A Mother's Secret by Amy Clipston Page B

you think you worked him a little hard on his first day?”
    “No, not really.” He swiped the back of his hand over his sweaty brow. “Work is gut for the bu . All buwe need to learn what real work is.” He started hammering again.
    “I don’t think it’s your place to decide how hard Benjamin needs to work.” She raised her voice over the hammer. “You’re taking advantage of him, and it’s not right. He’s just a bu .”
    Joshua stopped hammering and faced her. “Well, my deal is with his daadi Titus, and I intend to follow through. I need the help, and the bu owes me for the vet bill he caused. Hard work is a gut way to teach kinner respect.” He frowned. “Maybe the bu will think twice before he throws a rock at a horse again.” He started toward the tack room at the back of the large barn.
    “Wait just a minute!” Carolyn rushed to catch up with his long strides. “I also don’t think it’s your place to decide what’s best for Benjamin.” As she took another step, her shoe slid on slick mud, and her hands flew up in an attempt to right herself. But much to her dismay, her feet flew out from under her, and she landed on her bottom in a pool of muck with a loud splat. Her cloak, stockings, and shoes were covered in the dark, smelly brown muck. Anger and embarrassment rained down on her. Why hadn’t she watched where she’d been walking? Now she was as dirty as Benjamin! She was certain she smelled just as bad as he did too. To make matters worse, she’d taken a spill in front of this man whom she barely knew.
    Joshua spun and faced her. “Are you all right?”
    “I’m fine,” she muttered as humiliation heated the tips of her ears. A lock of hair fell from beneath her prayer covering.
    “Let me help you.” He held out his hands.
    “No,” she grumbled. “I’m fine.” She grabbed a post, pulled herself up from the smelly puddle, and stared down at her soiled clothes.
    “Can I give you a rag?” He held out a stained towel.
    “ Danki .” Her words were hardly audible. She wiped the towel down her cloak and skirt, but the mud remained in place. She handed the towel back to him. “I think you need to go easier on Benjamin.” She hoped she sounded more confident than she felt, standing in front of this man while covered in muck.
    “No, that wasn’t the agreement I had with Titus. Benjamin is going to work for me, not stand around while I do all the chores.” He gestured around the barn. “There’s plenty that needs to be done here, and I need the help.”
    She was at a loss as to what to say. The fall had taken both her dignity and her words. “Fine. Gut nacht .”
    He studied her as if she were crazy. “ Gut nacht .”

    Carolyn drove back home and found her mother washing the dinner dishes. She quickly changed her clothes and then returned to the kitchen.
    “I kept some food warm for you.” Her mother retrieved a plate from the oven.
    “ Danki .” Carolyn took the plate and then sat at the table. After a silent prayer, she began to eat the meat loaf and mashed potatoes.
    Benjamin and her father entered the kitchen from the outside.
    Benjamin gave her a worried expression. “What did you say to Josh?”
    “I told him that he was being too hard on you.” Carolyn turned to her father. “I said that it wasn’t his place to discipline Benjamin.”
    “You shouldn’t meddle. You were wrong to go over to Joshua’s after I told you not to.” Dat’s tone was stern as he removed his coat and hat. “It’s not your place to interfere.”
    “ Ya , it is.” Carolyn placed her fork on the table beside the plate. “Benjamin shouldn’t come home looking as if he’d walked to Philadelphia and back in the middle of a hurricane.”
    “I can handle it myself.” Benjamin’s expression was serious. “You have to let me grow up and be a man.”
    “He’s right,” Dat said. “Let him finish out his end of the deal. It’s gut for him.”
    Carolyn turned to her mother, hoping