His face solemn, Eli quickly agreed. “Tell her not to fret. Dat keeps a toolbox in the buggy for such emergencies. We’ll have her and her horse back on the road in no time.”
Lena thanked Eli and headed back inside, hoping he was right. Twilight was nearly upon them, and with the snow still falling heavily, it was best Lydia got home safely as soon as possible.
CHAPTER
14
With Eli’s able assistance, Harley made quick work of putting the wheel securely on the carriage, screwing a large nut onto the axle to hold the still solid wheel back in place. Eli hardly said a word as they worked, though he had been full of talk during the ride back earlier.
Harley directed Eli to take Lydia’s buggy back to the house while Harley drove his, replaying in his mind some of what Eli had said earlier. Mostly, his son had talked about the dairy farm . . . kept saying how much he enjoyed working around the cows and the barn, no matter the weather. “Guess I was born to be a dairyman,” Eli had declared, grinning as he added, “And I can never be fired.”
Harley had to smile now. Was his youngest son hinting that he wanted to take over the farm in the near future, maybe ease himself into managing the operation? If so, did it mean Eli was thinking ahead to tying the knot with Lydia Smucker?
Harley tried to imagine what it would be like with Eli married and living in the family farmhouse. Having observed him with Lydia, surely that wasn’t too far off—at least if Harley assisted him financially for the first few years. If Harley could afford to, he and Mimi would build on another smaller abode for Uncle Solomon so they could move into the Dawdi Haus and still have space for a sewing room for Mimi.
“Don’t get ahead of yourself,” Harley murmured, directing his horse into the lane and up toward the stable. “‘Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink. . . .’”
Unhitching as fast as his gloved hands would allow, Harley called to Eli, who in the meantime had brought a bucket of feed to Lydia’s horse. “Go inside and let Lydia know we’re back, won’t ya?”
“First let me take Barney to the stable for ya, Dat,” insisted Eli as he came over. “You go in and get warmed up.”
Too cold for an old man, Harley thought, reading between the lines. But he didn’t hesitate to take Eli up on the offer, and made his way toward the house. Seeing the kitchen shades drawn, golden strips of light beneath them, he picked up his step, shivering and hungry. And eager to see Mimi again after the long day away.
Once Lydia was on her way, Lena took supper over to Solomon next door, taking care not to slip on the ice and snow over that short distance. This time of year, she felt an almost aching hunger for longer days. The limited daylight was hard on folk, her mother used to say.
Noticing the stiff, frozen remnants of a few plants protruding out of the snowy whiteness near the house, Lena made her way up the porch steps of Solomon’s little Dawdi Haus.
When he came to the door, an instant smile brightened his wrinkled face. “Denki, Lena Rose,” he said, waving her inside. “I wondered how I’d get over to the main house tonight.”
“There was no way Mimi or I expected that.” She set down the container of hot soup and the wrapped plate of toasted cheese sandwiches on the small table for two, and Blackie came over to investigate from his resting spot near the coal stove in the sitting room, sniffing about. “Eli will prob’ly eat next door since he’s still helping Harley with a few things, which means you’ll have plenty here for seconds . . . even thirds.”
Solomon smacked his lips, smiling as he sat, and she dished up his soup bowl with a generous portion.
“If ya want dessert, too, I can bring it over later,” she offered, serving the rest of his meal on a plate.
A sad look crossed Solomon’s face just then.
“Are you all right?” she asked after he’d bowed his head to pray before eating.
Solomon slurped up a spoonful of soup, then paused to say, “Ain’t anything wrong with me. It’s my ol’ friend James Zook I’m concerned ’bout.”
“Is he ailing?”
“Ain’t ailing so much as sufferin’ from a bad case of loneliness. I’d go over and spend more time with him if it wasn’t so difficult to get myself out the door and in the buggy.” He chuckled. “I guess he an’ I both have some stories to tell, ain’t?” Then, studying her, Solomon asked, “Say, would ya mind takin’ me over there sometime—if ya can fit it in, that is?”
“Why sure. Actually, I have some mending to deliver to him. It’s ready, so I could even take ya tomorrow, if you’d like.”
Solomon, whose aged head and hands rarely stopped shaking, was stunned motionless. “A visit would be the nicest thing for ol’ James.” He sighed and glanced down at his soup. “And me.”
“Consider it done, then,” Lena said. “I’ll take some goodies along, too.”
“Well, now . . . I like that idea, and so will James, let me tell ya.”
They visited a while longer before Lena said she should head back to set the supper table for Mimi. “Do you want me to send Eli over to eat with ya?”
Solomon shook his head. “Don’t rush him. I’ve got Blackie here to keep me company. Ain’t that right, boy?” he said, reaching down to pet his German shepherd. “I appreciate the hot meal, Lena Rose.” He started to get up when she made a movement toward the door.
“Nee,” she said. “No need to see me out. And I’ll be sure to return with something for your sweet
