His Amish Sweetheart Read Online Free PDF Page B

Indiana. He needed to become attuned to their pace again.
    Esther’s steps were soft as she walked beside him while they made arrangements for the scholars’ trip. He smiled when she asked if it would be okay for the kinder to have their midday meal at the farm.
    â€œThat way, we can have time for desk work when we return,” she said.
    â€œI’ll make sure I have drinks for the kinder , so they don’t have to bring those.”
    â€œThat’s kind of you, Nathaniel.” She offered him another warm smile. “I want to say danki again for helping me stop the fight this afternoon.”
    â€œDo you have many of them?”
    â€œ Ja , and Jacob seems to be involved in each one.”
    He frowned. “Is there something wrong with the boy that he can’t settle disagreements other than with his fists?” The wrong question to ask, he realized when she bristled.
    â€œNothing is wrong with him.” She took a steadying breath, then said more calmly, “Forgive me. You can’t know how it is. Jacob has had a harder time than most kids. He lives with his onkel , actually his daed ’s onkel . The man is too old to be taking care of a kind , but apparently he’s the boy’s sole relative. At least Jacob has him. The poor boy has seen things no kind should see.”
    â€œWhat do you mean?” He stopped beneath the great maple tree at the edge of the yard.
    She explained how Jacob’s parents had been killed and the boy badly hurt, physically and emotionally. Nathaniel’s heart contracted with the thought of a kind suffering such grief.
    â€œAfter the accident,” she said, “we checked everywhere for other family, even putting a letter in The Budget .”
    He knew the newspaper aimed at and written by correspondents in plain communities was read throughout the world. “Nobody came forward?”
    â€œNobody.” Her voice fell to a whisper. “Maybe that’s why Jacob is angry. He believes everyone, including God, has abandoned him. He blames God for taking his mamm and daed right in front of his eyes. Why should he obey Jesus’s request that we turn the other cheek and forgive those who treat us badly when, in Jacob’s opinion, God has treated him worse than anyone on Earth could?”
    â€œAnger at God eats at your soul. He has time to wait for your fury to run its course and still He forgives you.”
    â€œThat sounds like the voice of experience.”
    â€œIt is.” He hesitated, wondering if he should tell her about the chemo. It was too personal a subject to share, even with Esther.
    She said nothing, clearly expecting him to continue. When he didn’t, she bid him good-night and started to turn away.
    He put his hand on her arm as he’d done many times when they were kids. She looked at him, and the moonlight washed across her face. Who would have guessed a freckle-faced imp would mature into such a pretty woman? That odd sensation uncurled in his stomach again when she gazed at him, waiting for him to speak. Another change, because the Esther he’d known years ago wouldn’t have waited on anything before she plunged headlong into her next adventure.
    â€œ Danki for agreeing to teach me about alpacas.”
    He watched her smile return and brighten her face. “I know how busy you are, but without your help I might have to sell the flock.”
    â€œHerd,” she said with a laugh. “Sheep are a flock. Alpacas are a herd.”
    â€œSee? I’m learning already.”
    â€œYou’ve got much more to learn.”
    He grinned. “You used to like when I had to listen to you.”
    â€œStill do. I’ll let you know when I’ve contacted the scholars’ parents, and we’ll arrange a day for them to visit.” She patted his arm and ran into the house, her skirts fluttering behind her.
    With a chuckle, he climbed into his buggy. He might not know a lot about