Hope Chest by Wanda E. Brunstetter Read Free Book Online Page A

outside his boss’s place of business so none of his family would know.”
    Rachel fidgeted with her hands. She wanted to reach out and touch Silas’s disheartened face. It would feel so right to smooth the wrinkles out of his forehead. She released a deep sigh instead. “Things are sure getting verhuddelt here of late.”
    Silas nodded. “You’re right about things being mixedup. I think something else is going on with Reuben, too.”
    “Like what?”
    “I’m not sure. He dropped a few hints, but when I pressed him about it, he closed up like a snail crawling into its shell. Said he didn’t want to talk about it right now.” Silas grimaced. “I’m thinking maybe a woman is involved.”
    “An Englisher?”
    “Might could be. It wouldn’t be the first time an Amish man fell for an English woman.” Silas shrugged. “That’s what happened to Eli Yoder a few years back, you know.”
    “But Laura joined the Amish faith.”
    “That’s true, but it’s an unusual situation and doesn’t happen very often.”
    Rachel slipped her socks and shoes back on before she stood. “I should be getting back to the house, I expect. If Mom misses me, she’ll probably send Joseph out looking, and I’m not in any mood to deal with my cranky brother today.”
    “Joseph’s not happy?”
    “Nope. He’s got a big crush on Pau—” Rachel covered her mouth with the palm of her hand when she realized she had almost let something slip. “As I was saying, I need to head back.”
    “Wait!” Silas jumped to his feet. “I was wondering if you’ve had a chance to speak with Anna yet.”
    Rachel’s face heated up as she turned to face him. “I—I haven’t said much to her on the subject, but I still believe it would be best if you spoke with her yourself, and you’d better do it soon, before it’s too late.”
***
    “How’s things at your place?” Rebekah asked her friend Mary Ellen as the two of them sat on the front porch visiting and watching the children play on the lawn.
    Mary Ellen smiled. “Never a dull moment with Eli and Laura’s two living right next door. Those little ones keep Laura hopping all the time.”
    Rebekah sighed and maneuvered her wheelchair closer to the swing where Mary Ellen sat holding Martha Rose’s little girl, Amanda. “Sure wish I had a couple of kinskinner like this one to love on.”
    “You’ll have grandchildren sooner than you think.” Mary Ellen gave her granddaughter’s chubby legs a little squeeze. “I heard that Silas Swartley’s been courting your Anna, so I wouldn’t be surprised if a wedding wasn’t in the near future for them.”
    Rebekah shook her head. “Silas did take Anna home from a singing awhile back, but from what I’ve been told, there’s nothing more to it. Of course, that’s not to say that Silas wouldn’t like for there to be more. Me either, for that matter.”
    “Silas seems like a nice enough fellow. I would think Anna would be anxious for him to come calling.”
    “My eldest daughter’s not acting like herself these days.” Rebekah lowered her voice some. “Fact is, I’m kind of worried about all three of my oldest kinner.”
    Mary Ellen’s eyebrows lifted high on her forehead. “How come you’re worried?”
    “Well, Anna’s been saying things to rile her daed, like how come he doesn’t want to put in a phone at the greenhouse and maybe he should modernize some.”
    “Maybe she thinks you’d have more customers if you had a phone.”
    “That could be, but the fact that she won’t let Silas court her when they’ve been friends since they were little makes me wonder if she’s got her eye on someone else, or maybe she’s just feeling discontent with things.”
    “Why would she be discontent? She joined the church last fall, so I would think she’d be all settled in by now.”
    “I can’t really say what’s going on with her.” Rebekah shrugged. “Maybe it’s just my imagination, or maybe it’s some kind of phase she’s