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Back The Orchard Save as PDF
Chapters (57)
  1. Cover
  2. Half Title Page
  3. Books by Beverly Lewis
  4. Title Page
  5. Copyright Page
  6. Dedication
  7. Epigraph
  8. Prologue
  9. 1
  10. 2
  11. 3
  12. 4
  13. 5
  14. 6
  15. 7
  16. 8
  17. 9
  18. 10
  19. 11
  20. 12
  21. 13
  22. 14
  23. 15
  24. 16
  25. 17
  26. 18
  27. 19
  28. 20
  29. 21
  30. 22
  31. 23
  32. 24
  33. 25
  34. 26
  35. 27
  36. 28
  37. 29
  38. 30
  39. 31
  40. 32
  41. 33
  42. 34
  43. 35
  44. 36
  45. 37
  46. 38
  47. 39
  48. 40
  49. 41
  50. 42
  51. 43
  52. Epilogue
  53. Author’s Note
  54. About the Author
  55. Back Ads
  56. Cover Flaps
  57. Back Cover

“Well, it wonders me,” Menno said, frowning. “Doesn’t he know he could be drafted if he gets a low lottery number?”

While Menno was right, she wasn’t going to be disloyal to her brother. “I s’pose you’d have to ask him,” she replied, aware that Menno didn’t have to think about this year’s lottery since he’d turned twenty last November.

“I’m sorry, Ellie,” Menno said now. “Don’t mean to bring up a sore point.”

“Honestly, it’s in the back of my mind all the time.”

“I’m sure it is.” Menno gave her an endearing smile, those golden-brown eyes twinkling, and her heart fluttered.

7

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On the first of July, Lyle had to keep himself occupied so he wouldn’t be anxious about that day’s annual lottery draft drawing. He worked either in the orchard or in the office he shared with Jonah in the barn, and he even went back out to the orchard after supper. There, he found his father walking amongst the apple trees.

“Best time of the day, jah?” Daed glanced at him. “Even on such a night.”

Lyle knew what he meant. They’d all been on edge about the lottery drawing. “How far do ya expect to walk?” he asked, thankful they still had a few more hours of daylight.

“Oh, maybe down to Leacock Road and back,” Daed said flatly. “Been sayin’ a prayer for Evan, to tell the truth. ’Tis all I can think of here lately.”

Lyle nodded. “Hard not to, ain’t?”

His father reached through a low branch to pick a Yellow Transparent apple, which fell right off the stem. He wiped it off on his black work trousers and took a bite.

Lyle really wished Evan would give up his Rumschpringe, his excuse for running around with outsiders. It was exasperating the way he clung to it.

They walked farther, enjoying the quiet evening. His father’s apple was so ripe that juice ran down his chin, onto his long white beard. But he didn’t seem to mind. There was something childlike about his enjoyment.

“Here,” Lyle said, offering his blue paisley handkerchief.

Daed quietly wiped his chin.

They continued to walk in silence, and Lyle sensed that his father wanted to be alone with his thoughts. So after a time, Lyle said he was ready to head back to the house. Daed waved him on nonchalantly, and Lyle decided to go around to the front porch, since Elisabeth and Ellie were shelling peas out back. Probably trying to keep busy, he thought, needing to sit alone for a while and watch the horses and buggies pass by. The soothing clip-clop-clip of hooves would keep him focused on the here and now.