A Simple Vow by Charlotte Hubbard Read Free Book Online Page B

their breath as Vernon’s eyes widened. “Oh my, that complicates things,” he murmured. “That branch of the family tree severed itself from the rest of us a couple of generations ago—over some silly feud I can’t even recall. But jah , Will is my great-nephew. Clearly, I need to venture over that way to visit with him and his troubled family. Sooner rather than later.”
    “While you’re there, I’m sure you’ll find a gut , stable home these babies can grow up in,” Dat said purposefully. “We’re happy to help Will in his time of need, but every child should be raised by its own kin.”
    “That’s the best thing for all of us, to be surrounded by a family who loves us,” Bishop Tom agreed quietly. “With everyone praying on it, and meanwhile caring for the babies as we’re able, I believe God will lead the folks involved to make the right decisions.”
    “Indeed, we’ll look back to this day as a pivotal point when our faith changed lives,” Vernon said in a low, eloquent voice. “The babies’ lives, of course, but our own, as well. We’ve been placed in an urgent position of opportunity to be the hands and feet of our Jesus in today’s world.”
    Everyone nodded, considering what the two bishops had said. Edith believed their sentiments possessed the power of sermons, elevating this situation to a higher purpose. She felt even more earnest about carrying out the favor Will had asked of her this morning, giving him—and Asa—the chance to straighten out their knotty dilemma.
    Edith found herself thinking about Asa . . . how his dark hair shimmered like ravens’ wings, and the way he’d sworn to care for the twins even though he hadn’t fathered them. When Leroy began to fuss, Edith stepped over to take him from Jerusalem. “Probably hungry again,” she suggested.
    “Smells kind of ripe, too,” Jerusalem replied with a chuckle. “Better for these wee ones to be with you than with Naz or me. Until we married Tom and Vernon, we’d been maidel school teachers all our adult lives, you see.”
    “ Jah , we didn’t do any baby-raising as young women, and now we’re too old,” Nazareth continued the story with a chuckle. “I’d probably prick the poor things with the diaper pins—”
    “Or put the diaper on the wrong end altogether,” Jerusalem teased.
    “Puh!” her sister retorted. “Who’s the aunt responsible for Bennie’s showin’ Luke and Ira how to drink the sugar water out of the hummingbird feeders because she didn’t realize things had gotten too quiet?”
    Jerusalem’s graying eyebrows waggled at her younger sister. “And they’re the sweetest nephews of the bunch, ain’t so?” she shot back. “No finer men in Willow Ridge than those three.”
    Edith laughed at this back-and-forth between the middle-aged sisters, even as Leroy began to wail—which inspired Louisa to do likewise. “If you’ll excuse us,” Edith said as Loretta relieved Nazareth of the twin she’d been holding.
    “We’d best be goin’ anyway.” Bishop Tom reached for his hat. “My cows’ll be wonderin’ what happened to me if I don’t get to milkin’ them soon.”
    “And we’ll be starting back to Cedar Creek,” Bishop Vernon said as he gestured for his wife and sister-in-law to precede him toward the door. “I’ll get in touch with Will and see how we can help on that end—and meanwhile, we’ll keep you all in our thoughts and prayers. It’s been a blessing to get better acquainted with you Riehls today.”
    Edith led the way upstairs, murmuring baby talk to settle the infant she carried, as Loretta and Rosalyn followed her with the other crying baby. Once in Edith’s room, they laid the babies on the towels she’d spread upon her bed.
    “We’ll need to figure out what to use for a crib,” Loretta said as she unfastened a diaper. “And we need a changing table, and—”
    “Maybe the ladies will bring some of those things to the store for us tomorrow,” Edith replied.