Read Online Susanna's Dream: The Lost Sisters of Pleasant Valley, Book Two by Marta Perry - Free Book Online Page A

Lydia a little, from her coming into the shop and bringing Adam’s clocks for us to sell. We’ve talked on several occasions.”
    Nate darted a look at her. “And what did you think of her, before you heard about her maybe being your sister?”
    “I liked her.” Maybe that was part of what troubled her. “I thought we were growing to be friends. And now it seems she was hiding something from me all along.”
    Nate seemed to stiffen, as if her words had hit a sore spot. But what would someone like him have to hide? “That’s hard to forgive, ain’t so?” His tone was normal enough.
    She considered. “I would have said it was hard to understand. I hope I would never be unforgiving.”
    “You’re a gut woman, in that case.” But he seemed to draw away from her, as if they weren’t in agreement after all. “Well, you asked about Lydia and Adam Beachy. They have an orchard—apples mostly, but some cherries as well. Adam used to work at the camping trailer factory over toward Fisherdale, but he’s not doing that now. I guess the orchard and his clock-building and repair are enough.”
    “Some of that Lydia has mentioned. She obviously loves the orchard.”
    Nate frowned as if struck by a thought. “It seems to me I heard that the orchard came to them through Lydia’s family. That might be something you have a right to know about, if what Chloe Wentworth told you is true.”
    She nodded, but the ownership of the orchard seemed a small matter with all the other things she had to fret over. A house appeared at the side of the road, then another, and her stomach tightened in protest. They were coming into the town.
    “Bishop Mose has a harness shop right on Main Street,” Nate said, doing a good job of pretending he didn’t sense her stress. “That’s Paula Schatz’s coffee shop and bakery, and there’s Katie’s Quilts—you probably know about it.”
    Susanna nodded, but her gaze was fixed on the small shop with harness and tack in the window. The car pulled up to the curb, and once again Nate leaned forward to speak to the driver. Their words were nothing more than a buzzing in her ears, and she seemed frozen to the seat.
    “Here we are.” Nate cupped her elbow in his big hand for a moment to help her out. It was the sort of gesture he’d make toward his mother, and there was nothing in it to set up this fluttering inside her.
    “You’ll soon have answers,” he said, his voice a deep rumble in her ears as he steered her up the two steps to the harness shop door.
    Susanna managed a nod.
Be brave,
she told herself. She drew in a breath. She would, somehow. But she was very glad she was not alone.
    * * *
    As he guided Susanna into Bishop Mose’s harness shop, Nate was a bit surprised that he hadn’t been wishing himself out of this situation long since. The time in Susanna’s company hadn’t been difficult, though he’d been on edge that her emotions would spill over and he wouldn’t know what to do.
    Still, the sooner Susanna knew the truth about her family, the better. If this story the Englisch woman had told her was true, Susanna would be occupied with a brand-new family. And if she had a family to support her, he was certain-sure it would be easier for her to do what he wanted with the shop.
    A glance at Susanna’s face told him she was very pale. He could only hope she wasn’t going to faint or make a scene. Whatever happened, he’d let himself in for this, and he’d have to see it through.
    The smell of the harness shop struck him as he closed the door behind them. Rich scents of leather and neatsfoot oil mingled, telling him where he was even if he were blindfolded. New harnesses hung on the walls, while saddles and bridles were displayed on their own racks. It looked as if the bishop was picking up more business from the Englisch horse people than he used to.
    The Englisch couple that was wandering down the aisles didn’t look like locals. Tourists, he’d guess, in here only to