Phoebe pushed her chair back from the table. “Is everyone ready for some peach cobbler?”
Her question was greeted with a chorus of jahs, but before she could actually stand, Edna put a hand on her skirt, stopping her. “Daniel, the cobbler is rather heavy, would you mind getting it?”
“Of course.”
While Daniel did as Edna asked, Phoebe removed the bowl of carrots from the table to make some room and fetched the saucers and spoons. She hadn’t missed the looks that passed between Seth and his brieder whenever the carrots were mentioned tonight. Apparently there was a story there, one they, or Seth at least, was trying to keep from her. She promised herself to get to the bottom of it soon.
Just as Phoebe took her seat again, a young man entered. This must be Levi.
“I should have known,” Mark said. “You’re here just in time for dessert.”
“I’ve always had great timing,” Levi responded, but his gaze never left Phoebe. “Who do we have here?”
Phoebe offered him a smile. “I’m Phoebe, Edna’s friend and your new housekeeper.”
“Edna, I do like your taste in friends.” Then he returned Phoebe’s smile. “I’m Levi.”
Phoebe was already up and halfway to the stove. “I have a plate all prepared for you. And there’s more if that’s not enough.”
“Danke. It’s been a long time since lunch and I could eat a steer.” He grabbed a pot holder and took the plate from her. As soon as he spied the contents he shot Seth an amused glance, then turned back to her. “You cooked copper pennies, I see. It’s my favorite way to eat carrots but for some reason we don’t get it around here very often.”
So it seemed it wasn’t carrots in general that Seth had a problem with, but copper pennies in particular. Gut to know. She made a mental note to scratch that particular recipe from her menus going forward.
But for now she nodded Levi’s way. “I’m wonderful glad I could serve you something you enjoy. Please, take my chair, I’m done eating.”
“Don’t be silly, you haven’t had your dessert.” He set his plate on the table next to hers. “It won’t take me but a minute to fetch another chair.” When he returned a moment later with another chair, he managed to slide her chair closer to the head of the table and then effortlessly slide his between hers and Edna’s.
As soon as he was settled he forked up a hearty bite of the casserole and his eyes lit up as he chewed. “Mmmm, delicious.” He turned and gave her a smile. “Pretty as a springtime flower and a gut cook as well. You’re certainly going to improve our lives around here.”
Phoebe felt the heat climb in her cheeks. She wasn’t used to getting this kind of attention. She reached for her glass but overreached and ended up knocking it over. Luckily the glass was two-thirds empty and Seth grabbed it before very much of the contents escaped.
There was a moment of awkward silence as she dabbed at the spill. Then Edna spoke up.
“I don’t know about the rest of you but I’m ready for my serving of cobbler. Daniel, you’re the closest, start serving it up.”
That provided enough of a distraction to give Phoebe time to regain her composure so that by the time she’d finished cleaning up the spilled milk and had taken her seat again, the heat of her flush had ebbed considerably.
“Tell us something about yourself,” Levi asked as she settled into her chair. “Are your familye farmers?”
She shook her head. “Nee. Well, two of my brieder do have a small farm that they work together. But my daed and youngest bruder operate a harness repair business.”
“And do you only have the three brieder?”
Levi was certainly asking a lot of questions. Was he really interested or was he just trying to smooth over her earlier clumsiness? Either way she was grateful. “Nee. There are four of them. Michael has a bicycle shop in town.”
His brows went up. “Bicycles—do you ride?”
Seth listened to the easy way Levi talked to Phoebe, drawing her out, flattering her, making her smile. Levi had always had a certain charm about him that females found fascinating. He would have to get his bruder alone soon and warn him off Phoebe. It wasn’t fair to her since nothing was likely to come of it and she’d be returning to Bergamot soon.
Once everyone finished their dessert Seth pushed back his chair, signaling that the meal had come to an end. “That was a wonderful gut supper, Phoebe. Danke for preparing and serving it.”
As they’d been taught, each of his brieder carried his own dishes to the counter before leaving the kitchen. Seth frowned when he realized Levi wasn’t heading into the living room afterward but instead sat back down at the table.
He’d definitely have to have that talk with his bruder soon.
Chapter 10
Levi offered to dry the dishes while Phoebe washed. The other Beilers had disappeared into the living room and Edna sat at the table reading. Did her friend feel the need to chaperone or did she want to stay close in case Phoebe needed help?
Levi kept up an entertaining conversation as they worked, asking lots of questions about her, but also telling entertaining stories about himself and his brieder. It was from his storytelling that she learned Seth was a half bruder to the others, having had a different daed.
This one of Seth’s younger brieder was charming and amusing, making her smile often, but just as often making her want to roll her eyes. She’d known a few boys like him, observing as they interacted with the others in their youth group. They always wore a smile and knew how to put smiles on others’ lips. They seemed to breeze through life, never letting worries slow them down. But this was the first time she’d found herself the focus of one, which made this experience a little different.
She knew better than to make too much of the attention Levi was showing her, though. She was well aware that to him she was a novelty, a new member of the household, someone close to his own age who he could try to win over with his charm—that was all this was.
That being said, she’d come here to experience new things and to see if she could fare well on her own. So she would enjoy this for what it was—a diversion.
At one point Phoebe could hear a ruckus of some sort coming from the living room. Before she could decide whether to check on it or not, Levi spoke up.
“Seth must be in his room or his office.” He met her gaze and smiled. “Don’t worry, their games get a little rowdy sometimes is all.” He placed the drying cloth on the counter. “I’ll go check it out.”
As Phoebe finished with the dishes she wondered about his statement that Seth must be in his office. Did Seth never relax with his brieder and join in their fun? She wiped her hands on the drying cloth, then hung it on the hook over the sink. Then she turned and looked around the kitchen, making sure everything was in its place and that the table, stove and counters were spotless. The fact that they were gave her an unexpected sense of pleasure.
Edna closed her book and stood. “I think you’ve had a successful first day. I imagine you must be ready to turn in.”
Phoebe wasn’t sure exactly how successful it had been—she’d dropped a box of cookies at Seth’s feet, had all but fallen into his arms and then spilled a glass of milk at supper. But she smiled at her friend. “I made it through, for sure and for certain.” She waved a hand toward the living room. “But before returning to the dawdi haus, I want to check in and see if there’s anything Seth expects from me either before I turn in or when I fix breakfast in the morning.”
Edna nodded. “Well, these old bones are ready to call it a day.” She gave Phoebe a raised-brow look. “I trust you can get settled in for the night on your own.”
