Shifting into Neutral, she hesitated, fluttering her fingers over the gearshift. What if she had the wrong place? She checked her exit route in the rearview mirror. Even if she wanted to bail, she couldn’t leave without swinging around in the open space in front of the barn. Backing down that lane would be impossible. The idling engine chugged like a motorboat. How long before someone came to investigate?

No way can I knock on that door like a Girl Scout selling cookies. She tromped on the clutch. Mission aborted. Grocery store pies would suffice.

Just then, a lithe, little form darted around the house, teal skirts flying. The shape vanished behind a tree and reappeared on the other side. She’d found the Rishels all right.

Rebecca crept around the trunk, hugging it close, and peered with a funny half-smile. Tessa leaned into the passenger seat, cranked down the window, and waved.

The girl shot behind the tree and popped out on the other side.

Lured by the wee imp, she shifted into gear and inched forward. At a safe distance, she cut the motor and swung her legs out of the van. The expanse of bare flesh blinded her with pasty whiteness, and she groaned inwardly. Tugging at the hem of her shorts, she ventured into the yard. “Hello. Do you remember me?”

“Of course.” Releasing one arm, Rebecca swung around the tree and reappeared on the opposite side.

“I remember you, too.”

“How did you find me?” Rebecca sprang up and caught hold of a branch.

Fingers latched tight, she dangled like a monkey. Tessa lifted her cheeks in a smile. “I asked directions.”

Rebecca dropped to the ground and giggled. “Your car looks like a mallard duck.”

She laughed. “It’s actually my father’s. It’s pretty old. Older than I am.”

Rebecca’s eyes widened. “That’s old. What’s your name?”

“Tessa. I don’t need to ask yours because I already know you’re Rebecca.”

The child scrunched her nose into a smile just as a shrill voice rang from the house. The words echoed across the yard, but they sounded like gibberish.

“The ginger lady from market!” Rebecca called back.

The unseen woman spoke again.

Though still not understandable, the sounds were familiar. Tessa recognized the language as Pennsylvania German. The women at the market sometimes spoke it to each other.

“That’s my mother,” Rebecca whispered. Then she dashed up the steps to the porch.

An angular figure in a black apron, dark blue dress, and prayer cap appeared in the doorway. She held open the door with one hand and grabbed for Rebecca with the other.

The child slipped through her fingers and scampered to the far side of the wide front porch. With a nimble leap, she perched atop the railing.

The woman she now knew to be Nora frowned.

“Can I help you?”