Restless Hearts by Marta Perry

period to her words. Rachel grabbed Jonah’s hand, and both of them looked as if they’d been caught raiding the pantry.
    Somehow, even through the curtain, there was no mistaking that tall, broad figure. She gave them a reassuring smile and opened the door. It was Ted, of course.
    â€œI wasn’t expecting you.” That was an understatement. Ted had a way of showing up at the most inconvenient times.
    â€œNo, I guess not.” Ted stepped inside, not waiting for an invitation. “And you two weren’t expecting me either, I’ll bargain.”
    He frowned at the two teenagers, but instead of looking intimidated, as Fiona anticipated, Rachel gave him a saucy smile. “Not expecting, no. But we are not doing anything wrong, Mr. Policeman.”
    â€œYour parents might not agree to that.”
    Rachel pouted, obviously sure of her relationship with him. “You won’t tell. Everyone knows the kinds of things you got up to when you were our age.”
    Was that actually a twinkle in Ted’s steely blue eyes? “I might have to arrest you for blackmailing an officer of the law, Miss Rachel.”
    â€œWe were on our way out.” Jonah tugged at Rachel’s sleeve. “I will see Rachel safe home, I will.”
    Rachel let herself be led to the door. “I will see you again, Cousin Fiona. Soon.”
    â€œI’ll look forward to it.”
    She tried to ignore the disapproving look Ted sent her way. This was not any of his business, no matter how much he might think otherwise.
    She went to the door to see them off, and Ted followed the teens outside. “You have your lights and reflectors on properly, Jonah?”
    The boy nodded, climbing up to the buggy. Fiona watched from the doorway as Ted walked around to the back of the buggy, apparently double-checking the orange reflective triangle and the blinking red warning light that must have worked off some sort of battery when Jonah flipped it on.
    â€œAll right, then.” He came back around and smacked the horse on its rump. “Get along home, you two.”
    Fiona heard Rachel giggle as Jonah slapped the reins, and the buggy moved slowly off toward the road. Regret slid through her. Would Rachel come back? It hardly seemed likely if her parents heard about this little visit.
    She stepped out onto the back stoop. “You won’t tell Rachel’s parents about this, will you? She didn’t mean any harm.”
    â€œNo. I won’t.” He planted one foot on the low step and leaned against the railing. The soft glow from the light over the door caught them in its small circle,picking up glints of gold in Ted’s thick brown hair. “And you don’t need to tell me this wasn’t your idea. I know full well it was Rachel’s.”
    At least he didn’t sound angry, with the kids or with her. “I was—well, astonished. I didn’t realize Amish kids had that much freedom.”
    â€œThe rumspringa,” he said. “I suppose you don’t know about that.”
    She folded her arms across her chest, drawing her sweater close around her.
    â€œTell me about it.”
    â€œIt’s a time when Amish teenagers get to taste the outside world, generally when they’re between sixteen and twenty. Sowing wild oats, I suppose you might say. A time when they go courting, too.”
    It flashed through her mind, then, what Rachel had said about Ted courting her aunt. Flashed through, and was quickly dismissed. She didn’t know him well enough to ask him about his personal life, even though he didn’t hesitate to intrude in hers.
    â€œThey seem too young for that.”
    He shrugged. “They’ll probably be married by the time they’re in their early twenties. But before they are baptized into the church, they have the chance to explore the world a little. It’s a way to make sure the Amish life is really what they want.”
    â€œSo it