Faith and Hope in Lancaster (The Amish of Lancaster County #1) Read Online Free PDF Page B

you to do is to pray about this.”
    Annie’s lip turned down. “You won’t tell Daed , will you?”
    “No, I see no reason for Daed to know about this. Everyone makes mistakes. But can you promise me you will pray about it? Ask God to show you the way in your heart.”
    Annie nodded, her face alight with relief.
    “There is always an answer, my girl. You just have to get out of your own way and let God show you the path.”
    “All right, Mamm . I promise.”
    Hannah smiled. “Wonderful! Why don’t you call your brother and your daed in for lunch?”
    Once Annie was outside, Hannah allowed herself to slump against the counter. She’d barely held back all the worries swirling around inside her. She’d known something was wrong, that Annie’s heart hadn’t truly been in the engagement. But she hadn’t expected this.
    A lack of enthusiasm could be handled. With no distractions, Annie could come to love Stephen fully in time and to forget her fancies of an exciting, unpredictable life. A life full of drama. It was a prideful dream and a prideful way to live, but one she could quickly put behind her with a husband, chores, and babies to care for.
    This, though . . . this left Hannah’s stomach tied up in knots. She’d wanted so badly to forbid Annie from seeing Jacob, but she knew her daughter. Nothing was more certain to drive Annie directly into his arms. Hannah might still have to put her foot down in the future; that remained to be seen. First, however, she would try the loving and patient route. If Annie could open herself enough to hear God’s advice, she might well reach the right conclusion herself.
    Jacob’s sudden and frenzied appearance that morning threw all that into jeopardy. There’d been such fury in his face, such passion. These were dangerous qualities. Where had they come from? She’d had no inkling that he felt anything like that for Annie.
    Even less an inkling that Annie might reciprocate his feelings.
    The door opened then, and Hannah quickly squared her shoulders and curled her lips into a smile. Whatever happened, she would not let her daughter be harmed. The fewer people who knew what had happened, even within their family, the better.
    God, help me find a way to solve this mess without hurting anyone.
    Was that even possible?
    Voices sounded in the foyer. “Come and eat!” she called.
    * * *
    Brushing his hair out of his eyes, Aaron yawned. What a day. He’d had that awkward conversation with Mamm and Daed that morning, worked hard all day with Jacob and his daed , and handled the curious tourists who’d come by to see what quaint Amish wares were for sale in the King family’s store. They fingered quilts, sniffed candles, and commented over the little jars of preserves Jacob’s mother canned and readied for sale with a little bow tied around each.
    Some even bought things, which Aaron knew Jacob’s family really appreciated. Because the Kings couldn’t afford to lose a potential sale, they held their tongues while some of the Englischers made ignorant, condescending comments about the Amish lifestyle and marveled that anyone could get along without smartphones and sports cars. Those particular folks didn’t stop to ask themselves what reasons the Amish might have for their choices. And why would they, when they were so certain they were superior to the Amish?
    The funny thing was, thought Aaron, that it was exactly that overweening pride that not owning modern technological devices was meant to prevent. When he’d spent a year in Philadelphia, working in a mechanic’s garage, he’d seen the cockiness of guys who lived in what they called the real world. It seemed to be one big race to show everyone else up, a race no one could ever win.
    The Englischers lived in a disposable society, throwing away one perfectly good machine as soon as a newer model came out, just because they couldn’t stand not being able to brag that they owned the very latest version. It was so