Lydia's Hope by Marta Perry

done in similar
     circumstances. “I can understand that, I guess. But at least maybe one day you’ll
     be able to tell her.”
    “Ja, I hope so.” Lydia nearly bit her tongue. That almost sounded as if she were looking
     forward to the death of Susanna’s mother, and that wasn’t what she’d meant at all,
     was it?
    Luckily, Seth’s thoughts didn’t seem to be heading in that direction. “What about
     the other one? Have you talked to her yet?”
    She shook her head. “Chloe was taken by her Englisch grandmother when she was just
     a baby. That means she was brought up Englisch, and she probably doesn’t know anything
     about her real family, since she was so young.” Her throat tightened with the impossibility
     of it. “I can’t begin to think how I’d ever find her.”
    “Then this must be your lucky day.” Seth grinned, the old, happy-go-lucky grin that
     had intrigued every girl who’d ever come in contact with him back in the old days.
     “Because you happen to have a friend who’s Englisch as well, and has just the talents
     you need to locate your sister.”
    Lydia could only stare at him for a moment, untangling his meaning. “You can find
     Chloe?” Surely it couldn’t be as easy as he made it seem.
    “Unless she’s gone into the Witness Protection Program, I can practically guarantee
     it.” Seeing she didn’t understand, he smiled again. “The Amish do a good job of living
     off the grid, but every Englisch person leaves a trail somewhere on the Internet.
     Just tell me what you know about her, and I’ll start searching.”
    “I do know about the Internet,” she said, her voice tart. “You don’t need to sound
     as if I’m a dummy.”
    “Sorry,” he said quickly. “You always were good at telling me off, Lydia. Maybe that’s
     why I liked you so much.”
    She decided it was better not to respond to that comment. There had been a time when
     she’d thought she and Seth might end up together, but that had been long ago and very
     fleeting.
    “I’d be wonderful glad if you can find anything out about Chloe. Her grandmother’s
     name was Margaret Wentworth, and she came from someplace around Philadelphia.”
    He nodded, seeming to stow the name away in his memory. “How old would Chloe be now?”
    She had to stop and figure. “About twenty-six, I’d say. And our mother’s name was
     Diane, if that helps any.”
    “That’s enough to start with, anyway.” He glanced past her. “Looks as if your family
     is getting home, and I’m supposed to be running my mother and Jessie to the grocery
     store, so I’ll be off. I’ll let you know as soon as I find something.”
    He sounded very confident. She watched him stride briskly off toward the Miller house
     before turning away. But then, Seth had always been confident of what he wanted for
     himself, regardless of how much it hurt the people who loved him.
    * * *
    Adam’s steps slowed as his glance swept the orchard and landed on Seth Miller, walking back
     toward his mamm’s house while Lydia looked after him. As far as Adam was concerned,
     he already had enough weight resting on his shoulders today. He didn’t want to contend
     with Seth, as well.
    Seth’s quick, confident stride carried him out of sight in another moment, but not,
     unfortunately, out of Adam’s mind. There was not much of the Amish boy he’d been left
     in the Englischer Seth was now. But even when he’d worn broadfall trousers and had
     his hair cut in his mother’s kitchen, Seth had managed to attract the attention of
     the girls and the envy of the other boys. Adam had never felt able to measure up.
    Lydia was walking toward him now, raising her hand to wave. He waved back, trying
     to put a little energy into the movement. The last thing he wanted was to get Lydia
     worrying about him and his job at a time like this.
    And it was just plain stupid to let his mind travel back to that first singing they’d
     gone to when they were barely