The Promise of an Angel (A Heaven On Earth 1) Read Online Free PDF Page A

would you rather have kaffi with breakfast?”
    “That isn’t necessary. I have other chores—”
    She pulled out a chair from the table. “You have to eat. Have a seat, and I’ll make you a plate.”
    Andrew held her eyes in a long gaze, then cleared his throat, nodded, and took a place at the table. “How’s the burn?” He motioned toward her hand as she placed a cup of black coffee on the table in front of him.
    Judith chuckled. “I suppose all that water you doused on me kept it from blistering.” Opening the oven, she took in a long whiff of baked biscuits as a blast of heat washed over her face. She heaped a serving of fried eggs, potatoes, and hot buttered biscuits onto a plate and handed it to Andrew, who stared at her, then at the plate, but said nothing. Until today, she’d never noticed that he had a sheepish sideways grin. His demeanor was typically more starched than playful. She wasn’t sure what had gotten into him today.
    He cleared his throat and bowed his head in a silent prayer.
    Out of respect she should have closed her eyes. Instead, she studied the waves of chestnut hair that rippled around the crown of his head.
    Andrew lifted his head and grinned, and her cheeks warmed when she realized he had caught her staring.
    “Any word on Samuel?”
    Judith brushed her hands against her apron. “ Nett yet.”
    He paused between forkfuls of potatoes and stared.
    At first, she couldn’t decipher his expression, then she understood. His empty look wasn’t bewilderment, but pity.
    “I’m sorry.”
    “He’ll be all right. I saw—” How could she go on? She didn’t doubt what she saw, but how could she expect Andrew to believe her when Levi hadn’t?
    Andrew’s brows lifted. “What did you see?”
    Judith looked down at her hands, clasped in front of her. She wished he hadn’t asked. How could she describe her experience so that Andrew would believe her? A stranger with magnetic blue eyes . . . a blinding light . . . a presence . . . fog . . . chanting.
    “Judith, what’s wrong? You’re so pale. Are you ill?”
    Good. At least the embarrassing blush had faded.
    A knock on the door saved her from having to explain. She rose from the chair and went to answer. The sight of Levi standing on the other side of the screen door brought a wide smile to her face.
    “I milked your brother David’s cows first so I could spend more time here.” Levi followed her into the kitchen. “Any word on Samuel?” He pulled out a chair and sat.
    Judith turned to the stove. “ Nay .” She filled a cup with coffee and brought it to him.
    Levi looked at Andrew. “How long have you been here?”
    Andrew shrugged. “Chores are done.”
    “Did Judith ask you if you saw an Englischer yesterday?”
    Andrew lifted his gaze to Judith. “Nay.”
    “What about fog?” Levi continued as though he had a checklist of questions. He turned to Judith. “You did say the man disappeared into the fog, right?”
    Judith turned toward the cabinet, feeling as though a clammy blanket of dread had been wrapped around her shoulders. Maybe if she ignored the question, he’d drop it. She removed a plate from the cabinet.
    “Did you notice any fog, Andrew?”
    “Nay.”
    Judith cringed. Why must Levi tell the bishop’s son, of all people? She removed the lid from the cast-iron skillet, piled the plate with fried eggs and potatoes, and brought it to the table, pretending not to notice both of their stares.
    “Andrew didn’t see any man or fog.”
    “So I heard.” She slapped the plate on the table in front of Levi. What was his purpose in asking Andrew . . . to make her look delusional? She eased into the chair at the end of the table.
    Levi leaned over the plate and took a deep breath. “This smells gut .” He looked at Andrew. “What do you think, Bishop Junior—will she make a fine fraa ?”
    Andrew glanced at Judith and then at Levi. “ Jah .”
    Levi turned to Judith and winked. “I spent a gut share of last night