Jude’s heart swelled with love for Leah—and gratitude to God—that, for whatever reason, Stevie had finally decided his stepmother was a woman he could trust. “That’s exciting,” he said, hugging the boy close as he gazed at Jeremiah. “Do we have any idea where she planned to look?”
“She was goin’ wherever Tinker Bell was!” Stevie blurted out. His eyes twinkled with mischief. “I told Leah the girls let me watch a movie about Tink on their phone, and I wasn’t supposed to say nothin’ about that. But Alice and Adeline aren’t s’posed to have that fancy kind of cell phone, huh, Dat?”
Jude’s suspicions spun as he wondered how many more revelations his boy would make. “No, but that’s another matter entirely,” he said. He lowered Stevie until the boy was standing on the bleachers. “Our first priority is locating Adeline and Alice before trouble finds them, so—”
“I’d check at home first,” Bishop Vernon said pensively. “Your girls are upset by what they overheard—and they’d be acting out even if their mother were still alive—but I doubt they had a destination in mind when they took off. They’ll find out pretty fast that the English world doesn’t offer many options to young people without ready cash or a car.” He squeezed Jude’s shoulder, nodding. “If anyone can ferret them out, Leah can. She’s resourceful in ways most Plain women aren’t.”
“Let’s hope so,” Jude muttered. “We certainly didn’t see this coming when we considered the problems our marriage might face.”
Vernon’s blue eyes shimmered with a hint of sadness. “My suspicions about Frieda’s youthful inclinations years ago have just been confirmed,” he said with a shake of his head. “You and Leah have taken the higher path, and I wish you all the best as this situation plays out. Shall we pray about it?”
Jude couldn’t recall ever praying in a sale barn, but he bowed his head and motioned for Stevie to do the same. If Bishop Vernon and God could give him some assistance with Alice and Adeline, he’d be foolish not to accept it.
“Lord and Father God, You’ve loved Your wayward children since before Adam and Eve rebelled against You,” Vernon intoned. “We ask Your continued assistance as Jude and Leah strive to reconcile their family’s difficult situation. Bless Adeline and Alice with the insight to follow Your ways and to believe in the blessings You’ve given them in the form of caring parents. Amen.”
“Denki, Bishop,” Jude said, pointing Stevie toward the door. “I’ll head home as you’ve suggested, and hope the girls are there.”
“If they’re not, come and get me,” Jeremiah said, clapping Jude on the back. “Between the two of us, we know of every possible place in Morning Star where they might be holing up. Your girls aren’t the first Amish teenagers to run around doing questionable things during their rumspringa, after all.”
Jude smiled. “Jah, but it feels like a hundred years ago when you and I were running under the adults’ radar. And we were guys—without cell phones,” he added. He held out his hand, pleased when Stevie grabbed hold of it. “Let’s go home, son. You can tell me about the new baby goats and the calves along the way.”
As they rode in the rig, Jude nodded and smiled at Stevie’s enthusiastic rendering of his adventures with Leah this morning, but his mind was gnawing on a different subject altogether. What if Alice and Adeline have taken off with those English boys folks suspect they’ve befriended? What if they’ve learned enough about getting around in the English world to fare better than Bishop Vernon has predicted?
“—and then Leah told me about how come the calves and some of her cows are black with white faces even though the bull is red,” Stevie was saying excitedly. “And she let me scoop their alfalfa pellets into the feeding trough!”
Jude focused on his boy, grateful to God for the purposeful shine in Stevie’s eyes as he spoke with such enthusiasm. “What was so special about today—so different?” he asked softly. “You’ve been around Leah for a long time now, yet today’s the first time I’ve seen you really excited about spending time with her.”
Stevie’s eyes widened as he considered Jude’s question. “I dunno,” he said with a winsome shrug. “I guess I was really happy when she told me I could be a friend to the new goats. Alice and Adeline are always tellin’ me I’m too little and too—too stupid to do stuff—”
Stevie’s chin quivered as he took in Jude’s shocked frown. “Uh-oh. Now they’re gonna know I blabbed about somethin’ else they told me to keep quiet about.”
“No, they’re not,” Jude whispered, cupping his boy’s face in his hand as he held Stevie’s gaze. He wasn’t surprised that the twins were showing Leah so little respect, but his heart curdled at the thought that they’d been convincing Stevie he was stupid or inadequate. “There’s something else I need to know, and it’s just between us guys, all right? Leah and the girls will never hear what you tell me.”
Stevie’s expression grew serious. “Jah, Dat. It’s just you and me and Rusty—and horses can’t carry tales,” he added, crossing his heart with his finger.
Jude didn’t spoil the moment’s solemnity by chuckling at Stevie’s way with words. For safety’s sake, he guided his bay gelding to the shoulder of the road and eased the horse to a halt. “Stevie, do the girls ever tell you things about Leah that . . . that make you think your new stepmamm is mean or scary?” he asked carefully. “Have you stayed away from Leah because you believed Alice and Adeline when they said Leah might hurt you?”
The boy’s wide eyes spoke volumes, and Jude’s heart twisted in his chest.
“Sometimes,” Stevie replied in a faltering whisper.
Jude bit back a remark intended for his daughters, because his son shouldn’t have to carry the burden of his disappointment. “You don’t have to tell me
