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though he went up to the Mennonites to do it. And then just when folks thought he was settled, he goes off to the city with his wife and daughter.”
    “Did Hannah and her mother want to go?” Katie’s expression was one of instinctive sympathy.
    Isaac shrugged. “They must have, since they stayed away.” He shook his head. “What am I doing, standing here gossiping about old times? I came in to remind William that I need him tomorrow, and maybe the next day, too.” He glanced at Caleb. “Hope that’s not an inconvenience.”
    Katie looked as if she were about to speak again, but Caleb beat her to it.
    “Seems to me that is for William to decide.” He folded his arms across his chest, looking at William.
    “Ach, I don’t need to think twice about that.” Isaac clapped William on the shoulder. “William’s always ready to help me out. He hasn’t forgotten what he owes his family. Or how I stood by him when he was so foolish over Rachel.”
    William’s stomach clenched as if he’d been hit, but he managed to keep his face expressionless. Isaac would bring that up, of course, as if William needed help remembering. He’d thought himself in love with Rachel, his other brother’s widow, and he’d done a lot of foolish things while trying to show her how he felt.
    Rachel was married to Gideon Zook now, but she still behaved as if he were the little brother he’d always been. She and Gideon had long since forgiven him, as had everyone else. Except, maybe, himself.
    “Well, I must get on home.” Isaac’s hand tightened on William’s shoulder. “I’ll see you at supper.”
    He nodded. There was nothing else to say.
    Katie didn’t seem to agree. The moment the door had closed behind Isaac, she let out an exasperated noise.
    “Ach, William, I hate the way you let Isaac boss you around. When are you going to stand up to him?”
    Caleb touched her lightly. “That’s not up to us, ain’t so?” He glanced at William. “Did Hannah have a project she wanted us to work on?”
    “N-no. N-n-not exactly.” He paused, but there was no reason not to tell them. And he could trust Caleb to give him good advice. “She kn-knows a lot about s-stuttering. Studied it in school, I g-guess. Offered to h-help me.”
    “Is that so? Are you going to do it?” Caleb leaned forward, face interested.
    William looked away, shrugging.
    “Well, are you?” Caleb asked.
    “Sounds like a wonderful idea,” Katie added. “How nice of her to think of it.”
    William held his silence for a few minutes. “I . . . I d-don’t think so.”
    “Why not?” Katie demanded, heedless of Caleb’s hand on her arm.
    “Just d-don’t feel r-right about it. Folks might t-talk.” And Hannah, like Rachel, was an older woman with a family already. He didn’t need to make that mistake again.
    “I wouldn’t refuse on that account,” Caleb said mildly. “But it’s up to you.” He gave Katie a quelling look when she seemed about to argue.
    William shrugged again. “I’m supposed t-to let her know. But I d-don’t think so.”
    He headed for the stairs. He’d go back to the workshop and lose himself in the new quilt rack design he was developing. That was the best thing for him.
    But he couldn’t help hearing Katie’s remark as he went up the stairs.
    “It’s too bad he won’t do it. Getting over his stuttering would be a good thing if it gave William enough of a voice to stand up to Isaac.”

C HAPTER T HREE
    S upper on Saturday was a relaxing time at Aunt Paula’s. The bakery was closed on Sundays, of course, so there was no need to set bread to rise or start making piecrusts.
    “There you are, Jamie.” Aunt Paula set a bowl on the tray of the wooden highchair she’d borrowed for his use. “See how you like chicken and dumplings.”
    “He’ll make a mess.” Hannah was resigned to that by now. Jamie had to learn to feed himself, but his efforts didn’t make a pretty sight.
    “Ach, that’s fine,” Paula said,