Rachel's Garden Read Online Free Page B

was trying to adjust his attitude. “That’s kind of you.” It sounded as if he had to push the words out. “Still, Rachel’s family is well able to help her.”
    It didn’t seem the moment to point out that he’d just refused to do that very thing. “It makes no trouble. I promised Ezra that I would build the greenhouse if he got the materials.” He kept his voice even with an effort, Ezra’s face filling his mind, head thrown back, laughing as he’d done so easily. “I want to fulfill that promise.”
    Isaac’s jaw hardened at the words, his eyes narrowing. He’d probably be surprised to know that Rachel had reacted much the same way.
    And neither of them would ever know that his determination to do this thing went far beyond a matter of wanting to fulfill a promise to a dead friend.
    A fresh spasm of pain went through him. He would do this because Ezra had been closer than a brother, and because he owed it to him. Ezra was dead, and he was alive. The pain deepened.
    “Ja, well ...” Isaac’s words trailed off. “We can talk about it more later, when Rachel has thought this whole thing through.”
    When Rachel had come to her senses, Isaac clearly meant. His piece said, Isaac nodded to Rachel’s mother, then turned and walked away. William, with a slightly apologetic smile directed toward Rachel, followed him.
    Gideon watched the brothers walk down the now-muddy stretch between the rows of booths. He hesitated for a moment. The expression on Rachel’s face wasn’t very encouraging.
    Still, since she’d committed herself openly to the project, he’d best nail it down before she had any more regrets than she already did. He approached the stand and leaned against the waist-high wooden counter.
    “It looks as if you had a fine sale day, Rachel.” He gestured to the flats that had been filled with blooming plants when he’d passed by her stand earlier. He’d not only taken note of them—he’d directed several people to her stand for flowers.
    “Ja.” She glanced at the counter, as if surprised to find it empty. “It’s the first Mud Sale of the year, so everyone’s eager to get something blooming, they are.”
    “We’ve had a wonderful fine turnout today, with the sun finally shining. The fire company will have a nice profit when all’s said and done.”
    Mud Sale season would run for a few more weeks, probably, but their township volunteer fire company liked to be the first, especially this year, with the fund drive for a new fire engine. He’d been a fire company volunteer for years, and even though he and the other Amish couldn’t drive the fire truck, they knew well how important it was to have up-to-date equipment.
    “Ser gut.” Rachel seemed to relax a little with the conversation safely off her own affairs.
    He couldn’t leave it at that, or she’d be backing out again. “You’ll be able to grow a lot more plants for sale once you have your greenhouse up and running.”
    “I guess so.” Her gaze evaded his, and she began stacking the flats, as if she wanted to keep her hands busy. “About the greenhouse. I—well, I spoke hastily. You don’t have to feel obligated to do the building.”
    He studied her downcast face for a moment. Rachel had always been a pretty girl back when they were in school together, with those big blue eyes and the light brown hair that curled rebelliously out of her braids. She had become thinner since Ezra’s passing, and dealing with loss had given a new maturity to her face.
    Why did she dislike the idea of his helping her so much?
    He brushed bits of potting soil off the counter’s surface, trying to find a way to bring her to acceptance. It was strange, in a way, that he knew so little of how Rachel’s mind worked, when Ezra had been his lifelong friend. Somehow his relationship with Rachel had always been a tenuous thing. Ezra had been the focal point, and with Ezra gone, he wasn’t sure how to talk to her.
    But he had to try.
    “You know,