no way to talk. Remember what your doctor told you. A positive attitude will help more than any medication.” She parked his chair by a sofa in the waiting area.
“That doctor would sing a different tune if he’d had a heart attack and heart surgery. Where are my pain pills?”
“You will need to pick them up at the pharmacy. I have all the instructions on what you need to take and when. I will go over it with you and your niece. You have your nitroglycerin, don’t you?”
He nodded and patted his vest pocket. “Pills, pills and more pills. What good have they done me? I’m still a sick man.”
She said, “I see a van coming up the drive. I think they’re here.”
The relief in the nurse’s voice brought back Toby’s grin. He leaned close to his sister. “You are a much better patient.” He hoped for a smile, but he was disappointed. She kept her head lowered.
A long white van pulled to a stop outside the doors. The driver, a portly man in his midforties with curly salt-and-pepper hair hopped out and came around to open the sliding door on the passenger’s side. A young Amish woman got out.
“Is that your niece, Mr. Barkman?” the nurse asked.
“That’s Greta. The ungrateful hussy. I’m amazed she has the courage to show her face to me.”
The nurse rolled her eyes and muttered, “So am I.”
Toby happened to catch her glance. She smothered a sheepish grin. It was clear she thought Mr. Barkman’s niece would have her hands full.
The outside door opened. The van driver and the woman came inside along with a gust of cold wind. Mr. Barkman’s niece stopped a few feet away from her uncle. The driver came straight to Toby.
“Are you Tobias Yoder?” he asked in a booming voice.
Toby rose and held out his hand. “You must be Arles Hooper. Thank you for agreeing to take us to Bird-in-Hand, Pennsylvania. I know it’s a very long drive. This is Marianne.”
“Pleased to meet you both. I’ve got several more Amish folks riding with us. It’s fortunate for me that so many Amish like to travel this time of year. I’ve got a full load. I had to make the trip worth my while, you know, with the price of gas and oil. Course you folks don’t have to worry about that, what with driving buggies. We won’t make it to Bird-in-Hand tonight, but I’ll get you there as soon as I can. There’s talk of a big winter storm moving this way. I’m hoping to beat it, but I know a few nice, inexpensive motels where we can hunker down if need be.”
“That’s fine.” Toby nodded, but he didn’t have the funds for an extended stay at a motel. What little extra he had would be needed when he got to Pennsylvania.
“Good. I have a family named Coblentz with me. There are eight of them, but they are only going as far as Ohio City. I know that’s a little bit out of your way, but not much, less than an hour. I’ll be taking Mr. Barkman and his niece all the way to Hope Springs, Ohio. From there, it will just be you two. I hope you don’t mind the additional passengers.”
“We’ll be glad of the extra company on the trip, won’t we, Marianne?” He spoke to his sister, but his gaze was drawn to Mr. Barkman’s niece.
Ungrateful Greta didn’t look like a hussy. She wasn’t strikingly pretty, but she was pleasant looking. Demurely dressed in a dark blue overcoat and a large black bonnet, she was slightly taller than average. She carried a blue cloth bag over one arm. What little he could see of her hair was a light honey brown. He couldn’t be sure from here, but he thought her eyes were light brown, as well.
She stood with her head held high. There was something almost defiant in her stance. Something else he’d noticed...there hadn’t been any display of affection or even a greeting between her and her uncle.
Arles left Toby’s side and approached Mr. Barkman. “Good to have you with us, sir. I’ll do my best to make it an easy journey. Shall I put your things in the van?”
“Greta can do it. She’s good with simple tasks,” Mr. Barkman snapped.
Toby caught a glimpse of the covert glance she shot her uncle. Her eyes filled with dislike before she looked down and schooled her features into blankness. Toby’s interest sharpened. The tension between the uncle and niece was palpable. It might prove to be an uncomfortable trip with these two in the van.
The nurse said, “Please take the bags out, Mr. Hooper. I need to speak with Miss Barkman about her uncle’s care.”
Toby continued to study the young Amish woman who looked to be in her early twenties. Her knuckles stood out white against her dark clothing where her hands were clenched tightly into fists. She seemed taut as a bowstring.
She glanced his way, and her eyes softened when she caught sight of his sister. A gentle smile curved her lips and changed her features from pleasant looking to sweetly appealing. He found himself smiling in turn. She looked up from his sister and met his gaze.
Appealing was right. Instantly, he felt a strange connection. Her eyes widened. He was right. They were a light, lively golden brown. He couldn’t seem to break the contact. Who was Greta Barkman? What was she thinking? He wanted to know.
She looked away first, and his unexpected connection with her was broken. The nurse had called her Miss Barkman, so she wasn’t married.
He gave a small shake of his head. Interest in a pretty woman should be the last thing on his mind. He needed to get Marianne home to Pennsylvania, find a job and look after her. She was his priority now. He planned to spend the rest of his life taking care of her. He owed her that much and more.
He laid a comforting hand on her shoulder. She flinched, then grabbed his hand. “You won’t leave me, will you?”
The treatment for her burns had been painful, leaving her leery of physical contact, but she didn’t want him out of her sight. He knelt in front of her. “Of course not. We’re going home to Pennsylvania together.”
“I don’t want these other people around.”
“I know, honey, but it can’t be helped. Don’t worry. I’ll be with you every step of the way.”
* * *
Greta caught the interplay between the young girl in the wheelchair and the handsome man with her. It was comforting to see such a close relationship. Her own troubled history gave her a heightened sense of awareness about others, particularly young women. The man was a nice-looking Amish fellow with dark hair, intelligent dark eyes and a winning smile. There was something compelling in his gaze that intrigued her.
“There are some things we need to go over, Miss Barkman. It should only take a few minutes,” the nurse said, drawing Greta’s attention once more.
“Of course.” She managed a stiff smile.
“Please ask if you have any questions. I’ve included my cell phone number at the top of the paperwork. When I spoke with Mr. Hooper about this trip, he assured me you would be able to use his phone if you need to. Mr. Hooper understands that he’ll have to make frequent stops for Mr. Barkman’s well-being.”
“A lot of good that will do. What
