Read Online A Simple Amish Christmas by Vannetta Chapman - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Vannetta Chapman
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Samuel didn’t at first notice the lights of the approaching buggies. He was busy replaying the scene he’d left at Stephen Umble’s farm. By the time he realized he wasn’t alone on the country road, the two buggies were nearly upon him.
He clucked softly to his mare and pulled her to a slow trot, then a stop as the first, then the second buggy pulled up alongside his.
Young Joshua Hooley’s face stared out at him, pale and cold, eyes settling somewhere to the left of Samuel’s shoulder.
“Joshua, fine night to be out and about.”
“ Ya , it is, Mr. Yoder.” The boy’s voice was respectful but clipped, as if he didn’t want to reveal more than was necessary.
“Little late though.”
“ Ya , it is.”
Samuel unfolded himself from his buggy, walked to where Adam Weaver sat holding the reins hitched to his new mare. “Adam, Annie.”
“Evening, Samuel.” Adam’s tone was warm and friendly, but Annie confined her greeting to a single nod and stiffened her spine a bit straighter.
“Little late to see two buggies out following one another. Some social gathering going on I wasn’t aware of?”
“I wasn’t aware you attended social gatherings,” Annie said.
Samuel and Adam turned to stare at her.
“Not that I would have noticed if you attended or not.” Annie reached up, tucked a loose tendril of hair into her kapp .
Samuel felt a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth as Annie’s cheeks colored rosily.
She’d avoided him each time he’d stopped by the Weaver place. Obviously, she was still angry at him about the scolding he’d delivered four days ago, which she had deserved. But he would have thought she had better control of her tongue.
Then again, her feistiness brought some sparkle back into his evening.
“Can’t say as I am in the habit of attending social gatherings. Can’t remember the last time I participated in any sledding or such. Didn’t realize it went this late or ever included a mere two buggies.” He stared at her pointedly. “Is that what this is about?”
“Actually, no.” Adam shushed his horse and took control of the conversation. “Joshua needed a hand at his place, so Annie and I are on our way over to help him out.”
Samuel stared at Annie a moment longer, but she suddenly was preoccupied with straightening the blanket around her lap.
Turning his attention back to Adam, Samuel nodded toward Joshua’s buggy. “Maybe there’s something I could do. I just finished putting stitches in Stephen Umble’s hand and was headed back to my place. I’d be froh to follow you over—”
“No!” Annie and Adam shouted the word at the same time.
“What we mean is, it’s kind of you to offer, but probably we have this covered.” Adam picked up his hat, then settled it back on his head. “You must be tired what with working all day and then driving the long distance out to Umble’s place. How’s the room coming along he was trying to add on?”
“Going well. His youngest son wandered in while Stephen was nailing up some shelves. He glanced down at the boy and nailed his hand instead of the wood. Didn’t hit anything major, but it bled quite a bit.”
Samuel studied Annie who was again staring out over the snow-covered fields. “Something you might have been interested in seeing, Annie. I seem to remember you were quite fascinated by the process of stitches and how it was done when you were a younger girl.”
Annie threw him a look much like a hammer slamming into a nail. Samuel wondered why it made him want to laugh. Usually he preferred solitude, but meeting these two on the road tonight had perked him up quite a bit.
Plus there was the mystery of what they were really doing out on this cold winter night.
“We best be going if we hope to be done and back home at a decent hour,” Adam said.
Samuel felt his eyebrows rise, looked over at the moon silhouetting the fields. “I’d say you’ve already passed that time. Most folks are in
Samuel didn’t at first notice the lights of the approaching buggies. He was busy replaying the scene he’d left at Stephen Umble’s farm. By the time he realized he wasn’t alone on the country road, the two buggies were nearly upon him.
He clucked softly to his mare and pulled her to a slow trot, then a stop as the first, then the second buggy pulled up alongside his.
Young Joshua Hooley’s face stared out at him, pale and cold, eyes settling somewhere to the left of Samuel’s shoulder.
“Joshua, fine night to be out and about.”
“ Ya , it is, Mr. Yoder.” The boy’s voice was respectful but clipped, as if he didn’t want to reveal more than was necessary.
“Little late though.”
“ Ya , it is.”
Samuel unfolded himself from his buggy, walked to where Adam Weaver sat holding the reins hitched to his new mare. “Adam, Annie.”
“Evening, Samuel.” Adam’s tone was warm and friendly, but Annie confined her greeting to a single nod and stiffened her spine a bit straighter.
“Little late to see two buggies out following one another. Some social gathering going on I wasn’t aware of?”
“I wasn’t aware you attended social gatherings,” Annie said.
Samuel and Adam turned to stare at her.
“Not that I would have noticed if you attended or not.” Annie reached up, tucked a loose tendril of hair into her kapp .
Samuel felt a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth as Annie’s cheeks colored rosily.
She’d avoided him each time he’d stopped by the Weaver place. Obviously, she was still angry at him about the scolding he’d delivered four days ago, which she had deserved. But he would have thought she had better control of her tongue.
Then again, her feistiness brought some sparkle back into his evening.
“Can’t say as I am in the habit of attending social gatherings. Can’t remember the last time I participated in any sledding or such. Didn’t realize it went this late or ever included a mere two buggies.” He stared at her pointedly. “Is that what this is about?”
“Actually, no.” Adam shushed his horse and took control of the conversation. “Joshua needed a hand at his place, so Annie and I are on our way over to help him out.”
Samuel stared at Annie a moment longer, but she suddenly was preoccupied with straightening the blanket around her lap.
Turning his attention back to Adam, Samuel nodded toward Joshua’s buggy. “Maybe there’s something I could do. I just finished putting stitches in Stephen Umble’s hand and was headed back to my place. I’d be froh to follow you over—”
“No!” Annie and Adam shouted the word at the same time.
“What we mean is, it’s kind of you to offer, but probably we have this covered.” Adam picked up his hat, then settled it back on his head. “You must be tired what with working all day and then driving the long distance out to Umble’s place. How’s the room coming along he was trying to add on?”
“Going well. His youngest son wandered in while Stephen was nailing up some shelves. He glanced down at the boy and nailed his hand instead of the wood. Didn’t hit anything major, but it bled quite a bit.”
Samuel studied Annie who was again staring out over the snow-covered fields. “Something you might have been interested in seeing, Annie. I seem to remember you were quite fascinated by the process of stitches and how it was done when you were a younger girl.”
Annie threw him a look much like a hammer slamming into a nail. Samuel wondered why it made him want to laugh. Usually he preferred solitude, but meeting these two on the road tonight had perked him up quite a bit.
Plus there was the mystery of what they were really doing out on this cold winter night.
“We best be going if we hope to be done and back home at a decent hour,” Adam said.
Samuel felt his eyebrows rise, looked over at the moon silhouetting the fields. “I’d say you’ve already passed that time. Most folks are in
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