Patchwork Dreams Read Free Page B

three-month-old baby. He cradled her in his arms and walked back over to the table, cooing softly. “And this, Jacob, is Emma.”
    “Nice to meet you, Emma.”
    “Jah, she’s a sweetheart,” Daed said. “No boys in this family. Yet. But I thank the gut Lord for the girls.”
    Jacob smiled. “And that would be why you need help with the farm, jah?”
    Daed shrugged. Smiled. “It would appear that way, jah. But then, things are not always as they appear.”

Chapter 3
    The next morning, Jacob woke up to strange surroundings, from the scent of rosewater that filled the room to the look and feel of the colorful quilt as he tugged the bed back together after his restless night’s sleep. A strange house. A strange town. A strange state. And the sickening knowledge that Daed had lied to him. Funny how that changed everything now.
    Daniel had showed Jacob around the farm the afternoon before. He’d seen the site of the small blacksmith business they had on the side. It allowed Daniel to keep the buggies in good repair, plus he made some decorative crafts to sell to tourists. Then, Jacob had gotten to see the garden shop the womenfolk ran on the premises. It had been quiet lately, but it would soon be bustling when they started the seedlings in the greenhouse to get ready to sell to the locals for their spring planting.
    Jacob’s stomach rumbled, a reminder that he’d barely picked at his lunch and supper. He’d even turned down the apple pie, and that was one of his favorite treats. He figured he could give a good meal the attention it deserved now, but he knew the usual order of things: certain chores first, then breakfast. He pulled on his loose-fitting pants, a blue shirt, and suspenders, slapped his black felt hat on his head, yanked on his coat, and headed downstairs. The rest of the dawdi-haus was quiet, with everyone already up and gone.
    Jacob pushed his way into the barn through the hanging doors.
    “Nice you could join us, Jacob,” came the good-natured comment from a dark corner. A lantern hanging from a hook lit a small area of space. Jacob rubbed his hands together to try to warm them, but it didn’t help much. The windchill had to be in the single digits. The barn seemed only a little warmer. He pulled in a breath, inhaling the strong, musty odor and the scent of animals. He saw the older man, the grossdaedi, climbing down a ladder from a loft where a gray cat waited at the top. Then, turning, he spied Daniel in with the cows.
    “How can I help?” Hay crunched under his feet as Jacob walked over to where Daniel sat on a low stool next to a milk cow.
    “Guess you could take over here. Or, you could get started feeding the animals.”
    For a second, Jacob stood in indecision. He wasn’t used to options. Daed communicated with orders. It seemed rather feminine of Cousin Daniel to talk like that. But he supposed that in a houseful of women, some of their ways rubbed off on him.
    He slapped his hands together, then rubbed them briskly. “I’ll finish the milking.” He glanced around as Daniel stood. “Sorry I was late.”
    “Ach. I just got started. You’re fine. I was teasing. Besides, it wouldn’t have hurt for you to sleep in a bit your first morning here. I know you had a long trip.”
    “Jah.” Not to mention the huge shock at discovering the truth, which had hampered his ability to fall asleep.
    Well, there also had been a bit of fascination with the blonde beauty who was probably even now baking up a storm in the kitchen. She certainly would make a good frau. Maybe for one of his friends who’d signed up for that swap Cousin Daniel had mentioned yesterday.
    Jacob sat on the three-legged wooden stool Daniel had vacated.
    “I made the trip once when your great-great-grandfather died. Barely knew him; he was a distant onkel of mine. But my frau thought it’d be nice to see the extended family. That was….” Daniel hesitated, then hoisted a bag of feed. “That was before you were born,