Free The Christmas Quilt: Quilts of Love Series by Vannetta Chapman Page A

birth the calf. “I suppose I can imagine. Is she working again today?”
    “Every weekday and two Saturdays a month. But when she works on a Saturday, Trevor gives her Monday off.” Charity wriggled an eyebrow as she buttered four pieces of bread, then slid them onto a pan to place in the oven with the stew.
    “Why the look?”
    “You know why.”
    “Tell me Reba isn’t sweet on Trevor.”
    Charity sat down at the table and began flipping through Annie’s latest book from the library.
    “You know you’re not interested in reading that. Now talk to me.”
    “I’m not sure about Reba. I thought maybe she talked to you yesterday.” Charity pushed her kapp strings back behind her shoulders.
    “ Nein. She did speak with Samuel about some ointment for a horse.”
    “Our little schweschder is hard to figure sometimes. The moment you think she has eyes for nothing except the four-legged kind, you’ll find a note in her dress pocket.”
    “You’re kidding!”
    Charity smiled, pulled a folded note from her apron, and slid it across the table. “Not that I’ve read it.”
    Annie sat down and stared at the folded note with Reba’s name on top. “I’m impressed. You showed real restraint. How do you know it’s from Trevor?”
    “If you hold it up to the light, you can see his signature.”
    Annie shook her head and pushed the note back across the table. “And what are you going to do with it?”
    “Place it on top of her folded clothes. Maybe if she knows I saw it, she’ll spill.” Charity laughed.
    “This could be a serious matter. Trevor’s Englisch . What did mamm say?”
    “She said Gotte has his eye on Reba and not to worry about her.”
    “Sounds like mamm .” Annie jumped up when she heard the water on the stove begin to boil. “Tea?”
    “ Ya. ”
    “So what about you and David? I thought you might bring up the subject yesterday.”
    They spent the next twenty minutes talking about David. He was still living with his parents, still working their farm and working a part-time job in town. He and Charity were regularly attending the singings together, and it seemed to her he might be getting serious. He’d kissed her twice.
    They hadn’t talked about marrying yet.
    They had talked about the price of farms, which was high. And twice he’d shown her ads in The Budget , ads for dairy farms in Wisconsin. Charity confessed the thought of moving made her stomach hurt and excited her at the same time.
    After they shared lunch with Samuel, she walked Charity out to her buggy.
    “Any word on Mattie and Jesse?”
    “The bypass surgery was a success, and members of their family have taken turns sitting with him so Mattie could come home in the evening.”
    “ Gut. So he’ll recover fully?”
    “The doctors say he should—if he’ll follow their directions.”
    “Exercise, eat healthy, and watch your cholesterol.” Charity reached out and hugged Annie. “Don’t look so surprised. You’ve lectured us all.”
    “Sure you won’t stay and quilt with me?”
    “ Nein. I have my own projects at home. Mamm went to Leah’s to help with the laundry first thing this morning. I want to get home and hear how she’s doing.”
    “She seemed better by the time they left yesterday.” Annie hugged her again, then stood back as Charity picked up her mare’s reins.
    She was pleased her mother had gone to Leah and Adam’s this morning. Pleased they lived close enough to help one another. Although Leah and Adam were having a tough spell perhaps it would make them stronger in the end.
    Each family was different, and she would need to trust that Leah and Adam would find their way. But perhaps a word here or there would help. Maybe she could speak with Adam and nudge things along. After all, who knew her brother better than she did?
    In the meantime, she would work on the quilt.
    She had the rest of the afternoon to piece together her sample square. She’d neglected to do that once, on a quilt she was making