A Secret Amish Love

“Nay. He couldn’t come today. His grossmudder is ill, and he thought it best to spend time with her and his family.”

He was pleased to hear that Nell thought well of the man his sister loved. “He’s a good man,” he murmured, his gaze on his sister’s smiling face.

“Ja, and he’ll make Maggie a gut husband.”

James settled his gaze on Nell’s pretty, expressive features. “I’m glad you think so. I haven’t met him yet, but I trust your judgment.”

Nell appeared startled. She blushed as if embarrassed by his praise. “I’m sure you’ll meet him soon.”

They stood silently for several seconds. James felt comfortable with Nell, and she seemed to have relaxed around him, too.

“Nell.”

She met his gaze.

“I was going to stop by your house. I received a phone call from Michelle today. Her stomach virus has spread to her husband and children, and she won’t be back for days. Perhaps even a week. Janie isn’t due back from vacation for another week. Would you consider working at the clinic next week? I’ll pay you a good wage.”

She seemed suddenly flustered, but he could tell that she liked the idea. “I’ll have to ask my dat,” she said.

“May I talk with him? I may be able to help ease his mind.”

“I don’t know...” She glanced toward an area under a shade tree where a group of older Amish men were conversing.

“Are you afraid that he won’t like me?”

“Nay!” she gasped, her eyes flashing toward his. She softened her tone. “Nay. It’s not that.”

“Then let me speak with him.” He frowned. “Unless you don’t want the job.”

“I wouldn’t mind working at the clinic again.”

James grinned as he sensed the exact moment when Nell gave him permission to talk with her father.

He immediately knew who her father was when a man looked sharply at Nell and then him. “I’ll be right back,” James told her as he made his way to the man who’d left the group to approach.

“Sir,” James greeted him. “I’m James Pierce. Your daughter helped me last Thursday at my veterinary clinic.”

“Arlin Stoltzfus,” the man said as he narrowed his gaze to take stock of James, “and I wonder how you know that Nell is my dochter.”

“A gut guess?” James said, slipping into Pennsylvania Deitsch and noting the man’s surprise, which was quickly masked by a frown.

“What do you want, James Pierce?”

“A favor,” James said. He softened his expression.

“What kind of favor?” The man eyed him with doubt.

“First, would you feel better knowing that I’ve come to visit my family—the Troyers—and not Nell?”

Something flickered in the man’s expression. “You’re Adam and Ruth’s eldest son.”

“Ja, I have the gut fortune to have their love.”

The concern eased from Arlin’s expression. “I’m sure you are a gut man, James Pierce.”

“James,” James invited, and Arlin smiled. “But now that I’ve seen Nell here today, I’d like to ask your permission for Nell to work in the clinic next week.”

The man lowered his eyebrows. “Why?”

“I have no staff next week. My receptionist is taking care of her sick family as well as recuperating from illness herself. My assistant is away with her husband and not expected back until a week from tomorrow. I would need her to fill in for one week only.”

Arlin glanced toward Nell, who was talking with two young women. “Have you mentioned this to her?”

James shifted uncomfortably. “Ja, I wished to know if she was interested before I came to you.”

“And she is interested,” the man murmured, “which is no surprise, considering how much she loves caring for animals.”

Nell glanced in their direction, then quickly looked away, but not before James recognized longing in her expression. She wanted the opportunity to work in the clinic if only for a short time.

Nell’s father sighed heavily as he studied his daughter. His expression was light, and there was amusement in his brown eyes as he met James’s gaze. “She can work with you. She’ll be disappointed if I refuse permission.”

James smiled. “And above everything, you want your dochter’s happiness.” He watched with stunned surprise as Arlin waved at his daughter to join them. Nell approached, looking fearful as she glimpsed her father’s stern expression.

“You want to work for him?” he asked sharply.

“Ja, Dat, but only if you give permission.”

Arlin’s expression softened. “He belongs to the Troyers. I give permission,” he said, surprising James.

James grinned. “Monday morning, eight o’clock sharp. Can you be there?”

“I can be there,” Nell said. She turned toward her father. “I’ll have my morning chores done before I go.”

“Ja, I have no doubt of that,” Arlin said.

“Do you need a ride?”

Arlin narrowed his gaze. “She will take the family buggy.”

He nodded. “Danki,” he said.

“James!”

He glanced over and beamed as his mother approached. “I’m happy you could make it,” she said.

He regarded her with affection. “I’m happy I’m here.” His gaze flickered over Arlin and Nell who were standing next to him. “My staff is out, and Arlin has agreed to allow Nell to fill in for them next week.”

His mother’s eyes crinkled up at the corners. “You can rest easily with this one,” she told Arlin. “He’s a gut soohn.”

James felt a momentary unease. He didn’t feel like a good son. He’d left his family and his community to attend veterinary school and had little contact in the years that followed.

As if sensing his discomfort, his mother squeezed his arm. “He’s moved back into the area to be closer to us,” she said as she regarded him affectionately.

He did move to Lancaster to be close to his parents for he had missed his family greatly. The tension left him. Despite his past, he was determined that he would be a much better son and brother from this point forward.

Chapter Four

Monday morning, Nell steered her carriage down Old Philadelphia Pike toward Pierce Veterinary Clinic. She viewed the day with excitement. She’d learned a lot from just one day working with James. Imagine what she could learn in the next five!

When the clinic came into view, Nell felt a moment’s dread. Learning from James was a benefit of working with the clinic, but working with the man could cause her complications she didn’t need in her life. He was handsome and kind, but her attraction to him was wrong and forbidden.

Focus on what Dat said. Her father wanted her to marry. He’d find her a husband if she didn’t find one on her own.

Nell knew that she just had to remember that although James had an Amish family, he was an Englisher. She couldn’t allow herself to think of him as anything but her dog’s veterinarian—and this week, as her employer.

When she pulled her buggy up to the hitching post in the back, Nell was surprised to see James’s silver car parked near the back door. She’d arrived early. It was only seven thirty. She was sure she’d arrive before him and that she’d have to wait for him to show up.

She tied up Daisy, then went to ring the doorbell. Within seconds, the back door opened, revealing James Pierce dressed in a white shirt and jeans.

Nell stared and suddenly felt woozy. She swayed forward and put a hand out to catch herself on the door frame, but James reacted first by grabbing her arm to steady her. Seeing James looking so like Michael, her late beau, had stunned her.

“Nell?” he said with concern. “Are you all right?”

She inhaled deeply. “I’m fine.” Like James, Michael, an Englisher, had favored button-down shirts and blue jeans. She’d met him in a grocery store before she’d joined the church and still had the option of choosing an English or Amish life. She’d chosen a life with Michael but she’d never had the chance to tell him before he died.

James still held her arm, and she could feel the warmth of his touch on her skin below the short sleeve of her dress. “Are you sure you’re all right?”

Nell managed to smile. “I’m well. Danki.” She bit her lip. “Thank you,” she corrected.

James let go and gestured for her to come inside. “Is the day getting warm?”

“A little.” But the heat wasn’t to blame for her wooziness.

“Come on in. I’ll turn up the air conditioner so we’ll be comfortable.”

The impact of the man on her senses made her feel off-kilter. Nell blushed at her thoughts as she followed him into the procedure area. Fortunately, by the time James faced her, she had her feelings under control again.

“I’m glad you came,” he said. “We have a serious case today. Mrs. Rogan is on her way in with Boots. Her Lab’s eaten something—she’s not sure what, but she believes he has an intestinal blockage.”

“Ach, nay!” Nell breathed. “What will you do? Surgery?”

His handsome features were filled with concern. “I’ll do X-rays first to see if I can tell where the blockage is.”

“How can I help?”

He studied her intently. “Are you squeamish?”

She shook her head. “I don’t think so. Did I seem squeamish yesterday? If you’re worried that I’ll faint at the sight of Boots’s insides, don’t be. I was in the room when my mam gave birth to Charlie, my youngest sister.” She smiled slightly; the memory wasn’t the most pleasant. “No one else was home.”

He raised his eyebrows. “How old were you?” he asked.

“Nine.”

He jerked in surprise. “You were only nine when you helped your mother deliver?”

“Ja.” Nell’s features softened. “I was scared. I can’t say I wasn’t, but once Charlie was born, I felt as if God had given us this wonderful new life. Charlie doesn’t know that it wasn’t the midwife who helped bring her into the world.”

“Why not?”

“It’s not important. What is important is that she is a healthy, wonderful young woman of fifteen.”

She wondered if James was doing the math to realize that she was twenty-four. She saw him frown. Was he thinking that at the age of twenty-four most Amish women had husbands and at least one child, if not more?

“I’m glad you’re not squeamish,” he said. “Boots will be here any minute, and I’m going to need you by my side.”

Even though she knew she shouldn’t, Nell liked the sound of his words, of her and James working as a team.

* * *

After hearing Nell’s story about delivering her youngest sister, James quickly did the math and was relieved to know her age. Then he frowned. Why did he care how old Nell was? It shouldn’t matter as long as she did her job, which so far she’d been doing well. He wondered why Nell wasn’t married.

Or was she? He’d never thought to ask. To do so now would seem...intrusive. He feared there was a story there, and one he wasn’t about to ask her about.

James found he liked the thought of having her at his side while he did the surgery. And why wouldn’t he, when after only one day she already had proved her worth?

“I’ll be ready,” she said. “I’ll hand you the instruments you’ll need. Maybe you can show me what they are now before Boots arrives? I don’t want to hand you the wrong thing.”

“Certainly.” He moved toward the machine on the counter. There were several packaged sterile instruments in the cabinet above it. “This is an autoclave,” he explained, gesturing toward the machine. “I put certain metal instruments in here to sterilize them.”

She nodded. “What are those?” she asked of the two packets he’d taken from the cabinet shelf.

James proceeded to tell her what they were—a scalpel and clamps. Then he pulled out a tray of other types and sizes of the same instruments as well as others. “You don’t have to be concerned,” he said. “I’ll pull out everything I need, and then I’ll point to the instrument I want on the tray. You don’t have to know all the names, although I imagine you’ll learn a few as we use them.”

He had just finished explaining the tools when he heard a commotion in the front room. “Boots is here,” he announced. He was aware that Nell followed closely behind him as he went to greet the concerned woman and her chocolate Lab.

Nell helped him x-ray Boots while the dog’s nervous owner sat in the waiting room. It turned out that Boots had swallowed a sock. After James relayed his diagnosis to Mrs. Rogan, he and Nell went to work. He encouraged Mrs. Rogan to go home, but the woman refused to leave until she knew that her dog was out of surgery and in recovery.

“Do you have other patients scheduled this morning?” Nell asked as she watched him put Boots under anesthesia.

“Fortunately, no. Not until this afternoon.”

He readied his patient. “May I have a scalpel?” He gestured toward the appropriate instrument. He needn’t have bothered because Nell had already picked it up and handed it to him.

He smiled. “Perfect. Thanks.”

She inclined her head, and they went back to the serious task at hand. It took just under an hour from the time they sedated the Lab until the time he was moved to recovery.

James went out to talk with Mrs. Rogan with Nell following. “Boots made out fine. We removed the sock, and there’s been no permanent injury.”

Edith Rogan shuddered out a sigh. “Thank goodness.” She visibly relaxed as she glanced from him to Nell standing behind him. “Thank you. Thank you both.”

“Boots may have to spend the night here,” he said. “I’ll keep a close eye on him today. If he does well, then you can take him home this evening. I’ll call and let you know.”

At that moment, the door opened and Mr. Rogan rushed in. “How is he?” he asked his wife.

“Fine,” James said. “The surgery went well, but I’m afraid you may be one sock short.”

The man shifted his attention from his wife to James. “You’re Dr. Pierce?”

James nodded.

“Thank you, Dr. Pierce. Edith and I have grown very attached to him.”

“He’s our baby now that our children are married and on their own,” Edith said.

“I understand,” Nell said softly, surprising James. “I have a dog. I have several animals, in fact, and I would feel awful if anything ever happened to them.”

Mr. Rogan studied her with curiosity. “You’re Amish.”

“I am?” Nell’s brown gaze twinkled.

The man laughed. “Sorry. Sometimes I speak before I think.”

“Well, you’re right, Mr. Rogan. I am a member of the Amish church and community, and I had the privilege to work with Dr. Pierce during Boots’s surgery.” She paused. “He’s a beautiful dog.”

The man smiled. “That he is,” he said.

“Edith, it’s time for us to leave and let the doctor and his assistant get back to the business of saving lives and making our pets better.”

“I’ll call you later,” James said as the couple headed to the door.

“I’ll check on him often,” Nell added.

The Rogans left, and suddenly James was alone with Nell. He was proud of the way she’d handled herself with Boots’s owners, and he was pleased with how she’d assisted during Boots’s surgery.

He glanced at his watch to see how much time he had before his first afternoon appointment.

“A successful surgery calls for a special lunch.” He grinned. “Hoagies!”

She laughed. “Hoagies?”

“Sandwiches.”

“Ja, that sounds gut,” she said. “But I’ll be bringing in lunch for us tomorrow.”

“Sounds gut to me.” James smiled. “We should check on Boots again before I order lunch.”

After ensuring that the Lab was doing well, they ate lunch, then went back to work. The rest of the day occurred without any major incidents.

By the end of the afternoon, James was tired. When he glanced at Nell, he saw that she looked exhausted, as well.

“Time to call it quits,” he said.

She nodded and reached for the mop and bucket.

He stayed her hand. “We can clean up in the morning.” He eyed her with concern. “Are you all right?”

She blinked. “Ja, why wouldn’t I be?”

“You’ve been quiet.”

“Just thinking.”

“About?

“Boots.”

James smiled. “He’s doing well. I’m glad I called the Rogans. They’re happy to come for him. He’ll do fine as long as they keep him still, leave his collar on and give him his pain medicine on time.”

“And bring him back to see you on Tuesday,” Nell added.

“Yes.”

“Do you need me to do anything else before I leave?”

James shook his head. “No, go on home.” He paused and couldn’t help saying, “Be careful driving.”

She nodded and left. James was slow to follow, but he watched her through an opening in the window blinds. Once her buggy was no longer visible, he took one last look around the clinic to make sure everything was as it should be, then he left, locking up as he went.

As he slipped onto his car’s leather seats, he thought of Nell on the wooden seats in her buggy. He wondered how she’d react if she had the chance to ride in his car. There might be a time that he’d bring her home. He scowled. Probably not, because her time at the clinic was temporary, until Janie came back from vacation.

Nell was a fine assistant, he thought as he put the car in Reverse. She would manage fine until Janie’s return.

A dangerous thought entered his mind, but he pushed it firmly aside. He quickly buried a sudden longing for something—or someone—else in his life other than his work, which had been the most important thing to him for some time.

* * *

Nell answered the phone when James’s receptionist, Michelle, called into the office the next day. “Pierce Veterinary Clinic,” she greeted. “How may I help you?”

The woman on the other end sounded dismayed. “Hello? This is Michelle. Who is this?”

“Hallo, Michelle. It’s Nell. I’m helping James in the office until you or Janie returns.”

“That’s wonderful, Nell,” the woman said. “I was worried about him managing the office alone.” The two women chatted for several moments more, catching up, before breaking the connection. Nell went back to work, relieved that Michelle was glad to learn that she was filling in.

“Who was on the phone?” James asked as he came out to the front desk.

“It was Michelle. She and her son are feeling better, but now her husband and two daughters are sick.”

“I’m sorry to hear that. Was she surprised that you answered the phone?”

“Surprised but pleased. She’s been worried about you.” She and Michelle had become friendly since Nell’s first visit to the clinic.

James smiled. “I hope you told her to rest, recuperate and take care of her family.”

“I did.”

“Good.”

Nell glanced at the appointment book on the desk. “Boots Rogan is due any minute for his follow-up.”

“I want to check to make sure he hasn’t bled through his dressing,” James said.

Boots’s appointment went well, and the owner took him home to continue the dog’s recovery.

The afternoon went by quickly, and before they knew it, they’d seen the last appointment. But then an emergency call came in from Abram Peachy, a deacon in Nell’s church district. Their mare Buddy had been injured by another horse.

James grabbed his medical bag. “Nell, will you come?”

“Ja, of course I’ll come.” Nell locked the front door and turned off the lights before she hastened through the back door and met James at his car. She hurried toward the passenger side and hesitated, uncomfortable being in such close quarters with James. He was suddenly there by her side, opening the door for her.

Feeling his presence keenly, she quietly thanked him, then slid onto the passenger seat. She ran her fingers over the smooth leather as James turned the ignition. The interior of the car smelled wonderful.

“Which way do I go?” he asked as he glanced her way.

She blushed under his regard and forced her attention ahead. “Take a right out of the parking lot,” she told him.

As he followed her directions, Nell was overly aware how close they were in the confines of James’s car. Did he feel it too? The attraction between them? Charlotte was waiting outside for them as he drove close to the house. She hurried toward the vehicle as Nell and James climbed out of the car.

Her eyes widened and a look of relief passed over her features as she looked from James to Nell.

“What happened?” Nell asked.

“Something frightened Barney,” Charlotte said. “Joshua was getting Buddy out of her stall when Barney reared up and came down hard against her side.” She addressed James directly. “She’s suffered a large gash. Can you help her?”

“I’ll do what I can. Show me where you keep her.”

Charlotte led the way, and Nell followed them to the barn where they found Abram near Buddy’s stall.

Abram looked relieved to see them. “I put her back in her stall.”

James studied the horse. “Good. She’s in closed quarters.” He addressed Abram. “I may need your help to hold her steady as Nell and I ready her to stitch up the wound.”

“She’s a gentle soul, but she’s hurting bad,” Abram said after agreeing to James’s request.

Abram’s son Nate entered the building. “Can you help us for a minute?” James asked after a quick look in the young man’s direction. “Do you have any rope? We’ll need to secure it to the rafters and around Buddy to help keep her steady after I give her a sedative.”

“Ja,” Abram said. “Nate, will you get that length of rope from the tack room?”

Nate immediately obeyed then slipped inside the stall, being careful to skirt the animal until he reached the front right side. “Dat? You oll recht?” he asked.

“I’m fine. Be careful, soohn,” Abram warned as Nate came up on Buddy’s opposite side.

James grabbed the rope and with a toss of his arm, he threw one end over the rafter until it fell in equal lengths to the ground. “Nate, could you wrap this around Buddy? Abram, you don’t have a wench or pulley, do you?”

The man shook his head. “We’ll make do.”

He addressed Nell, “Would you get me a syringe and the bottle of anesthetic?”

Nell handed him the bottle and the needle.

He took it without looking at her. She could feel his concern for the animal. She’d seen different sides to the veterinarian over the past week, each more impressive than what she’d seen before.

His face was full of concentration as he inserted the needle. The animal jerked and kicked out, her hoof making contact with James’s shin. He grimaced, but that was the only sign that he’d been hurt. Nell worried about him when he continued as if the horse hadn’t clipped him.

He stood back. “We’ll have to wait a moment or so until the anesthetic takes effect.”

His eyes met Nell’s. She gazed back at him in sympathy, recognizing pain in his face. She wanted to take a look at his leg and help him, but she remained silent. It was clear that he didn’t want his injury to detract from helping Abram’s horse.

She felt a rush of something she didn’t want to feel. This man clearly loved animals as much as she did.

They waited for tense moments until the horse seemed to quiet. Nell looked at Abram. “It’s oll recht,” she said. She watched as he and Nate released their hold on the horse.

“You might want to leave,” James said. “This won’t be pleasant to watch.”

The two men left, leaving Nell alone with James. He met her gaze. “All set?”

“Ja,” she breathed, ready to do whatever he needed.

“Come around to this side. Bring my bag. I’ll tell you what I need.”

Nell watched while James worked on Buddy. He sutured the mare’s wounds, noting how gentle he was with the animal, soothing her with a soft voice.

After twenty minutes, James seemed satisfied that he’d done all he could for the horse.

“Nell, would you please see if you can find a container of antibiotic? I’d like Abram to give her a dose twice a day. He can sprinkle it on her food.”

Nell understood when she found the bottle and saw that the antibiotic was actually granules instead of pills.

Soon they were driving away from Abram’s farm, heading back toward the clinic. Nell caught James’s wince more than once as he drove, but she kept silent. She couldn’t offer to drive him since she didn’t know how and wouldn’t be allowed anyway because of the rules in the Ordnung.