Read Online Love Inspired November 2013 #2 by Emma Miller, Virginia Carmichael, Renee Andrews - Free Book Online

today.” Hannah smiled. “You’ve done wonders with her.”
    Rebecca nodded. “I only had to take her out of service twice, once to use the bathroom and later when she was getting hungry. And so far, no temper tantrums.”
    â€œJust wait,” Mary said. “That Amelia’s a handful. Just when you think she’s behaving and being nice... Wham. A dead mouse in your apron pocket.” She rolled her eyes. “And the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. If you ask me, I’d say our new preacher has a sharp side, as well.”
    â€œI haven’t seen it since I’ve been working there,” Rebecca said. She felt that her friend had gone overboard in finding fault with the little girl and, for that matter, with her father. Other than a few setbacks, she’d made out fine at Caleb’s house, and she had to admit, she looked forward to going every day. “Amelia’s like any four-year-old,” Rebecca defended. “She gets into mischief sometimes, but she’s sweet natured.”
    â€œSweet like honeycomb in the hive,” Mary murmured, half under her breath. “Full of bee stings.” Rebecca’s mother handed Mary another soiled tablecloth, and Mary bundled an armload together. “I’ll take these to the washroom and come back for the others.”
    â€œI’ll get the rest,” Lydia offered. “You can put the rest of those sandwiches in the refrigerator with the macaroni salad and wipe down the counters.”
    While work wasn’t permitted on Sundays, necessary work like cleaning up dirty dishes and putting food away was.
    â€œServices will be starting soon,” Rebecca said.
    â€œBut you can’t leave those hard-boiled eggs out.” Aunt Martha pointed to a bowl. “It’s too warm in the kitchen.”
    â€œWe won’t,” Mary assured her as she started back toward the house with the armload of tablecloths.
    Mam and Lydia exchanged looks. “I’m sorry that Mary had a difficult time with Caleb’s daughter,” Mam said, folding her arms. “But Rebecca hasn’t come home with any complaints.”
    Lydia shrugged. “ Kinner can be a handful. Especially at that age. I’ll give credit where credit is due,” she continued. “Rebecca, you’ve done well with that family.” A smiled creased her thin face, making her look younger than her mid-forties. “From what Fannie told me...”
    Roman’s wife, round and rosy-cheeked Fannie, her hands full with a dishpan of coffee mugs, bustled toward them. “What did Fannie say?” she asked Lydia good-naturedly.
    Mam and Lydia chuckled.
    Rebecca liked both Fannie and Lydia. They were close friends of her mother’s, and Rebecca had known them since she was a baby. They seemed more like relatives than neighbors. Although Fannie and Lydia loved gossip as well as most, there wasn’t a mean bone in either one’s body. And if someone needed help, Amish or English, Fannie and Lydia were likely to trample each other trying to get there to give assistance.
    â€œDidn’t I tell you Fannie had good hearing? You can’t get anything past her,” Hannah teased.
    â€œI was only saying what you told me before services, Fannie,” Lydia said. “That you were in Caleb Wittner’s house on and off while Mary and then Lilly worked for him. You said that things were different since Hannah’s Rebecca took over. You said that Rebecca had put that place in order. And the child is better behaved.”
    â€œ Ya, I did say so, Hannah.” Fannie nodded. “Not to be speaking ill of Caleb or of little Amelia. Wouldn’t do that. Eli’s cousin is a good man and a hard worker. It can’t be easy for him to tend a house and care for a motherless girl. Poor man, he means well, but he just never seemed to have his household in order. Our Rebecca’s made a world of