Plain Admirer. Patricia Davids

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СКАЧАТЬ manner. And for what reason? What had he done to deserve this? Nothing. He climbed awkwardly into the buggy.

      “Do you want me to drive?” Andrew asked.

      “Nee, I can manage.” Earlier, Roman had tied the lines together so he could slip them over his neck and shoulder as he often did when he worked behind a team in the fields. That way he couldn’t accidently drop the reins. By pulling on first one and then the other, he was able to guide Meg along the street without hitting any of the cars lining the block. Driving still made him nervous. He cringed each time an Englisch car sped by, but he was determined to return to a normal life.

      Just beyond the edge of town, they passed a woman walking along the road. She carried a green-and-white quilted bag slung over her shoulder. He recognized it as the one that had been hanging from a chair in his uncle’s office. This had to be Joann Yoder. He glanced at her face as he passed her and was surprised by the look of dislike that flashed in her green eyes before she dropped her gaze.

      What reason did she have to dislike him? The notion disturbed his concentration. He tried to ignore it, but he couldn’t.

      Dark gray clouds moved across the sky, threatening rain at any moment. Lightning flashed in the distance. The thunder grew louder. He pulled Meg to a stop.

      Andrew gave him a quizzical look. “What are you doing?”

      “A good deed.” He waited.

      When the woman came alongside, he touched the brim of his hat. “Would you like a lift?”

      “Nee, danki,” she replied coldly as she walked past without looking at him.

      He studied her straight back and determined walk. If she were this unfriendly, it wouldn’t be a joy working with her. Why was she upset with him? He’d rarely even spoken to her.

      Roman looked at his brother. “What do you know about Joann Yoder?”

      “What is there to know? She’s an old maedel. She does whatever old maids do. Can we get home? I have chores to do yet this evening, and I’d rather not do them in the dark.”

      The road ahead was empty. The next farm was over a mile away. A few drops of rain splattered against the buggy top. Roman clicked his tongue to get Meg moving. She plodded down the road until she came even with Joann and then slowed to match the woman’s steps. They traveled that way for a few dozen yards. Finally, Joann stopped. The mare did, too.

      She smiled as she patted the animal’s neck. When she turned toward Roman, her smile vanished. She kept her eyes lowered. He was surprised by a sharp desire to make her look at him again. He wanted to see if her eyes were as green as he thought.

      “Did you need something?” she asked.

      “Nee. We are just on our way home.”

      “At a snail’s pace,” Andrew added under his breath.

      Roman ignored him. “Allow us to give you a ride. We are obviously going in the same direction. It looks like rain.”

      “I won’t melt.”

      “But you will be uncomfortable.”

      “I’ll be fine.”

      “Won’t your books get wet?”

      She looked down at her bag and back at him. A wary expression flashed across her face. It had been a guess on his part but it appeared he was right about the contents of her bag.

      As she stared at him, he saw her eyes were an unusual shade of gray-green. They seemed to shift colors according to the light or perhaps her mood. Why hadn’t he noticed that about her before now? Maybe because she was always looking down or away. A raindrop struck her cheek and slipped downward like a tear.

      For a moment, she didn’t say anything, then she nodded and wiped her face. “A lift would be most welcome.”

      “Goot. Where can we take you?” He was ashamed to admit he didn’t know where she lived.

      “I’m staying with my brother, Hebron Yoder. His farm is just beyond the second hill up ahead.”

      “We don’t go that far,” Andrew said under his breath.

      “It won’t hurt us to go a little out of our way.” Roman ignored Andrew’s put-upon sigh and waited as Joann rounded the buggy and opened the door on the passenger’s side. Maybe he could find out why she disliked him.

      * * *

      Joann wasn’t sure what to make of Roman’s unusually kind gesture. He’d passed her dozens of times when she was walking along this road without offering her a lift. What was different about today? Did he know she was being fired in order to give him a job? She didn’t believe Otis would share that information, but perhaps he had.

      Was Roman feeling guilty? If so, then it was up to her to grant forgiveness and get their working relationship off to a good start.

      She leaned forward to look around his brother, determined to overcome the shyness that had gotten ahold of her tongue. “Congratulations on your new position.”

      “What new position?” Andrew demanded.

      She caught the annoyed glance Roman flashed at her. She sat back and looked straight ahead. So much for a good start.

      “Onkel Otis offered me a job at his publishing office,” Roman admitted reluctantly.

      “Why?” Andrew looked incredulous.

      Roman didn’t reply. Joann immediately felt sorry for him. The answer was so obvious.

      The reason finally dawned on Andrew. “Oh, because of your arm. You didn’t take it, did you?”

      Joann hadn’t considered that possibility. Hope sprang to life in her heart. Was her job safe after all? She waited anxiously for his reply.

      “I’m considering it,” he said.

      Considering meant he hadn’t said yes. Was there some way she could convince him to turn down the offer? She had to try. “I’m sure the job wouldn’t be to your liking.”

      “Why do you say that?” he asked.

      She racked her mind for a reason. “The work is mostly indoors.”

      “Not working in the hot sun this summer sounds nice.”

      She chewed the corner of her lip as she tried to think of another reason he wouldn’t want the best job in the world. “It’s very noisy when the presses are running.”

      “I seriously doubt it’s noisier than a sawmill.” His amusement brought a flush of heat to her face. How silly of her.

      All that was left was the truth. She took a deep breath. “It requires hours of reading, excellent comprehension and a firm grasp of writing mechanics as well as an inquisitive mind,” she said.

      He pulled the mare to a halt and turned to face her. Andrew looked from his brother to Joann and then leaned back СКАЧАТЬ