In Plain View by Olivia Newport

liked being enclosed and keeping the temperature comfortable.
    She liked the speed.
    Ruth glanced at her passenger. “Annalise, I’m going to say something I’ve never said before in my entire life.”
    Annalise smiled slowly. “Can’t wait.”
    “Wheeee!”

Twelve
    May 1776
    C hristian heard the rustle of the corn and looked up, alarmed. The sound came too fast, the steps too heavy and too many. Instinctively he turned his head toward the house, though it was too distant to see from his western field. Despite his first impulse at the breakfast table that morning, he had agreed Magdalena could take the small cart for a half day to visit her friend Rebekah. No doubt she would also drop by Nathanael’s family farm. That meant Babsi was home alone with the smallest children—and heavily pregnant.
    Christian dropped the knife he was using for digging out weeds and stood up straight. A moment later, three men drew their three horses to a halt in front of him.
    “Good morning, gentlemen.” Unafraid to look them straight in the eye, Christian assessed them in turn.
    “Which way did they go?” One of the riders had trouble stilling his mount.
    “They? I assure you I have been alone in my field all morning.” Though he refused to look at the path they had taken, Christian knew the intruders had flattened countless ears of corn. These men were British sympathizers. He had seen them before.
    “Four treasonous Patriots came this way,” the man said. “We saw where they turned off the road. They cannot have gone anywhere else.”
    Christian shook his head. “I have not seen them.”
    “They turned into your field not four minutes ago. You are hiding them.”
    Christian made a wide sweep with one arm. “I’m growing corn, gentlemen, as I do every year. That is all. I hardly think I would be able to disguise four beasts and their riders in a half-grown cornfield.”
    “How do we know you would not give them aid?” As the man’s horse continued to strain against the reins, the hilt of his sword glinted in the sun.
    “I have nothing to do with your dispute.”
    “Dispute! Man, do you not understand that this is war?”
    “I have nothing to do with your war, either. I only wish to live at peace with all men.”
    “You delude yourself, good sir. If you are not for us, you are against us.”
    “I am against no man.” Christian spoke with calm. “If I might be permitted, I ask you to kindly take care of my crop on your way back to the road. It may provide your sustenance one day.”
    “We are not going anywhere until we find the traitors.”
    Christian stepped to one side. “Then I will not detain you further.”
    “If we find these men in your field, we will be back for you. Your Amish pretensions do not deceive us.”
    “It is not my intention to deceive you. I speak truth when I tell you I have seen no Patriots come through my land.”
    The man snorted. “Soon enough you will have to choose a side. If you don’t choose wisely, you will be as traitorous as they.”
    Christian said nothing. What good could come from antagonizing them?
    At the crack of a whip, the horses thundered through the corn.

    Jacob had had enough of the rain for one day. No doubt the farmers of Pennsylvania were happy for some moisture in their fields, but once he left the stone-paved streets of Philadelphia, the risk of a wagon wheel bogging down in muddy country roads would make the trip home to Berks County tedious.
    For the moment, though, Jacob did not want to be anywhere else but in the city where his parents had met.
    He had come to Philadelphia on a routine supply trip, with lists from a few of his neighbors and plenty of space in his wagon for any saltpeter that might have found its way to the city in an unrecorded manner. Only a few hours ago he was eating breakfast in his sister’s kitchen. The simple note from his brother-in-law came by messenger. Nearly giggling, Sarah read it aloud. Come to the State House. We will make