hesitation on his part would send her into hysterics. Why Laura couldn’t believe she’d won his heart fair and square or that he considered the wedding vows unbreakable was beyond him.
Ivan cheered up as a new thought crossed his mind. Perhaps Laura and Esther were both wrong. This Wayne man might be impervious to Esther’s charms. Ivan stared over the darkened fields of Possum Valley, and his brow knitted. It was true that marriage wasn’t marriage until the vows were said, but Miriam had dated this Wayne fellow for some time now. Shouldn’t that carry some weight? It would serve Esther right to lose out to Miriam.
Ivan sighed as the headlights of another car broke over the hill ahead of him. He needed to get home. Hopefully Laura had the letter out of sight when he returned so they could talk of something else. If not, he’d steer the conversation to safer ground. Laura didn’t need any enlightenment on how he felt. And she wouldn’t ask if he kept his mouth shut about Esther’s devious plans.
A car raced past, shaking the buggy. Obviously a guy in a hurry. It sure looked to Ivan like it was Jonas Beachy’s fancy convertible. Jonas was his boss’s son, although in reality Jonas was his boss at the furniture shop. Raymond Beachy rarely showed his face around there anymore. Jonas must be headed out to Berlin…or Wooster, more likely. The boy had plenty of money and could go where he wished, unlike Ivan. He pushed the bitter thought away. He had Laura’s love and beauty to comfort him and that was enough. A man couldn’t have everything. Still his gaze lingered on the fancy convertible.
Ivan stiffened as the car’s taillights suddenly blossomed and the vehicle braked hard. He heard the screech of tires skidding on pavement as a thunderous thump boomed through the air. Theheadlights, now on high beams, pointed off the road and illuminated a herd of deer near the brow of a knoll.
His heart racing, Ivan sped up Billy. Jonas might need assistance—and quickly. The boy had been going pretty fast. When Ivan was within a dozen feet of the crash site, he pulled off the road and onto the shoulder. His flashing lights normally served their purpose well, but they seemed inadequate now. They’d have to do until the police arrived. Already another vehicle ahead had pulled to the side with flashers blinking. Ivan saw the driver pull out his cell and assumed he was calling 911. Help would be on its way.
Quickly climbing out of the buggy, Ivan hurried toward the convertible. A huge deer lay partially in the road obviously in the throes of death. Approaching the convertible on the driver’s side, Ivan breathed a sigh of relief to see Jonas appeared unscathed. He already had his car door open and was leaning in to help a woman who occupied the passenger seat.
“May I help?” Ivan asked as he stared into the convertible. Both air bags had deployed, and there was blood on the seat and on Jonas’s shirt.
Jonas’s face showed surprise when he looked up. “Ivan! Has anyone called 911? Shirley’s hurt!”
Ivan held up his hands. “I’ll check to be sure someone has.” He looked for cross traffic before he dashed across the road to the nearest parked vehicle. They were lined up in both directions now as everyone wondered what had happened and whether help was needed.
Ivan stopped at the first car’s window. “Did you call 911?” he asked.
A woman answered anxiously, “Yes, sir. Help is on the way. Is anyone hurt?”
Ivan nodded and thanked her for calling for help. When he returned to the convertible, a man and a few women had gatheredaround it. Already sirens blared from the direction of Berlin. Ivan hung back as a blanket was thrown over the shoulders of the injured woman and cloths were put against the deepest gashes. She was bleeding severely from wounds on her head and shoulders. Jonas had said her name was Shirley. Could it be Shirley Yoder, Miriam’s sister? Ivan shuddered at the thought. He’d heard
Ivan cheered up as a new thought crossed his mind. Perhaps Laura and Esther were both wrong. This Wayne man might be impervious to Esther’s charms. Ivan stared over the darkened fields of Possum Valley, and his brow knitted. It was true that marriage wasn’t marriage until the vows were said, but Miriam had dated this Wayne fellow for some time now. Shouldn’t that carry some weight? It would serve Esther right to lose out to Miriam.
Ivan sighed as the headlights of another car broke over the hill ahead of him. He needed to get home. Hopefully Laura had the letter out of sight when he returned so they could talk of something else. If not, he’d steer the conversation to safer ground. Laura didn’t need any enlightenment on how he felt. And she wouldn’t ask if he kept his mouth shut about Esther’s devious plans.
A car raced past, shaking the buggy. Obviously a guy in a hurry. It sure looked to Ivan like it was Jonas Beachy’s fancy convertible. Jonas was his boss’s son, although in reality Jonas was his boss at the furniture shop. Raymond Beachy rarely showed his face around there anymore. Jonas must be headed out to Berlin…or Wooster, more likely. The boy had plenty of money and could go where he wished, unlike Ivan. He pushed the bitter thought away. He had Laura’s love and beauty to comfort him and that was enough. A man couldn’t have everything. Still his gaze lingered on the fancy convertible.
Ivan stiffened as the car’s taillights suddenly blossomed and the vehicle braked hard. He heard the screech of tires skidding on pavement as a thunderous thump boomed through the air. Theheadlights, now on high beams, pointed off the road and illuminated a herd of deer near the brow of a knoll.
His heart racing, Ivan sped up Billy. Jonas might need assistance—and quickly. The boy had been going pretty fast. When Ivan was within a dozen feet of the crash site, he pulled off the road and onto the shoulder. His flashing lights normally served their purpose well, but they seemed inadequate now. They’d have to do until the police arrived. Already another vehicle ahead had pulled to the side with flashers blinking. Ivan saw the driver pull out his cell and assumed he was calling 911. Help would be on its way.
Quickly climbing out of the buggy, Ivan hurried toward the convertible. A huge deer lay partially in the road obviously in the throes of death. Approaching the convertible on the driver’s side, Ivan breathed a sigh of relief to see Jonas appeared unscathed. He already had his car door open and was leaning in to help a woman who occupied the passenger seat.
“May I help?” Ivan asked as he stared into the convertible. Both air bags had deployed, and there was blood on the seat and on Jonas’s shirt.
Jonas’s face showed surprise when he looked up. “Ivan! Has anyone called 911? Shirley’s hurt!”
Ivan held up his hands. “I’ll check to be sure someone has.” He looked for cross traffic before he dashed across the road to the nearest parked vehicle. They were lined up in both directions now as everyone wondered what had happened and whether help was needed.
Ivan stopped at the first car’s window. “Did you call 911?” he asked.
A woman answered anxiously, “Yes, sir. Help is on the way. Is anyone hurt?”
Ivan nodded and thanked her for calling for help. When he returned to the convertible, a man and a few women had gatheredaround it. Already sirens blared from the direction of Berlin. Ivan hung back as a blanket was thrown over the shoulders of the injured woman and cloths were put against the deepest gashes. She was bleeding severely from wounds on her head and shoulders. Jonas had said her name was Shirley. Could it be Shirley Yoder, Miriam’s sister? Ivan shuddered at the thought. He’d heard
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