Where was Adam? She had been surprised to see his signal after supper, when Mamm had asked her to check on the meat in the smokehouse. She had been surprised to see the bit of cloth hanging on the blackberry bushes so late in the day. They had used the signal since they were children, ever since Adam had discovered that they both liked spying birds’ nests in the woods.
She shivered a little. The cloth on the brambles had been blue instead of the yellow Adam always used. It could be a mistake. Perhaps one of her brothers had caught his shirt on the brambles instead.
A breeze fluttered dry leaves still clinging to the underbrush around her. She would wait a few minutes more, and then go back into the house. When a branch cracked behind her at the edge of the grove, Hannah lifted the edge of her shawl over her head, tucking a loose tendril of hair under her kapp, and slipped behind a tree. Let him think she was late. It would serve him right to worry about her for a change. He had been so serious lately. What was it about turning twenty that made him forget the fun they had always had? Would she be the same in two years?
Like a hunting owl, a figure flitted through the trees to her right. Hannah stilled her shivering body, waiting for Adam’s appearance, but the figure halted behind the clump of young swamp willows at the edge of the clearing. So, he was waiting to frighten her when she arrived. Hannah smiled. She’d circle around behind and surprise him instead.
As she gathered the edges of her cloak to pick her way through the underbrush, she heard a giggle from her left. Liesbet? Hannah waited. She didn’t want her younger sister spying on her conversation with Adam.
The wind tore fitful clouds away from the harvest moon, illuminating the clearing as Liesbet stepped into the light.
“Where are you?” Liesbet peered into the dark underbrush. “Come now, I know you’re here.”
Hannah clenched her hands. Liesbet was like a pesky gnat at times, always following her when she wanted to be alone. She was ready to step out from behind the tree to confront her when Liesbet spoke again, in English instead of Deitsch.
“George, stop playing games with me. You’re going to scare me.”
Hannah froze. Who was George?
Suddenly a man leaped from the trees behind Liesbet and caught her around the waist. She turned with a little shriek and fell into his arms.
“George, you did it again. I know you’re going to be the death of me one day.”
Hannah covered her mouth to keep a gasp from escaping. The man who had been hiding among the willows wasn’t Adam.
“Ah, lass, you’re so much fun to scare, but you know ’tis only me, not some ghoulie prowling around the woods here.”
Liesbet giggled and snuggled closer to George. As he turned into the moonlight, Hannah could see him clearly, from his blue corded trousers to the snug-fitting cap perched on top of his head. His cocky grin reminded her of a fox carrying off a chicken from the henhouse. Certainly not an Amish man, or even Mennonite or Dunkard. She had never seen him before, but Liesbet had, for sure. She ducked farther behind her tree before either one of them could spot her.
“Give us a kiss, lass. The boys and I are only here for the one night. We’re heading on to Philadelphia tomorrow.”
Hannah could hear the pout in Liesbet’s voice. “You’re going away again? You never spend any time with me.”
“Aye, and my sweet Lizzie, whenever I ask you to come along, you always play the little girlie who stays at home.”
“It wouldn’t be proper for me to tag along with you and your friends.”
George’s low laugh sent chills through Hannah. “No, lass, not proper at all.” Then his voice took on its teasing tone again. “Admit it, you’re just too young.”
“I’m nearly sixteen!”
“Aye, like I said, you’re just too young.”
They grew quiet, and then Hannah heard a groan from George. She risked a glimpse around the tree. Liesbet was pressed up to him, her hands clinging to his shoulders while she kissed him. As Hannah watched, the man pulled Liesbet closer, one hand reaching up to pull off her kapp and letting her blond curls tumble to her shoulders. He buried his fingers in her hair, continuing the kiss until she struggled to pull out of his grasp. She stepped just beyond his reach and gave him a coy look.
Liesbet, what are you doing?
“Do you still think I’m too young?”
“Lizzie, you’re enough to drive a man to distraction.”
Hannah heard a warning in George’s voice, but Liesbet turned her back on him and walked to the edge of the clearing. She was playing games with the man, but the look on his face in the moonlight was hungry. Predatory. Hannah shivered again.
“When will you get back?”
“In a week or so, you can bet on that, and then I’ll be around for another of your kisses.”
Liesbet turned to look at him, her face a careful pout. “Why can’t you stay here? I don’t like it when you’re gone so much.”
“I have to go, Lizzie, but you know I can’t stay away from you too long.”
There was another pause as Liesbet turned her back on the man. Hannah would have smiled if Liesbet’s game wasn’t so dangerous. It wasn’t often she didn’t get her way.
George snaked out a hand to catch her elbow and pull her close. “Lizzie, lass, give me another kiss. The lads are waiting for me.”
After another lingering kiss, George released Liesbet and turned her around, giving her a solid swat on the behind before he took off along the creek bank, whistling as he went.
Hannah watched Liesbet as she stood in the clearing, bouncing on her toes, humming the same tune George had been whistling, her pretend pout gone.
Stepping out from behind her
