1

      Noah

      It was dark except for the light slicing through the gaps in the barn boards. The silence made my skin crawl, and I shook the feeling away. I took a deep breath. Leaning back against the stall, I closed my eyes, and a picture of Rose immediately appeared.

      She sat alone on her bed. Her head was bowed and her shoulders jerked with rocking movements. When she lifted her face, her cheeks were wet. The same moon that sprayed soft light into her bedroom was the one that lit the barnyard beyond the door. I wanted to go to her, gather her up in my arms and tell her that everything was all right. The pain of knowing that I couldn’t hold her stabbed my chest.

      Was it just my imagination that she was crying this night? I had no way of knowing; we were still being kept apart. Would it ever end? Was a time of peace and acceptance in our lives possible? Rose needed me. I could feel it in my bones, but I couldn’t be with her—at least not yet.

      Elijah Schwartz’s voice hissed into the quiet air, snapping my eyes wide open.

      “This is unacceptable, Amos. I only allowed my eldest daughter, Constance, to become betrothed to your son, because of your promise that his association with the English girl was over. Now, you’re telling me that he wants to break off the engagement, only weeks before the joining? You can’t be serious.”

      To Father’s credit, his voice came out restrained and sure. As my head turned to him, he said, “Things have changed. I feel terrible that Constance will be hurt by the breakup, but the consequences if Noah went through with the wedding would be a greater travesty. He is in love with another girl.”

      The three long strides that Elijah took toward me brought me off the hay bale and into a standing position right quick. The older man looked at me with a tight frown.

      His gray eyes glittered dangerously when he raised his finger to my face and said, “You are making a mistake, boy. Not only will your life with an outsider be filled with pain, lies and deceit, you have created a rift with me and my kin. Mark my words there will be no peace in your life with this decision.”

      Elijah stormed to the doorway. His eldest sons, Paul and Micah, were fast on his heels. Paul made a huffing noise and ignored me as he followed his father, but Micah took the time to meet my gaze. He frowned and shook his head sadly, and I quickly searched my memories for the reason for his distress.

      I suddenly understood. The numerous times that I’d spotted Sarah lingering in the kitchen or barnyard while Micah was a few feet away finally made sense. But confusion peppered the realization. I thought Sarah had been moving in the direction of courting Edwin. It showed how out of the loop I’d become that I had no idea what was going on with my own sister.

      As Elijah was pushing the door open, Bishop Abram caught his arm in a loose grip.

      “Those are harsh words, Elijah. It’s not with malicious intent that Noah has done this. Rose’s family manipulated the younger boy to write a letter convincing the Millers that she was leaving on her own accord, but that wasn’t the truth of it.”

      “Do you think that matters to me? My daughter will be humiliated. Our family will be made a laughingstock before the community.” Elijah stood up straighter before passing his gaze between Bishop Abram and Father. “The acts of this boy—” he paused and pointed at me “—will not be ignored by our people.”

      When Elijah disappeared into the night with his sons in tow, the barn became quiet once again. With a groan, I dropped to the hay bale and rubbed my face vigorously.

      “What a mess of things I’ve made,” I mumbled into my hands.

      Bishop Abram sighed and sat down beside me in a smoother movement than my own. He placed his hand on my knee and said, “Yes, a storm is brewing on the horizon. Elijah won’t let the matter rest. He is a prideful and stubborn man. Any difficulties we’ve had dealing with Mervin Weaver will be mild in comparison to what the Schwartzes will bring down upon us.”

      “Yet he’s only lived within our community for a few months. Perhaps you’re overestimating his influence,” Father suggested, rubbing his beard thoughtfully.

      Bishop Abram shook his head before raising his gaze. “Don’t take that man lightly, Amos. He’s already been talking with the other men in the church with the desire to take a place as their minister. He may be new to us, but he’s strong-willed and intelligent. I have no doubt the matter will go before the church, regardless of my wishes.”

      A chill passed over me at his words.

      Rose’s reputation would forever be clouded within the community if she was with child. Elijah would use it against us...and my entire family. If Rose and I could hold on for a while longer, she’d be old enough to marry me without her father’s approval. Then we could begin our lives unsullied.

      With a sudden change of heart, darkness settled over my spirit. I said a silent prayer that Rose wasn’t pregnant.