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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

Whew, Ellie thought, Ruthann’s come in the nick of time.

2

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Ellie reckoned Mamm would invite Cousin Ruthann to join them at the table like she usually did. Dawdi Hezekiah, as if delighted by a fresh set of ears, wasted no time in beginning to entertain her while Mamm served Ruthann a piece of the butterscotch pie.

“What with Ascension Day comin’ up on May seventh, I’m reminded of my Aendi Rosanna. She always cooked a big spread and invited us youngsters over for a picnic at her Haus,” Dawdi said, gray eyes alight and a smile on his wrinkled face. “Ach, she had the greenest thumb ever—well, two of ’em. My Mamm always said I inherited my own green thumb from her.” Here, he stopped to chuckle. “Seemed like Rosanna could encourage a wilting daisy to perk up with a mere whisper.”

“No one’s ever told me that ’bout her,” Ruthann said.

“’Tis true!” Dawdi insisted, straight-faced. “Saw it with these here eyes,” he added as he pointed to them.

“Did she always have a watering can with her, maybe?” Mamm asked, smiling at Ellie. “Was that how she perked up the daisies?”

“Couldn’t’ve been just a whisper,” Dat said, and Dawdi laughed with him.

“Have ya thought of getting these little anecdotes down on paper?” Ruthann asked Dawdi when all the chuckling quieted down. “I doubt everyone in the family has heard ’em,” she said, her pale green eyes sparkling as she forked another bite of the splendid pie.

This seemed to encourage Dawdi all the more. “Well, now that ya mention it . . .”

Dat was nodding in agreement. “Might be a gut idea. Family stories—and tall tales—to enjoy and pass down.”

Mamm smiled broadly.

Meanwhile, Evan got up to pour more ice water from Mamm’s pitcher. Ellie could tell he was restless, but he sat back down. He’s got to be worried Dat’ll find out he went to Jack’s burial.

Later, as Ellie and Ruthann cleared the table, Ruthann mentioned going for a walk after dishes were done. “I have somethin’ amazing to tell ya,” she whispered.

“Ach, such a tease!” Ellie said as she turned on the sink’s hot water spigot.

———

The minute Ellie and her cousin headed down the treed lane toward Harvest Drive, Ruthann began talking animatedly about seeing Solomon Bontrager at market that morning.

“Did he ask ya out?” Ellie said. Ruthann had been holding her breath for a date with Sol for some time now.

“Nee, but he was quite talkative,” she said, grinning. “So I guess there’s still hope.”

Ellie was happy for Ruthann, as her cousin had waited awhile for a breakthrough like this. “What did yous talk ’bout, or shouldn’t I ask?” She was dying to know.