Healing Their Amish Hearts. Leigh Bale

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СКАЧАТЬ just a moment, Becca wished she was anywhere but here. She should be married and looking forward to raising a familye of her own, but that wasn’t possible now. Not since her ex-fiancé had broken off their engagement. She’d known and loved Vernon all her life, yet he’d chosen to wed another girl they’d grown up with. If Becca failed in this position, she’d be forced to return to her familye in Ohio in shame. She was hoping for a good job reference so she could go elsewhere. She couldn’t bear to go home and watch Vernon and Ruth marry and raise a familye together while she became a dried-up old spinster.

      As she accompanied Sam to the door, she walked with him outside onto the front steps. “Mr. King, I really need to speak with you about Sam. Did you receive the letter I sent home with him two days ago?”

      Jesse nodded. “Ja, I received your letter.”

      “Gut. Then you know I’d like to discuss Sam’s problem...”

      “Not now.” Without another word, Jesse placed his hat on his head and hurried down the steps. Sam trailed behind.

      Becca shivered and wrapped her arms around herself. Something hardened inside of her. She was Sam’s teacher and must look after his education. Determined not to be ignored, she followed Jesse.

      “If not now, when? I’m concerned about Sam. He’s not speaking. I’d like to help,” she called to Jesse’s back.

      Without a backward glance, the man climbed into his black buggy and closed the door. Sam scrambled into the buggy on the opposite side with a little difficulty. Becca helped him in, thinking it a bit derelict for a parent to let their six-year-old son fend for himself. She rounded the buggy, intending to confront the boy’s father.

      “Mr. King, please,” she said.

      Jesse took the leather lead lines into his large hands. Becca noticed several ugly, purple scars on his skin before he gave a little flick and the buggy lurched into motion. She had no choice but to step back or be trampled as he directed the horse down the muddy road. Within moments, they disappeared from view.

      Well, of all the nerve! What a rude man.

      Trying to hide her frustration, Becca turned and went inside. She was surprised to find the classroom so quiet. Every student had their head ducked over their books, the younger children studying their McGuffey readers while the older children wrote out vocabulary words.

      No doubt the culprits of the snake incident must fear her wrath. She thought Caleb Yoder must be the ringleader. But without proof, she couldn’t accuse him openly. Still, after the events of the past week, this wasn’t the first time. And now there was a toy snake in her desk drawer. What would the school board say about that?

      Being more cautious, she glanced at her chair before sitting down, then breathed a silent sigh of relief. Only ten more minutes and she’d be free for the weekend. Most of the children were bright, helpful and quiet. But Caleb and Enos had a penchant for causing enough trouble that Becca was seriously considering speaking with their parents. The only problem was that Caleb’s father was Bishop Yoder. And she hated the thought of approaching the bishop of her new Gmay about his wayward son. No, she must handle this on her own. She had to get control of the school. And fast.

      Standing again, she was determined to say something to the students. After all, it was her job to correct poor behavior. Choosing her words carefully, she folded her hands in front of her starched white apron.

      “Scholars, I must tell you that I’m ashamed of you today. When Mr. King came to our school, we showed him what poorly behaved children you are. You embarrassed yourselves and I have no doubt your parents will hear all about it.”

      There. That was good. Maybe the fear of their parents finding out might make the children behave better. From the front of the room, Caleb slid lower in his seat. Perhaps the thought of his father hearing what had happened didn’t appeal to him. Good! Maybe he’d think twice before putting tacks on her chair or rubber snakes in her drawer again.

      “I hope as you go home this afternoon, you’ll think about what your parents expect from you,” she continued. “And I hope you won’t let this happen again. Now, it’s time to go home. Please tidy your desks and get your coats on. School is dismissed.”

      The students did as asked, hurrying toward the door. Out of her peripheral vision, Becca saw Caleb’s elder brother nudge his arm, a look of disapproval on his face. Karen, who was Caleb’s older sister, frowned as well.

      Great! Becca wanted to cry out in victory. If Becca’s admonitions wouldn’t work, perhaps sibling pressure might help correct Caleb’s poor behavior.

      The last student headed out the door. Through the wide windows, Becca saw several black buggies waiting. Since the school was situated in one corner of Bishop Yoder’s hay field, his farm was nearby. But this certainly wasn’t like her home in Ohio where everyone lived within walking distance of the school. Many of the children here in Riverton lived as many as nine miles away and needed a ride home. Some children brought a small pony cart to school, while others waited for their parents to pick them up with their horse and buggy.

      Returning to her desk, Becca stared at the place where she’d stowed the toy snake. With a quick jerk, she pulled the drawer open and recoiled in anticipation. But there was no need. During the brief time when she’d been outside speaking with Jesse King, the snake had disappeared.

      Hmm. No doubt one of the children had taken it. And honestly, Becca was happy to have it gone. Hopefully it didn’t make a reappearance. Because she desperately wanted the school board to write her a nice reference when she finished her assignment in May. She needed to serve as a substitute teacher for three full years before being eligible to teach at any Amish parochial school. As a teacher, she was a late bloomer. She hadn’t done any student teaching earlier, when she’d first achieved her certificate of completion from the Amish school she’d attended as a girl. She thought she’d be getting married, so she hadn’t even considered it at the time. But if she did well here in Riverton, she could get an Amish teaching job anywhere. This position was only a beginning, but she’d do almost anything to keep from returning home to Ohio.

      Now, if she could just figure out a way to handle Jesse King and little Sam’s lack of speech, she might have a chance.

      Jesse patted the side of his black-and-white Holstein and picked up the two buckets of fresh milk. Carrying them outside the barn, he noticed the skiff of snow they’d had that morning had almost melted off. It’d be dark soon. The afternoon sun was settling behind the Wet Mountains to the east. The fading beams of light sprayed the sky in creamy pink and gold, glinting off the jagged spikes of granitic rock. Jesse had been reading up on his new home. The Wet Valley sat at an elevation of just under 8,000 feet. With the cooler elevation and much shorter growing season, he’d never be able to successfully grow anything but hay, some barley and maybe some sugar beets. In his summer garden, the snap peas and carrots should do fine, but some other Amish farmers at church had told him not to bother growing celery and he’d have to cover his tomato plants at night or they’d freeze. But his farmland was fertile and located ten long miles outside of town. Because his new home was isolated and lonely, he’d gotten it for a cheap price. And the solitude was just what he wanted to soothe his broken heart.

      Still holding the milk buckets, he paused, remembering the last time he’d shared a similar sunset with his sweet wife, Alice. Back then, they’d been living in the overly populated area of Lancaster County. They’d been СКАЧАТЬ