or Mamma. If they knew, would they say her disobedience had caused her to lose Jonas in the end? Might Mamma admit such a thing? Was the lip-kissing rule passed down from all the People's mothers to their daughters as keenly important as that? She knew of a good many young married couples that never kissed till their wedding day; some stricter groups even forbid holding hands before marriage.
Wishing the road was better lit than by an occasional yard light whenever they passed the English farmhouses, Leah wondered what time it was and how much longer she'd have to wait to return home.
Out of the blue, Smithy Gid got a talk on, and as tired as she was, she thought it best to lend her ear . . . show respect. "What would you think of going to Strasburg again sometime?" he said. ,/:; ',."'...
She wasn't sure if he, meant to ask if she enjoyed the visit
63a c r i f
acritice
to I lie neighboring village or if he was asking her for another (Idfc. So, not to confuse him, she mentioned the nice supper .^they'll had, how awful kind it was of him to include her.
"Pidja like the food?" he asked.
"Right tasty, it was. Denki."
" ''I was my first time eating there. Sam has been tellin' me nil ;iiul on for several weeks that we oughta go."
"Ho Sam knew of it, then?"
He nodded cheerfully. "That's how I heard of the place."
She was feeling sorry for Gid, truly; he was trying to draw liri (nit of her shell, wanting to make good conversation. "I lll'.i'd it just fine," she said, putting on a smile. "As gut as Imme cooking, really."
She saw him glance down to see where her hands were |iiti* then, and she was glad she'd folded them on her lap. No iciiNe making things more complicated than they already wi'i'o, him wanting more than mere friendship and her con-
l
j i' m| with things as they were. For now.
"How would you feel 'bout going to the next singing?" he
iM.Kfd.
"1 haven't been for the longest time. Might seem pecuI...I."
"Maybe you and Adah could ride together, and then . . . I'd he happy to bring you home."
She didn't know what made her say it, but without think-
lii)Ji twice, she simply said, "Sure, Gid. That'd be fine." She
r Itoped they might not end up with Adah and Sam again,
llnnigh. It was awful complicated riding around the country-
I HitU* with them when all they talked about was renting or
tmllding a house, what they needed in the way of furnishings,
63
- ; ; i I M I U' M -64
-i, J2<
and whatnot typical talk for a serious couple. Surely Gid must either know or strongly suspect this about his sister and Sam.
She looked off toward the horizon line to the west, her thoughts straying hard to Ohio . . . wondering if Sadie and Jonas were still living there. Were they happy as larks? Was it even possible for Sadie to find joy with Leah's first and only love? Quickly she felt ashamed, because it was wrong to begrudge her sister and Jonas anything.
"Sometimes you seem almost lost without your older sister," Gid said unexpectedly.
"Is it that noticeable?"
They rode along in silence for a ways. He surprised her when he slipped his arm around her shoulder, barely touching her as he did. "It pains me so ... you must know this, Leah."
Then and there, she felt the oddest twinge. She turned and looked at him really looked. Such compassion in his face, his eyes much too serious now. Usually he was easy to talk to, but this minute she felt awkward, unable to speak. She wanted to please him, to let him know how grateful she was for his caring about her, yet what should she say? What could she say?
Slowly he drew her near, letting go the reins and reaching for her ever so gently. "Oh, Leah. I'm awful sorry for what you've been through. ..."
She couldn't help herself as she began to cry, at once glad Adah and Sam were asleep sitting up in each other's arms. "You're so nice to me, Gid. You've always been so."
He held her fast, and she was surprised at how good it felt "to. rest in the strength of his arms. Like he
Wishing the road was better lit than by an occasional yard light whenever they passed the English farmhouses, Leah wondered what time it was and how much longer she'd have to wait to return home.
Out of the blue, Smithy Gid got a talk on, and as tired as she was, she thought it best to lend her ear . . . show respect. "What would you think of going to Strasburg again sometime?" he said. ,/:; ',."'...
She wasn't sure if he, meant to ask if she enjoyed the visit
63a c r i f
acritice
to I lie neighboring village or if he was asking her for another (Idfc. So, not to confuse him, she mentioned the nice supper .^they'll had, how awful kind it was of him to include her.
"Pidja like the food?" he asked.
"Right tasty, it was. Denki."
" ''I was my first time eating there. Sam has been tellin' me nil ;iiul on for several weeks that we oughta go."
"Ho Sam knew of it, then?"
He nodded cheerfully. "That's how I heard of the place."
She was feeling sorry for Gid, truly; he was trying to draw liri (nit of her shell, wanting to make good conversation. "I lll'.i'd it just fine," she said, putting on a smile. "As gut as Imme cooking, really."
She saw him glance down to see where her hands were |iiti* then, and she was glad she'd folded them on her lap. No iciiNe making things more complicated than they already wi'i'o, him wanting more than mere friendship and her con-
l
j i' m| with things as they were. For now.
"How would you feel 'bout going to the next singing?" he
iM.Kfd.
"1 haven't been for the longest time. Might seem pecuI...I."
"Maybe you and Adah could ride together, and then . . . I'd he happy to bring you home."
She didn't know what made her say it, but without think-
lii)Ji twice, she simply said, "Sure, Gid. That'd be fine." She
r Itoped they might not end up with Adah and Sam again,
llnnigh. It was awful complicated riding around the country-
I HitU* with them when all they talked about was renting or
tmllding a house, what they needed in the way of furnishings,
63
- ; ; i I M I U' M -64
-i, J2<
and whatnot typical talk for a serious couple. Surely Gid must either know or strongly suspect this about his sister and Sam.
She looked off toward the horizon line to the west, her thoughts straying hard to Ohio . . . wondering if Sadie and Jonas were still living there. Were they happy as larks? Was it even possible for Sadie to find joy with Leah's first and only love? Quickly she felt ashamed, because it was wrong to begrudge her sister and Jonas anything.
"Sometimes you seem almost lost without your older sister," Gid said unexpectedly.
"Is it that noticeable?"
They rode along in silence for a ways. He surprised her when he slipped his arm around her shoulder, barely touching her as he did. "It pains me so ... you must know this, Leah."
Then and there, she felt the oddest twinge. She turned and looked at him really looked. Such compassion in his face, his eyes much too serious now. Usually he was easy to talk to, but this minute she felt awkward, unable to speak. She wanted to please him, to let him know how grateful she was for his caring about her, yet what should she say? What could she say?
Slowly he drew her near, letting go the reins and reaching for her ever so gently. "Oh, Leah. I'm awful sorry for what you've been through. ..."
She couldn't help herself as she began to cry, at once glad Adah and Sam were asleep sitting up in each other's arms. "You're so nice to me, Gid. You've always been so."
He held her fast, and she was surprised at how good it felt "to. rest in the strength of his arms. Like he
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