Chapter 6

CHAPTER 6

Lara sat silently next to Caleb in a black buggy drawn by a pair of sleek horses. Solomon drove the family farm wagon pulled by Abraham and Sarah, with Daniel riding shotgun, literally. Lara was surprised when Daniel had exited the homestead bearing arms. Weren’t the Amish nonviolent? Caleb explained that though they weren’t aggressive people, they were prepared to protect themselves, particularly given the new world order of uncertainty.

The rest of the sons of Solomon Miller had been left at home to make room for the six people Lara assured them were hiding in the woods.

Lara knew saving the others from cold and hunger was the right thing to do. She just hadn’t expected to feel so miserable about it.

What was wrong with her? She’d had a romantic interlude with Caleb that had left her quivering in anticipation of her wedding night, he’d proposed to her, and instead of accepting and being an engaged woman, she’d confessed to the horrid sin of leaving her friends stranded.

Caleb’s expression had gone from hopeful to confused to angry. Even worse was his current countenance—disappointed. He hadn’t exactly said as much in words, but the wounded look in his eyes was unmistakable.

Of course he wouldn’t want to marry her now. Who would?

When the rescue party got close to the encampment, the buggy and wagon stopped. “I’ll go in by myself, so they aren’t frightened,” Lara said. She made to get down from the buggy, but Caleb’s hand on her arm stopped her.

“I’ll not allow yee to wander in the woods alone. It might be unsafe.” He squeezed her forearm.

She glanced down at his hand on her arm and then up into his face. “I will be fine. Besides, you might frighten them.”

“I intend to frighten anyone who might wish you harm.”

“These people are my friends. They would not hurt me.”

“Friends you leave to the elements and who knows what other dangers while our family treated you like a princess?” Daniel joined the conversation, not bothering to hide his contempt.

Heat suffused Lara’s face at his accusation. “I am not proud of myself.” She met the gazes of Daniel and Mr. Miller and spoke to them directly. “My actions were despicable. I only hope that you, and my friends, will have the grace to forgive me.” She inhaled deeply to steady her emotions. “I will never forgive myself.”

Daniel sniffed and looked away. No doubt he counted himself lucky not to have won her favor.

Solomon, however, smiled benevolently and spoke softly. “It is our duty to forgive those who repent.”

“Thank you,” she whispered. His kindness was much more than she deserved, but she lapped it up hungrily. She turned to Caleb. “We can go together, but once we determine that it is safe, I will approach them alone. Agreed?”

He nodded, jumped down from the buggy, and hurried to assist her in exiting. His hands lingered on her waist for a moment longer than necessary and a small thrill snuck into Lara’s heart. Maybe all was not lost.

They set off through the woods, Caleb’s hand on her lower back guiding and steadying her over the uneven forest floor. Lara had set out certain of the direction, but after a few minutes she paused to think. “This way,” she said, heading to her left. She had to admit she was glad for Caleb’s protective presence. Even in the bright morning light, the woods loomed dank and dim.

Another change of direction with the same results. Lara had no idea where the others were. What might have happened if she’d attempted to find them on her own?

Frustrated, tired, and convinced that if Caleb had not been thoroughly disgusted and disappointed in her before, he assuredly was now, in a last-ditch effort to find her way, she turned quickly, slamming into the chest of a very surprised Caleb. She pushed him away and ran. With no idea which way to go, she traveled deeper into the forest, further and further from anything that made sense, but she didn’t care. All she’d wanted to do was find her friends and make amends, instead she’d gotten lost. Couldn’t she do anything right?

Myriad thoughts stormed her brain and thorny branches caught on her clothing. She spied a cave in the distance and made it her destination. She’d hide there. Forever, if need be. With her eyes focused on the opening in the side of a mountain, she failed to see the downed limb crossing her path.

Splat .

She landed face first in the dirt. The fall knocked the wind from her lungs and she huddled on the ground gasping for air.

Gentle hands probed her body. She squealed and rolled away. “Mercy, you’re like a rabid animal, girl. Hold still.”

Caleb! The breath left her lungs again, but this time due to the thrill of seeing him hovered over her, concern etched on his face.

Bending down, he scooped her into his arms and sat leaning against a tree, Lara cuddled in his lap. With one hand he held her head against his shoulder and with the other he felt the length of her arms and legs.

“Caleb,” she said against his neck, “this is not the time for fondling. We must find the others. They need our help.” Pressing her palms against his chest, she attempted to get loose from his grip, but Caleb merely tightened his grasp. Movement was not an option.

“I am not fondling, Lara, though it is tempting.” He squeezed her buttocks and Lara saw the corners of his mouth turn up in a smile. “I am checking to see if you have injured yourself. Are yee always this much trouble?”

“No. Really, I’m not. I know it’s hard to believe.” Beneath her ear, Caleb’s chest rumbled with laughter.

“Yes, it is.”

“I don’t know what came over me. I was just so frantic when we couldn’t find the others. They are cold and hungry and scared.” She paused for a moment. “I did a horrible thing by not telling you about them.”

With his hand in her hair, Caleb pulled her head back so he could look in her face. “You told me you had been alone since the earthquake. That was a lie.”

The Amish did not sugar-coat things. She wanted to deny it. Oh, how desperately she wanted to refute his words. But they both knew he spoke the truth. “Y-yes,” she said, her heart heavy with shame, “it was.”

Caleb’s hand moved from clutching her scalp and slid down her back, his fingertips dipping into the waistband of her borrowed pants. “Do you remember the switch hanging above the bed in my house… our house?”

Oh, no . A pit of dread thudded in her stomach. She nodded.

“We are going to put it to good use tonight after dinner. When I invite you to walk with me, do not try to avoid it.”

“Caleb, no.”

“Lara, yes.” His mouth covered hers in a tender kiss. She wound her arms around his neck and held him close, her heart pounding against his.

When the kiss ended, she sighed and laid her head against his shoulder, content.

“Oh, for Pete’s sake. Will you look at that? Here we were worried about her and she’s found a boyfriend.” The dreamy feeling evoked by Caleb’s caresses vanished and Lara looked up into the angry face of Brittany. Katie and Grace stood next to her, their mouths hanging open.

“Now, Brittany,” Grace said. “I am sure Lara has an explanation for everything.”

“What needs to be explained?” Brittany glared at Grace and then Lara. “All Lara ever thinks about is herself and this is proof, not that I needed any more.” Arms folded across her chest, hip popped out to the side, Brittany’s body language screamed her disdain.

Lara’s plan to make amends had hit a snag before she even got a chance to get started. She jumped to her feet and rushed toward the others. “I’m so sorry,” she said, first approaching Katie and Grace, assuming she’d get a better reception from them than the impossible-to-please Brittany. “I meant to come back for you, but I wanted to make sure the situation was safe.” She held her hands out to Grace, hoping she’d live up to her name.

“Well, it looks like you were able to subdue this one. What other danger are we in? Blisters from churning butter?” Brittany said, unimpressed with Lara’s explanation.

Katie giggled, then clamped her hands over her mouth to prevent the escape of more laughter.

“Brittany!” Grace gasped. “That was unkind.” She glanced up at Caleb. “I apologize for her rude behavior. We are all a little overwrought.” She elbowed Katie and stage whispered, “Stop it.”

Katie put her hands behind her back and stared at the ground for a moment composing herself. When she was able to keep a straight face, she raised her head. “I’m sorry,” she said.

Lara bit her lip and peeked up at Caleb to gauge his reaction. Her mortification at being caught kissing him when they ought to have been seeking her schoolmates was replaced by her humiliation over the way her friends had acted.

She’d only known Caleb for twenty-four hours. Much had happened, but it was still a minuscule amount of time when it came to getting to know a future husband. How would he react to Brittany’s disrespect?

Caleb moved to stand in front of Brittany. Tower over her, more accurately. Lara watched her former roommate’s eyes grow wide and some of her bravado eased away. “I am Caleb Miller. It must have been startling to come upon Lara and me the way you did just now. However, she is to be my wife, and as such, I expect you to treat her, and me, respectfully.”

“Wife?” Brittany’s screech sent several squirrels running for cover. She whirled away from Caleb and confronted Lara. “In twenty-four hours you trapped this man into marrying you? Wow, you work fast.”

“Enough.” Caleb’s voice dropped to dangerously low levels and sent a shiver of dread through Lara. “Lara is to be my wife and I expect you will treat her with respect.”

Brittany did not heed the warning in his tone. She inspected Caleb from head to toe. “You clearly have not been living in the forest drinking broth made from roots and bugs like we have. Is it any wonder she’s latched onto you?”

Grace tugged at Brittany’s sleeve, trying to distract her. Katie took a step back and looked as though she would like to sneak away as fast as possible.

Lara had had her fill of Brittany’s vitriol. She stepped between Caleb and her former roommate. “You have no right to say such things about Caleb.” Her voice shook but she continued, gaining confidence with each word. “Just because you are filled with anger and bitterness doesn’t mean you have to spread it to everyone else. We may be the only people left inhabiting the earth, has that thought not dawned on you? Is nastiness what you want your contribution to a new society to be?”