The Amish Millers Get Married BOXED SET Books 1-3 (Amish Romance Book Bundle: The Way Home, The Way Forward, The Narrow Way) (Boxed Set: Amish Millers Get Married)

by Ruth Hartzler

  He paid for his purchase, and the elderly man behind the counter went to look for paper to wrap it up. He had just started to wrap it when John Graber walked through the door. Jacob wished the elderly man would wrap faster, before John saw it, but that was not to be.

  "A teapot, Jacob?" he asked.

  Jacob saw no way to deny it, so simply nodded.

  "And you bought a clock as well, didn't you? I feel bad, as I didn't know whether to buy a clock or not, but I couldn't decide, so now I've come here looking for china for Sarah." John immediately looked horrified and put his hand over his mouth. "Oh no, me and my big mouth! You won't tell anyone, will you? My mudder always says I think before I speak. Oh dear."

  Jacob hastily assured the kindly John that he wouldn't tell a soul. Although at the same time, he was just as certain that John would probably let slip that he had seen Jacob buying a clock and china.

  Luke 12:3.

  Therefore whatever you have said in the dark shall be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in private rooms shall be proclaimed on the housetops.

  Chapter 15 .

  Esther hadn't seen Jacob for a whole week. This was not unusual for a dating couple in her community, and she was sure that he was kept busy on the farm. Nevertheless, she could not help but worry.

  One sunny morning, Esther was in the vegetable garden to pick some sage for the Stuffed Acorn Squash she was about to make, when she heard the clip clop of hooves. She looked up in delight, hoping to see Jacob's buggy, but instead, Jessie Yoder's buggy drove into view.

  Whatever is she doing here? Esther thought, and anxiety gnawed away at her stomach.

  Jessie pulled her horse up. "Hiya Esther, can I speak to you?"

  "Sure," Esther said with a strong feeling of dread. "Tie up your horse and we'll go into the haus."

  "Nee, please stay here. I wanted to speak with you in private." Esther nodded, and Jessie got out of her buggy.

  This can't be good, Esther thought, with growing apprehension.

  Jessie narrowed her eyes at Esther. "Esther, I wanted to apologize to you. I've been acting funny around you, and I wanted to tell you why, although I'll be in trouble for doing so."

  "I don't understand." Esther said, trying to calm her anxiety.

  "It's not easy to tell you." Jessie smiled, but Esther thought that the smile did not reach her eyes.

  After Jessie hesitated somewhat, Esther asked, "What is it?"

  A calculating look passed over Jessie's face. "It's about you and Jacob pretending to be a dating couple."

  Esther's hand flew to her mouth. "But, but," she stammered, "how did you know?"

  Jessie looked at Esther as if she were a complete idiot. "Well, Jacob told me, of course."

  Esther looked at Jessie in utter shock.

  "And I need your help."

  "My help?" This was all too much for Esther; she sat down in the rich earth between the neat rows of vegetables and put her head in her hands. Esther was heartbroken. It must be true, she thought. The only other person in the world who knew about the secret was Jacob, so he must have told Jessie. But why? Why would he betray her trust?

  Jessie stood over Esther, looking down at her. "I know you and Jacob are pretending to be dating so your mudder won't pressure you to date Amos Troyer," she continued, her eyes narrowed.

  Esther stood up, and leaned against the little, white picket fence that protected the vegetables from the chickens. Her head was spinning; her whole world was spinning.

  "The thing is, Esther," Jessie said, shooting Esther a calculating look, "that Jacob is secretly dating me."

  Esther gasped at that piece of news and clutched at the fence with both hands. It can't be true, she thought.

  "It's a secret as we don't want my mudder to find out. You know what Mamm's like; she doesn't like the Hostetler familye any more than your Mamm does. Jacob was about to tell you that we were dating the very day when you asked him to pretend to be dating you."

  A wave of nausea swept over Esther. Her worst fears were being realized. This was exactly what she had been afraid of. She thought of Job's words from the Old Testament, "For the thing which I greatly feared is come upon me, and that which I was afraid of is come unto me." Why are you testing me like this, Gott? Esther caught her breath, doing her very best not to cry.

  Jessie was still talking. "Jacob didn't want to hurt your feelings by telling you that he couldn't help you, as he wants to support you against being paired off with Amos. You are his good friend after all. The only problem is, that it hurts my feelings that Jacob is pretending to date you. You can understand that, can't you?"

  Esther did her best to nod. She avoided Jessie's eyes.

  Jessie leaned into her. "Esther, Jacob can't know that we've had this conversation. He didn't want to tell you, obviously. He really wants to help you."

  Esther cleared her throat. "What do want me to do?"

  Jessie looked at her from below her narrowed lids. "Tell Jacob there's no need to pretend to be dating anymore. Tell him you like Amos after all - tell him anything you like, but he'll feel bad and he'll argue with you, so you'll have to make it convincing."

  Esther stood there, dumbstruck, but Jessie pressed on. "You can't let him know I've told you," she said again, "'cause he'll be angry with me. This is our secret. I know this puts you in a difficult position, but your mudder can't force you to date Amos, so it's not all that bad is it?"

  Esther finally found her voice. "I suppose not," she croaked. Her mouth had suddenly gone dry.

  "Gut!" Jessie exclaimed. "Then Jacob and I can keep dating in secret. Now, Esther, you can't let on that you know about us dating, either. I know we haven't been friends in the past, but it's good of you to help me out like this. You will help me out, won't you? You will tell Jacob to stop pretending that he's dating you, won't you?"

  "Jah." Tears were pricking at Esther's eyes.

  Jessie climbed back in her buggy and drove off, leaving Esther standing there. Esther sank to the ground amidst the cucumbers and cried heartily, not caring one bit that she was sitting in the dirt and that her dress was newly washed. Laundry was the furthest thing from her mind. It must be true, she thought, or how else would Jessie know? It must be true; Jacob and Jessie must be dating after all. Her whole body was racked with sobs.

  Proverbs 25:2.

  It is the glory of God to conceal things, but the glory of kings is to search things out.

  Chapter 16 .

  Esther hurried back into the haus to wash her face before her schweschders Martha and Rebecca saw her. Her face felt puffy, and her eyes were sore and irritated. For once Esther wished she had a mirror so she could see just how bad she looked. It would be good to have some forewarning before she faced the inevitable barrage of questions from her schweschders. At least her mudder wasn't there, at any rate; she was in the basement doing the laundry.

  As she emerged from the bathroom, Rebecca called from the kitchen. "Did you get the sage? You were ages."

  Esther walked into the kitchen, taking deep, slow breaths. "Oh, I forgot it. I don't feel much like making the Stuffed Acorn Squash now, anyway. I'll make it later."

  "Gut, Martha and I are going to make apple pies. Can you do the pastry? You're much better at it than we are." Rebecca had her head down, peeling apples.

  Just then Martha burst into the haus and hurried into the kitchen. "Was that Jessie Yoder?" she called out. Martha gasped when she saw Esther's face. "Esther, you've been crying," she exclaimed.

  Rebecca turned to Esther. "What happened? Did Jessie Yoder make you cry? Oh goodness, and your dress is all dirty!"

  They both put their arms around Esther's shoulders. The display of sympathy made Esther want to sob all over again, but she bit her lip and did her best not to cry. "I'm okay, really. Now are we making pastry?"

  Martha peered into Esther's face. "Esther, you can tell us, really. Whatever happened? What did Jessie say? Did someone die?"

  "Nee, no one died."
As much as Esther wanted to share the burden with her younger schweschders, she could not. She hadn't told them in the first place that Jacob was pretending to date her, and then, being unsure of her feelings at the time, she had denied that she was in love with Jacob. It was all too complicated, and she wasn't up to explaining anything in depth.

  "What happened, then?" Rebecca insisted.

  Esther sighed deeply. "All I can tell you is that Jessie told me something that made me cry. It's her secret, though, so I'm not allowed to tell anyone."

  Martha and Rebecca groaned in unison. "Why not?" they both said.

  "It wouldn't be right. Now, Martha, take these sugar cookies out to Datt and Noah." She handed Martha a plate of soft, lightly browned cookies.

  Martha leaned close to Rebecca. "Best not ask her any questions while I'm over at the workshop; she seems too upset," she whispered.

  "I can hear you, Martha; I'm standing right here." Esther was amused despite her broken heart.

  Martha just smiled, and left with the cookies. "I bet she eats some cookies on the way over there," Rebecca muttered to herself. "Esther, do you want to sit down? I'll make you a nice cup of meadow tea."

  "Nee, denki, it's best I keep busy." Esther poured some flour into a bowl.

  "You'd better change your dress before Mamm sees it; she'll want to know why it's all dirty," Rebecca said.

  "Gut idea." Esther looked down at the dress which had dirt all over the sides and back. "I'll go back for the sage first, and then I'll change."

  Esther wiped the flour off her hands onto her apron, and hurried back to the vegetable garden.

  The vegetable garden was neat and ordered. I wish my life was so neat and ordered, Esther thought sadly, looking at the well organized rows of vegetables. Esther looked up the beautiful purple feathered martins sitting on their martin houses. She remembered the Bible passage, Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.

  The words comforted Esther, and she sent up a silent prayer. "Please Gott, help me. No one can but You." It wasn't a long prayer, but it was a heartfelt one.

  No sooner had she said the words than she saw a buggy approaching from the distance. I hope Jessie hasn't come back, she thought, with a sick feeling in the pit of her stomach. As the buggy grew closer, Esther recognized it as Jacob's buggy - Jacob, the last person on earth she wanted to see. Why, Gott, why? she lamented. The ministers said You wouldn't test us more than we can bear.

  Esther walked out of the vegetable garden and shut the gate behind her. Jacob climbed down from the buggy and tied his horse to the hitching ring.

  "Hiya, Esther." Jacob's wide smile soon turned to a frown. "Esther, what's wrong?"

  "Nothing." Esther could barely speak. Jacob was wearing his simple work clothes and had his usual crooked grin on his face. Esther's heart leaped.

  Jacob stepped toward her. "Esther, it looks like you've been crying."

  Esther shook her head. "Nee, it's just a cold."

  Jacob's face was full of concern. "Are you okay?"

  Esther nodded.

  "Well, since our dinner was ruined last week," he continued, "I came to see if you'd like to come on another buggy ride with me."

  Esther felt cold all over; her limbs suddenly grew heavy. "It's okay, Jacob; you don't have to pretend any more."

  Jacob looked stunned. "What do mean?" He tilted his head to one side.

  Esther drew a deep breath. "I'm very grateful to you, Jacob, for trying to help me by pretending we were dating, but there's no need to any more."

  Jacob's brow creased in a frown. "What's happened?" When Esther didn't answer, he continued, "Has your mudder stopped trying to matchmake you with Amos?"

  Esther bit her lip.

  "You're not interested in Amos now, are you?"

  Esther suspected that she detected a hint of jealousy in Jacob's tone. He's dating Jessie Yoder, so how can he be jealous of Amos? she thought, frowning and crossing her arms.

  "We just don't need to pretend any more, Jacob; can't you leave it at that?" Esther realized that she was sounding a little hysterical, but she didn't care too much just how high-pitched her voice came out.

  "Esther, if you were seeing someone else, you'd tell me, wouldn't you?"

  Jacob looked so upset, but Esther couldn't figure why. His question made things difficult for her. She felt she couldn't break Jessie's confidence, but Jacob was a dear friend and she didn't want to lie to him. After all, it was to him, not Jessie, that her loyalties lay.

  "Nee, I'm not seeing anyone, Jacob," Esther said in a small, flat voice.

  "But why then? I thought we, we…" Jacob's voice broke off. He looked at the ground for a moment.

  "I have to go." Esther ran into the haus, leaving a stunned Jacob standing there.

  Ecclesiastes 12:14.

  For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil.

  Chapter 17 .

  Jacob was distraught. Esther was acting weird, and he didn't know what to make of it. She said she wasn't interested in any other mann, and he knew that Esther wouldn't lie to him, but something was badly wrong. Esther had also been crying. Jacob felt helpless; he had no idea would he could do.

  Jacob walked over to the workshop, and was greeted by the kindly Mr. Miller.

  "Hullo, Jacob, you're looking for Noah?"

  "Jah, I need his wisdom."

  Mr. Miller waved a marking gauge in the direction of the door. "He finished up early today; you've just missed him. He'd be at his haus by now, working on a piece for me in his little workshop."

  "Denki, Mr. Hostetler."

  Jacob went to leave, but Mr. Miller called him back. "Jacob, Martha brought us some cookies over before, and told us that Esther had been crying."

  "Do you know why?"

  Mr. Miller put the marking gauge down and took a step closer to him. "Jah. Well, not the precise reason, but Martha told us that Jessie Yoder had said something that made Esther cry," he said in lowered tones, although there was no one around to hear.

  Jacob frowned.

  "I saw Jessie Yoder over here earlier," Mr. Miller added, "talking to Esther when she was in the garden."

  Jacob's chin was set hard. "Did she now! Denki, Mr. Miller, denki so much."

  Jacob walked back outside. He debated whether to go to Esther now and tell her that he knew Jessie had said something to upset her, but Esther might not want to talk about it. As much as he wanted to pull Esther into his arms and soothe away whatever had upset her, he had better not act rashly. Noah would know what to do. Noah always knew what to do.

  It was only a short drive to Noah and Hannah's haus, but it seemed to take forever. Jacob had to resist the urge to push his horse faster. When he arrived, he hurried through the open door into the garage that Noah had converted into a little workshop. Noah's horse neighed to Jacob's horse in greeting.

  Noah looked up. "Hiya, Jacob. Is something wrong?" he added, taking in Jacob's appearance.

  "Jah, a lot's wrong."

  Noah looked Jacob up and down. "I can see that; you've gone as white as a ghost. Why don't you tell me about it?"

  Jacob sat on the edge of the workbench and poured out the whole story, from Esther suggesting that they pretend to be dating, right up to the day's events, including the fact that Esther was crying after a visit from Jessie Yoder, while Noah listened patiently.

  "So, what do you make of all that?" he asked Noah urgently when he finished.

  Noah rubbed his newly growing beard. "Well, there's only one logical explanation," he said slowly.

  Jacob held his breath, anxiously waiting to hear Noah's words. Right then Hannah's tan and white beagle puppy, Annie, bounced up and seized him by the trouser leg. "Ouch," he yelled. "She bit me."

  Noah did his best not to laugh. "She's just being a puppy."
<
br />   "Jah, but it hurts just the same." Jacob removed his trousers from the razor sharp teeth of the enthusiastic puppy. "So, what were you going to say?" Jacob looked around for something to put in the puppy's mouth. He found a pink, plush elephant and stuck it in Annie's mouth. That did the trick, as Annie happily sat down and crunched on the toy.

  Squeak, squeak, squeak. Jacob had no idea that the pink elephant was a squeak toy. He shook his head. This just wasn't his day.

  "Jessie's doing her best to break up you and Esther, right?" Noah said the words loudly to be heard over the squeaks, which were coming one on top of the other.

  Jacob nodded furiously. "Jah, but we're only pretending that we're dating."

  "That doesn't matter. Jessie knows how you feel about Esther. Esther is in love with you, and -"

  Jacob interrupted. "I wish that were the case, Noah, but she isn't."

  Noah wagged his finger at him. "I think you'll find, little bruder, that she is. Why else would she be so upset? What do you think Jessie said to her that upset her so much? And more of a clue, what did Jessie say to her that made Esther tell you, right after that, that you didn't have to pretend to date her anymore? It's obvious. Esther's in love with you."

  Jacob put his hand to his mouth. "Do you really think so? I mean, I hope so, but I don't think she was before."

  Noah chuckled. "I think she always was, Jacob, but perhaps she's just now realized it."

  Jacob ran his hands though his hair. "What do you think Jessie said to her?"

  "She likely said that she was dating you, or that you were interested in some other girl, but knowing Jessie, she probably said that you and she were dating."

  Jacob tried to take it all in. It had been such an eventful day, and his head was reeling from the events. "What should I do now, Noah?"

  "You need to go to Esther and tell her that you're not dating Jessie, and ask Esther to marry you."

  Jacob sucked in a deep breath. "But that will be embarrassing if she doesn't want me after all."