The Wonder of Your Love (A Land of Canaan Novel) by Beth Wiseman Page A

earlier. Lucy is someone I knew in Lancaster County, and as you could see, Martha is not fond of her.”
    Eli grinned. “I noticed that. I hope I don’t ever get on Martha’s bad side.”
    Katie Ann couldn’t help but smile as she propped Jonas up on her shoulder. “It’s not a gut place to be.”
    “See you on Tuesday?” Eli adjusted his hat.
    Katie Ann bit her bottom lip for a moment. “I would like to see the sand dunes.” Then she shook her head. “But I don’t know, Eli—about Jonas. Maybe I shouldn’t have him out in the weather.”
    Eli leaned close and touched Jonas on the cheek. “We will keep this little one bundled up well.”
    Jonas puckered with delight at Eli’s touch, but Katie Ann went weak in the knees as Eli’s hand brushed against hers. She wondered if she was making the right choice about going with him. But she just nodded.
    E LI FOUGHT THE night chill all the way to his cousin’s house, and by the time he got home everyone had retired for the evening. He went straight to bathe, then propped himself up on the bed. After he adjusted the lantern, he read from the Bible for a while, but eventually his thoughts about Katie Ann won over, and he closed the book. He sighed as he made a mental note to do a little extra reading from the Good Book in the morning. Right now he couldn’t seem to shake the vision of Katie Ann playfully teasing with him about not calling her a grandmother. She didn’t smile a lot, but when she did, it stirred things in Eli that had long been dormant. A thought that was both exhilarating and frightening.
    He snuffed the lantern, lay back, and closed his eyes, wishing that things were different. Katie Ann was the first woman since Sarah who had lit a spark inside of him, but she was not anyone he’d ever pursue. Although she was lovely, and Jonas was a cute little boppli . He smiled, thinking about his time holding the child.
    Rolling on his side, he knew those days were behind him. All he had to take care of was himself, and it had been a long time coming. But surely it was safe to spend time with Katie Ann. The woman was mourning her husband, and Eli had been deliberate in his use of the word friend in their conversations.
    He rolled onto his back, then back onto his side.
    So why am I having so much trouble falling asleep?
    K ATIE A NN F INISHED nursing Jonas, laid him back down, and watched him until he fell asleep. Normally she’d eat a bowl of homemade granola for breakfast, but this morning she’d made herself some scrambled eggs. She couldn’t wait until Jonas was old enough to sit at the table. Lillian often invited her to take dinner with her family, since they lived right next door, and Martha came for most suppers, but breakfast time was lonely.
    After checking on Jonas, she carried her leftover eggs out to the barn. Maybe Dash would eat scrambled eggs. She opened the barn door and was pleased to see that the cat was using the blanket she’d laid out for him. “I have a treat for you,” she said softly as she walked across the barn. She hadn’t taken three steps when the cat dashed around the corner and out of sight. “I’ll leave this for you anyway.”
    She set the plate down, then headed back up to the house. A few minutes later there was a knock at the door. She looked at the clock on the wall. As Katie Ann predicted, Martha had arrived early.
    “ Guder mariye , Martha.”
    Martha squirmed out of a black jacket and stocking cap and hung them on the rack by the door. She grunted before she asked if Katie Ann had coffee ready.
    “ Ya . A fresh pot in the kitchen. I knew you’d be here early.” She grinned as she closed the front door.
    Martha didn’t say anything as she padded across the room in a black velour sweatsuit, her brownish-gray hair matted in the back of her head as it rested in a crumpled mess above her shoulders.
    “Yes, I know. My hair is a mess.” Martha glanced over her shoulder and frowned. “But that wool head covering