Free Christmas Gift for Rose (9780310336822) by Zondervan Publishing House Page A

by it would be hard to believe the small box was filled with a dozen children, but Rose knew that within a few minutes time she’d be surrounded with noise and lantern light and life.
    Her best friend growing up—called Miss Lucy now—had always played school with her younger siblings. She’d been a natural choice to teach and had done so since she was sixteen. Of course, the way Rose had seen her and Benjamin Müller spending time together, she guessed it would be thelast year Lucy taught. Rose had no doubt by next fall Lucy would be a bride. Something she wished she could say about herself. Something she felt robbed of … by decisions not her own.
    Rose mounted the steps to the school. Tucked inside her coat was a copy of
Heidi.
It had been her and Lucy’s favorite book growing up, and they had often read it, and other books, to each other by candlelight during sleepovers. Even Vera—who didn’t care much for reading—would sit and listen while they took turns reading back and forth. And ever since Lucy had started teaching, that had been Rose’s job—coming to school once a week to read a chapter to the students. She enjoyed it as much as they did.
    She opened the door to the classroom, and heat from the potbelly stove hit her face.
    “Hurray!” An excited cheer rose up from some of the girls. Even the boys did not seem disappointed. One child near the front—also named Louisa—raised her hand as soon as she saw Rose.
    Lucy stood in the front of the room. She was petite and could be mistaken for one of the students by anyone who didn’t know better. Lucy chuckled. “
Ja
, Louisa, you can go and get Miss Rose’s coat.”
    Louisa had made it her chore every week to retrieve Rose’s simple blue wool coat and hang it on the hook closest to the fire so that it would be warm for Rose when she prepared to walk home.
    “Miss Rose!” Louisa exclaimed, approaching her. “WillHeidi be able to return to her grandfather today?” This was Louisa’s second year in school, and she had already heard the story last year, although none of the students seemed to mind hearing it again.
    Rose slipped her arms out of her jacket, and then tucked her gloves into one inside pocket before handing the coat over to her small helper. “I’m not certain, Louisa.” She winked. “We’ll just have to see, won’t we?”
    Louisa scampered toward the front of the room where the potbelly stove stood, and Rose noticed many eyes turned toward her. Others were setting aside their books and papers, readying themselves to hear the story.
    Rose took two steps and then paused. Emotion overwhelmed her as she noticed the sea of girls in
kapps
and boys in Amish haircuts. She’d sat in this very room for all her studies, and she’d imagined her children doing the same. But was that possible now? What would the bishop say? Would he allow such a thing as her marrying an Amishman?
    “Rose, are you feeling all right?” It was Lucy’s voice breaking through the fog of her mind.
    Rose glanced up and noticed all eyes on her. “Oh,
ja
.” She rubbed her hands together. “I’m still jest a little chilled, but I’m
gut
.”
    She hurried forward to the chair Lucy had set up for her. As Rose prepared to sit, Lucy caught her arm. “If you’re under the weather, Rose …”
    “
Ne
.” As hard as she tried, she couldn’t blink away a thin layer of tears fast enough. “I am
gut.
It’s just …”
    Lucy leaned in to whisper in Rose’s ear. “Jonathan?”
    Rose nodded slightly. That was only part of it, but she knew now wasn’t the time to explain the rest. Or ever. Could she always hide the truth? She could try, but it would be an unbearable burden to carry. Better to let it out and then deal with the consequences.
    Rose sat on a wooden stool in the front of the class and opened the book to chapter eleven.
    “Heidi Gains in One Way and Loses in Another,” Rose read aloud in a strong, clear voice. Deep inside she wished it was the same