An Unexpected Amish Courtship Read online

  Isaac nodded his thanks, which must have appeared curt because hurt flared in her eyes. He longed to answer, but he wouldn’t take that chance. He’d rather she thought him rude than face her pity.

  He waved before he left, and his spirits rose when her expression softened into a smile.

  Hurrying back to the auction, he pulled his brother aside and plied him with questions. Who was the new girl at Hartzler’s barbecue stand? Did he know her name? When did she arrive? From where?

  Judging by her kapp, she hailed from the Midwest. But Isaac wanted to know all the details.

  Andrew laughed and shrugged. “Looks like someone’s interested in a girl,” he said to his brother Zeke, who was walking past.

  “Isaac?” Zeke laughed. “Really?”

  Isaac wished he could stop the heat rising up his neck and splashing onto his cheeks. I just asked a few simple questions, Andrew. You didn’t have to turn it into such a big deal.

  Andrew clapped him on the shoulder. “Sorry, Isaac. I didn’t mean to tease. Tell you what. I’ll go over to the stand during our next break and see what I can find out. I’m curious about this girl myself.”

  Torn between wanting information and worrying the angel would prefer his brother, Isaac set his jaw and nodded. The girl wouldn’t be interested in him anyway, not when she realized the truth.

  * * *

  If Sovilla hadn’t been committed to Henry, she might have been interested in the strange young man who’d stopped at the stand. His blond hair and handsome features arrested her attention. But he’d been downright rude. Maybe girls fawned all over him, so he treated them with disdain.

  He didn’t even bother answering her questions. He just pointed at what he wanted and never thanked her for giving it to him. Yet something in his eyes called to her. A glint of loneliness.

  She had no right to judge others.

  The man who worked at the candy stand next to her laughed. “Wow, that kid has the hots for you.”

  Since they’d come in that morning, the man, who’d introduced himself as Nick, had made crude remarks as if he wanted to get a rise out of her. Although they bothered her, Sovilla ignored them. If she could stay calm through Onkel Lloyd’s temper fits, she could handle Nick’s comments. She hoped that if he didn’t get a reaction from her, he’d soon stop.

  “I noticed you eyeing him too. Oh-ho, we might just have another farmers market romance here.”

  Sovilla had no idea what other romance he was referring to, but she didn’t want Nick to get the wrong impression. Keeping her tone polite and kind took some effort, but she managed to say, “I have a boyfriend in Ohio.”

  She hadn’t heard from Henry yet, which had raised some doubts. What if he didn’t want a long-distance relationship? What if he found someone else closer to home?

  “Sorry. I’m just teasing.”

  Nick’s apology startled her.

  Sovilla handed her customer a bakery bag and some change, then she turned to face Nick. “That’s all right. You didn’t know.”

  He shook his head. “What’s with all you Amish girls? You’re so sickeningly sweet.”

  Sovilla could introduce him to a few sharp-tongued Amish girls or women who’d change his mind. “Not all of us are.”

  “Just my luck to get stuck with the ones who are, especially when I’m itching for a fight.”

  “Why?”

  Her question had caught him off guard. He sputtered. “Well, because—because . . .”

  “Because what, Nick?”

  He shrugged. “I don’t know. Pent-up anger and irritation, I guess. My son gets on my nerves. My wife, well, we had an argument this morning, and she got in the last word before she slammed the door.”

  Sovilla hid a smile. Nick seemed like the type who liked to dominate. Sort of like her onkel. It frustrated them if they didn’t win an argument. Lloyd kept going until he did. Was Nick the same way?

  She kept her tone gentle. “Maybe it’s nice for your wife to get the last word in.”

  “Ya think? Now you sound like her.” He peered at her suspiciously. “You been collaborating with her?”

  “I’ve never met her.” Then she added almost under her breath, “But I know what it’s like to never win an argument.”

  Was that sympathy in Nick’s eyes? Sovilla didn’t have time to find out. She waited on another customer.

  During their next lull, Nick sidled over. “Hey, I can understand you not wanting to get tromped on. That’s what my wife says I do to her ideas. I imagine it’s even worse with old battle-ax Wilma. People around here call her Pickle Lady.”

  Sovilla winced. She’d sensed a deep sadness under her aenti’s gruffness. Someone or something had hurt Wilma badly.

  “Sorry,” Nick said. “I guess with her being your relative and all, I shouldn’t criticize.”

  “You’re right.” Sovilla didn’t want to hurt his feelings, but she’d rather not hear negative things about her aenti.

  “But you gotta admit, she can be one mean lady.”

  Nick had to get the last word in. Sovilla might have smiled if his words hadn’t been so true. Still, she had to defend her aenti. “She’s not as cruel as some people I know.”

  “Me?” Nick clapped both hands against his heart and fake swooned. “You wound me.”

  He was quite an actor and seemed to enjoy creating drama. “I didn’t mean you, Nick.”

  “You didn’t?” He looked almost disappointed. He obviously relished being the center of attention. Then his eyes widened. “Not your boyfriend, I hope.”

  “Neh.” She’d chosen Henry for his kindness and gentleness.

  “Who, then?” Nick prodded.

  Sovilla clammed up. She shouldn’t be speaking negatively about her family this way.

  “Oh, all right. Be that way.” Nick lifted his nose in the air and strode off to wait on a customer.

  How did Fern share her bakery stand space with such a temperamental man? It must be exhausting.

  Speaking of temperamental men, here came that blond again. But as he neared, she changed her mind. He might be a mirror image of that previous customer, but he carried himself differently.

  With a swagger and a confident smile, he leaned one elbow on the counter to study her. “You’re not Fern.”

  Sovilla nodded. “May I help you?”

  “I don’t know. Can you? I’d like a little information.”

  “I’m brand-new here, but I’ll to my best to help.”

  “Good. You answered my first question. I wondered why I hadn’t seen you before.”

  Gideon glanced her way and cleared his throat. Sovilla jumped. He was paying her to wait on customers, not flirt with them. Not that she’d been flirting, but from a distance it might look that way.

  “Did you want to order something?”

  “I hadn’t planned to, but I don’t want you to get in trouble with your boss. Gideon can be vicious when he’s cross.”

  Sovilla stared at him. So far, Gideon had only been kind.

  The blond laughed. “You should see your eyes. You look scared. I was only kidding. I’ve never met anyone as easygoing as Gideon.”

  “Hey, Sovilla, is that kid bothering you?”

  “I’m not bothering her, Nick. Am I, Sovilla?” He emphasized her name as if checking he’d gotten it correct.

  “Neh, but some of the customers behind you might want to order.”

  With a sheepish grin, he stepped aside to let her fill the orders. He waited until everyone had gone and then stepped up to the counter again.

  “Which Lantz are you?” Nick challenged.

  “I’m Andrew. But you can tell us apart by now, Nick.”

  “Then that was your twin Isaac who was mooning over Sovilla this morning. Now you. It’s her first day. Stop your pestering. Leave the poor girl alone.”

  “I’m just trying to get to know her.”

  “You and a dozen other Amish guys. Besides, she has a boyfriend.”

  S
ovilla ducked her head. Nick sure knew how to embarrass people.

  Andrew must have sensed her distress. “Sorry, Sovilla. I only wanted to be friendly and welcome you to the market.”

  “And snoop for details,” Nick’s voice boomed around the market, and customers turned to stare.

  Sovilla wished she could sink into the floor and disappear.

  “You’re embarrassing her, Nick,” Andrew said.

  “I think the shoe’s on the other foot. If I give you the gory details, will you go away and leave her alone?”

  Andrew tapped his chin with one finger. “I’ll think about it. Especially if you lower your voice.”

  “She’s from Sugarcreek, Ohio. And she’s living with her aunt Wilma, also known as the Pickle Lady.”

  Andrew’s eyes popped open at that information.

  “She’s helping out this week while Fern’s away. And she’s probably around your age. Twenty or so?”

  “Nineteen,” Sovilla whispered. She didn’t want all her personal details broadcast around the market.

  “Perfect.” Andrew smiled.

  “She’s already taken,” Nick warned.

  “Right. I heard you.” Andrew turned to Sovilla. “Nice to meet you.”

  Just before he headed off, Nick said, “Watch out for those Lantz boys. There’s a whole passel of them.”

  “Better be nice, Nick.” Andrew’s voice held a teasing note. “You wouldn’t want to lose all twelve of your best customers.”

  “They have twelve boys?” Sovilla asked after Andrew had gone.

  “Naw, only seven of the twelve are boys.” Then he leaned close and said quietly, “They’re all good kids, but don’t let them know I said that.”

  Sovilla doubted she’d have the opportunity to tell them anything. Most likely Nick had scared them off. Not that it mattered. She already had a boyfriend. One she hadn’t heard from since she’d arrived.

  * * *

  “So, Isaac, here’s the good news,” Andrew announced when he returned from his scouting trip. “She’s nineteen. Her name’s Sovilla. A pretty name for a pretty girl.”

  Isaac frowned. He hadn’t intended for Andrew to get interested in the girl. If his twin decided to go after her, Isaac had no chance.

  “Now for the bad news.” Andrew lowered his voice. “She’s Pickle Lady’s niece.”

  No way. That sweet girl couldn’t possibly be related to the meanest woman in the market.

  Zeke rushed past. “I saw her getting out of Wilma’s car this morning, so Andrew’s right.”

  Poor Sovilla. Isaac wanted to rescue her. He couldn’t even imagine how horrible it would be to live with Pickle Lady. She’d been awful to him from the time he was little. If she treated strangers and acquaintances so terribly, how did she treat her own relatives?

  “Before you go charging off to save her . . .”

  His brother had read his mind. That was the frustrating part of being a twin. Andrew always seemed to know what he was thinking. Caught up in pondering that, he almost missed the rest of Andrew’s sentence.

  “. . . you should know she has a boyfriend.”

  Isaac’s spirits plunged. Of course. Any girl that pretty and sweet would be taken.

  Not that he had any chance with Sovilla—he rolled the name around in his mind, feeling the beauty and weight of it—but he wished she were free to date. He didn’t feel right daydreaming about a girl who wasn’t available. As hard as he tried to stop them, though, his thoughts kept straying.

  Although he fought the temptation until midafternoon, Isaac couldn’t stay away from the stand. He avoided the bakery counter at the end and instead got in line for chicken barbecue.

  By craning his neck to the left, he had a perfect view of Sovilla’s profile as she waited on customers. She had such a lovely smile—at least what he could see of it.

  He’d been focusing so hard on glimpsing her full smile as she turned to get a bakery box, he missed the line moving forward.

  “Yo, buddy,” a man behind him groused, “you gonna move up, or should we move around you?”

  Startled, Isaac glanced up to see no customers in front of him and Gideon waiting patiently for his order. Isaac jiggled Snickers’s harness to move forward.

  “Hey, Isaac,” Gideon teased, “you want me to introduce you to our new worker?”

  Isaac shook his head. “N-neh.”

  “You seem interested.”

  Isaac froze. He’d only seen the girl once. Well, twice if you count now. Why would Gideon assume Isaac was interested?

  Gideon put him out of his misery by asking, “Your usual?”

  Relieved, Isaac nodded. They needed to get their conversation back to business. Still, he couldn’t help sneaking peeks while Gideon filled his order. After he paid, he took one last look, then steered Snickers to a table where he had a perfect view.

  Ten minutes later, Andrew strode over to the table. “I’ve been looking for you everywhere. What’s taking so long? We have work to do.”

  Isaac lowered his gaze and crumpled his bag. “I’m coming.”

  Andrew rotated to see what had caught Isaac’s attention. “I see why you chose to eat here.”

  Ignoring his brother, Isaac tossed his trash in a nearby bin. He shouldn’t be wasting his time. Too pretty and too perfect, Sovilla would never consider him. Besides, he reminded himself for the millionth time, she had a boyfriend.

  Chapter Three

  Usually, Sovilla had energy to spare at the end of the workday, but her first day at the Pennsylvania farmers market had exhausted her. Part of it stemmed from missing Mamm and her sisters. She also had to get used to a new area, where her kapp stood out among the gauzy, heart-shaped kapps of Lancaster, and adjust to life with an aenti she had never known existed.

  In fact, ever since she’d started for Lancaster on Saturday, she’d faced one shock after another. First, the crowded stations had bewildered her. She’d never seen so many people or heard so much noise.

  If a kindly woman named Pearl hadn’t come up to her and offered to help, Sovilla might still be paralyzed in the bus station, unsure of where to go or who to ask. Pearl was headed to Lancaster too, so she shepherded Sovilla through the stations and onto the bus and train.

  The landscape whizzed by the windows so fast, Sovilla’s stomach sloshed. By the time they pulled into the Lancaster station, she’d grown so dizzy, she swayed when she tried to stand. Pearl caught Sovilla’s arm before she pitched forward into the man pushing his way out of the opposite seat.

  “I’m sorry,” she mumbled.

  Giving her an impatient look, he brushed by, bumping her with his briefcase as he passed.

  Pearl’s grip on her arm tightened. “Just ignore him. I’m not in any hurry. Let’s wait a minute to let those who are rushing to catch other trains get out.”

  When only a few stragglers remained, Pearl ushered Sovilla into the station.

  A mannish-looking woman with short hair and saggy jowls approached them. “Sovilla?”

  At the gruff tone, Sovilla backed away. How did this woman know her name?

  “Oh, good,” Pearl said. “Someone’s here to meet you.” She patted Sovilla’s shoulder. “It was nice to meet you, dear. My husband’s over there.”

  She wanted to grab Pearl’s arm and beg her not to leave. Sovilla wanted to run from this frowning woman, who’d stuffed her blocky body into a floral-print dress that strained at the seams. The hem flowed down to bloated calves and ankles, which bulged over the tops of dirty, torn canvas sneakers. Although she appeared to be Mennonite, she wore no head covering.

  “You are Sovilla, aren’t you?” the woman demanded.

  “J-jah, I mean yes.” Sovilla should have been politer. Perhaps this woman was her aenti’s driver. She only wished Wilma had come with her.

  “Thought so,” the woman said with satisfaction. “You look like your mamm.” Then she laughed. “Besides, right now, you’re the only young one in the station wearing that Amish g
etup.”

  Sovilla had no answer to that. And when had this driver met her mother? She’d never known Mamm had traveled to Lancaster.

  “Well, come along. I don’t have all day.” The woman marched out of the station.

  Trailing behind, Sovilla ventured to ask, “Is Wilma all right?” Mamm had said Wilma would meet her, but maybe with her upcoming hip operation, she’d been confined to her bed.

  The woman stopped so suddenly Sovilla almost ran into her. A loud bellow of laughter shook her body, and everyone around them stopped to stare.

  “Mercy, child, who do you think I am?”

  “I—I don’t know. Wilma’s driver?”

  Pivoting to face Sovilla, the woman pointed her thumb at herself. “I’m Wilma.”

  Sovilla shook her head, trying to clear it. Maybe all that traveling had scrambled her brain or her hearing. “But—but . . .”

  “What? I’m not Amish? You wouldn’t be either if you’d gone through what I did.”

  “I’m sorry.” Although Sovilla wasn’t sure what she was apologizing for, the pain in Wilma’s eyes called for some acknowledgment.

  “I guess your mamm explained everything.”

  “Neh, she didn’t. She said to ask you. If you want to tell me, that is.”

  For a moment, Wilma’s face dissolved into sadness. Then her face hardened. “I don’t.” She whirled around and stomped toward the parking lot.

  Sovilla had to race to keep up with Wilma’s long strides. She hadn’t meant to offend her aenti. Her aenti ? Sovilla struggled to believe she and Wilma shared the same heritage.

  On the way home from the train station, Wilma stopped at the market to be sure nobody had stolen any of her jars of pickles. That’s when Sovilla discovered she’d be expected to take over her aenti’s market stand after the operation. Although Sovilla baked pies and cakes for the farmers market at home, here she’d make and sell pickles.

  While her aenti went for what she called a quick look-see, Sovilla stayed in the car, her eyes closed, trying to make sense of her new life. Several times during the trip she’d caught the sharp side of Wilma’s tongue. Not wanting to face Wilma’s derision, Sovilla closed her eyes to hide the tears burning behind her eyes.