Beverly Lewis [Home to Hickor The Last Bride (epub)

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.© 2014 by Beverly M.Lewis, Inc.Published by Bethany House Publishers11400 Hampshire Avenue SouthBloomington, Minnesota 55438www.bethanyhouse.comBethany House Publishers is a division ofBaker Publishing Group, Grand Rapids, Michiganwww.bakerpublishinggroup.comEbook edition created 2014All rights reserved.No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—for example, electronic, photocopy, recording—without the prior written permission of the publisher.The only exception is brief quotations in printed reviews.Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is on file at the Library of Congress, Washington, DC.ISBN 978-1-4412-6364-3Scripture quotations are from the King James Version of the Bible.This story is a work of fiction.With the exception of recognized historical figures and events, all characters and events are the product of the author’s imagination.Any resemblance to any person, living or dead, is purely coincidental.Cover design by Dan Thornberg, Design Source Creative ServicesArt direction by Paul HigdonTo Debra,delightful friendand former marketing manager.New blessings ahead!ContentsCoverTitle PageCopyright PageDedicationPrologueChapter 1Chapter 2Chapter 3Chapter 4Chapter 5Chapter 6Chapter 7Chapter 8Chapter 9Chapter 10Chapter 11Chapter 12Chapter 13Chapter 14Chapter 15Chapter 16Chapter 17Chapter 18Chapter 19Chapter 20Chapter 21Chapter 22Chapter 23Chapter 24Chapter 25Chapter 26Chapter 27Chapter 28Chapter 29Chapter 30Chapter 31Chapter 32Chapter 33Chapter 34Chapter 35Chapter 36Chapter 37Chapter 38Chapter 39EpilogueAuthor’s NoteAbout the AuthorBy Beverly LewisBack AdsBack CoverPrologueI did everything right.Everything.I faithfully attended baptismal classes and listened carefully to Preacher Yoder’s instruction last summer.I bowed my knee to God this past Sunday morning and received holy baptism at the Hickory Hollow church.Then and there, I vowed to follow the rules of the Ordnung all the days of my life.All of that, and yet I suddenly found myself in this terrible pickle and hurrying to meet up with Marcus King tonight.with such miseraawel news.I recalled my father’s response to discovering my long-standing courtship with Marcus.“He just ain’t the man for ya!” he’d said decisively, his expression ever so stern.“You need to trust me on this, Tessie Ann.”My bare feet fairly flew across Dat’s grazing land, since I didn’t dare be seen, ’specially this late on a weeknight.It would reflect poorly on my honorable beau.Even so, I knew from his letter he was impatient to see me, to tell me something, too—unwilling to wait till the weekend, like most Amish courting couples.Oh, such urgency.What was on his mind?In the midst of my sadness, I couldn’t help noticing the orange-red harvest moon, its delicate light a balm for my troubled soul.Dearest Marcus, if I didn’t love you so, this wouldn’t be so awful hard!Determined, I ran silently, darting in and out of the birch grove at the far end of the meadow, where I sometimes went to pray.Yet never a prayer like this one: Lord God in heaven, are You there? Do You see my breaking heart?When I arrived at the spot just off the road, near the one-room schoolhouse, Marcus opened his strong arms and I ran straight into them.He held me near, then lifted me into his courting carriage, getting me settled beneath his lap robe.His long blond bangs ruffled beneath his straw hat as he darted around to the driver’s side and leaped into the seat.“Tessie Ann, wait’ll ya hear what I have to tell ya.”“Jah?”“I’ve found us a place to live once we’re married—gonna sign the lease this coming Monday.”I sighed.He sounded so pleased; I couldn’t bear to put a damper on his plans.“And.I’ve had lots more hours workin’ in the vineyard out yonder, so I’ll have plenty to support a bride.” He smiled wistfully.“Won’t be long now till wedding season, love.”I held my breath.He sounded so confident, and before I could say more, Marcus clicked his tongue to signal Prince, his beautiful black road horse, to move forward.That quick, Marcus slipped his arm around me, drawing me closer.“I’ve been prayin’ about this step for us, and with late November little more than two months away, I have plenty to do to get ready.”I listened, heart pounding in my ears.“I want to make a nice home for ya, Tessie.Can’t be too careful ’bout such important things, ya know.”I couldn’t have agreed more.But now was the time to open my mouth.“Ach, but we can’t wed, Marcus.”“Wha-at?” His handsome face was marred by a sudden frown.“I guess I should say, I can’t.”Stricken, he looked at me, straight through to my soul.“What’re ya sayin’, honey? I thought—”“I do want to marry you.” I bowed my head.“Ain’t that.”There was a dreadful pause, awkward and long, like he somehow guessed at my father’s harsh words before I could even speak them.Dat disapproved of Marcus for me.Not only him, but Mamma did, too.And none of it made a whit of sense, since I’d never known my parents to hold a grudge or show narrow-mindedness toward anyone.Why they didn’t welcome my hopes for Marcus was beyond me.“My father forbids us to wed,” I said, my throat tight and hoarse.When Marcus spoke at last, it was so soft I wasn’t sure I’d heard him right.“Your father’s still got his heart set on another fella for ya, is it?”Honestly, I didn’t care one bit for my father’s choice.Unlike my sister Mandy, I was determined to make my own decision about a husband.“I really hope you’re not sayin’ we can’t make up our own minds, with God’s help.”“I’m just tellin’ you my parents are sorely against it, even though I’ve prayed up a storm.”He pondered that for a time [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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