Free Anna's Return by Marta Perry

but I guess I’m just not brave enough.”
    “Of course I will go with you.” What else could Anna say?
    She was digging herself deeper and deeper into life here with every word, every deed. Caring too much. Letting people count on her. But she didn’t seem to have any other choice.
     
     
    Samuel had put in a busy day in the machine shop until late afternoon, when Joseph had chased him out, saying he knew full well that what Samuel really wanted to be doing was taking a look at Mr. Bartlett’s horse.
    They both knew that was true. So here he was, leaning on the fence of the training ring next to the lane and enjoying the slant of late afternoon sunshine, watching the animal.
    Just watching. According to Bartlett, who’d driven the truck and horse trailer over early in the morning, the gelding was Star’s Midnight Dream, but his barn name was simply Star, for the small white patch on his forehead. Otherwise he was a sleek, glossy black, well-fed, and shining animal, but with a nervous toss of the head and a leery roll of the eye that would make any horseman immediately wary.
    So for today, Samuel was just watching.
    Watching the horse, ja, but very aware of Anna, who’d just come out of the house with the baby on her hip. She seemed to bring little Gracie out every afternoon at this time, probably when the child got up from her nap.
    Also part of Anna’s routine, at least for the past few days, was ignoring him. Since the day she felt he’d spoken out of turn, that was.
    Well, maybe he’d been wrong to speak. But he’d been in her place himself, teetering precariously on the fence between Amish and English, and when he saw someone else there, he couldn’t help but reach out a hand. Speaking so to Anna had taken him beyond what was comfortable for him, but he’d done it. She hadn’t been grateful.
    The animal’s ears flicked back, as if he heard something, and he rolled his eyes toward the house. Samuel took a quick glance over his shoulder. Anna and Gracie were coming toward him.
    “Anna. And little Gracie.” He held out his hand to the baby as he would to a wary animal.
    There was nothing wary about Gracie. She’d obviously gotten used to seeing him, maybe connecting him in her mind with the horses she loved to watch. She grabbed his fingers, clutching tightly and grinning, showing off her two bottom teeth. She babbled something that might have been a greeting.
    “Ach, I’m such a dummy that I don’t understand. Is she speaking English or Pennsylvania Dutch?”
    “It’s getting hard to tell. Maybe she’s already bilingual.” There was a little strain in Anna’s manner, but her words were friendly enough. “She and Sarah chatter away to each other, and they seem to know what they’re saying, if no one else does.”
    “Sure they do. Just like the horses make their thoughts known, even if we don’t understand them much of the time.”
    “I see you have a new addition.” She nodded to the gelding, who threw up his head as if he knew she was talking about him.
    “Ja, this is the horse belonging to Mr. Bartlett. Star, his name is, but I’m thinking Trouble would be more accurate.”
    “That’s why Bartlett picked you. He thinks you can do what he can’t.”
    “I’m not sure Mr. Bartlett would say that he can’t.” He couldn’t stop a smile. “It’s only that he doesn’t have time, you see.”
    “I see. Aren’t you going to start working with him today?” Her eyebrows lifted a little, so maybe that was a criticism.
    “Are you still on English time, Anna Beiler? Still rushing to do things by the clock?”
    “No.” She looked a bit nettled. “I just thought, from what Joseph was saying about it, that this was a chance to take a step that could mean success for you.”
    “Success?” It was his turn to raise an eyebrow. She’d moved in the world’s direction, for sure.
    “Well, you know what I mean. If you’re as good a horse trainer as Joseph says, maybe that’s what you