Jenny's Choice (Apple Creek Dreams #3)

by Patrick E. Craig

  “You…you could care for me, Jenny?” Jeremy’s eyes opened wide. “But what about Jonathan?”

  “That’s the other thing. I had a wonderful life with Jonathan. Even though I do care for you, I wouldn’t be honest if I told you that my feelings for you are the same as they were for my husband. He was my first love. I thought we would grow old together. When he died, I had no way to come to grips with the loss. He went out to sea on a boat, the boat exploded, and that was that. No body laid out in the front room, no funeral, no grave. It’s like he just vanished without a word and left me here with no answers.”

  “I understand that, Jenny,” Jeremy said. “And if you accept my proposal, I could live with that. Thank you for being honest with me. Now let me ask you something.”

  “What?”

  “Suppose I told you that I might be able to go back to the church?”

  “But you said you would never repent of something you didn’t do.”

  “I wouldn’t have to repent if I could prove my innocence.”

  “Jeremy, what are you saying?”

  He opened his briefcase and pulled out an envelope. “This came to my office a few days ago. It’s from one of the men who falsely accused me in Lancaster. He’s had a change of heart and wants to confess his part in Samuel Lapp’s treachery. He’s willing to testify before the elders.”

  “Jeremy! That’s wonderful! I…”

  And then the reality of what Jeremy was saying hit Jenny. If he were back in the church, I would have no reason not to marry him!

  Suddenly Jenny’s emotions were in turmoil. “When will you be able to work this out?” she asked.

  Jeremy put the letter away and took Jenny’s hands. “If everything goes well I should be able to meet with the elders next week.”

  “Next week?” Suddenly the choice being set before her was almost too much for Jenny to bear. She wanted to run away, far away. She wanted to hide and put all this away from her mind.

  “I don’t know what to say, Jeremy.”

  “What needs to be said? If all goes well, you and I would be free to begin courting in a month.”

  “But what about your publishing business?”

  “I wouldn’t have to give up publishing. Amish people run all kinds of businesses—manufacturing, retail stores, builders…there are even Amish accountants. Being a publisher wouldn’t keep me from being Amish. I would just concentrate on the Amish community. And your book could be our star.”

  “Star?”

  “Yes, Jenny. I believe in you, and I believe in this book. So that takes me back to my first suggestion. We could publish it under another name—even a man’s name if you like—and you could remain just plain Jenny. You could keep doing what you love, I could do the same, and we could get your books out where they could do some good.”

  “I don’t know what you mean by ‘do some good,’ Jeremy.”

  “Look, Jenny. I’ve been doing some research of my own. There haven’t been many Amish fiction books published, but the ones that are out there have done quite well. I wondered about that, and I have my opinion about why that’s so. I think people outside the church are interested in the Amish way because we offer something the world doesn’t have—peace. We’re not caught up in the hustle and bustle of the world. We live a plain and simple life, we’re tied to the land, and we have an identity that goes back for centuries. Most people today move around so much they have no roots. They no longer live where they grew up, miles divide families, and the sense of community is gone. If they could read about a life that brings them back to the simple things, I think it would become a huge market, and we would be positioned to go with it.”

  “Go with it?” Jenny asked.

  “Yes, Jenny, we could be part of something that could make us very wealthy.”

  Jenny looked at Jeremy across the table. Her emotions began to calm, and suddenly she saw things very clearly.

  “I never thought about having a big success, Jeremy. And now that you put it so clearly, I’m not sure this is what I want for my books. I’m Jenny Hershberger. I’m an Amish woman. I love the Plain way. Wouldn’t that kind of success just take away our peace? Wouldn’t we become like those who are out there in the world?”

  “And isn’t that a very old-fashioned way to look at it?” Jeremy patted her hand. “Jesus said we would be in the world even though we’re not of the world. I think we could work it out. Just trust me in this, Jenny. Let me do this for you.”

  Jenny felt like he was patronizing her. Am I willing to sacrifice everything I love just to have a man in my life? Do I really want fame and fortune? What about Rachel? Can we raise her in the Amish way if we have so much money?

  Jeremy kept pressing his point. “What do you say, Jenny? If I can get reinstated in the church, are you willing to consider what I’m asking—about the book and our relationship?”

  Jenny looked at him for a long moment, collecting herself. Then finally she spoke.

  “This is very sudden, Jeremy. I had reconciled myself to the fact that you and I could never be together. And I had given up on the book ever being published. Now you tell me that you can probably go back to the church and you still want to publish the book. I need to pray about all of this, and I need to talk to someone.”

  “Your parents?”

  “No, I need to talk to Jonathan.”

  Jeremy and Jenny hadn’t noticed the man sitting at the table in a far corner of the room. He had been watching them intently. Now he finished his coffee, put some money on the table, and walked out of the shop. He walked down the street to the row of telephone booths in front of the library. He stepped inside, put in a quarter, and dialed a number. After a few rings, someone answered on the other end of the line.

  “Yes?”

  “Can you get in touch with Bisschop Lapp?”

  “Yes…who is this?”

  “Matthew Bender. I’m a friend of the bisschop. I saw the Hershberger woman in Wooster today, and I followed her. She is with Jeremy King.”

  “Jenny Hershberger?”

  “Yes. They met at the coffee shop, and they were holding hands.”

  “Thank you. I’ll make sure he gets the message.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

  Trouble

  “I NEED SOME TIME ALONE, Jeremy. And there’s still the matter of your bann. Until that’s settled I need to be careful. We shouldn’t be seen together. I don’t want to complicate things any further.”

  Jeremy understood. Jenny left the shop and went to the bus stop. She felt trapped, and she knew why. A choice she had never wanted to make had been thrust upon her.

  Why couldn’t he just leave it alone? If he’s allowed back in the church, I can’t use his bann as an excuse. I will have to deal with my feelings, and I don’t want to.

  The troubling thoughts turned over and over in Jenny’s mind all during the bus ride home. When she got off the bus in Apple Creek, she had barely walked a block toward home when a car pulled up next to her.

  The windows were darkened, so she couldn’t see who was inside. Then to her surprise the back door opened and Samuel Lapp got out.

  “Bisschop Lapp—what are you doing here?”

  The stout little man ignored her question and instead said, “I thought I forbade you to see the apostate, Jeremy King. But I see you are continuing your relationship with him.”

  “How do you know that?”

  “I have my ways. And now it will give me great pleasure to put you under a bann also. You have violated a direct order of the church.”

  “Why are you making trouble for us? We’ve done nothing to you.”

  “You have flouted the church’s decision to shun Jeremy King. In addition, you have continued to pursue the notion of writing fiction books. The whole idea of an Amish woman writing dime-store novels is an affront to the faith and a reproach to our church. I suspect this defiance of yours comes from your upbringing. Your father strikes me as a very temperamental man. I think mayb
e he did not truly repent of his violent ways when he came back to the church. I’m sure we can find a way to deal with that.”

  Jenny couldn’t help what came out of her mouth next. “You, Bisschop, are the one who needs to be disciplined. You are an evil man. Jeremy King is not the apostate—you are. You had him thrown out of the church so you could marry the girl he loved and who loved him. He knows the truth, and he can prove it. He’s going to expose you.”

  Lapp’s face paled. “What do you mean?” he demanded.

  Jenny knew she had said more than she should, but she couldn’t stop herself now. “One of your false witnesses is going to recant. You will be the one who is thrown out. You will lose everything.”

  Lapp grabbed Jenny’s arm. His steel grip caused her to wince in pain.

  “What are you talking about?”

  “Get your hands off me!” Jenny cried. Before she could stop herself, she slapped his face.

  Lapp’s face contorted and he raged, “How dare you slap me!”

  He drew back his fist and hit Jenny, knocking her to the ground.

  “Bisschop Lapp! What are you doing?” Two men climbed out of the car and rushed over to Lapp as he stood over Jenny, shaking with rage. The two men grabbed him and pulled him back.

  “Samuel, are you mad? You are a bisschop. Do you know what you have done? She will tell the elders.”

  Jenny climbed slowly to her feet. A trickle of blood ran from the corner of her mouth, but she wasn’t afraid.

  “You’re a contemptible human being, Samuel Lapp. Sie sind ein Lügner und ein Hund. Your friends are right—I will go to the elders.” Jenny turned to walk away.

  “Wait, Mrs. Hershberger!” the bisschop called after her. “You must know I didn’t mean to do that. I don’t know what got into me.”

  Jenny turned. “I think you know very well what got into you. You are no more than a wolf in sheep’s clothing. And we have just seen the wolf in full display.”

  Lapp’s fear turned again to rage. “Do you think your word will stand against mine?” he hissed. “These witnesses will swear that you attacked me. I can ruin you! You had better not say anything, or it will go hard for you.”

  Jenny turned and walked away. She could hear Lapp calling after her, but she looked straight ahead. Only when she turned into the lane leading to her papa’s house did she finally burst into tears.

  Jenny sat at the kitchen table with Jerusha. Her mouth was swollen, and there was a large bruise on the side of her face. Jerusha reached over with the cold wet cloth and gently wiped Jenny’s mouth. Jenny grimaced at the pain.

  “I cannot believe that an Amish man hit you, much less a bisschop! Es ist außer dem Verständnis…beyond comprehension!”

  Just then they heard the door open, and Reuben came into the house. He walked into the kitchen, and when he saw the look on Jerusha’s face, he said, “What’s happened?”

  Before Jesusha could answer, he saw the bruise on Jenny’s face. “What…?” he asked

  “I was hit.”

  Reuben’s eyes went cold. “Who did this?”

  Jenny looked at Jerusha. Jerusha nodded. “Papa, it was Samuel Lapp.”

  “What! The bisschop? What would make him do such a thing?”

  “I told him that Jeremy was going to expose him as a liar before the Lancaster elders. He grabbed my arm, and I was so angry I slapped his face. That’s when he knocked me down.”

  Reuben’s voice grew very quiet. “He hit you in the face?”

  “Yes, Papa.”

  Jenny saw a look on her papa’s face that she had only seen once before—when Samuel Lapp insulted Jerusha. But now there was something else in his eyes, and it frightened her. It was death.

  “Where is he now?” Reuben asked.

  “I don’t know, Papa. He was riding in a big black car with two other Amish men and their driver. They stopped me out on the street. I left them there after it happened.”

  Reuben didn’t say anything, but he got up and walked out of the house. In a few minutes he was back from Henry’s.

  “Henry will drive us to Bisschop Johann’s house. We must deal with this matter right away.”

  “But, Papa, he said he would have his two friends lie and say I attacked him. He said he would ruin me.”

  “Jenny, you will come with me to see Johann. We will see who is the liar.”

  “I’m coming too, Reuben,” Jerusha said.

  “What about Rachel?”

  “We will be home before she returns from schule.”

  Just then Henry’s car pulled in the driveway.

  “Papa, I don’t want to make trouble for you,” Jenny said.

  Reuben put his hands on Jenny’s shoulders and looked into her eyes. “Dochter, we must stand for what is right. If Lapp gets away with this, he will continue in his evil ways when he leaves. Who knows how many have been hurt or compromised by his unchristian behavior. No, he must be exposed.”

  When they arrived at Johann’s house, several buggies with horses were tied up outside. Reuben went to the door and knocked while the two women stood behind him. Bisschop Troyer came to the door and ushered them in. When they walked into the living room, Bisschop Lapp was in an animated conversation with several men. Jenny recognized the two men who had been with Lapp in the car. As soon as Reuben walked into the room, Lapp crowded behind his two henchmen.

  “See here, he brings his daughter to accuse me when it is her who should be accused!”

  The little man was agitated, and the tic in his face was pronounced. Reuben tried to push through the men to confront him, but Johann stood in his way. “Reuben, you must not resort to violence.”

  The look on Reuben’s face was grim. “I don’t want to hurt him. I only want to have the truth told. This man assaulted my daughter. He must answer for it. There will be grace enough later, after he confesses. Jenny, tell Johann what happened.”

  Jenny stepped forward and faced Lapp. “I was on my way home. Samuel Lapp drove up in a car and got out to accuse me of violating a church order by seeing Jeremy King. I said some things that made him angry. When he grabbed my arm and hurt me, I slapped his face. Then he hit me and knocked me down.”

  “She’s lying,” Lapp hissed. “I only wanted to talk to her about Jeremy King, and she assaulted me with no provocation. These two men will bear me witness.”

  “Tell Johann what you said to Samuel Lapp that made him so angry,” Reuben interjected.

  Jenny looked at Reuben, who nodded at her. “I…I told him that I knew he had falsely accused Jeremy King so that Jeremy would be placed under the bann. He did it so he could marry the girl Jeremy loved. I told him that one of his false witnesses had contacted Jeremy and was willing to recant. Bisschop Lapp became furious.”

  “That is a lie!” Lapp pointed to the two men with him. “These are the two men who testified in that case, and they were there today. They will back me up.”

  He turned to the men. “Tell them.”

  One of the men stepped forward. “Ja, what the bisschop says about this woman is true. She assaulted him for no reason.”

  Lapp looked at the second man, who stood with his hat in his hands, nervously shifting his weight from one foot to the other.

  “Tell them,” he said.

  The man looked around him with desperate eyes. He clearly wanted to leave. Reuben stepped toward him and spoke.

  “Do you have something to say in this matter?”

  The man looked at Reuben and then at Samuel Lapp. Lapp’s face had a dark look that did not bode well for the man, but the look on Reuben’s face was even more frightening. Finally he gave up the struggle and spoke.

  “I cannot support the bisschop on this anymore. I am the one who contacted Jeremy King. I told Jeremy that I testified falsely against him because Bisschop Lapp holds a note on my land and threatened to call it in if I did not do as he wished. Jeremy King is innocent. As far as Mrs. Hershberger is concerned, Bisschop Lapp told me he was going to take car
e of the Springer family because they were too worldly. He instigated the confrontation with Mrs. Hershberger. Samuel Lapp is the one who is lying.”

  Lapp’s face grew red. “I will have your farm for this,” he hissed.

  “Do what you will. I just want the truth to be told.”

  The men in the room looked at each other with astonishment. They couldn’t believe that a bisschop could resort to such deceitful ways. Johann Troyer looked at Samuel Lapp.

  “Never in all my days in the church have I heard such a story. To think that an Amish bisschop might be party to such underhanded ways is beyond my comprehension. Unfortunately, we have two witnesses with conflicting testimony, so we will need to call a formal meeting of the elders and look further into these allegations. As for Jenny…”

  “As for Jenny!” Lapp shouted. “As for Jenny! As for this woman who accuses me and yet all the while she is writing this filth—war and violence and embracing and kissing! It’s disgusting! Married to an Englischer who pretended to adopt our ways!”

  Jenny started to say something, but before she could, her daed moved past her. Reuben took the little man by the lapels of his black jacket and lifted him so he was standing on his toes. Reuben looked into his eyes, and every man in the room felt the intensity of his words.

  “If you say one more word, I promise you will regret it.”

  The men in the room moved to lay hold of Reuben before he could do violence. They pulled him away from Lapp, who then pointed at Reuben and said, “Look at you! You’re ready to kill me. You are a violent man who does not belong in the Amish church. And you permit your daughter to write sacrilegious books and associate with men who are shunned.”

  Lapp looked around at the Apple Creek men. “You may have the upper hand here, but I’m the one with influence in Pennsylvania. I’m leaving now, but I’m not finished with you.”

  He turned to Johann. “My driver has not returned, so I need your buggy. I will leave it where I am staying, pick up my things, and go back to Pennsylvania.”

  “Ja, you may take my buggy,” Johann said. “I will come for it this evening. But there is the matter of your violence against Jenny Hershberger. That act alone calls for immediate discipline. I adjure you to remain until we have made a final decision.”