Dangerous Amish Inheritance
“Why is this man coming after you?” he asked once she moved out of his embrace.
She shook her head and cast her eyes down. “It is difficult to discuss.”
“You mentioned coffee earlier,” he suggested, hoping to ease her tension. “A cup would be good for both of us.”
“Yah, you are right. I brewed a pot early and kept it on the stove so it will still be hot.” She led the way into the kitchen and poured the coffee. After opening a cabinet drawer, she lifted out a large manila envelope, carried it to the table along with the filled cups and sat across from Noah.
“I do not want you to think badly about my husband, but it is necessary to tell you some things so you understand what is happening.” She stared at the envelope and then glanced up at Noah.
“Perhaps you have already heard talk in town?” she asked.
“I didn’t talk to anyone about you, Ruthie. I thought your father was still alive and that you and your husband lived elsewhere.”
“If you had asked, you would have heard that my husband liked to gamble.”
Noah saw the pain on her face.
“What started as an occasional problem grew worse with time,” she admitted.
Noah took her hand. “I’m sorry.”
“The hardest part was his disregard for the boys, especially Simon. Not that Ben was a better father to Andrew.”
“He knew you were pregnant when you married?”
She nodded and pulled back her hand. “I was truthful. He said it did not matter that I was in the family way, but it did matter. Evidently more than either of us realized.”
Her words cut into Noah. The thought of Simon being raised by a man who didn’t love him was almost too much to bear. Noah carried the guilt for the deaths of his brother’s family. To learn that he was also responsible for a child who had been slighted by his stepfather weighed him down even more.
“What about the church district?” he asked. “Did the bishop not offer counsel?”
“Ben did not accept criticism or advice, even from the bishop. When Andrew was a baby, my husband caused a disruption during Sunday services while the bishop was speaking. Ben called him a hypocrite and said all the elders were ungodly men who preached lies.”
“Oh, Ruthie, how that must have hurt you.”
She wrung her hands. “Ben said he wanted nothing more to do with the church. Because of his gambling and his disregard for the bishop’s counsel, he was removed from the faith, just as he wanted.”
“You mean Bann and Meidung?”
“Yah. He was excommunicated and shunned.”
“But you weren’t. Surely the bishop would not hold what your husband did against you.”
“I was Ben’s wife. If he was cut off from the community, I was, too.”
“You could have asked for help.”
She glanced at him, her eyes revealing the shame she must have felt for all these years.
“As you know, Noah, we live on the mountain, far from town. What do the Englisch say? Out of sight, out of mind.”
He nodded. The townspeople had not made an effort to help Ruthie because of her husband.
“Although to be honest, a few people checked on me after the incident in church. Following Ben’s death, they reached out to me again, but I was still too shamed by my husband’s actions as well as his shunning and refused their help.”
“How does all this have bearing on what’s happening now?” he asked.
She glanced again at the envelope. “Ben would go to town once a month to get the mail and to gamble.”
Her voice was little more than a whisper. “The last time he went to town, my father went with him. My datt’s health was bad. He had grown so frail. I asked Ben to take him to the medical clinic for an exam, which I am certain interfered with Ben’s gambling. On the way home, he raced through an intersection and never saw the approaching car that had the right of way.”
“They both died in the collision.”
Ruthie nodded. “Comforting the boys was hard. They did not understand how Gott could take both their father and their grandfather. Some people said it was Gott’s will, but that is difficult for children to comprehend.”
She paused for a moment and then added, “It was difficult for me to accept, as well.”
“You’ve been through so much, Ruthie.”
“It is life, yah? We are given both the good and the bad. How we act in those difficult situations can either build strength or tear us down. I am determined to remain strong.”
“You have always been strong and faithful to the Lord. You’re showing the boys how a gut person lives, and they learn well from your example.”
“I fear they are now learning how a hateful man can ruin a family’s peace and well-being.” She withdrew a piece of paper from the envelope, unfolded it and placed it on the table.
Pointing to the paper, she said, “This is what I found under my door two weeks ago. It states that I need to leave the farm.”
Noah read what appeared to be a hastily scribbled note written in green ink. “Do you recognize the handwriting or the color of the ink?”
She shook her head. “Several days ago another note was slipped under my door.”
Withdrawing the second slip of paper from the envelope, she sighed. “This one is also written in green ink and says I would be sorry if I did not leave within forty-eight hours.”
Noah looked at the date on the second letter. “And the fire occurred last night as the deadline lapsed?”
She nodded. “I did not realize he would be so hateful. I fear evil has taken over his heart.”
Noah tried to think why this property would be so important.
Ruthie folded the papers and returned them to the envelope. “The man talks about hurting my children. That is what frightens me.”
“We need to tell the sheriff.”
“And what will he do? Willkommen is far from the mountain. My children and I live here alone. I have no phone to call for help.”
“Cell reception is almost impossible on the mountain, Ruthie. I’ve had trouble trying to make calls since I returned home, but if you need to contact anyone, you can try my phone.”
“I cannot rely on you, Noah. You are here now, but you will leave as soon as your father’s land is sold. I do not blame you. As you said, why would anyone want to live on Amish Mountain? It is true, but it is the only thing I have to call my own, other than my wonderful sons. I want to pass this farm on to them. Without the land, how would I grow food or raise chickens and have eggs? There is so much work to do with a farm, but I want to raise my children on this mountain.”
As much as Noah admired Ruthie’s determination, he knew she would be an easy target for the man who had come after her. Noah needed to talk her out of staying, but since he hadn’t been able to convince Ruthie to leave years ago, he doubted he could convince her to leave now.
Perhaps there had been more to her staying back then than just caring for her father. The Amish felt a kinship with the land. It provided their livelihood, their food, their ability to sustain life.
In his youth, Noah hadn’t been aware of Ruthie’s love of the land. Now that he had nothing of his own and no one to hold on to, he could understand her desire to remain on the farm that had belonged to her family for generations.
He thought of his own guilt in his brother’s tragic death. Noah had no right to find comfort in his childhood home and surrounding property. He would sell it all and continue to wander from job to job, even if a portion of his heart remained on the mountain, as it had so long ago.
Ruthie could not sleep. Every time she closed her eyes, she envisioned the man with the distorted face and the tattooed arm. Discouraged and upset, she rose from bed and walked to the window. A light from Noah’s house glowed in the darkness. Perhaps he, too, was trying to make sense of her tangled life.
She had not wanted to tell Noah about her husband. The mistake of marrying Ben had been her own to make. She did not need pity, or for Noah to feel responsible for the struggles she had endured. Life had to be accepted, no matter how difficult. Ben often told her if she was a better wife, he would have been a better husband. Not that she understood his logic. Whenever he spoke such nonsense, she would busy herself with cooking or cleaning and steel her heart to his criticism. Her father had never offered praise and his words had been caustic at times, but Ben’s belligerence was different, and no matter how hard she tried to shrug off his comments, they troubled her spirit and sapped the joy from her life.
What hurt her even more is that she had tried to be a dutiful wife, but Ben’s verbal attacks on her worth as a person, as well as a wife, took a toll until her heart had hardened.
If she had her boys, she had everything she needed. Keeping the farm was for their future, so she could provide something other than the memory of their childhood with a father who did not know how to love.
She stared again at the light in the distance. Once upon a time, she had been in love. She loved her children, but she would never be able to love a man again. No matter how much she remembered the past and what Noah had meant to her then.
Ten years was a lifetime. She had changed, not necessarily for the better. She accepted her life as it was and did not need to run from the pain. Joy had been part of her distant past, before Noah left the mountain, but it would not be part of her future.
FIVE
Noah had breakfast ready by the time Ruthie came downstairs the next morning. He poured a cup of coffee and handed it to her when she stepped into the kitchen.
“Looks like you could use a little caffeine.”
“I need more than caffeine.” She accepted the cup with a weak smile and took a long sip.
“You’ll find the spare key on the counter,” he said. “Thanks for letting me keep it overnight.”
“I gave it to you in case there was an emergency. I did not expect you to cook breakfast for us.”
“It’s the least I could do. Plus, I’m worried about you. It might be wise to have a doc check you over, Ruthie. I told you that I plan to go to town today to get some supplies to work on your barn. Come with me.”
“No. I am stiff and sore, but nothing is broken and I will be good as new in a few days.”
He could see the dark lines under her eyes and the way she held her side. Ruthie was tough. Always had been.
“And you do not need to fix my barn,” she insisted.
“I’ve got the time and the wherewithal. Plus it gives me a chance to spend time with Simon and Andrew.”
“I am sure you have other things to do.”
“Not until my father’s house is sold. I’ll check with the real-estate agent today. I called his office when I first arrived in town. His receptionist said it would take a week to get everything ready. I might hurry them along if I stop in today.”
“You would not want to stay on the mountain longer than necessary.”
He heard the subtle hint of sarcasm in her voice and raised his brow.
She ignored his gaze and took another sip of coffee, then placed the cup on the table. “The boys will be downstairs soon. Thank you for preparing breakfast.”
“Breakfast is easy. I’m sorry I couldn’t stop the man from hurting you last night.”
The boys scurried downstairs and bounded into the kitchen. Andrew’s eyes widened. “What smells so gut?”
“Noah has fixed us breakfast.” Ruthie’s smile was warm. “Come sit at the table, and I will pour your milk.”
“But the chores,” Simon insisted.
“I’ve cared for the animals,” Noah assured him. “We can work together on the other jobs after we eat. It won’t take us long.” He pointed to the table. “Sit next to your brother. We’ll eat while the food is warm.”
Simon slipped into his chair. “My stomach is ready to eat.”
“Mine, too,” Andrew said, holding out his glass for his mother to fill.
“Noah has brought us many good things to eat, as well as milk to drink. What do you boys say?”
“Danki, Noah,” they chimed in unison.
“It is gut to enjoy a meal with my neighbors.” He placed a large platter of sausages and scrambled eggs in the center of the table. A smaller plate was piled high with buttered toast.
“Bacon yesterday and sausage today. It is like Christmas.” Andrew took a long chug from his glass, then wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.
“Use your napkin,” Ruthie instructed. “And we will wait for Noah to join us before we give thanks.”
Noah hadn’t asked the Lord to bless his food since his mother had died. His father had rarely sat at the table to eat following her passing, and Noah and Seth had quickly forsaken many of the Amish ways, including prayer before meals.
Simon and Andrew waited expectantly for him to sit. Sliding into the seat opposite Ruthie, he smiled at the boys. “Shall we bow our heads in prayer?”
They dutifully followed his suggestion, their eyes closed and faces serene. His heart warmed at their innocence. He turned his gaze to Ruthie. She stared at him, one eyebrow arched ever so slightly, as if questioning what he was doing coming back into her life.
Noah glanced down, mentally trying to calm his rapid heartbeat. Unable to focus on prayer, he pulled in a breath and quieted his mind. He needed to ensure his heart didn’t get carried away with thoughts of Ruthie.
Bless her, he silently intoned. And her children.
He raised his eyes to find the boys staring at him and winked at Simon. “Shall we eat?”
Handing the large platter to Ruthie, he said, “Serve the boys and yourself first.”
She arranged the food on the three plates and then offered it once again to Noah. “Breakfast looks delicious.”
“At times it’s nice to have someone else do the cooking.” He glanced at the boys. “Simon and Andrew, you need to learn to cook so you can fix breakfast for your mamm.”
“We do the outside chores,” Andrew said, reaching for his fork.
“And you’re good workers. I could tell that yesterday.”
Simon spread jam on a slice of toast. “Your eye, Mamm. It looks worse today.”
She glanced at Noah. “A bruise comes a day or two after the injury. Do not worry about your mamm.”
“I do not want to see you hurt.”
She patted his hand. “You are a gut son.”
Noah’s stomach tightened. A gut son who needed a man’s guidance. Andrew needed that, as well.
Ruthie didn’t want the boys to know the stranger had returned last night. Noah had to make certain the man didn’t have another opportunity to hurt her again. What type of an animal would attack a defenseless woman? His stomach soured as he thought of what could have happened.
The boys were enjoying the food with enthusiasm. Again he thought of the pain the attack could have caused to both Simon and Andrew.
Much as he wanted to go to town today, he wouldn’t leave Ruthie and the boys alone. Not when the vile man was on the loose. If only Ruthie and the boys would go to town with him.
“Noah plans to go to town today,” Ruthie said as if reading his thoughts. “Would you boys like to join him?”
“Oh, yah,” both boys enthused.
“It has been so long since we have gone anywhere,” Simon said, serious as always and sounding much older than his years.
“Today will be an adventure, yah?” Ruthie smiled.
“What about the chores?” Simon asked.
“We’ll do them before we leave,” Noah assured him.
Ruthie nodded. “Finish your food and the three of you can head outside, while I tidy the kitchen. Many hands make light work.”
“This day could not be better.” Andrew downed the rest of his milk and finished the last of the eggs on his plate. “A gut breakfast and a trip to town make me very happy.”
“What if the man returns while we are gone?” Simon asked, his brow wrinkled with worry.
“We will lock the doors to the house and will not think about him anymore today.”
“I think of him when I see the bruise on your face.”
“Then I must heal quickly so looking at your mamm does not upset you.”
“That is not what I mean.”
She nodded. “I understand, Simon. None of us want to see the man again, but we cannot live life in fear. We have to trust Gott to keep us safe.”
“He did not keep you safe night before last.”
“No, but the fire in the woodpile did not spread and nothing of significance burned. Gott protected us in that way, even if he allowed the man to hurt me.”
“Bad things sometimes happen,” Noah said, hoping to deflect the boy’s upset. “But as your mother said, it could have been so much worse.”
Simon squared his shoulders. “I will not let him hurt her again.”
Noah admired Simon’s determination and desire to protect his mother. For all his good intentions, Simon wouldn’t be a match for an adult who weighed more and was, no doubt, adept at bullying people, especially defenseless women and children.
“You’ll let me know, Simon, if you see anything suspicious, yah? We’ll work together as a team to keep your mother safe.”
“Can I be on your team?” Andrew asked.
“Of course. We three men will protect your mother.” He nodded to Ruthie. “Now let’s take the dishes to the sink, then we’ll get our chores done and be ready for our trip to town.”
“Are we taking the buggy?” Simon asked.
“I am sure our mare, Buttercup, would enjoy the trip,” Ruthie said. “We will go by buggy.”
The boys cleared the table and then hurried outside.
“I hate leaving you to wash the dishes,” Noah said.
“They will not take long. Do you want me to pack a lunch?”
“If the boys like pizza, we can eat in town.”
“You are spoiling them, Noah. What will I do with them when you are gone?”
Although her tone was light, her gaze was serious.
“We won’t think about that now. Today is for enjoyment, yah?”
“Of course, Noah. Today will be a nice change, but we will remember that your time here will be short-lived. Soon you will leave, and we will go back to life as it was.”
Noah’s life would never be the same. From now on when he thought of Ruthie, he would also think of the son he only recently learned he had and the boy’s brother. Both Amish lads needed an Amish father, not an Englischer who had left the faith.
Ruthie tried to calm her excitement. Going to town had been a rarity when Ben was alive. Since his death, she had too much work to do on the farm to think about leaving for even a few hours.
The boys shared her enthusiasm. Both of them scrambled into the buggy, talking about what they would see and do in Willkommen.
Noah seemed as pleased as the boys, and said, “It will be a fun day,” as he flicked the reins and guided the mare onto the mountain road.
The weather was perfect. Sunny and bright, which matched Ruthie’s mood. She had worn her black bonnet and pulled it around her face in hopes of hiding the bruise around her eye. Her ribs ached but not bad enough to be broken, and that was something else for which to be grateful.
“I checked the barn again this morning to determine what’s needed to shore it up,” Noah told her.
“Did you see the wood piled behind Ben’s woodshop?”
He nodded. “I did. From the looks of the lumber, your husband was preparing to do the job himself. I’ll just need a few more items before I start work.”
“We can help you,” Simon said from the rear.
“I’m counting on that.”
Ruthie was grateful for the way Noah included her sons in the project. Ben had preferred tackling a job alone rather than guiding young hands through a new task. He had always been less than patient with their sons and with her.
“Age has given you the gift of patience,” she said to Noah. Then she thought of his impatience in leaving Amish Mountain so many years ago. If only he had waited for her.
She turned to glance at the lush mountain scenery, not wanting him to see the confusion that she knew was written on her face. Confusion and pain, even after all these years, because he had left without her.
“I was impetuous in my youth, Ruthie, and for that I’m sorry.”
Did he even realize how deeply he had hurt her? She could not think of it again lest the pain overtake her.
“Virtue does not come easily,” she mused, hoping to deflect her focus onto something else. “My mother said it takes a lifetime. Unfortunately, she did not have long enough.”
“You were always a loving daughter.”
The boys chatted in the rear. Ruthie was thankful they had not heard what she and Noah had said. She never should have opened up the wound from her past. Noah would be leaving soon. She did not want to be left with a broken heart again.
Bracing her shoulders, she steeled her resolve. Noah was Englisch, she reminded herself, as if that wedge between them was not evident. He had rejected his faith at the same time he had rejected her. There could be no going back to what had been so long ago.
SIX
Noah recognized Ruthie’s upset in the way she braced her shoulders and held her neck at an angle. She turned away from him, just as she’d done the night he wanted her to leave with him. She had used her father as an excuse, and the pain of rejection he felt had been so intense and immediate that Noah had fled the mountain, leaving behind that which he loved most.
In hindsight, his pride and concern for his own well-being had taken precedence over Ruthie’s need to care for her father. He had lived with that regret for the last ten years.
With the boys sitting in the buggy, Noah knew this wasn’t the time to go into their past. Although he doubted there would ever be a good time. Ruthie had found a husband, a man she loved in spite of his many flaws, and he’d been taken from her and the boys. Noah would be a hypocrite to wade into the midst of her mourning and pretend he could offer her something more. After losing his brother and his brother’s sweet wife and adorable daughter, Noah didn’t deserve a second chance when Seth had no chance at all.
He flicked the reins, feeling the frustration at his own failings well up in him again. Life wasn’t fair. His father used to say that often in the context that others had more land or money or happiness. His dad had tried to find all that he was looking for in a bottle. Noah had chosen to make his own happiness through hard work, but neither of them had succeeded.
“How long until we get to town?” Andrew asked from the rear.
Ruthie turned and smiled. “Are you impatient, my son?”
“Yah, Mamm. I have wanted to go to town for so long. Now that it is happening, I am too excited to sit still.”
“You must copy Simon and the way he remains quiet.”
“Simon is quiet because he is older.”
Simon shoved his young brother playfully. “Years do not make the difference. I was born quiet and you were born to talk and wiggle. Datt said we were born different.”
“Because you are tall and I am short?”
“You will grow, Andrew. Mamm said I am ready to grow out of my clothes.”
“And your hat and shoes,” the younger boy added. “You said they are both too small.”
Noah turned to Ruthie. “Perhaps we should stop at the shoe store.”
“Spring is almost upon us, and summer will follow soon thereafter. The boys go barefoot when the weather is warm.”
Ruthie’s pride was keeping her from buying shoes. Pride and a lack of resources.
He lowered his voice to keep the children from hearing. “I would like to buy shoes for Simon. Andrew, too.”