Miriam's Secret Read Free Page B

and the funeral will be.”
    â€œYou and Mr. Bland have been so kind to me,” Miriam said, her smile trembling.
    â€œNothing you didn’t deserve, dear.” Rose pressed Miriam’s arm.
    â€œI’ll be going then.” Miriam walked through the house, out the back door, and headed toward the barn. Mindy greeted her with a loud whinny, as if surprised they were leaving so soon.
    â€œCome. We need to go home,” Miriam whispered into Mindy’s ear. Miriam took Mindy out of the stall and got her harnessed. Leading the mare outside, Miriam hitched her to the buggy and climbed in. The horse set off at a steady pace. A wave of emotion swept over Miriam. Right now all she wanted was to feel Mamm ’s arms around her in a tight hug. Mamm would know the right words to say to comfort her.

Chapter Three

    E ventually slowing Mindy down, Miriam went over the events of the morning again and again. It still seemed so…so impossible. And yet it was true. Mr. Bland had died. He was now in heaven with his beloved Thelma.
    At the Yoder driveway, Mindy took the turn and headed for the barn, stopping short, knowing the routine. Miriam made her way down the buggy steps and unhitched Mindy. She pulled open the barn door.
    â€œHome already?” her brother Lee greeted. “May I take Mindy for you?”
    â€œ Yah , that would be great.”
    Lee waited with his hand on Mindy’s bridle. “You’re home early. Did you get the day off?”
    Miriam dropped her gaze. “Mr. Bland died this morning.”
    Lee’s hand jerked as Mindy pulled forward. “While you were there?” he asked.
    Miriam bit her lower lip. “ Yah . I took him out to the front porch and went back in to fix breakfast. By the time I brought him his food, he’d passed.”
    â€œWasn’t that quite a shock?” Lee opened a stall door and led Mindy in.
    â€œ Yah , of course.”
    â€œSo you’re out of a job then?” Lee was suddenly practical.
    â€œI suppose so.” Miriam turned to go. She didn’t want to think of the implications of what had happened this morning. Her sorrow over Mr. Bland’s passing was still too fresh.
    Lee shut the door on Mindy’s stall. “Milo Miller stopped by this morning to borrow the single tree. He told me Ivan Mast took Laura Swartz home from the hymn singing last night.” Lee glanced at Miriam for her reaction.
    â€œWas I that obvious?” Miriam asked as an image of Laura Swartz rushed through her mind. Laura was young and beautiful. The Swartz family had only recently moved back to the area from the Amish community in Clarita, Oklahoma, where Mamm ’s sister Fannie and her family lived.
    Lee’s hand touched Miriam’s arm. “Don’t worry. I doubt anyone else thought anything about it. Besides, if Ivan’s not the one, there’s a decent man out there for you.”
    Miriam mustered a smile. Lee was obviously trying to be kind. After all, he had noticed, so no doubt others had too.
    â€œDon’t mourn too much,” Lee continued. “But then you won’t. You’re the stable and firm one of the family.”
    Miriam glanced at Lee’s face. “I may not be all you think I am. Sometimes my life hurts too, just like everyone else’s. Right now I can’t think about Ivan. Mr. Bland is barely gone from my life. He was a kind man, and I’ll miss him. He wasn’t just my employer. I counted him as a friend.”
    â€œTrouble does seem to come in strong doses,” Lee agreed. He shrugged as if that were the end of the matter.
    â€œI’d better go,” Miriam said. “ Mamm will be wondering why I’m home. Thanks for your concern. That was nice of you.”
    â€œJust remember, there’s bigger fish in the ocean,” he chirped.
    Miriam closed the barn door and walked toward the house. Despite her sorrow over Mr. Bland’s death, Lee’s news