Free The Captive Heart by Dale Cramer Page B

right.”
    Miriam had seen brief glimpses of his humble side before, but rarely. In the company of other boys he was dominating, yet she had already seen that he was a different person when no one else was around. She almost glanced over at the fire again, at Domingo, but she caught herself. Her heart still quickened when she saw the native working shirtless in the sun with a bandanna around his head, or heard his laughter from the fields, or saw the graceful way he mounted his horse. There was a rare and irresistible power in him, tinged with wildness, and she was certain he had feelings for her as well. But he was an outsider, and in the end that path could only lead to shame and disgrace and separation from her family. Anyway, he’d had his chance. That day in town she’d given him every opportunity to speak his feelings, but he’d refused.
    Now here was Micah. The only suitable Amish boy in the entire country wanted to court her, and her dat was on his side. She trusted her dat, trusted his judgment. If he thought enough of Micah to push him on his daughter, then maybe she should give the boy a chance.
    She nodded. “All right. You may call on me.”
    Micah’s face broke into a wide grin and he leaned forward impulsively as if he meant to kiss her, but she pulled back, glancing at her father sitting right there no more than forty feet away.
    Micah settled his hat back on his head, following her glance to the three men by the fire, nodding slowly. She could not tell if he was staring at her father or Domingo.
    â€œI will win you,” he said. “No matter what it takes, I will win you.” With a casual ease he hoisted the heavy food box onto the wagon for her before he strode back over to the campfire with a smile on his face and a new bounce in his step.

Chapter 10
    A few days later, Miriam and her sisters joined the older women for a quilting bee in the Benders’ living room. Ira’s and John’s wives were there, along with Lovina Hershberger. Emma, Miriam’s married sister, was getting very large, her time drawing near as the summer warmed. While Emma stitched, her baby Mose crawled around on the floor. As the light from the windows faded from blue to purple Emma got up to light the lanterns and asked, “Where are the boys?”
    Mamm looked up. “Oh, Harvey’s in the tack room yet, mending harness, and Aaron went down to Ezra’s to visit with the twins.”
    Miriam smiled. “One of them, anyway. Aaron can’t make it through the day without seeing his nephew.”
    â€œDoes my heart good, the way he dotes on that child,” Mamm said. “I can’t believe your dat let him give Little Amos a harmonica, though. His tiny hands couldn’t even hold on to it.”
    They all fell silent for a moment, remembering. Aaron’s twin brother, Amos, had kept a harmonica for years, playing it in secret, or so he thought. Everyone knew, and cherished the memory.
    Hunched over the edge of the quilt frame, Lovina said absently, “Dat got a letter today saying Freeman Coblentz’s are coming down in the spring, and a lot more people next summer. Hannah Coblentz said there might even be a preacher in the summer crowd.”
    Esther Shrock, Ira’s wife, looked up from her stitching and her eyes widened. “Really? A minister? That’s wonderful news!”
    â€œJah, now we can have baptisms,” Lovina’s mother said.
    Lovina cast a mischievous sideways glance at Rachel and added, “And weddings, too.”
    â€œShush,” Rachel said, blushing, pretending to concentrate on her work.
    But it was too late. The older women peppered her with questions, and Lovina primed the pump at every turn. Rachel managed to dodge most of their questions—after all, a couple’s talk of marriage was a very private matter—but her face turned as red as her hair, and Miriam knew she and Jake had been talking about