A Steeple Hill
Love Inspired Online Read
The
Copyright © 2010 by Harlequin Books S.A.
Emma Wadler has made a good life for herself, running the Wadler Inn in the
town of
Adam Troyer fixes things. Having just returned to the faith after years in
the English world, Adam is hoping to prove to his father that he is committed
to a simple life. So he's happy to be hired by Emma's mother to make repairs to
the inn during the winter off-season. The old Swiss-style Chalet has its share
of problems, but nothing he can't fix. Nothing except perhaps the broken heart
of the owner….
Chapter One
“Stop right there. What do you think you’re doing?”
Inside the front door of the Wadler Inn, Adam Troyer froze, his ladder
balanced precariously on his shoulder. He didn’t dare swing around to see who
was scolding him. If he tried, he’d break a window or take out a row of Grandma
Yoder’s jams and jellies lining the display shelves beside the door. A window
could be replaced, but good gooseberry jam was a work of art. Grandma Yoder’s
was the best.
“What is the meaning of this?” A woman moved into his line of sight from
behind the jam display. Planting herself in front of him, she prevented him
from advancing into the lobby. Arms akimbo in her brown Amish dress, a scowl on
her face beneath the white prayer cap on her auburn hair, the little woman
reminded him of a hen with her feathers ruffled in annoyance. An angry Rhode Island Red with spectacles.
He struggled to keep from laughing. “You are Emma Wadler, jah?”
“I am. Who are you, and why are you bringing that ladder in here?” Her tone
was cold as the February temperature outside.
He swallowed his grin. He needed this job. “I’m Adam Troyer. I’m here to fix
the loose stones in the fireplace and some of the shutters outside.”
He’d only seen her a few times before this. Although they belonged to
different Amish church districts, he’d spent time in
She didn’t look that old, maybe thirty at the most. Not all that plain,
either, with her peaches-and-cream complexion and full red lips. At the moment
those lips were pressed into a hard line, but he figured a smile would make her
almost pretty.
Behind wire-rimmed glasses, her hazel eyes narrowed. No smile appeared.
“There’s nothing wrong with our shutters. Who hired you?”
“The owner did.”
She folded her arms. “I’m the owner.”
“You are?” That surprised him. Very few Amish women owned businesses
outright, although many owned them jointly with their husbands.
“I asked Mr. Parker to hire the lad, Emma. Now let him get to work. I don’t
want another quilt smoked up.” A tall, gray-haired woman in a royal-blue dress
crossed the room. Bright-eyed and smiling, tall and big-boned, Naomi Wadler was
the opposite of her daughter in every respect.
Stopping in front of him, she pointed to one end of the lobby. “We have
several stones loose in the fireplace. Can you fix them?”
The impressive stone structure soared two stories high and was at least
eight feet wide. Made in the old-world fashion using rounded
river stones in mortar with a massive timber for a mantel. Someone had
added a quilt hanger near the top. It made a fine place to display a handmade
quilt.
Emma spoke up. “Don’t start work just yet, Mr. Troyer. Mudder, I
need a word with you,” she stated, a hint of steel in her tone.
As Adam watched the women leave the room, he had the sinking feeling he was
about to lose this much-needed job.
Chapter Two
Emma led the way to the small office behind the front desk and closed the
door after her mother. “I wish you had discussed this with me. We can’t afford
to have a lot of work done. I can take care of most things myself.”
“Nonsense. We can’t afford not to get the
work done. And now is the best time—it’s the middle of winter and we have so
few guests. Mr. Parker mentioned to me his growing list of things that need
repairs. Didn’t he mention them to you?”
“He did. I will get to them.”
Emma had hired Mr. Parker to take over the day-to-day contact with guests
and to handle the phone and computerized reservations that her religion didn’t
allow her to do. He had been an invaluable employee for five years. If he felt
the need to go over her head, she shouldn’t have brushed aside his concerns.
“I discussed it with Doctor White when I ran into him at the grocery store
yesterday,” Naomi said. “He does own half this inn. I felt he needed to know.”
He owned fifty-one percent to be exact. Dr. Harold White was the town’s only
physician. He and her father had been great friends. She could not own such a
business by herself outright because of her religious restrictions so she had
asked Dr. White for his help. Her bishop found it acceptable because she was
unmarried and because she was working for a non-Amish partner. Dr. White left
her completely in charge of running the place and that suited them both.
Her mother pressed her point. “Adam Troyer’s rates are reasonable. Do you
want a stone or a shutter to drop on some poor Englischer’s head?
Besides, Doctor White’s not happy the place is getting run-down.”
“It is not getting run-down. A little shabby maybe.”
Her mother merely raised one eyebrow.
Emma relented and admitted her mother was right. “Very well, there are some
things that need fixing.”
Naomi smiled brightly. "Jah, there are. You don't have to be
the one doing all the work at this inn. You work too hard as it is.”
Emma held her tongue. Her mother didn’t understand that hard work was the
only thing that kept the loneliness at bay.
Moving forward, Naomi reached out to straighten Emma’s prayer kapp.
“Did you notice what a nice smile the young man has?"
“I noticed he almost knocked down our jam display.” Emma submitted to her
mother’s attention although she suspected her kapp was already
perfectly straight.
“It wouldn’t hurt you to smile back at a young man once in a while.”
Suddenly, Naomi sneezed, then sneezed again.
Emma took two quick steps away. The last thing she wanted was to cause her
mother discomfort. What had she been thinking?
Rubbing her nose, Naomi said, “Sorry, I don’t know what started that. You
look tired, Emma. Is everything okay?”
She should look tired. She’d been up every two hours through the night for
the past two nights. She wasn’t about to explain why. How could she expect her
mother to understand when she didn’t know herself why she’d taken on a task
doomed to failure? “I’m fine. I must get to work.”
“And Adam Troyer stays, jah?” her mother asked.
Emma wasn’t about to make a promise she might regret. “We shall see.”
Chapter Three
Emma opened her office door and walked out into the lobby. Adam had set his
ladder on the floor. Her jams and jellies were no longer in danger.
He stood by the fireplace carefully examining the stonework. He had taken
off his hat and coat, giving her a view of his tall, lean frame. His hair,
sandy brown and curly, was trimmed in the same bowl cut all Amish men wore.
Since he didn’t have a beard she knew he was unmarried.
Why was he still single at his age? He had to be in his late twenties or
early thirties.
His plain clothes fit him well. His suspenders drew attention from where his
broad shoulders filled out his white shirt down to where his dark trousers
accentuated his narrow waist and lean hips.
And what was she doing thinking about such things when she had an inn to
run?
Naomi pointed to the top of the fireplace. “Our innkeeper noticed at least
two stones loose near the ceiling when he was taking down the last quilt I
sold. I’ll show you which ones, but there may be others.”
Emma clasped her hands in front of her. “Exactly how many fireplaces such as
this have you repaired, Mr. Troyer?”
Adam looked at her. “Like this one? None.”
She blinked. “None? And you expect me to hire you?”
Adam didn’t appear the least put out by her remark. His eyes twinkled as he
said, “This will be the largest fireplace I’ve worked on but the repair
principle is the same. I can do the job.”
She would have to trust him. The smoke leaking out around the loose stones
had left soot marks on the quilt and ceiling. "It appears you have a job.
If your work is satisfactory we will discuss additional projects tomorrow
morning."
Beaming a bright grin at her, he crossed the room and held out his hand.
"That’s a deal then, Emma."
Hesitating only a fraction of the second, she took
his hand. "Jah, we have a deal."
His large fingers engulfed her small ones as he pumped her arm with vigor.
The warmth of his touch took her by surprise. The calloused strength of his
hand gripping hers did funny things to her insides. Looking up into his smiling
face, she was tempted to smile back, but she didn't. Instead she pulled her
hand away and folded her arms tightly across her middle.
He might be a handsome man with his curly hair and bright blue eyes, but
that shouldn’t matter. If he did a good job, then she would be pleased.
She didn’t want to admit the warmth of his hand and the friendliness of his
smile caused butterflies in the pit of her stomach. She had put such
foolishness behind her after the death of her fiancé ten years ago. Her heart
lay in pieces in the cold ground with William, her one true love.
The grandfather clock in the corner began to chime the hour. Emma realized
with a start that she was late. “Continue with your work, Mr. Troyer. I will be
back to check on you.”
She rushed through the kitchen, grabbing her coat from the hook on her way
out. Pulling on her coat in the cold air, she prayed she would still find all
was well, but she knew not to expect too much.
Chapter Four
Adam was finishing the fireplace when Emma showed up again. He’d found
several others stones that needed repair and noticed a half dozen tiles on the
large hearth with cracked grout. No one had asked him to repair those, but he
couldn’t leave a job half-done. Emma had purchased the mortar. The least he
could do was get her money’s worth out of it.
He remained on his knees by the hearth as he waited for her assessment of
his work. She stepped up to run her hand along the repaired tiles. It was then
he noticed bits of straw clinging to the back of her skirt and her dark socks.
Frowning, she gestured toward the top of the fireplace. “The repairs don’t
match the rest."
“The mortar is still damp. When it dries it will be hard to tell the old from
the new. Hand me that rag and I’ll finish evening out these grout lines."
Picking up a red cloth in a small basin behind her, she held it out. “This one?”
“Jah.” He gestured toward her skirt.
"You have some straw stuck on you."
To his surprise, her cheeks turned bright red. She brushed at it quickly.
"I was seeing to our horse."
Like many Amish who no longer found employment on the farm, she still
maintained a small stable and a buggy horse to carry her and her mother to
church meetings and other gatherings. He had seen their neat white house and
little stable on the street behind the inn. Why was she embarrassed about a
little straw on her skirt? Taking the rag from her, he began to wipe the tiles
free of the excess mortar.
“You missed a spot.”
He leaned back and looked over his work. “Where?”
Taking up a second rag, she knelt beside him and began wiping at a spot he
had already done. Finishing, she leaned back to study her work, then began
wiping again. As she concentrated, her tongue peeked out from between her lips.
How kissable she looked.
He pulled his gaze away from her face as his neck grew hot. Why on earth was
he thinking about kissing her? That kind of loose thinking belonged to his
past. She was a respectable Amish woman. Maybe his father was right and he
couldn’t give up his English ways after so many years.
Nee, I refuse to accept that.
Returning to his Amish family was the best decision he’d ever made. It
wouldn’t be easy, but it was what he believed God wanted him to do.
He concentrated on his work. When Emma followed behind him going over the
same places he did, he finally stopped and sat back on his heels. “You don’t
get a discount for helping me.”
She gave her spot a final swipe. “Perhaps I should.”
“If the work isn’t to your satisfaction, you may say so.” He held his
breath. He really needed this job. He was determined to prove to his father
that he could live Amish again. Earning a living was a first step.
“The work looks good enough,” she admitted slowly.
His hopes rose. “I can start with the shutters now, if you like?”
“Come back in the morning. And be careful taking that ladder out of here.”
“I will. I don’t want to break any of Grandma Yoder’s delicious jams,” he
teased.
Folding her rag, she casually began wiping the tiles again. “You like
Grandma Yoder’s products?”
“They’re the best. Especially the gooseberry jam.”
A tiny smile flashed across her face. It disappeared quickly, but not so
quickly that he missed it. He had been right. It made her plain face almost
pretty.
Chapter Five
The following morning, Adam was waiting in the lobby when Emma came in to
start her day. She glanced at the tall grandfather clock in the corner. It was
three minutes until six.
Adam shot to his feet, a bright grin on his face. “Guder
mariye, Emma. Have you a list of jobs for me?”
Her mother was right. He did have a nice smile. And he was eager to get to
work. She liked that. She tipped her head toward him. “Good
morning to you, too. Yes, I have a list of things that need doing.”
Behind the front desk, Mr. Parker leaned his elbows on the polished oak
countertop. “Make sure he gets the ice off those gutters before they tear
loose.”
“It’s on my list, Henry,” she replied.
To her surprise, some of the color left Adam’s face.“I
won’t be able to do that for you,” he said.
Henry blew out a huff of exasperation. “Too bad, because they’re calling for
more snow this weekend. Are those the breakfast rolls, Emma?”
Henry came around the counter to take the basket of muffins and rolls Emma
carried. Their four guests would be down soon for their continental-style
breakfast. When Henry lifted the heavy towel to peek inside, the aroma of the
hot cinnamon rolls filled the air.
She glanced at Adam. His eyes brightened. “Those smell wunderbaar.
Makes me wish I was a guest here.”
How could she resist such a blatant appeal? “Help yourself, Mr. Troyer.”
“Danki, but call me Adam.” He selected one. When he bit into it,
his eyes closed and he made a small sound of satisfaction that did her heart
good. He liked her baked goods.
She might be a plain old maid but she could cook. The prideful thought
brought her back to earth with a thud. Every gift was God-given and not of her
making. Humility was one of the cornerstones of her faith. Pride was a sin.
Heading to the sideboard in the dining room, she began setting out plates,
cups and juice glasses. With everything arranged to her satisfaction, she spun
around and almost collided with Adam. She couldn’t back up with the sideboard
behind her. Those crazy butterflies took flight again in her midsection.
After licking the last bit of icing from his finger, he said, “Are you the goot
cook or is it your mother?”
“I’m sure my mother is the better cook, but I made the rolls this morning.”
“It would be hard to make a better cinnamon roll than that.” Reaching out,
he brushed at her temple. Shocked, she pulled back and saw he held a long piece
of straw between his fingers.
He smiled softly. Her heart faltered. “Wouldn’t want the guests to think
you’ve been rolling in the hay.”
“Danki.” She sidled past him and hurried
toward her office. Inside, she shut the door and leaned against it as she
worked to calm her racing pulse. “How am I going to work with that man around?”
Chapter Six
What was it about Adam Troyer? Why did he have such an unsettling effect on
her nerves? He was a simple handyman. He wasn’t even that handsome.
Okay, he was, she admitted, but she’d never been susceptible to such shallow
things before.
It wasn’t even that he looked like William. Will had been only a few inches
taller than she was. He hadn’t towered over her making her feel small. His
white-blond hair had looked like a sleek halo in the sunlight, not like the
curly mess that topped Adam’s head. Where Adam was always smiling, Will had
been serious and earnest. As she always tried to be.
No, she was not attracted to Adam Troyer. There was nothing about him that
reminded her of William. Perhaps that was the problem.
A knock on the door made her jump. This would never do. She had to regain
control. Marshaling a frown, she yanked open the door. “What is it?”
Adam stood with his thumbs hooked casually in his suspenders. His bright
blue eyes sparkled with humor. “The list?”
“What list?” Her traitorous heart jumped into her throat, making her sound
breathless.
Chuckling, he said, “The list of things I am to fix.”
“Oh, of course.” Feeling the fool, she pulled the
paper from her pocket and handed it over.
He read it and nodded. “I’ll give you an estimate once I’ve looked at the
projects. If we can agree on a price, I’ll do the work for you.”
“Fine.” Anything to put some
distance between them. As soon as he turned away, she closed the door,
determined to concentrate on her own work.
She had less than half an hour to compose herself before Adam reappeared
with an estimate. By keeping the wide front-desk counter between them, she was
able to remain composed as they settled on a price. Hopefully it wouldn’t take
long for him to complete the repairs. Then she’d never have to deal with him
again.
Adam went to work fixing the loose railing and broken spindles on the narrow
staircase that led to the second-floor landing and the guest rooms. Emma had to
pass close beside him several times during the day. Each time, she prayed he
wouldn’t speak because she didn’t trust her voice. He didn’t. He merely nodded
and flashed her a grin that sent her pulse skipping
like a schoolgirl’s.
Late in the afternoon, she rounded a corner to find him working on a lamp
fixture for a pair of her guests. It wasn’t on her list. Her mother and Henry
stood beside them. They were all laughing at something Adam had said.
The oddest sensation of being left out settled over her. Normally, she
avoided social situations. Staying in the background, making sure everything
ran smoothly, that was what she did well. She didn’t belong in the group
laughing at her handyman’s jokes, so why did she wish to be included?
Hearing the clock chime downstairs, she put away her stack of clean linens
and quickly made her way to the back door. She slipped into her coat and
hurried outside into the cold where four tiny lives were depending on her.
Chapter Seven
Over the next two days, Adam worked on the various projects Emma had given
him. He repaired three leaky faucets and a toilet in the guest rooms, mended
the dining room pocket doors, tacked down the loose runner on the stairs and
replaced a broken windowpane in the pantry. Twice Emma’s mother came to him and
added a few more tasks to the list. He didn’t mind. He needed the money.
Besides, he found that he enjoyed watching Emma at work.
Quiet, efficient, always in charge of whatever situation arose, the woman
was an excellent innkeeper and an outstanding cook if he could judge by the
scones, shoofly pie and breakfast rolls she brought in fresh each morning. Her
shoofly pie was the best he’d ever tasted.
At the moment, he was supposed to be fixing a loose shelf on the jam
display, but in truth, he was admiring the way Emma was handling an upset
customer. Suddenly, her mother stopped beside him. “She is a treasure, my
Emma.”
He agreed. “She seems to know the business.”
“If only there was more business. The inn hasn’t been full in weeks.”
“Surely the summer months are when you have the most visitors?”
“Jah, that is true, but sometimes, without a steady income, it is
hard for Emma to make the mortgage payments in the winter.”
What was she angling for? He braced himself and said, “I can wait for my pay
if that would help.”
“Bless you, Adam, that won’t be necessary, but it was a generous thought.
Are you going to the Yoder auction on Monday?”
“I’ve been thinking about it.”
“The Yoder family needs to raise money for their son’s medical bills.”
“I heard that. I did want to check out some of the tools they’re selling.”
“I don’t want to impose, but could you drive Emma there? Our horse is old
and doesn’t like the snowy roads and neither do I. I want to send one of my new
quilts for them to sell.”
Adam glanced toward Emma. A social outing would be fun. Perhaps he’d even
see her smile. “I would be pleased to drive her. I will be at your house bright
and early Monday.”
“Danki, Adam.” Naomi grinned happily, then
walked away.
After the upset guest checked out, Adam finished his task and took a jar of
gooseberry jam from the display. He laid it on the counter in front of Emma.
“That fellow wasn’t very nice, was he?”
“A slight misunderstanding, that’s all.” She rang up his purchase.
Impressed that she hadn’t taken the chance to complain, he thought more
highly of her for her restraint.
“You are spending all your pay on jam. At this rate we will be out by the
end of the month,” she said.
“When a man finds the best, he won’t settle for less.”
Placing the jar in a paper bag, she handed it to him. Her eyes sparkled as
if he’d done something amusing. Suddenly, he couldn’t wait for Monday to roll
around.
Chapter Eight
The front door of the inn opened and two young English women entered. Adam
was forced to step aside as they approached the counter to speak to Emma. One
of the women gave him the once-over and a sly smile. Not so long ago he would
have angled for a date with her, but not now. That kind of life was behind him.
He had come back to the faith, as was God’s will.
Walking back to the shelves, he picked up his tools. If he wanted to date
someone he’d look for a good solid Amish woman. Someone like
Emma.
The thought brought him up short. When had he started thinking of her as a
woman he’d like to go out with? Would she even consider it? The more he thought
about it the more he liked the idea.
He looked toward her, but she was nowhere in sight. Her mother was checking
in the women. Naomi chatted happily with the Englischers, answering
their questions with ease.
That was one thing about Emma that troubled Adam. She never seemed to visit
or joke with her guests or the other staff. In a business that had people
around her all the time, she seemed to hold herself apart.
She seemed lonely.
And where did she go when she rushed out every two or three hours during the
day? It was none of his business, but he couldn’t help being curious.
Late in the afternoon, he was clearing the snow from the back steps of the
inn and studying the second-story guttering along the roof. The icicles hanging
from the gutters were several feet long. It was a sure sign that the downspout
was frozen shut. Someone needed to do more than knock them down. He’d need to
go up a ladder and rake what snow he could reach off the roof. Then he would have
to put socks full of ice melt in the gutters. If the downspouts weren’t opened
the meltwater could back up under the shingles and damage the walls inside.
The problem was, he couldn’t do it. Climbing a
ladder inside the building hadn’t bothered him, but outside was a different
story. No, he couldn’t go up there. Not yet.
Turning away, he saw Emma come through the garden gate at the back of the
property. He leaned on the shovel handle and waited for her to approach. Once
again, she had hay sticking to her coat.
His curiosity got the better of him. He arched one eyebrow. “What have you
been up to, Miss Emma?”
Chapter Nine
Adam watched the color bloom in Emma’s cheeks. She stuttered, “I—I was
seeing to the horse, that’s all. You don’t have to clear our walks. I was
getting to that.”
“I don’t mind. Your mother asked me to fix the boot scraper, but the metal
is old and rusty. You would be better off buying a new one from the hardware
store.”
“You astonish me. There is actually something you can’t fix?”
He laughed. “Jah, so I am clearing the walkway instead before I go
home for the weekend. If you need help with your stable work I’ll be glad to
lend a hand.”
“No. I can manage. Cream doesn’t need much care.”
He chuckled. “Your horse’s name is Cream? Is she white?”
The glimmer of humor filled her eyes. “No. Her previous owner’s little girl
named her Marshmallow Cream because of the spot of white on her black nose.
That’s a mouthful so I just call her Cream.”
“Kids have such wonderful imaginations. Not like the old folks that only
think of work, work, work.”
The sparkle in her eyes died. “I trust you’ve been busy?”
Had he just implied she was old? He wanted to kick himself. “I did fix the
two broken shutters on the lower-floor windows.”
Walking in that direction, he indicated his work. “When the spring comes you
should have them painted again. They’re getting pretty weathered.”
“I was thinking of taking them off. They are too fancy for my liking.”
“But they are quaint and that is what the tourists like. It must be a hard
line for you to walk. Running a business for the English and
an Amish home.”
“The tourists say they want an ‘Amish experience,’ but they also want
electric lights, central heat and Internet access.”
“And for you, is it hard to go home to your gas lamps and no central heat?”
“Some cold mornings make me wish I could sleep in one of the inn’s empty
beds.”
“Why don’t you?”
Her gaze snapped up to his. “I take the vows of my faith seriously. It would
be easy to stay at the inn. My cold feet would feel better but what good would
it do my soul if I let temptation bend me hither and yon like the wind does a
reed? Nee, I will not go against the teaching of our faith.”
“You are a wise woman. I lived a long time in the English world. It didn’t
do my soul any good.”
Chapter Ten
Adam didn’t know why he felt the need to share his past with this woman. She
would likely think the same thing his father did. That he would run back to the
worldly ways of the English when things got tough.
“What made you leave the Amish?” Emma asked quietly.
He wanted her to think well of him, but he knew she would hear the story
someday. It would be best if it came from him. He gathered his courage. Laying
his foolishness bare for her to see was harder than climbing to any height.
He took a deep breath. “When I was young, the outside world seemed
glamorous. Full of forbidden fun and overflowing with things like cars and
televisions and video games. I wanted to be a part of it. I felt smothered in
my life on the farm. Did you ever feel that way?”
Emma shook her head. “Nee, I have not. I believed our Plain lives
bring us closer to God. I find much comfort in our ways.”
“I had a brother, Jason, who felt the same as I did. We went to work for an
English construction company because my family needed the money after a poor
summer crop. The pay was good. I even learned to drive a car and I bought one. Dat
hated it and soon stopped taking the money we brought home. When I wouldn’t
give up my car, he made me move out. My brother came with me.”
“How sad that must have been for all of you.”
Adam swallowed the lump in his throat and nodded. “It was hardest on my
mother.”
“Is that why you came back?”
“Nee, I was too stubborn for that. My boss liked me. He taught me
all about building things, fixing things, even how to work on a car, but during
those years I missed the rest of my family. My mother wrote asking us to
return, but we never did. Then, a year ago she died suddenly. My brother and I
came home for the funeral, but Dat would not speak to us. So, we went
back to the city.”
“That doesn’t explain how you came to be in
“Two months ago, Jason and I were working on a scaffold when it collapsed.
He fell three stories. I managed to hold on to a cable until I was rescued. As
I was swinging there, my fingers growing numb and slipping, I heard my mother
whisper in my ear. She said, ‘Hang on, Adam, God has
other plans for you.’ I’m not making it up, I heard her voice.”
“I believe you. What happened to your brother?”
“He was killed instantly. After that, I came back to my dat’s
farm.” To another funeral and an empty ache that never went away.
The accident and the loss of his brother had forced Adam to reevaluate his
own life. His Amish roots had been strangled by his sense of self-importance
and the money his high-paying job brought in. He had left God behind for a fat
paycheck and a used car.
“I’m so sorry.” Emma’s breath rose in frosty puffs. Her cheeks glowed rosy
pink from the cold, but she made no move to go inside. Sympathy filled her eyes
as tears gathered in the corners. He sensed she understood the terrible price
he’d paid for his folly.
Suddenly, he became aware of a connection between them, something he’d never
felt before with any woman. How could he have thought she was plain? There was
so much beauty and peace in her eyes.
“Your dat must have been happy to have you home.”
Sadly, Adam shook his head. “Nee. He’s not convinced that I’ve
changed. He thinks I will run back to my good job and easy life if I can’t earn
a decent living here.”
“Will you?” she asked, an odd quality in her tone.
“I will not go back to my English ways. I won’t lie, I miss some things
about that life, but now God is with me every day.”
“Your dat will see that in time.”
“I’m not sure. He forgave me for the pain I brought on our family, but he no
longer trusts me. I would do almost anything to be worthy of his
respect again.”
Chapter Eleven
The winter sky held only a hint of pink in the east as Emma pulled open the
barn door on Monday morning. Under her arm, she carried a rubber hot water
bottle. Even through her coat she could feel its warmth. It reminded her of the
warmth that had enveloped her when Adam shared so much about his life.
She stood there thinking about him, about his struggle with his faith, and
the way he’d chosen to share it with her touched her deeply. She couldn’t stop
thinking about him.
Inside the dark stable, she paused to light a lantern on the workbench
beside the door. She held it high to light her way past the black buggy to the
single stall beyond it. A soft whinny from Cream welcomed her as the mare did
every morning.
Hanging the lamp from the hook, Emma checked the water tank, happy to see
only a skim of ice on the surface. The temperature was still below freezing,
but not by much. After doling out the mare’s grain and cleaning the stall, Emma
quickly climbed the ladder into the hayloft. It was warmer up where the hay
trapped the heat from the horse’s body below. A sudden chorus of mewing erupted
from a wooden box covered with a scrap of blanket in the corner.
“I’m here, little ones, don’t cry.” Emma sat cross-legged on the floor and
raised the edge of the blanket. The mewing cries rose in volume.
She pulled out the cool water bottle and unwrapped
it from a length of gray flannel. Laying it aside, she wrapped the warm bottle
she carried and tucked it in the box for the four tiny kittens crawling around
in search of her and their breakfast.
“You are so impatient,” Emma crooned as she picked them up, one by one, and
settled them in the well of her skirt between her knees. The biggest one, a
yellow fellow with long fur, began climbing her coat with his needle-sharp
claws.
Emma swaddled him in another length of flannel and pulled a doll bottle full
of the special formula the vet had given her from her pocket. It took several
tries before he got hold of the nipple.
“Look at you. You’ve got more milk on your face than in your tummy.” The
others had settled back to sleep in a multicolored ball in her lap.
To her complete surprise, the kittens seemed to be thriving. Each time she
made her way to the loft she expected to discover the worst. The two-hour
feedings had stretched to three hours now that they had put on some weight.
They had been only a day or two old when she found them. The local vet
discouraged her from trying to hand-raise a litter of barn cats, but when she
insisted he gave her the supplies she needed. Along with instructions, he gave
her one piece of advice. He said, “Don’t get attached to them because it will
only bring you grief when they die.”
Grief was nothing new to her. She took the supplies and followed his
instructions to the letter. Now the kittens were her special secret. Her barnyard babies.
Not real babies. Not like the ones she would have had if William had lived,
but they had mewed and wiggled and clawed their way into her heart. They were
so helpless. They needed her, as she needed them. Even more
than she knew.
A sudden noise made her look toward the ladder. Someone was coming up.
Chapter Twelve
Adam’s head appeared in the hayloft opening. Emma’s heart sank. Her secret
wasn’t a secret anymore. Now he and everyone else would know how foolish the
old maid, Emma Wadler, had become.
“What are you doing here?” she demanded, masking her embarrassment with
annoyance.
In the light of the single lantern, his hat cast a dark shadow across his
eyes. She couldn’t read his expression. After a moment of silence, he said,
“Your mamm asked me to help you with chores so we can get going to the
auction. Now I see why you’ve been coming up here so often. How many kittens
are there?”
A blush heated Emma’s face and neck but at least he wasn’t laughing at her.
“Four.”
He climbed up to sit beside her. “What a cute bunch. How old are they?”
“About six days, I think.”
“How long have you been taking care of them?”
“Five days.”
“What happened to their mamm?” He lifted a gray one from her lap
and cuddled it close to his chest.
Her nervousness began to fade. “She was run over on the street in front of
the house. I didn’t even know she’d had kittens until I went to the stable
later in the day and heard their mewing.”
The kitten he held began making pitiful cries. “It must have broken your
heart to hear them.”
“It did.”
Even knowing the odds were slim that they would live,
Emma had soon found herself armed with a hot water bottle, a box with high
sides and a kitten-size baby bottle with cat-milk formula and a round-the-clock
routine.
Raising the kitten to face level, he said, “They look healthy. You are a goot
mudder, but why not take them into the house?”
“Mamm is highly allergic to cats.”
“Oh, no.” He started to laugh.
“It’s not funny,” she chided, but she felt like laughing, too.
He quickly grew serious. “Show me what to do and I will help.”
She looked at him in astonishment. “Do you mean that?”
“Of course. You can’t be scurrying out here day and
night. You have a business to run. I will help during the day.”
The idea of taking a break sounded wonderful, but could she trust him to do
a good job with her babies? She didn’t want all her hard work to be undone by
his carelessness.
Apparently, he read her indecision because he said, “You should watch me the
first few times to make sure I’m doing it right.”
For some reason she did trust him. She demonstrated how to swaddle them
inside a piece of cloth, how to get the bottle into their mouths, even how to
burp them and clean up after them before returning them to their box. She fed
one more so he could observe and then he fed the other two.
When they were done and the kittens all returned to the box, he said, “We’d
better hurry or we will be late for the start of the auction.”
Spending the day in his company—in public—suddenly became a frightening
prospect. She rubbed her hands over her arms. “I don’t think I’m going to go.”
Chapter Thirteen
Adam saw his plans for the day unraveling before they got started. The
picnic basket and thermos of hot chocolate under the front seat of his buggy
would stay where they were. “What do you mean you aren’t going?”
“I have work to do here.”
“Naomi said she can run the inn while you are gone.”
“I know she can, but I have the kittens to think of, too.”
She walked past him and began to descend the ladder. He followed, feeling
their closeness draining away. What had he done wrong? “The Yoder farm isn’t
that far. We can come back to feed them and then return to the auction.”
“It’s silly to make so many trips. I’m staying here. You go on.” She pushed
open the barn door and walked out into the crisp morning sunshine.
“I was only going because Naomi asked me to drive you. I’ll go patch that
hole in the dining room wall.”
Apparently, the connection he’d felt between them went only one way. From him to nowhere. His disappointment was sharp as the
kittens’ claws.
She spun around. “I forbid you to work today. You are to go to the auction,
eat good food, visit with your friends. Your cousins
are going, aren’t they?”
The auction would be one of the biggest social events of the winter. The
weather was cold but the sun was shining brightly. Families would come from
miles around, English and Amish alike, to support the Yoder family and have the
chance to pick up a bargain. Even his father might be there.
She took a step closer. “You should go.”
Sucking in a quick breath, he said, “I would like to go, but only if you go
with me. Please, Emma.”
Her eyes softened; he could see her wavering. Before she could reply, her mother came bustling out of the house, a large box in
her arms. She made straight for his buggy. He had no choice but to rush over and
open the door for her.
Naomi said, “Danki. You two should get on the road. Emma, I’ve
decided I want you to bid on the ice cream maker and on the pressure cooker.”
She laid the box on the floor of Adam’s buggy and held out her hand. “Here
is the money.”
When Emma didn’t move, Naomi pressed the bills at her and began pulling her
toward the buggy. “If you don’t hurry you could miss the household items. Oh, I
can’t be out in this cold for long. It makes my bones hurt. I’m so glad you’re
going for me, Emma. And thank you for driving her, Adam. I won’t worry about
her a bit in your company.”
Adam climbed in and extended his hand to Emma. For a second, he thought she
was going to refuse, but suddenly Naomi began sneezing. Emma sprang into the
vehicle and closed the door between them.
With a hidden smile, Adam slapped the reins against the horse’s rump and
sent him trotting down the street.
Chapter Fourteen
At a loss for words, Emma could only stare at Adam. Had she misunderstood
him? He couldn’t possibly think of this outing as a date. How could a man like
Adam be interested in her?
She jumped like a rabbit when he asked, “What’s in the box?”
“A quilt and some of my jam. We are donating them
to the sale.”
“Is your jam as good as Grandma Yoder’s? If it is, I’ll have to buy all you
have.”
Lifting out a jar, she held it up for him to see. “I am Grandma Yoder.”
He turned to look at her in surprise, then burst out laughing. “Well,
Grandma, I love your gooseberry jam. Why not use your own name?”
“A jar of Emma Wadler’s jelly doesn’t sell as well as one with Grandma Yoder
on the label. Tourists are funny like that. They want things that look and
sound like the Amish names they’re familiar with. Since the recipe is one
handed down from my mother’s mother on the Yoder side of the family, I have no
qualms about using the name.” She put the sample back in the box.
“You are a good cook. You should open a café.”
She looked up sharply. Was he making fun of her? “The inn is enough work.”
Giving her a sidelong glance, he said, “I have an idea about that. Want to
hear it?”
He seemed serious. She nodded. “Sure.”
Eagerly turning to face her, he said, “I could cut a door to the outside in
the dining room and build some booths along the back wall to give you more
seating. You already cook for the guests so why not cook for more? The town is
growing. The English like to eat out. It could give you a steady income,
especially in the winter. You could call it the Shoofly Pie Café. What do you
think?”
Surprised, Emma mulled it over. What he said made sense. Finally she nodded.
“It is a good idea. I will think on it, but you may be sorry you suggested it.”
“Why?”
“Because then you’ll have to pay for the cinnamon rolls you eat in the
mornings.”
He grinned broadly and clicked his tongue to get the horse moving faster.
Looking at Emma, he said, “Your mother called you a treasure and she was right.
I’m glad you decided to come with me today.”
Emma discovered that she was glad, too. A tiny spark of happiness flickered
in the gloom that had become her life. Settling back against the buggy seat,
she breathed in the cold morning air, feeling more alive than she’d felt in
years.
After a few minutes of silence, he said, “Tell me about yourself, Emma.”
“I’m boring.”
“No, you aren’t.”
“If I tell you my life story you will fall asleep and the horse will run off
the road.”
“Seriously, how did you come to own the Wadler Inn?”
That she could talk about. “A cousin of my father first bought the place
fifty-five years ago. He never joined the Amish church. I started working for
him when I was fifteen. He treated me like the daughter he never had. When he
passed away suddenly, I decided to buy the inn and run it myself.”
“Did you ever think about marrying?” Adam asked softly.
She stared at her hands as her oldest heartache returned. “Sure, but it
didn’t work out that way for me. The man I planned to marry died.”
“I’m sorry.”
“It was Gotte wille.”
“If the right man came along, you could still marry. It’s not too late.”
She glanced at his handsome profile against the blue sky. Did she dare
believe him?
Chapter Fifteen
Adam turned the buggy into the Yoders’ lane. They’d arrived in plenty of
time to bid on the items Naomi wanted. Since the quilts wouldn’t be auctioned
off until after lunch, they were free to wander the grounds and seek out other
bargains.
Within an hour, Emma got the ice cream maker, but the pressure cooker went
for more than she was willing to pay. He bought her a hot pretzel at
mid-morning as they watched the horses being sold, and was rewarded with a
genuine smile. Why had he ever thought she was plain?
Everywhere around them were the sounds of voices raised in greeting and
laughter. He and Emma both ran into relatives and friends. What he had at first
assumed was standoffishness on her part proved to be shyness. It seemed Emma
had many layers. He wanted to explore them all.
“Having a good time?” he asked as she retreated from a group of her mother’s
friends.
“I am,” she admitted with a touch of surprise and that tiny smile that so
intrigued him.
“I am, too.” He stood close beside her, not touching her, but wishing he
could hold her hand or caress her cheek.
She said, “If you want to stay, I can go home alone and take care of the
kittens. They are my responsibility and I’m sure they’re getting hungry.”
“I said I would help and I meant it.” They rounded the corner of the
toolshed on the way to the buggy and came face-to-face with his father.
It took a second for Adam to find his voice. When he did, he nodded. “Guder mariye, Papa.”
He looked for any sign of softening in his father’s eyes and thought he
detected it when his father’s gaze lit on Emma. They were saved from the
awkward silence by the arrival of three of Adam’s cousins.
After greeting everyone, Adam said, “I’m sorry but I must go. I have
promised to take Emma home, but we will be back later. Perhaps we can meet up
then?”
His cousins exchanged pointed glances, but it was David who replied, “Sure.
We’ll be here all afternoon. The cattle aren’t going on sale until
“Great. We’ll see you there.” As Adam walked away, he thought he heard the
girls snicker behind him, but when he glanced back, they had turned away.
Emma was quieter than usual on the ride back to town. As he pulled up in
front of her house, she turned to face him. “I’m sorry to be a wet blanket, but
I don’t think I’ll go back with you.”
Instantly concerned, he asked, “Are you ill?”
“Just a headache. Anyway, you will have more fun
without me.”
He tried not to let his disappointment show. “I won’t, but I will feed the
kittens for you while you go lie down.”
She stepped out of the buggy. “That’s not necessary. I like the quiet time
with them.”
“As you wish,” he answered.
Turning away, she paused and looked over her shoulder. “I had a very nice
morning.”
“Me, too.” He waited, but she didn’t return his
smile. As she walked away he felt he’d somehow landed back at square one.
Chapter Sixteen
After taking care of the kittens, Emma entered the house with lagging steps.
Inside, she was surprised to see her mother sitting in the rocker by the stove.
She held her Bible in her hands.
Looking over her glasses, Naomi said, “You are home early. Where is Adam?”
“He’s gone back to the auction. I was feeling tired.”
And like a fifth wheel among his family and friends. She didn’t know how to
fit in.
“I imagine you are tired, what with getting up every two hours through the
night to feed those poor motherless cats.”
Emma’s jaw dropped. “Who told you?”
“I may snore, but I’m still a light sleeper. When a daughter starts sneaking
out of the house at night, a parent wants to know what is going on. I could see
you didn’t want to tell me about them so I didn’t say anything.”
Plopping into a chair, Emma said, “I’m sorry if I worried you. I couldn’t
let them die without trying to save them. They were so helpless.”
“If you can put that much effort into saving four kittens, can’t you put it
into saving yourself?”
Emma frowned. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“I think you know. You were seventeen when William was killed. I know you
loved him but he is gone. You are still here. You used William and that inn as
an excuse to avoid being with people your own age. You have built a wall around
your heart higher than the fireplace. When your father died I felt the same
way. Perhaps that’s why I let you wallow in your grief. After a while, I didn’t
know how to make you see you’d shut yourself off from life.”
“I’ve made the best life I can with what God gave me. I’m not pretty, I’m
not witty. I’m dull and plain.”
She thought she had accepted her lot, but Adam had her thinking about all
the things she’d never had—a home of her own and a man to hold her and love
her.
Naomi shook her head sadly. “This is not what God wants for you. It would
not be what William wanted for you. Life is passing you by, Emma. When I saw
those kittens, I knew you felt it, too.”
Tears blurred Emma’s vision. “I don’t want to feel that pain again, Mamm.”
“God will help you bear any pain that comes your way. Trust in Him. Please
stop passing up all the joy life has to offer out of fear. Do you like Adam
Troyer?”
“I do. I do like him.”
“I can see that he likes you. All you have to do is smile at him and he will
do the rest. Give him some encouragement, or sit in that chair and grow old
without a husband and children and nothing but cats to love.”
Emma bit her lip as she listened to her mother’s harsh but true words. Could
she take the chance? What if it didn’t work out? Would she be worse off than
she was now?
Naomi drew a deep breath and blew it out in a huff. Rising to her feet, she
said, “I believe I want to go to the auction now.”
Emma gathered her courage and stood. “I will go with you.”
Chapter Seventeen
David Troyer clapped Adam on the back when he sat down beside his cousin. “I
thought I was seeing things this morning. There was my cousin, escorting the
homeliest old maid in the county around this auction.”
“Me, too,” Susan added. The girls, eighteen and nineteen, were always
laughing at something. Or someone.
Seated on the wooden risers at one end of the cattle pens, Adam listened to
his cousins’ remarks with growing unhappiness. Finally, he said, “Emma Wadler
is not homely. She is a devout, hardworking woman with a kind heart. You don’t
know her the way I do. I’m thinking of courting her.”
“Jah, I am.” He hadn’t known Emma very long, but that was what
courtship was for. To talk and make plans, to discover
if they were right for each other. In his heart, he knew she was the only woman
for him.
David nodded toward Adam’s father seated a few rows away. “Are you sure you
aren’t rushing into this for another reason?”
Adam clenched his jaw. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
David shook his head. “You think if you quickly settle down and start
planning a family your father will welcome you back with open arms. That isn’t
fair to a woman.”
“If that happens I will be overjoyed,” Adam admitted. Like David, he thought
it would take more than an Amish girlfriend to convince his father he had
mended his life. None of that had to do with the way he felt about Emma.
After the cattle were auctioned off, the gas-powered tools were brought out.
David and the girls left. Adam made his way up to the tools to look them over.
From the corner of his eye he saw his father talking to the auctioneer beside
the gas skill saw Adam intended to bid on. To his surprise, his father beckoned
him over.
His dat said to the auctioneer, “This is my son. He has a gift for
fixing things.”
Adam glanced sideways at his father. “What seems to be the problem?”
The auctioneer said, “We are trying to make the most money we can for this
family. A working machine brings more money than a broken one.”
“I will see what I can do.” Removing the cover, Adam got to work. Within a
few minutes he had the gas motor chugging away and the saw buzzing.
Delighted, the auctioneer asked, “How much do I owe you for the repair?”
Adam shook his head. “Nothing. It is my gift to the
family. I was hoping to buy this, but now it may bring more than I can afford.”
He started to turn away, but his father stopped him by grasping his arm.
“You did a good thing for this family.”
Adam smiled at his father. “From the time I was little I was taught to think
of others first. I wasn’t a very good student, but I had a good teacher.”
His father smiled. “Maybe you weren’t as bad a pupil as I thought.”
Chapter Eighteen
Emma stepped eagerly out of the buggy when she arrived back at the Yoder
farm. The auction was still in full swing. She looked about for Adam, but
didn’t see him in the crowds of Amish and English bargain hunters. The sunshine
was warm enough to start turning the snow to slush, but no one seemed to mind.
She looked at her mother. “What would you like to see first?”
Adjusting her bonnet, Naomi said, “It should be time for the quilt auction.
I will go and see what my quilt fetches. I might have to bid up the price if it
goes low.”
“Careful or you’ll be stuck buying back your own work.”
“What are you going to do?”
Emma glanced around. “I think I’ll go look at some of the tools.”
Naomi patted her daughter’s cheek. “I pray you find the perfect thing to
mend your heart there.”
Emma smiled broadly. “I believe I may.”
The women parted and Emma set out to find Adam. There was much she wanted to
say to him, but mostly, she wanted to be near him. To hear
his deep voice and happy laughter. He had brought sunshine into her life
after a long, dark winter.
Suddenly, she caught sight of his cousins. Susan and
Walking that way, she had almost reached them when she heard Susan say,
“Look. There is Onkel Daniel and he’s talking to Adam.”
A thrill danced through Emma at the sound of Adam’s name. She tried to see
where the women were looking.
Susan crossed her arms. “Guess it was a goot plan. Onkel Daniel
wants him to marry and settle down.”
“Do you think he will actually marry her? Can you see them together for a
lifetime? He’s so handsome and she’s so plain.”
Susan picked up a lantern to study it. “She does own her own business, and
Adam doesn’t have two cents to rub together. No…you’re right. Why would he
settle for her?”
As the women walked on, Emma stayed rooted to the spot. The question echoed
through Emma’s shocked mind. Why would Adam, a man who could have any woman,
settle for her? Why would he?
The answer was as clear as the sky outside. He wouldn’t.
Chapter Nineteen
Adam was so happy he was humming as he climbed up to Emma’s loft. She was
there before him, holding the kittens piled in her lap. “Guder
mariye, Emma. How are the little ones?”
“The smallest one won’t eat. I think he is sick. The vet told me they would
likely die. I should have listened to him and let him put them to sleep without
suffering.”
Her tone was so sad it almost broke his heart. She wouldn’t even look at
him. He sat down beside her. “Nee, do not say that. You have given
them days of love and care. Do not give up now. We will take him to the vet and
see if there is medicine to make him better.”
She looked at him then, her eyes empty and red-rimmed as if she’d been
crying. “Some things can’t be fixed, Adam. Don’t you have work to do?”
“I thought I would help you with the kittens first.”
“I don’t need help.”
He took her chin in his hand, forcing her to look at him. “Emma, what’s
wrong?”
She pulled away and replaced the kittens in the box. “Nothing is wrong. I
got my hopes up and that was my fault. I’m a foolish old maid, but not so
foolish that I can’t learn from my mistakes.”
Something wasn’t right. She wasn’t talking about the kittens. “It isn’t
foolish to hope, Emma. I have hopes and dreams, too. I dream about finding a
woman to share my life, about raising a family together and making a home filled
with love and faith.”
Would she understand what he was trying to tell her?
“Good luck with that, Adam.” She scrambled to her feet, put the box under
her arm and descended the ladder.
Confused and worried, he watched her leave the barn. What did he do now?
Maybe he was rushing her.
Rising to his feet, he dusted the straw off his trousers. Patience was what
he needed. He would show her how important she had become to him in little ways
and wait for her affection to grow.
Leaving the barn, he walked through the garden gate to the inn. The morning
sun gleamed off the snow on the roof and the long icicles decorating the edges.
They were pretty, but they were proof that the gutters were blocked. The
unusual weather was the culprit. The heavy snow followed by warmer days and
freezing nights was causing the problem. When the sunshine began to melt the
snow, the water that couldn’t run off could seep under the shingles and might
damage the walls inside. Emma couldn’t afford any more trouble.
It was an easy fix. He knew exactly what to do. All he had to do was climb a
ladder to the roof.
He would, as soon as his hands stopped shaking.
Chapter Twenty
Empty box in hand, Emma sighed as she walked home. In spite of all that had
happened, she refused to go back into the darkness
where she had lived for so long. Life held hardship and disappointment, but it
held joy, too.
Like the joy of finding out the vet’s daughter was eager to take over the
care of the kittens, and the sick one needed only a dose of antibiotics to make
him better. Knowing they would be well taken care of lightened Emma’s heart.
Yes, from now on she would look each day for the unexpected joys God granted
everyone.
It would be hard, because she had believed Adam was one of those joys.
After putting her box in the barn, she walked toward the gate. When she
pulled it open the first thing she saw was Adam high on a ladder against the
side of the inn. He leaned out to lay something near
the downspout and the ladder slipped.
Emma’s heart jumped into her throat as he clawed at the frozen shingles.
Terrified that he would plummet to the ground and be killed, she raced toward
him screaming, “Hang on, Adam!”
Grasping the heavy ladder, she stabilized it and leaned against it to hold
it still. “I’ve got you. Come down.”
Breathless, he descended the rungs. “Danki.
You saved me from a nasty fall.”
Her racing heartbeat slowed from its wild gallop. He was safe. “You need
someone out here to keep you from breaking your neck.”
When his boots touched the snow-covered grass, he let out a sigh and smiled
at her in spite of her scolding. “God put you here to keep me from harm.”
“This time. What about next time?”
“That is up to God. Are you busy? I could use your help for another fifty or sixty years.”
She gaped at him.
Stepping closer, he pulled off his gloves and cupped her face in his hands.
“I wanted to take it slow, make you see how much you mean to me, but I can’t. I
must tell you now that I’ve fallen in love with you, Emma Wadler.”
“Why would you settle for a woman like me?”
“You mean someone who is smart, someone with compassion and a deep faith who has beautiful eyes? A woman who is full of grace and can
cook better than my grandmother? I don’t know, Emma, why would I settle for
someone like that?”
“Because it will help you mend things with your father.” She waited to see
his reaction.
He gave her a puzzled look. “My father and I have already mended things
between us. That has nothing to do with why I love you. I want to marry you,
Emma, but I will settle for courting until we know each other better. May I
court you?”
Her heart tumbled over and poured out the love she had been hoarding for
years. She smiled broadly at him. “Yes, Adam Troyer, you may court me.”
Before she knew what was happening, he kissed her. It was a kiss full of
warmth, hope and the promise of many joys to come. As his arms encircled her,
she knew it was a kiss that would mend her broken heart at last.
THE END