"Do you own a swimsuit?"

"I will find one," she said, and Levi knew she wouldn't let something as trivial as procuring a swimsuit keep her from her next adventure.

Rebecca meticulously began to gather up the trash and stuff it into the empty bag.

"I can do that," Levi said. "You're the date."

Rebecca hesitated and handed him the bag. "I am sorry. Linda says I am such a Martha."

"A Martha?"

"There is a Bible story about two sisters, Mary and Martha."

"Martha gets a bad rap, if you ask me."

"You know the story?" Rebecca said.

"Don't look so surprised, kid. Mom read to us from the Bible every day. I know those stories better than I know my own name. Jesus was at Martha and Mary's house, and Martha was serving dinner while Mary sat there listening to Jesus teach. So Martha asked Jesus to tell Mary to help her serve. And Jesus told Martha that she was too anxious about things and that Mary had chosen the good part."

Rebecca nodded. "I am not sure what the 'good part' is, but Linda must think it means sitting around the house all day. She wants to read, and I make her get up and work."

"Sounds like Linda uses a perfectly good Bible story as an excuse to be lazy."

"Jah. You hit the nail on the head."

"I've never understood that story," Levi said. "Why was Martha doing something bad? People have to eat."

"Maybe her complaining was wrong. Do you think she was trying to get the Lord to choose sides?"

Levi had no answer. Instead, he studied her expression-so beautiful in deep contemplation.

She leaned toward him and her arm rested lightly against his-an unconscious gesture. Still, that didn't stop his heart from picking up its pace.

"It is better to do the chores by myself than to complain at what will never be," she said.

"So you get stuck doing all the work because you think that if you ask for help, it will be a sin?"

"I can manage things well enough. And my sister and brothers put up such a fuss, most of the time it is easier to do it myself."

"You shouldn't let them get away with that."

"It is no use wishing for what will never be."

Levi crumpled the bag. "You don't sound like a Martha to me. More like Paul. That guy traveled and wrote and preached like he didn't ever sleep." He gave her shoulder a playful nudge with his fist. "But I've seen you sleep. Every time there's a lull in the conversation, you nod off."

Rebecca grabbed the crushed bag from Levi and threw it at him. "I do not."

"You have no idea the pressure on me to be entertaining enough to keep you awake."

"I stayed up late last night finishing chores so I could come riding today. I will try to stay alert for the rest of the date." She grinned at Levi and leaned back against the fallen log. "I like being compared to Martha. Martha is the one who trusted that Jesus could raise her brother from the dead. She said, 'I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God.' She knew. I want to be that strong in my faith. Worthy of His name."

Her gaze locked onto his with an alarming intensity. He hadn't expected a sermon. He hadn't expected to be touched by one. What kind of strange, unnerving power did this little Amish girl have over him?

He reached over and cupped her cheek in his hand and stroked the flawless skin with his fingers. She held perfectly still as he raised his other hand and held her face between his palms. He moved close enough to feel her breath on his cheek. After pausing for a moment to look into those brilliant hazel eyes, he closed his eyes and puckered his lips.

"Don't kiss me."

Levi pulled back as if she'd thrown a bucket of ice-cold water on his head. "What?"

"You smell like a horse. Don't kiss me."

"You smell like a horse too. A sweaty horse."

"If you kiss me now, I will forever associate kissing with stinky horses. You would not want to do that to my future husband."

Levi groaned and fell backward on the ground. "Isn't kissing a guy on that list of things you want to do before you die?"

"I have plenty of time for that. I will be kissing my husband every day for the rest of my life."

Lucky guy. "But what about kissing a mysterious Englisch stranger before you settle into the dull Amish routine?"

"Hmm. I will give that idea some thought," she said. "But do not hold your breath. The thought of kissing you does not appeal to me."

Levi laughed as he pretended not to be deeply disappointed.

You don't want to kiss me? What's wrong with you, kid? What's wrong with me?

He swallowed his embarrassment, jumped to his feet, and pulled her up with him. Stepping on both her feet, he playfully pushed her backward then tugged her toward him so she wouldn't fall over. She gasped and cuffed him on the shoulder.

Mustn't let her see she'd struck a blow to his pride. He forced a smile.

"We'd better head back now, or we won't get home 'til midnight," he said.

"It took us less than an hour to ride this far."

"I know, but on the way back we'll be walking. I'm not letting you get on a horse ever again."

Chapter Six.

Although Levi offered to drive her right up to her front door, Rebecca insisted that he drop her off around the bend from the house. She ducked into the bushes just off the road and disappeared from the sight of curious eyes. Keeping close to the cover of the trees, Rebecca quickly made her way to the safety of the toolshed at the back of her fater's property.

Even though she was an hour late-even though she would be up past midnight finishing the chores-she couldn't stop smiling. The horseback ride was horrible, simply horrible, but her riding companion had been surprisingly pleasant. She knew she shouldn't let his good looks sway her. As Levi himself had said, beauty would only get him so far. But she liked the fact that he was nice to look at. She was also certain that if his handsome face were his best quality, she wouldn't be enjoying herself so much.

Although he probably didn't realize it, Levi developed an uneasy grimace whenever she betrayed signs of distress. She'd tried to hide her panic, but her attempts obviously hadn't worked. She found his concern for her feelings endearing. Rebecca suspected that nothing much could ruffle his feathers-except when the Amish girl tried to break her neck on a horse.

Guilt momentarily caught hold of her. How could she justify enjoying herself while Mamm suffered in bed? Fater would be furious if she hurt herself and was unable to take care of her mother.

She slid her hand into her jeans pocket and pulled out a piece of paper that had been folded and unfolded so many times, light passed right through the creases. She looked at the first item on the list, written in Dottie Mae's handwriting: Go skiing.

For her mother's sake, she would be cautious. But for Dottie Mae's sake, she would be persistent.

Rebecca slipped through the shed door, making sure to open and close it carefully. She saw to it that the toolshed had the best-oiled hinges on the farm-probably the only oiled hinges on the farm.

Rebecca sighed. The property was falling apart around her. The barn doors hung by a thread. One of the buggy wheels had cracked last week. Fences and gates were missing slats and a good coat of paint, and the house desperately wanted a new roof. How ironic that her roof leaked when her fater roofed houses for a living.

Rebecca wedged a rake firmly under the door latch then untied the knot in her blue canvas bag. With a speed that could only be developed by frequent practice, Rebecca peeled off the Englisch clothes and slid into her dress and kapp. The jeans and T-shirt went into the bag, and the bag went behind a crate of seeds on the top shelf of the shed. She would wash the clothes later tonight while the others slept.

Rebecca's heart performed a tiny flip. Levi liked the yellow T-shirt. She was glad she'd chosen it instead of the red one. Although he probably would have told her how much he liked the red one if she'd bought it. The boy certainly had a silver tongue.

She growled quietly. Levi was extremely kind, while she couldn't hold her tongue. Plainspoken and harsh, Fater said. Rebecca felt her face grow hot. Although Levi tried to make light of her remark, it was obvious she had hurt his feelings when she told him she didn't want to kiss him. She wanted to kick herself for being so blunt. "The thought of kissing you doesn't appeal to me"? She might as well have said, "I find you repulsive." That was not how she meant it, but that was how he heard it. Truth to tell, she found him quite attractive, but kissing was a line she would not cross. Too many undesirable things could happen once she opened that door-especially with an Englisch boy.

Still, she regretted hurting his feelings.

Emerging from the shed, fully restored to her Plain self, Rebecca saw fourteen-year-old Max tromping out of the barn and carrying a full pail of milk.

"Max," she called. He turned at the sound of her voice. "You did the milking. Oh, denki. You are a gute brother."

Max pursed his lips and looked past her. "Fater is home."

Rebecca's heart sank to her toes. "Where is he?"

"In the house."

Hours earlier than expected. Fater's presence explained why Max had actually milked today. The brothers snapped to attention whenever Fater was around.

Rebecca trudged to the house, though she really wanted to run the other way. She never should have gone out on the day of Fater's return, but she had been certain she would have time later to finish the chores.

Best do what she could to placate Fater before he took his irritation out on the other siblings.

Even if Max hadn't told her, Rebecca would have known her fater was home as soon as she came in the front door. Linda stood at the sink peeling potatoes and wiping tears from her face. She didn't look at Rebecca but sniffed loudly as she passed.

Down the hall, Fater yelled at Danny: "...to see you can't even make your bed. This better be spotless by the time I come back, or you can forget about supper."

Rebecca met her fater in the hall as he marched out of Danny's room. The irritated scowl plastered across his face was how she would always remember him. "And where have you been?" he said.

"You are home earlier than we expected, Fater," she said.

"I told you I was coming home on Wednesday this week," he said.

"I meant a few hours earlier."

"Be that as it may, I should not be greeted by such a mess. The stalls need mucking out, the weeds are three feet high, the floors are sticky... and you-nowhere to be found. I leave this farm and this family in your care, Becky, and you have proven yourself a slothful, selfish girl like your sister."

Rebecca massaged a spot on her forehead above her eyebrow. "I will catch up on everything tonight. It would have been done if you had not come home early, and then you never would have known the difference."

"So you wile away the time and think you can rush to get things done before I return? Don't you care what your mamm suffers while you are idle?"

Rebecca had heard Fater's tirade before, weekly almost, and every word still stung like a swarm of hornets. But the accusations about Mamm sliced closest to Rebecca's heart. Truth be told, she felt a stab of guilt every time she left Mamm's side, even on the days she worked for Mrs. Johnson. The two outings with Levi plagued her conscience. She cared for Mamm more than anyone else in the world.

Rebecca was the one who could loosen the knots in Mamm's shoulders or rub her feet to help her relax. She knew how to soothe her mother's anxious thoughts with a song or a reading from the Bible. Rebecca remained her mamm's one comfort, and they both knew it.

"Linda takes care of Mamm when I am away."

"Linda can't even care for the horse. You think she can nurse your mamm properly? You are the one who should be here, Becky. You forget how much Mamm needs you. Why are you so selfish?"

Rebecca sucked in her breath and held it. She worked hard for her family. Hard-every day. Almost single-handedly, she scrubbed the house from top to bottom-bathrooms, floors, kitchen. She tended the garden and the animals, milked, gathered eggs, watered the grass, cooked meals. It would take three hired servants all day to do the work she did. The thought of a life stuck in Mamm's tiny little room in this suffocating house almost choked her. She had to live before the inevitability of her future life sucked her in with its endless days of drudgery, slaving for her siblings, watching her mother suffer, and enduring her fater's bad temper.

Marriage held no escape for her either. She felt too guilty about leaving her mamm to wish for a husband.

Rebecca should have bitten her tongue, but she did not. "I could quit my job if you want me here more often, but the money I make from Mrs. Johnson pays for Mamm's new prescriptions. And unless you bring home a bigger paycheck, I need to work."

The blood vessel in Fater's neck pulsed visibly. "Are you saying I cannot provide for my family?"

"Nae, we are all doing our best," she said, in a tone she hoped would placate him. Why did she feel compelled to speak her mind? She'd be able to keep the peace if she could just shut her mouth.

"I work harder than any man I know. Do you think it is easy, spending ten hours a day on a hot roof installing shingles? I take on jobs out of town for extra money."

Rebecca lowered her eyes and stared at a dust bunny in the corner. "I didn't mean... You work very hard."

"Jah, I do, and I should not have to come home and work doubly hard because my children are too lazy to keep up the farm. I am entitled to rest for a day before going out again. Is that too much to ask?"

Yes! Rebecca wanted to scream, but for once she managed to swallow it. Let Fater release his tirade when he came home from a long week of construction work. At least they were in peace while he was away.

Rebecca turned from her fater and headed down the hall to the kitchen. "I will help Linda with supper while you look in on Mamm."

While Linda tended the bubbling soup, Rebecca, Danny, and Max weeded the garden. Rebecca had planted two extra rows of peas this spring plus tomatoes for fall canning. The garden plot took up almost a half acre. Weeding alone was a full day's work. Rebecca loved tending the flower beds and garden. If only she could plant and trim and weed all day long, she would be perfectly happy.

They finished what they could before suppertime. Her brothers' help proved invaluable in accomplishing a good chunk of the task. If only she could get them to work without the threat of Fater's wrath hanging over their heads.

Mamm, keeping to her bed, said she had no appetite. The four siblings and their fater ate together at the kitchen table. After a supper eaten in complete silence, Fater went to the bedroom to be with Mamm. Max and Linda washed the dishes while Rebecca and twelveyear-old Danny swept and mopped the floor.

After finishing the dishes, Linda flounced to their bedroom to pout. Rebecca dragged Max and Danny to the garden to finish the weeding in the dimming light. She worked her way around the house, pulling weeds from around the foundation and deadheading roses from the three bushes on the side of the house. She ran her hand gently across one of the pink-and-cream-colored roses then let the silky petals caress her cheek. She breathed in the scent of strawberry taffy wafting from the flower. Rebecca didn't have to force enthusiasm when she worked in the yard. She relished getting in the dirt and making things grow.

At the front of the house, Rebecca squeezed under the porch to eradicate the stubborn bindweed that constantly cropped up there. She flinched when she heard someone trudge up the stairs above her and knock on the door.

Firmly wedged into the small space, she kept weeding. Might as well stay and finish the job. Someone up there would hear the door and answer it.

The screen door creaked open. "Reuben. Hello. Cum reu, cum reu," she heard her fater say.

Reuben. Reuben Yutzy? Marvin's father?