angel.”
The lines of pleasure deepened on his face. “And for that I’m very grateful.”
If she’d been as angelic as her Daed wished, she wouldn’t have been out last night or found Levi. Was he the reason she’d felt so moved during her prayers to saddle Bay and ride? Or had her own will been at work and stumbling across Levi was an odd coincidence?
“Tobias.” Andy motioned to his son to leave the room with him. “Sadie, it was good meeting you.”
“Denki.” Where was the man’s wife? In fact, now that she thought about it, it seemed odd Levi never mentioned his sister-in-law when they talked last night.
Andy started to leave, then turned back to her. “We’re going to tendto the horses, but I’d rather Levi not be alone for too long. Just let me know when you’re leaving by having your driver toot the horn.”
“Be glad to.”
“Andy.” Levi’s hoarse whisper brought his brother to a stop. Levi scrunched his face and opened his eyes for a moment. “A woman helped me last night, not Sadie.” In the Amish community, one referred to people as Amish when they were such. The lack of that title would do exactly what Levi knew it would: indicate an Englisch woman had helped him.
Sadie appreciated Levi’s sense of honor and his attempt to protect her.
Andy nodded, but questions filled his eyes.
Sadie shrugged. “I was grounded for the evening.”
Andy’s eyes narrowed, possibly thinking the same thing she did—she was too old for a parent to ground her. “It’s not right for me to say it,”—Andy put his hands on Tobias’s shoulders—“but I’m with Levi on this. I’m grateful you’re no angel.” He and Tobias left the room. A few moments later the screen door slammed.
His eyes still closed, Levi made a weak pat on the edge of his bed. She hesitated, but it seemed harmless with him injured and unable to speak much or keep his eyes open. They only had a few minutes to talk and were not likely to see each other again, so she sat.
He drew a heavy breath. “I was sure you’d already left Apple Ridge and I’d have no way to thank you.”
She realized he was right. As determined as he was to keep her secret, he wouldn’t have gone to her grandmother’s to find out where she lived or how to reach her.
He tried to sit upright, and she helped by putting pillows behind him.
“Now.” He eased back and waited for her to sit again. “Let’s see those eyes.”
She opened them wide.
“Hmm. You have big eyes.”
“All the better to see you with.” She waggled her eyebrows.
He laughed, then moaned. “No, not like a wolf. I meant they’re large and pretty, somewhere between pale green and golden brown.”
Sadie knew they weren’t pretty, but she didn’t believe he was trying to flatter her. He was just grateful to her, and gratitude changed people’s views of everything they looked at. When she spent time in the Andes, soaking in the beauty of God’s creation and fully aware of how poor and yet content the villagers were, her heart overflowed with gratitude. She learned then that the Daniels of the world—the ones she’d thought were better than her—were really no better or worse. The only thing that mattered was the honor and joy of walking with God.
Levi stretched his hand toward her face and ran his index finger across the bridge of her nose. “You have freckles.”
Sadie found his observation a little amusing and intimidating. Her looks weren’t a favorite subject. But she had no doubt his boldness to touch her was due to the medication he was taking.
He smiled, pinching her chin between his thumb and index finger. “You’re very cute in a ‘sunshine after the rain’ sort of way.”
She didn’t know what he meant by that, but feelings fluttered through her, each tugging in a different direction. She’d grown out of being homely and horribly skinny. But she was no Aquilla. That was for sure. Still, she no longer felt she was less than other
The lines of pleasure deepened on his face. “And for that I’m very grateful.”
If she’d been as angelic as her Daed wished, she wouldn’t have been out last night or found Levi. Was he the reason she’d felt so moved during her prayers to saddle Bay and ride? Or had her own will been at work and stumbling across Levi was an odd coincidence?
“Tobias.” Andy motioned to his son to leave the room with him. “Sadie, it was good meeting you.”
“Denki.” Where was the man’s wife? In fact, now that she thought about it, it seemed odd Levi never mentioned his sister-in-law when they talked last night.
Andy started to leave, then turned back to her. “We’re going to tendto the horses, but I’d rather Levi not be alone for too long. Just let me know when you’re leaving by having your driver toot the horn.”
“Be glad to.”
“Andy.” Levi’s hoarse whisper brought his brother to a stop. Levi scrunched his face and opened his eyes for a moment. “A woman helped me last night, not Sadie.” In the Amish community, one referred to people as Amish when they were such. The lack of that title would do exactly what Levi knew it would: indicate an Englisch woman had helped him.
Sadie appreciated Levi’s sense of honor and his attempt to protect her.
Andy nodded, but questions filled his eyes.
Sadie shrugged. “I was grounded for the evening.”
Andy’s eyes narrowed, possibly thinking the same thing she did—she was too old for a parent to ground her. “It’s not right for me to say it,”—Andy put his hands on Tobias’s shoulders—“but I’m with Levi on this. I’m grateful you’re no angel.” He and Tobias left the room. A few moments later the screen door slammed.
His eyes still closed, Levi made a weak pat on the edge of his bed. She hesitated, but it seemed harmless with him injured and unable to speak much or keep his eyes open. They only had a few minutes to talk and were not likely to see each other again, so she sat.
He drew a heavy breath. “I was sure you’d already left Apple Ridge and I’d have no way to thank you.”
She realized he was right. As determined as he was to keep her secret, he wouldn’t have gone to her grandmother’s to find out where she lived or how to reach her.
He tried to sit upright, and she helped by putting pillows behind him.
“Now.” He eased back and waited for her to sit again. “Let’s see those eyes.”
She opened them wide.
“Hmm. You have big eyes.”
“All the better to see you with.” She waggled her eyebrows.
He laughed, then moaned. “No, not like a wolf. I meant they’re large and pretty, somewhere between pale green and golden brown.”
Sadie knew they weren’t pretty, but she didn’t believe he was trying to flatter her. He was just grateful to her, and gratitude changed people’s views of everything they looked at. When she spent time in the Andes, soaking in the beauty of God’s creation and fully aware of how poor and yet content the villagers were, her heart overflowed with gratitude. She learned then that the Daniels of the world—the ones she’d thought were better than her—were really no better or worse. The only thing that mattered was the honor and joy of walking with God.
Levi stretched his hand toward her face and ran his index finger across the bridge of her nose. “You have freckles.”
Sadie found his observation a little amusing and intimidating. Her looks weren’t a favorite subject. But she had no doubt his boldness to touch her was due to the medication he was taking.
He smiled, pinching her chin between his thumb and index finger. “You’re very cute in a ‘sunshine after the rain’ sort of way.”
She didn’t know what he meant by that, but feelings fluttered through her, each tugging in a different direction. She’d grown out of being homely and horribly skinny. But she was no Aquilla. That was for sure. Still, she no longer felt she was less than other
Similar Books
