underneath the warm quilt and placed her feet on the chilled floor. Dressing quickly in an old work dress, Hetty washed her face, fixed her hair, and made her way to the kitchen. Though she hadn’t discussed the extent of her duties with Elizabeth, Hetty was excited to help and breakfast seemed the best place to start.
Entering the kitchen she noticed a basket of eggs sitting on the table. Isaac or Elias must have already collected them , she thought. Not wanting to make them wait too long for their breakfast, Hetty easily built a fire in the stove. She started the coffee, quickly mixed a batch of pancakes, and began frying bacon. Within minutes the room warmed and the smell of breakfast moved through the house. Just as she finished frying the eggs, Isaac entered through the back door.
“Good Morning, Hetty. It smells wonderful.”
“Thank you. Everything is ready. I haven’t seen Elias yet and your mother and Lottie are still sleeping. Should we wake them?”
Isaac didn’t relish the idea of having breakfast alone with Hetty. He wasn’t sure what was happening within him, but her presence unnerved him in a way he’d never experienced. He wanted to get to know her, learn what it was that made him so quick to defend her, but he was afraid. Afraid of what? His heart had long ago been hardened. No matter who this girl was, Isaac was sure she couldn’t soften it. “Elias already left. He had some fence repairs to tend to, so he left early. I think maybe we should allow Mother to rest a while longer. You won’t mind joining me for breakfast?”
“Not at all.” She smiled. She filled a plate with a hearty helping of bacon, eggs, and pancakes and placed it in front of Isaac. “Let me pour you a cup of coffee.”
Within minutes they were seated at the table, both with full plates. Isaac gently took her hand in his. “Do you mind if I say grace?”
“Please,” Hetty said.
He bowed his head, closed his eyes, and took a breath. “Lord, we thank You for this meal before us. We ask that You use it to nourish our bodies so that we may better serve Your purpose. And, Lord, we thank you for bringing Hetty into our lives and hope that her presence will be a comfort and help to us all.” He held her hand a second more before releasing it, unable to resist the softness for just a moment more. He looked up and noticed tears in her eyes.
“Hetty, is something wrong?” he asked, concerned.
“Oh, it’s nothing,” she said, waving her hand to dismiss the question. “Please don’t mind me.”
“But you look upset.” His brow showed more worry than she expected.
“It’s just...I don’t think anyone has ever said a prayer for me before,” she whispered, unable to meet his intense dark eyes.
Isaac was stunned. No one had ever prayed for her? He found that hard to believe. It was just a simple prayer, but clearly it meant more to her. For him, praying for those around him was a habit. He always included family in his worship, both privately and whenever they prayed aloud together. It was the only way he knew how to pray—including the people he cared most about. “Hetty, I use my time of prayer as a chance to show I’m grateful. You’ve been here less than a day and already you’ve helped us, you won over Lottie almost instantly, and we should all be grateful.” He moved his head indicating he wanted her to meet his eyes. And when she did he felt a pull in his heart. “We are thankful you’re here with us.”
Hetty finally looked in his kind eyes and knew he meant what he said. Here sat this beautiful man with the most amazing family and he was thankful for her. Her presence. Her work. Her place here. “Thank you, Isaac.”
He smiled and began eating his breakfast. “I’m going to take a wild guess that you don’t have much experience with family.”
Hetty chuckled. “That’s true. Your family is the first I’ve ever really been around.” Soon she was telling him about the death of her
Entering the kitchen she noticed a basket of eggs sitting on the table. Isaac or Elias must have already collected them , she thought. Not wanting to make them wait too long for their breakfast, Hetty easily built a fire in the stove. She started the coffee, quickly mixed a batch of pancakes, and began frying bacon. Within minutes the room warmed and the smell of breakfast moved through the house. Just as she finished frying the eggs, Isaac entered through the back door.
“Good Morning, Hetty. It smells wonderful.”
“Thank you. Everything is ready. I haven’t seen Elias yet and your mother and Lottie are still sleeping. Should we wake them?”
Isaac didn’t relish the idea of having breakfast alone with Hetty. He wasn’t sure what was happening within him, but her presence unnerved him in a way he’d never experienced. He wanted to get to know her, learn what it was that made him so quick to defend her, but he was afraid. Afraid of what? His heart had long ago been hardened. No matter who this girl was, Isaac was sure she couldn’t soften it. “Elias already left. He had some fence repairs to tend to, so he left early. I think maybe we should allow Mother to rest a while longer. You won’t mind joining me for breakfast?”
“Not at all.” She smiled. She filled a plate with a hearty helping of bacon, eggs, and pancakes and placed it in front of Isaac. “Let me pour you a cup of coffee.”
Within minutes they were seated at the table, both with full plates. Isaac gently took her hand in his. “Do you mind if I say grace?”
“Please,” Hetty said.
He bowed his head, closed his eyes, and took a breath. “Lord, we thank You for this meal before us. We ask that You use it to nourish our bodies so that we may better serve Your purpose. And, Lord, we thank you for bringing Hetty into our lives and hope that her presence will be a comfort and help to us all.” He held her hand a second more before releasing it, unable to resist the softness for just a moment more. He looked up and noticed tears in her eyes.
“Hetty, is something wrong?” he asked, concerned.
“Oh, it’s nothing,” she said, waving her hand to dismiss the question. “Please don’t mind me.”
“But you look upset.” His brow showed more worry than she expected.
“It’s just...I don’t think anyone has ever said a prayer for me before,” she whispered, unable to meet his intense dark eyes.
Isaac was stunned. No one had ever prayed for her? He found that hard to believe. It was just a simple prayer, but clearly it meant more to her. For him, praying for those around him was a habit. He always included family in his worship, both privately and whenever they prayed aloud together. It was the only way he knew how to pray—including the people he cared most about. “Hetty, I use my time of prayer as a chance to show I’m grateful. You’ve been here less than a day and already you’ve helped us, you won over Lottie almost instantly, and we should all be grateful.” He moved his head indicating he wanted her to meet his eyes. And when she did he felt a pull in his heart. “We are thankful you’re here with us.”
Hetty finally looked in his kind eyes and knew he meant what he said. Here sat this beautiful man with the most amazing family and he was thankful for her. Her presence. Her work. Her place here. “Thank you, Isaac.”
He smiled and began eating his breakfast. “I’m going to take a wild guess that you don’t have much experience with family.”
Hetty chuckled. “That’s true. Your family is the first I’ve ever really been around.” Soon she was telling him about the death of her
Similar Books
