“Oh. I see.”
She saw his mouth tighten, but he didn’t explain why he was caring for his newborn niece, and she didn’t ask where the baby’s mother was.
“I had a youngie watching her,” he explained, “but she’s inexperienced with babies, and she was busy today anyway, just when I needed her most. I’m going to have to find someone more dependable.”
“Ach, that’s hard.” She looked down at little Mercy in her arms. The warm bundle filled an empty hole in her heart, and she hugged the baby to herself. “Look, she’s sleeping. She’ll be quiet now the rest of the trip, I think.”
Levy sighed. “I can’t thank you enough. Bopplin are a lot harder than I thought.”
“Ja.” If this was his niece, why was he taking care of his sibling’s child? There was some sort of mystery here.
He set the horse at a comfortable trot as the town fell behind them. He took a side road filled with rolling hills and broad farms. A slight breeze cooled the heat.
“So—what brings you here to visit your aunt and uncle?” inquired Levy. “Where are you from? Are you staying long with them?”
Jane took a moment before answering. She didn’t want to start explaining why she’d taken such an extended trip or what she left behind. Now was not the time to explain her mixed-up love life.
“I’m from Jasper, Ohio,” she answered. “It’s about a four-hour train ride from here. I told Onkel Peter I’d be happy to work in the store. He said he could use another clerk, and offered me a job.” Anxious to avoid delving into her background, she changed the subject. “What is it you do?”
“Produce farming, with some accounting on the side. The boxes I picked up at the station hold crates and display materials for weekend sales at a farmer’s market where I sell every Saturday through the end of October. Nearly all my yearly income is earned during the summer at the farmer’s market, so it’s a very busy time for me. As you can imagine, taking care of Mercy is going to be difficult.”
Jane’s brow furrowed. “Why are you taking care of her at all, if she’s your niece?”
“Because my sister isn’t here.” His words were clipped.
All kinds of questions floated around in Jane’s mind. If his sister wasn’t here, what about the baby’s father? Was the infant an orphan? It seemed Levy was being just as cagey about why he was caring for a young infant as she was in relating her reasons for leaving her hometown. “She’s a beautiful baby” was all she said.
“Yes, she is. And she deserves more than being cared for by a bachelor uncle.”
“Why haven’t you asked someone to help you? The community must be full of women who would be happy to lend a hand.”
“I… I’ve only had her a few days. The youngie I hired doesn’t seem to be comfortable with an infant this young. I’m going to have to find someone more experienced.” He gave her a sidelong look, then turned his attention back to the horse. The animal’s hooves clattered in a comfortable rhythm.
Jane didn’t ask the circumstances under which little Mercy was dropped in her uncle’s lap. She would hear it soon enough. “Ja, it’s unusual for a man to take care of a baby all on his own.”
“It also gives me a new appreciation for young mothers.” He steadied the horse as a car passed. “You’re not married?”
“N-no.” She kept her expression neutral. She had no intention of explaining herself. “I’d rather not discuss it.”
His eyebrows rose. “Is there a story there?”
“If there is, it’s none of your business.”
“If you say so.” He grinned, and Jane caught her breath. She didn’t want to encourage any flirting. It made her uneasy. In her twenty-three years, she’d learned men didn’t flirt with her. Men didn’t court her. Men hardly paid attention to her at all—except to see her as a useful person, a woman willing to work hard. A woman willing to tackle difficult chores. It seemed to be her role in life.
She shoved her glasses back up her nose. “You’re rude, Mr. Struder.”
“And you’re a mystery, Miss Troyer.”
She hugged the baby closer, feeling as if the infant was a defense against unwelcome assumptions by Levy Struder. The unasked question hovered in the air—Why don’t you have any of your own?—and she was grateful Levy didn’t voice it. Instead, she turned the tables. “Mercy must have caused you quite a flurry of preparations, if she came to you unexpectedly.”
“Ja, she did. I had nothing for a baby. It’s hard to get work done. I tried bringing her out into the fields with me in her basket, but that only lasted a few minutes at a time. I didn’t realize how demanding young babies are. Or how much women do to care for them.”
“That’s our secret weapon,” joked Jane. “We make it seem easy.”
By the time they approached Grand Creek, Jane was glad to see the familiar green fields, produce stands and white farmhouses of an Amish community. Mercy woke up and whimpered briefly, but she settled into Jane’s arms and seemed content to be held.
“I’ve never seen her so quiet.” Levy waved at a distant acquaintance as they passed by on the road. “She’s been fussy since she came to me. Frankly, I was just about at my wit’s end.”
“At this age, babies are pretty simple creatures,” replied Jane. “Food, clean diapers, close body contact. That’s about it.”
“I think it’s a woman’s touch too. She didn’t seem too happy to have me hold her.”
“Maybe you need baby lessons.” She smiled at the thought of teaching this strange man how to care for an infant. Caring for babies came to her so naturally that even this unfamiliar baby lay content in her arms. It was ironic that Gott would grant her the gift of soothing babies, but very little likelihood she would ever have any of her own.
“Baby lessons. Maybe I do need them—” He interrupted
