He retrieved the chess set and placed it on the table. “I want to thank you for the gut job you did getting the house ready for the church service. Everything looked gut and everyone was well fed.” He was babbling, he knew, but for some reason he felt on edge.
“Danke, but everyone helped.”
“True, but you were the one who came up with the idea and got things started.” Then he waved a hand over the board. “Light or dark?”
“Dark.”
With a nod he turned the board so that the light-colored pieces were in front of him and quickly made his first move.
Her move was just as quick.
He made his move, then cleared his throat. “You were right about changing up the way I approached creating the chess sets. I couldn’t have gotten all of the orders out before Christmas without everyone’s help.”
“We were all glad to lend a hand.” She made her next move after barely giving the board a glance. “I hope you’ll continue to use your brieder’s help when you work on future orders.”
He fiddled with his beard while he studied the board. “I know a big reason they worked so hard with me was that I was so far behind schedule, and it means a lot to me that they were willing to bail me out. So, no, I don’t intend to shut them out as I did before. But I don’t want to make any of them feel obligated to help me on a regular basis if they don’t want to.”
She countered his move and then placed an elbow on the table and her face in her hand as she changed the subject. “Do you think we should plan a big meal for New Year’s Day? Do you normally have familye over?”
He liked the way she said “we”—was she even aware she’d done so? “Maybe not for lunch. But a certain amount of snack food—cookies, pies, some savory items—would be gut for those who might drop by in the afternoon.”
She nodded. “When I get back from Bergamot, I’ll plan a menu.”
Thinking of her being gone for two and a half days gave Seth a stone-in-his-chest feeling. Hard to believe she’d only been part of this household for three weeks, yet now he could hardly picture their home without her very energetic presence. He contented himself with the knowledge that she would be back in just a few short days.
But perhaps he could give her an early Christmas present in the form of a little extra confidence.
Five moves later, through a series of what he considered cleverly subtle moves, he’d set her up to win. She just had to play her rook and he would be in check, a move later and it would be checkmate. She couldn’t help but see the opening he’d left for her.
Phoebe reached for her rook then paused and gave him a puzzled look. She followed through with the move but then sat back, a brows-down troubled expression on her face. Surely she didn’t suspect what he was doing.
He pretended to study the board, stroking his beard contemplatively, then took the bait and captured her rook.
Phoebe sat up straight, two spots of color flaming in her cheeks. “What are you doing?”
The tense passion in her voice surprised him. “What do you mean?”
“Are you letting me win?”
He tried to keep his expression blank, but even so, when he remained silent, she shoved her chair back and stood. “How could you? I thought you respected me more than that.” And without giving him time to respond, she turned and walked stiffly from the room, toward the dawdi haus.
Chapter 33
Phoebe sat on the edge of her bed, kneading her hands in her lap.
How could she have been so wrong about a person? She’d been certain Seth understood her.
If she’d wanted a clear sign that a match between them was not to be, then this was it. A woman like Fannie—a woman he didn’t feel he had to treat like a child—would obviously be much better suited.
There was a knot in her chest, coiled so tight she thought any minute it would snap and explode. And a similar knot seemed to be stuck in her throat. And the only thing that could relieve the pressure would be a gut cry.
But rather than give in to the urge to curl up in a ball right here on the bed and bawl until she was wrung dry, she stood and smoothed her skirt with hands that were surprisingly steady. She had work to do. The first batch of laundry should be dry enough for her to pull from the line and fold. And then it would be time to get supper started.
Keeping busy would be a very gut thing right now.
Phoebe made it through the next several hours without embarrassing herself further, mostly because Seth stayed away from the house most of the afternoon.
She caught Edna staring at her at one point and got the distinct impression her friend knew just what had happened and how it had affected her.
But Edna didn’t say anything so Phoebe continued her work in silence.
Just as she was hanging up her dishrag, Phoebe heard someone clearing his throat. She looked up to see Kish and Jesse standing in the kitchen doorway.
“Since you aren’t going to be here for the Christmas play,” Kish started, “we thought we would give you a little preview, of our parts anyway.”
Phoebe clasped her hands in front of her. “That is a wonderful gut idea. I’d be honored to get such a preview.” She allowed them to lead her into the living room, touched by their willingness to include her in all aspects of their lives.
At least Seth’s brieder never made her feel small.
Then Kish added, “It was Seth’s idea.”
She shot a quick glance Seth’s way. They hadn’t spoken directly to each other since she’d stalked away from their chess game. He smiled back sheepishly, even as he shifted in his seat.
She nodded acknowledgment and took a seat across the room, then turned to smile at the scholars. “I’m ready whenever you are.”
“I’m singing a song with four other scholars,” Kish announced proudly. He took a deep breath then launched into “Oh Come, All Ye Faithful.” He sang four verses before finally ending the piece.
“That was wunderbaar! Danke, danke for sharing it with me.”
