An Unexpected Amish Romance Read online

  “Did I? I don’t think so.”

  “How could he get out of the house unless you let him out? Perhaps you forgot that you opened the front door for some reason,” Mark suggested.

  Charlotte pressed her lips together and shook her head. “I didn’t open the front door, and I didn’t open the back door. I did open my bedroom window. He must have gone out that way.”

  Helen looked at Mark. “The window is much too high for him to jump out.”

  “He got out somehow.” Mark took another bite of his delicious roll. They were about the best he’d ever had.

  Charlotte smiled at Mark. “I’m mighty glad Clyde fetched you here in time to join us for breakfast. He’s a very sociable fellow. When he likes a person, he can’t keep it a secret.” She moved to the cupboard and took down a cup and plate for herself.

  Clyde left his empty bowl and sat beside Mark with his eyes fixed on the remaining half of the cinnamon roll on Mark’s plate. He woofed once then planted his front feet on Mark’s leg and tried to grab it. Mark yanked the prize away before Clyde’s teeth made contact.

  “See how much he likes you,” Charlotte said in delight.

  Mark scowled as the dog sank back to the floor with his eyes still fixed on the plate in Mark’s hand. “I see how much he likes my food. He has mighty poor manners.”

  Clyde seemed to sense he wasn’t going to get anything from Mark. He padded around the table to Charlotte’s chair. She bent to take the dog’s face between her hands and rub his wrinkled face. “You are a fine hund. Even Mark says so.”

  Helen caught Mark’s look of disbelief and shrugged. “Aenti, would you like a cinnamon bun, too?”

  Charlotte clapped her hands like a delighted child. “Danki, I dreamed about them all night long. It’s so kind of you to make them for me. I could bake them myself, but I think food always tastes better when someone else makes it with love. Don’t you agree, Mark?”

  “If the same recipe and the same ingredients are used, I don’t see how the taste could vary.” He rose and pushed in his chair. “I have to get to work. Please make sure that Clyde stays at home tonight.”

  Charlotte glanced at the clock on the wall. “It is getting late. Helen, you must hurry and get ready. You don’t want to keep Mark waiting.”

  “Waiting for what?” he asked, a perplexed look on his face.

  “Why, to give Helen a ride to work, of course. That’s why you stopped by, isn’t it? So very thoughtful of you.”

  “You don’t need to wait for me,” Helen said quickly.

  Charlotte rose from the table. “Of course he does. How can he take you to work if he doesn’t wait? Hurry along, dear. I’ll box up your rolls. It was very sweet of you to go out of your way for my niece, Mark. I’ll be sure and mention to Isaac and Anna what kindness you’ve shown her.” She opened a cupboard and pulled out some plastic containers.

  Mark sighed heavily. “I’m happy to do it. If Helen will hurry up.”

  She pulled off her apron and dashed toward her room at the back of the house. In record time, she had her hair in a bun that wasn’t quite straight but would have to do. Pinning her kapp in place, she pulled on a clean white apron and hurried back to the kitchen. Mark wasn’t there.

  A sharp stab of disappointment surprised her. It couldn’t be that she was eager to spend more time with him. That was ridiculous. She didn’t even like him.

  Okay, she liked him a little. “I guess he got tired of waiting and left without me.”

  “Nee, I had him carry the rolls out. He’s waiting for you in the buggy. Have a nice day, dear, and do ask everyone to keep a lookout for Juliet. I can’t imagine why she hasn’t come home.”

  Tears shimmered in her aunt’s eyes. Helen gave her a hug and kissed her cheek. “We’ll find her. Don’t give up hope.”

  “I won’t, for I know the Lord cares for all His creatures. Run along. I don’t think Mark likes to be kept waiting. If I didn’t know better, I’d think he was annoyed with us.”

  Helen hurried out the door, knowing her aunt was right for a change.

  * * *

  Mark drummed the fingers of his left hand on the armrest of his door. His buggy horse tossed her head, sensing his eagerness to be off, but he held her in check. Finally, Helen climbed in on the passenger’s side. He slapped the reins, and the mare lunged ahead. Helen fell against the seat back with a tiny shriek.

  “Sorry.” He guided his horse down the lane and onto the highway, taking the corner fast enough to send Helen toppling against him.

  “Sorry,” he said again as she righted herself and scooted away. He urged the horse to a faster pace.

  Helen straightened her kapp. “You can stop here.”

  “Why?”

  “Because we are out of Aenti Charlotte’s sight and I’d like to get to work in one piece.”

  He scowled at her. “Are you criticizing my driving?”

  Helen braced her hands against the dash. “I know you’re upset, but please slow down.”

  “Why would I be upset? Because that ridiculous dog woke me in the middle of the night two nights in a row? Because your narrish aenti has decided to play matchmaker between us?”

  “Matchmaker? What are you talking about?”

  “Anyone with half a brain could see what she was doing. She practically forced me to take you up in my buggy.”

  “She did not.”

  “If we are seen riding together there will be talk.”

  “Now you are being ridiculous.”

  “Am I? You and the dozen other single women who have descended on Bowmans Crossing this summer are husband hunting and everyone knows it.”

  “I can’t speak for anyone else, but I am not. I repeat, I am not looking for a husband.” She smacked her fist against her chest. “I intend to earn my own living.”

  “Ha!”

  She crossed her arms and glared at him. “What’s wrong with a woman wanting an independent life?”

  “Nothing, if she can’t get a man to marry her.”

  She sucked in an audible breath and turned her face away. He’d hit a nerve. “Oh, I see how it is. You had a beau but he decided he was better off without you. Smart man.”

  “I don’t wish to discuss it.”

  “I imagine he’s celebrating his escape.”

  “Did it ever occur to you that maybe I called it off?” The catch in her voice stung his conscience. She was on the verge of tears, and he was being a lout.

  He slowed his horse and brought the buggy to a stop. She had been crying the first time he saw her, and he didn’t believe it was because she had broken it off with some fellow. “I’m sorry, Helen. My words were cruel. I don’t know what came over me. I’m not normally like this.”

  She cleared her throat. “Lack of sleep might be the culprit. That would make me grumpy.”

  “You are kind to offer me an excuse, but I’m in the wrong, and I beg your forgiveness.”

  She wiped her cheek with one hand and sniffed. “You are forgiven.”

  He sat quietly for a long moment, wondering what to say next and how to regain the ease that had existed between them earlier. He glanced at her, seated beside him with her head bowed. “Your aunt is eccentric.”

  That coaxed a smile from her. “Tell me something I don’t know. Now you understand why I must have a job. I want to get a place of my own, and the sooner the better.”

  “Are you sure she doesn’t have matchmaking on her mind?”

  “She has informed me that you have a girlfriend back in Pennsylvania, but your brother is free, so I don’t think matchmaking between us is her intent. However, I can’t be sure of anything where she is concerned except that she loves her silly dog, and she is worried half to death about Juliet.”

  He didn’t have a girl back home anymore. He was tempted to tell Helen
about Angela’s letter, but he squashed the impulse. “Any thoughts on how to find the raccoon?”

  She glanced at him. “I hoped you would have some ideas.”

  “I think I can come up with a workable plan. First, you should ask the folks at the workshop to keep a lookout for her. All of them live in this area. Then, I will have Jessica make some lost-pet flyers. We can post them around the neighborhood and at other businesses.”

  “That’s a fine notion.”

  “Where was she last seen?”

  “At my aunt’s house the evening after the frolic.”

  “We should concentrate our flyers and searches at the houses closest to yours and then work outward.”

  “Danki. From the bottom of my heart, I mean that.”

  “For what?”

  “For taking Juliet’s disappearance seriously.”

  He clicked his tongue to get the horse moving again. “Don’t give me too much credit. I have a selfish motive. If we find Juliet, then maybe Clyde will stay home and let me get a good night’s sleep.”

  “I promise I will do everything in my power to see that he stays home from now on.”

  “I’m going to hold you to that. Why do you think he keeps coming to my uncle’s house?”

  “Who knows? Maybe he truly likes you and wants your attention.”

  “If that’s the case, I’ll have to prove to him that I’m not a likable fellow.”

  “How do you intend to do that?”

  “I have no idea.”

  They rounded the curve by the school, and the bridge came into view. He slowed the horse. The ride was almost over, but he wanted to know more about Helen Zook. He’d never met anyone quite like her. “Are you planning on staying in this area?”

  “That depends if I can support myself here.”

  “My uncle pays a fair wage.”

  “He does. I’m not complaining.”

  “But you would like to earn more.”

  “If I continued to live with Charlotte, the pay would be more than adequate, but she doesn’t want me there. She says she enjoys living alone.”

  “So there’s a good chance that you’ll return home?”

  “Nee, I will not be going home.”

  “That sounds final. Were things really that bad?”

  She was silent for a long time. He waited, hoping she would confide in him.

  She sighed deeply. “I was engaged to be married. A week before the banns were to be announced, my fiancé told my family in front of our bishop that he wanted to marry my sister instead of me. They were married a few days ago. As long as they are there, I won’t go home.”

  It pleased him that she trusted him enough to share her story. Now he understood her tears. “That must have been a difficult time for you.”

  “You can’t imagine how humiliating it was.”

  “That’s the reason you were crying on the bus.”

  She nodded. “It should have been my wedding day.”

  “I reckon that was as good a reason as any for tears. Do you still love him?”

  “Honestly, I’m not sure how I feel about him except to say I feel betrayed. By both of them.”

  “Have you forgiven them?”

  “I want to say that I have, but I can’t. Not yet.”

  It was a very honest answer, and his respect for her grew. “The time will come when you can say it and mean it.”

  “I pray that is true.”

  They came through the bridge and out the other side. He had been wishing the ride could be longer, but perhaps it was best that it wasn’t. He was starting to like Helen Zook a little too much.

  To his chagrin, Paul was standing beside the front door when they pulled up. His brother’s eyebrows rose sharply when Helen stepped out of the buggy.

  * * *

  Helen turned to thank Mark and was taken aback by the deep scowl on his face. He hadn’t been angry a few seconds ago. What had changed?

  “Good morning, bruder. I see you got the dog home safely. Good morning, Helen.”

  The hint of suppressed laughter in Paul’s voice made her realize why Mark was upset. He suspected that Paul would jump to the wrong conclusion because she was riding alone with Mark, and it appeared he was right.

  She raised her chin. “Good morning, Paul. You brother was kind enough to give me a ride to work after he returned Clyde this morning. I’m sorry Charlotte’s dog is raising havoc. It won’t happen again.”

  “If Mark doesn’t mind, I don’t.” Paul’s smile was a bit too flirtatious for Helen’s liking.

  “I do mind, and I’ve made that clear, haven’t I, Helen?” Mark’s stern tone marked an end to the pleasant ride.

  “Very clear.” She was sorry she had confided in him only a few minutes ago. The sympathetic man who had listened and understood her hurt had vanished. Perhaps he’d only been practicing his listening skill again, and now he was back to his normal self.

  “I’ll be in as soon as I put the horse and buggy away,” Mark said and drove off without a backward glance.

  Paul’s teasing smile vanished. “I hope my brother wasn’t too hard on you.”

  “Not at all.”

  “He can be single-minded, and he sometimes forgets other people have feelings, but he has a good heart. I’m happy he didn’t scare you away from us. I think you’ll enjoy working here.”

  Would she? With Mark blowing hot and cold, it might not be a comfortable position to be in.

  She walked into the office and put her container of rolls on the corner of the small desk that had been moved in since she left last night. It wobbled beneath her hand. The desk had seen better days. It was well-worn with deep scratches in the top surface and scuff marks on the legs. When she tried to open the only drawer, she found it stuck, and she had to use both hands to pull it free.

  “A temporary desk for a temporary worker. Message received, Mark Bowman,” she muttered drily.

  “Are you talking to yourself?”

  Her pulse took a jump at the sound of Mark’s voice. She spun around to see him in the doorway.

  “I was,” she admitted.

  “You’ll have to be careful or some people will think you’re as odd as your aunt.”

  “Some people might be right. I thought you were putting the horse away.”

  “Rebecca, my cousin Samuel’s wife, caught me before I unhitched. She needed to go into town this morning. I see Paul found you a desk.” He leaned against it and noticed the wobble. “In a shop that makes furniture, you’d think Paul could find something better than this.”

  Inordinately pleased that Mark hadn’t chosen it for her, she shrugged. “It’s fine. I can put a piece of cardboard under the foot to keep it level.”

  He took a step back. “Nee, I’ll find you another one.”

  She picked up her container of cinnamon rolls. “While you are doing that, I’ll take these to the break room.”

  “Wait, I get six of them, remember?” His eyes sparkled with mischief.

  She smiled, happy to see the return of the friendly Mark but worried the wrong word from her would have him frowning again. She decided she would treat him as she would anyone else and not worry about his moods. She raised her chin defiantly. “Why should I save six for the greedy man who hasn’t said he forgives me?”

  He nodded in acknowledgment. “You’re forgiven. Hand them over before Paul gets into them.”

  She opened the plastic container. The aroma of fresh-baked bread filled the small office. “Where shall I put them?”

  He reached over and took one. “Put them all in the break room. I was only teasing. Let the men enjoy them. Everyone’s been working long hours. They deserve a treat.”

  Helen smiled as she left the office. He wasn’t such a bad fellow after all. The fact that he cared about the
men working under him proved that. She put the container on the table in the break room and started the coffee before coming back to the office. Jessica had arrived and was wiping down the counter. Mark was licking his fingers.

  Helen chuckled. “Did you even taste it or did you swallow it whole?”

  Jessica swept a few crumbs into her palm. “He swallowed it whole and didn’t even offer me a bite.”

  Helen giggled. “I left more in the break room, Jessica.”

  Mark licked his lips. “I tasted it, and it was wunderbarr. Have you considered selling some of you baked goods at the farmers’ market in Berlin?”

  “This is the first I’ve heard about a farmers’ market.” Helen wondered if this was something worth looking into.

  Jessica dumped the crumbs in the waste basket. “They hold it every Friday afternoon from three o’clock until seven during the spring, summer and fall. In the winter, they hold it every third Friday of the month. There’s also a weekly market at Apple Creek although it’s smaller. It’s held on Tuesday afternoons from three until eight.”

  Helen turned the idea over in her mind. If she could supplement her income with her baking, that would be wonderful. “The Berlin market, is it big? Is it well attended?”

  Mark shrugged. “It’s not as large as some of the ones I’ve attended in Pennsylvania, but it draws a fair-sized crowd. A lot of Englisch come each week.”

  Helen walked to the calendar hanging on the wall. If she started cooking as soon as she got home tonight, she could have plenty of goods to sell. “Every Friday afternoon. Would I be able to get off work to go?”

  “If we aren’t busy,” Mark said. “You could make up your hours by coming in early a couple of days a week or by staying late, if you didn’t want to lose pay.”

  “Count me as a customer,” Jessica said with a broad smile. “I always swing by there on my way home and stock up on fresh produce and baked goods for the weekend.”

  Paul came in and leaned on the counter. “What are we talking about?”

  “The farmers’ market.” Helen turned to Mark. “May I have tomorrow afternoon off?”

  He cupped his hand over his chin and tapped his index finger against his lips. “This Friday? Maybe. I’ll have to check our freight schedule.”