A Marriage for Meghan (45 page)

He smiled at her with tender, brotherly affection. “I can and I will.”

“We hope you find a suitable church within walking distance,” murmured Catherine.

“One that has plenty of single
Englischers
.” Meghan perched a hand on her hip. “Of course, when a person’s about to go over-the-hill like you, I suppose all the good ones have already been taken.”

Frowning, Catherine turned on her. “What in the world has gotten into you, Meghan Yost? I can’t believe you’re treating Thomas this rudely.”

“It’s all right, Catherine,” said Thomas. “Meghan and I were giving each other dating advice a while back. And from what I saw today,
her
plan seems to be working.”

Meghan’s grin could have won a blue ribbon if such a contest was held. “I take it you saw him, the man I intend to marry?” She rocked back and forth on her heels, looking rather smug for someone Amish.

Catherine shook her head. “I’m going inside to set the table. Meghan can fill you in on the details of her romance.
Daed
said you’ll share supper with us before you leave, so you’ll have a chance to talk to Jacob.” She backed away from her sister. “Then you can decide whether to congratulate the man, wish him luck, or express your condolences.” Catherine ran down the steps as soon as her words were out.

Thomas called after her. “Put your accent on the second syllable, so that the word doesn’t rhyme with fences.”

Catherine waved her hand, acknowledging she’d heard him.

Meghan smiled at her sister’s retreating back. “There’s no reason you can’t do all three, Thomas.” She turned to look at him. “And I’m happy about your trip to Pennsylvania. Maybe someone in Lancaster will catch your eye.”

He opened his mouth to protest, but she held up her hand, five inches in front of his face. “No. Just promise me you’ll wait to see what happens. Seldom are things irrevocable.”

Hearing her quote his exact words brought a lump to his throat. “I’m going to miss you, Miss Yost.”

“I know you will, Agent Mast. And that’s why you’re taking this potted geranium home.” She lifted the terra-cotta pot carefully from the porch rail. “Because this plant survived the storm of the century, it will remind you what kind of sturdy stock
you’re
descended from.” She pressed the pot against his chest. “I’ll see you in the house. Don’t be late or all the food will be gone.”

As soon as his hands closed around the gift, she sprinted down the steps. Maybe she had seen his tears or had a few of her own. Maybe she hated long goodbyes.

Or maybe she just wanted to call her
daed, bruders
, and beloved Jacob to supper. But either way, Thomas had time to take one final look around, close the door to the
dawdi haus
, and put the geranium in his car before joining the Yost family for supper one last time.

At least for now.

1.
We are our own worst enemies
. Most people would agree there’s at least some truth to this old adage. What was it about Meghan that makes her choice in vocations an uphill battle?

2. Developing a romantic relationship with your childhood best friend is fraught with pitfalls. Discuss some of the advantages and disadvantages of marrying your best friend.

3. Therapists love to talk about the inherent difficulty of being born the “middle child” in a family. What can make being the family’s “baby” also a challenge to overcome?

4. Our hero, Jacob Shultz, doesn’t always behave in a heroic manner. How did your opinion of him change by the story’s conclusion and why?

5. Hate crimes against the Amish are very rare, and yet they do happen. What is it about their culture and society that makes them easy targets for those with serious emotional problems?

6. Thomas Mast is hiding secrets. What in his past hampers his ability to form social and especially romantic relationships? Why is he attracted to yet somehow repelled by the Amish?

7. Catherine is the sister I wish I could create for myself. In what ways does she help Meghan reach her goals?

8. Why did Bishop Yost doubt his ability to serve his congregation? What made him change his mind about stepping down from a lifetime commitment to his Amish district?

9. Why were the other ministers so reluctant to involve the sheriff’s department or the FBI despite the serious nature of the crimes being perpetrated?

10. “Faith in ourselves must follow close on the heels of faith in the Lord.” How did these words of wisdom benefit our heroine, Meghan, and how can we put them to use in our own lives?

Mary Ellis
grew up close to the eastern Ohio Amish Community, Geauga County, where her parents often took her to farmers’ markets and woodworking fairs. She and her husband now live in Medina County, close to the largest population of Amish families, where she does her research…and enjoys the simple way of life.

A Marriage for Meghan
is the second book in the The Wayne County Series. Discover Mary’s other books, especially
Abigail’s New Hope
and the bestselling Miller Family Series, at

www.harvesthousepublishers.com

Mary loves to hear from her readers at
[email protected]
or
www.maryeellis.wordpress.com

A
s an Amish midwife, Abigail Graber loves bringing babies into the world. But when a difficult delivery takes a devastating turn, she is faced with some hard choices. Despite her best efforts, the young mother dies—but the baby is saved.

When a heartless judge confines Abigail to the county jail for her mistakes, her sister Catherine comes to the Graber farm to care for Abigail’s young children while her husband, Daniel, works his fields. And for the first time Catherine meets Daniel’s reclusive cousin, Isaiah, who is deaf and thought to be simpleminded by his community. She endeavors to teach him to communicate and discovers he possesses unexpected gifts and talents.

While Abigail searches for forgiveness, Catherine changes lives and, in return, finds love, something long elusive in her life. Isaiah discovers God, who cares nothing about our handicaps or limitations in His sustaining grace.

An inspirational tale of overcoming grief, maintaining faith, and finding hope in an ever-changing world.

A
fter the death of her husband, Hannah Brown is determined to make a new life with her sister’s family. But when she sells her farm in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, and moves her sheep to Ohio, the wool unexpectedly begins to fly. Simon, her deacon brother-in-law, finds just about everything about Hannah vexing. So no one is more surprised than the deacon when his own brother, Seth, shows interest in the beautiful young widow.

But perhaps he has nothing to worry about. The two seem to be at cross-purposes as often as not. Hannah is willful, and Seth has an independent streak a mile wide. But much is at stake, including the heart of Seth’s silent young daughter, Phoebe. Can Seth and Hannah move past their own pain to find a lasting love?

An inspirational story of trust in the God who sees our needs before we do.

E
mma Miller is on the cusp of leaving childhood behind and entering the adult world. She has finished school, started her own wool business, and longs for someone to court. When the object of her affection is a handsome English sheep farmer with a fast truck and modern methods, her deacon father, Simon, knows he has more than the farm alliance to worry about.