The Daughters of the Promise Collection: Three Sweet, Small Town Amish Romance Stories (A Daughters of the Promise Novel) - Softcover

Wiseman, Beth

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1401689485 ISBN 13: 9781401689483

Publisher: Thomas Nelson, 2013

Synopsis

From bestselling author Beth Wiseman comes a collection of three stories featuring relatable heroines, poignant romance, and a heartfelt exploration of faith in everyday life set in the close-knit Amish community of Lancaster County.

Book One: Plain Promise Sadie Fisher lives a quiet, content life as an Amish widow, but when wealthy Englischer Kade Saunders rents her guest cottage, everything changes. Especially when Kade shows up with his young autistic son. As Sadie's love for the boy deepens, so do her feelings for his father--forcing her to confront the boundaries of her faith and the desires of her heart.

Book Two: Plain Paradise Seventeen years ago, Josie Dronberger gave up her newborn daughter to be raised by an Amish couple. Now she's back to meet the young woman she left behind--just as Linda prepares to marry into a well-respected Plain family. Their reunion shakes the foundation of everything Linda thought she knew, and both women must choose the path forward--together or apart.

Book Three: Plain Proposal Miriam Raber dreams of a future with Saul Fisher, but he's questioning the Amish way of life--and where he belongs. As Saul wrestles with leaving, Miriam finds herself torn between love and loyalty, especially when another man begins to show interest. With the arrival of her troubled Englisch cousin Shelby, Miriam must navigate not only matters of the heart, but the pull of two worlds.

Perfect for fans of Beverly Lewis and Cindy Woodsmall, Amish fiction, or stories rooted in faith and second chances, this moving collection invites readers into a world of quiet strength, enduring hope, and the courage it takes to follow God's path--wherever it may lead.

About this title

About the Author

Bestselling and award-winning author Beth Wiseman has sold over two million books. She is the recipient of the coveted Holt Medallion, is a two-time Carol Award winner, and has won the Inspirational Reader's Choice Award three times. Her books have been on various bestseller lists, including CBA, ECPA, Christianbook, and Publishers Weekly. Beth and her husband are empty nesters enjoying country life in south-central Texas. Visit her online at BethWiseman.com; Facebook: @AuthorBethWiseman; Twitter: @BethWiseman; Instagram: @bethwisemanauthor

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

The Daughters of the Promise Collection

THREE NOVELS in ONE VOLUME

By Beth Wiseman

Thomas Nelson

Copyright © 2011 Beth Wiseman
All rights reserved.

ISBN: 978-1-4016-8948-3

Contents

Plain Promise..............................................................
1
Plain Paradise.............................................................
335
Plain Proposal.............................................................
643

CHAPTER 1

The den in the old farmhouse was the coziestroom in the house, but a nip still hung in the air. Sadie pulledher sweater from the rack on the wall and tossed another logonto the fire, orange sparks shimmying up the chimney. Shewalked to the window, raised the green blind, and looked towardthe guest cottage about a hundred feet away. She couldn't helpbut recall the hours she and Ben had spent restoring it five yearsago, painting the whitewashed walls, installing carpet, and makingit fit for use by the Englisch.

Sadie was glad when Bishop Ebersol allowed her to furnishthe cottage with electricity last year for use as a rental property.Her current renter had come all the way from Los Angeles, hislong, sleek automobile now crowding the inside of her barn. Butshe was grateful for the income. It had been difficult to makeends meet with Ben gone, though her Old Order Amish communitynever let her go without.

This time of year, men in the district made sure she hadplenty of firewood and kept the snow cleared from her driveway.In the spring and summer, the womenfolk kept her supplied withfresh peas and corn from the family crops, but Sadie, a fit womanat age thirty, kept a small garden on her own. She grew tomatoes,peppers, strawberries, melons, and the like—produce easy totend. In the fall, her neighbors brought her lots of potatoes. Shealso had plenty of meat stored in a locker in town, thanks to herbest friend, Lillian Stoltzfus, and Lillian's husband, Samuel.

Her shop out front gave her a bit more income. She soldhandmade Amish goods that fared well with the tourists. Otherwomen in the district added their crafts to Sadie's, and they tookturns tending the store, splitting the profits among them. Sheturned her head around and checked the clock on the mantel.Nearly seven. She straightened up, tucked loose red ringletsbeneath her kapp, and bowed her head.

After she thanked the Lord for the blessings of this new day,she grabbed her black cape, bonnet, and gloves. Then she pulledon her calf-high black boots and braced herself for a blast ofarctic air. She took a deep breath, swung the door wide, andclosed it quickly behind her—gelid wind stinging her cheeks likea thousand tiny needles.

A frosty mix of sleet and snow dusted her cape as she madeher trek across the front yard to the shop. How fortunate she wasthat Ben's old workshop was near the road and visible to tourists.She had cried when she'd given away her husband's tools andturned his favorite place into the shop, but her friends hadworked by her side to transform the old building. Then, just twomonths ago, they opened Treasures of the Heart.

She glanced around at the snow-covered pastures, visions ofBen tending the land still fresh in her mind. Less painful, but stillthere. It had been four years since the Englisch car had sped arounda corner of Black Horse Road and into Ben's buggy. She wouldnever forget their crates of fresh vegetables strewn across the road,patches of red, green, and yellow dotting the black asphalt. Sheenvisioned the toppled buggy, their injured horse, who would laterhave to be put down, and her Ben ...

When she'd heard the commotion that day, she had run downBlack Horse Road faster than she knew her legs could carry her.Jacob King was squatting beside Ben when she arrived, and sheknew by the expression on Jacob's face that her Ben was gone.

A glimpse of movement to her right pulled her back to thepresent. She looked toward the cottage and saw her renter, KadeSaunders, retrieving wood from where she had placed it on thefront porch. He was sparsely clothed for such weather, denimpants and a short-sleeved, white T-shirt. Sadie watched him hurriedlyscoop two logs into his arms, then drop one before makingit to the front door.

She heard him grunt loudly and say something that soundedlike cursing. She wasn't sure, but it stopped her in her tracks. Shewatched him walk backward into the house, cradling the logs inhis arms. She couldn't see his expression, but she waved anyway.He didn't wave back. Of course, his arms were full. He kickedthe door shut and was out of sight. It was the first time she'd seenthe man since he'd arrived three days ago.

She tucked her head to avoid the thickening snowfall andcontinued toward the shop. It was hard not to wonder what KadeSaunders was doing in Lancaster County for three months, so farfrom where he lived in California. When he had stopped by topick up the key, he hadn't looked prepared for the twelve-degreeweather—denim breeches, a black overcoat, and white runningshoes not fit for two feet of snow. And the man didn't have a headcovering. His wavy, dark hair glistened with icy moisture, and hishazel eyes shone with irritation. Shivering as he spoke, he haddeclined the maid service included in the rental cost butrequested that his automobile be protected from the wintry elements.She could see it through the open barn doors.

She rubbed her hands together and recalled the phone callfrom Mr. Saunders's personal assistant. The woman requested theone-bedroom cottage January through March for Mr. Saunders,but only after insisting that his privacy be respected during hisstay. Sadie had hesitated. Her previous renters had been couplesand families. How would it look for a single man to be occupyingthe same property as Sadie for three months, even if they wereunder separate roofs? Would the bishop be displeased?

As if sensing Sadie's concerns, the assistant said, "Mr.Saunders is quite well-known, and I can provide you with anyreferences you might need."

The woman also asked that the refrigerator be stocked weekly.Sadie's normal rental package didn't include groceries, but Mr.Saunders's employee assured Sadie that cost was of no concern.The fee they'd agreed upon caused Sadie to gasp, but she agreed,grateful for the additional income during the off-season.

Sadie learned that actually finding the products Mr. Saundersdesired was a challenge. She'd never heard of Gruyère cheese, forexample, so she substituted Gouda cheese instead. His exhaustinglist of flavored coffees, organic breakfast cereals, and gourmetpastries were also frustrating.

She did the best she could and also threw in some extras. Hewas, after all, in Paradise, Pennsylvania—the heart of LancasterCounty. Wouldn't he want to try Amish favorites, like shooflypie and chowchow? She provided these for him in an attempt tomake up for the items she couldn't find. She'd also prepared hima hearty batch of tapioca pudding, along with a loaf of homemadebread, a meat loaf, and zucchini casserole, and had alsoincluded a few jellies and jams she had canned last summer.

But even Mr. Saunders couldn't distract her from thinkingabout her forthcoming visit from Milo Troyer, her Amish friendfrom Stephenville, Texas. They had been writing letters for overtwo years, and he called Sadie every Tuesday night at eight o'clock.They talked for fifteen minutes, a cold fifteen minutes out in thebarn this time of year, but she was thankful that the bishopallowed telephones in the barn these days, a luxury that would havebeen unheard-of in years past. Sadie looked forward to Milo's callall week long, and this spring he would be riding on a bus fromTexas all the way to Lancaster County. They decided he wouldstay with her friends Ivan and Katie Ann for his two-week visit.

With pictures forbidden, she hadn't a clue what he lookedlike, except what he told her. He was tall and slender, like shewas, with dark hair and the customary beard after marriage. Hiswife died shortly after Ben, and Sadie's cousin had introducedthem via mail.

His looks were of no concern though. Milo's heart spoke toher in a way she didn't think possible after Ben died. He understoodthe grief of losing a spouse, and their hours of consolingeach other had grown from friendship into much more. Sheknew it was God's will for her to move on; it was customary intheir community to quickly remarry. But she'd been a widow forfour years, and there were no options for remarriage. Perhapsshe'd been too picky, but she refused to settle for anything lessthan something comparable to the love she'd shared with Ben.

She could tell by Milo's letters and phone calls that theywould be a good match, and her desire was to begin her life withMilo soon. Milo's correspondence was always upbeat, kind, andfilled with hope for the future. He was a hard worker, like Sadie,and family was his top priority. Perhaps they would have thechildren that she and Ben never did, for reasons the natural doctorin town couldn't seem to explain.

She entered the gift shop, went straight to the gas heaters, andlit them both. Only the cottage had electricity. It'd be cause for ashunning if she connected to the outside world when it wasn'tnecessary or approved by the bishop. She rolled up the green blindsin each of the four windows. The sun was just starting to rise, givingonly a hint of light, just enough for her to attach price tags tosome of the quilted pot holders she'd finished the night before.Fridays were usually good sale days, even in the off-season.

If she lived to be a hundred, she'd never understand why theEnglisch found their way of life so interesting. With less farmlandand bigger families, many in her community worked outside thehome; it had become a way of life. She felt blessed not to have totravel farther than her own front yard.

The bell on the front door chimed, and Sadie turned to seeher friend Lillian walk in. Lillian's mother, Sarah Jane, followedbehind her. Lillian and her mother now shared a close relationship.But it hadn't always been that way. Sarah Jane had left the Amishcommunity when she was a young girl of eighteen, and she hadprotested when Lillian left to come live with her grandparents. Butafter a few months, Sarah Jane surprised everyone, returning toLancaster County and being baptized into the faith alongside herdaughter. Then when Lillian married Samuel Stoltzfus, a widowerin the community with a son named David, Sarah Jane had madeher home with her father.

Lillian hung her cape on the stand inside the door. "WhoseMercedes-Benz?"

Sadie ignored the question. She had a hunch the less they allknew about her mysterious guest, the better. "Where's Anna?"she asked instead. Lillian usually brought her daughter, a preciousbundle who wasn't much over a year old.

"Anna is with Samuel's sister, Mary Ellen," Lillian answered.She rubbed her expanding belly.

Sadie noticed the gesture. "How are you feeling? Are you stillhaving morning sickness?"

"No more morning sickness." Lillian moved toward the backof the shop and peered out of the window toward the barn."That's a very expensive car," she said. "Who does it belong to?"

"Kade Saunders." Sadie joined Lillian at the window whileSarah Jane took over pinning price tags on various items. "I don'tknow much about him. His personal assistant told me he's fromLos Angeles. I reckon it's gut to have a renter this time of year.These harsh winters tend to keep people away." A tinge of cold airseeped in from outside when her face neared the window. "He'sleasing the place for three months."

Lillian pulled her head back and squinted her eyes. "Ya?What for?"

"Don't know. But that assistant lady asked me to stock therefrigerator with all kinds of strange foods every week. Some ofthem I couldn't even find at the market." She paused. "And hedoesn't want any cleanup service. I reckon he'll have to wash hisown towels and linens in the washing machine and dryer."

"Hmm. That is odd," Lillian mused, still gazing toward thecottage and the fancy car in the barn.

* * *

Kade stared at the TV screen and wondered if he could survivewithout basic cable for the next three months. The antique antennaprovided a whopping four channels. No CNN or other nationalchannels, only local news that was fuzzy at best. But this is whathe wanted, he reminded himself—away from everything.

He leaned back on the couch and propped his feet on thecoffee table, trying to ward off his festering thoughts aboutAlicia. It wasn't as if she'd broken his heart or anything, but onceagain he'd let himself be used and fooled by a member of theopposite sex. One shiny new car, a diamond bracelet—and prettymuch anything else she'd asked for—and then she was gone.Story of his life. Young, attractive women interested in his money,nothing more.

Kade glanced around at his modest accommodations. Thiswas hardly what he had in mind when his friend Val had suggestedhe get out of Los Angeles to unwind. Val had brought hisex-wife here and said the peacefulness would help Kade clear hishead. Though it must not have worked for Val—he and his wifehad divorced shortly after their trip. Val never wanted to talkabout what had happened, and he seemed to be mending hissoul with travel. Kade could rarely get hold of him these days.But Kade understood. Kade's soul could certainly use somemending as well.

The roaring fire warmed the room, and his refrigerator andpantry were stocked, though he couldn't identify some of hishost's offerings. Amish food, he presumed. He wished it wasn'tso cold outside, but he didn't feel the need to venture out anyway.That would mean interaction with others, and he wasn't up forthat. Besides, he found the simple cottage to be quite cozy. He'dhole up here and try to heal himself of all that ailed him. It wasa long list.

For whatever reason, he thought of the Amish woman he wasrenting from. He couldn't remember her name. But he couldrecall her ivory skin, incredible blue eyes, and strands of wavy redhair spiraling against her cheek from beneath a cap on her head.She was quite lovely, even without a stitch of makeup on her faceand clothed in a baggy dress to her knees. And she was tall andslender. Like Alicia. Kade's brows narrowed as he grumbled indisgust. Blasted woman.

Still. It was no reason to be rude to the Amish gal when he'dfirst arrived—demanding he park his car in the barn and hastilyaccepting the key before he retreated to his much-needed solitude.Perhaps he could have been a little kinder to the woman.Kade hadn't seen another soul on the property, except for a fewwomen who entered the shop up front each day. He wondered ifshe took care of this whole place on her own.

He opened the refrigerator and took out the plastic bowl oftapioca pudding. Best pudding he'd ever had in his life. Hegrabbed a spoon from the drawer and finished the last little bitin the large container, then tossed the empty bowl in the sink,along with the past three days of dirty dishes. He would havebeen better served to have accepted the Amish woman's housecleaningservices included in the rental. He wondered for amoment if he should reconsider but disregarded the thought. Itwould require a limited amount of conversation. He began to fillthe sink with soapy water.

Thirty minutes later, he was back on the tan couch. He adjustedthe volume on the TV, listened to a woman discuss a nearby animalshelter, and then he turned it off. And he sat—thinking.

He crossed his ankles on the coffee table and thought abouthow successful he'd become by following in his father's footsteps.At thirty-seven, Kade had more money than he'd ever spend inone lifetime. And, he decided, he couldn't be more miserable.

One thing would cheer him up, though—some more of thattapioca pudding from the Amish woman.

* * *

In the fading twilight, Sadie braved the below-freezing temperatureand pulled two logs from the stack of firewood she kept in thebarn, wishing she'd remembered to do it earlier in the day. Herboots heavy in the deep snow, she edged toward the farmhouse,glancing at the cottage lit up by electricity, smoke wafting out ofthe chimney. Something caught her eye on her renter's front porch.It was the empty plastic bowl that she had sent the tapioca puddingin. Why in the world would he set it on the front porch?

She put the logs down and trudged toward the cottage, thefrigid air nipping at her cheeks. She grabbed the bowl, retrievedher wood, and then headed toward the farmhouse. All shewanted to do was climb into bed and reread the letter shereceived from Milo two weeks ago, to take refuge in his wordsand combat her dwindling hope.

Following a bath, she lit the lantern by her bed upstairs andpulled out Milo's note.

My Dear Sadie,

I am counting the days until we meet. I will come to see you when the winterweather has passed. I reckon the springtime is when I will come. The sound of yourvoice helps me to picture you in my head. You are schee, I know. If it is God's will,you will become my fraa and we will be together. The Lord will guide us.

I am reminded of a song from our Sunday singings—"We Have ThisMoment." The words make me think of you—"Hold tight to the sound of themusic of living. Happy songs from the laughter of children at play. Hold myhand as we run through the sweet, fragrant meadows, making memories ofwhat is today. We have this moment to hold in our hands, and to touch as itslips through our fingers like sand. Yesterday's gone and tomorrow may nevercome, but we have this moment today."

I want to share mei moments with you, Sadie. I will write you again soon.

In His name,Milo

(Continues...)

Excerpted from The Daughters of the Promise Collection by Beth Wiseman. Copyright © 2011 Beth Wiseman. Excerpted by permission of Thomas Nelson.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.

Edition details

• Publisher: Thomas Nelson
• Publication date: 2013
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1401689485
• ISBN 13: 9781401689483
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 944