The Amish Buggy Horse BOXED SET Books 1-3 (Amish Romance Book Bundle: Faith, Hope, Charity) (Boxed Set: The Amish Buggy Horse) (14 page)

Romans
5: 3 - 5.
More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

Chapter 10
.

Melissa sighed and sank down into her chair. Thank goodness the working day was over. Irene had called at midday and had told Melissa that she was doing a good job, but Melissa herself felt as if she wasn't. Who was she, a Plain girl, to handle the dating issues of
Englischers
? At least she had spent a pleasant afternoon with her beloved filing, and, despite the fact that Milly had to leave early that day, Melissa had not come face to face with any disgruntled
Englischers
who were dissatisfied with their dates.

Melissa was in the front room, and about to lock the front door of the agency, when a man burst through the door. He looked annoyed. "Is Irene Blackwell back yet?" he asked in an urgent tone.

"No, she's not." It took Melissa a moment to recognize the man. "Oh, Mr. Pollard, isn’t it?

The man looked Melissa up and down. "Yes, Anthony Pollard. You're the Amish girl who interviewed me, aren't you?"

"Yes, Melissa Glick."

"Oh yes. I’m sorry that I didn’t recognize you - I didn’t know how many Amish women are working here and you all look alike."

Melissa gasped at the man's rudeness, but he continued. "I didn’t mean that the way it sounded. I was in the area, and I just called in to see if you’d found me any suitable dates yet."

Melissa was concerned. She had not found any suitable dates for Anthony Pollard as he was new to the agency, and Irene had not had time to screen him properly before she had been called overseas. Irene had, however, sent him on one date, but Anthony had complained that the lady was too old for him.

"Mr. Pollard, I’ll make an appointment for you now. Just let me turn the computer back on. I was about to lock the office," Melissa added pointedly.

Melissa made to move around Anthony Pollard to her desk but he blocked her way, jutting out his chin in a belligerent manner. "I don't want to waste any more time. Can’t you find me a date right now?"

Melissa shook her head, worried at the man's insistence. If only Milly were here. "No, I'm sorry, Mr. Pollard," she said in the most decisive tone she could muster. "It's already after business hours. I'll make an appointment for you. I'm sure we can help you."

"Why can’t you do it now?" Anthony Pollard's tone was petulant, and his face was progressively turning redder. Even his ears were now bright crimson. Gone was the charming smile that Melissa had previously found attractive. Why she'd ever thought him a nice person, Melissa did not know. Now she was faced with an angry
Englisch mann
and she had no idea what to do. She wiped her sweaty hands on her over-apron. This situation was getting out of control.

Anthony Pollard took a step closer to her, looming over her. Melissa automatically took a step back but was unable to move more than a few inches, as the front desk was directly behind her.

"What about you?" he demanded.

"Me?" Melissa heard her voice come out as a squeak.

"I've asked you once before, but you didn’t tell me. Do you have a boyfriend?"

Melissa took a quick breath, and tried to force herself to stay calm. "We are not allowed to discuss our personal life with clients," she said slowly and clearly, pleased at least that she sounded somewhat confident this time.

Anthony Pollard screwed up his face in a temper. His now bulging eyes were so close to hers that Melissa could see they were bloodshot. "Just dinner!" he all but yelled. "I just want you to go to dinner with me. What's a little dinner going to hurt?"

Melissa grasped at her throat, fighting the rising panic.

"What's going on here?" The loud, booming voice caused Anthony Pollard to spin around, and when he moved aside, Melissa saw with great relief that Victor Byler was standing in the doorway.

"Nothing." Anthony Pollard spat the word rudely. "I quit this agency; they’re useless." With that, he pushed past Victor Byler and hurried out the door.

Melissa sat on the desk, trembling.

"Are you all right?" Victor at once crossed to her. Melissa found his proximity disturbing, but not at all in the way that she had found Anthony Pollard's proximity disturbing. "You’re as white as a sheet," he said, peering at her.

Melissa was afraid she'd cry, and to her dismay, her hands were trembling. "I'll make you a cup of hot tea with sugar," he said, and then hurried to the office kitchen.

That's what people from my community always do when someone's upset
, Melissa thought, forgetting her emotional reaction to the unsavory behavior of Anthony Pollard for the moment.

Victor returned and insisted that Melissa sit down. "Here, drink this."

After a few sips of the sugary drink, Melissa did indeed feel a little better. "I hope he doesn't come back to the agency," she said. "He was so rude." Before Victor could respond, Melissa continued. "What are you doing here, Victor? You're not here to complain about your last date, are you?" Melissa was secretly hoping that Victor was, in fact, there to complain about his latest date; even the thought of it made her feel unreasonably jealous.

"No, it was your horse."

"My horse?"

Victor smiled. "Yes, Blessing turned up at my store just then. You can imagine everyone's shock." Victor chuckled. "Anyway, I brought him back and tied him up very well, and then came up here to tell you."

"How awfully strange. I always make sure he's hitched well, but my brother and his wife have mentioned that he can open gates. This is the first time that he's done anything like this, though, as far as I know."

"Well, thank goodness he did," Victor said, "as if I hadn't come here when I did, you would have had to deal with that unpleasant client."

Melissa clutched at her throat. Yes, whatever would have happened if Victor had not shown up when he did? She did not want to think about it.

"When you've finished your tea, I’ll walk you to your buggy." Victor smiled at her.

Melissa liked the way that his eyes crinkled at the corners when he smiled, but then she brought herself up short.
He's an Englischer. No good can come of it, so stop thinking that way
, she silently scolded herself.

Psalm
71: 5 - 6.
For you, O Lord, are my hope,
my trust, O Lord, from my youth.
Upon you I have leaned from before my birth;
you are he who took me from my mother’s womb.
My praise is continually of you.

Chapter 11
.

As Melissa approached Blessing, she turned to Victor. "I see he's still tied to the rail. And look at the innocent expression on his face," she added, as Blessing turned to her and whinnied softly.

Victor chuckled. "You might have to get some sort of clip and chain to clip between his headstall and the rail, if he can undo ropes."

"
Denki
, that's a
gut
idea." Melissa realized she had lapsed into Pennsylvania Dutch again, but Victor simply nodded.

Melissa reached up to stroke Blessing's neck.

"Why, you're still trembling." Victor's voice was full of concern.

"It’s probably as I didn’t have time to eat lunch today, and I'm just a little light headed." Melissa hoped she sounded convincing. Her words were true, but she doubted that was the whole reason why she was shaking.

"I'll drive you home," Victor said.

Melissa gasped. "You? But, you can drive a buggy? And how will you get back?" Melissa had forgotten for a moment that Victor was said to be a former Amish
mann
.

Victor took his cell phone out of his pocket and waved it at her. "I'll call a taxi; it's no problem at all."

Melissa shook her head. "Oh no, really; I’ll be fine."

"I insist."

Melissa looked at Victor. It was that clear his mind was made up, and she did feel quite shaken after her encounter with the unsavory Anthony Pollard. Besides, she would have the opportunity to spend time with Victor, and despite the fact he was an
Englischer
, she wanted nothing more.

Victor took up the reins and guided Blessing onto the road. Melissa watched him carefully. He was clearly an experienced buggy driver. Could her
aenti's
haus
guest, Raymond, be right? Was it true that Victor Byler had once been Amish?

Melissa was somewhat unnerved by the ensuing silence, so said the first thing that came into her head. "How was your date with Linda?'

Victor turned to her and gave her a long, searching look. "Linda is a nice lady, but it won't work between us."

Melissa's heart soared with relief, but she tried to look business-like. "Oh. I'm sorry to hear that." Her tone was measured.

"You are?" Victor flashed her another look.

What did he mean by that?
Melissa wondered. Aloud, she said, "Perhaps it’s better if you wait until Irene returns; she can find you another match." There was no way that Melissa could send Victor on yet another date with another woman; the very thought made her too sad.

"Oh, next turn left," Melissa said, suddenly realizing where they were.

Victor turned Blessing down a winding lane. "I'm leaving the agency."

"You are?" The words were out before Melissa could stop them. She hoped that her pleasure was not too obvious. She should instead be disappointed; after all, the agency was losing a client.

"I've realized that I don’t want someone to matchmake me any more."

"You don’t?" Melissa asked, and then rebuked herself for sounding so silly.

"
Nee,
I don't."

Melissa jumped in her seat. "Did you just say,
'Nee
?' Did you just speak Pennsylvania Dutch?"

Victor squirmed in his seat, and did not answer. Melissa also remained silent. Finally, Victor said, "I have an Amish man newly working for me."

Melissa bit her lip.
He's avoiding the question
, she thought. Melissa thought things over for a minute.
I might as well come straight out and ask him
. Turning to Victor, she said, "Kannscht du Pennsilfaanisch Deitsch schwetzer?"
Do you speak Pennsylvania Dutch?

Victor was silent for a moment, and then said, "
Jah
," before sighing loudly. He added, "I owe you an explanation."

"
Nee, nee
, you don’t," Melissa said, embarrassed. "I shouldn’t have asked. Everyone says I'm too forthright, only I'm not forthright enough with Irene's clients. It's hard to find a middle road." Melissa stopped talking for a moment, doubly embarrassed that she was letting her words run away with her. "It's just that the Amish
mann
working for you, Raymond, is staying with my
aenti
and
onkel
, and he said that the
mann
he works for used to be Amish. I shouldn’t have said anything."

The buggy was now winding its way down one of the little lanes that traversed the rolling hills on the way to the Glicks' farm. The spring air was cooling with the approach of evening. Despite the awkward situation, Melissa was enjoying the buggy ride with Victor.
If only he was Amish now and taking me on a buggy ride as a courting couple
, she thought, and her heart beat a little faster.

"I
was
Amish, once." Victor blurted out. "I grew up Amish. I had no intention of leaving. I didn't even go on
rumspringa
, and I was going to be baptized, but then I did something that I was ashamed of, and I left the community. I started my trade as an apprentice cabinetmaker working for an
Englischer
, and then eventually came here and started my own business."

Melissa was shocked by his words. Whatever had he done? It must have been something bad; something dreadful. Sure, it is
Gott
who judges, but Melissa was taken aback by his words. It must have been something terrible to make him leave the community.

"I can see you’re horrified." Victor sounded sad.

"It’s all just a shock," Melissa said truthfully. Now she could see why Victor had issues; despite the fact that he had left the Amish, he clearly still had Amish values, and not many
Englisch
women shared those. No wonder the agency had not been able to matchmake him successfully.
He needs a woman just like me
, Melissa thought. I would be the ideal
fraa
for him. The thought made her sad. Victor did indeed seem the ideal man, but he had made his choice: he was now
Englisch
. It was an impossible situation.

Melissa hoped that her parents would be inside the
haus
when she arrived, so that they would not see her being driven home by an
Englischer
, of all things. That would prompt too many explanations, but alas, her fears were realized. Both her
mudder
and her
vadder
were standing outside, looking at the vegetable garden, and Victor drove the buggy up to them.