The Amish Doll: Amish Knitting Novel (Bonus Knitting Pattern Included) Read Online Free PDF Page A

Does he have a mental disorder?”
    “Alcohol, if you call that a disorder.” Joshua looked at Eb evenly. “Let go of the horse.” He could see Eb was transfixed on Raven and didn’t move, and she felt uncomfortable. “Eb, this is Raven, and you don’t know her.”
    “Pretty face,” he said, not taking his eyes off of her.
    Joshua clicked his mouth for the horse to go and it did, and Eb let go of the bit, trying to run alongside the buggy. He soon had the horse trotting and Eb couldn’t keep up. He looked at Raven. “Are you alright?”
    “I’m fine, “she said.
    “Well, goot . No man should talk to a woman like that.” He looked at her and grinned. “Would you like to try some pumpkin ice cream? I’ve been craving some all week.”
    “I just had pie! Being around the Amish will make me gain weight,” she said with a crooked grin. “Well, okay, as long as I can get back to the car in half an hour. I have other home visits to make, now that it’s eight o’clock, when most people are up for business.” She elbowed Joshua in a playful way.
    “My aunt makes the best ice cream and she doesn’t live far. Only a mile away.”
    They went past the Cockaigne Ski Resort. “Do the Amish ski?” she asked.
    “ Jah , but we don’t pay for it like the English, and we have a different way of doing it.”
    “There’s more than one way?”
    “ Jah , there is. When it snows in a few weeks, I’ll show you how.”
    “I know, the annual foot of snow on Halloween,” she moaned. “I don’t care for the snow too much. “
    They soon reached his aunt’s and after pulling in, he jumped out of the buggy to Raven’s side to help her out. When he touched her soft hand, his heart beat faster. He couldn’t be attracted to an English woman, for sure and for certain. He’d have to do some talking to his Heavenly Father tonight. 
    When they entered the large Amish house, he noticed it wasn’t a good time. Several women were around a quilting frame, having a frolic. His Aunt Hannah came over to greet them and said she’d make them two pumpkin ice cream cones in a jiffy. Joshua looked across the room and met Lottie’s dark brown eyes. She nodded and smiled at him, keeping his gaze. Soon his aunt handed him two cones and told them to stop back again. When they walked to the buggy, he was surprised by Raven.
    “Is that girl with the red hair and freckles your girlfriend?”
    He helped her in the buggy. “Why do you ask?”
    “I do have eyes and I’ve been in love before, for a short time…sort of.”
    “Well, we courted for a long while, but she just felt neglected with me helping my mamm and doing all my chores.”
    He heard Raven huff. “How selfish. Why didn’t she help you instead of complaining?”
    A grin spread out across Joshua’s face. She was so frank and said out loud what he wished he could admit. Lottie was selfish, not common for an Amish girl who was taught to sacrifice for family. Here was Raven, not Amish and tossed around in foster homes, and she had better sense…she had more of a heart.
    ~*~
    Raven sat between Toby and Ethan on the oak pew in the church. She had pen in hand to take down notes of anything peculiar. The other boys, who sat in the pew in front of her, were so excited. Why? She’d find out who was bribing them to come here.
    The boys were being bribed at Appleton too, she was certain. They hardly watched TV, and sat around the table like old men, playing Five-Hundred- Rummy with Marilyn and Jim. But she couldn’t deny that there was a lot of roaring and laughter coming from the kitchen.
    Soon Lawrence ran into the church. “Sorry I’m late, everyone. I got behind an Amish buggy coming back from Randolph and couldn’t find a place to pass for miles. OK, I see we have a full house of twenty some kids. How are you all doing this week? Any prayer requests?”
    A girl who appeared to be ten raised her hand. “My grandma’s back in the hospital and I’m scared. My parents