Free Plain and Fancy by Wanda E. Brunstetter Page B

at least until spring. She would be going home for Christmas soon, so that would put an end to their times, anyway.
    Leaving Eli, even for a few weeks, wasn’t going to be easy. However, she had promised her parents and friends that she’d be coming home for the holidays, and she didn’t want to disappoint them. Besides, even if she stayed in Pennsylvania, Eli would spend Christmas with his family, and she, the fancy English woman, would not be included in their plans.
    Laura stared out her dorm-room window at the falling snow. If only she had some way to get in touch with Eli. If they could just meet somewhere for lunch before she had to leave.
    She finally curled up on her bed with a romance novel, surrendered to the fact that this Saturday would be spent indoors without Eli.
    Laura had only gotten to the second page when a loud knock drove her to her feet. “Who’s there?”
    “Darla. Are you busy?”
    Laura opened the door. “What’s up?”
    Darla was dressed in a pair of designer jeans and a pink sweater. A brown leather coat was slung over one arm, and a furry little cap was perched on top of her short, blond curls. “I thought I’d drive into Philadelphia. I still have some Christmas shopping to do, and only the big stores will have what I want.”
    “You’re going shopping today?”
    Darla nodded. “I was hoping you’d come along.”
    “In this weather?” Laura gestured toward the window. “In case you haven’t noticed, there’s a foot of snow on the ground.”
    Darla shrugged. “I’m sure most of the main roads have been cleared.” She nudged Laura’s arm. “I’ll treat you to lunch.”
    “I’m on a diet.”
    “So, order a salad.”
    Laura released a sigh. “Oh, all right.” It wasn’t the way she wanted to spend the day, but she figured it would be better than being cooped up in her room all day.
    ***
    “I’m going out for a while,” Eli said, as he left the kitchen table and slipped into his heavy woolen jacket.
    “Where you heading?” Lewis called to him.
    “I’ve got some errands to run ... not that it’s any of your business, schnuppich brother.” Eli plopped his black felt hat on his head and closed the door, curtailing more comments from his snoopy sibling.
    Mary Ellen clicked her tongue against the roof of her mouth and turned to face Johnny. “Seems like our oldest boy is hardly ever home anymore.”
    Johnny shrugged. “Guess that’s his choice.”
    “I’ll bet he’s sneakin’ off to see that English woman again,” Jonas said as he grabbed a hunk of shoofly pie.
    “Don’t you ever fill up?” Johnny’s eyebrows drew together. “That’s your third piece now, isn’t it?”
    “He’s probably lost count,” Lewis said with a chuckle.
    Jonas smacked his lips. “Shoofly is my favorite breakfast pie. Never have been able to get enough of it.”
    “No, but you sure have tried.” Mary Ellen pushed her chair away from the table and gathered up some of the dishes. As she placed them in the sink, she glanced out the window and caught sight of Eli hitching his horse to the sleigh. She couldn’t help but wonder if Jonas was right about Eli meeting Laura today. He hadn’t said much about her lately, but Mary Ellen knew from her last conversation with Selma Hostetler that Eli sure wasn’t courting Pauline.
    On more than one occasion, Mary Ellen had tried putting in a good word for Pauline, and from what she’d heard, Pauline had made several attempts at getting Eli to invite her somewhere. So far all efforts had failed, and Mary Ellen knew all she could do was pray—and she’d been doing a lot of that lately. If enough prayers went up on Eli’s behalf, he might see the light and quit spending time with Laura. Or she might get bored with him and find a nice English man to take her places. Better yet, maybe the fancy English woman would leave Lancaster County and never return.
    ***
    The ride to Philadelphia went well. They took the main highway, and just as