Healing Faith Read Free

horses along at a brisk pace.
    "It is not our place to intervene in Englisher
troubles, child. But if he is determined to hurt you in some way, I
cannot let that be. You have asked for sanctuary. I will offer it
to you, for that is our way. I am Jonah Berger, child. And you
are?" he asked, his tone suddenly very formal.
    "K-Kate. Katherine Hill, sir.”
    "Welcome to West Grove, Katherine Hill."

Chapter 2
    I struggled with the hooks on the dress, frustrated
at there being no zippers or buttons. This would have been so much
easier with my t-shirt and shorts, but I had been told as long as I
stayed in their community I had to wear their clothes. A dress
whose skirt was much too long for me, and a shift underneath made
me sweat just trying to put them on in the heat of the house. I
wished regretfully for the fog and chill of home.
    I grimaced at that thought, shaking my head in
disbelief that I had actually had the ridiculous idea of to wanting
to go back.
    The hooks finally done, I looked around for a mirror.
There was none to be found in the room I had changed in and had to
wonder if this family didn’t believe in them. They seemed a quiet
and guarded group of people. And stuck in the pioneer days, judging
by the bonnet I had to wear and the lack of electricity. I knew
virtually nothing about the Amish, but I had an idea I was going to
learn firsthand by hiding with them. Smoothing my hair into a bun
at the base of my neck like I had seen with some of the other women
on the road back, I turned to tuck my old belongings into my
backpack.
    I looked at my phone one more time, the message that
had given up my hiding place still there on the screen. My sister’s
warning about Sean:
    He’s coming. He knows. I’m sorry. Run.
    Feeling the sense of panic run through me at her
warning, I shut off the phone in a rush and shoved it in my bag.
Sean was out there somewhere, and until I knew how he had found me,
I wouldn’t give him any way of finding out I was here now. I
straightened my dress one last time and made my way down stairs,
the well-worn stair treads creaking as I went.
    Turning the corner and still fiddling with my head
covering, I didn't notice the tall figure in front of me until my
face met with his solid, heated chest. I stumbled back, nearly
falling until strong hands reached out to right me. I steadied
myself before looking up to apologize to the man I had run into. My
words died in my mouth when I found myself gazing into the dazzling
green depth of his eyes.
    "I'm so sorry," I stammered, feeling the heat rising
in my cheeks as those eyes continued to look through me.
    I was incapable of moving, he had rendered me
immobile in hands that held me as if I would break if he squeezed
too hard. He continued to stare intensely at me, his eyebrows
knitting together as he seemed to come to his own senses and shake
his head slowly. He let me go, his strong hands slipping away
cautiously until he knew I was able to stand on my own.
    "No, I must apologize. I did not see you there. Did I
hurt you? I… I do not know you," he said, his voice soft and
cautious with a similar cadence as Jonah’s.
    I shook my head and tried to smile up at him. It was
hard to concentrate while I took in the man before me. He was tall,
so much so that I had to crane my neck slightly to look up at him.
His short, mussed hair was streaked golden as if he spent most of
his days in the sun. Judging by the soft wrinkles around his eyes
and sun kissed cheeks, I assumed that he must. I watched as he
licked at his full, dry lips, swallowing hard enough that I could
hear it over the rushing in my ears.
    "Uh, I'm Kate. I'm… visiting." I extended my hand out
to him in greeting.
    He paused; eyeing my outstretched hand like it was
diseased before looking back up to offer me a timid smile. His face
softened as he regarded me and the suspicion that had been in his
eyes before was replaced with a friendlier crinkle around them.
    "Welcome, Kate. I am Nathan. Are you