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the day he’d recognized his gift.
    He’d been over at the Beiler place for some reason, had seen Elias putting the new horse between the shafts, Anna watching him. No sooner had Elias turned his head than the silly beast went crazy, rearing and kicking so fierce no one could get near him.
    He hadn’t stopped to think, just grabbed the horse’s head and held on, talking softly all the time. He’d gotten a few bruised ribs for his trouble, but he’d calmed the animal down. He could still see Anna’s shocked, scared face.
    “I think that was the day I figured out soft words worked on horses, especially when they’re trouble.”
    “This one doesn’t look like trouble. He’s a beauty.” She rubbed the gelding’s face, and he blew gently at her hand, accepting the praise.
    “He’s okay. This one I picked up for myself, off the harness track. He’s a bit flighty, but he’ll settle down in time.”
    There might have been a touch of pridefulness in the words, he warned himself. If he was gut with horses, it was because the Lord had given the gift, and no praise to himself for it.
    The baby, maybe feeling left out, waved her hand at the horse, who jerked his head back, startled.
    “There, now, silly beast.” He spoke in the animal’s ear. “You don’t need to be afraid of a beautiful little girl like Gracie.”
    Anna caught the baby’s hand, holding it still in hers. “Denke, Samuel. Of course I think she’s beautiful, but I still like to hear other people say it.”
    “You’re a proud mamm, is all. You’re fortunate to have her, even if . . .” He let that trail off, since there was no gut way that he could see for that sentence to end.
    “Even if I don’t have a husband?” She said the words quietly, but her lips had tensed. “Husband or not, I am fortunate to have her, and I wouldn’t trade that for anything.”
    It didn’t come easy to him to talk about it, but he couldn’t leave it at that, or Anna would think he was passing judgment on her.
    “I should have just said that you’re fortunate to have her, Anna. I don’t know that I’ll ever . . .”
    He stopped, wanting to bite his tongue. That slip proved that he was better off as he was—deliberate in thought, slow to speak—because anything else got him in trouble.
    “Don’t you want to have a family?” Anna, of course, was on it in a second.
    “Ja, sure I do.” He turned to the horse, using that as an excuse not to meet her gaze. “I didn’t mean anything else.”
    Anna was curious—he could feel it flowing from her. A few years ago, if she had been curious, she’d have fired questions until she got the answers she wanted. Now, it seemed, she’d gained a little control over her tongue.
    He had to be grateful for that, because he wasn’t going to show his feelings, not to her or to anyone else. It was enough that he knew for himself what his limitations were. He’d never take on anything that he couldn’t be sure of carrying through. And marriage—how could he chance that? How could he know he wouldn’t turn out just like his father?

CHAPTER THREE
    Anna’s stomach churned so badly that it would be a wonder if she could swallow a thing at the family picnic they were headed toward the next day. It didn’t help that Joseph had suggested she and the baby ride with Samuel, since the larger buggy Joseph envisioned for his growing family was yet to be built.
    Samuel’s buggy rolled down the road at a steady rate, and thank goodness he didn’t seem inclined to chat. She alternated between feeling that the buggy was getting her there before she was ready and thinking how slow it was in comparison to a car.
    At least the horse wouldn’t break down. She gave a fleeting thought to her own car, still safely hidden in the back of Joseph’s barn. He hadn’t mentioned it, and she wouldn’t.
    As for Daadi, he hadn’t questioned how his erring daughter had gotten back to the fold. He’d just been happy to welcome her home.
    Would