“Maybe one day.” Mr. Brunswick passed her father a platter of roast beef.
The table discussion covered a variety of topics, but Eleanor remained silent. Her father and Mr. Brunswick seemed to have a lot in common. Carter’s father discussed some of his farming methods, including a decision to let part of the farm go fallow for the year.
Father had shared some insight with her when they’d been camping. After seeing all the farms and ranches, he’d found it prudent to understand the true nature of how the different entities used vast acreages of land. She had to admit, her opinion about people owning large portions of land had begun to shift.
Her question to Carter about why his father felt he needed twenty thousand acres came back to her. For some reason it didn’t seem all that important anymore. There was something about this farm, and the ease in which the Brunswicks gathered for Sunday dinner, that left her feeling a part of the family.
There was no need to push for answers to questions that really didn’t matter.
“Eleanor, you went to college, is that correct?”
Carter’s mom’s voice broke through her reverie.
She looked up at her. “Yes, Mrs. Brunswick, I did. I love to learn and studied all that I could to help Father in his work.”
“I think education is very important. Carter went to college, as did his oldest sister for a couple of years. She fell in love and married a young man from her classes, however, and that was the end of that.” Mrs. Brunswick smiled. “Our middle daughter fell in love in grade school and married that boy as soon as we’d give permission, but she loves to read.”
“Ellie always loved to read.” Father patted her hand. “I believe reading is the single most important thing we can do.”
“Oh, do you prefer being called Ellie?”
The innocent way the older woman asked the question made her pause.
Her heart sped up just a bit and it was difficult to breathe. She closed her eyes and then opened them again. “My mother called me Ellie. After she died, I insisted everyone call me Eleanor because it was too painful to have others use her name for me.” She caught her father’s teary expression and covered his hand with her own. “But I have to admit, Idoprefer Ellie.”
What was she saying? She searched her heart ...
It was true. She did prefer being called Ellie. As she accepted that truth, another crack around her heart seemed to ease the tightness. But she couldn’t look at Carter. He’d surely gloat—
Then she did anyway.
His soft smile sent a little tingle up her neck. Yes, she definitely preferred Ellie.
“Reading is valuable.” Mr. Brunswick looked at his son. “Carter learned to read at his mother’s knee before he was three years old. Used to make people marvel at his ability.”
“Ellie read at a young age too. Perhaps not quite that young, but I remember her reading the Bible with her mother when she was only five.”
She remembered those days as well. Remembered the scent of her mother’s perfume and the tenderness she took with Eleanor as they worked through stories in the Bible. Especially the book of Daniel. She loved the stories of how Daniel stood fast before the king regarding rich food and drink. Mother had always been firm about getting plenty of healthy foods and exercising in the sunshine. She was a confirmed believer that rich foods led to sickness and that being indoors all the time caused one to have a sallow complexion.
“Take awalk every day, Ellie. Get out and breathe deep. Keepa fast step so that your heart has to work a little harder. Muscles are honed by working them.”
“Isn’t that right, Ellie?”
She startled and looked at her father. “I’m ... I’m so sorry. I was just remembering something Mother said.” Taking a breath, she blinked away the tears in the corners of her eyes. “What was it you asked me?”
For a moment, he didn’t speak. Just stared at her. He gave her an almost imperceptible nod, then cleared his throat. “I was telling the Brunswicks about your love of reading and how you and your mother read through the entire Bible by the time you were six years old.”
Ellie nodded, catching Carter’s watchful gaze. “It’s true. Mother thought there was no better book to read and study.”
Carter’s mother gathered a couple of empty bowls. “I agree with her on that. It must have been so hard for you both to lose her. You have my utter sympathy. I lost my mother young as well.” Mrs. Brunswick spoke with such tenderness. And love. “Mothers are so very dear to us that their loss creates impossibly difficult spaces in our lives. I’ve found that only God can fill those holes. What of you, Ellie?”
She swallowed the lump in her throat. “I don’t think I ever filled them.” She looked at her plate and took up the remaining piece of bread. “I doubt I ever will.” She slathered butter on it.
For a long silent moment no one said a word. Ellie glanced at her father. Was he upset by her words? His eyes stayed fixed on his plate, shoulders tense.
Then Mrs. Brunswick got to her feet. “I have a cake fordessert. Jacob always insists on something sweet at the end of the meal.”
Carter’s dad patted his stomach. “After we finish what I’m sure will be a delicious dessert, I’d like to show you around the farm, Stewart. You’re welcome to come too, Miss Briggs, but I figure you might prefer sitting on the porch. There’s something about it that just can’t be beat.”
