Free The Forgiving Heart (The Heart of Minnesota Book 1) by Becky Riker

doing?  How is your family?”
    The women looked at each other and Regina g ave a small shake of her head. Karlijna almost missed it. She frowned at the pair.
    “You will not tell me what is wrong?”
    Rachel turned to her with a smile too bright, “It is nothing. Nothing is wrong.”
    Karlijna shook her head, “I am to believe that?”
    Regina sighed, “Our troubles are not yours, Karlijna.”
    Karlijna shook her head, “My troubles became your s when you took me in. Now, your troubles are mine as well.”
    Rachel looked down at her hands and shook her head. Regina watched her sister-in-law, but did not answer for her.
    Frustration grew in Karlijna’s heart, but she did not voice it.
    “The children are well?” she questioned.
    Regina nodded, “They are. The baby is napping now, and the older two are playing with some neighbor children,” she leaned in and whispered with a laugh, “Gentile children.”
    “How are the men? Has Erich found work yet?”
    Regina twisted her pretty face into a scowl, “No.  Not yet.”
    Karlijna wondered if the problems stemmed from that but knew better than to ask. She visited with them for a short time about common things. They were pleased to hear of her new job. She rejoiced with them when they told her they had received news that Rachel’s sister was still alive and well in Germany. After too brief a time, Karlijna realized she should be getting home. It would not do to have Leif and Ingrid worrying on her account.
    “Goodbye, my friends,” she bade them at the door, “I hope to see you again soon.”
    “Do stop by,” they urged as she left.
    When she arrived back at the store she was pleasantly surprised to see T orkel had stopped for a visit. Leif had been called back into the store, so it was just Torkel and Ingrid when Karlijna came into the room.
    “I heard you found a new job, Karlijna,” he spoke from his spot in the kitchen.
    “I did,” she hung up her sweater and moved to wash her hands in the basin, “Leif helped me.”
    “And are you enjoying it?”
    “Very much,” she dried her hands on the rough towel and turned back to him, “but there is not always enough work to keep me busy.”
    “What do you do then?”
    Karlijna began peeling the pile of potatoes Ingrid had washed and left on the table, “Today, I went to visit my friends, the Goldblooms.”
    There was no missing the shadow that crossed Torkel’s face at this.  Karlijna immediately asked him about it.
    He waved his hands, “It is nothing,” a forced smile replaced the frown, “I have heard gossip, but I know nothing firsthand. I am not one to spread tales.”
    Karlijna stopped peeling, “Torkel, I don’t want to encourage gossip, but if they are in troub le, I would like to help them. At least to pray for them.”
    “I don’t know that there is anything you can do to help them, Miss, and God knows their needs so you can pray for them.”
    Annoyance welled up within her, but she tamped it down. Her mother had many times chastised her for her curious nature, and she knew Torkel was right.
    Karlijna went back to peeling, praying for her friends as she did so. She was so engrossed in her petitions that Ingrid had to call her name twice to get her attention.
    “I’m sorry,” the girl flushed as she looked at the lady, “what did you say?”
    “I asked you if you wanted Leif to order a winter coat for you. The cold weather will be upon us before you know it.
    Karlijna shrugged, “I suppose I will need one, but does he not just carry them in the winter?”
    Ingrid nodded, “He does, but not until we have already had some cold days.”
    Though still September and quite warm, Karlijna shivered at th e thought of the cold to come. She had not been adequately clothed in the spring for the weather in Poland. The feeling was one she did not wish to revisit.
    “I will order a coat,” she said decisively.
    “Another thing you could do,” Torkel spoke over the top of his cup of coffee,