nodded, a stunned expression still deeply etched on her face.
Although Thomas knew Elizabeth was doing her best to comfort her mother and ease her fears, she couldn’t hide the tremor in her own voice from him. He knew her too well. She was terrified.
Both women looked at the destruction surrounding them and remained speechless.
Suddenly Mary headed toward the stairs. “He must have gone upstairs, too.”
Thomas stopped her before she could reach the bottom step. “I will kumm back and take care of whatever damage was done. Right now we have to leave.”
“Leave?” Elizabeth threw him a questioning glance. “Where will we go?”
“Home. With me.” Thomas shot Elizabeth a look that let her know he would not take no for an answer. “But not before we retrieve that box and take it with us. It’s time to see what is so important inside.”
Elizabeth couldn’t stop tapping her toe or fumbling with her fingers in her lap. The steady sound of the horse’s hooves clomping up the lane did little to calm her frayed nerves.
“It will be all right, Elizabeth.” Thomas smiled and she assumed he was trying to reassure her. “That man does not know where you are going. You and Mary will be safe with me.”
If he only knew. The stranger wasn’t what made her pulse race and her body tremble with nervous energy. It was seeing his family home, meeting his children. Witnessing a life she’d always wanted but couldn’t allow herself to hope for.
“I’m not afraid, Thomas. I know you will do your best to protect us.”
The buggy turned onto a dirt lane between two white picket fences and her heart stuttered. She could see a two-story white clapboard house in the distance, with a large front porch. Two adults sat in rocking chairs watching a young boy run around the yard. She saw all of them turn their way as the buggy approached.
“Whoa.” Thomas stopped the buggy at the edge of the porch, then leaped out and reached up a hand to help Mary down from the back seat.
Elizabeth stepped down and came around the buggy just in time to see a towheaded boy barrel across the yard and fling himself at Thomas.
“Daed—Daed, kumm here. Hurry. I found a little cat hiding in the barn. Can I keep him? Kumm see.” The boy tugged on his father’s hand.
“Benjamin, mind your manners. We have company.” He tousled his son’s hair. “Say hello. We can go to look at the cat in a little while.”
The boy peered around his father and seemed surprised to see Elizabeth. His enthusiasm for the cat was tempered and he peered at her with the cutest look of curiosity on his face.
“Who are you?” He let go of his daed’s hand and came closer to her. “I don’t know you. Where did you come from?”
“Benjamin. Manners.” His father’s warning tone caused the boy to lower his eyes and stop talking.
“It’s okay,” Elizabeth assured Thomas. She squatted down to be eye level with the child. When he looked into her face, her heart seized. He was the spitting image of his father. “Hello, Benjamin. My name is Elizabeth. I am Mary’s daughter and I am a friend of your daed’s.”
The boy’s eyes grew wide. He glanced at Mary and then back to her. “I didn’t know Miss Mary could have old kinners. I thought all kinners were little like me.”
Elizabeth laughed. “Little kinners grow up. You will, too, someday.” She offered him her hand. She grinned as he placed his little fingers in her grasp and shook her hand. “Nice to meet you, Benjamin.”
He took back his hand. “Do you like cats?”
Elizabeth stood and smiled down at the boy. “I do like cats. When I was little like you, my daed let me keep a whole family of kittens in our barn. When they grew up to be adult cats they earned their keep by keeping the field mice away from the barn.”
Benjamin grinned and grabbed her hand. “Kumm with me. There’s a cat in our barn. I’ll show you.”
“Benjamin, what did I say?” Thomas placed his hands on his son’s shoulders. “There will be time for that later, sohn. Miss Mary and Miss Elizabeth have things to do right now. You go play in the barn with your cat. We will join you soon.”
Benjamin didn’t need any extra urging. He was off in a flash, running across the yard toward the barn.
“He’s adorable.” Elizabeth smiled at Thomas and the look of pride in his eyes made her heart swell.
“Kumm.” He placed a hand on her elbow. “Meet the rest of my family.”
Mary had already gone up on the porch and was in deep conversation with the two people sitting there. As Elizabeth climbed the stairs, they stood. The man welcomed her first.
“Gut afternoon. My name is Isaac. I am sorry to hear of your troubles.” He looped his fingers in his suspenders and moved to the side. “This is my wife, Rebecca.”
“Hello.” The woman stepped forward. “Welcome.” She held a toddler in her arms, and she was one of the most beautiful little girls Elizabeth had ever seen. The child sucked on her index finger and stared at her with stunningly blue eyes. Thomas’s eyes.
Elizabeth’s eyes burned with tears and she fought hard not to shed them.
This is Thomas’s family. This is what I had always wanted for him. So why, Lord, does it hurt so much?
“Hello, little one.” She smiled and clasped the child’s free fingers. “You must be Rachel.”
“Ja. This is my precious one.” Thomas took her from Rebecca’s arms. The child giggled in his arms and pulled at his beard. Absently, he placed a kiss on her forehead.
Elizabeth’s insides melted as she watched. He was a good daed. She knew he would be.
“Let’s go inside. I started a fresh pot of coffee. It should be ready by now,” Rebecca said. She looked at the two women. “Dinner will be ready shortly. There is plenty of food. You are welcome to join us.”
“Ja, thank you, Rebecca. Mary and Elizabeth will be joining us for all meals for a while. I have invited them to stay in the dawdi haus for a short time. You and Isaac are no longer needing it now that you’ve bought a farm of your own. My parents stay in the main house with me six months out of the year. It was built for family. Seems foolish to let it stand empty. Mary and Elizabeth need a place to stay so I am offering it to them.”
A surprised expression flashed across Rebecca’s face, but she covered her reaction quickly. She smiled at the two women. “Both of you are welcome.” She reached out her arms to Thomas for Rachel. “Kumm. I will set out mugs for us.
Thomas handed his daughter back to her. “Ja. We have much to discuss.” He turned to his guests. “Right after dinner I will show you to the dawdi
