Her head jerked, and her ears swiveled back. I heard the sound of hooves as the bishop’s buggy rolled to a stop. Harvey sat for a moment watching me, as if planning what to say.
“Hello.” I smiled and tried to look at ease.
“Wie geht’s?” He got out of his buggy.
“I’m okay, but I overslept. I woke up sneezing and thought I was coming down with a cold. I figured I should avoid people so I wouldn’t spread germs. But my mamm’s herbal tea seems to have knocked it out.”
“Where’s your kapp?”
My hands flew up to cover my hair. I was relieved to feel the scarf, shabby as it was. “Ach, my kapps need pressing.” My excuse sounded lame even to me.
“Go back to your cabin and collect a wrinkled kapp. We’ll take it to my house. One of my dochders will heat up the iron.”
“Would that not be considered asking her to work on the Sabbath?”
One brow raised as he looked down on me, the way I guessed he conveyed to his daughters they were being silly. “We can’t have you spending the rest of the day looking like that. Now come along, and I’ll take you to meet my family.”
He must have noticed my reluctance because he said, “Don’t worry. I’m a cautious driver. You’ll get back here safely.”
I couldn’t refuse his offer. After all, Harvey was a bishop, not a casual friend. I dashed to my cabin to find the cleanest kapp that wasn’t too badly creased. In fact, when I set it on my head, it looked halfway decent. But not good enough to be escorted around the county by a bishop.
He took my hand and helped me climb into his buggy. “Since it’s a visiting Sunday in this district, is there anyone else you wish to see?”
“Eventually, I’d like to check on how Amos is doing. But I could use a phone to call the hospital.”
“Later we can arrange that. I spoke to Olivia’s parents this morning about her helping Ruth and Amos when he gets back home. They promised to pray about it and let us know.”
“Oh, gut. I’m glad.”
I’d never felt more ill at ease in a buggy. All other Amish drivers craned their necks to see who was perched next to Harvey. He seemed as relaxed as ever and raised a hand to everyone who waved. I endeavored to wear an expression of tranquillity, as if I didn’t notice them.
What had been a gentle breeze gained velocity, tossing the treetops. I looked up to the sky and saw clouds scudding by. It was times like these that I wished I read the weather report in the newspaper or listened to a weatherman on a radio. But nothing to be done about the weather now that I was on my way to Harvey’s. Ach, how easily he’d maneuvered me into his buggy. Or was he simply showing an act of kindness to one of his flock?
When we finally arrived at his home, I was again impressed by its stature and regal architecture. My first thought was that an Englisch man had constructed it. A wealthy man.
“How long has this home been in your family?” I asked.
“During the Great Depression, my grandfather purchased it from a man who was deep in debt. My family removed all the electrical wiring, but we kept everything else pretty much as it was except for the fancy curtains and such. I hope you like it.”
“If the inside’s anything like the outside, I know I will.” I couldn’t hide my awe.
I received a grin in answer to my remark. As Harvey pulled into the barnyard, a young woman—a fair-haired slip of a school-age girl—scurried down the back steps to greet us. She was indeed dressed casually, and she was barefoot.
“This is my youngest dochder, Linda.” Harvey seemed to brim with satisfaction. “Come and meet Eva,” he said to her.
Her eyes lifted, but not up enough to meet mine.
“Happy to meet you,” I said. She seemed to be mouthing words in return.
“Don’t be shy, Linda,” Harvey said to her, but she glanced away. I immediately felt a fondness for her, a warming in my chest. What a dear young teen.
She took hold of her father’s hand, and he patted it before letting go. “Be a gut girl and show Eva into the kitchen.”
“Kumm rei—No, I mean, please, come this way,” she told me. I got the distinct feeling she’d practiced this phrase. I wondered if the girls spoke only Deitsch at home, as I had as a child.
Just inside the kitchen stood willowy Naomi, Linda’s older sister, who also appeared a bit disheveled, much to my surprise. She shook my hand when Harvey announced her name. “Glad ta meet ya.”
“I’m happy to meet you too.” I wondered which girl took after her mamm because they were as different as night and day.
Out of the corner of my eye, I gave Harvey a looking over. Hard to tell what color hair he had as a younger man. “Grizzled” is how I’d describe it now. But he had good posture, and he carried an air of confidence and vigor.
Rapping knuckles on the back door brought Harvey’s daughters to open it. “Mammi! ” they said in unison, enthusiastically welcoming their grandmother. The round-faced, plumpish woman bustled past me carrying a cake pan covered with tinfoil.
“You brought my favorite cake?” Naomi asked.
“Yah. Chocolate with brown sugar frosting. Go ahead and cut it, and then help yourself.”
“Denki! ” Naomi took the pan from her grandma and headed for a rectangular table covered with a red-and-white gingham cloth.
I glanced out the window and saw several buggies and Amish people making their way to the back porch. As they entered
