Free A Measure of Mercy by Lauraine Snelling Page A

Astrid and Grace.
    “Did he really say what I thought he did?” Grace signed and spoke both, her voice seeming a bit rusty.
    Astrid nodded and rolled her lips to keep from laughing. “Leave it to Maydell.”
    “How long before the wedding do you think?” Deborah signed too. All of them had learned to sign years earlier when Kaaren learned and taught the community. She turned to Grace. “How’s school going?”
    “I love teaching there. I never thought I would be happy away from Blessing, but I am.” Her smile made the others smile back and follow her gaze as it located Jonathan talking with several of the men.
    “He’s working mighty hard here.” Astrid leaned closer to Grace and signed like they used to when trading secrets without ever saying a word.
    “Jonathan always works hard. He convinced his father to let him go to school in Fargo, and that was a big accomplishment.” Her pride in him made Astrid grin.
    “Has he learned to sign well enough?”
    “To get by. You should sign with him this summer.”
    “I will. I hadn’t thought of that. You know, with you gone we don’t sign as much. One day when one of the deaf students came in, I was sure glad I knew how to do it. Dr. Elizabeth called for me immediately when she needed to tell him something to do.”
    “With all the new people coming into town, the school will need to offer classes to those who want to learn.” Grace’s speaking could not keep up with her signing. “If the deaf school grows like we are dreaming it will, there will be many more deaf people in the area. Mrs. Wooster, a benefactor from New York, says that families will move here to be by their loved ones. I know it happens that way where I am teaching.”
    Astrid watched Grace’s hands fly and thought about what she was saying. What if there were surgeries that could help restore hearing? Would Dr. Morganstein know about that? Dr. Elizabeth had told her of places that were specializing in different therapies. Was there one for ears and hearing?
    She felt him behind her before she heard his voice.
    “May I walk you home?” While Joshua spoke low and close to Astrid’s ear, the others stopped talking and grinned at her.
    “Of course you may,” Deborah answered for her with a wide smile. “Shame it is not farther.”
    Astrid could feel her face flaming. She glared at Deborah, which earned another burst of laughter from her friends. “I can speak for myself, you know.”
    “Well, go on, then. Answer him.”
    Even Grace was laughing. Having a choice between pouting and joining in the laughter, Astrid chose the latter. “Just wait. You’ll be the brunt of all this one day, and we’ll see how you feel.”
    “All right, what is going on over here?” Jonathan asked as he strolled up to those laughing.
    “Walking home. That’s what.” Astrid grabbed Grace’s hand. “You and Jonathan can come too.”
    “We can’t go yet. We have to lower the piano down to the wagon and drive it back to church. We need all available young men. The old ones said it was our turn.”
    “The old ones?” Haakan echoed from right behind Jonathan, who flinched and rolled his eyes.
    “I didn’t mean that the way it sounded.” Now it was his turn to be laughed at, and they all took him up on it.
    “We ‘old ones’ will show you young ones how to move a piano. Come along, both of you.”
    The girls watched and cheered as the piano was lowered down the ramp to the wagon, where the young men climbed aboard and headed for the church. There they would unload it and get it ready for the next morning’s service.
    The unmarried girls waved good-bye and walked home together, laughing and teasing as they headed to the Knutsons’ farm for the night.
    “I think that was one of the most fun barn dances we’ve had,” Deborah said later as they prepared for bed.
    “Gus will have a hard time living down that scene.”
    “How long before they’ll be married, do you think?” Grace signed.
    “If