Zeke and Ned Read Online Free PDF

putting that food,” Zeke said, to Ned. “He’s skinny as a fence rail . . . it must be slidin’ down into his legs.”
    Zeke spoke mainly to take his mind off Ned Christie and hisdilemma. Ned had a powerful presence, and at the moment, a troublesome presence—he was staring at his plate so hard that Zeke feared the plate might crack. He wanted to help Ned come out with his question, if only to lighten the atmosphere a little, but he could not figure out how. Ned was so gloomy, he was making everybody else at the table miserable, everybody except Tuxie, who was still forking green beans into his mouth at a rapid rate.
    Jewel kept her eyes downcast, waiting. Even the chatty Liza had fallen quiet. Becca kept getting up and running behind the chimney. Outside, it got dark; a rain squall came in with a little hail, peppering the shingles above them like buckshot—but still, Ned Christie was silent. Zeke got annoyed, finally; he hated gloomy meals. It was plain to him from the way Jewel sat there, still as a doe in hiding, that she was not going to turn Ned down. Why wouldn’t the man speak?
    Ned was thinking maybe everybody would leave the table soon and get on with their chores. But everybody seemed numbed. Even Tuxie, now that he had eaten everything there was to eat, had a vacant look in his eye. The hail had stopped; when Ned looked out the window, he could see the white pebbles speckling the muddy lots where Zeke penned his heifers.
    Jewel sat right across from him, waiting. Ned had never felt so awkward in his whole life. Proposing to Lacy had not been near such a chore. Lacy had been a friend of his sister’s, and had mostly done her growing up in their house. Jewel, though, lived far from Shady Mountain, and he had only seen her five times. For all he knew, she already had a beau. For all he knew, she might turn him down flat.
    He could feel everybody at the table waiting. It was as if all activity had braked to a screeching halt, while he and Jewel were resolving their future. But he could not help it. His tongue would not come out with the big words.
    Then he risked a glance, and met Jewel’s eye. They both risked a glance at the same time, and their glances smacked together. Both hastily looked down, then up again; their glances smacked together a second time.
    Jewel wanted to smile at the tall man, but she was too afraid.
    Ned felt emboldened by the two glances. Jewel did not seem to mind looking at him, at least.
    â€œWith all this rain, the creeks will be high,” he said. This time, he did not drop his eyes when Jewel returned his gaze.
    â€œIf you’d like to get your things and come with me, we ought to be getting on home,” Ned continued. “It’s a long ride.”
    Jewel felt a rush of happiness—yet, he had put the matter differently from what she had expected. She looked at her mother, to see if her mother felt matters had been stated correctly.
    Becca did not feel they had, but she knew men were awkward about such matters, and she did not want to blight her daughter’s chances just because Ned Christie was tongue-tied.
    â€œBut Ned, what do you intend?” Becca asked.
    Ned suddenly felt deeply embarrassed. He realized he had forgotten to mention marriage. In his mind, he had said the word fifty times, but it had not found its way out of his mouth. Becca was frowning, and who could blame her?
    â€œWhy, I was hoping Jewel would marry me,” he said. “The preacher will be on the Mountain this weekend . . . he could marry us then. I don’t think we need to wait.”
    â€œNo, you don’t need to wait,” Becca agreed.
    â€œZeke, does that suit you?” Ned asked. He worried that he had annoyed Zeke by his omission. Zeke just sat there, with a mild look on his face.
    It was Becca who suddenly turned on him, fierce.
    â€œIt don’t matter what Zeke thinks—I’m her ma!” she pronounced.