The Brethren (Annie's People, 3, Band 3) - Softcover

Lewis, Beverly

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0764201077 ISBN 13: 9780764201073

Verlag: Bethany House Publishers, 2006

Inhaltsangabe

With the People forbidding her to see Ben, will Annie willfully return to her art or relent and join the church? Annie's People book 3.

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Über die Autorin bzw. den Autor

BEVERLY LEWIS, raised in Pennsylvania Amish country and both a schoolteacher and an accomplished musician, is now an award-winning novelist. Her books have appeared on numerous bestseller lists, including USA Today and The New York Times. She and her husband, David, live in Monument, Colorado.

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The Brethren

By Beverly Lewis

Bethany House Publishers

Copyright © 2006 Beverly Lewis
All right reserved.
ISBN: 978-0-7642-0107-3

Chapter One

A meditative haze parted and soon began to dissipate as a May sunrise spilled onto dogwood blossoms-white, pale, and deep pinks. An early morning rain had dimpled the dirt on the shoulder of Frogtown Road, populated now with pecking wrens and robins.

At the reins in the Hochstetler buggy, Annie Zook breathed in the tranquility, aware of plentiful insects and thick green grass, fresh paint on fences and a new martin birdhouse at Lapps' dairy farm. Clicking her tongue to speed the pace, she leaned forward in the seat, grateful for Zeke's fast horse, as it was a good long walk between Essie's house and Daed's.

Only four days had come and gone since she had impulsively packed up her belongings and gone to Esther Hochstetler's, so Annie was surprised to experience a sudden twinge as she made the turn toward her father's house. Am I homesick already?

She wondered if Yonie, her nineteen-year-old brother, would be at home when she arrived. I miss the rascal, she thought.

Taking in the vibrant springtime colors, she longed more than ever to immerse herself in art once again. I want to paint my beau. But Ben was no longer that, and their breakup was all her own doing. Hers ... and Daed's.

I never should've written that good-bye letter, she thought. Yet she had done so to obey her father.

Her separation from Ben was cause for ongoing sorrow. Thankfully, Esther wasn't one to ask questions, even when tears sprang unexpectedly to Annie's eyes. She had come awful close to blurting out her beloved's name upon awakening one morning, only to grit her teeth, forcing down the aching lump in her throat. Speaking his name, even in the private space of her room away from home, would not have hurt a thing. But she never knew what little ones might be roaming the hallway, and she didn't trust herself to even breathe his name lest she be overtaken with grief. Or was it pure foolishness?

There had been plenty of times in the last few days when she had tried to think of some way to return to the lovely, secret world she and Ben had so happily shared-till Daed had caught her riding in Ben's car, wearing her hair down. Exactly which of those transgressions was worse, according to God and the brethren, she didn't know. She had almost asked Cousin Julia for Ben's mailing address on more than one occasion. And even more shameless, she had been tempted to get on a bus, show up at his doorstep, and beg his forgiveness.

I'd be out of my mind to do such a thing....

Yet she was beside herself at the thought of living without him.

Annie saw a horse and buggy approaching, coming fast. She strained to see who it might be out so early. When she recognized Jesse Jr.'s wife-her eldest sister-in-law-she wondered how Sarah Mae might act toward her. Still, Annie was eager for any contact with family.

Surprisingly, Sarah Mae offered a warm smile and a wave. "Pull over and stop awhile!" she called out.

Annie was ever so pleased. She leaped from the buggy and tied Zeke's horse to a tree trunk before plump Sarah could even begin to get herself down from her carriage. Annie ran like a girl who had not seen hide nor hair of her kin in the longest time. "Ach, Sarah Mae, 'tis such a nice surprise to see you!"

"And you, too," Sarah Mae said, still holding the reins. "I've been meaning to stop by."

"Over at Essie's, ya mean?"

Sarah Mae was slow to nod. "Well, maybe so ... but-"

"I know it's terribly awkward," Annie interrupted, "but do come sometime. I know Esther would enjoy the company, just as I would."

Sarah Mae bowed her head for a moment, then raised her pretty blue eyes. "Jesse Jr. could scarcely believe it," she confided, telling how the People had been talking up a storm about Annie's winning the first place award for her covered bridge painting. "Downright surprising, 'tis."

"Jah, I 'spect so." Annie didn't know quite how she felt about this, folks discussing amongst themselves her secret sin. Well, secret till now, anyhow. Sarah Mae must think I'm brazen ... and I guess I was.

Had Jesse and Sarah Mae seen her painting featured on the cover of the Farm and Home Journal or merely heard about it through the grapevine? She didn't ask, wouldn't seek out praise or criticism. She had known it was only a matter of time till word got around. So now there were two names floating about-Zeke's and Annie's. One a confessed murderer and the other an artist born into the wrong church district-or into the wrong family....

Sarah Mae's expression was questioning, though she spoke not the words Annie might have expected. "I hope you won't be gone from home for too much longer," she said softly.

"Mamm misses me, no doubt." There was that lump in her throat again.

"Not only Mamm ..." Sarah Mae didn't need to say more.

Annie knew. She, too, disliked the discord between her father and herself. But could she make amends? He was more than put out with her, and no wonder. She had been too hasty in leaving, thinking only of herself. Yet being with Essie and the children was a blessing in disguise, a way to escape her father's rigid expectations.

"I think it best that I stay put for the time bein'," she said, leaning into the carriage. "Especially since Essie needs me."

Sarah Mae sighed heavily, her bosom rising and falling as if she were having difficulty catching her breath. "I'm sure you've heard all 'bout Zeke, then?"

"Some, but Essie doesn't know much yet. What does Daed say?"

Sarah Mae hesitated. "Only that they're holding Zeke until they can figure out if the bones are really Isaac's. Though how on earth they'd do that, I'll never know."

Little Isaac's dead.... The hard, sad knowledge slapped at Annie's brain every time she heard it.

"Daed's talkin' of sending a letter to Zeke's father ... to let him know officially of Isaac's death." There was a little catch in Sarah Mae's voice, and she placed her hand over her mouth.

"I feel sorry for Daed," Annie said, "havin' to break such sorrowful news."

Sarah Mae shook her head. "I can't imagine it. But Daed already got his address up in Canada from their cousin Nate, I guess."

Annie shivered. "I daresay Daed should wait till Zeke's father gets over the death of his wife. Seems only right ..."

"But who's to know if that will ever be."

"I s'pose," Annie said. "Honestly, can a man be expected to suffer his wife's death and his son's all in the space of a few weeks? Ain't like Daed to jump ahead like this."

"Oh, your father's not the one insisting on gettin' in touch with Isaac's father. This comes down from higher up ... if you understand my meaning."

Annie's gaze caught Sarah Mae's. "This is the bishop's word, then?"

Sarah Mae's hand trembled. "I would not want my husband or any man I know to be in Daniel Hochstetler's shoes. But the brethren know best."

"I 'spect you're right."

"No, Annie, you know I'm right."

Annie stepped back, her anger rising suddenly at the mention of the brethren. "Actually, I don't know and that's the honest truth. Some days I can't decide whether to cling to what I was always taught or to reach for something altogether new." She paused, recalling recent talks with Esther. "Something that makes wonderful-good sense but stirs up ever so much trouble. Ever think thataway?"

A slow...

Details zur Ausgabe

• Verlag: Bethany House Publishers
• Erscheinungsdatum: 2006
• Sprache: Englisch
• ISBN 10: 0764201077
• ISBN 13: 9780764201073
• Einband: Taschenbuch
• Auflage: 1
• Anzahl der Seiten: 352
• Kontakt zum Hersteller: Nicht verfügbar
• Verantwortliche Person: Nicht verfügbar