Free Lilly's Wedding Quilt by Kelly Long Page A

painting but shot him a wry grin over one shoulder. “ Gut luck then, bruder —on your first courting attempt.”
    Jacob paused on his way out the door. “Seth— danki .”
    L illy washed the few dishes from supper and sighed at the large remainder of the ham and bean casserole she’d made. Her mother had barely touched the supper, requesting tea and toast instead. Lilly wondered if she should encourage her mamm to see someone other than the local midwife for her ailments but knew she’d probably refuse as she’d done in the past. And tonight she’d gone to bed even earlier than usual, leaving Lilly with the whole of a Friday night to face alone.
    She had just settled down with some papers to grade at the kitchen table when a quiet knock at the back door startled her. She rose and went to peer out the upper window of the door, seeing Jacob with his hat in his hands.
    Her heart began to pound, and she knew that this was her opportunity to apologize to him for her behavior. She opened the door wide and a blast of chilly air bit across her shoulders.
    “Jacob, sei so gut , come in.”
    “ Jah , Lilly, danki . Uh, would you mind if Kate Zook comes too?” He stepped aside to reveal the pretty girl, her cheeks flushed from the cold, and her lips berry red.
    Lilly nodded in confusion and felt a stab of jealousy. “ Nee , please …” She widened the door.
    They entered and she glanced at the back staircase. “My mamm’s gone to bed early.”
    “We’ll be quiet,” he whispered. ” Kate was out walking and—”
    “I just lost track of the time,” the girl confided. She let her dark eyes drift up to Jacob’s face with a languid smile that did little to make Lilly want to welcome her. “Jacob saw me alone in the dark. He was kind enough to bring me—well, here first.”
    First, before what? Lilly wanted to snap, forgetting her desire to apologize to her intended.
    “May I take your coats?”
    Somehow, she managed to seat them both at the kitchen table, trying to ignore the way Kate sidled next to Jacob on the bench.
    “I’m still cold,” she shivered.
    If he puts his arm around her, I’ll rap him . Lilly had to swallow her absurd thought. If anything, Jacob looked stern and not interested in Kate’s overtures.
    “I could make hot chocolate,” Lilly offered with reluctance.
    It sounded rather tame to her ears, especially for someone who had been as socially sought after as Jacob Wyse, but he readily agreed while Kate pouted. Lilly concentrated on pulling out a saucepan from beneath the cupboard with the minimum of noise.
    “I would have thought that your mamm would still be up,” Jacob said, obviously trying to make conversation. Lilly’s temper melted a bit; he sounded desperate.
    “My mamm usually goes to bed very early.”
    “It must be lonely,” he observed.
    She felt a lurch in her heart as if they were the only two in the room. “Always,” she said, then turned to add cocoa powder and milk to the pan.
    As she stirred, she thought about his courting comment, concentrating on ignoring Kate’s ill-contained murmured hints to leave.
    Typically, a courting couple met alone, in secret, at the girl’s house once everyone else had gone to sleep, but after the engagement announcement, they could meet anytime with anyone present. She thought how different things would be if her father were still alive, but then, perhaps she’d never have come to be engaged to Jacob. It occurred to her that her heavenly Father was the one who’d have to approve her marriage now.
    She brought three blue mugs to the table and ladled in the steaming chocolate drink. She sat opposite them and stared down at her cup, unsure of what someone was supposed to do as part of a courting couple—or trio.
    “Why are you uncomfortable around horses?” Jacob asked.
    “What?” She looked at him in confusion as Kate yawned.
    “You told me that you were uncomfortable around horses—I wondered why.”
    “I really don’t think