The Search The Secrets of Crittenden Cou - By Shelley Shepard Gray Page 0,33

the light, she realized Luke’s image had been completely banished during her nap.

But it had been replaced with the memory of Micah’s determined expression . . . and Perry’s laughing scorn.

She realized then that she was more nervous about the future than ever before.

It was too bad that she didn’t know why.

Chapter 11

“When Perry was twelve, he broke his collarbone jumping out of a hayloft on a dare. I could be wrong, but I do believe that’s the last time he was seen by the doctor. Until he died, of course.”

SHERIFF MOSE KRAMER

Beth, dear, you don’t look too well.”

Leave it to her mother to be brutally honest. That was okay, though. Beth loved her mother’s honesty. “As a matter of fact, I’m not feeling too well. My legs are sore, my shoulders have knots in them, and I’m so, so tired. Being an innkeeper is not for me, Mamm.”

“Poor Beth. Perhaps we should find you some help. Who do you think could lend you a hand at Frannie’s inn?”

“There is no one else. I would never betray my promise to Frannie by passing on this job.”

“Do you want me to come help you?”

“No, Mamm. I want you to stay here and take care of yourself.” Her mother had been diagnosed with MS years ago. For most of her life, it had lain dormant, with only minor flare-ups. But lately, she’d been showing more and more signs of being tired and having blurry vision.

Beth alternated between pretending that nothing was wrong and trying to convince her beautiful mother to do less.

“I’m feeling pretty good this week.”

“Then we should celebrate that instead of making you work harder. I’ll be fine. I just miss being around the kinner, that’s all.”

“I’m glad you enjoy babysitting, but you need to have some kinner of your own one day.” What went unsaid was that she wanted Beth to be happily married with a home and family before her health got worse.

But even thinking about that day made her sad. How had this conversation gone from innkeeping to her lack of children? “You know there’s no one special in my life.”

“There could be if you would be more open-minded. Beth, you should give the men in our community another chance.”

This was a common bit of advice that her mother brought up with surprising regularity. “Love doesn’t work that way. I have to feel something special for the man in my life.”

“How do you know if you will, if you don’t give any one a chance?”

“I will, one day. In its own time, Mamm. Don’t push.”

Immediately, her sweet-tempered mother backed off. “I’m sorry. It’s just that looking around again worked for Frannie. One day she and Perry decided they wanted to be closer.” Beth knew her mother had found Frannie and Perry’s brief relationship a great matter of interest. It didn’t seem to matter to her that Perry had turned out to be a terrifically bad person to fall in love with.

“I’ll find the right man for me one day, Mamm. And in the meantime, I have a gut job helping to take care of other people’s children. They need help and I enjoy getting paid for something that I’m good at.”

“You’re right, of course. I just can’t help but wonder . . .” Her mother stopped herself with a sad look in her eyes and changed the subject. Looking her over, she added, “So, how many guests are at the Yellow Bird Inn right now?”

“There were three, but now we’re down to just one.”

“Only one? Well, perhaps that won’t be too hard.” Leaning forward, her mother’s face lit up. “Now, you know how much I enjoy hearing about your days. Where is the guest from? Is she nice?”

“Oh, it’s not a woman, it’s a man. An Englischer.” She smiled softly, because just thinking about him made her tingly.

The expectant look faded. “The guest is a man? Dear, is it safe for you to be alone with him?”

“Very safe. He’s a nice man.” She paused, then divulged her secret, just because she knew it would make her mother smile. “He’s mighty handsome, too.”

“Oh.” She paused. “Oh?”

“He has light blue eyes, the color of the winter sky. And somewhat shaggy blond hair that is the color of wheat.”

Her mother’s eyes narrowed. “Winter sky eyes? Wheat-colored hair? He sounds mighty nature-like. And you two have talked?”

“Oh, jah. We’ve talked a bit. He’s come to the kitchen while I’ve been cooking.”

Her mother’s lips curved into a wry smile. “Visiting you in