Hannah's Joy
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PRAISE FOR THE PLEASANT VALLEY NOVELS
Katie’s Way
“Superb . . . Magnificent Marta Perry provides another engaging Pleasant Valley tale.”—Genre Go Round Reviews
“Katie’s Way stands alone, but readers will love . . . all of the novels in the order they were published . . . great characters and a bit of mystery . . . a delightful novel!”—Romance Reviews Today
“A great story of friendship, second chances, and faith . . . wonderful.”—Reviews from the Heart
“While this is a love story, it’s also a very complex story . . . I highly recommend this book and this series to anyone who loves Amish romances.”—Night Owl Reviews
Sarah’s Gift
“Perry’s fourth Pleasant Valley book places her well-rounded characters in a sweet, entertaining romance.”—RT Book Reviews
“Perry’s narrative keeps a nice pace as things develop credibly . . . between Aaron and Sarah; the legal challenge makes for more than merely romantic tension. Minor characters are also clearly sketched and differentiated.”—Publishers Weekly
“The latest Pleasant Valley inspirational Amish romance is a superb contemporary [novel] that focuses on the role of a midwife in modern America . . . another powerful Pleasant Valley tale.” —Genre Go Round Reviews
Anna’s Return
“Those who enjoyed the first two series titles will eagerly await this third entry, which does not disappoint. It will also appeal to fans of Amy Clipston and Shelley Shepard Gray.”—Library Journal
“Perry crafts characters with compassion yet with insecurities that make them relatable.”—RT Book Reviews
“A story of forgiveness, redemption, and mistaken ideas . . . full of wonderful characters . . . a wonderful book!” —Romance Reviews Today
“In today’s fast-paced society, it’s a joy to sit back and enjoy a book that can combine romance, faith, and a bit of a thriller . . . I look forward to reading more of Ms. Perry’s books.” —Night Owl Reviews
Rachel’s Garden
“Sure to appeal to fans of Beverly Lewis.”—Library Journal
“A large part of the pleasure of this book is in watching Rachel be Amish, as she sells snapdragons and pansies to both Amish and ‘English’ at an outdoor market, taking in snatches of Pennsylvania Dutch.”—The Philadelphia Inquirer
Leah’s Choice
“What a joy it is to read Marta Perry’s novels! Leah’s Choice has everything a reader could want—strong, well-defined characters; beautiful, realistic settings; and a thought-provoking plot. Readers of Amish fiction will surely be waiting anxiously for her next book.” —Shelley Shepard Gray, author of the Sisters of the Heart series
“A knowing, careful look into Amish culture and faith. A truly enjoyable reading experience.” —Angela Hunt, author of The Fine Art of Insincerity
“Marta Perry has done an exceptional job describing the tradition of the Amish community . . . a wonderful start to what is sure to be a very memorable series.”—Romance Junkies
“I loved Leah’s Choice by Marta Perry! More than just a sweet Amish love story, it is a complex mix of volatile relationships and hard choices. I couldn’t put it down. I highly recommend it!” —Colleen Coble, author of the Mercy Falls series
Other Pleasant Valley novels by Marta Perry
LEAH’S CHOICE
RACHEL’S GARDEN
ANNA’S RETURN
SARAH’S GIFT
KATIE’S WAY
HANNAH’S JOY
Pleasant Valley
BOOK SIX
MARTA PERRY
THE BERKLEY PUBLISHING GROUP
Published by the Penguin Group
Penguin Group (USA) Inc.
375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014, USA
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Penguin Books Ltd., Registered Offices: 80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL, England
This is an original publication of The Berkley Publishing Group.
PUBLISHER’S NOTE: The recipes contained in this book are to be followed exactly as written. The publisher is not responsible for your specific health or allergy needs that may require medical supervision. The publisher is not responsible for any adverse reactions to the recipes contained in this book.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental. The publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for author or third-party websites or their content.
Copyright © 2012 by Martha Johnson.
Excerpt from Naomi’s Christmas by Marta Perry copyright © 2012 by Martha Johnson.
Cover art by Shane Rebenschied / Shannon Associates.
Cover design by Annette Fiore DeFex.
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights. Purchase only authorized editions.
BERKLEY® is a registered trademark of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.
The “B” design is a trademark of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.
PUBLISHING HISTORY
Berkley trade paperback edition / May 2012
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Perry, Marta.
Hannah’s joy / Marta Perry.—Berkley trade paperback ed.
p. cm.—(Pleasant valley; bk. 6)
ISBN 9781101605394
1. Amish—Fiction. 2. Amish Country (Pa.)—Fiction. I. Title.
PS3616.E7933H36 2012
813'.6—dc23 2011053312
Contents
Praise for the Pleasant Valley Novels
Also by Marta Perry
Title Page
Copyright
Dedication
Acknowledgments
List of Characters
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHAPTER NINE
CHAPTER TEN
CHAPTER ELEVEN
CHAPTER TWELVE
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
CHAPTER NINETEEN
CHAPTER TWENTY
EPILOGUE
Glossary
Recipes
Letter from the Author
Special Excerpt
And, as always, to Brian.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I’d like to express my gratitude to those whose expertise, patience, and generosity helped me in the writing of this book: to Erik Wesner, whose Amish America newsletters are enormously helpful in visualizing aspects of daily life; to Donald Kraybill and John Hostetler, whose books are the definitive works on Amish life; to Louise Stoltzfus, Lovina Eicher, and numerous others who’ve shared what it means to be Amish; to my Mennonite friends, for helpful advice; and most of all to my family, for giving me a rich heritage upon which to draw.
LIST OF CHARACTERS
Hannah Conroy army widow
Jamie Conroy Hannah’s son, twenty months old
Travis Conroy Hannah’s deceased husband
Paula Schatz Hannah’s aunt, Mennonite, runs Pleasant Valley’s bakery
Leah Glick protagonist of Leah’s Choice, wife of Daniel Glick; their children: Matthew, Elizabeth, Jonah, and Rachel Anna
William Brand woodworker, works in his cousin Caleb’s shop
Caleb Brand furniture shop owner, engaged to Katie Miller
Katie Miller protagonist of Katie’s Way, quilt shop owner
Rhoda Miller Katie’s sixteen-year-old sister
Naomi Esch Amish, works in the bakery
Isaac Brand William’s older brother, head of the family
Rachel Zook protagonist of Rachel’s Garden, wife of Gideon Zook; their children: Becky, Joseph, Mary, and Josiah
Megan Townsend military wife, Hannah’s friend
Robert Conroy retired military, Travis’s father
Rebecca “Becky” Brand Caleb’s niece
Joseph and Myra Beiler Leah’s brother and sister-in-law
Anna Beiler Fisher protagonist of Anna’s Return, wife of Samuel; their children: adopted daughter Grace and baby David
Barbara Beiler Leah’s sister-in-law
Cliff Wainwright bookstore owner
Phil Russo local veteran, husband of Nancy
Ephraim Zimmerman Mennonite bishop, husband of Miriam
Ammon Esh barn builder
Emma and John Eichner William’s older sister and brother-in-law
Sheila Downing attorney
CHAPTER ONE
Aman in army fatigues stepped off a bus just down the street at the Pleasant Valley bus stop. Hannah Conroy clutched the stroller handle as an onslaught of dizziness hit her. She fought the irrational surge of joy that turned in an instant to ashes.
It wasn’t Travis. It was a stranger, a young soldier, moving into the welcoming arms of his family—mother holding him, fighting back tears; father standing stiffly as if to deny his emotions; a girl of about ten waving a WELCOME sign.
Not Travis. Travis had lain beneath a marker in Arlington National Cemetery for well over a year. He wasn’t here on a warm September day in Pleasant Valley.
Two women in Plain dress stopped next to her on the sidewalk, their faces blurred by the tears she wouldn’t let fall. One reached out a tentative hand.
“Are you all right? You are Hannah, ain’t so? Paula Schatz’s niece?”
She nodded. She couldn’t cry. Jamie would be frightened if he saw his mother in tears. But he was almost asleep in the stroller, one chubby hand still grasping his toy dog.
“I’m fine.” Hannah almost managed a smile. “Thank you.”
“You’re going into the bakery, ja? Let us help you get the stroller inside.”
The woman motioned to the other . . . a girl in her early teens, Hannah saw now . . . who pulled the door open, setting the bell jangling. Together they maneuvered the stroller into Aunt Paula’s bakery, where the aroma of fresh-baked bread surrounded her, easing the hurt.
“Thank you,” she said again. The grief and pain ebbed, leaving her as lost as a leaf in the wind.
“It’s nothing.” The woman patted her arm with a feather-light touch, the girl nodded, and they were gone.
Aunt Paula, as round and comforting as one of her own dumplings, glanced up from the customer she was serving, her eyes clouding when she saw Hannah’s face. By the time Hannah reached the kitchen door, Aunt Paula was there, wiping her hands on the white apron she wore over her traditional Old Order Mennonite dress, its tiny print faded from many washings.
“Hannah? Was ist letz?” Aunt Paula spoke English most of the time, but in moments of stress she was apt to slip into Pennsylvania Dutch. “What’s wrong? I saw Leah Glick and her daughter helping you.”
“Nothing.” Hannah bent, the action hiding her face for a moment, and lifted Jamie from the stroller. He was relaxed and drowsy, a precious, heavy armload now at twenty months. “I’m fine.”
She didn’t want Aunt Paula worrying about her. It was enough that her aunt had made a home here for her and Jamie.
But Hannah couldn’t stop herself from glancing at the window. The family, their faces animated with love, moved toward a car.
Aunt Paula followed her gaze. “Ach, I see.” Her voice was soft. “I know. After your uncle passed, I’d see a man with wavy hair like his, or his way of walking, and my heart would stop, as if it reacted faster than my brain did.”
“It’s been almost a year and a half.” Hannah cradled Jamie close, and he snuggled his face into her shoulder, his soft breath against her neck. “I’m better. But sometimes—”
“Ja. Sometimes.” Aunt Paula patted her. “I know.”
The bell jingled on the bakery door, and Aunt Paula turned to greet the man in Amish garb. In all the years since she’d lived here as a child, Hannah had nearly forgotten the peculiar mix of Amish, horse-and-buggy Mennonite, black bumper Mennonite, and English that made Pleasant Valley so unique.
William Brand was Amish, and he worked with his cousin Caleb in the cabinetry shop down the street. Hannah had learned that much from him, but it had taken persistence. William stuttered, and like many stutterers, he took refuge in silence much of the time.
Banishing thoughts of the past, Hannah moved to the counter, smiling. William was silent enough already. She didn’t want him to think she was avoiding speaking to him.
“Good morning.”
He ducked his head in a nod. Tall for an Amish man, and broad-shouldered, he wore the traditional Amish black broadfall trousers with a blue shirt and suspenders, the usual straw hat on his head. In his midtwenties, William was probably a year or two younger than she was, but his fresh color and the shyness in his blue eyes made him seem even younger. Next to him, she felt ancient.
And what did he make of her, with her denim skirt, pink lipstick, and curling ponytail? Did he find it odd that Paula Schatz had such a modern niece?
“H-H-Hannah,” he managed, as if determined to say her name.
Then he looked at her son, and his face softened. He held out a work-roughened hand, and Jamie latched on to it, saying something that might have been an attempt at William’s name.
“S-sleepy time, Jamie?”
Jamie shook his head vigorously, but the movement was interrupted by a huge yawn that showed every one of his baby teeth, and they both laughed.
Funny, how William’s stutter seemed to ease when he spoke to Jamie. Once, a lifetime ago, she’d planned to become a speech therapist, and her interest stirred at the observation.
“He just doesn’t want to admit he’s tired. I thought he was going to fall asleep in the stroller,” she said, reminding herself to speak naturally to William. Talking with a stutterer required more patience than many people had.
“H-h-he’s a-afraid he’ll m-m-miss something.”
“That’s for sure.” She tickled Jamie’s belly, loving the way he chuckled, eyes crinkling.
Aunt Paula returned to the counter, c
arrying two coffees in foam cups and a white bag. “There you are, William, your usual coffee, just the way you and Caleb like it. And a couple of crullers to tide you over to lunch.”
“D-d-denke.”
He handed her the money. With another smile for Jamie, he went quickly out, perhaps relieved not to have to engage in any further conversation. His straw hat shielded his face from Hannah’s view as he passed the window.
She stood watching his tall figure for a moment, and then went to get Jamie’s plastic cup of milk from the small refrigerator behind the counter. She focused her mind on him, trying not to let it stray toward those moments on the sidewalk.
“Has William always stuttered?”
Aunt Paula leaned against the display case, seeming ready for a comfortable gossip. “I don’t know about always. You don’t remember the Brands from when you were growing up?”
She shook her head. “I was only nine when we left, after all.” She handed Jamie the cup.
Of course Aunt Paula knew that. How could Paula forget when her beloved younger sister had up and left the community, left the church, left her family, and incidentally left behind all Hannah’s security?
“No reason you should, I guess,” Aunt Paula said. “Anyway, it’s a big family, and William is the youngest. His mamm and daad were both sickly off and on, and it seemed like William kind of got lost in the shuffle, what with his oldest brother, Isaac, taking over the farm and always barking orders at the younger ones. I’m not sure when the stuttering started, but it was before William went to school.”
Hannah nodded, feeling a pang of sympathy. William hadn’t had it easy. “That’s typical. It’s usually in those early years when a child is starting to talk. How did the family handle it? Did they get help for him?”
“Not that I know of.” Aunt Paula frowned. “I think the schoolteacher tried to help him, but seems like the other kinder were always impatient, finishing his sentences for him, acting like he was . . . well, slow.”
“I don’t think he’s that.” She’d seen quick understanding in William’s face in their few conversations, even when he didn’t speak.