Emma Miller - A Match for Addy

In Search of True Love

Spinster Addy Coblentz fears she’ll never marry. So her parents hire the new matchmaker who’s moved to their Amish community of Seven Poplars. But Addy doesn’t just want a match. She wants love. While some of her potential suitors are perfectly fine, only one man catches her eye. Gideon Esch is everything Addy’s looking for: strong, kind—and handsome. But he’s only a poor hired hand who can never give her family the stability they want. With her future happiness at stake, will Addy follow the rules…or follow her heart?

THE AMISH MATCHMAKER: Bringing love to Seven Poplars—one couple at a time!

“You can’t walk home alone.”

Gideon caught her by the arm.

“Stay away from me. You’re jealous because a boy wants to walk out with me. No matter who it is, you find fault with them,” Addy sputtered. “Even the butcher. You did everything you could to show him up for a pompous fuddy-duddy.”

“He was a pompous fuddy-duddy.”

“You know what?” She started walking again. Fast. “The trouble with you, Gideon Esch, is that you like me yourself. And you’re too much of a coward to admit it!”

“Ne! That’s not it,” he protested, following her. “I’m just... I’m looking out for you. You deserve better than that boy, who isn’t old enough to grow a proper beard.”

“At least he’s man enough to court a woman!”

That stopped him short in his shoes. “Addy...”

“Addy, nothing.” She stopped and turned back to him. “If you’d be honest with yourself, you’d know that I’m speaking the truth.” She started walking again. “I’m going home.”

Gideon could do nothing but watch her go.

He always tried to be honest. But could he be so now? Could he admit she was right?

EMMA MILLER lives quietly in her old farmhouse in rural Delaware. Fortunate enough to be born into a family of strong faith, she grew up on a dairy farm, surrounded by loving parents, siblings, grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins. Emma was educated in local schools and once taught in an Amish schoolhouse. When she’s not caring for her large family, reading and writing are her favorite pastimes.

A Match for Addy

Emma Miller

www.millsandboon.co.uk

Behold, you are beautiful, my love; behold, you are beautiful.

—Song of Solomon 1:15

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text In Search of True Love Spinster Addy Coblentz fears she’ll never marry. So her parents hire the new matchmaker who’s moved to their Amish community of Seven Poplars. But Addy doesn’t just want a match. She wants love. While some of her potential suitors are perfectly fine, only one man catches her eye. Gideon Esch is everything Addy’s looking for: strong, kind—and handsome. But he’s only a poor hired hand who can never give her family the stability they want. With her future happiness at stake, will Addy follow the rules…or follow her heart? THE AMISH MATCHMAKER: Bringing love to Seven Poplars—one couple at a time!

Introduction “You can’t walk home alone.” Gideon caught her by the arm. “Stay away from me. You’re jealous because a boy wants to walk out with me. No matter who it is, you find fault with them,” Addy sputtered. “Even the butcher. You did everything you could to show him up for a pompous fuddy-duddy.” “He was a pompous fuddy-duddy.” “You know what?” She started walking again. Fast. “The trouble with you, Gideon Esch, is that you like me yourself. And you’re too much of a coward to admit it!” “Ne! That’s not it,” he protested, following her. “I’m just... I’m looking out for you. You deserve better than that boy, who isn’t old enough to grow a proper beard.” “At least he’s man enough to court a woman!” That stopped him short in his shoes. “Addy...” “Addy, nothing.” She stopped and turned back to him. “If you’d be honest with yourself, you’d know that I’m speaking the truth.” She started walking again. “I’m going home.” Gideon could do nothing but watch her go. He always tried to be honest. But could he be so now? Could he admit she was right?

About the Author EMMA MILLER lives quietly in her old farmhouse in rural Delaware. Fortunate enough to be born into a family of strong faith, she grew up on a dairy farm, surrounded by loving parents, siblings, grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins. Emma was educated in local schools and once taught in an Amish schoolhouse. When she’s not caring for her large family, reading and writing are her favorite pastimes.

Title Page A Match for Addy Emma Miller www.millsandboon.co.uk

Bible Verse Behold, you are beautiful, my love; behold, you are beautiful. —Song of Solomon 1:15

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Epilogue

Dear Reader

Extract

Copyright

Chapter One

Kent County, Delaware...June

Dorcas Coblentz walked at a brisk pace, eager to reach Sara Yoder’s farm. Today was going to be an exciting day; she could feel it. She just wished her mother hadn’t insisted that she wear her church shoes to her new job. They were black leather oxfords, old-fashioned, heavy and exactly like the ones her grossmama wore. Dorcas understood the value of Plain shoes that would hold up to mud and rain, but these were more suited to a sixty-year-old woman than one less than half that age.

And they had rubbed a blister on the big toe of her left foot.

It didn’t matter that they were the same size her mam had been buying for her since she was fourteen; this pair had never fit right. Dorcas had tried to explain the problem to her, but as long as she lived under her parents’ roof, she would be allowed little choice in her own clothing. No one ever asked for her opinion on anything, and when she dared give it, she wasn’t taken seriously. Martha and Reuben Coblentz believed that a girl’s parents should make decisions for her until she moved into her husband’s home. Then it was his responsibility to make those decisions. What was funny about that idea was that, as far as she could tell, it was her mother who made all the decisions in their house.

Dorcas sighed as she walked along the wooded path between her parents’ property and Sara’s. Dealing with her parents was becoming more and more frustrating. She should have been married years ago, like her pretty Yoder cousins. Then she would have had her own husband, household and children. It wasn’t that she didn’t love her parents or honor them, as the Bible told her she must. But every once in a while, Dorcas longed to have more independence. Almost as much as she longed for a beau.

That thought elicited another long sigh from Dorcas.

She’d just learned that chubby Barbara Beachy had a young man courting her, a man with his own horse and buggy. And Barbara was barely seventeen. Sunday, Barbara had confided in Dorcas that she should try prayer to find a husband. The thing was, Dorcas had been praying for one every night since she was fifteen. Maybe that was where she had made her mistake. Maybe it wasn’t right to pray for a husband. Good health, rain, even patience—she could understand asking God for those things. But maybe bothering Him about a husband was irreverent. Maybe that’s why she’d never had a boy ask her to a singing, or even offer her a ride home from a frolic.