After everyone’s tears were dried, Naomi brought them slices of pie and cups of coffee with a mug of hot chocolate for Christina.
Jenna took a sip of coffee and sniffed once. “What are your plans now, Carl?”
“I thought since you have already hired a driver that I would ride home with you.”
“Mamm and Daed with be so happy to see you. It will be a wunderbar surprise.”
“I’d like to see the bishop first thing and explain myself.”
Jenny reached across the table and took his hand. “You know that he and everyone in the church will rejoice that you have returned.”
“I know. The thing is, I’m not going to stay, Jenna. I’m coming back here.”
She glanced between him and Lizzie, who was blushing bright red. “Although we will hate to lose you again so soon, I think everyone will be happy for you.”
“I won’t be happy,” Christina said with a pout.
He ruffled her hair. “I’ll come visit a lot. You’ll come to visit me here, too.”
“Can I feed the lambs again?”
They all chuckled. He nodded. “Sheep Man said you may always feed the lambs.”
When they were finishing their pie, Naomi approached again with a large box in her arms. “Lizzie, I have something for you.”
Lizzie’s eyebrows shot up. “For me? What is it?”
Naomi laid the box on the table. “Open it and see.”
Lifting the carton lid, Lizzie squealed in delight. “It’s my mother’s quilt!”
Naomi smiled at her. “The buyer thought you should have it back.”
Lizzie’s eyes narrowed as she met his gaze. “Carl, did you do this?”
He held up both hands. “I tried, but someone beat me to it.”
“Who?” Lizzie looked at Naomi.
“I promised not to tell.”
Lizzie pulled the quilt from the box. “But it was so much money. I need to pay someone back. I can’t accept such a gift.”
Naomi fisted her hands on her hips. “You can and you will.”
Lizzie’s eyes narrowed again. “Naomi, did you do this? Do I owe you money?”
“Nee, it wasn’t me. I’m just glad the quilt is back where it belongs. Your mother made it as a wedding gift for you. I know, and the buyer knows, that she would want you to have it. She would be so pleased that you used it to help your sisters find a safe home.”
Lizzie held the quilt to her face and closed her eyes. “Please give my thanks to the buyer. I can’t believe it came back to me.”
Naomi patted Carl’s shoulder and winked at him. “Now all that is needed is a wedding.”
* * *
On the last Sunday in April, the congregation of Bishop Zook found itself in for a few surprises.
Carl had gone to meet privately with the bishop a few days before. Lizzie didn’t know what they talked about, but she knew Carl planned to join their church if the congregation would ultimately accept him. It had to be a unanimous vote of all baptized members, so she knew Carl would be under close scrutiny for the next few months.
He looked very handsome in his dark coat and flat-topped black felt hat. He spent a lot of time running his hands up and down his suspenders. She could tell he wasn’t used to them after wearing jeans for more than four years. There were a lot of surprised looks when the bishop introduced him after the service.
Faith Lapp had delivered a healthy seven-pound baby girl the week before. She brought her to church for the first time and everyone, including the Barkman girls, took turns admiring her. Adrian stayed by his wife’s side, playing the role of proud papa with ease.
Lizzie, like everyone else, dropped her jaw when the banns between her grandfather and Naomi Wadler were read aloud by the bishop as the last item of the morning. She turned to her sisters. They all shrugged. None of them knew anything about it. Joseph, in his usually abrupt manner, left early after church and avoided a ton of questions. Naomi climbed into his buggy with him and they drove off, leaving people to speculate wildly on their whirlwind romance.
Only Sally Yoder said, “I knew something was up between them all along.”
Later that afternoon, when Lizzie and her sisters arrived home in Carl’s new buggy, they all piled out and rushed into the house.
Naomi held up a hand to forestall their questions. “He was supposed to tell you.”
Joe looked defensive. “The time never seemed right. It’s my decision to wed. If it doesn’t suit any of you, too bad.”
The sisters surrounded him with hugs and best wishes. No one objected to having a new grandmother in the family.
After supper that night, Carl asked Lizzie to come for a buggy ride with him. Her heart raced as she agreed.
They had been careful to keep things low-key during his transition from an Englisch to an Amish sheepherder. His presentation to the church was the next-to-last step on his road back to the faith of his heart. It opened the way for him to court Lizzie without damaging her reputation.
Carl drove them out to the lake. It was an old stone quarry that had filled with water a century before. It was a favorite fishing spot for some of the locals, but they had the place to themselves that evening. They got out of the buggy and found a large flat rock to sit on by the water. Lizzie got up and threw a half dozen stones into the lake to ease her jitters.
Carl rested back on his elbows and watched her. “Can I ask you a question, Lizzie?”
“Of course.” She came to sit beside him.
“On the night your uncle showed up, what did you think when I walked in with a gun in my hand?”
“I saw the gun and lamb at the same time. I thought you had been out protecting the flock from the coydog.”
He studied her intently. “You didn’t think I would use the gun?”
“On my uncle? Nee, that never crossed my mind. Can I ask you a question?”
“Sure.”
She hesitated a moment. “Did you shoot the coydog?”
“Nee, I could not.”
She grinned with relief. “He hasn’t been back. I’m grateful for that.”
“I found out who owns him.”
“Did you? Who does he belong to?”
“Our postman.”
“He’s the mailman’s dog?” Lizzie laughed.
“He and his son stopped in to buy a club lamb a few days ago. He had the coydog with him. He said the boy wanted the dog to get used to sheep so he wouldn’t bother the one they took home.”
“Oh, dear. Did you tell them that he can’t be trusted around the lamb?”
“I had to tell them he’s been killing our sheep. They offered to pay for all the damages. They felt bad about it, especially the boy. Joe wouldn’t take their money.”
“He’s too happy these days to worry about money.”
“Naomi is making a new man of him, that’s for sure.”
“Speaking of new men, you look very Plain in your new suit.”
“I am a new Plain man, and I’m in love with a beautiful Plain woman.” Carl leaned close and Lizzie knew he was about to kiss her. She had never wanted anything more.
His lips touched hers with incredible gentleness, a featherlight caress. It wasn’t enough. She cupped his cheek with her hand. To her delight, he deepened the kiss. Joy clutched her heart and stole her breath away. She had been waiting a lifetime for this moment and she didn’t even know it.
He pulled her closer. Her arms circled his neck. The sweet softness of his lips moved away from her mouth. He kissed her cheek and then drew away. Lizzie wasn’t ready to let him go. She would never be ready to let him go.
“I love you, Lizzie,” he murmured softly into her ear. “You have made me whole again. I was broken, and you found a way to mend me. I li
ved a life of despair, ashamed of what I had done. I thought I was beyond help. And then you came into my life and I saw hope.”
“I love you, too, darling, but it is God that has made us both whole.”
“And the two shall become as one. I never understood the true meaning of that until this very moment.”
He kissed her temple. “Will you marry me, Lizzie Barkman?”
Lizzie had never felt so cherished. The wonder of his love was almost impossible to comprehend. This man, who had seen so much of the world, wanted her to be his wife. Emotion choked her. She couldn’t speak.
He drew back slightly to gaze at her face. “Am I rushing you? Please, say something.”
“Can’t you hear my heart shouting yes?”
“No, for mine is beating so hard that I can’t hear anything.”
“Yes, Carl King. I will marry you.”
Suddenly, he lifted her off her feet and swung her around, making her squeal with delight.
“I love you, Lizzie. I love you. I love you. I will never get tired of saying that.”
When he stopped spinning, her feet touched the ground again. She gazed into his eyes. “And I will never grow tired of hearing it. I can’t believe this is real. I’m afraid that I’m dreaming.”
“Shall I pinch you?”
“Don’t you dare.”
“Then I will simply have to kiss you again. If I may?”
She put her hands on his chest. “You may. For as often and as long as you would like once we’re married.”
“Then say it will be soon.”
“November will be soon enough.”
He growled and pulled her snugly against him. “November seems an eternity from now.”
She wavered. “It does, doesn’t it?”
“I think we should have a June wedding.”
“June will be too soon, but I think October will be about right.”
He leaned close. “As you wish, but this is the last kiss you will get until our wedding day.”
She gave him a saucy smile. “Then you had better make it a good one.”
He proceeded to show her just how wonderful a kiss could be.
* * * * *
Keep reading for an excerpt from A FATHER IN THE MAKING by Carolyne Aarsen.
Dear Reader,
I have never worked or lived on a sheep farm. I grew up with cattle and horses. We did briefly own a sheep when I was a child, but my father sold Snowball before I grew attached to him. I do remember trying to ride him, with unhappy consequences that required bandages—for me, not for the sheep. Maybe that was why Dad sold him.
As I began to research this story, I was privileged to meet a shepherdess who is also named Pat. She and her husband operate a sheep farm near where I grew up. Pat provided me with a wealth of information about sheep and about shepherds. I met her guard dogs, her herding dogs, her guard llama and her guard donkey. Sounds like quite a menagerie, doesn’t it?
My visit occurred during the lambing season. There were lambs galore with brightly painted numbers on their backs to keep them with the correct mothers. I loved how the older lambs ran and played with each other. They were charming to watch. As I listened to Pat describe what the lambing season entailed, I was in awe. I hope I have conveyed even a fraction of the work that goes into a successful sheep operation.
In writing this book, my thoughts often turned to my Good Shepherd. The One who looks after all of us, protecting us from harm, gathering in the lost souls, never giving up on those under His care. I can’t count the number of times the twenty-third psalm ran through my mind.
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.
To my mind, it is one of the most beautiful prayers of the Bible. Keep it in your heart as I keep it in mine.
Blessings to you and yours,
Questions for Discussion
Carl King was a man tortured by a mistake in his past, yet he was unable to ask for forgiveness. What keeps us from seeking forgiveness for our mistakes?
We can sympathize with Carl’s actions in defense of a child, but he believed he made the wrong decision in that split second. Is the taking of a human life ever justifiable?
Lizzie Barkman showed remarkable courage by setting out alone to seek her grandfather’s help rather than accepting her sister’s fate. Do you know a woman who has done something heroic for her family or others?
Family relationships can be tricky. Joseph Shetler believed his daughter would not want him to interfere in the lives of his granddaughters. Was he right in that assumption? Why do you feel he was right or wrong?
The Amish practice of shunning has become fodder for popular fiction. Did you learn anything new about this aspect of the Amish in this book? What was it?
Shunning may be called “tough love” by the non-Amish. It is hard to turn away from someone you love when they have done something wrong. Should we grant forgiveness without seeing signs of repentance? Why or why not?
Joe went against the rules of his Amish faith when he allowed Carl to stay and work on his farm. What reasons do you believe he had for bending the rules?
No two Amish congregations are exactly alike. Are you familiar with any Amish in real life? What puzzles you about their lifestyle?
What aspects do you enjoy about the fictional town and people of Hope Springs, Ohio?
What aspects of Amish fiction in general do you enjoy?
Jesus is often called the Good Shepherd. In what ways do the characters in this story mirror the life Jesus calls us to lead?
Carl was separated from his faith for a time in his life. Has there been a time when you or someone you know felt separated from God? How was that breach healed?
Are there characters from this book or a previous book in the Brides of Amish Country series that you would like to see more of? Which ones and why?
What part of this story did you enjoy the most and why?
What part of this book did you enjoy the least and why?
We hope you enjoyed this Harlequin Love Inspired story.
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Chapter One
“Go to sleep. Please go back to sleep,” Mia pleaded as she dragged the stroller holding her twin toddlers backward into the bookstore. Jennifer had been fussing for the past twenty minutes. She couldn’t be hungry. Mia had given both baby girls and her two sons a good supper before heading out the door into the cool of the late-fall evening. A better supper than she managed to wolf down before her babysitter, Angie, showed up. Though Angie wasn’t her regular babysitter, she had offered to take the two boys and the twins. Mia took care of four children all the time, but she didn’t feel right doing that to a temporary babysitter so she had taken the twins with her.
Fatigue dragged at her, and for a moment Mia entertained the idea o
f skipping the bookstore. However, she had promised Josh and Nico she would get the books. And ever since her husband had left her pregnant with twins and two preschool sons, Mia was firm on keeping promises to Josh and Nico.
As Jennifer’s whimpers turned into a cry of protest, Mia fished a pacifier out of the overstuffed diaper bag dangling from the handles of the stroller. She wiped the lint off and eased the pacifier into Jennifer’s mouth. Her daughter resisted a moment and then the pacifier began bouncing as the baby eagerly sucked on it.
Really? Shouldn’t one-year-olds be weaned off pacifiers by now?
Mia closed off the scolding voice in her head—Other Mother, the annoying amalgamation of every parenting article she had ever read, with a pinch of her perfect sister thrown in.
“Hey, my dear girl, shall I take the twins around the store while you shop?”
Sophie Brouwer smiled at Mia over the top of the stroller, her bright blue eyes surrounded by a network of friendly wrinkles. She wore her usual velour jogging suit today in a shade of bubblegum-pink that no female over ten should wear. And Sophie was easily six decades past that.
“I’ll be okay,” was Mia’s automatic reply.
Sophie shook her head and nudged Mia aside. “Don’t be so independent.” Sophie grasped the handles of the stroller. “You go talk to your friend.”
Then she pushed the stroller behind a shelf of books, leaving Mia no choice but to go to Evangeline.
Her friend was crouched down on the floor behind the counter, her long skirt puddling around her as she sorted through a box of books. Evangeline straightened as she saw Mia and pushed her long hair back from her face with a smile. “Hey, girl. Where’re the kids?”
“Angie is taking care of the boys and Sophie just kidnapped the twins.”
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