Harlequin Love Inspired March 2021--Box Set 2 of 2 by Patrice Lewis (best large ereader .txt) 📕

“I have no doubt that things will work out for the best, child.” Catherine leaned forward and planted a kiss on Jane’s forehead. “Let the matter rest with Gott. He’ll provide the answer.”

Lying in bed that night with her hands stacked beneath her head, Jane tried to pray for guidance. But in the wee hours of the night, tossing and turning and unable to sleep, Jane started questioning her personal insecurities and fears…and her reasoning took another turn.

What if she did accept Levy? What if she did enter into marriage, allegedly for the sake of Mercy? Was Aunt Catherine right when she said happy marriages were built on less?

Would it be so bad, being yoked to Levy? There was much to admire about him. People spoke highly of him in the community. He worked hard, was loyal and never shirked what he saw as his responsibilities.

And if he thought she was a worthwhile partner, maybe they could build a life together.

She fell asleep and dreamed Mercy was her baby…hers and Levy’s.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Heavy-eyed, Jane stumbled over to Levy’s on Monday morning. She dragged her steps, reluctant to have to think about his proposal.

Approaching Levy’s house, she took a deep breath and stepped into the kitchen.

Mercy was strapped in her seat, quiet and content. Half-finished seed packets were scattered all over the table in the process of being assembled for the farmer’s market. But Levy sat, his hands buried in his hair, staring at a piece of paper on the table before him. Jane’s greeting died on her lips as he didn’t appear to notice her at all.

The tension in the room crackled through the silence. Finally she spoke. “Levy?”

He jerked his head up, his eyes wide and startled. “What?”

His face held an extraordinary mixture of bleakness and hope, and instinct told her it came from the paper on the table.

“What’s the matter?”

He looked dazed. “What?”

“What’s the matter?” she repeated. “Are you oll recht?”

Levy remained silent a moment, then touched the paper. “I just received a letter from my sister.”

“Your sister!” It was the last thing Jane expected.

“Ja.”

What did Eliza want after all this time? Would Levy’s long-lost sister return to reclaim Mercy? She put her thoughts aside and walked into the kitchen. At least one problem was solved. Levy’s marriage proposal appeared to be shelved for the moment. “So she’s okay?”

“It seems so.” Levy scrubbed a hand over his face. “She wants to come home.”

“Home? Meaning here in Grand Creek?”

“Ja.”

Jane kept her voice neutral. “Then that solves one of your problems, ain’t so? You won’t have to pay a nanny anymore.”

Levy focused on her. His eyes had dark circles under them. It appeared he’d slept no better than she had over the last couple of nights. “I owe you an apology, Jane. I stepped way over the line on Saturday, as a Christian and as a friend and as a man. It won’t happen again.”

Jane felt her heart break. It seems she wasn’t even good enough for Levy’s lame marriage proposal. Caring for babies, yes. Marriage, no.

At her silence, Levy lifted the sheet of paper. “But you’re not out of a job, not yet. It will take her a while to get back. She said she anticipates being here a week from Tuesday.”

“Where is she now?” Jane spoke with care, trying not to let her voice betray her emotions.

“She doesn’t say, but the stamp on the envelope says Seattle.”

“Seattle! So far away!”

Mercy began to whimper, and Jane guessed the baby needed her diaper changed. Glad for an excuse to leave the room, she lifted the infant out of the bouncy seat and took her into the bedroom to change her.

Eliza. Coming home. Doubtless to claim her baby. Jane took her time cleaning Mercy and putting a fresh garment on her. She slipped the baby over her shoulder and felt tears prickle her eyes at the thought of no longer having the sole care of this precious child.

“I need to get to work out in the fields,” Levy called out from the kitchen. “I’ve already had breakfast.”

“Ja, gut.” Jane took a deep breath and reentered the kitchen. “Do you want me to can more chutney or pie filling today?”

“If you would. I’m harvesting as fast as I can in the garden and orchard, so we’ll have lots to sell on Saturday.”

The work must go on. Despite the ricocheting of emotions, the work must go on.

Jane was grateful to Gott she hadn’t said anything to Levy about her possible acceptance of his marriage proposal. It was best if those thoughts were kept to herself, to her heart alone. She drew in a deep breath, slipped Mercy into the baby sling and went to bring up more canning jars from the basement.

When Levy came in for lunch, she initiated the subject to avoid the subject of marriage. “You must be very happy your sister is coming home.”

“Ja. And no. It’s complicated.”

Jane paused. “But you’ve done nothing but beat yourself up over her since I met you. How can you not be happy she’s returning?”

“Because I don’t know what she’s returning from. There have been horrible situations where a youngie left the community, got involved in drugs or crime, then tried to return and fit in. It was often a disaster.”

“But you don’t think Eliza got mixed up in any of that, do you?”

He fixed his gaze on her. Then looked pointedly at the baby.

Jane bit her lip. He had a point. “Did she say anything about her circumstances in her letter?”

“Nein, just that she’s ready to come home and be baptized.” He picked at his food in silence for a few moments. Then he said, “It’s going to take Eliza some time to resettle, for sure and certain.”

“And she’ll live here? With you?”

“Ja, of course. This is her home, every bit as much as mine.”

Which would leave no room for the nanny. At some level, Jane realized why Eliza’s return disturbed her. She was jealous.

Oh, not