Finding Her Amish Love. Rebecca Kertz

ideals and morals. She could be lying to them, but still he sensed something innocent about her.

      Her cousin’s husband agreed. “Here’s Leah now.”

      “How do you always know when your wife is near?”

      Henry’s lip curved, and his eyes glowed with warmth. “Because she is my life.”

      Daniel stared at him. It was clear that Henry meant every word. “You’re most fortunate to have such strong love in your marriage.”

      “You shouldn’t marry for anything but love. I know some members of our community accept arranged marriages, but never settle for that. Love might come in time in an arranged union, but to know it beforehand? To feel it deep in your heart? That is everything.”

      “Daniel!” Leah entered the room with a look of concern. “Did something happen to Emma? Is anything wrong?”

      “Nay, nothing’s wrong. Your mudder welcomed Emma into her home with open arms.”

      Leah smiled. “I knew she would. Mam is an amazing woman.”

      “I agree,” Henry said.

      Daniel smiled. Missy Stoltzfus had been an Englisher who’d accepted the Amish way of life and joined the church to marry his mother’s brother, his onkel Arlin. If anyone understood the concerns of a young English woman in an Amish community she wasn’t born into, Aunt Missy would be the one. “Leah,” he said, “I have some questions about Emma.”

      Sighing, Leah gestured toward the chair they kept next to the counter.

      “Sit and put your feet up,” he told her. “The chair is for you. I’m happy to stand.”

      His cousin sat. “What do you want to know?”

      “First, I’ll tell you what she told me, and you can add from there if you can, ja?”

      Leah eyed him with surprise. “She talked to you about her past?”

      He nodded. “Because I scared her, and I’m sorry for that.” Then he explained what happened, watching as his cousin’s expression went from horror to understanding to pleasure as he said, “She told me she ran from her foster family. And that she would never go back. I don’t know what happened to her, but it must have been something bad.”

      Leah nodded. “I think it was.” His cousin smiled. “She trusts you.”

      “You think so?”

      “Ja. I’m surprised that she told you anything. She must feel safe with you.”

      Daniel swelled up with emotion. “Now tell me what she told you.”

      Leah frowned. “I can’t. I’m sorry, but I promised I’d keep her secrets.”

      “What kind of secrets?” He stared at her, hoping that she’d give them up.

      “I promised. You know I don’t like secrets. And while I don’t like pretending that Emma is my cousin, I will do it to protect her. She’s afraid of her foster father, and I’ll do what I can to make sure she is safe until she won’t be forced to go back after she’s eighteen.”

      He understood, but he was still bothered by the girl’s secrets. What if she wasn’t telling the truth? Doubts about her slid in to disturb him as he drove back to see Reuben.

      Emma had been so distraught when he threatened a call to the police that he sympathized with Emma once she’d told him why she was afraid. He sighed. He didn’t need the complication of her in his community right now. He needed to concentrate on work and his ultimate goal of opening his harness shop. He’d been saving for some time, and he nearly had enough money to look for rental property. Daniel knew that Elijah would give him space in his carriage shop for his business, but he didn’t want to take help from his brother. He wanted to be self-sufficient in his business. His brothers had made it on their own. He would, too.

      The time spent with Leah after dropping off Emma gave him little left to talk with Reuben before he had to head to the construction site to work. He and the crew he worked with were starting a new job this afternoon. A number of subcontractors were working the site this morning. They would take over at noon.

      It was late September. Soon the temperatures would drop, and work would ease up. He wanted to get in as many hours as possible. A few weeks working for the construction company should net him enough to quit.

      Emma’s vulnerable features swam in his memory. He didn’t know what to believe about the Englisher, and until he knew he could trust her for certain, he would have to put his family first before his business...even if it meant his plans would be delayed a little longer.

      Daniel scowled. He didn’t want to put off his plans, but how could he not? The Yoders and Stoltzfuses were family, and if he learned that Emma was a liar and a thief, he’d do everything he could to protect them. Even if it meant doing something he didn’t want to do—like call the police.