Free An Amish Christmas by Patricia Davids Page A

be, but he justmight find out. “When I must tell a child what to do, ja, I am.”
    “Now you’re saying I’m acting like a child?”
    “A stubborn, willful child.”
    “I’m going to let that slide. I can see arguing with you is fruitless. When did you take over the job of raising your brothers and sister?”
    “I am the eldest daughter. It is expected of me to care for the younger ones. My mother was killed four years ago if that is what you are asking?”
    “You do a good job with them.”
    “They are goot children. They make the job easy.”
    “Even Jacob?”
    “Jacob is in a hurry to be the man of the house. He wants to take over for our father until Papa is well.”
    “But you don’t want him to do that.”
    She hadn’t realized her fear was that transparent.
    “Being a farrier is a hard job. It takes strength. A man must know how to read a horse. Some of the draft horses my father works on weigh nearly a ton. A man can shoe a horse nine times without trouble and on the tenth time that horse decides he wants to kill the farrier.”
    “I didn’t say you were wrong to worry.”
    Her annoyance slipped away. “I’m sorry. It’s just that he is so young yet. He idolized Seth, our brother who was killed. Seth was big and strong like Papa, not slender like Jacob. Seth had the touch when it came to horses. Mamm used to say he could whisper to them and they did just as he wished. Jacob wants to be a horseman like Seth was but he is impatient.”
    John sat back and stared into space. “A horseman. He wants to be a horseman, a geils-mann. Here is my geils-mann loafing under a tree.”
    Karen eyed him with concern. “What are you talking about?”
    He focused on her face. “I had another memory flash. It was summer, and I was sitting under an apple tree. There was a woman behind me. She said, ‘Here is my geils-mann loafing under a tree.’ I heard the words clear as day.”
    “Who was she?” Karen asked.
    “I don’t know. I didn’t see her face.”
    “How did you know what the word meant?” she asked in surprise.
    “I’m not sure. I just know.”
    As the ramifications of his comment sank in, Karen’s heart sank, too. Geils-mann was an Amish expression. Only someone raised speaking Pennsylvania Dutch would use the word. If John had not been raised Amish then the woman he spoke of surely had been. Karen glanced at John. Who was John Doe and who was this woman to him?
     
    Several days later, John was outside early in the morning gathering a load of wood for his stove when he saw Nick Bradley drive into the yard. John’s heart jumped into overdrive. Maybe the sheriff’s investigation had turned up something new. He waited with bated breath as Nick climbed out of his SUV.
    Touching the brim of his hat, Nick said, “Morning. I was in the neighborhood and thought I’d check and see how you’re doing.”
    “I’m fine. Have you learned anything new?”
    “No. I’m sorry.”
    John’s anticipation drained away. He carried the logs to the box beside his front door and dropped them. He’d have to learn not to get his hopes up. Somehow.
    Nick said, “I was hoping you might have found out something. Not that I want you to make me look bad.”
    “No worries. I’m still a walking blank. I’ve had a few flashes of memory, but nothing concrete.”
    “Are you writing them down?”
    John paused and looked at the sheriff. “I hadn’t thought of that.”
    “You should. Even the smallest thing you recall might help me. How’s the head?” He pointed to John’s bandage.
    “Better.”
    “My cousin Amber wanted me to remind you that you need to come in to Dr. White’s office and get your stitches out.”
    He rubbed gingerly at his dressing. The sutures had started to itch. “I know I was supposed to go in a few days ago, but I’ve had other things on my mind.”
    “I’ve got time to run you into Hope Springs this morning. Shall I see if they can work you in? I’m free for a while unless I get a