My Hope Is Found: The Cadence of Grace, Book 3 by Joanne Bischof Read Free Book Online

toward the thick woods. Despite the late January temperature, he wiped his sleeve across his brow. “Toby should be here in a bit to lend a hand with the barn. I wanted to pay him, but he wouldn’t hear of it.”
    Lonnie tugged at the flannel shirt hanging low over her muddy skirt. “He’ll be here in a bit?” She tried to tuck loose strands of hair into her bun.
    “He was supposed to be here just after breakfast.” Jebediah’s gray eyebrows fell. He lifted a shovelful of muck into the wheelbarrow and dug in for more. His breath came in spurts when he spoke. “Wonder what’s keepin’ him.”
    “I’m sure he’ll be here soon.”
    “He will. That man’s the hardest worker I know.”
    “Yeah?” Her voice sounded weak. Lonnie licked her lips to keep an unwelcome emotion from betraying her.
    “Well.” Jebediah glanced at the ground between them. He ran his palms together as if to wipe dust from memories meant to be forgotten. “You know what I mean.” His tone was distant, apologetic. Gideon’s name hung in the air.
    Corralling her thoughts, Lonnie fiddled with the hem of the oversized shirt she’d put on that morning. They stood there several moments without speaking until finally Lonnie grabbed handfuls of clean straw and filled the empty nesting boxes. “Maybe I better go inside and get cleaned up.”
    “You don’t want to wait around for Toby?”
    She lifted a pinch of her skirt. “Not like this.” Having spent the morningwith Addie and the growing goats across the way, she was more than ready for a pass at the washstand and a change of clothes. Her heart sank when Toby rode Gael into view.
    “Aw, come on. You look fine to me.”
    Lonnie laughed as she moved toward the house, all the while knowing it was too late to vanish out of sight. “Sure.” She wiped her hands together, feeling the grit of dirt between them. “I think I look nice enough to give the mule a bath.”
    Hearing Toby approach, she forced herself to turn and face them.
    As he walked toward the coop, Toby pulled a pair of work gloves from his back pocket. “Give the mule a bath, you say? Now that’s a sight I’d verra much like to see.” He slowed, finally standing closer to Jebediah than Lonnie.
    But she had his gaze.
    “Sorry I’m late. A man up the way just lamed his horse. Gael an’ I spent the morning hauling wood from the forest to his door.” He flicked his thumb over his shoulder toward the brown mare who was searching for something to graze on.
    “How’d it go?” Jebediah asked.
    Toby followed Jebediah’s silent lead back into the coop, and Lonnie leaned against the doorway to keep from filling up the small space. “I think Gael was in a mood about getting up that early.” He rubbed his forehead as if tired. “But she’s young. She can handle it.” His smile landed on Lonnie. “The good news is that with his horse out of service, he asked if I’d like to borrow his wagon for anything … so I thought I’d see if you might want to come with me to church this Sunday. I know it’s too far on foot, but perhaps if I brought the wagon ’round …”
    “Oh, really?” Lonnie straightened. “That would be such a treat.”
    “I thought you might enjoy a bit of an outing.”
    She nodded and suddenly remembered how desperately she needed to get inside and change. “Would you like some coffee, Toby?”
    He rested a gloved hand on the end of his shovel. “That’d be nice, thank you.” He seemed to study her.
    “I’ll be right back.” Lonnie walked to the house. Inside, she scrubbed her hands in the kitchen washbasin, then snatched a tin mug from the cupboard and filled it with coffee. A splash of cream and a sprinkle of sugar later, she carried the steaming cup outside. As her fingers thawed from the heat, she watched Toby lower the wheelbarrow. Pulling off his work gloves, he met her halfway.
    “Thank you.” He tipped the cup to his lips.
    Lonnie fiddled with the cuff of her plaid shirt.