Midway through Singing the next evening, Ellie was delighted when Menno approached her about doubling up with Sol and Ruthann. Not letting on that Sol had already revealed the idea to her, Ellie smiled in agreement.

“We’ll ride around in Sol’s father’s buggy, then head over to my older brother’s place for ice cream,” Menno said as they stood by the refreshment table. He looked handsome in the black dress trousers, vest, and coat he’d worn to Preaching that morning, and his exceptional eyes captured her attention yet again.

“That’ll be nice.” She was somewhat relieved that their first time out together wouldn’t be a solo date.

It was starting to rain when she and Menno climbed into the back seat of Sol’s buggy, and he commented on how good it was that they had an enclosed one.

“A little rain wouldn’t hurt, though,” she said.

“Well, in late May, it can make down real gut sometimes.”

“I s’pose. Besides, we wouldn’t all fit in a courting carriage anyway,” she added with a laugh.

“No kiddin’,” Sol said from the front seat as he picked up the driving lines. Ruthann smiled at them over her shoulder.

The ride took them past the southernmost tip of the orchard, then over to East Gordon Road and on to Belmont Road. A train whistled in the near distance, but Ellie paid it little mind since they’d already passed the railroad crossing.

Sol was more talkative than Menno, which wasn’t a surprise to Ellie. Menno had always been more reserved, though from observing him stand around with the fellows at youth activities, she was aware he could be quite talkative with people he knew.

Ruthann, on the other hand, was fully engaged in conversation with Sol. They were talking about the upcoming chicken barbecue to raise money to support the work of the volunteer Hand-in-Hand Fire Company firefighters that served the Bird-in-Hand community.

While Menno glanced at Ellie to smile occasionally, he didn’t say much unless Sol asked him a question, and Ellie felt too shy to talk much herself. Later, though, Menno told her he’d arranged to help his father’s cousin with haying and other tasks in the Big Valley area until mid-July.

“So you won’t be able to work in the orchard, then?” she asked.

“Oh, I’ll be back for the peach and apple harvest, if help is needed.” He paused to look at her. “And I’ll write ya, too, when I can.”

Ellie was happy to hear the latter, but a little sad that she wouldn’t be seeing much of him for weeks on end.

During their visit to Menno’s brother’s farm, Menno talked quietly with Ellie as they ate homemade chocolate chip ice cream. He hesitantly mentioned hearing that Evan hadn’t registered as a conscientious objector.

Ellie nodded. “Jah, Evan told me that, too.”