The Amish Nanny's Sweetheart Read online

  “Quilting,” said Waneta.

  Susie Gingerich stepped closer to Luke’s side. “Hannah was telling us about the pig that escaped at your place yesterday. What were you boys laughing about?”

  Luke grinned. “What do boys ever talk about?”

  “Hmm...” Susie tapped her chin with one finger. “Either horses or girls.”

  “This time it was both.”

  “And here I thought you were laughing at the same story we were,” Judith said.

  Luke caught her eye, his grin changing to a soft smile just for her. Had she been wrong about Luke? He didn’t seem as intimidating tonight as he had before.

  As Deacon Beachey called the young people back for the next round of songs, the girls scattered to their seats, but Luke moved closer to Judith.

  “I hope you’ll let me take you home tonight.”

  In spite of Luke’s tall form between her and the rest of the room, Judith’s gaze was drawn toward Guy, standing off to her left, his brow pulled down into a frown. She turned away from him and looked up at the handsome boy in front of her. Luke’s eyes smoldered as he watched her.

  Her insides squiggled, but she couldn’t let Guy’s worries rule her life. “I’ll let you give me a ride.”

  A movement at Judith’s right caught her attention. Guy had come a step closer, still watching her with Luke, frowning even harder.

  “Meet me at the end of the lane, then. We’ll leave during the next break.”

  “You’re not staying until the end of the Singing?”

  Luke lifted her Kapp string and rolled it between his fingers. “Not if I get to take you home.”

  She nodded, then slipped around him to take her seat just as the first song was announced.

  The songs followed one after another, Judith singing along with the others automatically. All she could think about was the coming ride home. What would she talk about with Luke? She hardly knew him. Her stomach turned with an uneasy wrench. Maybe she shouldn’t have accepted his invitation, but what could it hurt? Perhaps after this ride home, he would stop asking her.

  Judith glanced across the table at Luke, catching his grin. Her gaze drifted down to Guy. He wasn’t frowning anymore, but he stared at her, his songbook lying on the table. Irritation rose as she looked away from him and turned the pages to the next song as it was announced. Was Guy so jealous of Luke that he couldn’t even have fun at the Singing? He was assuming a lot about this friendship between them if he thought he could tell her who she could spend time with.

  As the next verse started, Judith risked a glance down the table again. Guy had his book in his hands, singing with the rest of the group.

  When the song ended, Luke nudged her under the table with his foot. She looked up to see him mouthing the words, “Don’t forget.” She nodded as he left the table.

  During this second break, instead of dividing into groups of boys and girls, some of the young people paired off, just like they had at the first Singing she attended. Judith started toward the back bedroom where she had left her cloak and bonnet, but when she reached the narrow hallway, Guy was at her side.

  “You’re leaving already?” He didn’t bother to attempt speaking in Deitsch.

  Judith backed against the wall as another girl slipped past them. “I have a ride home, and he’s leaving now.”

  “Luke is taking you home?” Even though he kept his voice low so their conversation wouldn’t be overheard, Guy’s words were harsh.

  “That isn’t your concern.”

  “Yes, it is. I heard some of what he was saying to the other fellows about you, and you shouldn’t go with him.”

  Judith stared at him. “What do you mean? Luke was talking about me?”

  Guy looked around, but the rest of the crowd was leaving them alone. No one was close enough to listen. “He said he was going to steal a kiss from you tonight, and one of the other boys even dared him that he couldn’t.”

  Judith’s cheeks exploded with heat. “Now I know you’re lying to me, Guy. No Amish boy would do that.”

  His brown eyes widened at her words. “I would never make something like this up. I told you before, Luke isn’t the kind of boy you want to spend time with.”

  “And you aren’t the one to tell me who I can see and who I can’t. I don’t belong to you, Guy Hoover.”

  Judith turned to go into the back room, but Guy grasped her elbow. “Judith, don’t do this.”

  She wrenched her arm out of his grasp and hurried into the bedroom. She searched among the cloaks on the bed for hers, blinded by the tears that filled her eyes. Guy had been such a good friend, but why was he acting this way tonight?

  Hannah Kaufman came into the room, smiling when she saw Judith.

  “So, you’re leaving early, too?”

  Judith grabbed her shawl and threw it around her shoulders, leaning down to wipe her eyes when Hannah wasn’t looking.

  “Ja. I have a chance to ride home instead of walking, and he’s leaving now.”

  Hannah settled her stiff black bonnet over her Kapp, her eyes twinkling. “I know who is taking you home. Luke said he would take you or nobody tonight.”

  Judith smiled, willing the uneasy feeling in her stomach to leave. “Is anything around here a secret?”

  “Not when it comes to my brother.” Hannah put on her shawl and tugged her mittens over her hands. “But if you want to know who I’m riding with, my lips are sealed.”

  Hannah slipped out of the room by a rear door Judith hadn’t seen before. She followed and found herself in the backyard. Hannah had run ahead, but Judith could see through the darkness well enough to follow her until Hannah climbed into a waiting courting buggy.

  Judith made her way toward the road, where another open buggy sat at the side of the lane, the black lacquered sides shining in the moonlight. Luke jumped down as she approached.

  “I’m glad you came.” He reached for her and helped her into her seat. “I was afraid you changed your mind.”

  “I told you I’d come, and I keep my word.”

  Luke settled himself close to her and picked up the reins. “So do I, Judith. So do I.”

  He clucked to his horse and they started down the road.

  * * *

  Guy paced into the kitchen of Deacon Beachey’s house, then back into the main room, hoping he had been mistaken. But no, Luke Kaufman had left. He glanced at the bedroom door again, where Judith had disappeared. How long did it take her to put her wraps on? She had been in there for at least five minutes.

  “You’re missing out on the pie.”

  Benjamin Stoltzfus held two plates in his hands, each with a big piece of cherry pie on it.

  “Denki,” Guy said as he took one of the plates. He took a bite, glancing at the door again.

  “What are you doing?” Benjamin took a bite of his own pie. “Did your girl disappear?”

  “I don’t have a girl.” Guy swallowed the last bite of his pie, sorry that he hadn’t taken the time to enjoy it. But his mind was on Judith.

  “Then who are you sitting with?”

  Guy shrugged. “I don’t know. I didn’t ask her name.”

  “You aren’t jealous because Luke sat with Judith, are you?”

  “Not jealous. Just worried. I don’t see Luke anywhere around.”

  Benjamin scraped the last bit of his pie off the plate with the side of his fork. “He often disappears during the second break, especially when he’s taking a girl home.” He licked the last smear of cherry juice off his fork. “My daed would give me a good talking-to if I tried a stunt like that.”

  A girl came by with a tray for the dirty dishes and Guy added his to it. “I don’t think David would know if I left early or not.”

  “He would find out. Deacon Beachey would tell him.”

  “But what
would David do?” Guy gave up trying to find the Deitsch words and switched to English. “It isn’t like he’s responsible for me or anything.”

  “That doesn’t mean he doesn’t care.” Benjamin’s voice was quiet, and his gaze was thoughtful as he watched Guy. “The problem with Luke is that his daed doesn’t seem to care what he does with his time. I’ve heard him say that his daed treats him like an adult and lets him run his own life.”

  Guy shrugged. “What’s wrong with that?”

  “Luke doesn’t have the wisdom to make decisions on his own. It’s like he’s running his horse toward a river and ignoring the warnings that the bridge is out. Sometime, he’s going to make a mistake that will wreck his life or someone else’s.” He rubbed the back of his neck with one hand. “I’m just thankful I have a daed who cares about me enough to keep me from doing stupid things.”

  “Don’t you resent it sometimes?”

  “Yeah, sometimes.” Benjamin grinned. “But then I see what happens to fellows whose fathers don’t keep an eye on them, and I’m glad Daed is holding the reins for a few years, yet.”

  Nathan Zook walked up to Benjamin then and they started talking in Deitsch, but Guy didn’t try to follow their conversation. He was too busy pushing back the bubble of resentment that always appeared when one of the fellows mentioned his father. What would his life have been like if Pa hadn’t left him in the orphanage? Would he have been there to help him grow up? Or would he have been one of those fathers Benjamin mentioned, the type who didn’t care what their boys did?

  He would have liked to find out, but it was too late now. Frank Hoover wasn’t coming back.

  Nathan nudged him with an elbow. “Did you hear what I said?”

  “Sorry, I was thinking about something else.”

  Benjamin laughed and Nathan grinned. “You mean Judith Lapp?”

  Guy grinned back at them, their friendly teasing dispelling his gloom. “Maybe.”

  “The break is almost over, and Luke isn’t anywhere around,” Nathan said. “I’m sure Judith would like you to sit in his seat for the rest of the evening.”

  “You don’t think she left with him?”

  “She’s smarter than that, isn’t she?”

  Guy glanced toward the bedroom door again. “I hope so.”

  Nathan and Benjamin went back to their seats as Deacon Beachey called for the next round of singing. The door to the back room opened, but the only people to emerge were two girls Guy didn’t know. Beyond them, the room was empty. He ground his teeth when he spied the other door on the far wall, remembering Luke’s words from the beginning of the evening. He must have convinced Judith to leave with him, and she’d slipped out during the break. Guy had no idea how long she had been gone, but he knew the risks she was taking. Luke had bragged that he would do more than steal a kiss from her. His innuendos had made the boys in the group laugh, but the thought of what Luke might have in mind for Judith tonight made Guy’s stomach turn.

  Slipping out of the room just as the singing began, Guy went through the kitchen to the washing porch where he had left his coat and hat. He shrugged on the coat as he ran down the steps to the patchy snow. The yard was quiet. He trotted down the lane toward the road, but didn’t see anyone. Stopping at the end of the lane, he fastened his coat and snugged his hat down. At least in Luke’s bragging, he had let his destination slip out. Guy started jogging down the road toward Emma Lake, a favorite place for courting couples.

  * * *

  Judith shivered in the night air, even though Luke’s shoulder against hers was warm. Slowing his horse to a walk, he circled her shoulder with one arm.

  “Are you cold?”

  “A little.”

  Luke’s breath warmed her cheek as he pulled her closer. “We’ll have to see what we can do to warm you up.”

  Judith searched her mind for something to talk about.

  “Did...did you go to the sale in Granger yesterday with your daed and brothers?”

  “Naw. I don’t have to worry about stuff like that yet.”

  She shifted in her seat, trying to put a little distance between them.

  “I thought you would want to be part of looking for new horses for your farm.”

  He shrugged. “Daed takes care of that. I won’t have to concern myself with the farm until he’s gone.”

  “Don’t you want to learn about it? It will be yours one day, won’t it?”

  “There’s time enough for that later.” He tightened his arm, pulling her close again. “First I have to find a wife, don’t I?”

  Judith swallowed. He couldn’t think she was interested in marrying him.

  “Do you have someone in mind?”

  “You, of course.”

  His arm slipped off her shoulder and settled around her waist. The horse turned south at the intersection instead of north.

  “Luke, you turned the wrong way. I live in the other direction, up that road.”

  “I know that.” Luke’s hand wormed under her shawl and he shifted even closer. “But I thought we’d go the long way around, past Emma Lake.”

  “I’d rather go home. It’s getting late.”

  “Not that late. We have plenty of time.” He urged the horse into a faster walk. “The lake is beautiful on a night like this. We can take a few minutes to stop and look at the moonlight shining on it.”

  Judith looked up at the clouds scudding across the sky. The horse turned at the next intersection.

  “The moon has gone behind those clouds.”

  “That doesn’t matter. We won’t really be watching the lake while we’re there, will we?”

  “What else would we do?”

  Luke’s laugh was low. “We’ll find something to keep us busy.”

  He urged the horse to a trot and turned again after a half mile. Ahead of them, Judith saw the dark water of a small lake. Luke slowed the horse down to a walk again and draped the reins over the dashboard. He turned toward her on the seat, still holding her around the waist. With his free hand, he untied the ribbon holding her bonnet on and pushed it back. She rescued it from falling to the floor of the buggy.

  “What are you doing? Leave my bonnet alone.”

  He pinned her arm between them and caught her other hand. “You know what I’m doing. It’s what you wanted when you said you’d ride with me tonight.”

  “I don’t know what you’re talking abou—”

  Her words were cut off when he caught her mouth with his wet, slobbery lips, pushing against her until she was off-balance. With both of her hands caught, Judith used the only other weapon she had. She swung her foot against his leg, catching him in the tender calf muscle with the toe of her shoe. She wrenched her hands free and pushed at him until he fell back and she jumped out of the buggy.

  “Don’t ever try that again, Luke Kaufman.” She held her bonnet close to her chest, trying to catch her breath. “I’ll... I’ll tell everyone what you tried to do.”

  Luke was bent over, massaging his leg. “And I’ll tell everyone that you led me on.” He spat on the ground near her feet. “No one turns me down. No one. You’ll be sorry.”

  “I don’t think so.”

  “Fine. Have fun walking home.”

  Luke slapped the reins on his horse’s back harder than he needed to and the horse jumped into a trot, leaving Judith standing by the side of the road.

  Judith stamped her foot and turned around to walk home. But as she took the first few steps, her anger at Luke faded. The road stretching before her was unfamiliar, and the night was dark. The wind had picked up, tugging at her shawl.

  Ripples covered the black, oily surface of the lake and lapped against the shore along the roadside. From the woods across the water came the hoot of an owl. A night bird trilled in response. Judith backed away and started down the road, hoping she was headi
ng the way Luke had brought her.

  They had turned so many corners after they left the Singing that she wasn’t sure where Matthew’s farm was. Putting her bonnet back on, Judith hugged herself, trying to stay warm. She kept walking. Maybe she would come to a farmhouse, and they would know how to help her get back to Matthew’s.

  Judith shivered as she walked, the cold air seeping beneath her shawl. She wiped her mouth on the back of her mitten, but the clammy feeling of Luke’s lips remained. One thing she knew: she would never accept a ride home from Luke Kaufman again.

  She stumbled over a rock and stopped. A lane led off the road to the left, straight as an arrow between two fields and disappearing into a stand of trees. Beyond the trees, a barn roof was silhouetted against the cloudy sky. As the breeze blew the clouds from in front of the moon, she could see the outline of a house in the trees, but there were no lights. No welcoming lantern glow seeping around the window shades.

  Indecision planted her feet at the muddy edge of the farm lane. Judith chewed her lower lip as she considered her choices. To go down that lane might help her find someone who could give her directions to Matthew’s farm, but the dark house looming in the shadowy trees made her shiver from more than the cold breeze.

  On the other hand...she looked around at the empty road, the silent lake she had left a half mile behind her, and the clouds scudding across the sky on the rising wind...there wasn’t another house in sight. Not far beyond her was a T-intersection, where she would need to decide to turn right or left.

  She glanced down the lane at the house again, and chose the open road. She would take her chances on another house.

  At the intersection, Judith turned right. When Luke had headed toward Emma Lake instead of Matthew’s, he had taken her south, so she would go north. Her steps faltered. Or was this road leading her west? Or east? In the distance, the lights of an automobile lit up the dark sky, reflecting off the low-hanging clouds. Judith made her decision. She didn’t want to be caught alone on a dark road by any Englischers, so she reversed her direction, hoping this road would take her somewhere safe.