shears.
“He might try to dissuade Seth or say things that wouldn’t put me in a favorable light.”
Julia laid her hand on Hannah’s forearm. “Simon would never bear false witness against you or any other person. And he’s not a man to prattle on with gossip or opinions.”
Hannah felt her cheeks grow hot. “I’m sorry, Julia. You’re right. I’m being foolish and wasting time on matters of no importance. I have plenty of things to concern myself with other than who Seth Miller decides to court, when he gets around to courting at all.” Shestuck a pin through the fabric and straight into her thumb. “Ouch,” she said, and quickly pulled back her hand before any blood could stain the dress.
Julia was studying her closely. “Shall I get you a bandage?”
“No, I’ll go,” said Hannah, sucking on her thumb. “I want to make us some tea to clear my head before you think I’ve taken leave of my senses.”
Setting the kettle on the stove, she contemplated Julia’s words. I believe if you were of such a mind, you’ d find the field wide open. Why did that information send her spirits soaring? Just last week she’d thought she would be content to live the rest of her life alone. Now her thoughts kept drifting to a man whose eyes sparkled like crystal prisms when he laughed.
She shook away the notion as the taste of blood soured her stomach. What in the world would Seth see in me after having a wife like Constance? But if there were any chance he might be interested, she’d like to give it a try. And she hoped the pathway to that man’s heart had nothing to do with recipes or cooking ability.
The afternoon of sewing and sharing stories from their childhood passed pleasantly. There was no more talk of Seth Miller or any other man, except for tales of the antics of Julia’s sons. Before they knew it, they’d finished two pots of tea and had cut out and basted together both girls’ dresses. Tomorrow they would sew them on the treadle sewing machine, but now they needed to fix dinner. Julia’s beef roast had been in the oven for two hours. “This cow is cooked,” she said, drawing out the words like her Missouri kin. She set the roaster on the stovetop to cool.
“I like beef so tender you can cut it up with your fork,” Hannah said as she mashed up the boiled potatoes. “You can’t do that with rare meat.” When she went to the fridge for milk and butter, shespotted Seth’s carriage as it pulled into the yard. “Seth’s here,” she announced, feeling uneasy. She regretted revealing her feelings about Seth to Julia.
“ Jah, ” Julia said, “he helps Simon with the spring planting after he finishes his own chores. He has the energy of two men.” Julia leaned over the sink to look out the window. “ Ach, good. He brought his sweet Phoebe along. We can give her the new kapps we made after supper.”
“If I had known they were coming, I would have boiled more potatoes.” Hannah wished she had kept quiet this afternoon. Now she would be nervous whenever Seth’s name was mentioned.
Julia peered into the mixing bowl. “That looks like plenty of mashed potatoes to me. Why don’t you check your critters while I finish up dinner? I’ll call Emma to help make a salad.” Julia smiled and motioned with her head toward the door.
“All right, I did want to make sure no other sheep have taken sick.” Hannah washed and dried her hands, and then caught her reflection in the small hallway mirror. Her skin looked as pale as biscuit flour, the center part of her hair was crooked, and her dress hung from her shoulders like a feed sack. Had she lost more weight? There had been nothing wrong with her appetite last night down by the creek. She’d noticed Seth watching her and felt a little embarrassed. Now even a simple thing like eating had become complicated!
Hannah noticed Phoebe alone by the pasture gate as she carried over the water buckets. The child stood on the bottom rail, her gaze
“He might try to dissuade Seth or say things that wouldn’t put me in a favorable light.”
Julia laid her hand on Hannah’s forearm. “Simon would never bear false witness against you or any other person. And he’s not a man to prattle on with gossip or opinions.”
Hannah felt her cheeks grow hot. “I’m sorry, Julia. You’re right. I’m being foolish and wasting time on matters of no importance. I have plenty of things to concern myself with other than who Seth Miller decides to court, when he gets around to courting at all.” Shestuck a pin through the fabric and straight into her thumb. “Ouch,” she said, and quickly pulled back her hand before any blood could stain the dress.
Julia was studying her closely. “Shall I get you a bandage?”
“No, I’ll go,” said Hannah, sucking on her thumb. “I want to make us some tea to clear my head before you think I’ve taken leave of my senses.”
Setting the kettle on the stove, she contemplated Julia’s words. I believe if you were of such a mind, you’ d find the field wide open. Why did that information send her spirits soaring? Just last week she’d thought she would be content to live the rest of her life alone. Now her thoughts kept drifting to a man whose eyes sparkled like crystal prisms when he laughed.
She shook away the notion as the taste of blood soured her stomach. What in the world would Seth see in me after having a wife like Constance? But if there were any chance he might be interested, she’d like to give it a try. And she hoped the pathway to that man’s heart had nothing to do with recipes or cooking ability.
The afternoon of sewing and sharing stories from their childhood passed pleasantly. There was no more talk of Seth Miller or any other man, except for tales of the antics of Julia’s sons. Before they knew it, they’d finished two pots of tea and had cut out and basted together both girls’ dresses. Tomorrow they would sew them on the treadle sewing machine, but now they needed to fix dinner. Julia’s beef roast had been in the oven for two hours. “This cow is cooked,” she said, drawing out the words like her Missouri kin. She set the roaster on the stovetop to cool.
“I like beef so tender you can cut it up with your fork,” Hannah said as she mashed up the boiled potatoes. “You can’t do that with rare meat.” When she went to the fridge for milk and butter, shespotted Seth’s carriage as it pulled into the yard. “Seth’s here,” she announced, feeling uneasy. She regretted revealing her feelings about Seth to Julia.
“ Jah, ” Julia said, “he helps Simon with the spring planting after he finishes his own chores. He has the energy of two men.” Julia leaned over the sink to look out the window. “ Ach, good. He brought his sweet Phoebe along. We can give her the new kapps we made after supper.”
“If I had known they were coming, I would have boiled more potatoes.” Hannah wished she had kept quiet this afternoon. Now she would be nervous whenever Seth’s name was mentioned.
Julia peered into the mixing bowl. “That looks like plenty of mashed potatoes to me. Why don’t you check your critters while I finish up dinner? I’ll call Emma to help make a salad.” Julia smiled and motioned with her head toward the door.
“All right, I did want to make sure no other sheep have taken sick.” Hannah washed and dried her hands, and then caught her reflection in the small hallway mirror. Her skin looked as pale as biscuit flour, the center part of her hair was crooked, and her dress hung from her shoulders like a feed sack. Had she lost more weight? There had been nothing wrong with her appetite last night down by the creek. She’d noticed Seth watching her and felt a little embarrassed. Now even a simple thing like eating had become complicated!
Hannah noticed Phoebe alone by the pasture gate as she carried over the water buckets. The child stood on the bottom rail, her gaze
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