Elisabeth broke into a grin. “I daresay you’ll make Ellie the happiest woman alive.”

Lyle chuckled. “Seems like Sol’s already done that.”

Elisabeth glanced at the calendar hanging on the cellar door and let out a long sigh. “Ach, poor Evan will be awful sorry to miss Ellie’s wedding.”

“I can only imagine how he’ll feel when he hears.”

“And I assume he would’ve been asked to be one of the wedding attendants, even though he and Sol haven’t necessarily been close friends for a while.”

Lyle wasn’t so sure. “Remember, Evan isn’t in gut standing with the church, so he couldn’t be in his sister’s wedding.”

Elisabeth grimaced, and Lyle felt like a fool mentioning what they both knew—what they both would rather not remember.

Having just returned from walking through the orchard rows, Ellie was eager to write to Leah. She got right to the point and asked Leah to be one of her wedding attendants, sharing that she also intended to ask her cousin Ruthann. Oh, Leah, I can’t imagine being happier, she wrote. I hope you’ll be able to come for Sol’s and my wedding day.

Without much pause, she also wrote a letter to Evan, sharing the happy news of her engagement. Sol and I will marry this November, she told him, wishing with all her heart that her brother could be present.

Later that afternoon, Ellie took the two-wheeled horse-drawn cart over to visit Ruthann, since her parents and grandfather had left in the family carriage to visit Dawdi’s widowed brother, Enos.

Cousin Ruthann was ecstatic about being asked to be one of the wedding attendants. “I’d love to,” she said, big-eyed as they walked together outdoors. “And do ya know who’ll be Sol’s?”

“He hasn’t said yet, but I’m guessin’ his brother Aaron might be one.”

Smiling, Ruthann nodded.

“So how are you and Menno getting along?” Ellie asked.

“I think he might be close to proposin’ marriage.”

“Bein’ in love is just wunnerbaar, ain’t?”

Ruthann grinned now. “Absolutely.” She sat on the stone springhouse steps and motioned for Ellie to join her. “Ach, I can’t believe it, Ellie, how everything’s turning out for us. And I’m so honored to be one of your weddin’ attendants.”

“Wouldn’t have it any other way,” Ellie replied.

Deciding to wait till after work the next day to talk with Sol and Ellie, Lyle had asked them to meet him in the barn office before Sol left for home. The three of them sat together now, Lyle having contemplated this moment.

“Now, then,” he said, folding his hands, “I’ve been pondering somethin’, and after praying for guidance and talking it over with Jonah, I’m ready to talk with yous.”

Ellie’s eyes were fixed on him, as she took in every word.