Free A Miracle of Hope (The Amish Wonders Series) by Ruth Reid Page A

few minutes of searching, her hands began to stiffen. She selected what she thought could be hamburger. If it wasn’t, she would figure out something else to make with the meat.
    Back in the house, she discovered the package wasn’t beef, but ground venison. She hoped the deer meat cooked up the same. She fed the stove a few pieces of wood so the meat would brown up quickly. A gamey deer scent filled the air. A few hours later the pot of chili was still simmering on the stove.
    Josiah entered the kitchen. “Simon will be in shortly.”
    “This is ready.” She stirred the chili as he washed his hands at the sink.
    “Where’s Hannah?” He dried his hands on a dish towel.
    She set the ladle on the counter. “I’ll go get her.”
    “ Nay , wait.” He reached for her arm. “I want to talk with you a minute.”

    “I didn’t have time to change the cupboards back to the way they were, but I will, after supper.”
    “Caroline was left-handed,” he blurted.
    “Ach.” Now it all made sense. Why hadn’t it crossed her mind that he would defend Caroline’s arrangement?
    “I’m going to try harder,” he said. “Please have patience.”
    She nodded. Chili bubbles splashed onto the stove. Thankful for a distraction, she grabbed the pot holders.
    Josiah stopped her from reaching for the pot. “Let me lift it.” He moved the sputtering chili.
    “I’ll go get Hannah.” Lindie hurried down the hall to Hannah’s room and opened the door.
    It was empty.

Chapter Seven
    L indie darted out the door behind Josiah. Why hadn’t she checked on the girl when she returned from the icehaus ?
    “I’ll find her.” Josiah pointed to the house. “Go back inside where it’s warm.”
    “I’m nett kalt . I want to help.” She needed to help. This was her fault.
    “Fine.” He stomped toward the pasture gate, his breath coming in thick, white puffs.
    Lindie looked across the field. Empty. Where had the child gone? She cupped her mouth around her hand and called, “Hannah,” then listened for a response.
    Nothing. She called again.
    Josiah continued walking. His long-legged stride forced her to jog to keep pace. When he came to the wooden, split rail fence, he crawled between the timbers of the fence, then waited for her.
    She lifted her dress midcalf and swung her leg between the rough-cut timbers, catching her prayer kapp on the fence. She couldn’t straddle the fence and pull her kapp loose at the sametime, at least not without ripping the material or losing a chunk of hair.
    “Hold still.” Josiah squatted.
    His warm breath fanned her face as he worked his hand over the board.
    “Ouch.” He jerked his hand away and examined his index finger.
    “Are you okay?”
    “It’s nothing.” He brought it to his lips.
    “Let me see if it’s bleeding.”
    He pulled his finger out of his mouth, but didn’t show her the wound.
    She wasn’t thinking clearly. Even if he’d cut his finger through to the bone, she couldn’t do anything about it with her head still caught in such an awkward position. “ Nett this minute, but you might need a tetanus shot if you cut your finger on a rusty nail.”
    “I’m fine. It wasn’t a nail.” He shrugged it off, shaking his finger. Then he reached over her again. After a few short tugs, he worked the cloth free from whatever had snagged her kapp . He clutched her elbow and steadied her as she climbed the rest of the way through.
    “Denki.” She readjusted her kapp . “I probably should’ve used the gate.”
    “That’s what most pregnant women would do,” he mumbled under his breath as he stomped away.
    She was doing nothing but slowing him down. Her feet sank into the snow as she hurried to catch up to him. She cupped her hands around her mouth and called for Hannah again.
    Josiah smirked.
    She ignored him and repeated the call, her voice strained. His expression hadn’t changed. Why was he looking at her like that?
    “You do remember she’s deaf, jah ?” he