Rebekah's Quilt
by Sara Harris
Genre: Historical Amish Romance
Who can Rebekah trust when the line between English and Amish becomes blurred?
An Amish Settlement. An English stranger. The Blizzard of 1888.
Rebekah's mother, Elnora Stoll, is the finest quilter in all of Gasthof Village but it seems Rebekah has inherited none of her skill. A sweet and gentle love blossoms between Rebekah Stoll and her childhood friend Joseph Graber, despite attempts by her saucy nemesis, Katie Knepp, to sway the young man's affections her way. When Joseph hints at the promise of forever, Rebekah is positive she should say yes to his proposal - until a mysterious English stranger shows up at her homestead and sets everything she thought she knew about her world on end.
Goodreads * Amazon
An Amish Settlement. An English stranger. The Blizzard of 1888.
Rebekah's mother, Elnora Stoll, is the finest quilter in all of Gasthof Village but it seems Rebekah has inherited none of her skill. A sweet and gentle love blossoms between Rebekah Stoll and her childhood friend Joseph Graber, despite attempts by her saucy nemesis, Katie Knepp, to sway the young man's affections her way. When Joseph hints at the promise of forever, Rebekah is positive she should say yes to his proposal - until a mysterious English stranger shows up at her homestead and sets everything she thought she knew about her world on end.
Goodreads * Amazon
“Jeremiah! The barn’s on fire!” she yelled to nowhere, taking the stairs two and three at a time.
Her brother’s footsteps fell in behind her. “Let’s go!”
The pair hit the door at the same time, flinging it wide open. It cracked against the strain of its hinges. Not bothering to turn around and close it, they raced for the barn. Rebekah hadn’t grabbed a covering and her wet hair streamed out behind her like yellow ribbons from a maypole. It slapped her in the face when the wind whipped from a different direction.
Grinding to a halt at the water pump, Rebekah grabbed Jeremiah by his shoulders.
“You help Pa! I’m going in for the animals!”
Jeremiah ferociously began pumping for Samuel who, before that moment hadn’t even noticed that his two eldest children had joined him.
“Blitzschlag!” Samuel yelled in German. “Lightning struck the barn!”
The inside of their cozy barn was ablaze. Piles of the sweet-smelling hay, where Rebekah had hidden from her brothers on lazy fall afternoons, were engulfed by the roaring, ravenous flames. The yoke her father had hewn by hand as a boy was charred, hanging on a blackened beam. A rafter collapsed, shocking her back to her senses.
Cream and Butter were tied up in their stalls, pulling and rearing at the ropes that had become their enemy. Tiny Buttermilk bleated and mooed helplessly from behind her mother.
Rebekah yanked free the knots that held Cream and Butter at bay. The eyes of her normally-docile cows were wild and terrifying, but Rebekah grasped the lead ropes in her hands anyway and turned to lead them out.
She looked back at the tiny calf, frozen in fear. Their eyes met. “I’ll be back for you,” Rebekah swore.
Turning, she sang the flapjack ingredients song loudly, so as to be heard over the roaring flame, in a futile attempt to keep both her and the frightened cattle calm.
Another flaming beam snapped and fell behind them, spooking Butter. The milk cow bellowed and reared, dancing on her hind legs before jerking free from Rebekah and tearing off into the heart of the storm.
Rebekah stumbled and fell with the force of Butter’s yank, sending her sprawling in the mud. Pushing herself up, she managed to miss being trampled by Cream’s frightened hooves that stomped around her.
“Cream!” she yelled, her voice deep and foreign in her own ears, “Come on!” Ever obedient, Cream, though skittish, walked on to the house with Rebekah.
Tying the nervous cow to the front door, a strong pair of hands fell upon Rebekah’s shoulders, turning her around.
“It’s over,” her Pa yelled, pulling her to his chest in a tight hug. “It’s over, girl. It’s over.” It sounded as though he were trying to convince himself of that fact more than convince her. Over his shoulder, she saw that the fierce fire had overtaken the barn. Angry flames licked skyward from the loft.
Stiffening, a scream tore from her lips. “Buttermilk!”
“The baby’s gone,” her father yelled.
“No!” Struggling against his iron grasp was futile, but after a moment she managed to wean her way from under his elbow.
“Rebekah, stop!” Samuel bellowed. “Stillgestanden!”
Ignoring him, Rebekah dodged Jeremiah’s clutches easily, her eyes and heart already set on the glowing barn.
“Buttermilk, I’m coming,” she screamed again. Her father rasped behind her. Thankfully, he was all tired out from fighting the fire. She sped ahead, leaving him wheezing in the mud outside the barn.
“Rebekah, don’t baby, please.” His weak words sounded as far away as Germany as she raced into the barn.
Her brother’s footsteps fell in behind her. “Let’s go!”
The pair hit the door at the same time, flinging it wide open. It cracked against the strain of its hinges. Not bothering to turn around and close it, they raced for the barn. Rebekah hadn’t grabbed a covering and her wet hair streamed out behind her like yellow ribbons from a maypole. It slapped her in the face when the wind whipped from a different direction.
Grinding to a halt at the water pump, Rebekah grabbed Jeremiah by his shoulders.
“You help Pa! I’m going in for the animals!”
Jeremiah ferociously began pumping for Samuel who, before that moment hadn’t even noticed that his two eldest children had joined him.
“Blitzschlag!” Samuel yelled in German. “Lightning struck the barn!”
The inside of their cozy barn was ablaze. Piles of the sweet-smelling hay, where Rebekah had hidden from her brothers on lazy fall afternoons, were engulfed by the roaring, ravenous flames. The yoke her father had hewn by hand as a boy was charred, hanging on a blackened beam. A rafter collapsed, shocking her back to her senses.
Cream and Butter were tied up in their stalls, pulling and rearing at the ropes that had become their enemy. Tiny Buttermilk bleated and mooed helplessly from behind her mother.
Rebekah yanked free the knots that held Cream and Butter at bay. The eyes of her normally-docile cows were wild and terrifying, but Rebekah grasped the lead ropes in her hands anyway and turned to lead them out.
She looked back at the tiny calf, frozen in fear. Their eyes met. “I’ll be back for you,” Rebekah swore.
Turning, she sang the flapjack ingredients song loudly, so as to be heard over the roaring flame, in a futile attempt to keep both her and the frightened cattle calm.
Another flaming beam snapped and fell behind them, spooking Butter. The milk cow bellowed and reared, dancing on her hind legs before jerking free from Rebekah and tearing off into the heart of the storm.
Rebekah stumbled and fell with the force of Butter’s yank, sending her sprawling in the mud. Pushing herself up, she managed to miss being trampled by Cream’s frightened hooves that stomped around her.
“Cream!” she yelled, her voice deep and foreign in her own ears, “Come on!” Ever obedient, Cream, though skittish, walked on to the house with Rebekah.
Tying the nervous cow to the front door, a strong pair of hands fell upon Rebekah’s shoulders, turning her around.
“It’s over,” her Pa yelled, pulling her to his chest in a tight hug. “It’s over, girl. It’s over.” It sounded as though he were trying to convince himself of that fact more than convince her. Over his shoulder, she saw that the fierce fire had overtaken the barn. Angry flames licked skyward from the loft.
Stiffening, a scream tore from her lips. “Buttermilk!”
“The baby’s gone,” her father yelled.
“No!” Struggling against his iron grasp was futile, but after a moment she managed to wean her way from under his elbow.
“Rebekah, stop!” Samuel bellowed. “Stillgestanden!”
Ignoring him, Rebekah dodged Jeremiah’s clutches easily, her eyes and heart already set on the glowing barn.
“Buttermilk, I’m coming,” she screamed again. Her father rasped behind her. Thankfully, he was all tired out from fighting the fire. She sped ahead, leaving him wheezing in the mud outside the barn.
“Rebekah, don’t baby, please.” His weak words sounded as far away as Germany as she raced into the barn.
Sara is a mother of four, animal lover and advocate, and conservationist. Little House on the Prairie, Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman, and Lonesome Dove are among her favorite shows/movies and books. Sara holds her B.A. in History and is the author of the historical romance series, An Everlasting Heart, from 5 Prince Publishing and recently debuted into the children's book realm with Chunky Sugars (5 Prince Kids), written for her own chunky baby.
Website * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram * Bookbub * Amazon * Goodreads
Website * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram * Bookbub * Amazon * Goodreads
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Bedazzled By Books
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Tome Tender
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June 21
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June 23
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June 24
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SnoopyDoo's Book Reviews
June 27
My Devotional Thoughts – REVIEW
Stacking My Book Shelves!
May 27
kickoff at Silver Dagger Book Tours
All the Ups and Downs
A Writer's Life
May 28
Paulette's Papers
Anna del C. Dye official page
The Bookshelf Fairy
May 29
Books & Spoons
Authors From Everywhere
The Book Dragon
May 30
Handcrafted Reviews
nanasbookreviews
The Moon Who Listens
May 31
Susan Heim on Writing
Romance Novel Giveaways
Twisted Book Ramblings
June 1
Readeropolis
2 chicks and a book
June 2
3 Partners in Shopping, Nana, Mommy, &, Sissy, Too!
A Pinch of Bookdust
June 3
The Magic Of Wor(l)ds
Bedazzled By Books
Triquetra Reviews
June 4
Tome Tender
Books a Plenty Book Reviews
Tracie’s World of Books
June 5
Book Review Virginia Lee
Books, Authors, Blogs
June 6
Better Read Than Undead
Book Corner News and Reviews
June 7
From Head To Tale
@jypsylynn
June 8
books are love
Craving Lovely Books
June 9
E-Romance News
Valerie Ullmer | Romance Author
June 10
Books all things paranormal and romance
Dragon's Den
June 11
Educated Book Freak
Luv Saving Money
June 12
Breanna Hayse Romance
Girl with Pen
June 13
Book Reviews by Steph
Momma Says: To Read or Not to Read
June 14
Inside the Insanity
Paranormal Palace of Pleasures
June 15
Maiden of the Pages
Midnight Book Reader
June 16
Book-Lover
Paranormal Romance Trance
June 17
raeblake.com
Scrupulous Dreams
Yearwood La Novela
June 18
I'm Into Books
The FlipSide of Julianne – REVIEW
June 19
T's Stuff – REVIEW
4covert2overt ☼ A Place In The Spotlight ☼
June 20
Sapphyria's Book Reviews
Stormy Nights Reviewing & Bloggin'
June 21
IS HISTORY THE AGREED UPON LIE? Historical Fact & Historical Fiction.
eBook Addicts
June 22
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❧Defining Ways❧
June 23
Sylv.net
Teatime and Books
June 24
Literary Gold – REVIEW
Lisa Book Blog
June 25
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Jazzy Book Reviews
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ⒾⓃⓉⓇⓄⓈⓅⒺⒸⓉⒾⓋⒺ ⓅⓇⒺⓈⓈ
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