The Christmas Secret: Will an 1880 Christmas Eve Wedding Be Cancelled by Revelations in an Old Diary?

By Wanda E Brunstetter

A Family Secret May Destroy a Couple’s Hope for Marriage
 
Beloved, bestselling author of Amish fiction, Wanda E. Brunstetter tells a heartrending story from 1880 Pennsylvania.  Elizabeth Canning discovers an awful secret in her deceased mother’s diary. Believing her chances for a happy marriage are spoiled, she leaves her fiancé a letter and flees town thinking all hope of a marriage to David is lost. Praying that distance will heal her broken heart, she takes refuge in her grandparents’ Pennsylvania home.

Anticipating a Christmas Eve wedding with Elizabeth, David Stinner is confused by her letter and desperate to find her. Can David root out the truth about the past and bring back his bride? Or is the truth destined to bring an ultimate end to their romance?
 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Barbour Publishing
• Release date: Oct 1, 2016
• ISBN: 9781683220305

Wanda E Brunstetter

New York Times bestselling and award-winning author Wanda E. Brunstetter is one of the founders of the Amish fiction genre. She has written more than 100 books translated in four languages. With over 12 million copies sold, Wanda's stories consistently earn spots on the nation's most prestigious bestseller lists and have received numerous awards. Wanda’s ancestors were part of the Anabaptist faith, and her novels are based on personal research intended to accurately portray the Amish way of life. Her books are well-read and trusted by many Amish, who credit her for giving readers a deeper understanding of the people and their customs. When Wanda visits her Amish friends, she finds herself drawn to their peaceful lifestyle, sincerity, and close family ties. Wanda enjoys photography, ventriloquism, gardening, bird-watching, beachcombing, and spending time with her family. She and her husband, Richard, have been blessed with two grown children, six grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. To learn more about Wanda, visit her website at www.wandabrunstetter.com. 

Book preview

Epilogue

Allentown, Pennsylvania

1880

Feeling the need for a bit of fresh air, Elizabeth Canning opened her bedroom window and drew in a deep breath, inhaling the earthy, leaf-scented fragrance that she knew even with her eyes closed was like no other season but autumn.

When a chilling wind blew in, rustling the lace curtains and causing her to shiver, she quickly shut the window. It was too cold for the first of November. Did the nippy weather mean they were in for a harsh winter this year, or would they be spared and have only a few bitterly cold days? Whatever the case, she hoped they’d have snow for Christmas. God’s sparkling white crystals always added a little something extra to the beauty and atmosphere of the holiday season.

Through the closed window, Elizabeth heard geese honking in the distance, no doubt making their southward journey. She could almost feel their excitement as they flew to warmer territories. It never failed, spring or fall; hearing geese high in the sky stirred a thrill deep in her soul.

When a knock sounded on the door, Elizabeth turned and called, Come in.

The door opened, and Elizabeth’s friend, Helen Warner, entered the room. Her coal-black hair, worn in a chignon at the back of her head and covered with a silver net, stood in sharp contrast to Elizabeth’s golden-blond hair, which she wore hanging loosely down her back today. But then, Helen, who’d recently turned twenty, had always been the prim and proper one, often wearing high-neck dresses with perfectly shaped bustles, like the one she wore today. Elizabeth, on the other hand, was the practical type and preferred full-skirted calico dresses, which were more comfortable when one was cleaning or working around the house. She felt rather plain next to Helen, but fortunately their friendship was based on more than the clothes they wore or their differing opinions on some things.

Elizabeth’s meticulous friend was outgoing and always seemed to have an air of excitement about her. Maybe Helen’s confident demeanor came from being the daughter of an esteemed minister of the largest congregation in Allentown, for she had a certain charisma that glowed like a halo around her. To Elizabeth, it was most invigorating, even though she, herself, was more down-to-earth.

I thought you were going to help me clean the cabin today, but it doesn’t look like you came dressed for work, Elizabeth said.

I was hoping you’d change your mind and go shopping with me instead. When Helen took a seat on the feather bed, her long, purple stockings peeked out from under the hem of her matching dress.

Elizabeth’s brows furrowed. There’s no time for shopping right now. If David and I are to be married on Christmas Eve, then it doesn’t give us much time to get the cabin cleaned and ready for the wedding.

Helen’s brown eyes narrowed, causing tiny wrinkles to form across her forehead. It’s one thing to have the ceremony in the cabin, since you’re only inviting family and close friends, but are you sure you want to live in that dreary little place? It’s so small, and far from town.

It’s not that far—only a few miles. Elizabeth took a seat beside her friend. The cabin has special meaning to me. It was the first home of my mother’s parents, and soon after Grandma and Grandpa moved to Easton, Mother married Daddy, and they moved into the cabin to begin their life together. They lived there until … Elizabeth’s voice trailed off, and she blinked to hold back tears threatening to spill over. After Mother died of pneumonia when I was eight years old, Daddy couldn’t stand to live there any longer, because everything in the cabin reminded him of her. Elizabeth may have been young, but she remembered how empty and lifeless the cabin had felt once her mother was gone.

So you moved to town and lived at the Main Street Boardinghouse, right?

Elizabeth nodded. We stayed there until I was ten, and then when Daddy got his shoemaking business going well and married Abigail, we moved into the house he had built. She smiled and touched Helen’s arm. Soon after that, I met you.

So you’re used to living in town now, and just because your parents and grandparents lived in the cabin doesn’t mean you have to.

David and I want to begin our life together there. Elizabeth sighed. Besides, he’s just getting started with his carriage-making business and can’t afford to have a home built for us here right now.

I understand that, but can’t you continue living with your father and stepmother or even at the hotel David’s grandfather owns?

I suppose we could, but it wouldn’t be the same as having a place of our own to call home.

Helen folded her arms with an undignified grunt. Humph! That cabin isn’t a home; it’s a hovel. If David’s so poor that he can’t offer you more, then maybe you should consider marrying someone else. Maybe someone like Howard Glenstone. I think he’s been interested in you for some time.

I’m not in love with Howard. I love David, and I’d be happy living in the cabin with him for the rest of my life if necessary. It was obvious to Elizabeth that Helen didn’t understand or appreciate how the homey little dwelling came to be. It must have taken a lot of hard work, frustration, and long hours for her mother’s father to build the cabin for Grandma and the family they’d one day have. How proud Grandpa must have been, knowing he’d built the place with his own two hands.

"I just think a woman as beautiful as you

Reviews for The Christmas Secret

[carlathelibrarian · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This was a very short, sweet Christmas novella taking place in 1880. Elizabeth Canning is getting married to David Stinner on Christmas Eve and she is busy getting the tiny cabin her grandfather built for her grandmother, ready for their new life. When she finds an old journal in a desk, life changes drastically. It appears that her Aunt Lovina shares a secret from decades earlier, a secret that causes Elizabeth to leave her family and David a note and run away. She can't let them know what she found out in the journal because it will bring shame to so many. Once David discovers Elizabeth's note, he is confused and hurt. He actually thinks she has left to be with another man and that she never really loved him. He goes to her best friend Helen, who seems to be the only one who knows where Elizabeth has gone. He puts his faith and trust in God and prays to find the answers he is looking for.

THE CHRISTMAS SECRET is a short, sweet novella and the flow of the story was such that I did not want to stop reading. Wanda Brunstetter held my interest throughout. There are a couple of important messages in this story about communication and not always believing what you read without investigating and verifying the information. Even though in this short book I did not have a lot of time to connect with the characters, I found that I was still cheering for David to find Elizabeth and sort out this problem quickly.

[kris_anderson-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

The Christmas Secret by Wanda E. Brunstetter is set in Allentown, Pennsylvania in November of 1880. Elizabeth Canning is getting ready to marry David Stinner on Christmas Eve (which is also Elizabeth’s birthday). They will be living in a cabin built by Elizabeth’s grandfather and it is very special to Elizabeth. While cleaning out the cabin, Elizabeth finds a journal written by her Aunt Lovina (she grew up in the cabin along with Elizabeth’s mother). The first entry dates back to Lovina’s sixteenth birthday. Elizabeth starts reading the journal and discovers a startling secret that will ruin her life and affect others. Elizabeth only tells the devastating secret to her friend, Helen. Elizabeth calls off the wedding and quickly leaves town to stay with her grandparents. David does not understand why Elizabeth called off their wedding. David sets out to find Elizabeth and get answers. Will David and Elizabeth be able to overcome the obstacle thrown in their path? You will have to read The Christmas Secret to see if David and Elizabeth make it to the alter on Christmas Eve.The Christmas Secret is a sweet short story (it is a novella not a full-length book). It is nicely written and easy to read (good flow). It can easily be finished in an hour. I did, though, find it predictable and reminiscent of something I have read previously. Once the secret was revealed I knew what would happen. It is really not a Christmas story. It is set during Christmas, but it is a historical romance novella. It is a nice story, but I just expected more from this author. I give The Christmas Secret 3.5 out of 5 stars. It has nice messages about the power of love, prayer, faith, and forgiveness.