impelled to break it. “Would you like to see more of the construction?”
She seemed relieved as she nodded. “You have done a lot in one week’s time.”
“There is still much to do, but we will be finished before school starts.”
“May I look around?” Rachel asked.
“Ja,” Noah said with a grin. “Come. I’ll show you more and explain what we will be doing next.”
Rachel enjoyed the tour of the house with Noah as her guide. He showed her where the bedroom would be, the parlor or front room and the pantry, where she would be able to stock her canned and baked goods.
Every step of the way, Noah was conscious of Rachel beside him. He could hear every tiny exhalation of her breath, detect the clean scent of her skin. He could feel the warmth that radiated from her to him. She smelled like sunshine and rose-petal soap.
“You will have all that you need to be comfortable,” he said.
She followed him as he stepped outside the house.
“Preacher Stoltzfus and his family are donating the stove and freezer,” he said, “and the Zooks have given money toward a new gas refrigerator.” Before Rachel could comment, Noah continued. “We will put a clothesline here.” He gestured to a grassy area in full sun. “I will make the wooden T-bars for the line myself—”
“Rachel!” Samuel, Noah’s father, came up the dirt driveway. He carried a handsaw and a carpenter’s tool belt. “You like the house,” he said knowingly.
Rachel glanced over in surprise that he could read her thoughts. “It is wonderful.”
Samuel looked pleased. “Abram Peachy and your uncle Amos will be helping us to finish the floors.”
“Rachel brought muffins and water, Dat. ”
“Aunt Mae’s muffins,” Rachel said. She liked Noah’s dat. He was a gentle man with a ready smile. Noah is like him, she thought, but then was embarrassed by her own thoughts.
“Tell Mae we appreciate the muffins.”
Rachel nodded. “May I see inside the schuulhaus again?” she asked.
“Ja.” Samuel grinned. “You will enjoy teaching?”
Rachel grinned back as she inclined her head. “I am glad I was asked to come. Everyone in Happiness has been kind to me.”
“We are glad that you came to us,” Samuel replied. “You will be good for our children. Come and I’ll open the school for you.”
“You are easy to be kind to,” Noah said softly as they trailed behind Samuel.
Surprised by the intensity of his tone, Rachel flashed him a look and was stunned by his expression. It was almost as if he liked her, felt the same little thrill that she experienced whenever they were together. But that couldn’t be… It was Charlotte who had stolen his heart and affections.
Samuel unlocked the schoolhouse door and then handed Rachel the key. “For you. So you…can come and visit whenever you wish. I’m sure there is much to be done before a new session of school starts.”
Rachel was touched by Samuel’s thoughtfulness. She saw Noah in his father’s face. Is this what Noah will look like in the years to come? Cousin Charlotte is lucky to have a good and kind man, she thought.
Samuel and Noah accompanied Rachel inside the schoolhouse and reported on the progress made since her last visit.
“You now have writing paper and pencils,” Samuel said.
“We have installed a pencil sharpener,” Noah added.
Eyeing the metal crank sharpener, Rachel beamed. “I’m eager to begin.”
“The first day of class will be here in no time,” Samuel said.
Rachel noted that the schuul room still smelled like newly varnished wood but she could detect additional scents…of paper and chalk, pencil shavings—someone must have tried out the pencil sharper, she thought—along with the roses that someone had left in a vase on the teacher’s desk. The combined scents reminded her of her own schuul days and the joy she’d gained from learning English and math and other important lessons for life.
Shortly afterward, they returned
She seemed relieved as she nodded. “You have done a lot in one week’s time.”
“There is still much to do, but we will be finished before school starts.”
“May I look around?” Rachel asked.
“Ja,” Noah said with a grin. “Come. I’ll show you more and explain what we will be doing next.”
Rachel enjoyed the tour of the house with Noah as her guide. He showed her where the bedroom would be, the parlor or front room and the pantry, where she would be able to stock her canned and baked goods.
Every step of the way, Noah was conscious of Rachel beside him. He could hear every tiny exhalation of her breath, detect the clean scent of her skin. He could feel the warmth that radiated from her to him. She smelled like sunshine and rose-petal soap.
“You will have all that you need to be comfortable,” he said.
She followed him as he stepped outside the house.
“Preacher Stoltzfus and his family are donating the stove and freezer,” he said, “and the Zooks have given money toward a new gas refrigerator.” Before Rachel could comment, Noah continued. “We will put a clothesline here.” He gestured to a grassy area in full sun. “I will make the wooden T-bars for the line myself—”
“Rachel!” Samuel, Noah’s father, came up the dirt driveway. He carried a handsaw and a carpenter’s tool belt. “You like the house,” he said knowingly.
Rachel glanced over in surprise that he could read her thoughts. “It is wonderful.”
Samuel looked pleased. “Abram Peachy and your uncle Amos will be helping us to finish the floors.”
“Rachel brought muffins and water, Dat. ”
“Aunt Mae’s muffins,” Rachel said. She liked Noah’s dat. He was a gentle man with a ready smile. Noah is like him, she thought, but then was embarrassed by her own thoughts.
“Tell Mae we appreciate the muffins.”
Rachel nodded. “May I see inside the schuulhaus again?” she asked.
“Ja.” Samuel grinned. “You will enjoy teaching?”
Rachel grinned back as she inclined her head. “I am glad I was asked to come. Everyone in Happiness has been kind to me.”
“We are glad that you came to us,” Samuel replied. “You will be good for our children. Come and I’ll open the school for you.”
“You are easy to be kind to,” Noah said softly as they trailed behind Samuel.
Surprised by the intensity of his tone, Rachel flashed him a look and was stunned by his expression. It was almost as if he liked her, felt the same little thrill that she experienced whenever they were together. But that couldn’t be… It was Charlotte who had stolen his heart and affections.
Samuel unlocked the schoolhouse door and then handed Rachel the key. “For you. So you…can come and visit whenever you wish. I’m sure there is much to be done before a new session of school starts.”
Rachel was touched by Samuel’s thoughtfulness. She saw Noah in his father’s face. Is this what Noah will look like in the years to come? Cousin Charlotte is lucky to have a good and kind man, she thought.
Samuel and Noah accompanied Rachel inside the schoolhouse and reported on the progress made since her last visit.
“You now have writing paper and pencils,” Samuel said.
“We have installed a pencil sharpener,” Noah added.
Eyeing the metal crank sharpener, Rachel beamed. “I’m eager to begin.”
“The first day of class will be here in no time,” Samuel said.
Rachel noted that the schuul room still smelled like newly varnished wood but she could detect additional scents…of paper and chalk, pencil shavings—someone must have tried out the pencil sharper, she thought—along with the roses that someone had left in a vase on the teacher’s desk. The combined scents reminded her of her own schuul days and the joy she’d gained from learning English and math and other important lessons for life.
Shortly afterward, they returned
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