Книга - Her Amish Child

Her Amish Child
Lenora Worth


New York Times Bestselling Author Lenora WorthWill a baby surprise bring them together?In this Amish Seasons romanceAmish widow Raesha Bawell longs for a baby…but she never thought she’d find one on her doorstep! Loving little Dinah is easy, yet keeping her may be harder when Raesha’s handsome neighbor Josiah Fisher realizes the baby is his niece. All Raesha wants is a family—with Dinah, and maybe Josiah, too. But can their temporary arrangement turn into forever love?







Will a baby surprise bring them together?

In this Amish Seasons romance

Amish widow Raesha Bawell longs for a baby…but she never thought she’d find one on her doorstep! Loving little Dinah is easy, yet keeping her may be harder when Raesha’s handsome neighbor, Josiah Fisher, realizes the baby is his niece. All Raesha wants is a family—with Dinah, and maybe Josiah, too. But can their temporary arrangement turn into forever love?


With over seventy books published and millions in print, LENORA WORTH writes award-winning romance and romantic suspense. Three of her books were finalists in the ACFW Carol Awards, and her Love Inspired Suspense novel Body of Evidence became a New York Times bestseller. Her novella in Mistletoe Kisses made her a USA TODAY bestselling author. Lenora goes on adventures with her retired husband, Don, and enjoys reading, baking and shopping...especially shoe shopping.


Also By Lenora Worth (#u7b612a99-7ae3-5462-bb92-9cede9c2eed1)

Amish Seasons

Their Amish Reunion

Her Amish Child

Men of Millbrook Lake

Lakeside Hero

Lakeside Sweetheart

Her Lakeside Family

Texas Hearts

A Certain Hope

A Perfect Love

A Leap of Faith

Sunset Island

The Carpenter’s Wife

Heart of Stone

A Tender Touch

Discover more at millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)


Her Amish Child

Lenora Worth






www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)


ISBN: 978-1-474-09476-4

HER AMISH CHILD

© 2019 Lenora H. Nazworth

Published in Great Britain 2019

by Mills & Boon, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF

All rights reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. This edition is published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, locations and incidents are purely fictional and bear no relationship to any real life individuals, living or dead, or to any actual places, business establishments, locations, events or incidents. Any resemblance is entirely coincidental.

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www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)


“You said the babe is not yours?”

Raesha Bawell’s pretty face paled to a porcelain white. “We found her on our porch night before last,” she said, her gray eyes stormy with emotion.

Josiah’s heart beat too fast. He took in a breath. “Found her?”

“Ja. Someone left her in a basket with a few supplies and a note.”

“Her bonnet,” he said. “Could I take a look at it?”

Raesha lifted the dainty little knit cap from the baby’s head and handed it over to Josiah. He clutched the soft, warm fabric, his eyes misting when he saw what he’d been looking for. “There,” he said. “My mamm stitched my sister’s initials in the tiny cap. DJF. Deidre Josephine Fisher. Josie loved that little hat. She took it with her when she left.”

Josie’s sudden departure from Kentucky had rattled Josiah to the core. Now he felt hopeful for the first time in the last year of searching for his sister. Josie could still be nearby.

He hated to hurt Raesha any further, but he had to believe what his eyes were telling him. “Ja, I do think this bobbeli could be my sister’s baby.”


Dear Reader (#u7b612a99-7ae3-5462-bb92-9cede9c2eed1),

What would you do if you found a baby on your porch? Widow Raesha Bawell didn’t want to let go of the baby she found and soon circumstances kept her from having to give up sweet Dinah.

God sent her a baby but he also sent her a man who could become her second husband. Raesha had to show grace and strength while she wrestled with being true to God’s will and holding on to her own heart. Josiah Fisher didn’t want to stay in Campton Creek but... Raesha made him stand up and take notice. Together, they have to decide what is best for the baby and for his fragile sister, Josie.

But that’s how life goes, no matter which community you live in. Things can change very quickly and either we turn to God for guidance and hope, or things turn to chaos. I hope you enjoyed this story. I have to admit, my emotions were all over the place by the time I finished it! But I did fall in love with these characters. They are now a part of Campton Creek. I hope you’ll keep reading about this fascinating community that has become a part of my heart!

Until next time, may the angels watch over you. Always!

Lenora


Whosoever shall receive one of such children in my name, receiveth me: and whosoever shall receive me, receiveth not me, but him that sent me.

—Mark 9:37


To one of my favorite readers, Patsy Thompson. Thank you, Miss Patsy, for your encouraging letters and for your continued prayers!


Contents

Cover (#u67f84311-e3e5-5c81-8c82-3bece5b9cd9a)

Back Cover Text (#u74f72687-a407-5f25-96ee-e783245f19d2)

About the Author (#u794c0f00-469a-50a7-824d-500ed8c87494)

Booklist (#u55603394-976b-5bc5-84bc-85b28ad682dd)

Title Page (#ue55f890a-0879-5eb8-9c2b-83f0ccc97592)

Copyright (#uef673a6b-142b-569d-b176-dc9f0f042e43)

Introduction (#u7a00b07a-d7f8-5a9e-8f73-89c39abbbd24)

Dear Reader (#u059d8486-316c-5563-a5f9-b750ccf12215)

Bible Verse (#ubd6ff377-c37e-516f-b4c5-ec7f32212d70)

Dedication (#u32f18fde-f8ce-5b0e-8c46-a344b0be6f9e)

Chapter One (#u10be459f-35aa-5437-a6f5-5e4612f3863d)

Chapter Two (#uaa7e20f3-5ad5-573b-9c7a-12566d9b940b)

Chapter Three (#u74cf583c-e7b4-5103-8242-d554bbef6685)

Chapter Four (#uc30043a0-9bd3-5048-9adf-01d0613bba7c)

Chapter Five (#u2c18b02b-12fe-537e-bccd-119d0e9adb8a)

Chapter Six (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Seven (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Eight (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Nine (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Ten (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Eleven (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Twelve (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Thirteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Fourteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Fifteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Sixteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Seventeen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Eighteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Nineteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Twenty (#litres_trial_promo)

Extract (#litres_trial_promo)

About the Publisher (#litres_trial_promo)




Chapter One (#u7b612a99-7ae3-5462-bb92-9cede9c2eed1)


The gloaming sparkled in a brilliant gold-washed shimmer that covered the sloping valley and glistened through the trees.

Raesha Bawell took a moment to stare out at the end of the day, a sweet Friday in late summer, and sighed with contentment.

It had taken her a long time to reach such contentment.

Even now, with the soft breath of fall hinting in the wind, she still missed her husband, Aaron. Her heart twitched as if it had been pierced but the piercing was now dull and swift.

She’d had to watch him die. How could a woman ever get over that kind of torment? Cancer, the doctors at the big clinic had told them. Too late for surgery or treatments.

Too late for children and laughter, for growing old together, for taking long walks on nights such as this.

Too late.

But never too late to remember joy. She sometimes felt guilty when joy came to her, but tonight she studied the trees and the big creek that moved through the heart of this community. Tonight, she thanked the Lord that she had her mother-in-law, Naomi, to guide her and keep her grounded.

Naomi had been a widow for several years so she knew the pain of losing a dear loved one. Knew it well since she’d also lost two infants at birth. Aaron had been her pride and joy.

But now, Naomi and Raesha had each other.

They worked side by side each day, but Raesha spent a lot of time in the long rectangular building around back of the main house. The Bawell Hat Shop had become more than just hats. They quilted and sewed, canned and cooked, laughed and giggled, and held frolics for their friends almost every month. They had loyal customers, both Amish and Englisch. They’d taken to making not only men’s hats, both felt and straw, and bonnets for Amish women and girls, but Easter hats and frilly scarves and caps for tourists, too.

“You don’t need to stay here with me,” Naomi always said. “You are young and full of life. You should get married again.”

“I am content,” Raesha would always reply.

“You could go back and be with your family. I’m sure they miss you.”

“My family is two hours away and they have other children and grandchildren,” she always replied. “They know my place is here with you.”

Her siblings often came for visits and to see if she wanted to return two counties away and start over there. She did not.

Now as she watched the sunset and thought about the beautiful wedding bonnet she’d made for a young neighbor who was about to become a bride, she knew she was content.

And yet, she still longed for a husband and a family.

Raesha turned to go inside and start supper, prayers for comfort foremost in her mind. She had nothing to complain about. The Bawells had built a fine house that kept growing since her in-laws always welcomed nieces and nephews and friends. People had moved in and out of their lives, filling the void after they’d lost two children. The house and outbuildings were neat and symmetrical, steady and solid. From the red big barn that held livestock and equipment to the grossdaddi haus beyond the main structure to the big shop that covered the length of the western side of the house to allow for parking, the Bawell place was a showpiece but in a plain, simple way. She and Naomi had a lot of help keeping up this place. Raesha never wanted to live anywhere else.

Turning to go and assist Naomi with lighting the lamps and warming dinner, she heard something round on the other end of the long porch, near the front door. A sound like a kitten meowing.

Listening, Raesha moved across the wraparound porch and turned the corner toward the front of the huge house. Had a stray come looking for milk?

The cry came again. And again. Soon soft wails echoed out over the fields and trees.

Then she saw the basket.

And a little pink foot kicking out in frustration.

Raesha gasped and put a hand to her mouth.

A bobbeli?

Raesha fell down beside the big, worn basket and saw the pink blankets inside. Covered in those blankets and wearing a tiny pink hat stitched with darker pink roses lay a baby.

“Sis en Maedel.” A girl.

A very upset and wailing baby girl.

Grabbing up the basket, Raesha spoke softly to the baby. “Shh, now. Let’s get you inside and see what we have to feed you.”

What did they have? Goat’s milk. Cow’s milk, but no mother’s milk. What was she to do? Naomi would know.

Telling herself to stay calm, Raesha lifted up a prayer for help. Then she glanced around, searching for whoever might have left the babe at her door.

But the sunset had changed to dusk and all she saw was the last shifting shadows of the day as darkness settled over the field and valleys of Campton Creek.

Who had abandoned this child?

* * *

Please take care of my little girl. I’m sorry but I am not able to do so at this time. Her name is Dinah and I was once Amish.

Naomi squinted down at the kicking baby and then laid the note they’d found inside the basket on the kitchen counter. “I’m verhuddelt.”

“I’m confused, too,” Raesha replied as she changed the little girl’s soiled clothing, glad they had a few baby gowns and such stocked in the shop and some leftover clothing from the comings and goings of relatives. Thankfully, she had found a supply of commercial formula inside the basket, along with a few disposable diapers and some clothing.

They’d warmed a few ounces of the formula and fed it to her after sterilizing a glass baby bottle Naomi had found in the pantry, hoping that would quiet her until they could figure a proper diet.

“Who would abandon a baby?” Raesha asked in between cooing and talking to the tiny infant. “Such a poignant plea in that note.”

“And who would leave the babe with us?” Naomi replied, her once-blue eyes now blighted with old age, her face wrinkled but beautiful still. “Do you think she could belong to a relative? We have sheltered so many here.”

“I do not know,” Raesha replied, her heart already in love with the darling little girl. “She did say she was once Amish. Does that mean she is never coming back?”

Naomi did a thorough once-over of the kicking baby. “The note gave that indication. But this child doesn’t look like any of our relatives.”

The child had bright hazel eyes and chestnut curls. Raesha checked her over, too. “She looks to be around three or four months, ja?”

“’Spect so,” Naomi said, a soft smile on her face. “She is pretty. Seems healthy and she did come with a few supplies, but I still cannot understand.”

“God’s will,” Raesha said, thinking they could easily take care of this bobbeli.

“Or someone’s free will,” Naomi replied, her eyes full of concern. “We need to report this to the bishop.”

“First thing tomorrow,” Raesha said, her heart already breaking.

Of course, they’d keep the baby within the community if she’d truly come from an Amish mother. The Amish did not always bring in Englisch authorities for such things. Someone had left her here for a reason, though. It would be a shame to let this precious child go back out there to someone who didn’t want her or to strangers who might not treat her kindly.

“I think her mamm left her with us because she wants her to be raised Amish.”

“We will pray on this and do what we must in the morning,” Naomi said, her tone calm and firm. “For now, little Dinah, you are safe.”

Raesha nodded. “Ja, you are right. I worry about the mother but we will pray for her, too.” She smiled down at the pretty little girl. “Your mamm might come back one day.”

Naomi patted her hand and then Raesha finished bathing and dressing the baby. Soon after she gave little Dinah the rest of the bottle of formula, the child calmed, her eyes drooping in a drowsy dance, the long lashes fluttering like tiny butterfly wings.

“I’ll sit with her,” Raesha said. “Once she’s asleep, I’ll take the basket into my room in case she wakes.”

“I’ll heat up the stew we had left from yesterday,” Naomi replied. “You’ll need nourishment.”

“What will we do if someone comes for her?” Raesha asked, her heart clenching, her mind whirling with images she couldn’t hold.

Naomi laughed. “We’ve had a lot of experience in dealing with children, ’member? Some would say we are akin to the foster parents who do the same in the Englisch world. Maybe that will work in our favor, ja?”

Raesha’s heart filled with a new hope. They did have experience and the Amish way was different from the Englisch way. Maybe they could keep this little one a few days longer. Or weeks even. But if the mother gained remorse and returned, they’d have no choice but to let her take the baby. If she would be capable, of course.

“We could have helped the woman if she’d only asked,” she said.

“We will do what we can for this one,” Naomi said, always relying on the Lord for her strength.

It would be hard to let this precious one go but Raesha knew it was out of her hands. God would give them the answers they needed.

And she’d have to accept that and stay content.

* * *

Two days later, Josiah Fisher stared into the early morning sun and wished he could turn back time. But time wasn’t his to hold or change. All things in God’s time.

He had work to do. He’d arrived in Campton Creek late last night and found a room at a nearby inn but he had checked out early to come here. Now he stood surveying the homestead his family still owned. It was his land now and he planned to fix it up to either stay here and work the land or sell it and go back to Ohio. Most likely the last choice.

Unless...he could find his missing sister. He hoped he’d hear soon from the private investigator he’d hired. He had told the man he was returning to Campton Creek.

Now he wondered if that decision had been wise, but Josie had been seen in this area. And it was time to face his past.

The neglected property looked sad and forlorn next to the big Bawell acreage just across the small shallow stream that trickled down from the big creek. He’d have to survey the burned-out barn and decide how to renovate it and the part of the main house that had also caught fire, but first he needed to alert the neighbors and introduce himself. Two women living alone would wonder who he was and what was going on.

Besides, he hoped to bargain with them about possibly renting some of their equipment. The Amish innkeepers had told him two widows lived on the big place and rented out equipment and such to bring in funding. Josiah counted that tidbit as a blessing.

Turning away from the memories of how his parents had perished in the barn fire that had jumped to the main house, he was glad the local volunteer fire department had managed to save most of the house.

But not the barn. His father had run in to save the animals and his mother had run inside to save her husband.

Or so that was the story he’d heard.

He walked the perimeters of the gutted, jagged building, amazed to see the pink running roses his mother had loved still growing against what was left of the barn.

Placing his hat firmly back on his shaggy hair, Josiah hurried toward the small wooden bridge someone had built over the meandering stream and crossed the pasture toward the Bawell house. Taking in deep breaths of the crisp early autumn air, he hoped coming back to Campton Creek had been the right thing to do. He wanted to start fresh, but he couldn’t do that in the place where he and his sister had been born and raised. Better to fix the place up and sell it so he could finally be free.

Soon he was on the big wraparound porch, the carpenter in him admiring this fine house. He knocked firmly on the solid oak door and waited.

And then he heard the sound of a baby crying.

Was one of the widows a mother?

The door opened and an older woman dressed in brown and wearing a white apron, her kapp pinned precisely over her gray hair, nodded to him. “Gut day. The shop isn’t open yet. If you’d like to wait around by the door—”

“Hello, ma’am,” he said, nodding back. “I’m your new neighbor over at the Fisher place. Josiah Fisher. I’m just letting you know I’ll be around doing some work and I also...”

He stopped when another woman appeared at the door, holding a baby.

Josiah took in the woman. Pretty and fresh-faced, she had gray eyes full of questions and hair that shined a rich golden brown. She wore a light blue dress with a crisp white apron. His gaze moved from her to the baby. The child’s eyes were open and she seemed to be smiling.

Josiah stepped back, shock and joy piercing his soul. “Is that your child?”

The young woman looked confused and frightened. Giving the older woman a long stare, she finally came back to him. “Neh, she is not my child.”

“Why do you ask?” the older woman said, her shrewd gaze moving over Josiah.

He didn’t want to scare the women but he had to know.

“Her bonnet,” he said, emotion welling in his throat. “My younger sister, Josie, had a bonnet like that one. Our mamm knitted it special for her but never let her wear it much—not plain enough for our daed.”

He gave the baby another glance that brought on an uncomfortable silence. “I don’t mean to stare, but she looks like my sister, same hair color and same eyes.”

The woman holding the baby took a step back, something akin to fear and dread in her eyes.

“I didn’t mean to frighten you,” Josiah said. “It’s just that my sister...has been missing for a while now and I’d gotten information that she could be in this area. Seeing the bobbeli wearing that little bonnet brought back memories.”

The old woman opened the door wide, her eyes filling with recognition. “You’re that Josiah. Joe they called you sometimes. Your parents were Abram and Sarah Fisher? Used to live across the stream?”

“Yes, ma’am.” Josiah lowered his head. “They died in the barn fire ten years ago. Josie was nine and I had just turned eighteen.”

Glancing toward the old place, he went on. “I had left to help some relatives in Ohio when I got word of what had happened. I came home and took care of Josie. We moved to Ohio to be near kin but Josie left Ohio a couple years ago during her rumspringa.”

The women looked at each other and then back to him, sympathy in their eyes.

“Kumm,” the woman holding the door said. “We will talk about this.”

Josiah removed his hat and entered the sunny, warm house and inhaled the homey smells of coffee, bacon and biscuits, his heart bursting with an emotion he’d long ago buried and forgotten.

This house held hope.

Maybe God hadn’t sent him here to rebuild the homestead.

Maybe God had nudged him back to Lancaster County to find his missing sister.




Chapter Two (#u7b612a99-7ae3-5462-bb92-9cede9c2eed1)


“I’m Naomi Bawell and this is my daughter-in-law, Raesha,” Naomi said, guiding Josiah Fisher into the kitchen. “We have fresh coffee and some bacon and biscuits. Are you hungry?”

Josiah noted how she pronounced her name as Nah-oh-may. It rang lyrical inside his head. Naomi’s hair shined a grayish white but she had eyes of steel.

Josiah’s nostrils flared and his stomach growled. “I don’t want to be a bother.”

“No bother,” Naomi said. “Have a seat at the table and we will bring you food.”

Josiah nodded. “Denke.”

He kept glancing at the young woman who held the bobbeli so close. She averted her eyes and pressed the baby tight with one arm while she served him coffee with her free hand.

Soon Josiah had a plate loaded with two fluffy biscuits and three crisp strips of bacon in front of him. But he couldn’t take a bite until he knew the truth.

“You said the babe is not yours?”

The room went still. Raesha Bawell’s pretty face paled to a porcelain white. She sat down across the table from him, her eyes on the now-sleeping baby in her arms.

“We found her on our porch night before last,” she said, her tone low and calm, her gray eyes stormy with emotion. And resolve.

Josiah’s heart beat too fast. He took in a breath. “Found her?”

Naomi nodded. “Ja. Someone left her in a basket with a few supplies and a note. We got her all fed and cleaned up and we called in the bishop this morning. He agreed she could stay here for a few days to see if her mother returns. If that doesn’t happen, we might need to bring in the authorities. We can’t harbor a baby that might not be Amish.”

“Josie—my sister—is still Amish. She has just lost her way.”

Raesha’s head came up, her gaze full of determination. “Eat your food, Mr. Fisher. It’s growing cold.”

Josiah bit into a biscuit, his stomach roiling but hunger overtaking him. Then he took a sip of the strong coffee. He knew they were waiting for him to say what was on all of their minds.

“The bonnet,” he finally said. “Could I take a look at it?”

Raesha glanced at her mother-in-law. Naomi nodded. Carefully, she lifted the dainty little knit cap from the baby’s head and handed it over to Josiah. Then she rubbed her fingers through the baby’s dark curls, her eyes full of sweet joy.

Josiah’s heart did something odd. It slipped and stopped, then took off beating again. This woman holding that baby—it was a picture he would always remember. Raesha looked up and into his eyes. The warmth from the baby’s head was still on the soft threads of the little bonnet. He clutched the soft, warm fabric while the woman holding the baby watched him in a calm, accepting way.

Then he glanced down at the pink bonnet, his eyes misting when he saw what he’d been looking for. “There,” he said, a catch of emotion clogging his throat. “My mamm stitched my sister’s initials in the tiny cap. DJF. Deidre Josephine Fisher. She did the same with all of our clothes but never made a big deal out of it in front of others since our father did not approve of showing off. Said it made them even more special because they were made with a mother’s love.”

Rubbing his fingers over the tiny worn cap, he added, “Josie loved that little hat and kept it hidden in her dresser drawer. After the fire, she found it and made sure we took it with our other things to Ohio.” Holding tight to the worn knitted wool, he said, “She took it with her when she left.”

Raesha let out a sigh that sounded like a sob. “Are you saying you think little Dinah could be your niece?”

Josiah’s eyes held hers. “Her name is Dinah?”

“We found the note,” Naomi explained. She stood and walked to where a basket sat on a counter. Then she brought him a white piece of paper.

Josiah read the note, blinking back tears of both relief and grief. “My grandmother’s name was Dinah,” he said. “My sister, Josie, left Ohio two years ago and wound up in Kentucky. She was engaged to an Amish boy there. A gut man from what she told me. But I got word she’d broken the engagement and left. That was over a year ago.”

Josie’s sudden departure from Kentucky had rattled Josiah to the core. She had written that she loved it there and she was very happy. He should have gone to Kentucky with her but he had work to do. They lived off their relatives’ kindness and Josiah felt obligated to stay and pay his onkel back. But then Josie had gone missing and one of his cousins had accused Josiah of not doing his share of the work. His family had become tired of his leaving to search for Josie.

Now he felt hopeful for the first time in the last year of searching for his sister. Josie could still be nearby.

“I hired a man to help me search,” he explained.

“And did this man find anything?”

“He is supposed to get in touch with me when he does. He knows I’m here. He is from this area and came highly recommended.”

He hated to hurt Raesha any further but he had to believe what his eyes were telling him. “Ja, I do think this bobbeli could be my sister’s baby. I heard Josie might be headed this way and one reason I came back to Lancaster County was so I could search for her here.”

Holding the bonnet tight in his hands, he looked at Raesha. “I might not find my sister but if this is her child, I’ve found something very precious.” Then he handed the bonnet back to Raesha, their eyes meeting. “But I have to believe my sister hoped I would find her baby and that’s why she left the child with you.”

* * *

Raesha stood and took the cap back from Josiah Fisher, a great tear rending her heart. While she felt for him, she couldn’t let him take this babe. He seemed to be a reasonable man. She prayed he’d listen to reason and not demand to take Dinah with him. “We will have to decide how to handle this.”

“We should consult someone at the Campton Center,” Naomi said, her hands holding tight to her coffee cup. Then she looked at Josiah. “A few months ago, Judy Campton, an Englischer whose husband descended from the founders of Campton Creek, became a widow. She still lives in the Campton house in an apartment over the garage with her friend and assistant, Bettye, but she has opened her big home to the Amish as a community center where qualified Englisch can help us with certain issues. We now have doctors and lawyers and other experts available for no charge there. Even counselors. All volunteers.”

Raesha watched Josiah’s face and saw his eyes widen. The man was handsome but the intensity in his brown eyes scared her. “Are you saying someone there can counsel us on this situation?”

“Ja,” Naomi replied. “Now that we know you might be related to Dinah, we will also seek advice again from the bishop. We already love little Dinah and we will protect her until we know the truth.”

Raesha tugged the baby close, the sweet bundle already embedded in her soul. “We will do the right thing but until we can talk to someone, Dinah remains here with us. She will be well taken care of, I can tell you that.”

Josiah came out of his chair and put his hand in the pocket of his lightweight work coat and then shoved his hat back on, his eyes full of a troubled regard as he studied her and the baby. “I will call my investigator. I’ll have him search for proof.”

“If she had the baby in a hospital, there would be a record,” Raesha said. “Maybe even a birth certificate.”

“That would certainly show proof,” Naomi said. “But most Amish don’t have official birth certificates. You might check with midwives in the surrounding counties and communities.”

Josiah scrubbed a hand down his face. “I do not mean to snatch the child away. I am thankful that she is safe and warm, whoever she belongs to. But that little cap has my sister’s initials stitched in the lining.”

“It could be someone else’s initials,” Raesha said, sounding defensive in her own mind.

“I don’t think so,” he replied. “My mamm went against our father’s wishes to make pretty things so she could sell them to help our family. But some she kept. It’s clear to me the baby hat belongs to my sister and this child looks like my sister. The note said she was Amish. How can it not be so?”

“It very well could beso,” Raesha echoed, torn between her own heart’s desire and doing the right thing for the baby. “We will have to find out what needs to be done to prove your claims.”

Then she softened her stance, hoping to make him understand. “We have taken in lots of young relatives through the years. We are both widows and I am...childless. We will keep Dinah fed and warm and you can visit her anytime you want, ain’t so, Mammi Naomi?”

Naomi bobbed her head. “She could not be in a better place for now. What do you know of children, Josiah?”

His dark eyes flared with regret. Shaking his head, he looked at Raesha again. “I know nothing much about children except my sister, but I have no kin left around here. I need to find Josie and hope she’ll change her mind about giving up her child. Little Dinah could be my only close relative and she’ll need to know that one day.”

“Then we will work together to figure this out,” Raesha said, standing her ground. They all knew he couldn’t take care of a bobbeli right now. “As I said, you are wilkum to visit Dinah.”

He studied the baby again. “May I hold her? And then, I’ll leave. But I’ll be glad to go with you to the Campton Center, both of you. We should all be there to talk with someone.”

Raesha indicated she agreed. “Then it’s settled. We could go later this afternoon. We have a girl who comes to watch the shop when we have to be away.”

“I have much to do today,” he said. “But I will make time for this. I plan to stay in the house if I can get it fixed up before winter sets in. I need to find lumber and supplies and get the back bedroom fixed, at least.”

“Maybe we should wait,” Raesha suggested. “Maybe the mother will come back.”

“I still need to call the man I hired,” he said. “I’ll give him this new information and ask him to talk to hospitals and to check as many Amish communities as he can.”

“We have a phone in the shop,” Raesha said. “Meantime, we have supplies enough for this little ball of energy. I have learned how to make homemade baby formula since she can’t be nursed.”

“I will consult with the bishop regarding your information,” Naomi said to Josiah. “I hope he will agree we need to protect the child first and worry about the rest later.”

“I’d feel better if we brought in a midwife,” he added as Raesha carefully handed him the baby. “To make sure she is well.”

Raesha looked to Naomi. The older woman nodded. “I’ll go and get word to Edna Weiller. She lives around the bend. I’ll send one of our shop workers over for her.”

“Denke.” His big hand touched Raesha’s when he took Dinah into his arms. Their eyes met and held, causing a keen awareness to envelop her in a warm glow.

“There you go,” she said to hide the swirl of disturbing feelings pooling inside her stomach. “Dinah needs to know we will provide for her. She’ll need to know her uncle, too.”

“If I am truly her uncle,” he said, a soft smile on his face as he stared down at the sleeping baby, “I will take good care of her and raise her as my own.” Then he handed her back to Raesha. “But maybe I will find my sister and then she can explain all of this—especially how she came about having a baby in the first place.”

* * *

“I expect she did it the natural way,” Naomi said later that day, shaking her head while she rocked Dinah. “If she no longer considers herself Amish, she might not be able to return to the old ways. But if she wants to return, she will have to confess all. Josiah seems to want to find her, regardless.”

She paused, her brow furrowing. “His mention of his father brings back some memories. Abram Fisher was very strict and a stickler for following the Ordnung.”

“There is a reason we have a rulebook,” Raesha replied. And yet her heart went out to Josiah and his lost sister. The lost sometimes did return. She prayed he’d find the girl, but that meant Dinah would have to go back to them.

Your will, Lord. Not mine.

Naomi gave Raesha one of her serene stares. “Abram went beyond the rulebook.”

“What do you mean?”

Naomi lowered her voice. “He was not above using his physical strength to make his point.”

“You mean, he abused his family?”

Naomi nodded. “Sarah never spoke of it, but the proof was in the many bruises we saw. She had a black eye once and said she’d fallen and hit the floor too hard.” Gazing down at Dinah, she added, “We mustn’t speak of this, of course.”

“No. We mustn’t,” Raesha agreed, her heart hurting for Josiah and Josie. No wonder neither of them had stayed here.

Earlier, Edna Weiller had come by and looked over little Dinah, examining her from top to bottom. “This child seems fit as a fiddle,” the stout woman announced, her blue eyes twinkling while she danced Dinah around. “And probably much better off now that she is with you two.”

“We are going to try to find her mother,” Raesha had explained. Then she told Edna about Josiah.

Naomi had talked to Bishop King earlier. “The bishop thinks we’re doing everything in the right way. But he expects us to alert the authorities if the woman doesn’t return in a week or so, to find out what we should do.”

“You’ll need proof on this Josiah being related,” Edna said. “If no proof is found, the Department of Child and Family Services will want to place her with a foster family until they find proof that the mother can’t be located or that Josiah Fisher is truly her onkel. The sooner you turn her over, the sooner you could have her back. Or he will, at least. But it’ll be a long shot and he might be required to go through foster training. Just warning you, but I don’t think it will come to that.” Her gaze softened. “Gott segen eich.”

God bless you.

“Denke.”

Edna handed the baby back to Raesha. “I can ask around amid the midwives. See if any of them know of this child being born.”

“That would be helpful,” Naomi said.

Troubled after Edna left, Raesha scrubbed down the house, made a chicken casserole for supper, and washed a load of clothes and brought them in to finish drying since the sky had darkened and a cold rain seemed to be on the horizon.

But she still couldn’t get Josiah Fisher out of her head.

She wanted to not like him. But something had happened to her when he’d held that baby. Raesha’s heart had felt as if she’d just fallen off a cliff. On the one hand, she prayed the baby wasn’t his niece. But there was no denying the strong possibility. Even so, she might not be able to keep the child.

She didn’t know which would be worse. Watching a stranger remove Dinah from their home or watching Josiah take the baby away but knowing Dinah was right next door. If he stayed on the old farm. What if he took the child back to Ohio?

Well, if he did stay here, Raesha could catch glimpses of the child and watch her grow up. Maybe with a new mamm if Josiah found a suitable wife. He obviously wasn’t married since he had no beard and she didn’t see a wife lurking about.

That thought made Raesha rescrub the counter.

“Ach, you’ve done enough. Stop and rest here with Dinah and me,” Naomi said, her words low while she smiled down at the sleeping baby.

Dinah had been fussy earlier. Raesha would make the short drive to the general store tomorrow since a baby’s needs never ended. For now, they had enough formula to get through the next couple of days. Raesha would have preferred mother’s milk, but that wasn’t an option. She would buy more supplies to make a more natural formula for little Dinah.

“Stop spluttering and talk to me,” Naomi called again.

She and Dinah sat by the heating stove since the day had turned chilly. The afternoon skies looked stormy and the wind blustered around the house. They’d opened the shop for a few hours but had not had a lot of visitors. So they closed the front early and left the workers in the back to their tasks.

People knew to knock on the front door if they needed to pick up an order. They also took orders to the Hartford General Store in town, the closest thing they had to a Pennsylvania Dutch market. Mr. Hartford, an Englischer, sold a lot of Amish wares on consignment and paid them as needed.

When she heard a knock, Raesha jumped. Her nerves were sorely rattled today.

“I’ll see who it is,” she said, nervous energy bouncing off her.

Raesha opened the door to find Josiah Fisher standing there, wet and shivering in the wind, his hat dripping a pool of water on the porch rug.

“Josiah,” she said on a surprised gasp. “Kumm inside.”

Why was he back so soon? Why did he look so wonderfully good, his dark eyes moving over her in shades of doubt? He had broad shoulders and a sturdy build. Why was she even thinking such things while he stood there in the damp air?

He stepped inside and she shut the door, her arms gathered against her stomach. “Did you need something?”

“I’m sorry to bother you again but it’s going to take longer than a day to fix up the house. I was headed back to the inn after I went into town to load some wood, but Mr. Hartford at the general store said you sometimes rent out rooms. I was wondering if I could possibly rent the grossdaddi haus out back. It would help me so much to be near my place and I can visit with Dinah some, too.” He paused, his head dipping down. “If that would be all right.”

His expression held a longing and a need that Raesha couldn’t deny.

But could she tolerate his being so close to Dinah?

And so near to her?




Chapter Three (#u7b612a99-7ae3-5462-bb92-9cede9c2eed1)


Josiah took off his hat and hung it on a peg Naomi indicated by the door. Then he sat at the kitchen table while the woman took Dinah with her and Raesha into another room to discuss whether or not they could rent the grossdaddi haus to him. He hadn’t thought this through and now he regretted blurting out his proposal to Raesha.

She obviously didn’t want him around. Did she find him revolting and unappealing or was she afraid he’d take the babe away in the middle of the night?

He’d been so frantic earlier while loading boards at the general store. With the weather turning bad and the idea of either sleeping in a cold house with a burned-out roof on one side or taking his buggy back the fifteen miles to get another room at the inn since he’d given up the one he had, Josiah had voiced his worries to Mr. Hartford.

That’s when the kindly storekeeper had suggested this solution. “The Bawell ladies are kind and they have often opened their home to those in need. They make money off their millinery shop and sell other items there—mostly for the tourists who come through. But they need all the income they can find. That’s a mighty big place.”

Josiah stood and stared out the wide window over the sink. Such a pretty spot, too. He barely remembered the Bawells but then, he’d tried to put his memories of Campton Creek behind him. He did remember that their son, Aaron, maybe a year or so older than Josiah, had spoken to him often at church gatherings and such. Raesha must have come along after Josiah and Josie had moved away.

A big mistake, that. His feisty younger sister had started acting out when she reached her teen years. He’d hoped she’d sown all of her wild oats during her rumspringa but Josephine Fisher was determined to see the world outside their small settlement. He still didn’t know if she’d ever been baptized.

But he did believe his troubled sister had been running from something.

Well, she’d seen the world all right. His heart bumped at the weight of seeing that bobbeli that only reminded him of his failure as a brother. Was the man she’d been engaged to the father of that baby? Or had she strayed?

If Dinah was even her child, of course.

He’d come back here to salvage the farm and maybe sell it to help pay back his cousin’s kindness. But he’d done that only in hopes of finding Josie. But if she’d been here and left this child with these kind women, she’d also done her homework.

What better place to abandon a baby?

He wondered if she’d come home, thinking to open up the house and instead, alone and afraid, had found it wasn’t livable. Had she dropped off her child in a fit of despair?

Could she still be in the area?

He’d reached Nathan Craig, a man known for tracking down missing Amish. Nathan had already talked to several people who’d seen a young woman fitting her description and carrying a baby. But she could easily blend in here among the other younger women. Someone could be hiding her. He didn’t know and now he had other things to consider. The house repairs and, possibly, an infant niece.

Thinking he’d leave and not bother these women again until they all went to the community center tomorrow, Josiah turned to leave.

“Josiah?”

He pivoted at the door to find Raesha standing at the edge of the big long living room. “I’m sorry,” he said. “I was aggravated and cold and hungry earlier. Never mind me asking about staying here. I do not think that’s wise.”

“We don’t mind,” she said, but she didn’t sound sure. “I will have to clear it with the bishop and we’d lock the door to the long porch that connects the grossdaddi haus to this house. We don’t use that way much now so it’s usually locked anyway. We tend to go out the side door by the shop.”

“I would not harm you or bother you,” he said, hope gaining speed again. “I won’t show up on your doorstep again. I just need a place close by while I rebuild my house.”

“I understand,” Raesha said. “It makes sense and we do often rent out equipment and the occasional room. We often have relatives visiting for long periods and they find the grossdaddi haus comfortable.”

“I don’t want to impose.”

“It’s no bother,” she said. “But we will have to consider what to do if Dinah is truly your niece.”

“I had planned to sell the place, but I wouldn’t want to take her away.” He paused. “I told my onkel and cousins I’d be back. I borrowed traveling money from my onkel and one of my cousins is angry with me.”

Raesha’s expression softened at that. “I’m sorry to hear of your hardship. Maybe you can send them the money even if you decide to stay. It might take longer to pay off but at least they’d know you mean to do so. Once you have your house in order she—Dinah—would be right next door.”

He grabbed at hope. And he’d be right next to Raesha. “You could visit her often.”

“And watch her if you need us.”

They seemed to be reaching a truce of sorts.

Josiah gazed at the woman across the room, their eyes holding with a push and pull that reminded him of a rope tug.

“I did call Mr. Craig. People have seen someone matching her description in town and the woman was carrying a baby. But no one can be sure.”

“Then there is hope that she will return,” Raesha said. “I pray God will give us insight.

“If your sister comes back, we will do what we can for her,” Raesha said, her tone soft and quiet. “You can still do what you set out to do and Naomi and I will continue on.”

Josiah nodded and rubbed his face. “This is a gut plan, ja?”

“That remains to be seen,” Raesha replied. “Meantime, you are here and it’s storming out there. You will stay for supper.”

“I will?”

She smiled at the surprise in his question. “If you are so inclined.”

“I’m inclined,” he said. “Whatever’s simmering on that stove smells mighty gut.”

“Then sit by the fire and I’ll go and tell Naomi we have reached an agreement. We will discuss the details after supper.”

“You are a very forceful woman,” he said, moving across to the welcoming heat coming from the woodstove.

“I am a woman on my own with a mother-in-law I hold dear and with way more property than I can handle. I’ve learned to be forceful. Some frown on that, however.”

He smiled. “I’m not one of them.”

She inclined her head, her eyes going dark gray in the glow from the gas lamps. Then she turned and went into the other room to get Naomi.

* * *

Raesha let out a deep breath. “It’s settled.”

Naomi watched over Dinah. They’d found a huge straw basket that would make do for a bassinet for now and covered it with blankets so Dinah would be comfortable and safe. It sat by Raesha’s bed. She had a comfortable room that held the bed, two side chairs and a large but simply made armoire that had stored her clothes along with Aaron’s. His were gone now, donated to someone in need.

The room seemed cheerier with the big basket on the floor, a baby sleeping inside.

Naomi rose from the chair she’d taken near the baby’s bed. “Gut. Our neighbor is in need. We will help him as we can.”

“At what cost?” Raesha asked in a whisper.

“It costs us nothing to be kind,” her mother-in-law reminded her.

“But the baby—”

“Is not ours either way.”

“You’re right,” she said, feeling as if she were sitting on a fence and couldn’t decide which way to jump. “You’re right.”

“Let’s go and have our supper,” Naomi replied, taking Raesha by the hand. “A good meal will ease our concerns and maybe we can get to know Josiah a bit more, ain’t so?”

Raesha nodded. “Ja. I need to know all kinds of things.”

Naomi gave her a knowing look, her shrewd eyes still strong enough to see more than she let on.

“For the bobbeli’s sake.”

Raesha echoed that. “For Dinah’s sake. Nothing more.”

But there was a lot more going on here than an abandoned baby sleeping away and a stranger eating supper with them.

Her life had changed dramatically overnight.

But she wasn’t so sure she would like this change.

* * *

“The meal is wonderful,” Josiah said, glancing across the table at Raesha. “Do you share cooking duties?”

Naomi held up a wrinkled hand. “I used to run this kitchen but old age has slowed me down. But Raesha is a fast learner and her mother taught her well before she came to live with us.”

“We cook for special occasions and frolics, church gatherings and market days,” Raesha said, the coziness of the night making her mellow. “But for the two of us, we measure out and don’t waste anything.”

“A good rule,” Josiah replied. “Josie and I were not the best of cooks but we managed. When we first moved to Ohio, we were both so distraught. We’d lost our parents and our relatives didn’t much know what to do with us.”

“Did you live with some of them?” Raesha asked, her mind wound tight with so many questions.

“For a while we lived with our uncle but he had a large family to begin with. I made a little money doing odd jobs and we moved into a small house that my cousin owned near them. That worked for a while but Josie was not happy. It’s hard to explain death to a child who is old enough to grasp it but still young enough to want her parents.” He took a bite of the chicken casserole and broke off a piece of freshly baked bread. “She only got worse as she grew. I think she’d held a lot inside for a long time. We both had.”

“I’m sure you did your best,” Naomi said, her tone gentle.

“I tried.”

He looked so dejected Raesha again felt an overwhelming sympathy for him. “You were young, too. Did you seek help from the ministers or the bishop?”

“I tried to get Josie more involved in the youth singings and frolics. She always was shy and quiet. She wouldn’t speak up and she didn’t know how to fight for herself.” He looked down at the bread on his plate. “Our daddi didn’t like women to speak up much.”

Naomi shot Raesha a measured glance.

They both knew that the man was the head of the household but what most didn’t know or understand was that the woman was the heart of the household and kept things running smoothly, all the while holding things close to her heart and praying to God to show her the strength she needed each day.

“We all have our roles to play,” Naomi said.

“Ja, and some take their positions very seriously,” Raesha replied. “My husband, Aaron, was a gut man who followed the tenets of our faith but he was never harsh or cruel.”

“Nor was his father, my husband, Hyam Bawell,” Naomi said, nodding. “Different people have different ways of doing things.”

“I didn’t mean to imply I went against my father,” Josiah said, clearly shaken. “He took care of us and provided for us. But he never seemed content.”

Content.

That word echoed inside Raesha’s head. She’d been content a few days ago. Today, her life seemed confusing and unpredictable.

The man sitting across from her wasn’t helping matters.

She wondered what would have happened if he hadn’t shown up at their door. Or if they’d hidden the baby away until he was gone.

But no, that kind of attitude went against her nature and she was very sure Naomi felt the same way.

“May he rest in peace,” she said. Then she looked over at Josiah. “And may you live in peace.”

Josiah’s eyes widened. “Denke. You have both been very kind to me.”

After they’d each had a slice of spice cake, Naomi stood. “My bedtime has arrived. I’ll help with the dishes and then I’ll say good-night. Raesha, you can give Josiah the keys to the grossdaddi haus. I trust him to do what is right.”

“And what about the bishop?” Raesha asked. “He still needs to hear what we’ve planned.”

“I will speak again with the bishop tomorrow when we are out and about,” Naomi said. She shrugged. “He probably will nod and bless us since he’s used to this house being a refuge for those in need.”

“Go on to bed, then, and sleep well,” Raesha replied. “I’ll take care of cleaning up.”

“Let me help,” Josiah said. He must have seen her shocked expression. “I batch myself. I know how to clean a kitchen.”

“That is kind of you,” she replied, acutely aware that they were alone but Naomi was in the next room. “Once we’re done, I’ll take you across the porch and show you where everything is.”

His rich brown eyes brightened. “It will be nice to have a dry, clean place to sleep.”

They went about their work in silence but Raesha had to wonder what he’d seen and done since he’d been away. Had this lonely, hurting man been sleeping out in the elements? He’d mentioned the inn on the other side of town. But where had he been before then?

Just one of the many mysteries surrounding her handsome new neighbor.

No, make that the handsome single man who would now be staying on her property.

Confusing and unpredictable.

But she couldn’t turn back now. She had a child to consider. Tomorrow would the beginning of something new either way.




Chapter Four (#u7b612a99-7ae3-5462-bb92-9cede9c2eed1)


“You two go on,” Naomi said the next morning. “It’s too cold out there for old people and tiny babies.”

Raesha glanced from where Naomi sat by the fire holding Dinah, her gaze meeting Josiah’s. He stood in the kitchen, waiting with a tight somber apprehension.

He’d knocked on the door bright and early, stating a call had come in to the shop for him. One of the workers saw him outside on the tiny back porch and gave him a message to call back immediately.

“Mr. Craig has news,” he said the minute Raesha let him inside. “He will meet me at the Campton Center.” Then Josiah had asked if they wanted to go with him.

But Naomi had decided she didn’t want to do that.

“Your mother-in-law does bring up a good point,” he said now. “It is cold out there and damp at that. You and I can talk to him. We need advice on how to handle this.”

Raesha couldn’t refuse. They needed to know if Dinah was his niece or not. He had to be there to explain and ply his case and she needed to be there to hear the instructions and see to it they both understood how to proceed. She’d also back him up on his claim. How could she not?

“Well, you certainly do not need to be out in this weather,” she told Naomi. “Are you sure you’ll be okay here with little Dinah?”

“I’ll be just fine,” Naomi replied, her eyes on the bobbeli. “Dinah and I will have a gut talk about life.”

“We do have Susan Raber coming to run the shop today,” Raesha said, glad she’d been able to send word to their reliable helper. “If you need anything, she will be right next door and she has experience with little ones.”

“Ja,” Naomi said on a chuckle. “The girl has eight brothers and sisters.”

Raesha had long ago learned to ignore the pang of hurt in her heart each time she thought of big families. “That she does, so I shall not worry. Josiah and I will find out what needs to be done and then we’ll stop at the general store and get what supplies we might need.”

“Don’t forget to pick up what we need to make fresh formula,” Naomi reminded them, her eyes bright with expectation.

And something else that Raesha hoped Josiah didn’t notice.

Naomi loved to try to match Raesha up with eligible men. She tried to be subtle about it, but Raesha had sat through too many painful suppers to miss that gleam in Naomi’s kind eyes.

“We will get what we need,” Raesha said as she went about gathering her heavy cloak and bonnet. She’d dressed in a dark maroon winter dress and dark sneakers and stockings. This first burst of cold weather had come on suddenly.

Just like the man who was about to escort her to town.

She shouldn’t feel so nervous but her jitters were from anticipation and a bit of anxiousness to find out the truth about little Dinah. But she was also nervous about being alone with Josiah. She trusted Josiah and knew he would respect her and keep her safe, but something about going off alone with a man who wasn’t her husband did give her pause.

She missed Aaron with the sharpness of a knife carving out her heart, and the guilt she felt at even thinking about Josiah as handsome and strong made her purse her lips and stick as close as she could to her side of the big black covered buggy they used during the winter. Chester, the standardbred horse, was not happy being out in the cold. The gelding snorted his disdain and tossed his dark mane. Maybe the usually docile animal sensed the tension between Raesha and Josiah?

“The Campton Center is in the middle of town,” she said to ease that tension. The cold wind whipped at her bonnet and cloak, making Raesha shiver.

She loved spring and summer. Winter, which seemed determined to arrive early, made her sad. Aaron had died a few weeks before Christmas. But this year, they might have a baby in the house. Or nearby at least.

Josiah didn’t say much. Was he as wound up as she felt?

“I’m sorry you don’t know where you sister is,” she said, wishing she could ease that burden. Wishing she knew the truth about this whole unexpected situation.

“I appreciate that but she must be close by.” He watched the road for too-fast cars and clicked the reins. Chester pranced and settled into a steady, chopping gait. “I searched for her down in Kentucky but no one knew anything. The man to whom she was engaged went off on his own to search for her so I didn’t even get to talk to him.”

“I can’t imagine how hard that must be for you,” Raesha said. “Naomi and I said a prayer for you and your family last night.”

And she’d been in constant prayer since little Dinah had shown up on her doorstep. The adorable girl was so sweet and had such a happy disposition Raesha didn’t want to think about having to let her go.

“I came back here to check on the property but mainly to see if Josie might be here,” he said, his gaze slipping over her face. “And because a friend of Josie’s heard her talking about wanting to come back to Campton Creek and the home she remembered. She was never happy living in Ohio. She’s had a hard time of it since our mamm and daed passed.”

“I suspect you have, too,” Raesha said before she could stop herself.

“I have at that,” he replied, his eyes on the road, his expression stoic and set in stone. “I worked hard for my uncle and cousins but I never did fit in with them. I couldn’t find a suitable wife even when they tried to marry me off. Coming back here seemed a good choice since I hoped to find Josie here, too.”

So his family had tried to match him with someone, but had obviously failed. Was he that hard to deal with?

Not from what she’d seen.

“But you’ve possibly found your young niece.”

“Hard to believe but I do hope it’s so.” He clicked the reins. “I know it is so.”

They made it to town and the main thoroughfare, aptly called Creek Road since it followed the many streams jutting from the big meandering creek. Raesha pointed as they passed the Hartford General Store. The building, painted red and trimmed in white, covered a whole block.

“The Campton Center is just around the corner. The big brick house with a clear view of the creek and the other covered bridge that we call the West Bridge.”

Josiah nodded, eyeing the massive house on one side and the creek and bridge on the other. “It’s smaller than the big bridge to the east.”

“Ja, the creek deepens there toward the east,” she said, going on to explain how a young girl almost drowned there a while back. “Jeremiah Weaver, who returned to us almost two years ago, now teaches swimming lessons for all the kinder.”

“Gut idea,” Josiah said as he pulled the buggy in to the designated parking for the Amish across from the Campton Center. “This place is impressive.”

“Yes. Mrs. Campton has been generous with our community. She has no living children and her husband, who served in the navy, died last year. They lost their only son when he was off serving the country.”

Josiah stared up at the house. “We all have our battles to fight.”

Raesha stared over at him and saw the anguish in his expression. She had to wonder what kind of battles he’d fought to return to a place that brought him both good and bad memories.

What if he never found his sister? What if Dinah truly was his niece? Would he take the child and leave again once he’d sold the old place?

He glanced over at her, his eyes holding hers. He seemed to want to say something but she didn’t give him time.

“We should get inside.”

Josiah nodded and tied up the horse before coming around to offer her his hand.

Raesha let him help her out of the buggy, then she moved ahead of him, his touch burning a reminder throughout her system.

You can’t do this. You mustn’t get attached to this man. The child needs you. He doesn’t.

And I don’t need him either.

She’d be wise to remember that.

* * *

“Hello, I’m Alisha Braxton.”

The young female lawyer smiled and reached out her hand. Josiah removed his hat, and held it against his chest and then shook her hand. Raesha nodded and gave her a smile.

Josiah introduced himself and then turned to Raesha. “This is Raesha Bawell.”

The other woman took Raesha’s hand. “It’s nice to meet you, Mrs. Bawell. I’ve shopped at your place many times while doing pro bono work here.”

“Denke,” Raesha said, glancing at the pastoral painting on the wall that depicted an Amish farm in the mist. She recognized the work as belonging to a local Amish woman who painted.

Alisha Braxton had golden blond hair that fell around her shoulders and pretty green eyes that held a strong resolve. She wore a navy blue business suit. “Have a seat and let’s see what I can do to help you two. You look like a nice couple. Why do you need legal help?”

Raesha shook her head. “We are not a couple.”

Looking confused, the pretty woman with the expressive green eyes laughed. “Oh, I just assumed you might be remarrying, Mrs. Bawell. I’m sorry.”

Raesha let out a gasp, a blush heating her face. “No, that is not the case.”

Josiah took over. “Mrs. Bawell is my neighbor. We need to find out if the baby she found on her porch is my niece.”

The woman’s eyes went wide. “Oh, I see.” Turning to Raesha, she said, “Let’s start at the beginning. You found a baby on your porch? When did this happen? And where is the baby now?”

“Three nights ago. My mother-in-law has the child at my home.” Raesha cleared her throat and tried to explain things in chronological order. “We have taken in children before but those were mostly family and friends. But we talked to the bishop and since the note indicated the mother is Amish, he allowed us to keep the child for a while.”

“I see,” the woman replied. “So why are you here?”

Raesha began to wonder why herself.

But she went on. “Yesterday, Mr. Fisher showed up and he believes, based on her appearance and a baby kapp we found in the basket with his sister’s initials stitched inside, that the child is his niece.”

Glancing at Josiah, she said, “I came here with him to seek advice and to see what his investigator has found. My mother-in-law has Dinah and we have a woman nearby in our shop if she needs help.”

Looking impressed, the young woman nodded, her wavy hair grazing her shoulders. “Who is your investigator, Mr. Fisher?”

“Nathan Craig,” Josiah said. “I first contacted him when Josie went missing in Kentucky. But we never found her. When I got word she might be back in this area, I called him again. He is supposed to be good at tracking Amish.”

The woman’s face went blank but her eyes said a lot that didn’t seem in Mr. Craig’s favor. “Yes, he is good at that. He used to be Amish.”

Raesha let that settle. It happened. People who left somehow always came back around in one way or another. But they didn’t always rejoin the Amish community or confess and ask for forgiveness.

“So you know him?” Josiah asked.

“More than I care to admit,” the lawyer lady said. “But he is the best at his job. Is he meeting you here?”

“He has arrived,” a deep voice said from the open door.

“Mr. Craig.” Josiah stood and shook the man’s hand while Raesha took it all in.

The man looked world-weary, his expression edged with darkness while his brilliant blue eyes burned bright. His gaze moved over them and bounced back to Alisha Braxton and stayed on her for longer than necessary.

“Good to see you again, Alisha,” he said.

“I wish I could say the same,” Miss Braxton replied.

Raesha noticed the way the lawyer woman said that.

Seemed the pretty female lawyer might have a beef with the handsome private investigator. Raesha hoped their personal differences wouldn’t interfere with Josiah’s problem.

Maybe Raesha had read too many Amish mysteries.

The man leaned back against a table off to the side, his boots scraping the hardwood floor. “Okay, so let’s get to this.”

“What have you found?” Josiah asked, the hope in his voice piercing Raesha’s resolve.

Mr. Craig reached inside his leather jacket pocket and pulled out a notepad. “Exactly what we needed. A lead on your sister,” he said. “According to several people I talked to in another Amish community not far from here, about three months ago a young girl matching Josie’s sketched picture was rushed to a nearby hospital where she had a baby girl.”

“That’s not definitive information,” Alisha said. “Amish women about to give birth are rushed to the hospital all the time. It could have been someone who resembled the missing girl.”

“Yes, but several people knew of her and said she kept to herself. She was staying at a bed-and-breakfast and the owner verified that and the fact that she was pregnant. She went into labor in the middle of the night. The owner called for an ambulance. I also went to the hospital and asked around.”

Standing, he turned to lean against the wall. “They couldn’t tell me everything but when I explained this was an Amish girl and that her brother had hired me to find her, the hospital officials verified that a woman matching her description had been a patient there but she’d left without officially checking out.”

“Did they verify that she’d had a baby?”

“No.”

“What else?” Alisha asked. “Because you always manage to dig information out of people.”

“I might have cornered an aide in the maternity ward.”

She gave him a stern look. “And what might you have found?”

“I told her the truth. That Mr. Fisher was searching for his sister, and that he was concerned for her safety. The aide verified by nodding to my questions, that a woman named Josie had a baby there and that she’d left without being discharged.”

Alisha shook her head. “One day your backdoor tactics are going to get you in serious trouble, Nathan.”

“I’ll take what I can get to help that girl and her child.”

Turning to Raesha, Josiah nodded, tears in his eyes. “Dinah is my niece.”

Mr. Craig twisted to smile at Alisha Braxton. “While we haven’t verified proof yet, Josiah, I believe you’re kin to the baby the Bawell women found.”

“Does that mean we don’t have to report this or send Dinah away?”

Mr. Craig turned to Alisha, lifting his hands up. “Well?”

She glared at him for a moment and then said, “If the mother didn’t receive an official certificate at the time of birth, it’s going to be hard to prove this. The HIPAA rules won’t allow for much more.”

“And I can’t get access to the birth certificate,” Nathan said. “But Josiah could file for a copy at the Department of Vital Records. You have the mother’s name and the baby’s name. And in the state of Pennsylvania, the father can’t even be listed on the birth certificate if they’re not married. He has no rights if his name is not on that document.”

Crossing her arms, Alisha gave Nathan Craig a heavy appraisal. “He’s right there, but none of your tricks, Nathan. This is a serious matter.”

“I told you,” he explained. “I’m doing this close to the book, but with the Amish, certain English rules don’t necessarily apply. The searches are difficult at best.”

The lawyer lady’s eyebrows went up. “In this case, we have a missing Amish mother fitting the description of Josie Fisher, who left the hospital with her baby in the middle of the night. Most Amish don’t have an official birth certificate, and if this was Josie, she obviously didn’t take the time to grab one.”

“Should I try to get a copy of the original?” Josiah asked.

“We can do it right here, online, since we have most of the information,” Mr. Craig said. “If Josie used her own name and recorded the baby’s name, it’s worth a shot. You can file since you are related and have the same last name.”

“I can walk you through it, Mr. Fisher,” Alisha Braxton said. “We have to try but it might be hard if the baby wasn’t assigned a social security number and you can’t provide one.”

Josiah bobbed his head. “You see, Josie wanted me to find the baby. She must have come here to the old place and seen it wasn’t livable. Somehow, she knew about the Bawells taking in people. Maybe she wanted to ask for their help and panicked. But she left Dinah, to keep her baby safe.”

“She didn’t return to the bed-and-breakfast where she’d been staying,” Nathan said. “That means she must be moving around. I’ll start checking homeless shelters and women’s shelters next, with your permission.”

Alisha lifted up in her chair. “Okay, your findings give us a strong indication that we’re on the right track. Even with access to her medical records, the hospital can’t just hand over information. But a birth record would help solidify Dinah staying within the Amish community.”

“So she could stay with Josiah?” Raesha asked. “Maybe if Josie knows her child is with her brother, she’ll return to Campton Creek.”

“I hope so,” Alisha said. “Normally, Mr. Fisher, you’d have to file for guardianship, but seeing as your sister is Amish, that makes the baby Amish. And I understand the Amish tend to take care of their own.”

Mr. Craig leaned down to stare at Alisha Braxton. “I’m impressed. You rarely veer from the letter of the law.”

“Sometimes, the laws become a little gray in certain areas,” she explained. “And the Amish are one of those areas.” Then she looked at Josiah. “But I expect you to be responsible for this child. The Bawells will help you, because it’s the Amish way. But ultimately, the responsibility falls on your shoulders since her mother is missing and, apparently, her father is not legally involved.”

Josiah nodded. “I wonder if that’s why she ran away. Maybe something happened to the man she was to marry.”

“That’s a question to ask her if you ever find her,” the lawyer said. “I know this is hard on you but the bonnet with the initials is a strong indicator, as is the fact that she left the baby near your old home, with two women known for taking in orphans and people in need. That shows she was thinking of the baby’s safety, and you came here not long after she had to have been nearby. She might be keeping tabs on you and could come back on her own.”

“So we’re all clear?” Josiah asked. “I won’t do anything illegal but I want my niece with me.”

“You’ve done everything right, Mr. Fisher,” Alisha Braxton said. “Even hiring this irritating man.”

“Thank you,” the man said, his expression full of gratitude. Then he looked at Josiah. “But Josiah, your sister is still missing. She allegedly left the hospital at the end of May. Now I can focus on my continuing search, loaded with a lot more information.”

“Please keep searching,” Josiah said, worry clouding his features. “We will keep Dinah safe but we need to find Josie.”

Mr. Craig stood. “Sometimes, people don’t want to be found.”

Again, a look passed between him and the lady lawyer. What secrets do they have between them? Raesha wondered.




Chapter Five (#u7b612a99-7ae3-5462-bb92-9cede9c2eed1)


“I have to get back at it,” Mr. Craig said while Alisha filed for the birth certificate and explained the process as she went. Glancing at Raesha, he offered his hand. “We weren’t formally introduced. I’m Nathan Craig.”

“Raesha Bawell,” she said, briefly shaking his big hand. “Thank you. Dinah is precious and we so want to keep her safe.”

“Now you can do it legally,” he replied. “Nice to know Josiah’s got some good people to help him.”

Alisha stood and scooted around him. “So we don’t need DNA and no need to call in social services. You should receive a copy of the birth certificate in a few days, Mr. Fisher. It will arrive at the shop’s address. Is there anything else I can help you with?”

“I just need my sister found,” Josiah said. “Denke.”

“I’ll do my best,” Nathan Craig said. “I’ll walk you two out.”

Raesha stood and nodded to Alisha. “Denke.”

“Of course.” The other woman’s smile held a trace of sadness. Her work had to be difficult.

Giving Alisha a good long glance, she felt Josiah nudging her toward the door where Mr. Craig stood waiting.

“We don’t want to get lost on the way out,” Josiah said with a smile.

“It is a big place.” Alisha followed them out into the long, wide entry hall. “But I’m the first door on the left. Always. Used to be the dining room.”

“You’ve been very helpful,” Raesha said.

“I hope this all works in your favor,” Alisha replied.

“So do we.” Josiah turned, his eyes on Raesha.

Alisha sent a knowing glance to Raesha, matching Raesha’s earlier one to her.

Raesha decided Englisch and Amish women had something in common at least.

Trying to understand men.

* * *

When they arrived back home, Josiah took care of the buggy and the horses and then turned to stare at Raesha. “Are you sure you want to do this?”

“What do you mean?” she asked, fear clogging her throat.

“I’m asking so much of you already, and now, a little one to watch over and take care of. It’s not fair to you.”

“It would be unfair for you to have to hire someone else when I am standing right here and I’m able and willing to help for the sake of the child,” she retorted, her tone firm. “Now stop your spluttering and let’s get inside.”

He lowered his head, a smile twitching at his lips.

“Do you find my words amusing, Josiah?”

Lifting his gaze, his eyes filled with mirth. “Ja, I do. You are one bossy woman.”

She raised her chin. “I have learned to be firm. I employ several people, both men and women. I’m trying to be practical. There is a need and I’m filling it.” Then she looked toward the house. “How could I not want to hold Dinah and take care of her? She is beautiful and she needs a woman’s touch.”

“So you think I can’t handle a child on my own?”

“No, I think you should not have to handle this all on your own. We are friends and, for now, neighbors. You are renting rooms in my home. It makes sense to me to leave her with Mammi Naomi and me while you are doing your work.” Giving him her best stubborn glare, she added, “Unless you have a plan on how you can do both.”

Josiah shook his head. “My only plan was to get her back.” Looking sheepish, he said, “I accept your help. I will never question you about this again.”

Relief washed over Raesha. “Gut. It’s early yet but I have not eaten since breakfast. Now let’s go in and have some dinner.”

“Are you inviting me, then?”

“It seems I am at that. We might as well feed you, too, ain’t so?”

“I will do what I can around here to help pay you back,” he said, humility coloring the words. “I owe you and Mammi Naomi a great debt.”

“We do this out of love,” she retorted. “Love for a helpless man.” Then her lips crinkled. “And for a helpless friend, too, it seems.”

Josiah’s expression changed from agony to happiness again. “I am helpless in this area and many others, that is true. But I believe your good habits will rub off on me.”

“We will see about that,” Raesha replied before marching past him to get out of the brisk wind.





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