An Amish Courtship Read online

  Amish Redemption

  Samuel Lapp all but accepts his estrangement from the Amish community—until Mary Hochstetter moves in next door to care for her elderly aunt. The young woman with the pretty brown eyes sees Samuel differently than his neighbors do. If he can earn her respect while helping with her aunt’s chores, perhaps the rest of the community will follow. But Samuel can’t let Mary get too close, lest he disappoint her, as well.

  Mary’s relocation to Shipshewana, Indiana, means confronting her deepest fears. By helping Samuel rebuild his life and his farm, she finally feels ready to embrace her future. But as their delicate friendship grows deeper, they both must overcome their painful pasts before they can build a home together.

  “When we met this morning, I was very impolite.” Mary twisted her fingers together.

  “Forget it.” Samuel cleared his throat.

  “I let myself form an opinion of you without learning to know you first.”

  She smiled then and his heart wrenched at the soft curve of her lips.

  “I wasn’t very polite myself.”

  “You were fine. I mean, you didn’t do anything—” Her face flushed a pretty pink. “I mean, you were friendly.” Her face grew even redder. “Except for...when you winked... I mean, I’m sure you didn’t mean to be forward.” She bit her lip and turned away.

  Samuel resisted the urge to step close to her, to cover her embarrassment with a hand on her arm. “I think I know what you mean.”

  She tilted her head toward the house in a quick nod. “I think it is wonderful-gut that you want to help with that poor farmer’s work.”

  He felt a flush rise in his cheeks at her words of praise. “Thank you.” If he could earn Mary Hochstetter’s respect, maybe he could change everyone else’s opinion, too.

  Jan Drexler enjoys living in the Black Hills of South Dakota with her husband of more than thirty years and their four adult children. Intrigued by history and stories from an early age, she loves delving into the world of “what if?” with her characters. If she isn’t at her computer giving life to imaginary people, she’s probably hiking in the Hills or the Badlands, enjoying the spectacular scenery.

  Books by Jan Drexler

  Love Inspired Historical

  Amish Country Brides

  An Amish Courtship

  The Prodigal Son Returns

  A Mother for His Children

  A Home for His Family

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  JAN DREXLER

  An Amish Courtship

  Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from Thy presence; and take not Thy holy spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of Thy Salvation; and uphold me with Thy free spirit.

  —Psalms 51:10–12

  To Mrs. Harrington, the kind of teacher I would like to be someday.

  Soli Deo Gloria

  Contents

  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

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Epilogue

  Dear Reader

  Excerpt from Inherited: Unexpected Family by Gabrielle Meyer

  Chapter One

  Shipshewana, Indiana

  April 1937

  “I’m so glad we aren’t late,” Aunt Sadie said as Mary turned the buggy into the farm lane.

  Mary Hochstetter looked ahead, clutching the reins with damp hands. At least twenty buggies lined up along the barn like a flock of blackbirds on a telegraph wire and the lines of people moving toward the house were long.

  So many strangers! But she must face them for Ida Mae’s sake. She straightened her shoulders and glanced into the back seat to give her sister a reassuring smile. There was nothing frightening about attending the Sabbath meeting.

  Ida Mae gave her a weak smile in return. “I’ll be all right. After all, we already know the ladies we met at the quilting last week. The rest will soon become friends, too.”

  A boy stepped forward and grasped the horse’s bridle. “I’ll take care of Chester for you, Aunt Sadie.”

  “Denki, Stephen.” Sadie climbed out of the buggy. Mary joined her, with Ida Mae right behind. “You’re growing up so fast. I remember when your mother had to pull you out of mud puddles at Sunday meeting.”

  Stephen laughed, his voice slipping down to a deep bass and back up again. “That was a long time ago.”

  “Not to me, young man. The older I get, the faster time flies. You’re a fine man, just like your father.”

  Sadie grasped Mary’s arm to make sure she had her attention. “Here come the Lapp sisters, Judith and Esther, who you met at the quilting last week,” she said. “That’s their brother, Samuel, driving. They’re our next-door neighbors.” She leaned closer, dropping her voice. “And Mary, Samuel is a bachelor.”

  Mary shook her head. “I’m not looking for a husband.”

  “You never know what the Good Lord has planned.”

  Mary knew what the Good Lord had planned, and it was clear to her that marriage had no part of whatever He had in mind.

  The Lapps’ dusty buggy pulled up next to theirs and two young women jumped out. The man who was driving barely waited until they had stepped down before he started his horse forward to the buggy parking area. But just then Aunt Sadie’s horse stepped sideways into his path.

  Mutters and growls came from the buggy as it rocked under the weight of the man who jumped to the ground from the driver’s seat, nearly landing on Sadie. He caught the older woman’s arm to steady her.

  “Sorry, Aunt Sadie.” He waited until the older woman was stable again, then grasped his horse’s bridle. “If someone hadn’t left your buggy in the middle of the drive, I could have been out of the way by now.”

  “We just got here ourselves, Samuel,” Aunt Sadie said. “There’s no need to be in such a hurry.” She turned to Mary with a satisfied smile. “I’m sure you and Mary will be able to straighten out the horses.” She took Ida Mae’s arm. “Let’s go inside. I’ll need your help.”

  Ida Mae gave Mary a helpless look.

  “Go on in.” Mary lifted her chin with confidence she didn’t feel. “I’ll be right there.”

  “It’s going to take hours to get this mess straightened out.” Samuel gestured toward the road where a buggy had just turned in, with another close behind it. “It’s becoming a real log jam.”

  “Once I get Chester off to the side, things will clear up.” Stephen took the horse’s bridle and led him down the drive toward the barn, patting his brown neck.

  As the buggy moved out of the way, Mary found herself face-to-face with Samuel Lapp. She felt her cheeks heat as he stared at her with dark blue eyes.

  She leveled her gaze, focusing on the front of his coat. He was a solid wall in front of her, a man a couple years older than her own twenty-three years. His closeness sent her heart racing and she took a deep breath to
steady her nerves. He wasn’t Harvey Anderson. She bit her lip, forcing that thought out of her mind. Samuel was only an Amishman driving his sisters to Sunday meeting. There was nothing threatening about him.

  Mary stepped to the side of the driveway so he could move past her.

  “I think you can follow Stephen now.”

  He didn’t budge.

  “The way is clear.”

  Ignoring three more buggies that had driven into the barnyard, he still stared at her. Suddenly, his eyebrows shot up as if he had gotten a flash of insight. “You’re that Mary Hochstetter that Sadie’s been expecting.”

  “Ja, I am.”

  “From Ohio.”

  “Ja.”

  He ran his hand down his short beard. “You’re not what I imagined when Sadie said you were coming. I thought you’d be older, being her niece.”

  “Sadie is actually my mother’s aunt.” Mary glanced behind Samuel’s buggy. Families walked toward the house, voices hushed as they separated into women’s and men’s lines. Stephen and two or three other boys had lined up the buggies in order and were unhitching the horses. The log jam had cleared.

  She looked back at Samuel. “I should go in. Meeting is about to begin.”

  The corner of his mouth, visible above his short beard, quirked up.

  “You’re anxious to be rid of me?”

  Now he was laughing at her, maybe even flirting with her. She drew herself up to her full height and looked him in the eyes, lowering her brow in the expression that always sent her younger brothers hurrying to do their chores.

  He stepped forward to grasp his horse’s bridle. “You’re not only younger than I expected, but you’re prettier, too.”

  Then he winked at her.

  Mary stared at him, her fists clenched. What an infuriating man! Gruff and blustery until he found out who she was, as if any new woman he met would fall at his feet. As if she needed a man to run her life.

  “Like I said, meeting is about to begin.” She fought to keep her voice even.

  “Go ahead,” he said, gesturing toward the house. “I’ll be in shortly.”

  But under her irritation, another feeling rose. That familiar twisting in her stomach that stole her breath. She swallowed, glancing around. The only other people in the barnyard were a few women on their way into the house. She would soon be alone in the yard with this man.

  She shot another look in his direction, one that she reserved for her brothers’ worst crimes, and hurried into the house.

  She found a place on a bench next to Aunt Sadie and Ida Mae and took a deep breath, trying to forget that wink. No wonder he wasn’t married. His beard only confirmed that he had given up looking for a wife. Only married men and old bachelors wore beards.

  The worship began with a low, soft note sung by a man sitting on the front row. As the tune continued, she recognized the hymn from the Ausbund and joined in the singing with the rest of the community, settling into the familiar worship.

  After the service ended, Mary followed Judith and Esther Lapp to the kitchen to help serve the meal.

  “I can introduce you to the others,” Esther said as she led the way through the lines of benches that the young men were already converting to tables for dinner.

  “I’ll never remember everyone’s names.”

  Esther took her arm. “Don’t worry. They don’t expect you to. You’ll learn them all eventually.”

  Mary joined in the work easily enough. The meal of sandwiches, pickles and applesauce was similar to what the folks would be having in her home church in Holmes County. Mary opened jars and poured applesauce into serving dishes while the other young women whirled around her, taking the food to the tables as the young men set them up.

  “Hello,” said a girl as she took one of the dishes Mary had prepared. “You’re one of Sadie’s nieces, aren’t you? I wish I could have gone to the quilting on Wednesday. I’ve been wanting to meet you ever since I heard you were coming.”

  Mary shook the jar she was holding to urge the last of the applesauce from the bottom. “I’m Mary. My sister is Ida Mae, over there helping with the rolls.” She tilted her head toward the counter at the far end of the kitchen.

  “I’m Sarah Hopplestadt. My mother said she met you at the quilting.”

  Hopplestadt? Mary sorted through the faces in her mind. “Ja, for sure. Isn’t her name Effie?”

  Sarah’s face beamed. “It is!” She grabbed the filled serving dish and whirled away. “I’ll be back with some empty dishes for you soon.”

  Mary watched her go as she reached for another jar. Sarah placed the applesauce on the table closest to the kitchen, in front of an older man. Across from him sat Samuel, red-faced with the tight collar fastened at his throat. He looked as uncomfortable as a cat in a room full of rocking chairs.

  She shook her head at her own thoughts and glanced at him again. His brow was lowered and he kept his eyes on his plate, ignoring the other men around him. The confident man who had given her that exasperating wink was gone. He looked as out of place as she felt. She caught her lower lip between her teeth as she remembered how rude she had been before church. He might be a man, but he was also Aunt Sadie’s neighbor. She quelled her shaking stomach. As much as she hated the thought of initiating a conversation with him, she needed to apologize.

  As the men talked, their voices carried into the kitchen.

  “Vernon Hershberger needs help with his plowing, I hear.” The man sitting next to Samuel spoke, stopping the other conversations.

  The man at the end of the table stroked his beard. “Ja, for sure. His leg is healing after his fall last month, but he still isn’t able to get around very well.”

  A man on the other side of Samuel, one of the ministers who had preached that morning, gestured with his fork. “We can all help him get his fields plowed and planted. Is Saturday a good day for everyone?”

  Beards waggled as the men around the table nodded, but Samuel still looked at his plate.

  “What about you, Samuel?” the minister asked.

  The man sitting at the end of the table shook his head. “He’s a Lapp. He won’t help.”

  Samuel’s face grew even redder. He leaned on his elbows, his hands clenched together, not looking at the men around him.

  “I’ll help.” His voice was as low as a growl.

  One of the men laughed. “Just like his daed. Today he’ll help, but we won’t see him come Saturday.”

  Laughter rippled around the table, and Samuel stood, backing away from the bench. He glared at the laughing faces, then turned to the minister. “I said I’d be there, and I will.”

  The minister held his gaze for a long minute as the laughter died away. “I believe you. We’ll look forward to it.”

  Samuel nodded, swept his glance around the table again and then went out of the house.

  Mary startled as Sarah appeared at her elbow again.

  “That Samuel Lapp. I don’t see why the men even invite him to help with the work.”

  “Why not?”

  Sarah shrugged. “He rarely shows up, and then when he does, he doesn’t do anything but stand around. His father was the same way.”

  “Perhaps he has changed. He seemed sincere to me.”

  “Maybe.” Sarah picked up two more dishes of applesauce. “But this is a Lapp we’re talking about. Some people never change.”

  As the girl walked away, Mary looked up to see Esther watching her. Samuel’s sister had heard every word of their conversation.

  “Esther...” Mary stepped across the kitchen and took her arm. “I hope you weren’t offended by what Sarah said.”

  Esther plucked at her apron. “Ne. It’s true.” She looked at Mary, her narrow chin set firm. “But what you said is true, too. Samuel isn’
t Daed, and he can change.” She glanced at the kitchen door, where Samuel had disappeared. “I just hope more folks come to see that.”

  * * *

  Samuel Lapp charged out of the Stutzmans’ house, ignoring everyone he passed. He’d hitch up the mare, find his sisters and head for home. He was a fool to think this morning would be different than any other Sabbath morning that he had attended the meeting.

  His steps slowed. When was the last time he had come to the Sabbath meeting? A month ago? Two months? When he reached the pasture gate, he leaned on the post. Several of the horses started walking toward him, but his mare stood next to the water trough, ignoring him and the other horses.

  A bay gelding stopped a pace away from him and extended his nose slightly.

  “I have no carrots for you.” Samuel spoke softly. Whose horse was this one? He eyed the sleek neck and the muscled haunches. Someone who knew horses and took good care of them.

  The words of the men around the dinner table washed over him again. Even two years after his father’s death, the Lapp legacy followed him no matter what he did. No matter how much he wanted to change.

  He bent his head down to meet his fist, quelling the sick feeling in his stomach. Why should he even try? Men like Martin Troyer would never let him forget whose son he was. Samuel squeezed his eyes closed, seeing Martin’s pompous figure at the end of the table once more.

  Then the minister’s words echoed over Martin’s mocking tone. Jonas Weaver had said he believed him. He expected him to show up to help with Vernon Hershberger’s farm work. The minister’s confidence made Samuel want to follow through with his promise.

  But Daed had burned too many bridges with his habit of promising help that he never delivered, and he was guilty of the same thing.

  His father had lived on the edge of being shunned and put under the bann. How many times had the deacons stopped by the farm to talk to Daed? To reprimand him? And then he would promise to do better. He’d take the family to meeting for a month, maybe two. He’d promise to join in the community activities. He’d promise to stop the drinking...but then forget his promises.

 
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