Everyone was staring at her with their mouths open. Joann pulled her book bag off the hook by the door and rushed outside before her courage failed.

  * * *

  Roman slipped a finger under the collar of his shirt to loosen it. He hadn’t been this nervous since...ever. It occurred to him that he was rushing things, but he didn’t want to keep the truth from Joann a moment longer. He had come to care deeply for her. He wanted their relationship to be based on trust and understanding. He wanted to be more than her friend. Much more.

  As she came out the door, she gave him a beautiful smile. His heart flipped over in his chest and started beating like mad. She took his breath away.

  She slid in beside him in the buggy. “What a glorious day.”

  “It sure is.” It wasn’t the weather that filled him with happiness. It was having her beside him.

  “Any ill effects?” Her voice sounded breathy and nervous. Her cheeks were pink and her eyes sparkled. He sure hoped he was the reason.

  “From what?”

  She giggled. “Your swim with the fishes.”

  “Nee, I’m fine and so is Andrew. We’ll have to do that again.”

  She looked down at her hands. “I’d like that. Where are we going?”

  “I thought we might go out to the lake.”

  Her head snapped up. She stared at him with wide eyes. “The lake?”

  Suddenly, it didn’t seem like such a great plan. “If that’s okay with you?”

  “It’s okay. Ja, it’s fine. I like going to the lake.”

  “So do I. It’s peaceful there.”

  She fell silent, and he drove the rest of the way with growing misgivings.

  When they reached the south shore, he parked in the shade of an oak tree. She said, “This is a good spot. Shall I put the blanket out here?”

  “No, it’s prettier on the east side of the lake. Let’s take our stuff over there.”

  Some of the joy left her eyes. “Okay.”

  He hated that he was tricking her, but he had arranged for the Friendly Fisherman to introduce himself. It had seemed so clever when he thought of it. He prayed he was doing the right thing. He took the picnic basket from the back of the buggy and started following the path around the lake. When they reached the clearing with the fallen tree, he looked down at her. “I like this spot, don’t you?”

  She relaxed a little. “It’s fine.”

  He said, “You put out our things. I left the lemonade in the buggy. I’ll be right back.”

  * * *

  Joann couldn’t believe Roman had brought her to the same spot where she exchanged letters with her secret friend. Once he was out of sight, she laid open the blanket and went to the log. Reaching into the knothole, she brought out her mail jar. There was a new note inside. She opened the lid and took it out.

  My dear friend,

  I would be delighted to meet you face to face. We do have a lot to talk about. So turn around.

  F.F.

  Turn around. Her heart skipped a beat and stumbled onward. Slowly, she looked up. Roman was standing at the edge of the trees. He lifted his hand in a brief wave. “Hi.”

  A terrible buzzing filled her ears. This couldn’t be happening. He hadn’t brought her here for a picnic. He’d brought her here to humiliate her. She should have known better. What a fool she was.

  She pressed a hand to her forehead. “It was you! All this time I thought I was reading heartfelt letters from some stranger. Only I wasn’t. I was the victim of your sick joke.”

  He took a step toward her. “No, Joann, it wasn’t like that.”

  She was so embarrassed she thought she might die from shame. When she thought of the things she had confided to him it made her ill. “Did you know it was me all along?”

  “Of course not.”

  “You knew before today, didn’t you?”

  “I couldn’t tell you. I wasn’t sure you even liked me.”

  He knew and he’d said nothing. How humiliating. “I have a newsflash for you, Roman Weaver. I still don’t like you. You are mean and underhanded and dishonest. I can’t believe I ever thought I did like you. Never speak to me again.”

  Joann dashed past him and began running through the trees. She heard him calling, but she didn’t slow down. She ran past his buggy and across the pasture until she was so out of breath that she had to stop and lean against the gate.

  What an idiot she was. He must be laughing his head off. Tears blinded her. She wiped them away. “I don’t cry. I never cry.”

  Only today, she did.

  * * *

  Roman couldn’t believe how things had gone from so good to so bad in a heartbeat. He gathered up the remains of their picnic and followed Joann. She had to listen to him. He had to make her understand that he had been afraid of losing her friendship. Only now, it seemed that he’d lost so much more.

  She wasn’t waiting at the buggy. He repeatedly called her name, but she didn’t answer.

  So much for his bright idea. He left the lake and drove to her brother’s house. She wasn’t there. She hadn’t come back and they didn’t know where she might be.

  Defeated, Roman went home. Perhaps if he gave her enough time, she would cool off and be able to see that he did care for her.

  The next day, he waited impatiently for her to come to work. She didn’t show up. He started to worry. He left work early and went back to her brother’s house only to be told she still hadn’t come home. No one in the family had seen her.

  Where could she be? Who would she seek out? Sally perhaps?

  He set his tired horse in motion once more and drove out to Sally’s home.

  Sally was hanging clothes on the line when he drove in the yard. He left the buggy and crossed the lawn with long strides. “Is she here?”

  Sally looked at him as if he were crazy. “Is who here?”

  “I don’t want to play games. Is Joann here?”

  “She is not. What’s going on?”

  “I need to speak to her. I need to make her understand that I care about her. I hurt her without meaning to.”

  “How?”

  Roman hesitated but finally explained what had been going on. Sally was every bit as upset as Joann had been. “You weasel. First, you take her job, she loses the home she’s always wanted and then you toy with her affections. I wouldn’t want to see you again either.”

  “Wait a minute. What do you mean I took her job?”

  “Her job at the newspaper. She was fired so you could have it. Did you really think she only wanted to clean up after you?”

  “I thought it was odd, but she said it was what she wanted.”

  “No, the job you could care less about is the job she wanted. The job she needed.”

  “So she could buy a house of her own,” he said softly, remembering her letter.

  Sally’s attitude softened. “You really didn’t know?”

  “That my uncle put her on the cleaning staff so that I could have her job? No. It never crossed my mind.”

  “Not only did you get her job, she had to teach you how do it. It wasn’t fair of Otis Miller to do that.”

  “No wonder she seemed to resent me. How can I make this right? I do care about her. You must believe me.”

  “To start with, you’re gonna have to eat a lot of crow.”

  “I can’t tell her how sorry I am if I can’t find her. Do you know where she is?”

  “Maybe I do, and maybe I don’t. If you are sincere about patching things up with her, I’ll see what I can do to help.”

  The truth dawned on him in a blinding flash. “Sally, not only am I sincere about patching things up with her, I want her to be my wife. And I don’t care who knows it.”

  “Well, that puts a slightly different slant on things. Okay, I’ll help, but you have to go home now.”

  “Go home? I can’t. Not until I’ve talked to her.”

  “Men are so clueless sometimes. You have to give her a little cooling-off time. Joann is a smart woman, but she doesn’t have a lot of confidence. She’s felt unwanted most of her life. Thinking that someone loves her for herself is not something that she’s used to doing. Give her some time to let the idea sink in. If she still isn’t willing to talk to you in a few days’ time, then drastic measures will be needed.”

  He didn’t like the sound of that. “What kind of drastic measures?”

  “Nothing for you to worry about. Go home and wait until I contact you. Trust me.”

  He didn’t want to go home. He wanted to find Joann and make her understand how much he loved her, but it didn’t look like that would happen tonight. It was with a heavy heart that he left and drove away.

  When he arrived at the sawmill, he saw the sheriff talking to his father. Andrew came and took the horse from Roman. “The sheriff wants to talk to you.”

  “All right.”

  Roman walked toward the sheriff and his father. “How can I help you, Nick Bradley?”

  “I came to let you know we arrested someone for the arson at the school and for the vandalism at your uncle’s business.”

  “Who?”

  “Robert Smith, Brendan’s younger brother. The woman who came by the printing office after the attack is his girlfriend. The farmer out on Bent Tree Road was able to give me a description of the car they saw speeding away. When I ran the license plate number I received in the mail, her name came up. Her car matched the description of the one at the haystack fire. When I confronted her, she told me everything.”

  Roman shoved his hands in his pockets. “Did she say why?”

  “She thought they were having some harmless fun. They were getting their kicks out of torching a few haystacks. It wasn’t until Robert wanted to burn down the school that she started getting worried. She was the one who called in the tip to us that day. After Otis was hurt, she got scared and broke it off with Robert.”

  “Why does he hate us so?” Menlo asked.

  “She said he hates the Amish because they won’t fight for their country. He tried to join the Army, but he was rejected. He thinks the Amish are a bunch of hypocrites.”

  Shame filled Roman. “If I had asked for leniency for his brother, maybe none of this would’ve happened.”

  “In my book, Brendan got what he deserved. He didn’t know and he didn’t care that you were standing at the side of the road when he sideswiped you. He thought it would be funny to knock the door off your buggy because the Amish don’t report crimes to the law. Usually. This time you stopped a crime, Roman. According to Jenny, Robert was planning to torch this place next.”

  Menlo laid a hand on Roman’s shoulder. “God was merciful to us.”

  The sheriff nodded. “I just wanted you to know that the people around here are safer thanks to you.”

  As Sheriff Bradley walked away, Roman called after him, “Sheriff, will you do me a favor?”

  “If I can. What is it?”

  “Will you tell the attorney for Brendan and his brother that I will be pleased to come speak on their behalves? Forgiveness is about more than words. It has taken me a while to understand that.”

  The sheriff nodded and smiled. “I’ll be happy to pass on the message.”

  Chapter 15

  Joann sat on the window seat of Sarah’s old house and watched the activity on the street below. She was grateful that Sarah and Levi had allowed her to stay in the empty house. Levi had brought over a cot for her to sleep on. It was all she needed at the moment. A place to hide until her heartache healed.

  A buggy pulled up in front of Levi’s shop and her cousin Sally stepped out. Tears pricked Joann’s eyes. She didn’t want to see anybody. She hoped that Sarah wouldn’t reveal where she was.

  Her hope was in vain. Only a few minutes after entering Levi’s shop, Sally emerged with Sarah and they both crossed the street toward her.

  She heard the front door open downstairs. Sally’s voice called out, “Joann, are you here?”

  Maybe if she stayed silent, they would go away. She should’ve known better. Sally came tromping up the stairs. “I know you’re up here, Joann. Answer me.”

  “Joann doesn’t live here anymore. She ran away and joined the circus.”

  The bedroom door flew open and Sally breezed in. “I’ve often thought that being an Amish circus performer would be a truly difficult way to live. But if that’s what you want, I’ll support you.”

  Joann sighed. “Go away, Sally. I don’t want to talk to anyone.”

  Sally sat beside her on the window bench. “So don’t talk, just listen.”

  Sarah came into the bedroom and stood with her arms folded. “Don’t bully her, Sally.”

  Sally sat back. “You’re right. I am trying to bully her into believing that she is a terrific person and that any man would be blessed to have her be part of his life. Even Roman Weaver.”

  Joann said, “I appreciate the sentiment, but that is hardly the case. I’m a sad, pathetic excuse of a woman who fell in love with an idea, not with a real man.”

  Sally said, “I have to admit that he’s not much of a catch. Who would want a man who can’t hold you in his arms?”

  Joann glared at Sally. “He only needs one good arm to put around me. If he lost both arms he would still be smarter and more determined than any man I know.”

  Sally smiled. “That’s a pretty strong defense of someone you don’t see as a real man.”

  “You know what I mean.”

  Sarah came and sat down on the other side of Joann. “I only have one question for you. Do you love him?”

  “How can I love someone who lies to me, who tricks me into thinking that he is something he’s not?”

  Sarah took Joann’s hands in her own. “That wasn’t exactly a no.”

  “Okay, I love him, but that doesn’t change anything.”

  “She’s right,” Sally said. “We just have to figure out what to do now.”

  Joann stood and crossed the room before turning to face them. “I’ve come to a decision.”

  “Not the circus,” Sally said dryly.

  “No, not the circus. I have an aunt who lives near Bird-in-Hand, Pennsylvania. She left the Amish years ago. My brothers have forbidden anyone to speak about her, but I believe she’ll take me in. I’m family, after all.”

  Sally slapped her hands on her knees. “Wonderful. Now that that’s taken care of, all you have to do is write her and wait for an answer.”

  Joann frowned at her. “Are you that eager to be rid of me?”

  “Of course not,” Sarah said. “We just want what is best for you.”

  Sally stood. “In the meantime, we need to get you a pair of new dresses. You can’t go to her looking like a pauper. I’ll bring some material over tomorrow and we can get you ready to start a new and different life. Wow, I envy you that.”

  Sally’s eyes grew sad. Before Joann could ask her what was wrong, she perked up and said, “I’ll be back first thing tomorrow morning.”

  She charged out of the room, but Sarah remained. “Joann, you are welcome to stay with Levi and me for as long as you like. I hope you know that.”

  “I appreciate that, Sarah, but I need to move on with my life. There isn’t anything for me here.”

  “I think you’re wrong about that, but I’ll accept whatever decision you make.”

  Sarah left and Joann was alone again.

  * * *

  Roman was almost out of patience.

  Sally had told him to have faith and wait until she contacted him, but it had been a week and there was still no sign of Joann. Each day he grew more afraid that he had lost her forever. He was proofreading an article for the magazine when the front door of the shop opened. He looked up hoping it was Joann, but it was finally Sally.

  “It’s about time. Where is she?” he demanded.

  Sally gave him a look of disgust. “I have no idea what she sees in you.”

  “I’m sorry. Hello, Sally, how may I help you?” He forced a smile to his stiff lips.

  “You need to go fishing right now.”

  “Is this some kind of joke, because if it is...” His voice trailed off. He was in no position to issue an ultimatum and she knew it.

  “Joann is packed and ready to go to her aunt’s home in Pennsylvania. Her aunt’s letter arrived today. She wants to leave on this evening’s bus. All that she’s lacking is her fishing pole. She went to collect.”

  “To her brother, Hebron’s place?”

  Sally shook her head. “He’s the one who threw it in the lake. Long story. She said she kept it in a hollow log at the lake. Since that was where you exchanged letters, I assume you know where she is going.”

  He got up from his desk and grabbed his hat. “I could kiss you, Sally.”

  “Yuck. Not interested. You should hurry. She left Sarah’s home thirty minutes ago.”

  When Roman reached the lake he prayed he wasn’t too late. He rounded the last bend in the path and held his breath.

  She was sitting on the fallen log by the edge of the water. For a moment, he was too scared to speak. What if he couldn’t make her understand? What if he had to spend the rest of his life without her?

  Unless he could convince her of his love, that was exactly what would happen.

  He prayed for the strength and wisdom to say what she needed to hear. Suddenly, a deep calm came over him. He knew in his heart that she was the woman God had chosen for him. He took a deep breath and walked into the clearing. “Are they biting today?”

  She tensed but didn’t look at him. “I don’t know.”

  At least she wasn’t running away. He took a seat a few feet away from her on a log.