Amish Trust
Page 8
“You know you didn’t have to do that,” she said.
The door began to close, and right before he was out of sight, Isaac winked at her. “Yes, I did.”
Chapter 16
Jonas was already hard at work with two of his crew, James, a young Amish mann, and Amos, a young Englischer. Isaac was working with them, and Rachel and Miriam were decorating the upstairs bedrooms.
Rachel and Miriam had bought new linens, towels, curtains, and carpets for the rooms, and Rachel was excited to see the space coming together at long last. The journey to this point had been filled with a few roadblocks, but she was thrilled that they were finally making progress.
It was when the two women later stepped outside that Rachel was moved to tears. It had been a long and tedious week. Jonas and his men had worked feverishly, but had not been there long. Nevertheless, the difference was already apparent.
A new, white picket fence lined the garden, while beautiful sunflowers and lilies filled the bottom. The old, brick path that led from the back porch to the garden had been excavated to reveal its original glory. It ended at a white wooden gazebo, which two weeks earlier had been a derelict building, but now was renovated in such a way that it was new, but at the same time retained its original and historical charm.
“Oh Isaac, I am speechless!” Miriam exclaimed, and Rachel looked up to see Isaac walking down the pathway toward them.
“Isaac, I can’t believe Jonas did all this so fast,” Miriam continued. “This is all thanks to you leasing our land. How can I ever repay you?”
“There is one way,” Isaac said with a twinkle in his eye. “If your dochder would join me on a buggy ride tomorrow evening, I think we can settle it.”
“Absolutely,” Rachel whispered softly.
The following evening, Rachel looked across at Isaac as his buggy took her down a beautiful, winding lane. What she saw was a mann who wanted to be loved, but hadn’t known how to go about finding it again. Despite his initial abrasive attitude, she had never been able to deny her attraction to him. But most importantly, she wanted him to know that his heart was safe in her hands and she would never hurt him like his ex wife had.
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For a time, the two remained silent as Isaac’s eyes focused intently on the road ahead. If he glanced at Rachel beside him, he thought he would become entranced with her beauty and lose sight of the road. He was still surprised at the fact that she was seated beside him.
It had been years since a woman sat in his passenger seat. After his wife had run away to marry an Englischer, Isaac had thought that it Gott’s will for him was to remain single. He had never imagined in his wildest dreams that he would ever fall for anyone again. Rachel was the first person in years ever to catch his eye. She was the first person to break down his headstrong, hard shell. She was the first person who had made him breathless, and he wasn’t sure how to maneuver himself around her. He felt like a little boy, shy and unprepared.
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Rachel marveled at the beauty of the evening. There wasn’t a cloud in the sky. The lush farm lands looked greener, and the rolling hills looked more majestic. The air was fresh and butterflies danced along the grass. Rachel rubbed her arms as the cool air brushed against her skin.
Finally, they reached a level bank near the creek, and Isaac helped her down from the buggy.
“It’s lovely here,” Rachel said, breaking the silence.
“My father used to bring me here when I was a boy,” Isaac said, “every Saturday, until he died.”
“Are you anything like your father?”
Isaac smiled, a wry expression on his face. “Nee, my father was a gentle and loving mann, kind of how I used to be.”
“Why are you so different now, Isaac?”
Rachel turned away from the view and faced the mann before her. Isaac did seem different now. He seemed shy and timid. It was a side of him she assumed that most people never got to see.
“I guess, I was hurt and I changed.”
“Jah, but you don’t have to stay angry at the world.”
“True, but it was safer that way. I didn’t want to get hurt again.”
Rachel stepped closer to him, but she was too shy to look him in the eye. His presence was so strong and captivating that she was afraid she would never let go if he came close. “Maybe if you open your heart, you might find that falling in love again isn’t such a bad thing,” she said shyly.
“It’s too late for that,” Isaac said.
Rachel looked up at him in surprise. “Whatever do you mean?”
“I’ve already fallen in love,” he said.
Rachel gasped.
By this time, they were mere inches away from each other. They stood face to face, as Rachel’s bonnet strings blew in the wind and their eyes dug deeply into each other’s souls.
“Rachel, I want to marry you,” Isaac said, as his face flushed beet red. “I know we haven’t known each long, but I hope we can get to know each other better, and you will then consent to be my fraa.”
Rachel gasped and her hand flew to her mouth.
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Isaac was unable to hold back any longer. The loving way Rachel stared at him and the wind blowing wisps of hair from her bonnet left him speechless. He pulled her close to him and pressed his lips into hers, causing her to melt in his arms. He wrapped both arms around her and gathered her to him, savoring the sweet taste of her lips upon his.
It was an unforgettable moment. The sun had just set against the horizon and tiny butterflies played around the grass where they stood. Isaac was overwhelmed that Rachel wanted to share her heart with him.
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Connect with Ruth Hartzler.
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Get the next book in the series now!
Amish Haven (Amish Bed & Breakfast, Book 2)
Now that Rachel is married to Isaac, Miriam employs the young Amish woman, Martha, to work at Eden. The vandalism escalates, the suspects again being the rival B&B owners. Yet is it vandalism, or looters searching for Captain Kidd’s lost treasure?
Martha is drawn to the Amish man, James, but is James betrothed to an Englischer? While Martha searches for love at Eden, she first has to figure out who she can trust.
Next Book in this Series
Amish Haven (Amish Bed & Breakfast, Book 2)
Now that Rachel is married to Isaac, Miriam employs the young Amish woman, Martha, to work at Eden. The vandalism escalates, the suspects again being the rival B&B owners. Yet is it vandalism, or looters searching for Captain Kidd’s lost treasure?
Martha is drawn to the Amish man, James, but is James betrothed to an Englischer? While Martha searches for love at Eden, she first has to figure out who she can trust.
Other Books by Ruth Hartzler
Ruth Hartzler is also the author of the #1 Best-selling and multiple All-Star Award Winning Amish Romance series, The Amish Millers Get Married, a series of happy, feel-good Amish romances.
The first book in the series is The Way Home.
The four Miller sisters are injured when their buggy is hit by a car driven by Noah Hostetler who is on rumspringa.
The oldest sister, Hannah, is the first to recover physically, but is left with a fear of buggies and worse still, unforgiveness in her heart for Noah.
Can Hannah recapture the love she once felt for Noah?
Will love be enough to heal the wounds of the past?
#1 Best-selling and All-Star Awarded series, The Amish Buggy Horse, by Ruth Hartzler.
Faith (Book 1)
For years, Nettie looked after her aged mother Elma, a demanding woman who did not want any involvement with the community.
Now that her mother has died, Nettie is alone. She is regarded with suspicion by the local townspeople, and has had no visitors from her community for some years.
Nettie’s buggy horse has gone
lame and has had to be retired, but Nettie cannot afford a new horse. Just as Nettie is despairing about not having any means of transport, a lost horse appears in her driveway, bringing with him far-reaching consequences.
Daniel Glick is drawn to the lonely figure of Nettie, but Nettie wants to be left alone.
However, when Jebediah Sprinkler tries to force Nettie to hand over her house, Daniel springs to the rescue.
As Nettie’s struggles mount, she has to decide whether to take the law into her own hands.
And what will Daniel do when he discovers the secret that Nettie is hiding from him?
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#1 Best-selling series, Amish Safe House, by Ruth Hartzler.
Amish Romantic Suspense
Off the Grid (Amish Safe House Book 1)
Kate Briggs is a U.S. Marshal who works in WITSEC, the federal witness protection program. After an attempt on her life, her boss sends her to live in a small Amish community until the mole in the agency is found. Will Kate, who is used to the ways of the world, be convincing as a sweet Amish woman?
When a murder is committed in the community, how will Kate assist the handsome police officer heading up the case without revealing her true identity?
And will Kate be able to leave behind her Englisch ways as she finds herself off the grid in more ways than one?
Series by Ruth Hartzler.
The Amish Buggy Horse series.
1. Faith
2. Hope
3. Charity
4. Patience
5. Kindness
The Amish Millers Get Married series.
1. The Way Home
2. The Way Forward
3. The Narrow Way
4. The Only Way
5. Finding the Way
Amish Safe House series.
1. Off the Grid
2. In Plain View
3. Safe Hearts
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Amish Bed & Breakfast series.
1. Amish Trust
2. Amish Haven
3. Amish Favor
4. Amish Romance
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All Ruth’s books are available in paperback and also in Large Print paperback.
Connect with Ruth Hartzler
If you would like to enter your email to be informed of Ruth’s New Releases or Giveaways, please enter your email HERE!
About Ruth Hartzler
Ruth Hartzler’s father was from generations of what people refer to as “Closed Open” or “Gospel Hall” Brethren. Ruth’s mother, a Southern Baptist, had years of struggle adapting to the cultural differences, and always cut her hair, which was a continual concern to Ruth’s father’s family. Ruth was raised strictly Brethren and from birth attended three meetings every Sunday at the Gospel Hall, the Wednesday night meeting, and the yearly “Conference,” until she left the Brethren at the age of twenty one. Ruth still has close friends in the Brethren, as well as the Amish, both groups descending from Anabaptists. Ruth’s family had electricity, but not television, radio, or magazines, and they had plain cars. Make up, bright or fashionable clothes, and hair cutting were not permitted for women. Women had to wear hats in meetings (what others would call church meetings) but not elsewhere. The word “church” was never used and there were no bishops or ministers. All baptized men were able to speak (preach, or give out a hymn) spontaneously at meetings. Musical instruments were forbidden, with the exception of the traditional pump organ which was allowed only if played in the home for hymn music. Even so, singing of hymns in accompaniment was forbidden.
Ruth Hartzler is a widow with one adult child and two grandchildren. She lives alone with her Yorkshire Terrier and two cats. She is a retired middle school teacher and enjoys quilting, reading, and writing.
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www.ruthhartzler.com