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  Amish Haven

  Amish Bed and Breakfast Book 2

  Ruth Hartzler

  Amish Haven

  (Amish Bed and Breakfast, Book 2)

  Copyright © 2017 by Ruth Hartzler

  All Rights Reserved

  ISBN 9781925689839

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

  This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to any person, living or dead, is purely coincidental. The personal names have been invented by the author, and any likeness to the name of any person, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

  This book may contain references to specific commercial products, process or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise, specific brand-name products and/or trade names of products, which are trademarks or registered trademarks and/or trade names, and these are property of their respective owners. Ruth Hartzler or her associates, have no association with any specific commercial products, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise, specific brand-name products and / or trade names of products.

  Contents

  Glossary

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Connect with Ruth Hartzler

  Next Book in this Series

  Other Books by Ruth Hartzler

  About Ruth Hartzler

  Glossary

  Pennsylvania Dutch is a dialect. It is often written as it sounds, which is why you will see the same word written several different ways. The word ‘Dutch’ has nothing to do with Holland, but rather is likely a corruption of the German word ‘Deitsch’ or ‘Deutsch’.

  Glossary

  ab im kopp - addled in the head

  Ach! (also, Ack!) - Oh!

  aenti - aunt

  appeditlich - delicious

  Ausbund - Amish hymn book

  bedauerlich - sad

  bloobier - blueberry

  boppli - baby

  bopplin - babies

  bro - bread

  bruder(s) - brother(s)

  bu - boy

  Budget, The - weekly newspaper for Amish and Mennonite communities. Based on Sugarcreek, Ohio, and has 2 versions, Local and National.

  buwe - boys

  daag - day

  Daed, Datt, Dat (vocative) - Dad

  Diary, The - Lancaster County based Amish newspaper. Focus is on Old Order Amish.

  Dawdi (also, Daadi) (vocative) - Grandfather

  dawdi haus (also, daadi haus, grossdawdi haus) - grandfather’s or grandparents’ house (often a small house behind the main house)

  de Bo - boyfriend

  Die Botschaft - Amish weekly newspaper. Based in PA but its focus is nation-wide.

  demut - humility

  denki (or danki) - thank you

  Der Herr - The Lord

  dochder - daughter

  dokter - doctor

  doplich - clumsy

  dumm - dumb

  dummkopf - idiot, dummy

  Dutch Blitz - Amish card game

  English (or Englisch) (adjective) - A non-Amish person

  Englischer (noun) - A non-Amish person

  familye - family

  ferhoodled - foolish, crazy

  fraa - wife, woman

  froh - happy

  freind - friend

  freinden - friends

  gegisch - silly

  geh - go

  gern gheschen (also, gern gschehne) - you’re welcome

  Gott (also, Gotte) - God

  grank - sick, ill

  grossboppli - grandbaby

  grossdawdi (also, dawdi, daadi haus, gross dawdi) - grandfather, or, in some communities, great grandfather

  grosskinskind - great-grandchild

  grosskinskinner - great-grandchildren

  grossmammi (or grossmudder) - grandmother

  gross-sohn - grandson

  grossvadder - grandfather (see also grossdawdi)

  gude mariye - good morning

  guten nacht (also, gut nacht) - good night

  gude nochmiddaag - good afternoon

  gut - good

  haus - house

  Herr - Mr.

  Hiya - Hi

  hochmut - pride

  Hullo (also, Hallo) - Hello

  hungerich - hungry

  Ich liebe dich - I love you

  jah (also ya) - yes

  kaffi (also, kaffee) - coffee

  kapp - prayer covering worn by women

  kichli - cookie

  kichlin - cookies

  kinn (also, kind) - child

  kinner - children

  kinskinner - Grandchildren

  Kumme (or Kumm) - Come

  lieb - love, sweetheart

  liewe - a term of endearment, dear, love

  liede - song

  maid (also, maed) - girls

  maidel (also, maedel) - girl

  Mamm (also, Mammi) - Mother, Mom

  Mammi - Grandmother

  mann - man

  mariye-esse - breakfast

  mei - my

  meidung - shunning

  mei lieb - my love

  mein liewe - my dear, my love

  menner - men

  mudder - mother

  naerfich - nervous

  naut (also, nacht) - night

  nee (also nein) - no

  nix - nothing

  nohma - name

  onkel - uncle

  Ordnung - “Order”, the unwritten Amish set of rules, different in each community

  piffle (also, piddle) - to waste time or kill time

  Plain - referring to the Amish way of life

  rett (also, redd) - to put (items) away or to clean up.

  rootsh (also, ruch) - not being able to sit still.

  rumspringa (also, rumschpringe) - Running around years - when Amish youth (usually around the age of sixteen) leave the community for time and can be English, and decide whether to commit to the Amish way of life and be baptized.

  schatzi - honey

  schee - pretty, handsome

  schecklich - scary

  schmaert - smart

  schtupp - family room

  schweschder - sister

  schweschdern - sisters

  schwoger - brother-in-law

  seltsam - strange, unnatural

  sohn - son

  vadder - father

  verboten - forbidden

  Vorsinger - Song leader

  was its let - what is the matter?

  wie gehts - how are you?

  wilkum (also, wilkom) - welcome

  wunderbar (also, wunderbaar) - wonderful

  yer - you

  yourself - yourself

  youngie (also, young) - the youth

  yung - young

  Chapter 1

  Martha climbed out of the carriage and turned to smile at Abe Jones. He was her elderly neighbor, and he had offered to drive the young woman to her interview. Of course, Martha could easily have driven herself, but she knew that Abe Jones loved to get out and about, but only did so when he was helping
others.

  “Thank you so much, Mr. Jones,” Martha said. She wore the classic Amish clothing, a long dress and a white bonnet over her prayer kapp. She had brown hair of which barely any was visible under the bonnet, and her skin was fair. Her eyes were brown and wide, and she shielded them from the blazing sun with her hand as she looked up at the old man.

  “Any time,” he said. He was a gruff sort of fellow, as gruff as the polite Amish ever could be. His beard was long and gray, and his hat was wide brimmed and sat low on his head. He nodded toward the B&B. “You go on in and talk what you need to talk; I’ll wait here for you.”

  “Are you sure you wouldn’t like to come in? I’m sure that wouldn’t be a problem.”

  “I like it outside,” Abe Jones said, and that was that.

  Martha turned and headed for the house. It was a large and beautiful home in a style of homes built a century or two ago, but it was clear the paint had been redone recently. It was two stories tall, and a large flower bed flanked the stairs on either side.

  Martha made her way up the front stairs and stopped in front of the door. She lifted her hand and balled her fingers into a fist, using her knuckles to knock. She only had to wait a moment, and then the door was pulled open and an older woman with a kind face was standing in the doorway, smiling.

  “Come in, please,” Miriam said. “Martha, you’re a sight for sore eyes, as they say.”

  Martha couldn’t help but smile. “Why do you say that?”

  “You look like the ideal person to help me run this place.”

  Martha shook her head softly. “I look that way?”

  Miriam laughed and nodded. “You do indeed!” she said. “Join me in the kitchen for some meadow tea, won’t you?”

  “Of course,” Martha said, and the older woman led her to the kitchen, a large room which featured what looked to Martha to be a newly renovated fireplace. The tea was already hot, sitting on a large, wooden table in the center of the room. It was in a small kettle, and white steam rose from the spout.

  Miriam smiled again. “Have a seat.” She nodded to a huge, wooden table with two long, wooden benches either side.

  Martha sat on one of the benches as Martha moved around the other side and poured out two cups of tea. She placed one in front of the younger woman and then sat across from her.

  Martha took a sip of her tea and then sat it down upon the table. “This place is so beautiful,” she said. “From the outside you can tell, but it’s even more than I imagined in here.”

  “As you know, my daughter, Rachel married Isaac Petersheim, and now I have no one to help me here,” Miriam said.

  It had been music to Martha’s ears when she had heard about the position opening up. Martha had been worried that someone would jump on the opening before she had managed to speak to Miriam, but she caught up with Miriam at the last church meeting. Miriam had at once asked her to come along for an interview.

  “I’m surprised,” Martha said. “I figured most women would love to work here.”

  “Everyone has so much going on these days,” Miriam said. “And it’s getting warmer, so the fields are going.”

  Martha smiled. “Well, I certainly would like to work here.”

  Miriam nodded. “I’d love to give you a tour of the place, and I was going to ask you some questions, a proper interview, but to be honest, I think I’d love to just make an offer now.”

  Martha beamed. “I’ll take the job then, but I’d love to go on that tour still.”

  “Of course,” Miriam said, and she took another sip of tea and then stood. The two women made their way through the B&B. Each room was beautifully furnished in warm and inviting colors.

  Martha smiled. She looked at the older women for a moment, and enjoyed picturing her as her own age. Miriam was slim and her face had sharp features, and she was beautiful.

  Martha figured that people would have guessed that the Amish didn’t think of things like that, about their looks. The men all dressed so much alike, and the women even more so, but as with any culture of people, they took care to present themselves in a pleasing manner, particularly when at that young age when courtship so often happens. The Amish just took everything a little bit slower, and they were a deeply religious folk with traditions and customs. Courtship was a time of flushed cheeks and queasy bellies where a young man let a young woman know he was interested, and with the blessing of her father they began to spend some time together. They would take walks, and at the young man would drive the young girl home in his buggy.

  Martha found herself imagining Miriam’s own courtship. She knew the woman had been married, but her husband had died some years ago. Now Miriam was alone, more so since her daughter had moved away when she was married. Martha liked Miriam, even though today was the most time she had spent with her face to face. They lived in a rather large community, and although she knew everyone, she knew some better than others.

  They were done with the tour, and ended up back downstairs, standing in front of the door. “Could you start tomorrow?” Miriam asked, and Martha nodded. “And if you’d like, please consider moving in here. There’s that cabin out back, did you see it? You could stay there if you’d like. I’m having this place renovated. I know it looks nice, but I’m just slapping tape over the problems. I’m getting it properly fixed up at the moment. I’ll need a lot of help with all of that, so it would be nice to have you near.”

  “I could move in here?”

  Miriam nodded. “If you’d like.”

  “I’d love to,” Martha said.

  Miriam smiled. “Then it’s settled.”

  “It will be good to be on my own and make my own way,” Martha said. “I want to be my own woman. This is a great first step.”

  Miriam smiled and nodded. “You know, I felt the same way when I was your age. It’s hard, but there’s something to be said about creating your own path. I know a lot of young people these days feel limited in this community. The world has gotten so big, so loud, but you can do amazing things here, and I think you’re going to.”

  Martha couldn’t help but smile, one more time.

  Chapter 2

  Three days after her interview, Martha found herself moving into the small cabin behind the B&B. It was all wood, and was really only three rooms, the living room being the largest of all. A stuffed chair sat in one corner, opposite a small fireplace. In the back, there was a small kitchen with a beautiful wood table in the center. Next to the kitchen was a tiny, cramped bedroom, hardly able to contain the small bed that was placed inside it. Still, it was to be Martha’s own home, and she loved it.

  Her father was helping her move, though she had tried to convince him she could do fine on her own. “You didn’t even let me bring you over for the interview,” he said when she was trying to talk him out of packing her things up with her and driving his buggy over to her new home. “Ferwas bischt allfatt so schtarrkeppich?” Why are you so stubborn?

  “Daed, I can make my own way,” she had said, and her father had laughed. He was a large man, tall and broad shouldered, and his laugh was loud and booming. She loved to see and hear him laugh, and she realized she was really going to miss him. So she let him help, and after a morning of packing her few things into the back of the buggy, she and her father drove over to the cabin.

  He didn’t let Martha help carry anything in. “You can unpack it all, so you feel independent,” her father said with a wry smile. “But let your old vadder do one last thing for his dochder.”

  “Jah, Daed,” she said, and she stood back and let him unload the buggy. Afterward, they stood just outside the doorway.

  “Well, you come by often for meals,” he said.

  “I will.”

  “Your mudder will miss you.”

  “I know.”

  “Look at that, looks like you got work to do,” he said, nodding up toward the B&B. From where they stood, they could just see half of the gravel driveway. A car was pulling in, red and new, th
rowing up a bit of dust as it moved to park in front of the house. It chose a space they couldn’t see from their vantage point, but a moment later they heard the car doors open and then close.

  Martha nodded in agreement. “Well, let me go see if she needs me now,” she said, turning to her vadder. “I’ll see you Sunday,” Martha said softly. Her vadder nodded, and then he turned and headed for his buggy. She watched him climb into the driver’s seat, and then he got the horse moving, and headed across the gravel parking lot. She watched until she couldn’t see him anymore, and then she turned and shut her cabin door before heading toward the large B&B.

  “Oh I’m glad you stopped by, I know you were supposed to just be moving in today, but I could use your help,” Miriam saw as soon as she saw Martha. “These two came a day early, and I don’t have their room together yet. Can you help me?”

  Miriam motioned to a young couple standing nearby. They were close to Martha’s age, if not a little older. The man was tall and thin, the woman shorter with long blonde hair. They stood next to one another, the man with his arm thrown across her shoulder.

  “I’m Richard,” the man said, stepping forward with his hand outstretched. Martha shook it, and turned to the woman.

  “Bethany,” she said, shaking her hand. “This place is beautiful.”

  “It is,” Martha agreed. “Are you two on your honeymoon?”

  “How did you guess?” Bethany asked.

  “There’s a glow about you,” Martha said shyly, and Bethany smiled.

  “Let’s get this room put together,” Miriam said, placing a guiding hand on Martha’s arm and leading her for the stairs. The two women hurried upstairs and went to what Miriam called the Grand Suite. It was the largest room they had, with a massive king sized bed on a hand carved oak frame. Miriam pulled sheets from a closet in the hall, and together they dressed the bed.