Sighing now, she felt ferhoodled. Thinking back to letter writing with Sol, she tried to understand what had happened between them. In just the space of . . . what? One evening? She’d revealed something of her interest when she’d implied that his injuries hadn’t dimmed her regard for him. And he seemed glad to hear that.

Sitting on the porch steps, Ellie wondered about Sol’s eagerness to have her write Leah’s letter on his behalf. But if she continued to ponder it, her head would start to hurt like Sol’s.

She rose to go inside, stopping at the kitchen sink for a drink of water, not sure what to do with these strange new feelings emerging for Sol. Was it simply his helpless state? Maybe I just feel sorry for him.

Making her way into the front room, Ellie sat in the chair across from Dat and Mamm on the settee while Dat read from his Bible. And once they had said their silent prayers and risen from kneeling, she told them she wanted to head for bed early.

Mamm gave her a little kiss on the cheek, and Dat said, “Sleep tight, Ellie.”

“You too, Dat.” She was suddenly too tired to even think of writing a letter to Leah now. Sol had suggested his letter should arrive first anyway, she remembered as she made her way up the stairs to her room. Once there, she looked at her Sunday dresses hanging on the wooden pegs across from the dresser and wondered which color she should wear to the next Preaching.

Catching herself, she turned to pick up the hand mirror on her dresser. “Am I falling for my cousin’s former beau?”

27

A light but steady rain was falling the next evening. Ellie stood at the side door and stared out its screen. She’d sensed Sol’s discouragement at both breakfast and the noon meal, and at supper he told her parents and Dawdi that he still couldn’t hold a pen to write his name. He’d also admitted he wanted to return home to rest in his own bed, saying that his insomnia, though a side effect of a concussion, might lessen at home. And his parents will be arriving home tonight, which will surely be a comfort, Ellie thought.

So Dawdi Hezekiah had taken him home after supper and was already back enjoying seconds of Mamm’s dessert—carrot cake with whipped cream.

Ellie thought it was probably a good idea for Sol to get settled in at home, even though she felt sad that he was so down about his condition.

Back in the kitchen, Ellie saw Mamm at one end of the table with her pen and stationery, which reminded her of last evening with Sol. Such thoughts had kept coming all day, and try as she might, she couldn’t get them out of her mind.

“You all right?” Mamm asked, looking at her.

“I guess so.”