Her Hidden Amish Child by Leigh Bale

Author:Leigh Bale
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2023-05-18T18:11:09+00:00

Chapter Eight

As the days passed, Faith made a conscious effort to avoid Josiah as much as possible. She feared Adel was way too fond of the attractive Amish man. Maybe Faith was becoming overly attached to him, too.

She and Adel attended church again and it was much easier this time. No one asked intrusive questions. It was almost as if she’d never left. Like before, they sat on the back row. Josiah watched them quietly from across the room but stayed away during lunch. Maybe he wanted to put distance between them, too.

As promised, Adel played with the other children and had a blast. After the service, several men asked Faith details about how much acreage she had, but no one seemed genuinely interested in buying her place. They were just curious. After all, most of them already owned their own farms. Like a sentinel, the bishop’s wife stayed nearby and none of the other women asked pointed questions about Hope’s death or Adel’s father. They seemed to have accepted her back into the fold, though old Marva Geingerich still gazed at Faith with a heavy, disapproving glower. Trina Graber did likewise, though the girl’s expression seemed more sad and disappointed than anything else.

Late the following week, Faith took Adel outside. She had no idea where Josiah was but knew he must be around somewhere. Out in the pasture, knee-high grass shivered in the mild morning breeze. Jack and Tilly grazed peacefully alongside Billy and Josiah’s road horse. It was the second week in May and a bright, warm sun gleamed across the yard as she headed toward the barn with Adel in tow. Apparently Josiah wasn’t using his big draft horses today. Hoping to avoid him altogether, Faith stepped inside the dim interior of the barn and set her purse on a bale of hay before lifting Adel to sit on a low stool.

“Where we go, Mammi?” Adel asked, cradling Martha in her lap.

“I need to speak to the Realtor in town again and buy a few groceries. We don’t need much. Just a few things.” Faith spoke as she led the new road horse out of his stall.

“Hallo, Bean!” Adel called, waving as if the horse understood her every word.

When the child tried to slide off the stool, Faith shook her head. “Ne, Adel. You stay right there until I’m finished, sweetums. I don’t want Bean to trample you.”

As expected, the child obeyed. “He not trample me, Mammi. Bean lubs me.”

“Of course he does. I love you, too,” Faith said as she backed the horse into position in front of the buggy.

The gelding didn’t fight her one bit, his manner easy and mild. Josiah had trained him well and Faith couldn’t help feeling impressed by the man’s skill with horses.

“Where Ziah?” Adel asked, glancing at the empty animal stalls.

Taking a deep inhale, Faith shrugged but didn’t look up from her task. “I have no idea. I’m sure he’s working here someplace.”

The air smelled of fresh, clean straw. Josiah

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