She understood what he meant. “You know, I think you’re right. It’s the small things that count.”
“It is. Life is made up of hugs and smiles, tears, and disappointment. Of ice cream and grilled cheese and pesky bugs and rays of sunshine.”
She liked his list but knew he’d forgotten something important. “And friends and family, too.”
His eyes lit up, obviously liking her addition. “Jah. And those things, too. Each day the sun rises, lifts above the sky, and sets again. It’s glorious and perfect. Just like all those things we mentioned. It’s all to be savored. Life is to be savored.”
Thinking about their last couple of weeks, she smiled slightly. “Jah, I think you are right. Each day is a blessing. Sometimes days pass in fits and starts, but time does move on. Always.”
“I’m so glad you are going to be all right and that Trent is in jail.”
“Me, too. Sheriff Brewer thinks he’s going to go away for a very long time. I’m free of him. At last.”
Unable to help herself, she stretched her arms out in front of her, moving her hands this way and that.
Isaac caught one hand, then the other. Studying them, and her wrists, which were still slightly bruised, he said, “Do your arms and legs still hurt?”
“Jah. Well, they ache. The doctah said that they would for a while.”
He ran a finger along the fine bones of her wrist. “He had you so tightly bound, it’s a wonder he didn’t cause more damage.”
“I know.” She didn’t want to talk much more about it. The doctors and nurses had asked all kinds of questions when they examined her. They’d also mentioned the many things that could have resulted from her tight bindings but hadn’t.
When Isaac wrapped an arm around her and then pulled her close enough for her to rest her head on his chest, Hannah allowed herself to rest against him. Just like she had the evening before Trent had abducted her.
They rocked for a while. With her body snugly nestled against his and the warm air soothing her skin, Hannah allowed her mind to rest. She didn’t want to think about anything other than how good it felt to be in Isaac’s warm embrace. She heard Isaac’s heart beating steadily against her cheek. The steady beat comforted her as much as the feeling of security she was feeling.
Just as her eyes were drifting closed, Isaac shifted and cleared his throat.
His actions caused her to sit up so she could look at his face. He looked a little nervous.
“Isaac, what’s the matter?”
“How sore are your legs?”
“They are stiff but okay. Why?”
“I’d like you to go on a walk with me. If you can handle it, that is.”
“Um, I can handle it, if it ain’t too far.”
“It’s not. Maybe a fifteen-minute walk.”
She got to her feet. “Let me go tell my parents and I’ll be right out.”
When she joined him again, he held out his elbow and she grasped it, enjoying the old-fashioned, courtly gesture.
To her surprise, he took her the opposite way of his house. They stayed on the main road but took the first right turn, entering the middle of a street filled with older houses on half-acre lots. “Have you been down this street before?”
“Nee. I never had an occasion to walk here.” Of course, until, well, today, she hadn’t felt comfortable walking anywhere. She looked around. Several yards had Amish children playing in them. There were also a couple of Englishers.
Everyone looked like they were doing what she and Isaac were doing. Enjoying the cooler evening air.
“Is there any special reason we are walking this way?” Perhaps there were more of his friends he was ready to introduce her to?
“Actually, there is,” he said as they continued to walk.
Isaac touched the brim of his straw hat to an older couple sitting on their porch swing, just the way she and he had been a little while ago.
“I am trying to find a way to tell you that I did something yesterday.” Looking a little frustrated, he continued. “Unfortunately, I can’t think of an easy way to say the words.”
“In an easy way, hmm? If there’s something you want to discuss, I think you should just say it.”
But instead of looking relieved, he looked even more agitated. “I don’t think it’s as easy as that.”
“It might be. I promise, I’m stronger than I look.”
“I know you are strong. Believe me, I won’t ever think of you as anything other than strong again.”
Hannah appreciated his sentiment, but she was sure that there was something else he wanted to discuss. “Tell me what’s on your mind, Isaac,” she said. “I promise, whatever it is, I can take it.”
“I suppose you can,” he mused as he drew them to a stop in front of a small white house with a long, winding driveway leading up to it. “So, I did something yesterday.” He inhaled, shrugged, and finally said, “I put an offer on this house.”
She gaped at him before turning to look at the place more closely. She noticed that there were a lot of trees on one side of it and a brick fireplace that someone had long ago painted white. It also had a porch that not only covered the front but one of the sides, too. All in all, it was a lovely house. Picturesque and charming. “Congratulations,” she said. “It’s very pretty.”
“Would you like to see it better?”
“Of course.”
Looking a little more at ease, Isaac escorted her through the front yard. She noticed the remains of a garden, the shed that was painted green and white but was in need of a new roof. Most of all, she liked how peaceful it was. It was in the middle of a street. With the trees and the big lot, one would feel at peace but not completely alone.
He pointed to the shed. “I’m going to rework that so I can one day have my workshop here.”
She thought he was going to guide her up the front steps, but instead of doing that, he took her to the side that didn’t have the porch.
“I bought this house for a lot of reasons, but mainly for this spot here.”
“What’s so special about it?”
“I’m going to build a wide, covered screened-in porch here.”
For some reason, that made her sad. Maybe because it signified that he was very ready to move on.
To move on without her. Though her mouth felt dry, she did her best to say the right words. “That . . . I mean, that will be lovely.”
“Do you really think so?”
“Of course.”
He smiled. “Good. Because I bought it for you.”
She gaped at him. “What?”
“I bought you a house yesterday. I want you to live here with me one day. When . . . when you think you will be ready. When you will be ready to be happy here.”
That was an unusual way to phrase things. But she couldn’t deny that he had a point. One had to be ready to be happy. It wasn’t simply a state of being, it was a state of mind. “Are you proposing to me, Isaac?”
“I am. Well, kind of.”
“Kind of? That tells me nothing.”
“Hannah, I am going to work on this house. I am going to put a swing on the front porch and a screened one on the side. Then, I want to spend lots of evenings sitting on that swing and wrap my arms around you.”
His words were painting such a lovely picture, such a vivid one, she felt herself shiver. Not from fear, but from expectation. “Hmm.”
He studied her, then obviously seeing that she wasn’t shocked, he continued. “When I do all that, I’m going to tell you how I feel about you.”
“You don’t want to tell me such things now?”
“Not yet,” he said, quietly blowing out a burst of air. “I want to share all those things when the time is right. When you are ready.” Gazing at her closely, he added, “When I am ready. When we are ready.”
Even in the dim early evening light, she could see that he was blushing. And, she reflected, she liked that idea. That there was time to wait for the right
moment. That they didn’t have to be in a hurry for anything because they had such a future to look ahead to together.
What could be more special than that?
“I’ll look forward to that day, Isaac.”
He exhaled. Smiled softly. “Me, too. We are going to have a good life, Hannah. A happy one. I am sure of it.”
Standing there on a patch of dirt, beside a house that wasn’t quite done, dreaming of a future next to a man who cared enough about her to wait for the timing to be right, Hannah nodded.
They were going to have a happy life. No matter what the Lord had in store for them. That much she was certain of. “I think so, too,” she said, smiling at Isaac. Smiling at the world around her.
Smiling with her heart full of hope and free from secrets.
At last.
P.S. Insights, Interviews & More . . .*
About the author
* * *
Meet Shelley Shepard Gray
About the book
* * *
Letter from the Author
Q & A with the Amish
Questions for Discussion
Read on
* * *
Facts About Hart County
About the author
Meet Shelley Shepard Gray
IN MANY WAYS, my writing journey has been like my faith journey. I entered into both with a lot of hope and a bit of nervousness. You see, I didn’t get baptized until I was in my twenties and didn’t first get published until I was in my thirties. Some people might consider those events to have happened a little late in life. However, I feel certain that God knew each took place at exactly the right time for me.
To be honest, these days I rarely stop to think about my life before I was a Christian or a writer. I simply wake up, drink my coffee, and try to get everything done that I can each day! I feel blessed to be a part of a large church family and to have a busy career. But, every so often, someone will ask why I write inspirational novels. Or why I write at all.
Then I remember how it felt to knock on a minister’s office door and tell him that I wanted to be baptized. And how it felt the very first time I wrote “Chapter 1.” Both felt exhilarating and nerve-wracking.
Perhaps you are a little bit like me. Maybe you, also, developed your faith a little after some of your friends or family. Maybe you, also, began a new job in a field that you didn’t go to school for. Maybe you started on a journey where you weren’t sure you were going to be successful or even fit in.
Or maybe, like me, success wasn’t what you were hoping to attain. Maybe it was a matter of following a power bigger than yourself. If so, I’m glad I’m in good company. I’d love to know your story, too.
Now I have been a Christian for almost thirty years. I’ve been a published writer for about half that time. Both journeys have not always been easy. Both have been filled with ups and downs. Yet, both have given me much joy, too. I’d like to think that anything worth having takes some hard work. It takes some time to grow and mature, too.
And because of that, I am comfortable with the fact that I’m still on my journey, one morning at a time.
With blessings to you,
Shelley Shepard Gray
Discover great authors, exclusive offers, and more at hc.com.
About the book
Dear Reader,
Thank you for joining me in Hart County! This series has been a rather rejuvenating experience for me. It meant working with a new agent and a new editor. It meant pushing myself a little bit, even after writing thirty-five Amish romances. Now, as I write this letter, I realize I couldn’t be more excited about this series or this book in particular. Change, I think, can be a very good thing.
The Amish of Hart County series will be a little different than most of the other series I’ve written for Avon Inspire. Though each book will be loosely connected and set in Hart County, Kentucky, each novel will be written as a stand-alone novel. This allows me to make this series a little longer than my previous ones. There will be six books in this series, being released over the course of two years.
This series will also be suspenseful in nature, too. Though each book is a romance, it will have a slightly different slant than some of my other novels, which centered on mainly family dynamics. Again, it’s been a nice stretch for me as a writer.
I hope you enjoyed the book! I loved traveling to the middle of Kentucky and spending a couple of days exploring the area. I loved visiting with the Amish in stores and sitting next to a group of them in a Mexican restaurant. I enjoyed Kentucky’s rolling hills and winding roads, those deep, lilting Kentucky accents, and the dry wit that so many folks in the area have. I loved seeing the horses and the blue grass and the wide open skies and the houses and buildings made out of limestone. Hart County, Kentucky is someplace new for me. It’s filled with new possibilities and a wealth of opportunities.
I hope you’ll come along for the ride.
With blessings to you,
Shelley
Q & A with the Amish
One of the reasons I enjoy writing novels featuring the Amish is because I live in Ohio near several Amish communities. One community is just an hour from my house! Because of this, I’ve had the opportunity to visit different Amish communities several times a year, both in Ohio and Kentucky.
Over time, I’ve been blessed to know several Amish ladies well enough to call them friends. Because of this friendship, they were kind enough to let me interview them about everything from faith to canning to learning to drive a buggy. I hope you’ll respect their privacy and understand that I won’t be using their names, only their initials. I also am not listing the community where they live.
Enjoy the interview! Even after all these years, I learned something new!
Shelley: What were some of your favorite childhood activities? Are they different from generation to generation?
B: Yes, I’m sure they are different from generation to generation. We liked to play croquet in the summer. Nowadays, it’s a lot of volleyball. We also played a lot of board games and cards, like Uno, Rook, and Phase 10.
J: Growing up on the farm I always enjoyed outdoor work, being around the animals, helping with the garden, and putting in hay. Our family always had ponies and riding horses, which we enjoyed. I would say some things have stayed the same. Most Amish children have a pony during their growing-up years. Not very many families are doing farming anymore, so that has changed some things, but children help do yard work, help in the house, do dishes, etc. Of course, there are those few that are spoiled and don’t do much to help.
Shelley: When did you learn to sew and quilt? Did you learn from your mother? Did your daughters enjoy sewing and quilting, too?
B: Yes, I learned to sew from my mom, but I didn’t do much of it before I was married. It was easier to let my motherdo the sewing and I do the other work, because I didn’t really like it.
After I got married, I sewed. I also didn’t like to quilt at first but really like it now. One daughter really liked to sew and quilt and the other one didn’t like it; she liked working outside.
J: I was taught to sew as a teenager. I was left-handed so I kind of learned by myself as my mom was right-handed and it was hard. My daughters taught themselves and from watching me. They learned at an early age, and they like to sew lots more than I do. Quilting is not so much a hobby anymore; the young generation are not all taught to quilt.
Shelley: What about canning and gardening? What do you like to can? Has the process changed much over the years?
B: I like to can green beans, four different kinds of pickles, applesauce, and apple pie filling. We freeze the corn and peaches. We also can a lot of pizza and pasta sauce.
J: Our family has always done a lot of canning and gardening. I enjoy it very much. I like to can most anything. I do my own sauerkraut. We also grow a lot of popcorn. My garden is always bigger than most other people’s. There are Amish people who do not have a garden and will just buy at
produce stands, etc. For me, gardening is relaxing and is very much a stress reliever.
Shelley: How does your faith guide your life?
B: By reading the Bible and praying. Also attending church.
Shelley: Driving a horse and buggy looks hard to me. Was it difficult to learn to do that?
B: Usually, we learn with a tame horse. Some horses don’t like big trucks. They sometimes jump towards the ditch. You have to have the lines tight, then they can’t do too much.
Shelley: Do you have favorite recipes that you like to make for other people?
B: Yes, I make coffee cake for coffee breaks with friends. I also like to try new recipes.
Shelley: Has your community changed much over the years?
J: Our community has changed a lot, with hardly any farmers left. Most people live on smaller properties, anywhere from one acre up to ten acres. Some have more land and will do some hay crops. Along with no farms, people have more time for leisure activities and will spend time camping, spend evenings around campfires with friends, go out to eat, and spend more time with family, etc. As times change, rules change. We have generator power for washers, sweeper fans, sewing machines, etc. Also solar power for some.
We also have a lot more youth gatherings, volleyball, and singings. Most people are accepting of changes. There are always a few that hang on to the old ways.
Shelley: What was Amish school like?
J: For me, going to school in the 1970s and 1980s, we always talked Amish during school. Then in the seventh grade we got a new teacher and everyone had to talk English. Wow, that was hard! We knew enough English to get by before that, but I suppose we probably did not always use the proper words.
Now all children must speak English at all times during school. Now most children know English even before school, as people have more contact with the English and often have friends they get together with. Our children went to public school with approximately twenty-five to thirty other Amish in their grade when starting kindergarten. As time went on and more Amish schools were built, some would drop out of public and go to Amish school. Also, a few do homeschool.
Her Secret Page 20