“Just wave that lantern,” Chester replied, “and we’ll be on our way.”

“Okay.” Very curious, she hurried up the lane toward the golden light near the side entrance, where she noticed someone sitting on the porch steps. At first, seeing the golden-blond hair beneath the straw hat, she thought it was Evan. Is my mind playing tricks on me?

“Ellie.” This time she heard Sol’s voice. “Didn’t want to alarm ya.” He lifted the lantern and rose.

“What a surprise,” she said, never expecting to see him there.

“Hope it’s a good one.”

She smiled. “It surely is.” She mentioned Chester had asked her to wave the lantern, so Sol raised it and moved it a little.

Soon she heard the clip-clop-clip of the horse heading away, and she decided not to mention what Chester had said about Sol walking along the road. “He and Sarah Ann kindly gave me a lift,” she said, hoping it didn’t sound like she’d been left in the lurch without Sol at Singing.

“Do ya mind if we talk?” he asked. He’d worn his nice black trousers and suspenders, rolling up the long sleeves of his white shirt.

“We can go round to the back and sit.”

Sol carried the lantern as they walked to that part of the porch. Ellie was glad he’d brought it. Except for the dim light from the kitchen, it was as black as pitch outside.

“Let’s sit in the glider,” Sol said. “Okay with you?”

“Sure.” She was so happy to see him . . . and to share the glider, too.

They got settled with her sitting on his right so he could hear better, and she realized they were as close as if they’d gone riding in his courting carriage.

“I should tell ya why I didn’t go to Singing tonight,” he said as they gently moved back and forth.

She tensed up a little. “Jah?”

“I spent some time tryin’ to hitch my horse to the buggy this afternoon with just my left hand, but it didn’t go too well. And it’s too soon to try an’ use my right hand—another ten days or so.” He paused. “I figured if I couldn’t hitch up my own horse, it wouldn’t be safe to take ya out ridin’.”

“Oh, Sol,” she said, moved. And to think she’d fretted about why he hadn’t come to Singing.

“Dat offered to help hitch up, but in the end he understood why I needed to do it myself and agreed that it wouldn’t even be safe to hold the driving lines.”

“I understand.” She couldn’t have been prouder of how hard he was working, and talking with him like this, she had no regrets at all about not being out for a ride.

“I’ll keep my hand wrapped and in the splint till it’s healed.”