the two of them were getting acquainted, Trey explained Amanda’s predicament. “I thought you might want to rent out the cottage to her.”
Sarah’s question showed in her face as she looked from Amanda to the dog.
“Barney is well trained,” Amanda said quickly. “I can promise he won’t go off chasing the stock. I’d be grateful for the chance to stay here, if you agree.”
“Amanda’s a vet,” Trey added helpfully. “She worked in Lancaster County for some time.”
Sarah’s expression relaxed. “Guess you know your way around a farm, then. Komm, we’ll look at the cottage.”
By the time they’d looked around the simple two-bedroom cottage, Sarah and Amanda were chatting like old friends, and he was confident that this one aspect of her problem was solved. As for the rest...well, he didn’t feel so hopeful. If she was Melanie’s daughter, it would have to be proved, and he didn’t know what Elizabeth Winthrop’s reaction would be to the prospect of an illegitimate great-granddaughter showing up.
His uncomfortable line of thought was interrupted by the arrival of Amos, Sarah’s husband. Sarah filled him in with a quick rattle of Pennsylvania Dutch, at the end of which he nodded.
“Wilkom, Amanda. We’re glad to have you here.” He gave a quick glance at his wife. “Is there any apple pie left, by chance?”
“Only because I hid half a pie from you and the boys,” she said. “Komm along to the house, all of you. We’ll have a little snack, yah?”
The women went ahead, and Amos fell into step with Trey. He gave him a nudge with his elbow strong enough to make him stagger. “So you finally found a woman willing to look twice at you. Looks to me like you picked a fine one.”
“Business,” Trey said quickly. “She’s here on business.”
“Tell that to someone who hasn’t known you most of your life,” Amos said, his face splitting in a grin. “I saw the way you looked at her. You’re caught at last, ain’t so?”
“No such thing,” he said firmly. “I’m doing some legal work for her, that’s all.”
“If you say so,” Amos said, but Trey knew he wasn’t buying it.
Just the kind of talk he didn’t want to get around. And if he knew Sarah, she was thinking exactly the same thing as her husband. Maybe this hadn’t been such a good idea after all.
AMANDA HAD INTENDED to spend the afternoon at the library, but since Sarah said she could move in right away, Amanda headed back to the motel to check out and pack. By late afternoon, she’d settled in the cottage and was busy familiarizing herself with the workings of the gaslights and heating.
Barney, after giving the cottage a thorough going-over, had apparently decided to lay claim to the hearth rug in front of the fireplace. He circled a couple of times, sighed and lay down, resting his head on his paws.
“I’m glad you approve,” she told him. “Since I’m not sure how long we’ll be here.”
She glanced at her watch, realizing that it was too late for even a cursory survey of the library’s files. That would have to wait until tomorrow. In the meantime, she could make an opportunity to talk to Sarah. From what Trey had said, they’d lived here for ages. Sarah might remember something of the accident to Melanie Winthrop, even if it were just what Amanda had already heard.
Pausing at the window, Amanda looked down the lane that led to the farmhouse. A stand of evergreens surrounded the cottage, cutting off her view of most of the farm buildings and giving the cottage an air of privacy.
Trey’s mention of her work in Lancaster County had probably sealed the deal, influencing Sarah to accept her. The Amish here were most likely one of the many daughter settlements from the Lancaster County Amish. She was annoyed that just the unexpected mention of that time had the power to make her stomach clench. Had he wondered why she’d been so terse about it?
Probably not. Trey barely knew her, even though they had been forced into a situation of some intimacy. He certainly didn’t know about the disaster that had sent her scurrying back to Boston and her mother.
Juliet had never been in favor of her going into practice with Rick. Better not to mix work and relationships, she’d said, carefully avoiding any hint of censure of Rick O’Neill’s character.
Juliet had been right, but she’d never so much as breathed an I told you so when Amanda came home, her relationship broken and her practice at an end. She’d dried Amanda’s tears, insisted Rick wasn’t good enough for her daughter and helped her find a new job.
It had been over a year. Rick should be a forgotten footnote in her life by now. Still, did anyone ever really get over the realization that their loved one was busily cheating all those times he’d been supposedly called out on a job?
Her cell phone rang before she could get too far along the road of beating herself up for being so wrong about him. The sight of Robert McKinley’s number yanked her attention back to her current problems, and she answered quickly.
“Robert? How are you? Is there any news?” At least she’d managed to ask how he was before barreling into her own concerns.
“I’m just a little worried about you,” he replied. “Are you all right?”
“Fine.” She felt instantly guilty. “I’m sorry, I should have called you. I saw the attorney you recommended, and he’s being helpful.”
“You mean there’s actually something in this...suspicion of yours?”
She suspected that he’d deleted the word harebrained from his question. “It seems like a good possibility that my mother was a young woman who lived here. Nothing is certain yet,” she added quickly. “Please don’t worry. I’m being cautious about it.”
“I have to admit that I didn’t think this trip would be useful, but this will be good news if it pans out. Just don’t forget that the crucial question is whether or not Juliet legally adopted you.”
Crucial from his perspective. Robert would always see things from the legal point of view. He wanted to take care of her as her mother would have, she supposed.
“I haven’t forgotten, but it’s worth exploring this lead if it turns out the woman was my mother. It will give you a place to look. Has your records search turned up anything?”
“Not yet, but it still may. When are you coming home?” There was an urgency in his voice that hadn’t been there before.
“I don’t know. Not until I’m satisfied one way or the other with what I’ve learned here. Why?”
Robert hesitated for so long that she thought he wasn’t going to answer. Finally he spoke.
“I hate to bring this up, but unfortunately your uncle—well, Juliet’s brother—has been nosing around. Maybe I’m wrong that he didn’t suspect anything about your parentage. This must mean that he has some idea Juliet’s will isn’t entirely straightforward.”
* * *
GOOD OLD GEORGE. Juliet had had no illusions about her brother’s character, and she’d apparently been right.
“I wish you’d come back here.” Robert sounded fretful. “I’d be happier if you were actually in residence at the house. Possession does count, you know.”
“I understand. But I’d rather be searching for the truth of my parentage than sitting there in Boston waiting for the roof to cave in. Isn’t knowing the truth more important?”
“I suppose,” he admitted. “I just hope you’re not opening up something that will hurt and disappoint you.”