A Home for Hannah

A Home for Hannah
Patricia Davids

THE PRODIGAL DAUGHTER RETURNS….Yearning to find a meaningful life in the outside world, nurse Miriam Kaufman strayed far from her Amish community. She also needed distance from Nick Bradley, the cop who caused her so much pain. Back in Hope Springs to care for her ailing mother, Miriam needs Nick, now sheriff, to find the mother of the baby abandoned on her porch.Nick is as wary of Miriam’s intentions as she is of facing their past. Can two wounded hearts overcome their history to do what’s best for little Hannah?Brides of Amish Country: Finding true love in the land of the Plain People.

The Prodigal Daughter Returns...

Yearning to find a meaningful life in the outside world, nurse Miriam Kaufman strayed far from her Amish community. She also needed distance from Nick Bradley, the cop who had caused her so much pain. Back in Hope Springs to care for her ailing mother, Miriam needs Nick, now sheriff, to find the mother of Hannah, the baby abandoned on her porch. Nick is as wary of Miriam’s intentions as she is of facing their past. Can two wounded hearts overcome their history to do what’s best for little Hannah?

“It wasn’t my idea to call you. We don’t want you here.”

The shock of seeing Miriam Kauffman standing in front of him took Sheriff Nick Bradley aback, but he quickly hid his surprise. It had been eight years since he’d laid eyes on her. A lifetime ago.

“Good morning to you, too, Miriam.”

She pressed her lips together in a tight, tense line. After all this time, she still wasn’t any better at hiding her opinion of him. She looked ready to spit nails. Proof, if he needed it, that she hadn’t forgiven him.

“This is why we called you.” Amber gestured toward the basket.

“You called me here to see a new baby? Congratulations to whomever.”

“Exactly,” Miriam said.

“What am I missing?”

“It’s more about what we are missing.”

“And that is?” Nick demanded.

“A mother to go along with this baby.”

PATRICIA DAVIDS

After thirty-five years as a nurse, Pat has hung up her stethoscope to become a full-time writer. She enjoys spending her new free time visiting her grandchildren, doing some long-overdue yard work and traveling to research her story locations. She resides in Wichita, Kansas. Pat always enjoys hearing from her readers. You can visit her on the web at www.patriciadavids.com.

A Home for Hannah

Patricia Davids

www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)

But we are bound to give thanks always to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth.

—2 Thessalonians 2:13

In memory of Dave.

The one, the only, the love of my life.

Contents

Chapter One (#u59ed489a-dd88-5ecd-a513-5d4b29793593)

Chapter Two (#u8e55207e-ddd8-5298-aa69-f3ed474ed795)

Chapter Three (#u759ab21b-74c9-58b4-8792-bad5dc8bd137)

Chapter Four (#u6f530bd9-5d7b-58f2-a48d-07d28b400973)

Chapter Five (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Six (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Seven (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Eight (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Nine (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Ten (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Eleven (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Twelve (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Thirteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Fourteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Fifteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Dear Reader (#litres_trial_promo)

Questions For Discussion (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter One

“Bella, what’s wrong with you?” Miriam Kauffman pulled her arm from beneath the quilt to squint at her watch. The glow-in-the-dark numbers read one forty-five in the morning. Her dog continued scratching frantically at the door to her bedroom.

Miriam slipped her arm back under the covers. “I’m not taking you out in the middle of the night. Forget it.”

Her yellow Labrador-pointer mix had other ideas. Bella began whining and yipping as she scratched with renewed vigor.

Miriam was tempted to pull her pillow over her ears, but she wasn’t the only person in the house. “Be quiet. You’re going to wake Mother.”

Bella’s whining changed to a deep-throated bark. At eighty-five pounds, what Bella wanted Bella usually got. Giving up in exasperation, Miriam threw back her quilt.

Now that Bella had her owner’s attention, she plopped on her haunches and waited, tongue lolling with doggy happiness. In the silence that followed, Miriam heard a new sound, the clip-clop of hoofbeats.

Miriam moved to her second-story bedroom window. In the bright moonlight, she saw an Amish buggy disappearing down the lane.