Dark Crossings (27 page)

* * *

H
OURS
LATER
, an exhausted Lena sat on a chair in the hospital waiting room.
Ruby was curled up beside her. Isaac had gone to find them some coffee.

Samuel had come through surgery without complications. He was
in the recovery room now and would soon be moved to a room where they could see
him. Lena shifted her position on the hard seat.

Ruby woke up when Lena moved. “Are the bad men coming?”

“Nay,”
Lena soothed. “All the bad
men have been taken to jail. We will not see them again.”

“Is
Onkel
Samuel okay?”

“The doctors say he will be fine. We should be able to see him
soon. I want to tell you how brave you were today, Ruby.” Lena looked up to see
Isaac standing in the doorway, a cup of coffee in each hand.

“Today, maybe, but not when my
mamm
died. I wasn’t brave then.” The girl’s voice cracked and she tried to stifle her
tears.

Lena stroked Ruby’s cheek, but didn’t take her gaze off Isaac.
He said, “I’m sure you were brave that day, too, only in a different way.”

Ruby looked over at him. “
Mamm
said, ‘Don’t leave me, Ruby. Your papa will come soon. He’ll come. Don’t leave
me.’ I should have left her. I should have gone for help. You were so mad at me
for staying with her. I tried to tell you what happened, but I couldn’t
speak.”

“Oh,
liebchen,
” Isaac said as Lena
took the coffee from him. He sat beside Ruby and gathered her into his arms. “It
was not your fault. God wanted your mother to come and live in joy with him. You
cannot change the will of God.”

“Do you still hate me, Papa?”

Isaac’s voice trembled. “I’ve never hated you, Ruby. I have
loved you every day of your life.”

“I’m sorry I didn’t go for help, Papa. I’m sorry I let Mama
die.”

He held her close, and tears welled up in his eyes. “I’m sorry
I didn’t come. Can you forgive me for failing you and your mother?”

Ruby cupped his face between her hands. “I forgive you, Papa.
Please don’t cry.”

He kissed her hands and then her cheek. “Bless you, child. You
will forever remind me of the love she and I shared. You are, and have always
been, God’s gift to me.”

Lena had tears in her eyes, too. It was so good to see them
repairing the damage silence and guilt had caused.

Isaac managed a watery smile for Lena. “We have had quite an
adventure-filled day.”

She pressed a hand to her mouth as a giggle escaped.

He gave her an odd look. “What is so funny?”

“All my life I have wanted to have adventures. I had no idea
how frightening and exhausting they can be. I hope I am done with them.”

“I’m sorry to hear you say that.”

She cocked her head to the side. “Why?”

“I have been thinking about another sort of adventure you might
like to consider.”

She gave him a puzzled glance. “What kind do you mean?”

“The kind where I pick you up in my buggy and we go for rides
in the evenings and after church services. Maybe even a picnic or two when the
weather gets warm again.”

Ruby looked from Lena to her father. “That’s what courting
couples do. Are you going to court Lena? ’Cause if you are, I think that’s
great. I like her a lot.”

He smiled indulgently at his daughter. “It’s up to Lena more
than it’s up to me.”

Taking Lena’s hand in his, Isaac gave her fingers a gentle
squeeze. “What about it, Lena Troyer? Are you up for another adventure?”

She smiled and squeezed his hand in return. “
Ja,
that sounds like an adventure I would love.”

EPILOGUE

T
HE
FOLLOWING
WEEKS
WERE
busy ones for Lena. The day after the gunmen
came to the school, Isaac took Lena to visit John Miller at his home. When John
learned it was Lena’s quick thinking and bravery that had saved his cousin’s
life and kept the children safe, he happily restored her position as teacher for
as long as she might want it.

He called a special school board meeting for Friday evening and
stood before everyone as he shared his decision. Grateful parents and
grandparents came forward to thank Lena, Isaac and Ruby for their part in
preventing a tragedy. Lena was overwhelmed by the gratitude of her community.
The experience was truly humbling.

Her students came to school excited and happy to learn she
wasn’t leaving. It took far more discipline than she normally used to get the
boisterous pupils to settle down and return to their lessons. Luckily, it was
time to start planning for the school Christmas program. Everyone looked forward
to the event and wanted to be included.

In her letter to her cousins, Lena downplayed her part in the
events, but Abby and Sarah quickly wrote back asking for more details about the
chilling episode and about Isaac Bowman.

Seated at her desk in the empty schoolhouse, Lena brought out
the last circle letter to read again while she waited for Isaac to pick her up.
She had such good news to share with him.

When the schoolhouse door opened, she looked up and knew she
would never tire of seeing his large frame filling the doorway. He had won her
heart and she would never let him forget how much she loved him.

He rushed inside. “Are you ready? Our driver is anxious to get
going. He says the forecast is calling for snow tonight.”

“Isaac Bowman, that is no way to enter the school building.
First, you must come and greet me properly.”

“My apologies, teacher.” He strode forward, leaned over the
desk and kissed her.

When he straightened, she smiled. “That is much better.”

He sat on the corner of her desk. “School was never this much
fun when I was young. What have you got there?” He pointed at the papers in her
hand.

“A circle letter from my cousins. They wish to hear more about
you.”

“About me? What have you told them already?”

“That you are kind and a gifted carver and a great kisser.”

He frowned. “You didn’t!”

“No, silly. But I may.”

Standing, he took her hand. “Leave the letter here and come
along. Wilfred is expecting us.”

“Poor man, he has no one else to visit him.” Wilfred Cummings
had been moved to a nursing home outside Millersburg. It was doubtful he would
ever go home again. Lena visited him weekly, but found him saddened by the
events and his family’s part in them.

Lena stood, but slipped the letter in her pocket. Isaac waited
impatiently as she got her coat. When they were in the car at last and on their
way, he relaxed.

Lena leaned forward to speak to the driver Isaac hired for her
weekly trips. “Mr. Johnson, would you be able to drive us to Spring Township in
Pennsylvania the first Thursday of December?”

“I would. What’s the occasion?”

“My cousin Sarah Weaver is getting married to Jacob Mast and
I’d like Isaac to meet them.”

Isaac looked at Lena with a bright grin. “That’s wonderful
news.”

“I think so. Mr. Johnson, would you be able to drive us to
Homestead, Ohio, on the second Thursday in January?”

“I reckon so. Another wedding?”

“Yes, my cousin Abigail Baughman is marrying Ben Kline. I’m
dying to meet the man who won her heart.”

Isaac whispered in her ear. “With all these weddings in the
works, it’s giving me ideas.”

She sat back and looked at him with wide, innocent eyes. “What
ideas?”

“Why don’t we follow these visits with a wedding trip of our
own?”

Her mouth dropped open. “Isaac Bowman, that is no way to
propose to a girl.”

“I’m not proposing to a girl. I’m proposing to a sensible,
loving woman who has the chance to make my life and Ruby’s life complete by
saying yes.”

The driver suddenly slammed on his brakes. Lena had a glimpse
of a deer leaping across the road in front of them as the car skidded to a halt.
Mr. Johnson let out a low whistle. “Do you see the size of that buck? Where were
you during hunting season, fella?”

Lena and Isaac looked toward the forest. At the edge of the
woods, Goliath stood with his head held high. A light snow was beginning to
fall. He gave one shake of his majestic antlers and vanished among the
trees.

Turning to Isaac, Lena leaned toward him and whispered one word
in his ear. “Yes.”

* * * * *

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ISBN: 9781459234017

Copyright © 2012 by Harlequin Books S.A.

The publisher acknowledges the copyright holders of the individual
works as follows:
THE COVERED BRIDGE
Copyright © 2012 by Karen
Harper
FALLEN IN PLAIN SIGHT
Copyright © 2012 by Martha
Johnson
OUTSIDE THE CIRCLE
Copyright © 2012 by Patricia
MacDonald

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