The Amish Millers Get Married BOXED SET Books 1-3 (Amish Romance Book Bundle: The Way Home, The Way Forward, The Narrow Way) (Boxed Set: Amish Millers Get Married) by Ruth Hartzler Read Free Book Online

to do with her mudder . Even the delightful aroma of chicken and gravy did nothing to lighten the atmosphere.
    Mr. Miller did not seem to notice, and talked as he usually did. He spoke often to Noah, no doubt to put him at ease as Mrs. Miller was avoiding talking to him and often shot glares his way.
    "How's Jacob?" Esther piped up.
    Noah looked up, seemingly surprised that someone other than Mr. Miller had spoken to him. Hannah felt a momentary pang of sympathy for him.
    "He's gut , denki . He's always asking after you. Please tell me exactly how you are so I can tell him."
    Esther smiled widely. "My back's much better now. I'm sitting up for longer and longer and it doesn't hurt much at all now," she gushed. "Soon I’ll be around and about, helping Mamm again."
    Hannah had suspected that Esther had always been sweet on Jacob, and clearly the accident hadn’t changed that. Oh well, he wasn’t the one who was driving , she thought. Esther can’t hold Jacob accountable for his bruder's sins .
    Hannah saw Esther shoot a glance at their mudder . "It would be good if Jacob could visit," Esther added in a nervous voice.
    "Esther!" Mrs. Miller's voice was loud and everyone turned to look at her, except for Mr. Miller.
    " Jah , that's a gut idea." Mr. Miller's voice was firm.
    Now everyone turned to look at Mr. Miller.
    "A gut idea," he repeated, with slightly more emphasis. He ignored his fraa's glares and continued. "The girls must be bored with just lying around all day and unable to do their chores. Idle hands are no good." Their daed looked up. Hannah saw him look at their mudder's face and then look back to Noah. 
    Mrs. Miller cleared her throat. "Hannah."
    Everyone looked at Mrs. Miller and then at Hannah.
    "You know that Mary Knepp has taken ill?" Her voice was cold and a little cross.
    Hannah wondered at the abrupt change of subject. " Jah , Mamm . How is she?"
    "The doktor said it’s a case of the flu and that she has to rest up for a couple weeks."
    Hannah made to murmur sympathetically, but her mudder cut her off.
    "That means there's no one to teach the kinner at school."
    Hannah was taken aback. "But Mamm , I can’t do that."
    Mrs. Miller waved her hand through the air. " Nee , Hannah," she said sharply. "I don’t mean you should teach them."
    Hannah breathed a sigh of relief, but wondered where this conversation was going.
    "Beth Yoder will teach them until Mary's well again, but Beth has never taught kinner before, and she's asked for your help."
    Aha , Hannah thought, Beth Yoder, David's mudder. This is all part of Mamm's matchmaking plot. Seems that Beth Yoder might be in it too . Her heart sank. It was bad enough that she had to deal with her feelings for Noah, whatever they were, but now she had to fend off the unpleasant David Yoder despite her own mudder , and now it seemed David's mother, Beth, as well, trying to get them together.
    "Hannah?" Her mudder's tone was insistent.
    "Oh sorry, Mamm ." Hannah saw that everyone around the table was looking at her, particularly Noah who was staring, waiting for her response.
    She licked her lips nervously. " Mamm , I can't, really. I visit Rebecca in the hospital every day, and do the chores here as much as I can, and I help Mrs. Hostetler in the store three mornings a week."
    "I'm sure Mrs. Hostetler can do without you."
    Mr. Miller interrupted. " Nee . Hannah is to continue to work for Mrs. Hostetler. It wouldn’t be right to abandon her like that."
    Mrs. Miller looked down at the table. "Well then, Hannah, you can help Mrs. Yoder on the other two mornings."
    Hannah looked at her daed , hoping he would protest, but he remained silent this time.
    Mrs. Miller stood up to clear the dishes. "It will only be for a week or two before Mary is well again. You can start next week."
    " Jah , Mamm ," Hannah said meekly.
    " Gut , Beth will be pleased. And I'm sure you're looking forward to seeing David at the Singing this Sunday night."
    "David?" I really should think