Courting Emily (A Wells Landing Book 2) Read Free Page A

confirmed as he grabbed the milk pail and stood. He handed it to Emily and slapped the cow on the rump to send her back to the pasture. Then he replaced his brimless “milking” hat with his regular one and leveled his serious blue gaze to hers. “It does not look good for the bishop’s daughter to be pining after someone who has left our faith.”
    She opened her mouth to protest, but her vatter continued. “Luke Lambright has brought shame onto his family. Onto his community. It’s time to move forward.”
    “But he’ll return.” Even as she said the words, she doubted them. She wanted to believe them. After all, so many who left the Amish quickly came back. It was just a matter of time, was all. Soon Luke would tire of the competition in the Englisch world, the strange customs, and unfamiliar faces. When that happened he would come running back, and she would be there waiting for him.
    Her father’s mouth twisted into a frown above his dark beard. “You don’t know that he will.”
    “You don’t know that he won’t.”
    At her sharp tone, Dat raised one brow, a sign she had gone too far.
    “I’m sorry, Dat . I just—” She stopped as he shook his head.
    “Do I have to remind you that you have already bowed your knees and joined the church?”
    Emily lowered her chin to her chest. “No, Vatter .” Her words were apologetic and humble. But she wanted to remind her dat that Luke hadn’t joined the church. He was not shunned in the community. He could get this out of his system and come back, kneel before everyone, and state his intentions. He could still join the church, and then they could be married, just like they’d always talked about.
    “Hear me.” His voice dropped and the bishop became her father once again.
    Emily raised her gaze to meet his.
    “You are not the only one who has been left with a broken heart. It is an uncomfortable place, but it is where you find yourself now.”
    She blinked back her tears. She would have been better off with his stern frown rather than his caring tone. She didn’t want to cry, she didn’t want Luke to be gone, and she surely didn’t want what she knew was coming next.
    “It is time to move forward. Time to think about someone who has joined the church.”
    It was the very last thing she wanted to do. Yet what choice did she have?
    “I will not tell you who you should consider, but only that you need to leave your heart open for the new.”
    She nodded and sniffed. She would not cry. She would not cry.
    “I do not tell you these things to hurt you.”
    “I know,” she whispered.
    “There’s always Elam Riehl,” her father said. “He seems to be in your thoughts a lot lately.”
    True, he had been on her mind. Or at least his family had. But for no other reason than she had realized someone in her community was suffering and needed help.
    Elam Riehl was about as opposite to Luke as one could imagine. Luke was just a little taller than she was, slim and trim with laughing blue eyes and a permanent smile on his lips. Elam was large, solid looking, taller than most men she knew, and as serious as a wake.
    If she was remembering correctly, Elam was three or four years older than she and Luke, which would put him close to twenty-five. If her father needed to wonder about something, it should be why Elam had never married. Thankfully she managed to keep that question to herself.
    “I’ll give it some thought.” Emily said the words solely to appease her father. What more could she do?
    He gave her a quick nod, then pointed to the milk pail at her feet. “Best get that on in to your mudder .”
    “ Jah .” Emily picked up the pail and carted it to the house.
     
     
    “Are you asleep?” Mary’s quiet voice floated on the darkness to Emily.
    “ Nay .” She hadn’t been able to settle down enough to close her eyes, much less fall asleep. All she could think about was Luke and Elam and Elam and Luke.
    Her father expected a lot to assume that