A Marriage for Meghan Read online

  “That’s gut,” Meghan said, but her tone didn’t quite match her words. “Does that mean you’re leaving me?” She made no attempt to hide her disappointment.

  “Good grief, dear heart.” Catherine wrapped her arms around Meghan. “I’m moving ten or twelve miles away, not to Denver.”

  Meghan nodded. “I guess we’ll still see each other every now and then,” she said, her dimples deepening.

  Catherine pushed her toward the doorway. “You’ll see me plenty. Now go on your date before mamm decides you must come visiting with us. Don’t keep your young man waiting. He might remember how punctual Rachel Goodall used to be.”

  Meghan disappeared down the steps with a noisy clatter, but Catherine didn’t follow. Instead she returned to her post by the window for more spying. She observed Jacob’s face when Meghan emerged from the house. It was filled with love and affection. She watched Meghan take his hand, even though she’d climbed in and out of buggies unaided her whole life. Catherine saw Meghan’s expression as he released the brake and the buggy began to roll.

  Watching the two of them filled Catherine with bittersweet nostalgia. Her little sister was all grown up. Soon they each would have their own homes and families. Their shared sisterhood, listening to each other sing…or snore…had dwindled down to a precious last few days. Yet in her heart, Catherine knew the love they had for each other would never change—no matter how many miles lay between them.

  Thomas Mast was just making excuses and wasting daylight. But on his final afternoon as a resident of southern Wayne County, he was moving at the speed of a three-legged snail…if snails actually had legs. Despite the time he’d spent studying rural flora and fauna, he hadn’t crossed paths with any creatures like that.

  He cleaned the Yost dawdi haus from top to bottom, filled a bucket with the ash from his woodstove, and forked the ash into the compost pile along with the coffee grounds he’d been saving. With Ruth’s permission, he cut a bouquet of purple and white lilacs to drop off at his mother’s house on his way home. Then he loaded all his possessions onto the backseat and in the trunk of the bureau sedan.

  If he’d left at first light, he could have avoided the slow-moving English gawkers and the Amish buggies going to and from church. But he hadn’t been able to motivate himself. Instead, he walked the trail from behind the house through the pasture and into the woods beyond. He paused on the stream bank, counting tadpoles in the shallow pools formed by fallen logs and shifting debris. He listened to birdcalls in the trees high overhead and smelled the honeysuckle vines, sweet timothy grass, and, of course, the composted manure everyone used for fertilizer. But even the pungent odor of cow dung no longer offended his senses.

  His former country roots had sent up new shoots and taken hold. Bob Strickland might have been correct—Thomas needed a country gal for a wife. Maybe not an Amish woman. He’d grown too fond of television, his car, and most of all his line of work. But he planned to look for a nice girl who would enjoy raising a garden, a houseful of children, and assorted animals for 4-H projects.

  But settling down wasn’t the only conclusion he reached during his stay on the Yost farm. He needed to reconnect with his Amish family, especially his grandparents. And he’d been out of contact with God for way too long.

  Thomas walked back to the little house he had stayed in and stood on his back porch gazing over lush pastures and fertile fields. Today he saw no disgruntled ex-Amish adulterers, no spray-painted epithets, and no hundred-year-old barns going up in sparks and smoke. He saw only paradise.

  “What will you stare at once you return to Cleveland?”

  “Are you sure you don’t want to take a cow home with you? Daed probably wouldn’t miss a steer.”

  The simultaneous voices of Catherine and Meghan interrupted his thoughts.

  Thomas turned to their achingly fresh faces with shining eyes and sun-kissed cheeks. “I can’t bring myself to leave,” he said. “If I leased this house permanently, how long of a commute to Cleveland do you think it would be?”

  Catherine pondered for a minute. “At least an hour and a half, each way, in good weather. Longer, of course, when it snows.”

  “Some Englischers manage it for a while,” added Meghan. “Stupid ones.” She winked one cornflower blue eye.

  Thomas laughed while Catherine glared at her sister. “I’m going to miss you, Meghan.” He returned the wink. “And you too, Catherine, but for different reasons. I can’t tell you how much I’ve enjoyed living in Shreve, despite the unfortunate circumstance that brought me here.”

  “And we will miss you, Thomas. We hope you’ll come back to visit.” Catherine extended her hand and he clasped it tightly.

  “I’m glad you two stopped to say goodbye,” he said. “I wanted to tell you about a couple decisions I made.” Both women looked at him expectantly. “I wrote a long letter to my grandparents in Lancaster. I’ve brought them up to date on what I’ve done with my life. And I said I would visit them this summer. I have two or three weeks’ vacation coming that I intend to take in Pennsylvania. I can help my grossdawdi on the farm and get reacquainted with my aunts, uncles, and cousins.”

  Meghan grabbed his hand and worked it like a pump handle. “That’s wunderbaar gut! They’ll be so happy to see you.”

  Catherine looked equally joyous. “Do you suppose your parents might travel with you?”

  “I’ll invite them, but I’m going either way.” He cleared his throat, suddenly nervous. “There’s something else too. When I moved in, your father left an English Bible on the end table. I started reading it in the evenings after I finished work.” He scraped his boot heel on the bristly floor mat. “I’ve…liked what I’ve read. Reading Scripture has given me a sense of peace, despite the nasty things that have happened.” Thomas leaned against the doorjamb and focused on an industrious spider spinning a web under the overhang. “I intend to try out that church I told you about. And if that one doesn’t feel comfortable, I’ll keep looking until I find one that feels right.”

  “You’re allowed to do that?” asked a wide-eyed Meghan. “You don’t have to go to the closest one to your house?”

  He smiled at her with tender, brotherly affection. “I can and I will.”

  “We hope you find a suitable church within walking distance,” murmured Catherine.

  “One that has plenty of single Englischers.” Meghan perched a hand on her hip. “Of course, when a person’s about to go over-the-hill like you, I suppose all the good ones have already been taken.”

  Frowning, Catherine turned on her. “What in the world has gotten into you, Meghan Yost? I can’t believe you’re treating Thomas this rudely.”

  “It’s all right, Catherine,” said Thomas. “Meghan and I were giving each other dating advice a while back. And from what I saw today, her plan seems to be working.”

  Meghan’s grin could have won a blue ribbon if such a contest was held. “I take it you saw him, the man I intend to marry?” She rocked back and forth on her heels, looking rather smug for someone Amish.

  Catherine shook her head. “I’m going inside to set the table. Meghan can fill you in on the details of her romance. Daed said you’ll share supper with us before you leave, so you’ll have a chance to talk to Jacob.” She backed away from her sister. “Then you can decide whether to congratulate the man, wish him luck, or express your condolences.” Catherine ran down the steps as soon as her words were out.

  Thomas called after her. “Put your accent on the second syllable, so that the word doesn’t rhyme with fences.”

  Catherine waved her hand, acknowledging she’d heard him.

  Meghan smiled at her sister’s retreating back. “There’s no reason you can’t do all three, Thomas.” She turned to look at him. “And I’m happy about your trip to Pennsylvania. Maybe someone in Lancaster will catch your eye.”

  He opened his mouth to protest, but she held up her hand, five inches in front of his face. “No. Just promise me you’ll wa
it to see what happens. Seldom are things irrevocable.”

  Hearing her quote his exact words brought a lump to his throat. “I’m going to miss you, Miss Yost.”

  “I know you will, Agent Mast. And that’s why you’re taking this potted geranium home.” She lifted the terra-cotta pot carefully from the porch rail. “Because this plant survived the storm of the century, it will remind you what kind of sturdy stock you’re descended from.” She pressed the pot against his chest. “I’ll see you in the house. Don’t be late or all the food will be gone.”

  As soon as his hands closed around the gift, she sprinted down the steps. Maybe she had seen his tears or had a few of her own. Maybe she hated long goodbyes.

  Or maybe she just wanted to call her daed, bruders, and beloved Jacob to supper. But either way, Thomas had time to take one final look around, close the door to the dawdi haus, and put the geranium in his car before joining the Yost family for supper one last time.

  At least for now.

  Discussion Questions

  1. We are our own worst enemies. Most people would agree there’s at least some truth to this old adage. What was it about Meghan that makes her choice in vocations an uphill battle?

  2. Developing a romantic relationship with your childhood best friend is fraught with pitfalls. Discuss some of the advantages and disadvantages of marrying your best friend.

  3. Therapists love to talk about the inherent difficulty of being born the “middle child” in a family. What can make being the family’s “baby” also a challenge to overcome?

  4. Our hero, Jacob Shultz, doesn’t always behave in a heroic manner. How did your opinion of him change by the story’s conclusion and why?

  5. Hate crimes against the Amish are very rare, and yet they do happen. What is it about their culture and society that makes them easy targets for those with serious emotional problems?

  6. Thomas Mast is hiding secrets. What in his past hampers his ability to form social and especially romantic relationships? Why is he attracted to yet somehow repelled by the Amish?

  7. Catherine is the sister I wish I could create for myself. In what ways does she help Meghan reach her goals?

  8. Why did Bishop Yost doubt his ability to serve his congregation? What made him change his mind about stepping down from a lifetime commitment to his Amish district?

  9. Why were the other ministers so reluctant to involve the sheriff’s department or the FBI despite the serious nature of the crimes being perpetrated?

  10. “Faith in ourselves must follow close on the heels of faith in the Lord.” How did these words of wisdom benefit our heroine, Meghan, and how can we put them to use in our own lives?

  About the Author

  Mary Ellis grew up close to the eastern Ohio Amish Community, Geauga County, where her parents often took her to farmers’ markets and woodworking fairs. She and her husband now live in Medina County, close to the largest population of Amish families, where she does her research…and enjoys the simple way of life.

  A Marriage for Meghan is the second book in the The Wayne County Series. Discover Mary’s other books, especially Abigail’s New Hope and the bestselling Miller Family Series, at

  www.harvesthousepublishers.com

  Mary loves to hear from her readers at

  [email protected]

  or

  www.maryeellis.wordpress.com

  Love Blooms in Unexpected Places

  As an Amish midwife, Abigail Graber loves bringing babies into the world. But when a difficult delivery takes a devastating turn, she is faced with some hard choices. Despite her best efforts, the young mother dies—but the baby is saved.

  When a heartless judge confines Abigail to the county jail for her mistakes, her sister Catherine comes to the Graber farm to care for Abigail’s young children while her husband, Daniel, works his fields. And for the first time Catherine meets Daniel’s reclusive cousin, Isaiah, who is deaf and thought to be simpleminded by his community. She endeavors to teach him to communicate and discovers he possesses unexpected gifts and talents.

  While Abigail searches for forgiveness, Catherine changes lives and, in return, finds love, something long elusive in her life. Isaiah discovers God, who cares nothing about our handicaps or limitations in His sustaining grace.

  An inspirational tale of overcoming grief, maintaining faith, and finding hope in an ever-changing world.

  Can a Young Amish Widow Find Love?

  After the death of her husband, Hannah Brown is determined to make a new life with her sister’s family. But when she sells her farm in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, and moves her sheep to Ohio, the wool unexpectedly begins to fly. Simon, her deacon brother-in-law, finds just about everything about Hannah vexing. So no one is more surprised than the deacon when his own brother, Seth, shows interest in the beautiful young widow.

  But perhaps he has nothing to worry about. The two seem to be at cross-purposes as often as not. Hannah is willful, and Seth has an independent streak a mile wide. But much is at stake, including the heart of Seth’s silent young daughter, Phoebe. Can Seth and Hannah move past their own pain to find a lasting love?

  An inspirational story of trust in the God who sees our needs before we do.

  What Happens When an Amish Girl’s Prince Charming Is an Englischer?

  Emma Miller is on the cusp of leaving childhood behind and entering the adult world. She has finished school, started her own wool business, and longs for someone to court. When the object of her affection is a handsome English sheep farmer with a fast truck and modern methods, her deacon father, Simon, knows he has more than the farm alliance to worry about.

  Emma isn’t the only one with longings in Holmes County. Her mother yearns for relief from a debilitating disease, Aunt Hannah wishes for a baby, and Uncle Seth hopes he’ll reap financial rewards when he undertakes a risk with his harvest. But are these the plans God has for this close-knit Amish family?

  An engaging story about waiting on God for His perfect timing and discovering that dreams planted close to home can grow a lasting harvest of hope and love.

  Can a Loving Amish Woman Be a Refuge for a Wounded Soul?

  Leah Miller, a talented young woman in the kitchen, is living her dream come true as she invests in a newly restored diner that caters mostly to locals. Jonah Byler is a dairy farmer with a secret. Having just moved to the area, can he persuade this quiet young woman to leave her adoring fans and cook only for him? Once she discovers what he has been hiding from others, can Leah trust Jonah with her heart?

  Working at the diner introduces Leah to both Amish and English patrons. Though maturing into womanhood, Rumschpringe holds little appeal to the gentle, shy girl who has never been the center of attention before. When three Amish men vie for her attention, competing with Jonah, Leah must find a way to understand the confusing new emotions swirling around her.

  A captivating story that lovingly looks at how faith in God and connection with family can fill every open, waiting heart to overflowing.

  About the Publisher

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  To learn more about other great Harvest House fiction

  or to read sample chapters, log on to our website:

  www.harvesthousepublishers.com

  HARVEST HOUSE PUBLISHERS

  EUGENE, OREGON

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