Rebecca Kertz - Her Forgiving Amish Heart

“Danki,” he murmured as they entered the barnyard.

She met his gaze. “For what?”

“For trusting me enough to accept my help,” he whispered. Then, as if he’d sensed her unease, he left her, and she watched as he hurried toward the dessert table.

Shaken, Leah knew a strange yearning in her heart, one she didn’t recognize. Still, she managed a smile as she rejoined her sisters where they sat drinking iced tea and sharing desserts.

Chapter Three

Monday morning Leah exited the house in good spirits. Ellie had been hired to houseclean for a new client who owned a huge five-bedroom residence. Because of the amount of work involved, her sister had requested her help. Leah was more than willing to work with Ellie. She’d put away the money for her shop. Since turning eighteen, she was allowed to keep all of her work earnings. Which was why she made it a point to help her parents as much as she could around the house and farm. It was her turn to feed the animals this morning, and she was happy to do it.

Her thoughts on the day ahead, she descended the porch steps and started forward, then halted abruptly. Her heart began to hammer hard as she stared at the man who stood several feet from her. “What are you doing here, Henry?”

He approached, and as he drew closer, she backed away until she was up against the bottom rung of the stairs. “Aren’t you happy to see me?” A tiny smile curved up the corners of his mouth.

She sniffed, determined to keep him from realizing that she was glad to see him. “What do you think?”

His smile disappeared. “Contrary to what you might believe, I’m not stalking you.”

She blushed. “I didn’t say you were.”

He folded his arms as he studied her. He wore a green shirt, navy tri-blend pants with black suspenders. A black-banded straw hat rested on his head, but he’d tipped back the wide brim. Beneath it, his sky blue eyes looked sapphire. “I’m here to help your father.”

Leah blinked, tried to stay calm. “With what?”

Henry sighed heavily. “He wants to install a cabinet in one section of the barn to store things.”

She gazed at him with suspicion. “My cousin invited you to Visiting Day, where my father just happened to ask you to install a cabinet for him, and all within four days of Friday’s thunderstorm?”

He shrugged as if he didn’t care whether or not she believed him. As if he was telling the truth. She frowned.

Her father came out of the house behind him. “Henry!” he exclaimed, and Leah immediately slipped past Henry before she looked back to watch the interaction between the two men. “Glad you could make it.”

Leah experienced a burning in her stomach. Her dat seemed genuinely pleased to see him. The hot sensation intensified. Henry had told the truth. Why did she continually misjudge him?

Ashamed, she turned away, headed toward the barn to feed the animals. She started to hurry as it occurred to her that Henry and her father would be along soon. She fed all of the horses first, ensuring that each had fresh water and a bucket of feed. Later in the day, she’d return for their third feeding. Her sister Charlie would do the second one midday. She then went on to feed their dairy cows, bull, goats and sheep. She was outside with their hens and rooster when she heard voices from within the barn. When she was done throwing down chicken feed, she reluctantly returned to the outbuilding to put away the bucket. Their two cows needed to be milked, but she’d ask Charlie to do that for her. She had no desire to stay inside the barn as long as she had to share it with Henry Yoder.

Leah froze in the act of putting away the feed bucket. What was wrong with her? One minute she felt bad about the way she’d treated Henry, then in the next she was going out of her way to avoid him. She drew a cleansing breath. She wasn’t going to run. She’d milk the cows before getting ready for work with Ellie. She wasn’t going to let Henry’s presence make her run scared.

Leah found the milk pails and went to Bessie first. Dragging over a stool, she sat down to milk her. The steady, rhythmic sound of milk against metal soothed her, and she became immersed in the farm chore. Once Bessie was milked, she moved on to Annabelle. The cow wasn’t as cooperative as Bessie. The animal shifted restlessly and tried to kick her. She backed away before she was struck by the cow’s hoof.

“ Nay , you don’t, you ornery critter!” She turned to get fresh hay and groaned when she saw Henry Yoder, who watched her with amusement.

“Having a bit of trouble, Leah?” he taunted, his voice deep and extremely male.

She glared at him as she lifted her chin. “Nothing I can’t handle.” Annabelle bumped up against her, nearly sending her sprawling. Henry’s quick response to steady her made her grit her teeth.

“Need help?” he asked.

“Nay!” She was too aware of his strength as he released her.

He laughed. “Afraid I’ll do it better and faster?”

“Go away,” she said as she found fresh hay, which she tossed before Annabelle. The animal bent her head, content to eat. “Why are you here? I thought you were with my vadder .” She pulled up the stool and started to milk Annabelle before she looked up at him.

He had taken off his hat and she could see the twinkle in his blue eyes. “I am,” he said patiently. “He went into the house to fetch his drawings.”

Leah frowned. “What drawings?” The sound of milk hitting the inside of the bucket wasn’t as loud as her rapidly beating heart.

“Of the cabinet he wants me to build for him.”

She paused in the act of milking. “Why would he want you to make him a cabinet?” Her voice sounded unnecessarily sharp. Contrite, she closed her eyes and drew a calming breath. Annabelle shifted uneasily, and Leah continued to milk her until the pail was nearly full.

“Because I like making them.” He regarded her without warmth.

Leah studied him. She could see that her questioning his cabinetmaking abilities had upset him. “Have you made one before?” she said, softening her tone.

Henry nodded. “ Ja , several.”

She stifled a rude retort.

“I don’t spend every minute in my parents’ store,” he added drily.

He’d aroused her curiosity. “Where does Dat want this cabinet?”

“Come with me,” he invited.

Leah puckered her brow. Believing that she had little choice but to accompany him, she placed the filled milk pails into cold storage before she followed. She studied the back of his head and neck as he led the way through the barn and stopped at a familiar stall. She stared. It was the area that had housed Nell’s dog, Jonas, and her cat, Maxie, then later the dog Peter Zook had given her sister Meg. Now the space was empty. Why does Dat want a cabinet in here?

She must have spoken the thought out loud. “Because he plans to get a dog,” Henry said, shocking her. “With your sisters married and gone, he finds he’s missing their animals. He thinks a cabinet will be a better place for dog food than on the shelf.”

“ Dat wants a dog?” she asked disbelievingly. Why hadn’t her father told her?

Henry tilted his head as he regarded her. “You don’t like dogs?”

She shook her head. “ Nay —I’m mean— ja , I like dogs fine. I just didn’t realize that my vadder did.” Most Amish men wouldn’t be willing to own a pet. Her sister Nell, who was married to a veterinarian, must have influenced her father more than she’d realized.

Before Henry could respond, her father returned, carrying a notepad. “Here you go. You can take this with you,” he said as he tore off a page and handed it to Henry. He glanced at Leah briefly before turning back to the younger man.