The Tempted Soul Read Free Page B

only came through Whinburg twice a day, so if he missed it, Carrie would have to drive him to the Lancaster city limits to catch a city bus, and she’d do anything she had to in order to avoid that. She hated going anywhere near the city; even the tourist area where the edges of it petered out on Highway 30 made her so nervous in traffic she could hardly concentrate. The Englisch cars went too fast, and sometimes the drivers even leaned on their horns as they zipped by on the left, frightening the horse practically into the ditch.
    She had no difficulties with the Englisch as a rule—she counted many in the community as friends, in fact—but even the nice tourists who drove slowly and respectfully had a bad habit of staring. In their rearview mirrors, in their side mirrors, sometimes in no mirrors at all, simply craning their heads around to look. Even in a closed buggy with the storm front up, she felt like a mannequin on display.
    The Amish looked the way they did to convey a spirit of Gelassenheit , of humility and conformity untainted by the worldly fashions of the day. But Carrie had a feeling that the only thing she managed to convey was anxiety and impatience at the driver who, staring, swerved much too close to the buggy for comfort.
    At least the drive home from Whinburg would be along familiar roads, with the mist rising off the fields and the sun beginning to warm the air. She looked forward to it.
    “Good-bye, Liebschdi . I’ll see you in a week.” Melvin hugged her before he jumped down from the buggy. He could have shown his affection in the parking lot, but it wouldn’t be seemly, since there were Brian and his brother Boyd already, standing by the big family buggy and dressed in their away coats and dark pants, small suitcases on the ground beside them.
    She got out and waved at them. “A safe and prosperous journey,” she called, and took Jimsy’s halter to back him around.
    “Let me do that.” Startled, she turned to see Joshua Steiner crossing the yard, a hand held out. Melvin shook it and turned to her.
    “I told Joshua he might come over today. It seemed like a good idea for him to meet us here, and catch a ride home with you.”
    Over his shoulder, she saw Brian turn away and say something to Boyd.
    Joshua’s quick eye didn’t miss the direction of her gaze. He patted the horse’s nose and his lopsided grin held ruefulness. “Don’t mind my cousin’s bad manners. He’s just glad he doesn’t have to put up with me all the way to Philadelphia.”
    “Were you to have gone?” Carrie asked. “I didn’t know you were interested in cabinetmaking.”
    He laughed. “I’m not. And nei , I have nothing to do with this trip. It’s just that I don’t get a chance to see this side of the Steiner family much. Meeting you and Melvin here was a good opportunity.”
    Not good enough to shake hands and make up an ages-​​​​old quarrel, it seemed, but plenty good enough to rile somebody up.
    Men. Honestly.
    David Yoder stepped out of the back of the adjoining pallet shop, followed by Eli Fischer, Amelia’s husband of two months. Seeing her, Eli waved. “ Guder Mariye , Carrie. I didn’t expect to see you here.”
    “She’s dropping me off,” Melvin said. “I’m going to Philadelphia with the boys, here.”
    “Ah.” Eli took in Joshua on one side of the yard and Brian and Boyd on the other, but it was clear he thought nothing of it. He was from Lebanon County, and had only recently moved here for Amelia’s sake. What with having important things like courting and marrying her best friend on his mind, clearly there hadn’t been enough time to learn all the family business in the shop next door.
    “Time to go,” Brian said, “or we won’t get to that bus in time.”
    In the flurry of activity in the yard, somehow Carrie found herself in the passenger seat once again and Joshua driving away at a brisk pace, barely stopping to look for oncoming traffic as he guided Jimsy into