Free Excerpt from Silvia’s Rose!
Following the death of her husband, Esther Stoltzfus has moved to a new community with her daughter, Diana, and has caught the eye of the handsome minister, Isaiah Mast. A practical woman, Esther has never desired romance or anything more than a stable love from her marriage. But when Isaiah begins courting her, his romantic efforts leave her feeling emotions she has never before experienced. One Friday evening, Isaiah asks Esther to be ready for a surprise at 5:00 sharp. She has no idea what to expect, but she is certainly excited for whatever Isaiah has up his sleeve…
Esther tiptoed to the front window and sneaked a look around the drapes. Isaiah had Diana up on his buggy seat and was in an animated conversation with her. He gave Diana the reins to his horse, Echo, and turned to head toward the house. Esther ducked out of sight and stilled the sharp intake of her breath.
A few moments later, when Isaiah knocked on the front door, Esther jumped. What was wrong with her? She had turned into a nervous teenager. She pasted a smile on her face and opened the front door.
“Goot evening, Isaiah.”
He grinned. “Ready to go, I see.”
“If only I knew where I was going. I’m in my apron. Will that do? And what about supper on the stove?”
“We’re just going for a little drive in my buggy,” he said with a warm smile. “If you don’t object, that is. Diana seems all for it.”
“Then let me check on the food, and I’ll be right out,” Esther replied.
“I’ll be waiting,” he said, turning back toward his buggy.
Esther hurried into the kitchen and slid several of the bowls into the oven. She then raced out to the buggy and joined Isaiah on the seat with Diana between them. Isaiah winked at her.
“Giddyap!” Diana shouted, still holding the reins.
Isaiah had his hands over Diana’s, allowing her to help direct Echo as they went down the driveway and pulled to a stop at the highway.
“Now we want to look either way,” Isaiah told Diana, “to see if there’s any traffic coming. Can you do that?”
Diana peered around Isaiah’s arms on each side and sang out, “There’s nothing coming.”
“Then let out the reins,” Isaiah instructed, and Diana complied with a look of rapture on her face.
They continued on for several more minutes before Isaiah spoke up. “Well, I suppose we should turn back. Your mamm’s supper is getting cold, I’m sure.”
“I want to go on,” Diana protested.
Isaiah frowned. “Sorry. We can’t tonight, but we should do this more often. Don’t you think?”
Diana’s head bobbed up and down.
After a quick glance over his shoulder, Isaiah took the reins into his own hands and expertly spun Echo around on the road.
“That was fun,” Diana chirped.
Esther glanced away to hide her tears. This was Lonnie’s child, and Isaiah handled Diana tonight as if she were his own—with the same deftness and confidence that a real daett would display. She hadn’t known how badly she wanted this to happen.
“You have been wunderbah tonight,” Esther whispered in his ear. “Thank you.” She gave his arm a quick squeeze and smiled down at Diana.
Isaiah said nothing, but Esther was sure his eyes were moist. Arriving back at her house, Isaiah turned in the driveway and parked by the hitching post.
She gave him a sweet smile and waited until he had tied Echo to the hitching post before she took his hand. With Diana’s in her other one, they headed toward the house.
Was this what falling in love felt like? She didn’t know, but her heart pounded with joy tonight.
Pick up your copy of Silvia’s Rose from your favorite online bookseller! It’s the first book in the Peace in the Valley series, and we are hosting a summer read-along for the whole series this month on the Amish Reader Facebook page. Follow along with us, and don’t forget to enter our giveaway for your chance to win the whole Peace in the Valley series and a $50 gift card to purchase a beautiful rose bush!
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