standing on the sidewalk talking to Gary.
“What’s wrong, Grace? Your face has gone pale as goat’s milk,” Ruth said in a tone of obvious concern.
“It ... it’s that reporter. He’s talking to Mom, and I’ve got to stop him.” Grace thrust the material into her sister’s hands and rushed out the door.
***
Judith heard Grace holler even before she saw her running down the sidewalk, frantically waving her arms.
“What is it, Grace? What’s the matter?”
Grace gulped in a quick breath and grabbed hold of Judith’s arm. “I—I thought you were with Irene.”
“I was, but she was in a hurry to get home, so she left a few minutes ago.” Judith turned to the English man she’d been talking to and smiled. “My daughter’s choosing the material for her wedding dress today, and she’s real excited.”
“Is she now?” Gary looked over at Grace and offered her a wide grin. “Who’s the lucky man?”
“Mom, are you coming?” Grace gave Judith’s arm a little tug, and their elbows collided. “Sorry.”
“No harm done. I’ll come with you as soon as I’ve answered this man’s questions.”
“He’s some kind of a reporter, Mom. Dad wouldn’t like it if anything you said was put in some publication for the whole world to read.” Grace gripped her mother’s arm, and Judith noticed a look of fear in her daughter’s eyes.
The man stared at Grace, and his auburn-colored brows drew together. “Say, haven’t we met before?”
Grace’s eyes darted back and forth, and her face turned crimson. “Mom, let’s go.”
Judith had never seen Grace act in such a strange manner. She seemed afraid of the man. Did the thought of being asked a few questions make her that nervous, or was she still feeling jumpy about the break-ins?
Judith turned to the reporter and smiled. “I think we’d best be on our way.”
He gave her a quick nod. “Sure. I’ve got some business that needs tending to, anyway.”
Judith hurried off toward the quilt shop with her distraught daughter beside her.
“What did you tell that fellow?” Grace asked before they entered the store. “You didn’t mention the break-ins, did you?”
“Of course not. If your daed doesn’t want the sheriff to know, he sure wouldn’t want such news put in some magazine or newspaper for everyone to read.”
“What kind of questions did he ask, and what did you tell him?”
Judith shrugged. “He wanted to know my name and how long I’ve lived in Holmes County. Then he asked me a couple of questions about our family.”
Grace halted in front of the shop door. “What kind of questions?”
“Just wondered how many children I have and what type
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