His first instinct was to take a step back, but he was actually relieved that she was coming over. She could take her niece in hand.
“Susie, what are you doing?” Verna asked briskly as she strode up.
“Talking.” Susie’s tone took on a decidedly defiant cast.
“We need help with the chickens,” Verna said.
“You seem to have it under control,” Susie replied.
Verna planted her hands on her hips and met the girl’s gaze. “Now.”
Susie sighed, then cast Arden a bright smile. “See you, Arden.”
He wasn’t sure what to say, so he opted for silence as Susie headed over to where the other women were still rounding up the last of the chickens. Verna didn’t move, and she gave him an annoyed look.
“She is far too young for you, Arden,” Verna said.
“I know! I know... I just... I mean... She, um—” How on earth was he supposed to explain what had just happened here? That little ball of paper seemed to be burning a hole in his palm.
“She’s seventeen. Barely seventeen,” Verna said. “And she has a lot to learn before she’s wife material for anyone. If you think you’re interested in a girl that young, then I think you need to have a talk with some elders! But I’ll tell you this much. You’d have to wait several years for her to be old enough for anything serious!”
“I’m not! I—” Arden swallowed.
“Arden, I remember you very well from your younger years,” Verna said, lowering her voice. “Very well. And my niece might be foolish enough to want to play with these things, but I’ve got my eye on her, and you’d better keep your distance. I’m serious.”
“Verna, I promise you, I’m not interested in Susie,” he said. “I’m not in Redemption for that. She’s just...very friendly, it seems.”
“Friendly.” Verna rolled her eyes. She didn’t seem ready to forgive him yet.
“Trust me.” He needed to get away from here—and he didn’t deserve this lecture from Verna. He hadn’t done anything wrong.
“If you’re thinking about finding a wife, I suggest you stick to the women closer to your own age,” Verna said. “My advice? Sarai Peachy is beautiful, smart and single. That would be more fruitful than flirting with a girl Susie’s age.”
“I wasn’t flirting!” he said.
Susie had been, and shamelessly, but he hadn’t been. That was the honest truth, not that Verna looked inclined to believe him. But then her advice landed a couple of beats after she said it. “Wait—why would you say Sarai?”
“Because she’s closer to your age,” Verna said.
“But she’s not interested in a man like me,” he said. “Her family is significantly better-off than mine, and when she gets married, it’ll be to someone who can give her some proper comfort. I’m downright poor next to her family, you know.”
Verna cocked her head to one side, and a smile tickled her lips. “Do you think that she’s a step above you?”
“She’s several steps above me, Verna,” he said. “That’s a fact.”
“Maybe she is.” But that smile didn’t leave Verna’s lips. “All the same, you’re better-off barking up that tree than socializing with my niece. Consider Sarai a challenge.”
Sarai would be a challenge, indeed. But he didn’t need any encouragement in that direction.
“I’m not staying long,” he said. “And I’m not looking for romance of any kind. Maybe you could make that clear to Susie.”
“I’ll try,” Verna said. “I’m not sure she’ll listen, but I’ll do my best.”
“Danke,” he said. “I appreciate that.”
The men had moved into a circle and were discussing their building plans. That was Arden’s cue to go join them.
“I need to go help,” he said.
“Go on, then,” Verna said.
Arden headed toward the group of men, and he looked back in Sarai’s direction. She wasn’t watching him anymore. Her attention was on the hens and making sure they had proper feed and water. She was petting one of them, crouching next to it comfortingly.
He’d have to stop thinking about Sarai, too, because contrary to Verna’s opinion, he had no future here in Redemption. If Gott wanted him back here, He’d have provided the full sum of money to pay Job back. And He hadn’t. That was a clear-enough message.
He looked down at the paper in his palm. He flattened it and looked at the writing neatly printed in blue ink. It was Susie’s name and address. He shut his eyes for a moment, balled the paper up again in his palm and dropped it into his tool bag. He’d dispose of it later. But that would be a difficult one to explain to Sarai, and he knew it.
The day melted into some hard work. Jake Knussli had a sketch done for a larger coop than the one Sarai had been using up to this point. The plans were laid out, and then Arden’s job was measuring and cutting two-by-fours. He could do that easily enough, and the other men took the newly cut wood and set to work on building the new coop.
The women put together some lunch for everyone—sandwiches, stew and cut fruit. Arden ate with the men, and Sarai kept her distance. He caught her giving him a wary look now and again, and after Verna’s lecture, he understood why. She thought he had been flirting. But he hadn’t been, and if he could just explain himself, he’d feel a bit better. Sarai wasn’t giving him a chance.
A couple of times Susie came over to where they were working, and Verna was close behind, herding her irritated niece back toward the women again. Arden couldn’t help but chuckle at that.
He put himself into the work instead. He used his tape to get the exact measurement, marked it with a pencil, measured again to be sure and then pulled out his handsaw.
“I see the Kauffman niece has set her sights on you,” Job said.
Arden looked up. “Not my fault, I promise you.”
