Read Online A Simple Vow by Charlotte Hubbard - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Charlotte Hubbard
Ads: Link
“How much do I owe you for those horseshoes, plus the vet’s bill?” he asked. “I’ll bring you the money when I—”
The farrier waved him off. “I’m happy to put those shoes on for ya so you’ll get home safely and ya won’t have a bad impression of our little town after your accident. We look after folks here.”
Asa’s jaw dropped. “But a vet charges just for showing up, before he even sees the animal.”
“I had the vet here lookin’ at one of my mares anyway,” Ben insisted. Then he shrugged, a smile lighting his friendly face. “And maybe someday there’s a favor you can do for me, jah? Or better yet, next time ya see somebody in a tight spot, maybe you’ll lend him or her a hand. The Lord loves a cheerful giver.”
“These Willow Ridge folks are big on paying it forward,” Andy remarked. “Not so long ago I was a divorced English fellow looking to join the Plain faith and this community because I’d found the love of my life here—and she was Amish.”
“His Rhoda is my Miriam’s daughter, you see,” Ben explained. “We had to be very sure this man was sincere in his intentions and his faith.”
“I had to prove myself more than most men would,” Andy agreed with a fond smile. “Yet this town has made me and my family very welcome. It’s a blessing to care for these people, and to see my kids going to school here—growing up in a community that relies upon God and puts Him first.”
Asa and Andy took their leave of Preacher Ben, and continued on to the Riehls’ place. They walked at a leisurely pace along the county blacktop, which allowed Asa time to consider what he’d just learned about the local nurse who’d rescued him along the roadside yesterday.
He knew of communities where English men would’ve been shut out before a romance had had a chance to develop with a local girl—not to mention church leaders who wouldn’t have allowed Andy to practice his medical profession after he’d been baptized into the Amish church. The fact that Willow Ridge had accepted a divorced man was the most radical aspect of Andy Leitner’s past, however, because the Old Order counted folks who’d left their mates as adulterers—and the church didn’t allow anyone to remarry unless their previous spouse had died. The way Willow Ridge had accepted Andy spoke of a deep forgiveness the likes of which Asa hadn’t encountered before.
“What do you recall about the guy who brought the twins to Willow Ridge, apparently looking for help from the Riehl girls because he knew them?” Andy asked as the white house with the dogwood trees came into view.
Asa sensed the question was as much a test of his memory as it was curiosity on the nurse’s part. “I’d never seen him before—or his wife,” Asa added emphatically. “But Edith knew him and didn’t bat an eye before agreeing to take in his kids. Except he swears up and down that they’re my kids.”
Andy’s eyes widened. “How’d you find out about the babies, then?”
“Got a message on my machine, saying my name was the last thing his wife uttered before she died.”
“Wow,” Andy murmured. “Any chance he got the wrong phone number?”
“Oh, no, it was my first name he said—and when he mentioned he was bringing the babies to Willow Ridge until he could get things straightened out,” Asa continued in a rising voice, “I saddled Midnight and rode up here straightaway to find out what was going on.”
Nodding, Andy slowed their pace a bit. “What else can you tell me about this guy? I hate to ask a lot of embarrassing questions once we get to the Riehl place.”
Asa gathered his thoughts, hoping to remain objective. “His name’s Will Gingerich, and he lives outside of Roseville—the town where the Riehls lived before they moved here,” Asa recounted. “He told me he was once engaged to the middle Riehl sister—Loretta, I think her name is—but her dat broke it off, and then Will married some gal named
The farrier waved him off. “I’m happy to put those shoes on for ya so you’ll get home safely and ya won’t have a bad impression of our little town after your accident. We look after folks here.”
Asa’s jaw dropped. “But a vet charges just for showing up, before he even sees the animal.”
“I had the vet here lookin’ at one of my mares anyway,” Ben insisted. Then he shrugged, a smile lighting his friendly face. “And maybe someday there’s a favor you can do for me, jah? Or better yet, next time ya see somebody in a tight spot, maybe you’ll lend him or her a hand. The Lord loves a cheerful giver.”
“These Willow Ridge folks are big on paying it forward,” Andy remarked. “Not so long ago I was a divorced English fellow looking to join the Plain faith and this community because I’d found the love of my life here—and she was Amish.”
“His Rhoda is my Miriam’s daughter, you see,” Ben explained. “We had to be very sure this man was sincere in his intentions and his faith.”
“I had to prove myself more than most men would,” Andy agreed with a fond smile. “Yet this town has made me and my family very welcome. It’s a blessing to care for these people, and to see my kids going to school here—growing up in a community that relies upon God and puts Him first.”
Asa and Andy took their leave of Preacher Ben, and continued on to the Riehls’ place. They walked at a leisurely pace along the county blacktop, which allowed Asa time to consider what he’d just learned about the local nurse who’d rescued him along the roadside yesterday.
He knew of communities where English men would’ve been shut out before a romance had had a chance to develop with a local girl—not to mention church leaders who wouldn’t have allowed Andy to practice his medical profession after he’d been baptized into the Amish church. The fact that Willow Ridge had accepted a divorced man was the most radical aspect of Andy Leitner’s past, however, because the Old Order counted folks who’d left their mates as adulterers—and the church didn’t allow anyone to remarry unless their previous spouse had died. The way Willow Ridge had accepted Andy spoke of a deep forgiveness the likes of which Asa hadn’t encountered before.
“What do you recall about the guy who brought the twins to Willow Ridge, apparently looking for help from the Riehl girls because he knew them?” Andy asked as the white house with the dogwood trees came into view.
Asa sensed the question was as much a test of his memory as it was curiosity on the nurse’s part. “I’d never seen him before—or his wife,” Asa added emphatically. “But Edith knew him and didn’t bat an eye before agreeing to take in his kids. Except he swears up and down that they’re my kids.”
Andy’s eyes widened. “How’d you find out about the babies, then?”
“Got a message on my machine, saying my name was the last thing his wife uttered before she died.”
“Wow,” Andy murmured. “Any chance he got the wrong phone number?”
“Oh, no, it was my first name he said—and when he mentioned he was bringing the babies to Willow Ridge until he could get things straightened out,” Asa continued in a rising voice, “I saddled Midnight and rode up here straightaway to find out what was going on.”
Nodding, Andy slowed their pace a bit. “What else can you tell me about this guy? I hate to ask a lot of embarrassing questions once we get to the Riehl place.”
Asa gathered his thoughts, hoping to remain objective. “His name’s Will Gingerich, and he lives outside of Roseville—the town where the Riehls lived before they moved here,” Asa recounted. “He told me he was once engaged to the middle Riehl sister—Loretta, I think her name is—but her dat broke it off, and then Will married some gal named
Similar Books
