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  Mom’s eyebrows drew together. “Now why would you do something like that? It’s your daed and I who should pay any hired help, not you, Rachel.”

  Rachel shifted from one foot to the other. If she weren’t careful, she would end up giving away her plans to win Silas. “I—I just thought, since you’d have to pay someone to take my place, I’d be obliged to help with their wages.”

  Mom smiled. “That’s very generous of you, Rachel, but it won’t be necessary.”

  “I can help Katie Swartley then?”

  “If it’s okay with your daed, then it’s fine by me,” Mom said with a nod.

  “Won’t bother me none, as long as Pauline agrees to the terms.” Dad looked over at Joseph, who seemed to be studying the checkerboard hard. “Son, since this was your idea, I think you should drive over to the Hostetlers’ place tomorrow morning and ask Pauline if she’d like to work in the greenhouse for a few weeks.”

  Joseph’s face turned a deep shade of red, but he nodded, and his lips turned up slightly. “Sure, I guess I can do that.”

  Rachel smiled, too. If things went well, by tomorrow afternoon she might be on her way to winning Silas’s heart.

  ***

  Anna released a sigh as she flipped off the air-conditioning unit in their apartment and took a seat on the sofa. It was too hot without it but too cold whenever it was left on for more than an hour. Oh, how she wished they had a big porch to sit on during the warm, humid days of summer, or even a few shade trees would help. But no, they were stuck in this dinky apartment with only a couple of windows, and nothing but the sidewalk and the street next to it to look at. She longed for a view of the river, like the one not far from her folks’ house. She missed the cows grazing in their pasture, the beautiful flowers growing in her mother’s garden, the fresh produce she could pick at will, and she missed her family most of all.

  The sharp ringing of the telephone caused Anna to jump. She hurried across the room to the small table where it sat and picked up the receiver. “Hello.”

  “Hi, Anna, it’s me. Just wanted you to know that I’ll be working later than I thought.”

  She glanced at the small clock sitting beside the phone. It was already seven, and Reuben should have been home an hour ago. “How come you have to work longer?”

  “My boss got the job of painting a couple of rooms at his dentist’s office. Dr. Carmen would like to have it done right away, but the only time we can work on the place is when he doesn’t have patients. So we’ll be starting it this evening and will work through the night if need be.”

  Anna grimaced, and a trickle of sweat rolled down her forehead. How was she going to endure this long, hot night without Reuben? How could she tell him that it was okay if he worked late again without letting the disappointment in her voice show?

  “You still there, Anna?”

  She shifted the phone to her other ear. “I’m here.”

  “Well, don’t wait up for me, because like I said before, I could be pretty late.”

  “Okay. See you in the morning, then.”

  Anna hung up the phone and shuffled over to the window, feeling as if she bore the weight of the world on her shoulders. During the time she and Reuben had been secretly courting, she’d felt such a sense of excitement and looked forward to the future with him. Now, every day seemed monotonous and dreary—especially those days when Reuben worked late or didn’t feel like visiting with her. All he seemed to care about when he came home from work was watching the television he’d recently purchased or sleeping in his lounge chair.

  Oh, how she wished they could return to their old way of life, but whenever she mentioned the idea, Reuben got angry. She knew it would only drive a wedge between them if she continued to pressure him to go back home and join the Amish church. The best thing to do was quit pining for her old life and try to focus on her new life with Reuben in the English world.

  CHAPTER 13

  As Joseph guided his horse and buggy up the Hostetlers’ driveway the following morning, his stomach did a little flip-flop. He’d talked to Pauline a couple of times since she had returned to Pennsylvania, but every time he got close to her, he felt like his tongue was tied in knots.

  “Maybe I’ll do better this morning,” he said as he pulled on the reins to get his horse slowed down. “I sure hope Pauline’s willing to work at the greenhouse.”

  Joseph halted the horse in front of the hitching rail near the barn and climbed down from the buggy. After he’d secured the horse, he sprinted around the back of the house and took the porch steps two at a time. He rapped on the door and was surprised when Pauline answered on the second knock.

  “Guder mariye, Joseph,” she said, offering him a pleasant smile and pushing back a tendril of pale blond hair that had escaped her kapp. “What brings you by our place so early this morning?”

  He shifted from one foot to the other as he stared into her pretty blue eyes. “Well, I ... that is—”

  “Is something wrong? You’re acting kind of nervous.”

  He took a deep breath and forced himself to stand still. “Guess I’d better start over.”

  She waited patiently for him to continue.

  “The thing is, Silas Swartley’s mamm broke her arm, so Rachel’s offered to go over there and help out for a while during the daytime hours.”

  “That’s too bad about Katie.”

  He nodded. “So if Rachel’s over at the Swartleys’ and Dad’s helping me and Perry out in the fields, that means Mom will have to be alone in the greenhouse.”

  Pauline’s eyebrows drew together. “Your mamm’s not as young as she used to be, and I’m sure it must be hard for her to handle things in the greenhouse by herself.”

  “You’re right, and that’s why I’m here.”

  She tipped her head and looked at him in a strange kind of way. Then a light seemed to dawn. “Are you wanting me to come work in the greenhouse until Rachel’s done helping the Swartleys?”

  “Jah, if you’re free to do so.”

  Pauline nodded enthusiastically. “I’d be happy to help, and I think I’d rather enjoy working around flowers every day.”

  Joseph released a sigh of relief. “That’s good to hear. Jah, real good.” He turned to go but pivoted back around. “I’ll let the folks know you’ll be over soon then, okay?”

  She nodded. “I’ll be there as quick as I can.”

  As Joseph climbed back into his buggy, a sense of hope welled in his soul. If Pauline came over to help in the greenhouse for a few days, he might get the opportunity to see her more. If he could work up the nerve, he might even be so bold as to ask if he could come calling on Pauline sometime.

  ***

  Silas and his younger brothers, Jake and Sam, had just returned from the fields. Silas spotted a horse and buggy parked in the driveway, but before he could say anything, Jake hollered out, “Looks like we’ve got ourselves some company!”

  Silas shrugged. “Probably one of Mom’s friends come to see if she needs any help.”

  “I hope they brought something good to eat,” Sam put in. “Now that Mom’s arm is busted, she won’t be doing much baking.”

  Silas flicked his twelve-year-old brother’s straw hat off his head. “It’s the same old story with you. Always hungry, aren’t ya?”

  Sam flashed him a freckle-faced grin and bounded up the porch steps. “Last one to the table is a fett kuh!”

  “You’ll be the fat cow.” Silas raced his brothers into the kitchen, each of them laughing and grabbing at one another’s shirts as they turned this way and that.

  Jake and Sam made it to the sink first, because Silas had stopped short inside the door, his gaze fixed on Rachel Beachy, who seemed to be busy setting the table. She glanced over at him and smiled, and his heart felt as though it had stopped beating for a few seconds. He’d never noticed it before, but Rachel had two little dimples—one in each cheek. Had she never smiled at him before, or had he just been too blind to notice? Today
Rachel almost looked like a mature woman. Could she have changed that much since he’d last seen her?

  “Guess that’s your buggy outside,” Silas said, feeling as if his tongue had been glued to the roof of his mouth.

  “It’s mine, all right,” she answered. “I’m here to help your mamm until her arm gets better.”

  Silas’s mouth dropped open. “You’re going to stay with us?”

  “No, silly. Rachel will be coming over every morning and staying until after supper,” Mom said.

  Silas really felt stupid now. Here his mother stood at the stove, stirring a pot of soup with her one good arm, and he hadn’t even noticed her until she’d spoken.

  He removed his hat and hung it on a wall peg. “That’s real nice of you, Rachel. Nice of your folks to let you come, too.”

  Rachel placed a loaf of bread on the table. “If Pauline Hostetler hadn’t been willing to take my place at the greenhouse, I probably couldn’t have come.”

  “Did ya bring anything good to eat?” This question came from Sam, who had already taken his place at the table.

  “Samuel Swartley, where are your manners? Sometimes I don’t know what gets into my boys.” Mom shook her head and clucked her tongue. “Rachel came to help, not furnish the likes of you with all kinds of fattening goodies.”

  “Actually, I did bring some chocolate chip cookies.” Rachel motioned toward a basket in the cupboard.

  Sam started to get up, but Silas placed a restraining hand on his shoulder. “You’d better eat your lunch first, don’t you think?”

  “What’s for lunch, and where’s Pap?” Jake asked as he joined his brothers at the table.

  “Vegetable soup and ham sandwiches, and your daed’s not back from town yet,” Mom answered.

  Silas and his brothers waited until Rachel and Mom took their seats, and then all heads bowed in silent prayer.

  Later, after everyone had eaten their fill, Rachel offered the cookies as dessert.

  Silas smacked his lips after the first bite. “Umm ... these are real tasty. You didn’t bake ’em yourself, did you, Rachel?”

  “Of course,” she replied a bit stiffly. “I may be just a little tomboy in some folks’ eyes, but I can cook, bake, sew, clean, and do most everything else around the house.”

  Silas didn’t have a clue what he’d said to make Rachel go all peevish on him, but she seemed kind of miffed. He shrugged and reached for another cookie.

  ***

  As Rachel cleared away the lunchtime dishes, her mind focused on Silas, who had gone back out to the fields with his brothers. She wished she could figure him out. One minute he smiled and said how nice it was for her to help out, and the next minute he made fun of her, the way Joseph often did.

  Was Silas really making fun of me? a little voice niggled at the back of her mind. He did say my cookies were good, and he only asked if I had baked them. Maybe she was being overly sensitive where Silas was concerned. Maybe she’d tried too hard to make him take notice of her by smiling sweetly and bringing those cookies. Maybe she should play hard to get, like some other young women often did when they were trying to get a man’s attention.

  “That wouldn’t be right,” Rachel mumbled, as she placed the dirty dishes in the sink. Besides, she wasn’t Anna, so if Silas was ever going to take notice of her, it wouldn’t be because she was playing hard to get.

  “Did you say something?” Katie asked, stepping up to Rachel.

  Rachel’s face heated up. “Guess I was talking to myself.”

  Katie grinned. Her chubby cheeks always seemed to be wearing a smile.

  “If you ever need someone to talk to, I’ve got a good pair of ears for listening.”

  “Danki. I’ll keep that in mind.” Rachel moved over to the stove to retrieve the pot of water she’d heated to wash the dishes. “I can finish up in here. I’m sure you’re probably feeling tired by now. Why don’t you go and rest awhile?”

  Katie handed Rachel the dishrag. “I think I’ll take you up on that offer. My arm’s hurting a bit, so some aspirin and a good nap might do me some good.”

  “What else are you needing to have done today?”

  “Let’s see now.... It’s too hot to do any baking, but if you feel like it, maybe you could mix up a ribbon salad. That’s Silas’s favorite kind.” Katie nodded toward the pantry. “I think there are a few packages of Jell-O and some other ingredients you’ll need in there. Last time I checked the refrigerator, we had plenty of whipping cream, milk, and cream cheese, so you should be able to put it together in time for supper.”

  A short time later, Rachel had prepared the ribbon salad and was just placing it inside the refrigerator when the back door swung open. Thinking it was probably Herman Swartley returning from town, Rachel turned toward the door and smiled. Her smile was quickly replaced with a frown when she saw Silas standing there, holding his hand and grimacing in obvious pain.

  She hurried to his side, feeling as if her breath had been snatched away. “What is it? Are you hurt?”

  “I got a big old splinter in my thumb, and it’s all your fault.”

  Rachel’s hands went straight to her hips. “ My fault? How can you getting a splinter be my fault?”

  Silas lowered his head sheepishly. “I took a handful of your cookies out to the fields, and after I ate a few, I forgot to put my gloves back on. Next thing I knew, I was grabbin’ hold of the wagon, and here’s what I’ve got to show for it.” He held up his thumb for her inspection.

  Rachel bit back a smile, even though her stomach did a little flip-flop as she thought about how much the sliver must hurt. “So, it’s my fault you weren’t wearing your gloves, huh?”

  He nodded and looked her right in the eye, which made her stomach take another big nosedive. “If you weren’t so good at making cookies, I wouldn’t have grabbed a handful. And if I’d had my gloves on, I sure wouldn’t have all this pain right now.”

  Silas’s voice had a soft quality about it, yet he spoke with assurance. Rachel thought she could sit and listen to him talk for hours. “Take a seat at the table, and I’ll have a look-see,” she instructed. “Do you know where your mamm keeps her needles and such?”

  Silas’s eyes were wide, and his mouth hung slightly open. “You’re not planning to go pokin’ around on my thumb, are you?”

  She tipped her head to one side. “How else did you expect me to remove that old splinter?”

  Silas swallowed so hard she saw his Adam’s apple bob up and down. “Guess you’ve got a point.” He nodded toward the treadle sewing machine positioned along the wall nearest the fireplace. “I think you’ll find all your doctoring tools over there.”

  Rachel went to the sewing machine and opened the top drawer of the wooden cabinet. She found plenty of needles, a pair of tweezers, and even a magnifying glass. She figured Silas’s mother must have had some experience taking out slivers, since she had three boys and a husband.

  “It might be best if you close your eyes,” Rachel said, as she leaned close to Silas and took his hand in hers. This was the closest she’d ever been to him, and it took all her concentration to focus on that nasty sliver and not his masculine scent or the feel of his warm breath blowing softly against her face.

  “I ain’t no boppli.” Silas clamped his teeth together. “So I’ll keep my eyes open, thank you very much.”

  “As you like.” Rachel jabbed the needle underneath the sliver and pushed upward.

  “Yow! That hurts like crazy!” Silas’s face turned white as a sheet of paper, and Rachel feared he might be about to pass out.

  She clenched her own teeth in order to keep from laughing out loud. So Silas didn’t think he was a baby, huh? “Maybe you’d better hang your head between your knees and take some deep breaths.”

  Once Silas had his head down, Rachel grabbed his hand again and set right to work. It was hard to ignore his groans and yowls, but in short order she had the splinter dug out. “Let me pour some peroxide over it and give you
a bandage. Do you know where those are kept?”

  Silas sat up straight and took several deep breaths before he answered. “In the cupboard. Just above the sink.”

  Soon she’d cleansed the wound and put a bandage in place. When Silas smiled at Rachel, she thought her heart had quit beating. How could Anna have turned this special man away in exchange for Reuben Yutzy? I don’t understand what she thought was so special about her want-to-be-English husband.

  “Danki, Rachel. That splinter was a nasty one, and I don’t think I could have taken it out myself.”

  “ Gern gschehne—you’re welcome.”

  Silas stood and started for the door but pivoted back around. “Say, I was wondering ... that is...”

  “What were you wondering?”

  For several seconds, he stood with a faraway look in his eyes. Finally, with a shake of his head, he turned toward the door. “Never mind. It was nothing important.”

  The door clicked shut behind him, and Rachel sank into a chair. Was there any hope for her and Silas, or had she just imagined that he had looked at her with some interest?

  ***

  With every step Silas took as he headed back out to the fields, he thought about Rachel and how motherly she had looked while she’d worked to remove the splinter from his thumb. Her pale blue eyes, framed by lush, dark lashes, and those cute little dimples made her look irresistible. Her voice, sweeter than a bluebird calling to its mate, had almost mesmerized him.

  I’ll bet she’ll make some lucky fellow a good wife someday. She’ll probably be a great mother, too, since she can bake such tasty cookies. He smiled. And she’s even an expert at removing slivers.

  He kicked at a stone with the toe of his boot. What am I doin’ letting myself think such thoughts? If I’m not careful, I’ll end up thinkin’ I’ve got feelings for that girl.

  “Girl,” Silas mumbled as he bounced another rock across the dry ground. “That’s all Rachel is ... just a girl.”

  Silas didn’t know why, but here lately, he’d begun to feel strangely attracted to little Rachel, and that bothered him more than he cared to admit. Maybe the best way for him to handle these strange feelings was to keep a safe distance from Rachel.