On Her Own Read Online Free Page B

Paul’s deeply set blue eyes. “I heard that. I also heard about David’s death. I came by to tell you how sorry I am.”
    Barbara sank back to the couch. “It’s been a rough eight months,” she admitted.
    Paul took a couple of steps forward. “I can imagine.”
    “I’m sorry to hear about your brother, too. It’s never easy to lose a loved one.”
    He shook his head. “No. No, it’s not.”
    “How’s Margaret holding up?”
    “It was a shock to have Dan die so suddenly, but Margaret’s doing as well as can be expected.” The sorrowful look on Paul’s face showed the depth of his sadness. “As you know, her six kinner are raised and out on their own, but I hope one of them will take her in to live with them. It’ll probably be her daughter Karen and her husband, Jake, since they live the closest.”
    Barbara nodded and swallowed around the lump in her throat. It was hard not to feel sorry for herself. Just thinking about David’s and Dan’s deaths made her feel weepy.
    “Have a seat,” she said, finally remembering her manners.
    He seated himself in the rocker close to the sofa, looking moreuncomfortable by the minute. Barbara hadn’t known Paul when they were children, and then he’d moved back to Pennsylvania to work with his cousin. Barbara had heard the move was against his dad’s wishes, but she couldn’t fault Paul for wanting to work where he felt comfortable. She would do most anything to keep working in David’s harness shop.
    Only the soft ticking of the mantel clock broke the quiet in the room. Barbara sat with her hands folded in her lap. Paul moved slowly back and forth in the rocker.
    Finally, she spoke again. “How have you been? Are you happy living in Lancaster County?”
    He stopped rocking and sat straight as a board. “I like working at my cousin’s harness shop, but Lancaster’s getting a bit overcrowded for my taste.”
    She was tempted to ask why he stayed but figured it probably had to do with the job he enjoyed. “I hear there’s plenty of English and that tourists come by the thousands to get a look at the Plain folks living there.”
    Paul nodded. “Not like here, where so few tourists seem to know about us.”
    “They probably wouldn’t care anyway, since we’re such a small community.”
    “I suppose you’re right about that.”
    “How long will you be staying in Webster County?” Barbara asked. Should she bring up the harness shop—see if he might be interested in working for her awhile?
    He twisted the edge of his hat. “Guess that all depends.”
    “On what?”
    “I had only intended on staying a week or so, but I could staylonger if there was a need.”
    “You mean if your daed needed you to help on his farm?”
    He shook his head. “No way! I gave up farming when I moved, and I’m not about to go back to it again.”
    “I see.”
    Paul rubbed the bridge of his nose and leaned forward. “Since David’s gone and you’re not able to work in the harness shop right now, I thought maybe you might be thinking of selling it.”
    She shook her head vigorously. “I need to keep it open as long as I’m able.”
    He nodded. “So would you be needing someone to run the place for you right now?”
    Barbara drew in a deep breath as she thought about the verse from Ecclesiastes 4 she’d read the night before: “Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up.” She wondered if Paul’s showing up was a sign from God that she was supposed to accept his help.
    “I could use some help in the harness shop,” she reluctantly admitted. “Dad’s working, but his fingers won’t let him do a lot, and it’s going to be a few more weeks before I can return to work.”
    “That’s what I figured.”
    “What about your job? Can your cousin get by without your help for a few weeks?”
    He