Deceived: Lured from the Truth (Secrets) by Melody Carlson Page A

just a facade. While they do have a couple of automatic milking machines, there are also several people who are milking the cows by hand. And some workers are using old-fashioned devices that look like they’ve been around for a while. Meanwhile, others are operating modern-looking stainless-steel machines. It’s all quite interesting.
    It’s also interesting to see there’s some ethnic diversity here. Although the women look similar due to their long dresses, I notice a young Hispanic woman washing a cow. And I pause to watch a petite Asian girl as she wrestles with a butter churn.
    “That looks like a good way to build up your biceps,” I tell her. Looking up, she gives me a patient smile, then turns back to her churning.
    “As you can see, my uncle likes both the old and the new,” Josiah explains as he leads me past some freezers. “Originally, he wanted to do everything the old-fashioned way and without much reliance on outside electricity. But as his business grew, he had to get some new technology to keep up.”
    “Everything seems so clean,” I say as we walk through a storage area. “I mean, considering it’s a dairy farm.”
    “Some might think it’s hokey, but my uncle is a firm believer that cleanliness is next to godliness.” He chuckles as he leads me back out into the sunshine.
    “Hey, that works for me. I wish your uncle could give my coworkers a lecture on the subject.”
    “Speaking of my uncle …” Josiah waves to a nice-looking middle-aged couple walking toward us. “Come over here and meet Rachel,” he calls to them. After a quick introduction, I’m shaking hands with Reverend and Mrs. Davis. Like Josiah, they both have Australian accents. And they both seem very nice.
    “Your dairy is amazing,” I tell Reverend Jim. “Very impressive. I was already a fan of your ice cream. But seeing this place has won me over.”
    “Rachel works at Nadine’s Natural Ice Cream Parlor,” Josiah explains.
    “So is this a field trip?” Reverend Jim asks me.
    “Not exactly.”
    “Rachel came out here to try our church,” Josiah tells him.
    “Oh, you’re the girl I spoke with on the phone,” Mrs. Davis says. “Now I remember.”
    “Well, I hope you enjoy the service. It won’t start until ten. But I’m sure Josiah will make you feel at home.”
    “I’m just showing her around,” Josiah tells them.
    “It’s such a beautiful property,” I say. “Such a lovely location for a dairy.”
    “And not a bad place to live either,” she tells me.
    “We’ll see you later.” Reverend Jim nods. And now Josiah and I continue with our walking tour. He shows me some more buildings related to the dairy. And then we walk down a wooded trail that follows the creek until we reach an area with lots of small wooden cabins nestled among the evergreens. There must be at least twenty of them.
    “What is this? Some kind of a summer camp?”
    “Lost Springs used to be a fishing resort,” he explains. “The fly-fishing on the creek is exceptional, and fishermen would rent the cabins.”
    “It looks like some of them are occupied now.” I notice a young woman hanging laundry behind one of the cabins.
    “Yeah, some of the dairy workers live here.” He points to a cabin off to our left. “That one’s mine.”
    “How interesting and quaint. Do you live here year-round?”
    “Sure. It’s a bit rustic, but we’ve been insulating them so they stay warmer in the winter.”
    “I’d love to see inside of one,” I say.
    “I’d show you my cabin, but my uncle has strict rules about not entertaining the opposite sex … if you know what I mean.”
    My cheeks warm. “Of course. I wasn’t hinting for you to invite me into your cabin, Josiah. I simply meant they look charming and I —”
    “Just pulling your leg. Come on, I’ll show you a vacant cabin over here. Who knows, maybe you’ll want to move in.”
    He opens the door to reveal a small, dark interior where everything is made of wood.