Bethy's Heart's Hideout (Amish Circle Series Book 4) Read Online Free PDF Page B

streaming down Grace’s face and Elizabeth hated the knowledge that her friend was so sad she was leaving.
    “ Ach , Elizabeth, you and I have been so close, ever since we were young!” Hannah had decided to speak up next. “All through my illness you were there for me and it breaks my heart to think that you were hurting and I didn’t realize it. Please, Elizabeth, don’t leave me. I love you. Don’t leave your circle of friends. We can’t let our circle be broken!” Tears glistened in Hannah’s eyes and called forth answering tears from Elizabeth.
    “Elizabeth, you and I may not have spent as much time together as you have with our other friends but you’re still one of my closest friends. You understand what it’s like to miss out on things because we have to each help our own familye with the store and the restaurant. None of my other friends understand that. Please, Elizabeth, I love you. Don’t leave just yet. Please?”
    Elizabeth was surprised when Jane had spoken. She was normally more quiet and reserved about her feelings although she was happy to talk about other topics and could be quite a chatterbox. Most of what people knew about Jane was surface stuff, inconsequential things and Elizabeth knew that she was one of the only people who knew Jane’s heart. The girls circled around Elizabeth and linked arms.
    Then, Hannah spoke up again and began to chant the promise that they had made years ago. As the words of the promise began to flow from her mouth, each of the girls joined in and finally, even Elizabeth added her voice to the quartet.
    “We are schweschders although Gott has chosen for us each to belong to a different familye . We know not what He has in store for us but we trust in His wisdom. We are a circle and will not let it be broken. We promise this to ourselves and to each other.” Elizabeth remembered the scene like it was yesterday and knew that the other girls did as well. They all remembered the promise they had made in a circular clearing in a cornfield just a couple miles from the spot they stood in now.
    The girls filed out of the kitchen and Elizabeth’s daedd watched them leave. He knew how important the girls were to his dochtah and that was why he had invited them there. He didn’t want Elizabeth to leave but he didn’t want her to be unhappy here either. He simply hoped that the circle of friends would be enough to convince Elizabeth to stay here with her familye instead of leaving for Ohio.
    He also knew that staying out all night was completely out of character for Elizabeth and knew that there had to be an explanation. He trusted his dochtah and knew that she would tell him what was running through her mind in good time. He decided to probe a little and asked her where she had been the night before. She blushed and he guessed that perhaps she had been with a boy.
    “ Ach, Daedd , I fell asleep watching the stars. I was more tired than I realized when I lay down. I hope I didn’t make you or anyone else worry. It won’t happen again.” She looked down at the floor, wondering what her Daedd would make of her explanation. She was a little worried he would be angry with her but he didn’t seem to be. In fact, he smiled and nodded at her and what he said next surprised her.
    “Elizabeth, you have always been a gut and proper young woman. Sometimes Gott directs our lives in ways we do not expect and all we can do is trust that He is leading us in the right direction. Sometimes His signs are not always clear. Maybe, instead of worrying that this was a bad thing, maybe you should think that you could have had a reason for staying here instead. Please, Elizabeth, won’t you at least think about what we are all telling you?”
    Elizabeth went away with a heavy heart and a lot to consider.

Chapter 9
    The girls didn’t see much of their friend over the next week or so. In spite of their pleas to her, Elizabeth had still decided that Ohio was the answer to her problems and