Free Sister's Choice by Judith Pella Page B

young man. I am especially impressed how his faith has grown.”
    “He is quite sincere about it,” Ada said. “He has become like a member of the family.”
    “I can see that. Calvin seems especially taken with him.”
    Ada nodded. That fact only made Ada’s reservations even more puzzling. Calvin was usually such a good judge of character. Ada hated questioning that.
    “Mama, do you think . . .” Ada hesitated, then gave her head a shake. “Never mind.”
    “You must have doubts about the young man,” her mother said.
    “I hope it isn’t that obvious. I don’t have doubts about him. I am quite fond of him. It is just that . . . I worry about his prospects. I worry about his ability to provide for Ellie. Is that terrible?” She glanced toward the stairs and then remembered Ellie was out in the fields with Calvin. She would not want her daughter to overhear this conversation.
    “What does Ellie think of these doubts?”
    “I am reluctant to speak to her about them. She is so happy, and they are so much in love.” Ada’s hands moved deftly over her work as she spoke. “I have encouraged my children to make their own choices in these matters. I know Ellie well enough, and if I interfere, she may act in order to please me instead of following her heart.”
    “You and I both know that a girl will most likely follow her own heart, even an obedient child like Ellie.” Mama Spooner’s hand paused as it stirred the bread dough. A thoughtful look creased her brow.
    Ada wondered if she was thinking of when Ada had been a girl and in her own romantic quandary.
    “But more than that, Ada, you must trust that God is directing Ellie. The hardest thing for me as a parent was to remember that my children had their own relationship with God and that God was speaking to them quite apart from me. Ellie has a stronger faith than many children.”
    “I appreciate your reminding me of that. A mother spends years as the center of her children’s lives, directing them, even— dare I say?—controlling them. It is very hard to step out of the picture.”
    “If it were me, I’d be more worried about Maggie than Ellie.”
    “Truly?” Ada frowned. She didn’t like to think she’d been mistaken about both of her daughters. “Did she say something to you?”
    “She did say some things in confidence. Nothing to raise a huge alarm, but still I fear she may be hurt by her romantic pursuits.”
    “How so?”
    Mama Spooner dumped the dough out on a floured board. “By setting her sights on the wrong young man.”
    “Do you mean Colby Stoddard?” Mama frowned again. “He has always been a childhood infatuation of hers, but I don’t see the harm in her pursuing him. He’s a good man, if a bit wild. Of course, I wouldn’t envy Maggie having Emma Jean for a mother-in-law.”
    Mama Spooner shrugged as she gently kneaded the heel of her hand into the dough. “You know better than I do. I haven’t seen the lad in a year.”
    Ada laughed. “If I am supposed to know better than you, Mama, I am in trouble.”

SEVEN
    Maggie had about an hour to clean out the chicken coop before the midday meal. She wished she had given Evan a more specific time than “after lunch.” Would he come at one o’clock, or two? Most of the farm families had their big meal of the day around that time. But the Parkers were not farmers anymore, so they practiced the city schedule of having what they called luncheon between twelve and one.
    Well, she would eat quickly to make sure she had enough time to clean up and change before the visit. Besides her determination to learn to sew, Maggie was also trying to improve her appearance. No overalls except to work around the farm—well, she might also wear them for fishing or hiking in the woods. But for receiving guests, she intended to dress like a proper lady.
    As she walked out to the coop she noticed a flash of black and white dart out from behind the barn.
    “What’re you doing here, Bob?” she