Sipping her cocoa, she relished the chance to simply watch the pairing up, and was all the more eager to see Hans at Christmas.
“Are ya holdin’ up the wall?”
She had been so deep in thought, Lena hadn’t even seen Arden Mast come over. “Sorry?”
Playing along, Arden gave the wall a little push. “Looks like it’ll prob’ly stay up without your help.”
Lena laughed. “Actually . . . I was just thinking.”
Arden smiled, his deep dimples showing. “I tend to think too hard sometimes, too.” He glanced over his shoulder at Eli and Lydia, who were still talking together. Eli was eating a doughnut, and Lydia was reaching into a small bag of popcorn. “Looks like Lydia found someone else to talk to.” Arden smiled at Lena again. “I’m glad she did.”
Lena hardly knew how to react.
“I s’pose Eli gave you a ride over,” Arden said.
“Jah.”
He paused, glancing up at the barn rafters for a second, then back at her. “I s’pose you’ll need a ride home, too.”
“With Eli, I’m guessin’.”
“Well, he’s taking Lydia home . . . and me, as well.” Arden explained that his buggy was on the blink. “So I hope you won’t mind ridin’ with the three of us.”
Lena saw that she had managed to get herself in a jam. “Well, I guess since Eli’s my ride home, too, I have no choice but to go,” she answered.
“We’ll see that you get home in one piece,” Arden said.
Looking at him, she realized he was teasing her. “Des gut, then.”
———
Later, after the last gospel song was finished, Lydia whispered to Lena, “I hope ya won’t mind doublin’ up, just for the fun of it. Okay?”
“Doubling up?” Goodness! she thought, certainly seeing the downside of being too secretive with Lydia.
“Arden and you, and Eli and me,” Lydia said, clearly trying not to smile.
So word had already gotten to Lydia from Eli about Arden’s riding with them. It’s my fault for not telling Lydia about Hans, Lena scolded herself as she and Lydia made their way across the barn to get their coats and scarves. They might be in cahoots, she thought as she spotted Eli and Arden waiting for her and Lydia over near the sliding barn door.
CHAPTER
10
Bitter cold as it was now with light snow falling, Lena hoped Eli would have the sense to take the others directly home after the Singing. Lydia had gotten into the front seat of the carriage with Eli’s help, sitting next to him now as he picked up the driving lines. This left Lena awkwardly with Arden in the second seat of Cousin Harley’s enclosed family buggy, which Eli had borrowed for the evening.
“So now that you’ve been here awhile, what do you think?” Arden’s voice broke the stillness as they moved forward, the horse’s hooves sounding like soft rhythmic thumps against the snow-packed road.
“It’s pretty,” Lena replied, aware that Eli and Lydia were whispering to each other. Though not any prettier than Centreville, she thought, glad for her warm scarf and mittens.
“What have you seen so far?” Arden continued to make small talk, his gloved hands resting atop the heavy buggy blanket he’d carefully draped over Lena . . . then himself.
She mentioned the nearby gristmill, the general store, and the various farmhouses where Preaching services had been held. “Oh, and the farm market, of course.”
“Have ya been to Root’s or the Green Dragon yet?”
“We’ve talked about goin’ lately, but Mimi’s sewing and mending took up autumn’s finer days,” Lena said, feeling strange knowing from Tessa about Arden’s hope of opening a cabinetmaking shop. What sort of fellow leaves his father in the lurch?
“Well, I think you’d enjoy it if you could find the time,” Arden replied. “The Saturday-night auctions at Green Dragon are a lot of fun, as maybe you’ve heard from Harley.”
She listened, then mentioned there were markets in Michigan’s Amish country, too. “Maybe you aren’t aware of that,” she said softly, wanting him to know she hadn’t come from the sticks.
“I’ve never been out of this state, actually,” Arden said as he leaned up to look out the front window at blinking car lights ahead.
“Wonder what’s happening up yonder,” Eli said, leaning to the side to see better.
“I hope no one’s broken down in this cold,” Lydia said, sounding worried.
“Might’ve run out of gas,” Eli remarked. He sat back in the seat as they approached the car. “What do ya say we stop and offer some help, Arden?”
“Sure.”
“I’ll slow up and have a look-see at who’s behind the wheel,” Eli said, putting on the buggy brake. “See if I know ’em.”
As they approached, all of them looked at the car parked on the shoulder. The interior lights were on, and a man and woman were studying a map.
“Looks like they’re just lost,” Eli said.
“Jah, so keep goin’,” Arden advised.
“They’ve got a map . . . they’ll be fine,” Eli told Lydia, then slipped his arm around her. “Are ya warm enough?” he asked.
“Jah,” Lydia answered before suggesting they all go to her house for hot coffee. “I’m sure Mamma left out some cookies and sweet bread.”
“All right with you, Arden?” asked Eli over his shoulder.
Arden paused. “What do ya think, Lena Rose?”
“We could play Dutch Blitz,” Lydia said quickly, without turning around, appearing quite cozy up there next to Eli.
At first thought, Lena didn’t think she ought to, considering it would look like the four of them were double-dating. On the other hand, she didn’t want to spoil the evening for Lydia and Eli. “If we’re not out too late, I guess,” she agreed reluctantly.
Eli glanced back at them. “Don’t worry, Lena, we won’t meet the rooster’s crowing comin’ and goin’. My father’s entrusting your welfare to me.”
“Then I say she’s in gut hands,” Arden said.
It was as if Harley had taken his son aside regarding Lena’s first outing here. The idea made her feel warm inside. Not every young woman has
