Patchwork Dreams by Laura Hilton Read Free Book Online Page A

of give on her part, and a whole lot of aches and pains on his. Not to mention frustration.
    “Well, let us know what else we can do to help you feel at home.” Leah plopped the ball of dough into a bowl and covered it with a towel.
    “Jah.” Jacob nodded. Armed with cookies and water, he headed out the door. Back to the blacksmith shop.
    Jacob arrived to find the shop empty. Looking around, he saw Daniel and his visitor walking side by side toward one of the fields, still talking.
    He found a clear spot on the worktable and set down the napkin, cookies, and water, then set to work checking the fire. Next, he put away the hammers and tongs that had been left out. He didn’t know enough about the job to risk starting a new project. If Daniel had his way, however, Jacob would probably know enough about blacksmith work to rival Mose when he returned home. Maybe enough for Daed to build a forge where Jacob could do the family’s repair work.
    Or maybe enough to support Susie with his own business.
    Even if it wasn’t one of his choosing.
    Daniel strode back into the shop, his expression drawn, his shoulders slumped. The other man climbed into the buggy outside, and at a word he spoke, the brown horse pulled it down the gravel drive. Daniel didn’t watch the man go. Instead, he went and checked the fire, then headed over to get one of the tools Jacob had just put away.
    Without a word.
    He picked it up and put it down again, staring at it as if he’d never seen it before.
    Jacob flexed his jaw, wishing he knew Daniel well enough to ask him what bothered him. However, they had met just days ago, and he felt sure Daniel wouldn’t want to confide in him.
    But he didn’t want to just stand there doing nothing, either.
    “Can I help?”
    Daniel jumped. “Nein. Go…go see what Grossdaedi is doing.”
    Jacob hitched his shoulder. “Jah. Danki.”
    Leaving his coat and hat on the hook, he headed out. He’d check the barn first, having no idea how the patriarch of the family spent his days. It certainly wasn’t in the blacksmith shop with Daniel.
    He found Grossdaedi in the barn, mucking out the horse stalls. Jacob grabbed a shovel and moved in beside the elderly man.
    ***
    Becky trudged home with Emma bundled in her sling, a basket of cookies hanging on her arm, and her thoughts weighing her down. Amos Kropf had already buried three wives. Becky certainly didn’t want to be number four. She had no desire to marry a man his age. He must be in his early forties, at least.
    Daed surely wouldn’t agree to this match, would he? Not even if the bishop recommended it? Was this the only way she could hope to get married? To a man she barely knew? A man she suspected had abused his last wife?
    “Lord, I don’t want to marry Amos Kropf. I’d rather remain a maidal all my life. But if it’s Your will, help me to accept it.”
    The smoky smell from the blacksmith shop greeted her as she entered the edge of their property, though she didn’t see any cars or buggies outside it now. And she couldn’t hear any voices.
    Going up to the house, she opened the door. Daed sat at the kitchen table, staring into a cup of coffee. Jacob was nowhere in sight.
    He looked up with a sigh. “Ach, Becky.”
    She set the basket of cookies in front of him. “Annie sent these.” They had covered the cookies with pink icing while she’d visited. She unwrapped Emma and headed for the other room. “Are you alright?”
    Daed nodded. “I will be.”
    “I need to go change her diaper. I’ll be right back.”
    “Jah.”
    “Where’s Mamm?” Becky paused and turned back. If only she dared ask what bothered him now. Surely, Jacob couldn’t be so inept that it had sent Daed up to the house to brood over a cup of coffee. Besides, if he was truly that bad, then Daed wouldn’t have left him alone in the shop.
    “Upstairs working on the mending.”
    “And Jacob?” She felt her face flush with heat just saying his name.
    A ghost of a smile