“Mayonnaise and lettuce.”
Phoebe grabbed two plates from the sideboard and placed several thick slices of the ham on one of them. She set it on the table then fetched the lettuce, jar of pickles and condiments. The pickles and condiments joined the platter of ham on the table, and she took the lettuce to the counter. She peeled off a few leaves of lettuce, prepped them and returned the rest to the refrigerator.
She placed the loaf of bread next to the plates. A fork for the pickles and couple of spreaders for the condiments completed the picture.
Then she stood back and studied the result of her effort with a finger on her chin. “It needs a side of some sort. I wish I hadn’t been so clumsy and dropped those cookies.”
“I won’t have you calling yourself names,” Edna said firmly. “That was an accident. And you’re here for a fresh start, ain’t so?”
Phoebe nodded, then suddenly brightened. “I saw some boiled eggs and relish in the refrigerator. I can easily prepare an egg salad.”
Edna’s frown melted away. “An excellent idea.”
Phoebe spun around and quickly moved to the refrigerator. Then she paused. Move with deliberation. One food-dropping accident today is already one too many.
Proceeding on, she gathered up the ingredients she needed and whipped up the egg salad without incident. She’d just finished when she heard the outer door open.
After shedding his jacket and boots in the mudroom, Seth moved into the kitchen and then paused at the unexpected sight that greeted him. He studied the contents of the table and then the two women. “Was ist das?”
“Edna tells me you usually have a sandwich for lunch and eat by yourself,” Phoebe said brightly. “I thought I’d get everything set out and we could all eat together today.”
She was smiling like she’d done something wunderbaar. “That really wasn’t necessary.”
Apparently she didn’t pick up on his tone because she was still smiling as she carried a bowl of something to the table. “It was no trouble. And my mamm always says that a meal tastes better when it’s shared with friends.”
Seth was used to making his own sandwich and eating alone most days. Which was how he liked it. He’d actually been looking forward to relaxing with the new farm magazine he’d received yesterday while he ate his sandwich.
But Phoebe had obviously done this to please him and it would be churlish to tell her he’d rather eat this one meal of the day alone. So he swallowed his annoyance and nodded acknowledgment. “Danke.” He moved to the mudroom sink to wash his hands.
When he took his seat at the table he found that glasses of milk had been poured up and a bowl of egg salad was on the table beside the sandwich fixings. Phoebe apparently didn’t understand the simple pleasure of a well-made sandwich on its own. But again he merely smiled and once the prayer time had ended resignedly served himself a portion of the salad.
“How was your trip?” he asked, trying to make polite conversation as he thought fondly of the farm journal waiting for him beside his recliner.
“It was pleasant. Sandra, my driver, is quite a talker and she made the time pass quickly. Other than a heavy rain shower during the middle of our drive it was uneventful.”
“Bergamot is about a two-hour drive, ain’t so?”
“Jah. But from what I could see the countryside here is very similar to what I left behind.” Then she gave him a shy smile. “It’s the first time I’ve been so far from home.”
Her wistful expression made her look particularly young. Had she even spent much time outside her eldre’s home? She must be younger than he’d first thought.
He decided to change the subject. “Has Edna showed you around yet?”
“We started but didn’t get further than the kitchen. I wanted to make sure your meal was ready when you came in for lunch.”
“That was thoughtful of you but you don’t need to go to all this trouble in the future. I’m perfectly happy with a plain sandwich on its own.”
“It wasn’t any trouble. And it is why I’m here, after all.”
He certainly couldn’t argue with that, at least not without saying something he’d regret. “Well, once you’ve seen the rest of the house, feel free to explore the property.”
“Danke, I would enjoy that.”
“It’ll be gut for you to be familiar with where everything is if you’re going to work here.”
Her smile faltered a moment, but she nodded. “Of course.” Then she asked a question of her own. “What sort of livestock do you have?”
“Two cows and a calf, about twenty chickens, three buggy horses, and one team of draft horses.”
“And that’s enough to take care of the needs of your familye?”
“It is, but there isn’t much left over at the end of the day.”
“I’m gut with animals, even my daed says so. I can help you tend to them if you like.”
“Danke, but I think you’ll have more than enough work to do with keeping house.”
Why would that bring a disappointed expression to her face? He’d just told her he wouldn’t add extra to her workload. He glanced Edna’s way, but she was focused on her sandwich, apparently content to let the two younger people carry the discussion.
Phoebe bounced back quickly, though. She certainly seemed resilient enough.
“Do you have a winter garden I should tend to?”
Apparently he was going to keep disappointing her. “Unfortunately, we haven’t been able to focus any time on trying to keep a kitchen garden going.”
“Perhaps I can help with that.”
This time he didn’t refuse her. “That would be greatly appreciated. But only if you have enough time, taking care of the house and my brieder comes first.”
