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      The girl remained silent as he pulled onto the road toward Yoder’s Country Crafts and General Store.

      “Are you all right?” he asked softly. She shot him a wary glance, then inclined her head. “We can stop somewhere and eat.”

      “No.” Jess glanced away. “I’m fine,” she said, but he sensed that she wasn’t.

      Daniel wondered again why she’d come. Was she in some kind of trouble? He had so many questions, but he wasn’t going to pry. Yet.

      Less than fifteen minutes later he flipped on his right turn signal and steered the horse into the parking lot next to the store. He felt Jess tense beside him. “Leah and her husband, Henry, own the store. They live in the house on the hill behind it.”

      She exhaled on a sigh. “I hope she remembers me,” she murmured, looking nervous.

      Her vulnerability made his heart melt. “She will.”

      He saw her swallow hard. She seemed to pull into herself, and he felt the strangest urge to offer comfort. He steered his horse up to the hitching post. “Stay put,” he said.

      Daniel climbed out of his vehicle, tied up his horse, then went to her side and extended a hand to help her. She looked at his fingers, then at him, then placed her small hand trustingly within his grasp. He was gentle as he set her onto the ground before releasing her.

      “Are you ready to see Leah?”

      Her lips curved slightly. “Yes.”

      “Come,” he said, leading her into the store’s interior, which appeared dark after the bright morning sunlight.

      Henry and Leah stood behind the counter, going over papers. They both looked up as the bells over the door rang and he approached with Jess. Leah smiled at him before her gaze settled on the girl next to him. She stared a moment as they came closer, and Daniel felt the tension in Jess beside him. Suddenly, his cousin’s eyes widened, and she grinned. “Jess!”

      The girl beamed at his cousin. Witnessing the pure delight and warmth in her expression took his breath away. In that moment, he realized that she must be older than he’d first thought. A young woman. Something shifted inside him.

      “You came back,” Leah said.

      Daniel saw Jess nod. “I hope it’s okay,” she said.

      “Ja, of course. I told you to come see me whenever you...” Her voice trailed off and a look of concern settled on Leah’s features.

      It seemed to Daniel as if they were silently communicating.

      “Come with me,” Leah said. She turned to her husband, who eyed Jess warily. “Henry, we’ll be up at the haus.”

      Henry nodded. Leah gestured for Jess to round the counter and follow her. As she obeyed, Daniel saw Jess take in Leah’s pregnancy and freeze. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have come. You’re about to have a baby.”

      Leah arched an eyebrow. “And that means I can’t talk with you?”

      Jess blushed. “Of course not.”

      “I’ll wait for you here,” Daniel told the girl.

      She opened her mouth as if she would object. She promptly shut it without a word and nodded.

      When both women had left, Henry turned to him. “Who is she?”

      “Someone apparently Leah knows.”

      “Where did you find her?”

      “In Reuben’s barn. It looked as if she’d spent the night there.” Daniel’s gaze went toward the back of the store where the women had disappeared. He could already envision his cousin making Jess sit and forcing her to eat.

      “Should I be worried about Leah being alone with her?”

      Daniel hesitated. “I can’t say for sure, but my gut says that she’ll be fine. She was terrified when I found her. She came looking for Leah, said they’d met last year. Same way I found her probably. She says Leah discovered her in the barn asleep and offered to help her. I believe she’s a runaway.”

      Henry frowned. “Maybe we should go up to the house.”

      “We could, or we could trust that your wife is fine and knows what she’s doing. Clearly the women were happy to see each other.”

      Daniel noted Henry’s softened expression and affectionate smile. “Leah is something. I still can’t believe I’m married to her.”

      “Believe it, Henry. You’re not only wed to her, but she’ll be having your bobbli soon.”

      A worried look came to Henry’s eyes. “I’m scared.”

      “Of being a father?” Daniel was surprised.

      “Nay, I want those babies more than anything. I worry for Leah and all she’ll have to endure to give birth. Reuben’s first wife...”

      “I know,” Daniel said softly. “She died right after giving birth, but Leah isn’t Susanna, and she’s your wife. She’ll be fine.”

      Henry looked as if he needed to be convinced. “I hope so.”

      “I know so,” Daniel said with a grin. He glanced at the wall clock. He should head to work, but he had to stay to make sure the English girl didn’t need a ride. It seemed like an hour had gone by but was probably only ten minutes when he became concerned. “Want me to go up and check on them?”

      “And anger Leah? Nay. I’ll stay right here. You don’t want to be on the wrong side of my wife. I was once, and I vowed to myself never to be there again.”

      He needed to get to work. If he was ever to earn enough money to quit construction and open a business of his own, he had to show up at the job site.

      But Daniel recalled Jess’s vulnerable expression and knew he couldn’t leave no matter how long it took for the women to return. He was torn between wariness and longing, an odd combination of feelings for a woman he barely knew—and an Englisher.

      If the two women didn’t return after a half hour, he’d go up and risk Leah’s ire. He would ensure that both of them were fine. The mental image of Jess’s face lingered, and he felt anxious for some unknown reason.

       Chapter Two

      Feeling guilty for deceiving her Amish friend, Emma followed Leah out of the back of the store and up a small incline to a white house. They entered through the kitchen. The room was spotless, with oak cabinets and a pie on the white kitchen countertop. She glanced at it briefly, then looked away and prayed that her stomach wouldn’t rumble from hunger.

      “Have a seat.” Leah gestured toward a trestle table. It was large, rectangular and made of oak with six chairs. “How СКАЧАТЬ