Second Chance At Love
Amish widow Hannah Yoder never intended to marry again. Yet when her friendship with veterinarian Albert Hartman begins to bloom into something more, Hannah wonders if perhaps sheâs finally ready for a new love. Albert waited his whole life to find the right woman, only to realize Hannah was there all along. But thereâs more than their friendship to consider. Albert is a Mennonite, born-and-bred, and Hannah cannotâwill notâleave her Amish faith, not even for him. Does Albert have the courage to give up his modern life for Hannahâ¦and will Hannah have the courage to let him?
Hannahâs Daughters: Seeking love, family and faith in Amish country
âHannah, will you walk outside with me?â Albert asked.
âAlbert, Iââ Sheâ¦what? What was she going to say to him? How could she explain her flustered behavior? âAlbert, I shouldâ¦â
âHannah, donât talk. I need you to listen to what I have to say before I lose my nerve.â
They were standing by the gatepost, within armâs reach but not touching. She raised her head and looked into his eyes. For an instant, she felt the jolt of his intense gaze. And then, before she could react, she got a face full of raindrops as another shower swept over them in a drenching wave.
Albert grabbed her hand. âQuick!â he said. âInto the truck!â He dashed across the yard, pulling her with him.
Hannahâs heart was suddenly pounding. He was holding her hand! She knew that it was wrong, but it was impossible to break free. Laughing, she threw caution to the wind and ran after him. She didnât care about the rain, didnât care who could be watching, didnât care if she was breaking every rule sheâd lived by for more than thirty years.
EMMA MILLER
lives quietly in her old farmhouse in rural Delaware amid fertile fields and lush woodlands. Fortunate enough to be born into a family of strong faith, she grew up on a dairy farm, surrounded by loving parents, siblings, grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins. Emma was educated in local schools, and once taught in an Amish schoolhouse much like the one at Seven Poplars. When sheâs not caring for her large family, reading and writing are her favorite pastimes.
All these blessings will come on you and
accompany you if you obey the Lord your God.
âDeuteronomy 28:2
Chapter One
April
Kent County, Delaware
Heart thumping, Hannah Yoder awoke with a start in her bed, barely catching her Bible before it tumbled off her lap to the floor. Still foggy with sleep, she placed the Good Book safely on the nightstand beside her bed and retrieved the reading glasses that must have fallen when she dozed off. What time was it? Glancing at the clock on the mantel over the fireplace, she saw that it was eleven-thirty.
Iâm getting old and foolish, she thought, falling asleep with the propane lamp on. She never did that. A mother with a houseful of children had to be vigilant against accidental fires...especially when they lived in a two-hundred-year-old house.
And then she remembered that five of her girls were grown and married and the sixth was promised to the communityâs new preacher. Where has the time gone? Only yesterday, I was a young woman with a husband and seven beautiful children, and today, Iâm widowed and nearly fifty. In another month, there would be only her youngest daughter, Susanna, and her foster son, Irwin, left to share the big farmhouse.
Nearly midnight and she had to be up by five-thirty...Sheâd never been one to have trouble sleeping, but maybe the stress of preparing for Rebeccaâs wedding was affecting her more than she realized. She reached up to turn off the lamp, but then a nagging uneasiness tugged at her and drew her from the bed. The floorboards were cold and she slid her bare feet into a pair of her late husband Jonasâs old fleece-lined slippers and reached for her flannel robe.
Something didnât feel right. What had awakened her? Had she had a bad dream? One of her windows was open a crack, letting in a cool, damp breeze, but that wasnât what had raised goose bumps on her arms. No, something was amiss.
She went to the window and stared out into the night. All was quiet in the farmyard. Common sense struggled with maternal instinct. Neither of the dogs had raised the alarm. True, their old sheepdog was somewhat hard of hearing, but Irwinâs terrier could hear a mouse squeak in the next county. There was certainly no intruder. What troubled her?
Hannah had always considered herself a calm, rational woman. One couldnât remain sane raising a houseful of children and be prone to nervous fancies. She looked back at her bed, wanting nothing more than to crawl back under the covers and get a good nightâs sleep. But she knew that she wouldnât get a wink until sheâd reassured herself that all was well.