Her Amish Patchwork Family

Book 3: Hope's Haven

by Winnie Griggs

Genres: Clean & Wholesome Romance

Synopsis

In this Amish romance perfect for fans of Laura V. Hilton and Marta Perry, a former schoolteacher and a single father discover a second chance at friendship, family, and love.

Former Hope’s Haven schoolteacher, Martha Eicher, has always been the responsible one, putting her family first and caring for her widowed father and two younger sisters. But now they’re all happily married, and Martha isn’t sure where she fits in anymore . . . until she hears that Asher Lantz needs a nanny. Even though her childhood friendship with Asher ended abruptly years ago, when a misunderstanding drove a wedge between them, Martha offers her assistance.

Asher is also feeling adrift. As a single father to his niece and nephews, he struggles to balance his new family responsibilities with those on the farm and in his workshop. He’s grateful for Martha’s help, but worries things will always feel awkward with her. Yet before long, Asher realizes Martha is exactly what his family needs, and he can’t imagine his home without her. Martha and Asher thought they were lost, but could they be right where they belong . . . together?

Release date: April 25, 2023

Publisher: Grand Central Publishing

Print pages: 368

Sample

Chapter 1

Hope’s Haven, Ohio
Late March

Martha Eicher leaned forward in her seat as the driver turned the hired car onto the familiar lane. It was gut to be back home, for sure and for certain.

When she’d left home to visit her cousin Brenda in Shipshewana right after Christmas she’d intended to be gone for only a few weeks, just long enough to help Brenda before and after the birth of her third child. But Brenda had developed complications and needed assistance much longer than expected. So what had started out as a three-week trip had ended up lasting almost three months.

Martha hadn’t really minded—with both her younger shveshtra and her widowed daed recently married, it had felt gut to be so needed, and so in charge, again. But now she was looking forward to being back home—especially after the nearly five-hour drive it had taken to get here.

As soon as the car pulled to a stop in front of the house Skip, her familye’s English shepherd, came bounding out to greet her, barking as he ran circles around the vehicle.

Martha quickly climbed out and bent to accept the dog’s enthusiastic greeting. Before she could straighten, the door to the house opened and her daed and Leah, his new fraa, stepped out with broad, welcoming smiles.

“Gutentag.” The sound of Daed’s booming voice let her know she was finally home again. “You made gut time.”

Martha gave him a tight hug. “I was able to get an earlier-than-expected start. And Virginia here is a wonderful gut driver.”

Leah stepped forward, holding her arms out for her own hug. “It’s so gut to see you back home safe and sound. We missed you.”

“Leah cooked your favorite meal,” Daed said as he paid the driver and picked up the biggest of her two bags. “Chicken and dumplings.”

“Danke. That sounds lovely.” Actually, chicken and dumplings was her shveshtah Greta’s favorite dish but Daed had never kept those little details straight. And at least Leah had tried.

Before she could take another step, an unfamiliar dog came bounding from around the house and began barking at her.

Martha took an involuntary step back just as her daed uttered an authoritative “Lady, kum.”

The animal immediately went to her daed’s side, tongue lolling and tail wagging.

“What have we here?” Martha studied the animal in surprise. She hadn’t been aware Daed was looking for a second dog—they’d gotten along with just Skip for quite a while. Lady was smaller than Skip and didn’t look at all like a working dog, in fact she was the kind of dog Daed called a useless ball of fur and refused to tolerate. What was going on?

“Lady showed up here about two months ago and we couldn’t find her owner. I think someone must have dumped her.” Daed stroked his beard disapprovingly.

Leah spoke up. “She had a litter of pups about three weeks later. Five of the cutest little things you ever did see.” She smiled at Martha. “After you get settled in I can show them to you if you like.”

Leah had obviously wanted to keep the animal, which had no doubt influenced Daed’s current tolerance of the animal.

Daed waved her over. “Martha, you should make friends with Lady, since she lives here now.”

With a nod, Martha approached the dog and squatted down, holding her hand out for the animal to sniff. If Daed was happy having Lady here, who was she to disapprove?

It took several minutes but the dog appeared to be naturally friendly and was soon accepting head scratches from Martha.

“Kum,” Leah finally said. “I know you must be tired after your long drive. And Lady will still be here this afternoon. Let’s get you and your things inside.”

Martha stood, trying to ignore the little twinge of discomfort she felt at Leah’s words. She knew her shteef-mamm meant well, but her phrasing had made Martha feel like she was a guest rather than a member of the household.

Then, as soon as they stepped through the front door, Martha paused, noting a number of changes since she’d last seen the place.

Several pieces of furniture had been moved around and an unfamiliar rocking chair had been added. It held a place of honor next to her daed’s recliner. The chair that formerly held that position, the one her own mamm had favored, now sat across the room. There was also a new clock on the wall, a side table she didn’t recognize and some unfamiliar throw pillows scattered about.

It was disorienting to see the familiar furnishings out of place. “It appears you’ve made a few changes while I was gone.” She was proud at how calm her voice sounded.

“Jah.” Leah’s smile was tentative. “I brought in some of my things from my old home. I hope you don’t mind.”

“Of course she doesn’t mind.” Daed put a hand on Leah’s arm, almost as if he thought he had to protect her. “This is your home too, ain’t so?”

Martha smiled. “Daed’s right. This is as much your home now as it is ours. You must do as you wish here.” She picked up the bag Daed had set down. “If you’ll excuse me, I’ll go upstairs to unpack and freshen up a bit before I join you for some of that chicken and dumplings you mentioned earlier.”

As Martha headed to her room she noticed a number of other small changes that had been made since she left, changes that unmistakably put Leah’s mark on the place.

She set her bags on her bed and took a deep breath, trying to sort through her feelings. Leah had every right to arrange things to her liking. After all, she was Daed’s fraa and as such the lady of the house now. The thing was, she herself had been in charge of the household for twelve years, ever since her mamm had died. And old habits were hard to break.

When her daed married Leah right after Thanksgiving, Martha had known her role in the household would change, but she hadn’t understood exactly how much it would change. After all, Leah had lived with them for several weeks last year when a tree fell on her house. If Martha had given it any thought at all, she’d figured the running of the household would go on as it had then.

But she realized now that had been a very naïve way to view things. It was only right and proper that Leah take on a primary role in managing the household along with her new role as Daed’s fraa.

And her own role was now that of dutiful dochder—it was a role she’d had before and one she could take on again. She just had to take a deep breath and pray for a humble spirit.

Once her things had been put away, Martha straightened and reminded herself that Leah was lady of the house now. Then she turned and went downstairs.

When she stepped inside the kitchen, she halted on the threshold. Her daed and Leah stood near the counter, speaking quietly. She couldn’t hear what they were saying but there was a certain intimacy in their expressions and demeanor that made Martha feel as if she was intruding.

It seemed the two of them had gotten used to having the house to themselves in her absence.

In the future she’d have to remember to make a little noise before entering a room.

How many other things had changed in her absence?

Chapter 2

The next morning as soon as breakfast was over and the kitchen had been cleaned, Martha turned to Leah.

“I know I just got back home yesterday, but if you don’t mind me leaving for a little while, I’d like to pay Joan a visit.” Joan Lantz was her best friend and was due to get married next week. Not only was Martha looking forward to seeing her friend, but she felt the need to get away from her house for a little while.

“Of course.” Leah gave her an understanding smile. “I’m sure the two of you have a lot to talk about with the wedding coming up so soon.”

“Danke.” And with that Martha was out the door.

She greeted Clover, the buggy horse she’d raised from a foal, with a handful of apple slices and a smile. “Did you miss me, girl, because I certainly missed you.”

Once she had the horse hitched and was headed down the lane, she felt exhilarated. This, at least, hadn’t changed. She could still find wonderful joy in the sense of freedom she got from driving alone in her buggy.

Joan’s home was a short ten-minute ride and before long she found herself turning down the lane marked by a bent hickory at its head.

As soon as Martha stepped out of her buggy Joan came rushing out of the house and the two met in a joyful embrace.

“Ach, Martha, it’s so wunderbaar to see you again. I enjoyed your letters but I’ve missed seeing you in person these past three months.”

Martha smiled as her best friend stepped back but before she could respond, Joan’s daed came out of the barn.

“It’s gut to see you, Martha. My Joan has been fretting that you wouldn’t make it home in time for her wedding.”

Martha gave her friend a mock-frown. “She should have more faith in me. I’d never miss her wedding.”

“So I told her.” He waved them away. “Go. Catch up with each other. I’ll take care of your horse.”

“Danke.”

Martha fell into step beside Joan as the two strolled toward the Lantz family cherry orchard.

“When did you get home?” Joan asked.

Could she even call it home anymore? Martha drew her sweater more tightly around her. “Yesterday around noon.”

“Well, I’m wonderful glad you’ve finally returned, that’s for sure and certain. And with barely a week to spare! Daed was just teasing, but I really was beginning to worry you wouldn’t be back in time.”

Martha tried to let go of her worries and focus on her friend’s upcoming nuptials. “I promised you I’d be back in time, didn’t I?” She truly was very happy for Joan. The barely-there pinprick of emotion underlying that joy wasn’t envy exactly. It was more of a longing to experience the same thing herself.

Pushing that uncomfortable thought aside, she gave her friend a let’s-get-down-to-business smile. “How are the wedding preparations coming?”

“There’s still a lot to take care of but I’m sure it will all come together in time.” Joan hunched her shoulders against a sudden gust of wind. “My last day working with the kinner at Asher’s was yesterday so that’s freed up my time and attention.”

Joan’s cousin Shem and his wife had passed away a year ago and Shem’s younger brother Asher, a bachelor who also had responsibility for his grossmammi, had taken in their four kinner, all preschoolers. Joan had moved in to help him out and had remained with them until now.

“Who did they finally settle on to take your place?”

“Debra Lynn Fisher. She’s young but full of energy and thankfully she seems to be settling in quickly.” Joan sighed. “I miss the kinner already, but I’m sure they’ll do well with Debra Lynn.”

Martha nodded. She’d only watched over Brenda’s little ones for three months but she missed them now that she was home. It must be so much more difficult for Joan.

A moment later she looked over at Joan and realized her friend was studying her with a searching expression.

“What is it?”

Joan tapped her chin. “I was going to ask you the same thing.”

Martha mentally winced. She’d forgotten how perceptive her friend could be. “What do you mean?”

Joan halted in her tracks, fixing her with a stern look. “Martha Elizabeth Eicher, I’ve known you since the first grade.” Joan’s tone would have shamed the strictest of schoolteachers. “I know there’s something bothering you. I’d like to think it’s just because you’ll miss me when I move to Fredericksburg, but I know it’s something more.”

Martha picked a stick up from the ground and twirled it between her fingers. “Of course I’ll miss you.” Then she tried playing on Joan’s sympathies. “But you’ll be too busy with your new life to give me much thought.”

“Nonsense and don’t try to avoid my question.”

Martha waved a hand. “I’m still tired from my trip, that’s all.”

Joan crossed her arms. “Shame on you for telling stories. How can I be happy on my wedding day if I know my best friend is unhappy?” She lifted her chin. “But if you don’t feel you can trust me enough to tell me…”

Martha sighed, knowing she’d been outmaneuvered. “It’s not that I don’t think you’re trustworthy. It’s that the truth doesn’t present me in a very charitable light.”

Joan raised a brow. “You forget, I’ve seen you at your worst.”

If only that were true. But Martha sighed and gave in to her friend’s not-too-gentle probing. “I came home to find a new dog has taken up residence and Leah has fully taken over as woman of the house. Oh, she’s been very sweet and makes room for me, but it’s now more her house than mine. Which of course is only right as she’s my daed’s new fraa. Then there’s something else, I’ve come upon them on a couple of occasions when I felt I was intruding on them.”

She tossed the stick. “My two younger shveshtra have gotten married and moved to their own homes. My daed has found a new fraa. And now—” She halted, not sure how to finish that statement.

But Joan finished it for her. “And now your best friend is getting married and moving away.”

Martha nodded. “I am happy for you, for sure and for certain. It’s just,” she grimaced, “it’s just that I don’t know where my place is anymore.”

“But dechder who are at home help their mamms run the household all the time. It’s what I did before I moved in with Aenti Dorcas and Asher. It’s just the way of things and I’m sure Leah and your daed love having you around.”

Did her friend really not understand? “Jah, and this is what shows how terrible I am. It’s not the way of things for a dochder to have been in charge of the household and then to slip back to the role of helper. And besides, despite their ages, Daed and Leah are newlyweds. There are times when I feel like I’m intruding.”

“Oh.” Joan seemed a bit uncomfortable with that last. Was she thinking of her own upcoming newlywed status?

Time to change the subject. “When does James arrive?” James Slabaugh, Joan’s future mann, was a widower who lived in Fredericksburg with his three-year-old dochder Hilda. Most of James and Joan’s courtship had happened by correspondence after their initial meeting at a friend’s wedding.

Joan’s look said she knew what Martha had done, but she went along with the conversational detour. “He and Hilda arrive on Saturday and will stay with my bruder Adam and his familye. The rest of James’s familye and friends will come on Tuesday.” Joan’s expression shifted into something like worry. “I just hope the weather holds.”

Martha nudged her hip against Joan’s. “You and I have both attended weddings in rain and snow. It doesn’t seem to dampen the bride and groom’s joy any.”

Then Martha linked arms with her friend. “Now, tell me what I can do to help with the preparations.” Keeping busy was just what she needed to lift her mood.

Joan grinned. “I thought you’d never ask.” And with that, Joan changed direction and headed toward the house where the two of them could go over the list of things remaining to be done.

Chapter 3

Asher wiped his hand on a shop rag as he stood and stretched his back and neck. Rowdy, the family dog who was part Lab, part collie and all energy, had kept him company for the past hour. But apparently he took Asher’s stance as a signal that it was time to head outdoors, and took off at a run, which seemed to be the only speed the dog had.

“Deserter,” he said to the animal’s retreating form.

Then he frowned down at the forecart he’d been working on. The task he’d set for himself this morning was to start getting the equipment checked and ready for spring planting. And the first item on his list was the forecart. He’d meticulously inspected it from the shaft assembly to the hitch, tightening, greasing and lubricating parts as needed.

He’d also planned to change out the worn tires for the new ones he’d picked up at the farm supply store in town last week, but one of the bolts securing the left wheel was stubbornly frozen in place. He thought he remembered seeing a can of penetrating oil in the basement. If not, it meant another trip to town to purchase some. Which was not anything he really wanted to do. It would eat into his workshop time, something he tried to protect as much as possible.

This time of year, when the demands of the farm were not as high as they were in spring and summer, he spent as much time working on his orders for punched tin as he could. And it didn’t hurt that it was the thing that centered him, made him feel creative and grounded.

His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of Rowdy’s we’ve-got-company bark. He moved to the open doorway of the equipment shed, and sure enough a buggy was coming up the drive. Tossing his rag on the worktable next to the door, he headed toward the vehicle to greet his guest. It wasn’t until the buggy was parked and the driver stepped out that he realized it was Daniel Mast, the person who was leasing the house that had originally belonged to Shem. Asher had purchased it shortly before Shem’s death, allowing his brother to move here where there was more room for his growing family.

Why was Daniel here? The rent payment wasn’t due until the end of the month. Hopefully there wasn’t anything wrong up at the house.

Daniel spotted him and lifted a hand in greeting, then waited for him to draw close.

“Gut matin, Daniel.”

“Gut matin. I hope I’m not interrupting anything.”

“Nee. In fact I was just taking a break.”

As they’d exchanged greetings, the two men had drifted to the nearby paddock fence. When Daniel didn’t speak up right away Asher did a bit of prompting. “So what brings you out here? No problems with the place, I hope.”

“Not at all,” Daniel rushed to assure him. “Just the opposite. Marylou and I still love living there. In fact I actually have a proposition for you concerning that very thing.”

Interesting. Asher turned to lean his elbows on the top board of the fence. “What kind of proposition?”

“We’d like to purchase the house and land from you.”

That set Asher back for a moment. He hadn’t planned to sell the place any time soon. Perhaps not ever. Yes, Shem and Lydia were gone. And Asher himself was needed here on the family farm at the moment, but that didn’t mean it would always be so.

He and Oma—his daed’s mamm—could always use the money it would bring, of course, especially now that there were so many mouths to feed. But it wasn’t as if they would be in dire straits without it. The steady income from the rent payments was giving them the cushion they needed.

But at the back of Asher’s mind was the memory that the house had been his for five glorious weeks last year. The only time in his life when he’d tasted the freedom of being completely on his own. Before Shem’s death had pulled him back here again.

He understood Daniel’s desire to have a place of his own, though, especially now that he and Marylou were married. No doubt they’d be expanding their familye soon.

“Of course I’d pay you a fair price,” Daniel added quickly, as if he read Asher’s silence as hesitation.

Asher straightened, pushing away from the fence. “Let me think on this and get back to you. There’ll be time enough to talk price if I decide to sell.”

Daniel nodded. “I understand. I just want you to know, Marylou and I want a place of our own. We’d like that place to be the home we’re living in now. But if you decide not to sell, we’ll probably start looking elsewhere soon.”

Asher nodded. “I appreciate you letting me know. You’ll have an answer before next month’s rent is due.”

“I’ll understand whatever your decision.” Daniel held out his hand. “I’ll wait to hear back from you before we do anything.” Then he returned to his buggy.

Asher watched Daniel’s vehicle turn and move down the drive. The man was close to his own age but at the moment seemed so much more mature and certain of what he wanted out of life.

The sound of children’s squeals caught Asher’s attention and he looked up to see the triplets racing around near the garden, apparently engaged in a game of tag or keep-away.

Debra Lynn was nearby, keeping a close eye on them. Joan had chosen her replacement well.

He looked around for Lottie and spotted her sitting on the back porch, playing with her doll. Thank goodness she wasn’t as rambunctious as her brieder. Three energetic, rambunctious kinner were enough for any one household.

He slowly moved toward the house. It had been almost a year since Shem and his fraa had died and he still had trouble believing that he’d be responsible for these little ones until they grew into adults. The transition from being their onkel to being their stand-in daed still didn’t feel quite real.

Thank Gotte he had help. Oma of course. She’d done a gut job of helping raise him and his brieder after their mamm died eighteen years ago, but she was older now. One thing he’d realized after moving back here was that her mobility issues had gotten worse. There was no way she’d be able to care for these little ones on her own, not until the three-year-olds turned school age, and maybe not even then.

Joan had been gut for the kinner and for Oma, moving in here so she was available twenty-four hours a day. And the kinner had learned to depend on her presence, to consider her a part of this new family they were being woven into. Luckily there had been time to prepare them for Joan’s exit, but it still hadn’t been easy.

It was still too soon to see if Debra Lynn would develop that kind of relationship with them, but he had high hopes.

When he stepped inside the kitchen, he found Oma sitting at the table, peeling potatoes.

“Was that Daniel Mast I saw drive up?” she asked without looking up.

“Jah.”

“What did he want?”

“He’d like to buy the place they’re renting.”

She paused and finally met his gaze. “And what did you tell him?”

He moved to the sink and filled a water glass. “That I’d need some time to think about it.”

She nodded and went back to peeling her potato.

He waited a moment for her to say more but she merely continued with her task. Finally, after taking a swallow, he spoke up again. “Do you have any thoughts on the matter?”

She waved the potato peeler. “That property is yours now, so what you do with it is up to you.” She looked up again. “But is there some reason you want to hold on to it?”

He set the glass down, still not ready to dig into that subject. “I just don’t want to rush into such a big decision without taking time to pray about it.” And with that he headed for the basement to search for that can of penetrating oil he’d needed earlier.

Yes, he needed time to pray and think about it. But not right now.

Pushing those thoughts aside, he focused on finding t. . .