A Groom for Ruby ; The Amish Witness by Emma Miller

Author:Emma Miller
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2018-06-14T20:04:36+00:00

Chapter Two

“Elizabeth?” Mary Lapp called, presumably from the top of the porch steps. “Are you all right?” Her voice drifted into the barn. “Thomas, are you out there?”

“We’re coming, Mamm.” Elizabeth picked up the few unbroken eggs she was able to gather from the barn floor and started toward the house. Thomas silently followed.

As they drew closer, Mary called out, “When you didn’t return with the eggs I became concerned. I thought I may have heard a commotion. Is everything all right?” Her eyes widened in alarm when she saw her daughter’s face in the lantern light. “Elizabeth, you look scared to death! What happened?”

Elizabeth kept shooting glances over her shoulder and staring into the shadows as she hurried up the porch steps to the safety of the house. As she brushed past her mother and entered the house, Mary shot a questioning look his way.

“Thomas?”

He cupped the older woman’s elbow with his hand. “Let’s go inside, Mary, where it’s warm. We’ll talk there.”

Without another word, Mary led the way. She set the lamp on the small wooden table inside the front door and followed the sounds of Elizabeth moving about the kitchen. Mary stood with Thomas in the doorway.

Elizabeth tried to appear calm and unflustered, but her hands shook as she tried to fill three coffee mugs without spilling any of the hot liquid, giving her away.

“Elizabeth? You’re frightening me.” Then she looked at Thomas. “What happened?”

“I’m not sure,” he replied, his tone of voice grave. “There was a stranger in the barn when I arrived. I saw Elizabeth fall to the floor and the man put his hands around her throat...”

Mary gasped. Her hand flew to her chest and she rushed to her daughter’s side. “What man? Did he hurt you? Are you okay?”

Thomas’s eyes never left Elizabeth’s face but he spoke to Mary. “I thought it was you. I knew you were expecting me so I didn’t announce myself. When I saw what he was doing I panicked. I grabbed a pitchfork and raced over to help.”

“Who is this man, Elizabeth?” Mary put her hands on Elizabeth’s shoulders and turned her around. “Is that why you were staring out the window this morning into the darkness?”

Elizabeth nodded.

“How did this man find you? Do you know him?”

“No, I don’t know him but—but I saw him. I saw him do something terrible. I am sure he followed me here. We are a small community, Mamm. You know it would be easy to find our farm once he came into town. He only had to mention my name and any Amish person would have been able to direct him.”

Elizabeth collapsed into the nearest chair and hung her head. She couldn’t seem to meet their eyes.

“I didn’t know that Elizabeth had returned home,” Thomas said into the uncomfortable silence.

“She only arrived yesterday afternoon,” Mary replied. “There was no time to let you know.”

“Did you tell her I kumm every morning to milk the cows and clean the stalls?”

“No. I—I couldn’t seem to find the proper time to bring up the subject.

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