up a fat black kitten and lowered it into the box, where it mewed and pawed at the sides.
Shanna dumped in the three she held and then turned to catch the last one, which had wandered out into the road. An approaching vehicle swerved into the other lane, and she grabbed the kitten by the back of its neck, then hurried back to Matthew and the other kittens. “It makes me so mad when people dump animals.”
He nodded. “Jah. They could have at least dumped them in front of an Amish farm. There is no such thing as too many mouse-catchers.”
For a moment, Shanna was tempted to slug his arm and argue that an animal shelter would be a better choice, in case the hypothetical Amish farmer was the type to put the kittens in a bag filled with heavy rocks and take them out to the pond to drown. But she stopped herself. She’d flirted with him entirely too much today. And even though she wanted to, she wouldn’t suggest making a trip to Springfield to find the kittens a good home. She didn’t have time tonight, anyway, since she had to work.
In her defense, he did seem interested in her, and she was used to the Englisch way of going after what she wanted, even toying with men’s affections.
That was wrong. She was wrong. She needed to show more respect to Matthew and his standards.
He loaded the box of kittens onto the backseat of her car. “What are you going to do with them?”
“Take them home.” Her daed had drowned more than his share of kittens in the past, despite her tears, but maybe he wouldn’t notice them for a day or two. At least until she had some time off work. Then, she’d take the animals into the city, where they’d have a chance at survival.
He nodded and dangled her car keys between them as a horse and buggy came to a stop behind them. A gray-haired man climbed out. Shanna recognized him as the bishop. He hadn’t changed at all. She cringed as he eyed her, but instead of berating her, he shifted his attention. “Matthew Yoder. I thought that was you. I must have imagined you behind the wheel of that car.”
Chapter 4
Matthew wanted to deny driving the car. But even as the temptation to lie washed over him, he straightened his spine. Lying wouldn’t do any good. The bishop had seen him. Amos Kropf had seen him. And, of course, there were the keys, still clutched in his fingers.
He was the one who’d asked to drive, even when he knew that it was wrong for him, a member of the Amish church. And he’d been caught. There was nothing to do but own up to his violation of the Ordnung and accept the consequences.
“Jah—”
“I had an accident with a buggy in town,” Shanna said, interrupting him.
Matthew looked at her, noticing the stiffness in her stance. Why had she spoken to the bishop? He hadn’t addressed her.
“I shouldn’t be behind the wheel of a car after the day I’ve had. I’m a danger to all the other people on the road. And Matthew knew this. You know how when you take cold medicine, the instructions tell you not to operate heavy machinery? Well, stress can do the same thing.”
“Then, maybe you shouldn’t be driving. Ain’t so?” The bishop’s sharp gaze landed on her.
Shanna’s grin appeared forced. “I knew you’d see it my way.”
The bishop’s brow furrowed in a frown. After a long hesitation, he shook his head and turned back to his buggy. Matthew watched him climb in, check for oncoming traffic, and drive away.
The issue was far from over, but it would be pursued away from confusing Englischers. Away from Shanna. Matthew sighed and jingled the keys. He’d always been the good Amish kid, the one who mostly obeyed the rules during his rumschpringe. Getting a driver’s license had been his one major act of disobedience, and that was because his best friend had talked him into it.
He shoved the memory away and rattled the keys again, drawing her attention.
She didn’t
Shanna dumped in the three she held and then turned to catch the last one, which had wandered out into the road. An approaching vehicle swerved into the other lane, and she grabbed the kitten by the back of its neck, then hurried back to Matthew and the other kittens. “It makes me so mad when people dump animals.”
He nodded. “Jah. They could have at least dumped them in front of an Amish farm. There is no such thing as too many mouse-catchers.”
For a moment, Shanna was tempted to slug his arm and argue that an animal shelter would be a better choice, in case the hypothetical Amish farmer was the type to put the kittens in a bag filled with heavy rocks and take them out to the pond to drown. But she stopped herself. She’d flirted with him entirely too much today. And even though she wanted to, she wouldn’t suggest making a trip to Springfield to find the kittens a good home. She didn’t have time tonight, anyway, since she had to work.
In her defense, he did seem interested in her, and she was used to the Englisch way of going after what she wanted, even toying with men’s affections.
That was wrong. She was wrong. She needed to show more respect to Matthew and his standards.
He loaded the box of kittens onto the backseat of her car. “What are you going to do with them?”
“Take them home.” Her daed had drowned more than his share of kittens in the past, despite her tears, but maybe he wouldn’t notice them for a day or two. At least until she had some time off work. Then, she’d take the animals into the city, where they’d have a chance at survival.
He nodded and dangled her car keys between them as a horse and buggy came to a stop behind them. A gray-haired man climbed out. Shanna recognized him as the bishop. He hadn’t changed at all. She cringed as he eyed her, but instead of berating her, he shifted his attention. “Matthew Yoder. I thought that was you. I must have imagined you behind the wheel of that car.”
Chapter 4
Matthew wanted to deny driving the car. But even as the temptation to lie washed over him, he straightened his spine. Lying wouldn’t do any good. The bishop had seen him. Amos Kropf had seen him. And, of course, there were the keys, still clutched in his fingers.
He was the one who’d asked to drive, even when he knew that it was wrong for him, a member of the Amish church. And he’d been caught. There was nothing to do but own up to his violation of the Ordnung and accept the consequences.
“Jah—”
“I had an accident with a buggy in town,” Shanna said, interrupting him.
Matthew looked at her, noticing the stiffness in her stance. Why had she spoken to the bishop? He hadn’t addressed her.
“I shouldn’t be behind the wheel of a car after the day I’ve had. I’m a danger to all the other people on the road. And Matthew knew this. You know how when you take cold medicine, the instructions tell you not to operate heavy machinery? Well, stress can do the same thing.”
“Then, maybe you shouldn’t be driving. Ain’t so?” The bishop’s sharp gaze landed on her.
Shanna’s grin appeared forced. “I knew you’d see it my way.”
The bishop’s brow furrowed in a frown. After a long hesitation, he shook his head and turned back to his buggy. Matthew watched him climb in, check for oncoming traffic, and drive away.
The issue was far from over, but it would be pursued away from confusing Englischers. Away from Shanna. Matthew sighed and jingled the keys. He’d always been the good Amish kid, the one who mostly obeyed the rules during his rumschpringe. Getting a driver’s license had been his one major act of disobedience, and that was because his best friend had talked him into it.
He shoved the memory away and rattled the keys again, drawing her attention.
She didn’t
Similar Books
The Sloan Men: Short Story
David Nickle
Albion Dreaming
Andy Roberts
Hour of the Bees
Lindsay Eagar
Wishes in Her Eyes
D.L. Uhlrich
2 CATastrophe
Chloe Kendrick
Severe Clear
Stuart Woods
Keela (Slater Brothers #2.5)
L.A. Casey
Derailed
Gina Watson
The Orphan
Robert Stallman
Fallen (Chronicles Of The Fallen)
Julie Morgan