sister-in-law Miriam called him a thickheaded English mule. Even if Bill didnât get the exact translation, he got the message.â
âYou know, Iâve had it with him,â Rachel said, her temper rising. âHeâs lived here how many years? And how many times has he been told that the Amish donât permit photographs? Itâs rude to invite them to our town festival and then try to take advantage just to sell a few more papers.â She glanced around, trying to pick out the local newspaperâs owner and editor in the milling crowd. âIf you see him before I do, tell him that Iâm looking for him.â
âWish I could watch,â George said. He glanced at his iPhone. âBut I promised to take a turn in the toddlersâ reading corner.â
âJust donât let Sophie bite any of the little kids.â
âYou know sheâd never do that,â George said. âShe loves children. Itâs Billingsly she hates.â George turned away toward the childrenâs reading section. âCall me later. I want to hear all about the showdown.â
Rachel didnât find Billingsly, but she did run into her best friend, Mary Aaron. She was down on her knees, pulling a crate of canned peaches out from under a table. Leaving the family egg, peaches, and treenware stand in the capable hands of her sister Elsie, Mary Aaron adjourned with Rachel to the cafeteria for coffee. Mary Aaron was wearing a new apple-green dress with a white kapp and apron and black stockings and shoes. Rachel thought she looked exceptionally attractive, but then Mary Aaron had always been the cutest one in her family. She was younger than Rachel, but the two had become fast friends since Rachel had returned to Stone Mill.
âSo, is Timothy here?â Rachel asked. She had removed her coat and thrown it over a chair and was now devouring a raisin-cinnamon sticky bun and sipping strong Kona coffee. Timothy was the personable young Amish man who often squired Mary Aaron to singings and other young peopleâs frolics. Mary Aaron insisted he was just a friend, but Rachel suspected that Timothy wanted to court her cousin.
â Ne, he had to take his uncleâs place at the farm auction in Delaware today. His uncle had several teeth pulled and he didnât feel like going. His cousins are teenagers and their father didnât trust them to bid on the team of Percherons. Timothyâs staying over until Monday with another uncle, but heâll be here later in the week.â
âHowâs Timothy going to get the team back to Stone Mill if he buys them?â
âHis uncle will arrange to have them trailered after the weather clears. Provided, of course, that Timothyââ Mary Aaron broke off in midsentence. âLook who just walked in.â
Rachel had seen Billingsly come in to the coffee area at almost the same instant her cousin had. âHe wonât get away from me this time,â she said, getting to her feet.
Mary Aaron used her napkin to brush away the last crumbs of her cinnamon bun and grabbed the empty coffee cups. âI better get back to the stand. Iâll hope heâll listen to reason.â
âHe will.â Rachel stood as well. âOr Iâll give him and his paper more trouble than he knows what to do with.â
Chapter 2
Billingsly was looking at his cell phone and didnât see Rachel until he nearly collided with her. He stopped short inches from contact, and his face reddened. He knew he was in trouble. âRachel.â
She glared at him. âI called the office several times for you this week. I left voice messages and I emailed you. You havenât gotten back to me, Bill.â
âIâve been busy. I get a lot of emails.â He made a dismissive gesture. âAnd I was out of town on business. Itâs been hectic. You know. All the news thatâs fit to print and so forth,â he joked.
She