Courting Emily (A Wells Landing Book 2)

Courting Emily (A Wells Landing Book 2) Read Free

Book: Courting Emily (A Wells Landing Book 2) Read Free
Author: Amy Lillard
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head. “ Danki, Emily. That is a kind offer to be sure, but the chickens are my responsibility.”
    As if they had tarried too long, Elam emerged from the milking barn, a scowl marring his handsome features.
    The thought drew Emily back. Elam was a handsome man, or at least he would be if he didn’t look like he’d taken a big bite from a green persimmon.
    “Becky, time to work.”
    The young girl gave a quick nod, then turned her gaze back to Emily. “Thank you again.”
    “Becky.” Elam propped his hands onto his hips, his impatience evident. “ Mamm needs you inside.”
    “ Jah, bruder .” She turned as if to go into the house, but not before Emily saw the shine of tears in her blue eyes.
     
     
    “Some potatoes for you?”
    “Huh?” Emily turned as her sister Mary nudged her shoulder to get her attention. “Oh, jah. Danki .” She took the bowl from her sister though her thoughts were still on Elam’s stern frown and the glitter of tears in Becky’s eyes.
    “Have you heard from Luke?” Mary leaned close as she handed off the bowl full of mashed potatoes, her voice so soft only Emily could hear. “Jonah Miller said he called his uncle yesterday.”
    At the mention of his name, thoughts of all others fled from her mind. “He did?” It was hard to temper her response to a whisper when she really wanted to shout with glee. Luke had called!
    “ Jah .”
    Her heart thumped hard in her chest. “Who told you that? Aaron?”
    “Girls.” Their father glared at them from the head of the table.
    “ Jah, Dat, ” Emily murmured, passing the potatoes on to her sister Susannah. She’d have to talk with Mary later, after supper, maybe during chore time.
    As the oldest, Emily was expected to oversee her sisters, but surely she and Mary could sneak a minute or two to talk. She had three more sisters, after all.
    Rose was perhaps the most demure and motherlike one of them all, even though at eighteen Mary was two years older. At twelve years old and the baby, Bea hadn’t quite figured out where she fit into the family. Not as gingery as middle child Susannah nor as retiring as Rose and Mary. She was more like Emily than any of the others.
    Excitement filled Emily as she thought of news from Luke. It had been months since he’d left, nearly four to be exact, but this was the first she had heard from him.
    He had promised to call, but she knew how difficult that would be. It wasn’t like he could call the shanty out in front of their house. Her father was as sure to get that message as any one of the Ebersol family. Nor was Luke big on writing letters. He was more into action, living, breathing, having fun.
    But he had called. Emily ducked her head and smiled down at her plate lest her father see the joy she could not contain. Luke had called. He had gotten a message to Jonah Miller. He hadn’t forgotten about her after all.

Chapter Two
    After supper, it was Mary’s turn to help with the dishes and their mother’s cheese making, while Emily and their other sisters headed out to the barn to help their father.
    The goats they used for their mother’s business had been milked at four-thirty as was their usual custom, but now the horses had to be fed, the stalls mucked out, the few cows they kept for personal use needed to be milked.
    Yet all Emily could think about was Luke.
    “You are very quiet tonight, dochder .” Her father didn’t look up from his milking, but Emily was the only one around.
    Susannah and Rose had gone to see to the stables, while Bea had stayed in with Mary to help their mother. Dat was talking to her.
    “Oh, jah? ” She tried her best to sound offhanded and casual, like she wasn’t exploding inside from the gut news about Luke.
    “Not so much at supper though.” Again he didn’t look at her, just kept his head down close to Sadie’s belly.
    His tone made Emily’s heart stop in her throat. She knew she wasn’t going to like what he had to say next. The fact was further

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