Free Hope Chest by Wanda E. Brunstetter Page A

Pauline.”
    “Pauline doesn’t see me as anything more than a friend. When she came back to Pennsylvania after her time of living in Ohio, I’d thought maybe I might have a chance, but she doesn’t seem to know I’m alive.” He gave his right earlobe a quick tug. “I wonder if it’s our age difference that bothers her, or maybe she just doesn’t find me appealing.”
    Rachel touched his shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze. “I wouldn’t take it personal if I was you. I’ve got a hunch that Pauline’s thinking about the age difference, same as Silas.”
    Joseph’s eyebrows lifted. “That makes no sense, Rachel. Silas and Anna are the same age.”
    Rachel could have bit her tongue. If she wasn’t careful, she would end up telling her big brother that she was crazy in love with Silas and wished like everything that he loved her, too.
    “Speaking of Anna, has she ever told you that she’s in love with Silas?”
    Joseph leaned over to stroke the cat’s head, for Whiskers was now rubbing against his leg. “She hasn’t said anything to me personally, but she’s been acting mighty strange here of late. I hear tell she got in pretty late last night; and some other times, Anna’s whereabouts haven’t been accounted for, either. What other reason could she have for acting so sneaky, unless she’s been seeing Silas in secret?”
    Rachel remembered Silas saying he was going to Paradise yesterday and that he hoped to find Anna there. Could she possibly have spent the day with him? She really wanted to know.
    Rachel grabbed the basket of eggs and jumped up. “I’ve got to get these back to the house. See you later, Joseph!” She tore out of the barn and dashed toward the hog pen, where she hoped to find Anna still feeding the sow and her brood of piglets. In her hurry, she tripped over a rock and nearly fell flat on her face. “Ach! The last thing I need this morning is to break all the eggs I’ve gathered.”
    She walked a little slower, but disappointment flooded her soul when she saw that Anna wasn’t at the pigpen.
    Back at the house, Rachel found Mom, Anna, and Elizabeth rolling out pie dough at the kitchen table. Each held a wooden rolling pin, and Rachel noticed that Elizabeth had more flour on her clothes than she did on the heavy piece of muslin they used as a rolling mat.
    “You’re just in time,” Mom said with a nod of her head. “Why don’t you add some sugar to the bowl of raspberries on the cupboard over there?”
    Rachel put the eggs in the refrigerator, then went to the sink to wash her hands. “Elizabeth, it sure didn’t take you and Perry long to pick those berries. How’d you get done so fast?”
    “Mom helped.” Elizabeth gave Rachel a wide grin. “Her wheelchair fits fine between the rows, and she can pick faster’n anybody I know.”
    Mom chuckled. “When you’ve had as many years’ practice as me, you’ll be plenty fast, too.”
    Rachel glanced at Anna. She was rolling her piecrust real hard—like she was taking her frustrations out on that clump of sticky dough. Every once in a while, she glanced at the clock on the far wall and grimaced. Rachel figured this probably wasn’t a good time to be asking her sister any questions. Besides the fact that Anna seemed a might testy, Mom and Elizabeth were sitting right there. It didn’t take a genius to know Anna wasn’t about to bare her soul in front of them.
    Rachel reached for a bag of sugar on the top shelf of the cupboard. She’d have to wait awhile yet ... until she had Anna all to herself.
    The pie baking was finished a little before noon, and Anna, who seemed quite anxious to be on her way, asked if she could forgo lunch and head on over to Emma’s.
    “I suppose that would be okay,” Mom said. “I could fix you a sandwich to eat on the way.”
    Anna waved her hand. “Don’t trouble yourself. I’m sure Emma will have something for me to eat.”
    Mom nodded but sent Anna off with a basket of fresh fruit and a