The Dawn of Christmas Read Online Free PDF Page A

kissed her hand again.
    “Lizzy’s off on another trip with Omar. You’ll need me.”
    Beth’s aunt had married the bishop, so the two of them traveled regularly to visit the other church districts where Bishop Omar would be the guest preacher. It was all part of being a bishop. But since the wedding, Lizzy traveled more weeks than she was home.
    Jonah squeezed her hand. “I’m sure I’ll miss you being at the store, but I’ll be fine, and most of the hired girls will be there to help too.”
    “It’s the Fourth. The doctor’s office isn’t likely to be open.”
    “Dr. Baxter takes off about five weekdays a year, and the Fourth isn’t one of them.”
    “Wonderful.” Her playful frustration rang clear. “Are all doctors whose practice is limited to Amish and Mennonite communities that steadfast?”
    “I don’t know, but I’d appreciate if you’d stop trying to change the subject as well as my mind.” He paused. “Please.”
    She sighed. “Husbands.”
    She whispered the word in mock disgust whenever he annoyed her. But her response let him know he’d won. This time.
    Usually winning brought him a sense of amusement or playful victory, but the fact she’d given in as easily as she did only added to his concern.

With the old Bible in her lap, Sadie prayed. But the more she did, the more she felt an overwhelming desire to ride Bay. How could she crave going against her father’s wishes while praying for wisdom? That made no sense at all.
    She closed the Bible. Was she so rebellious that she couldn’t do as her Daed wanted for one evening?
    She ran her fingertips across the worn leather of the Bible.
God, what is wrong with me?
    The desire to saddle Bay tugged at her even stronger. Apparently she
was
too rebellious to do as her Daed wanted. She sighed and took the lantern into her bedroom. She lifted her overnight bag onto the bed and pulled out her riding clothes. Once dressed, she removed her prayer
Kapp
and untwined her hair. After running her fingers through the waves, she created a long but loosely woven french braid. If she was going to ride Bay over unfamiliar terrain, especially at night, she had to wear pants. And she couldn’t wear a prayer Kapp or have her hair pinned up. Her head would look Amish while the rest of her looked
Englisch
. If anyone saw someone riding who looked Amish, it could be traced back to her, and the news would bring shame to her father and trouble to herself. But if people spotted a girl riding who they thought was Englisch, no one would think anything about it.
    She carried the lantern with her and left the house. A muggy breeze stirred the lush trees, and fireworks popped in the distance. The clear sky above carried a few white, shining jewels despite the summer haze.
    Sadie opened the barn door, and the old mare raised her head. Bay wasn’t particularly fast, but Sadie believed the horse loved their rare long nights of riding as much as she did.
    When Sadie had Bay ready to leave her stall, she blew out the lantern and mounted the mare. The
clip-clop
of hoofs against the ground made Sadie’s heart pick up its pace. She went slowly at first, giving Bay time to warm up. Once they were on the path that led to a stranger’s pasture, Sadie loosened the reins, allowing Bay to pick up speed. The mare gave it her all, and Sadie intertwined her fingers through the mane to hold on over the rough landscape.
    The sights and smells of summer in Apple Ridge revived her weary soul. Living in Stone Creek, a town of considerable size, had a very different feel to it. An occasional firework went off around her, but the loudest of them had ended before she began her ride.
    The moon sparkled off the water in the brook as Bay trotted across the shallow creek bed. Sadie patted the mare’s neck. “Good girl. We rode with the wind, ya?”
    Bay continued onward, but an odd sound arose from the ground. Sadie tensed. She clicked her tongue, ready to nudge her heels into Bay’s side and