The Amish Nanny. Patricia Davids

see the new baby. Clara looked forward to the trip. When it was almost time to leave, Clara went out to gather a few fresh sweet corn ears to take along as a gift. As she was gathering the corn, she heard a wagon approaching along the lane.

      She came out of the corn patch with her armload of ears to see who it was just as an enormous pair of draft horses trotted past. She clamped her lips closed on a shriek and managed to stand still, although her arms trembled enough to make her drop a few ears.

      When the wagon was past, she realized it was Ethan at the reins. He hadn’t seen her. All the children were seated beside him. She followed the wagon to the house.

      Her grandfather had come out to meet the visitors. “Guter mariye. Welcome to my home.”

      “Good morning. I’ve come to speak to your granddaughter.”

      Joe regarded the group on the wagon with a slight smile twitching at the corner of his mouth. “Which granddaughter? I have four.”

      “I wanna...see...Clara,” Lily said with a catch in her voice. Was she crying?

      Clara hurried around to the side of the wagon. “Lily, what’s wrong?”

      “Clara!” Lily threw herself off the wagon seat and into Clara’s arms. Ears of corn flew everywhere as Clara caught her. Lily wrapped her arms tightly around Clara’s neck and held on for dear life.

      Greta, Betsy and Lizzie came out of the house to meet the visitors. They stood on each side of her grandfather. Clara wanted to send them all back inside, but she couldn’t think of a reason to do so. There would be a wagonload of questions about this visit from a stranger and his children.

      Ethan looked worn to the bone. “I can’t get anything done! She’s been like this since you left yesterday. She cried herself to sleep. She started crying the minute she woke up. Nothing I’ve tried will make her stop.”

      Lily’s sobs were tapering off to hiccups. Clara cringed at Ethan’s frustrated tone. She hadn’t meant to make things harder for him. Now he had one more reason to be angry with her. “I’m so sorry.”

      Her grandfather moved to her side. “What has my granddaughter to do with your child’s unhappiness?”

      Her face burning, Clara held her breath as she waited for Ethan to tell everyone about her appalling behavior.