The Christmas Cradle Read Online Free PDF Page A

Miriam and say ‘yes, dear’ a lot when she’s in a mood, knowin’ it’ll pass. She does the same for me.”
    Josiah almost wished Ben had lit into him with a lecture, because his show of patience and kindness was setting an example he didn’t think he could follow with Lena. When it came to mothering skills and maturity, Magdalena Esh would never measure up to Miriam Hooley—
    And where do you fall on the maturity scale?
    Josiah smiled at Ben despite feeling as though he were wading in the river and might be swept away by an undertow of guilt at any moment. “ Denki again for looking after me and my horse. I’ll be back in a while.”
    â€œTurn right onto the blacktop. The first road on your right’ll eventually take ya past Morning Star,” Ben said. “You’ll see the Higher Ground sign a little ways beyond that.”
    â€œAh. That explains the turn I missed in the snow last night.”
    Ben’s smile was warm and sincere. “I’ll be waitin’ to hear your account of Hiram’s new town. Never been there myself.”
    Josiah led his mare outside toward his buggy, again puzzled by how the Hooleys seemed intent upon avoiding Higher Ground. Wouldn’t curiosity coax these folks to take a Sunday drive over that way, to see the colony their former bishop had established? The illustrated ads in The Budget made Higher Ground sound like a new Eden, a paradise for Plain folks—although he’d never seen mention of whether Knepp’s new homes and business district were intended for Old Order Amish, New Order Mennonites, or sects that fell somewhere in between.
    He hitched up the buggy and stroked his mare’s neck. “Well, let’s go see for ourselves, Dolly. Things are bound to look better in the light of day.”

Chapter Three
    Lena gazed forlornly out the Hooleys’ picture window, watching Josiah drive off without her. The warm, comfortable bed had enveloped her, and she hadn’t wakened until nearly seven o’clock. Josiah had left her alone in this big house to eat breakfast without him.
    And now he’s gone forever. No sense in figuring it any other way.
    Embracing her baby, Lena hung her head. Why had her mother not told her what could happen when a boy knew a girl in the biblical sense? It seemed to be all her fault that a baby had resulted—and that her sin had separated her from her family. Before the baby had become obvious, her parents had shipped her off to Aunt Clara’s, and her mamm ’s sister had all but forbidden her to be seen in public. When Josiah had succumbed to her pleas and brought her to Missouri with him on the spur of the moment, Lena had jumped at the chance for a fresh start. But now he obviously regretted his decision.
    â€œLet’s get some breakfast, punkin,” she murmured. “If it weren’t for you, I’d have no reason to make it from one day to the next.”
    Lena slipped into her coat and bonnet and started across the road toward the Sweet Seasons. She squinted in the sunshine of a bright, crisp morning that glistened with fresh snow. The ice-coated branches of the trees sparkled like diamonds. As she approached Miriam’s café, aromas of frying bacon, hot coffee, and baking bread teased at her. A tinkling bell above the door welcomed her into a cozy little café she liked immediately. Most of the customers were Plain and male at this hour, which surprised her. Did none of these men have wives?
    A young woman dressed in jeans and a flannel shirt strode toward her. “You must be Lena, and I’m Miriam’s Rebecca,” she said as she gestured toward a table for two. “Sit with me! I’m ready for coffee and a sticky bun.”
    Sit with me. It was the invitation Lena’s lonely heart longed for. Her pulse sped up as she took a seat at the table Rebecca had indicated.
    Miriam poked her head through the kitchen door,