Coal Black (Book 5)

Chapter Twenty-Six

Chapter Twenty-Six

Being Respectful

Jonas Black had spent a glorious week at the Taylor farm. He felt himself getting stronger every day as he worked with his hands. Ethan helped set up a stool in the barn to prop up his leg as he polished the saddles and oiled all the reins. He had helped the women by washing clothes, and they carried the wet clothes to the clothesline to dry.

But the evenings spent with Grace were his favorite part of the day. The conversation flowed as the four of them sat around the fire at night, working on projects. After Ethan had finished drilling a hole in the bear claw, he gave the tools and the other claw to Erik to make a single claw necklace for Trapper to hang on the cross.

Ethan had told Erik of his plans to make a nameplate for the grave, but he hadn't decided what he was going to use to make the letters. His brother worked on the bear claw that evening. It was a tedious job, but it gave him something to work on every night as Grace sewed or crocheted in her chair.

"Tomorrow is our Sunday to travel to the Jensen farm. Would you like to come with us?" asked Rachel.

"Thank you for thinking of me, but I'm afraid not. I'm not ready to meet the neighbors just yet. I want my leg to heal some more, so it doesn't look like I am recovering from a bullet wound."

They understood his hesitancy and didn't encourage him to change his mind.

"What are you going to do all day while we're gone?"

"I have a couple of ideas. Maybe a nap in the afternoon since you've been working me to the bone."

Ethan laughed and asked his wife if he could stay home and nap. The women joined in on the laughter with his wife, telling him that was not an option. They said goodnight to one another and went to bed. After Ethan had checked the doors and tended the fire, he walked to Erik's room and knocked on the door.

"About tomorrow."

"I'll be fine."

"It's not that. It is when we return from the Jensen's."

Jonas looked at the man with confusion in his face, and Ethan sat on the chair in his room to explain.

"I don't know how much church upbringing you have had, but the women have their own version of church that they learned when they were girls, and as a family, we have adopted our own version of church. Carl and Edith join in when they visit our farm, but when we go to their house for Sunday dinner, we wait until we return home to have our prayer services."

"I am fine with joining you when you return."

"Well, there is one more thing. Every Sunday, each of us recites a memorized bible verse. The women and the kids would sure get a kick out of you reciting a verse. It doesn't have to be long. I brought you this little bible. During the war, I traded my rations of tobacco for it."

Jonas took the worn bible and opened the pages. He knew his letters and numbers and could read some. The gesture touched him, but he didn't know where to start.

"You know those pretty words you said at the gravesite? Are they in here?"

Ethan realized he was referring to either the Lord's Prayer or the Twenty-third psalms. Erik flipped the pages until he found the Psalms chapters in the bible. He pointed out the verses to the man, and he recognized the words, The Lord is my shepherd. He thank him for the gift and told him he would do his best to memorize a verse.