Rebecca Kertz - Noah's Sweetheart

“God’s will is sometimes hard to understand,” Charlotte agreed.

It was easy to drive the wagon through the countryside. As they approached town, the number of cars on the road increased, and Noah had to handle the wagon more carefully. This area of Lancaster County invited tourists, who often didn’t realize the danger of passing a horse and carriage at a great rate of speed. Fortunately, on this day, the cars they encountered slowed down appropriately. Perhaps it was the warmth of the spring day that had captured everyone’s fancy on this Tuesday. Whatever the reason, Noah was able to relax and enjoy the ride and Charlotte and Joshua’s company.

They bought their supplies in several small shops and then drove along the stretch of road from Miller’s Store toward the village of Intercourse, where they would enjoy their ice cream. Joshua could barely contain himself; he was so excited to eat his favorite treat. Charlotte gently reprimanded her younger brother, instructing him to be still.

A dog barked ahead. A horse whinnied and then snorted. Noah heard a high-pitched scream as he saw a spooked horse rear back before bolting at a dead run in their direction. He caught sight of a woman’s pale face under a bonnet as the open four-wheeled buggy came barreling down the road. He felt a thundering in his chest as he immediately saw the danger she was in.

“Charlotte, take the reins!” he said as he pulled his wagon off the road.

“Noah!” Charlotte exclaimed with alarm as Noah bounded from the wagon. “Be careful!”

But he was already running out to try and stop the panicked horse before the buggy overturned. Fear lodged in his throat at the glimpse of the terrified young Amish woman who sat in the buggy, clutching one side with white-knuckled fingers.

The horse raced closer, its ironclad hooves pounding the road. Noah shifted right, out of its path, at the last moment and then jumped to grab the animal’s harness. He cried out with triumph as he got a firm handhold. Please, Lord, give me strength! He fought to hold on as the horse continued its runaway pace. Struggling not to become entangled in the gear, he levered himself onto the horse, gripping its sides with his legs to hold on to his seat.

The animal neighed in angry protest. Heart pounding, Noah leaned low against the horse’s neck to grab hold of the reins. Successful, he straightened, pulling back on the leather straps.

“Whoa!” he called. “Schtupp!” He applied pressure slowly but firmly. The horse jerked and fought before breaking into a trot and finally a walk as he continued to murmur soothingly. “Gently. Take it slow, now. Gut boy!”

At last, the carriage rolled to a stop, still upright, as the animal finally obeyed the command, and Noah felt a sudden rush of relief. Once the horse was calm, he turned to check on the buggy’s terrified passenger.

“Are you hurt?” he asked.

She gasped for breath, unable to answer. He saw only the top of her black bonnet as she bent forward, hugging herself with her arms.

He climbed down from the horse carefully, patting the animal’s neck, speaking to it softly, reassuringly.

“Noah, you could have been killed.” A man ran up to help Noah. He took hold of the horse’s bridle, freeing Noah from the task.

“Danki, William,” Noah said, recognizing a neighbor and fellow church member, William Mast. He didn’t want to think about what could have happened if things hadn’t gone his way.

With growing concern, he approached the occupant in the buggy, stopping at her side. “Are you hurt?” he repeated softly.

Sitting back, she shook her head. “Nay.”

“What happened to spook your horse?”

He watched her pull herself together enough to stiffen. “Not my horse,” she replied. “Not my buggy.”

She met his gaze head-on, and he felt a jolt. She had lovely dark eyes, but her pallor was sickly, and he saw that she trembled. “I’m sorry,” he said, not really knowing for what. “Are you cold?” He stood back and took off his coat, placing it over her shoulders and around her. “You are shaking.”

She released a solid breath. “I could have been killed. You saved me. Danki.” A shy smile lit up her face, and in that moment he felt his pulse quicken as he noticed every little detail about her...the warmth of her chocolate-brown gaze, the whiteness of her smooth skin, her small nose...the rosy pink of her lips...the glimpse of her white kapp beneath her black traveling bonnet. The sweep of hair from a center part across her forehead was dark. She wore a black cape over a dress of spring green.

“I was happy to help.” He offered his hand to help the woman alight from the buggy. He sensed her hesitation for only a moment, and then he felt the warmth of her fingertips as she accepted his assistance.

“Rachel!” Aaron Troyer approached at a run. He nodded at William, who gave possession of the horse’s bridle to its owner. The animal’s sides were caked with sweat, and it was trembling all over.

“Are you all right?” Aaron asked Rachel as he ran his hand over the horse’s neck and murmured soothingly to it.

“I am fine, Aaron. Thanks to—”

“Noah,” Noah supplied. “Noah Lapp.”

“Noah,” Aaron said, out of breath. “I’m grateful.” Then to the woman he said, “I didn’t realize that Josef would be so easily scared. My brother meant for you and Martha to take Daisy.”

“Is Josef all right?” She appeared concerned.

“Ja, with some care, he will be fine.”

“Noah! Noah! Are you hurt?” Charlotte called out from the wagon seat. “You could have been killed! When I saw you jump onto that horse, I was afraid you’d fall and be crushed—” She had steered the wagon to within yards from where the buggy had come to a full stop.

“You doubt my ability with horses?” he teased. Upon seeing her expression, he sobered. “I’m fine, Charlotte.”

Charlotte’s gaze settled on the woman standing next to the buggy and her eyes widened. “Rachel? Rachel Hostetler?”

The woman seemed to search her memory before her features brightened. “Charlotte!” she exclaimed. “I am surprised that you got my message so quickly.”

“We didn’t.” Charlotte climbed down from the wagon. “We were in town to pick up supplies for Mam and Noah’s vadder. We didn’t expect you to arrive until tomorrow.”

“The English driver my family hired had to leave a day earlier. He had a family emergency and apologized that he couldn’t drive me directly to Happiness. He left me at Troyers’ Buggy Excursions. I called the number your mam sent me from a payphone while I waited for a ride.”

“Ja.” Charlotte nodded. “Whittier’s Store. They take messages for us.”

Surprised, Noah watched and listened to the exchange with growing interest. The two women talked as if there was no one else around. “Charlotte?”

Charlotte looked startled as if she suddenly remembered there were others nearby, waiting for an introduction.

“Noah, this is Rachel Hostetler. She is our new schuul teacher—” Charlotte smiled “—and my cousin. Aaron—it seems that you have already met.”

“You’re Charlotte’s kin?” Noah asked, pleased to learn that he’d be seeing more of her. Rachel nodded. “And you are a schoolteacher,” he said. “At our Happiness school?”

Rachel studied him and nodded. “Ja.”

“Welcome to Lancaster County,” he said. “Come. We’ll take you home.”

* * *

The intensity of Noah’s regard captured her gaze. Feeling her cheeks heat, Rachel quickly looked away. She felt the warmth of his coat and, embarrassed, she removed it and handed it back to him.

“Rachel, let’s go,” Charlotte urged, drawing Rachel’s attention and saving her from acting foolish. “You will come with us—ja?”