“Talk it over with your Dat and Mamm and decide,” he said. “I’ll wait to hear from ya, then tell my parents.”

Ellie nodded and thought this night was the time to celebrate their love, to look ahead to becoming husband and wife. Her happiness knew no bounds, and she could hardly wait for Sol to hold her near once again.

Wisely, though, he turned to follow Shadow as the dog wagged its tail contentedly, and she and Sol talked hopefully about their future married life, where they might live, and the family God would give them, Lord willing.

“Will ya get to have one of the dogs once we’re married?” she asked.

“I wouldn’t wanna ask Dat.”

She nodded. “That’s up to you, but I think ’specially Shadow would miss ya.”

Sol slipped his arm around her waist as they ambled along, and thoughts of dogs and nearly everything else flew out of her head. She was going to marry her darling beau!

32

Since today was a no-Preaching Sunday, Lyle could linger over a second cup of morning coffee in the kitchen. Elisabeth sat next to him with warm tea and the remainder of her half of the sticky bun she’d shared earlier with Ellie. “I don’t know ’bout you, but I’ve been hopin’ for some happy news like this,” he said of Ellie’s betrothal to Sol.

“Jah, and I wonder if Ellie slept at all last night, so excited she was after Sol left for home.” Elisabeth’s eyes glistened, and she reached for Lyle’s hand. “Do ya remember how you felt back when we knew we were gonna be wed?”

Lyle nodded, squeezing her hand gently. “Young love’s a powerful force, for sure.” He looked out the window. “I believe Sol’s had his eye on Ellie much longer than any of us realized.”

“Honestly, I do, too.”

Lyle released her hand and raised his coffee mug. “Won’t Ellie be surprised to eventually take over this house—assuming Sol likes our plan, too?”

“I think she’ll be quite pleased, to say the least.”

“They’ll spend their first few months as newlyweds here with us. Considerin’ the apple harvest, there’s no spare time to complete another addition bigger than Daed’s before winter comes. But weather permitting, we can break ground and pour the foundation soon after the wedding. Most likely it will take three months to build.”

“Sol and Ellie will have all the privacy they need up on the top floor till our new place is ready,” Elisabeth replied, taking a small bite of the bun. “How soon will ya tell Sol ’bout his part in the future of the orchard?”

“Right away.”

Elisabeth nodded. “He’s the kind of man you can trust.”

“And with his persistence and Ellie’s creativity and dedication, they’ll be a gut team.”