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“Mr. Foster?” Hanna gnawed at her lower lip. “You’re the only friend I have. I-I was hoping you could help me the way you helped Eli. I’m not asking for charity, but I’d ask you to help me find work. I’m a hard worker. I can do most anything.”
Ben studied her, taken aback. He had hoped she would directly ask to work for him, the way Eli had worked for him, doing chores and laboring around the cabin while Ben worked to build a series of underground storage rooms that connected to the basement, back when Ben was going through a survivalist phase.
“Hanna, I feel uncomfortable helping you find work.”
Her face fell. “Oh.” Her chair scratched the floor as she stood up. Her hands trembled, and she clasped them together as her gaze ventured near him, though she didn’t quite meet his eyes. “I will leave you, then. I’m sorry to take up your time. Thank you for the tea.”
“Wait. Sit back down, Hanna. I wasn’t finished speaking.”
Slowly, she returned to her seat, sitting down with her back stiff. Lady rose to place her head in Hanna’s lap. The dog whimpered and stared up at her with compassionate, large black eyes.
“I can’t in good conscience send you out into the world cold turkey. It’s a scary place out there for someone like you. People might take advantage of you, and I’d hate to see any harm come to you. Eli became like a son to me, and I would never turn his sister out. Besides, Hanna, I consider you a friend too. I can find some work for you around the cabin. I can even help you earn your G.E.D.” He leaned back in his chair, his decision made. “You’re staying here, Hanna. That’s final.”
CHAPTER3
Wind chimes clattered faintlyas the scent of baking bread filled the house. Hanna wiped her hands on her apron and inspected the kitchen. The floor could use a good mopping and the counters a good scrubbing. Even the walls needed to be wiped down. It pleased her to find yet another chore to occupy her time, and her mind.
As she gathered the necessary supplies from a closet in the hallway, her thoughts drifted to Mr. Foster.
Living with a man the way she was right now was downright sinful, yet she didn’t feel like she was behaving badly. Knowing he considered her a friend brought a smile to her lips. She liked him more than she’d liked most Amish.
That thought caused her smile to fade.
As much as she tried not to think of her daat, her brothers, Sarah, her cousins, and her little nieces and nephews, they sometimes crept into her thoughts. Even though they were only a few miles apart, she doubted she would ever see them again, unless it happened by accident. Even then, they wouldn’t speak to her, let alone look at her. Not unless she returned to the farm and decided to join the church.
Not likely.
A week had passed since she’d arrived at Mr. Foster’s house. Since then, he’d handed all the cooking and cleaning duties over to her.
Not that it was a lot of work…
She suspected he was indulging her and trying to find work just to make her feel happy and needed. He spent most of his time in the greenhouse out back, in a workroom next to his bedroom that contained several computers, and fishing in a nearby stream.
She also had the distinct impression he was trying to avoid her as much as possible, but she couldn’t put her finger on why. He was nothing but kind to her, but she frequently sensed his unease in her presence.
Likewise, she felt uneasy around him, especially in the evenings when he came inside for the night. The cabin seemed much smaller then.
“Smells good.”
Hanna started and gasped, spinning around to meet Mr. Foster face-to-face. “You scared me!” she said, half scolding. As she fought to catch her breath, they both burst into laughter. It was the first time she’d seen him laugh since her arrival. It brought her hope.
Maybe the tension between them only existed in her head.
“I’m sorry, Hanna. I didn’t mean to startle you.”
She flashed him a smile. “It’s all right, Mr. Foster. Lunch isn’t quite ready yet. Can I fix you a snack?”
“No, I’m fine. I wanted to talk to you about something.”
Her stomach flipped at the sudden seriousness of his expression. “What is it?”
“You’re still wearing your Amish clothes, even the kapp,” he said, pointing at her head. “I took Eli clothes shopping not long after he came to stay with me. I’d like to do the same for you.”
Dumbfounded, Hanna stared at him. Was it right to accept his offer? Deep in the woods in his secluded cabin, they were alone, and while she wasn’t Amish anymore, she hadn’t thought of changing her appearance yet. Instead, finding work had been her top priority. Now that she had work and a safe place to stay, she supposed it was time to change the way she looked.
“Thank you. That sounds nice, but please deduct the cost of clothing from my wages.” She didn’t want to be a burden. Mr. Foster had agreed to pay her monthly, a generous sum she’d argued was too much, and he’d even promised to help her set up her own checking account soon. The idea of a trip into town to experience this rite of passage into the English world filled her with excitement.
Mr. Foster sighed and smiled faintly. “All right. If you insist. We’ll go to town tomorrow morning, visit the mall, and go to a restaurant for lunch.”
