Her heart sped up as she rose to walk to the stone wall, where she examined the structure of white and gray rocks. She eyed it for an especially large, dark gray stone, assuming that the years of exposure might have discolored many of the stones there.

She walked toward the north, then turned back to the south, wondering what Mammi would think if she were still alive and knew where Anna was—and what she was doing.

At last, she noticed a very large gray stone, one she’d somehow missed, and she leaned down to scrutinize it. She cupped her face in her hands, dazed, and for the longest time she simply stared at the spot.

Finally, she found the courage to inch forward, trying to walk in Mammi’s shoes, so to speak. Placing her fingers into the slight hole, Anna felt around and was astonished when she bumped something thick and folded up. She pulled whatever it was out of the sunken gap and laid eyes on a very weathered gray doubled-up envelope.

Brushing off the dust, she read the words To Eliza Hertzler.

“What on earth?” she whispered, stunned to see Mammi’s maiden name.

Anna hurried back to the Flauds’ and rushed into the house, finding Sadie in the front room reading the newspaper.

Anna placed the letter next to Sadie on the settee. “You’re not going to believe this.”

Sadie picked up the brittle envelope and looked at Anna with wonderment.

“It’s a letter to Mammi Eliza!”

Sadie’s mouth dropped open as she examined the old envelope.

Their eyes met and held.

“Aren’t ya gonna read it?” asked Sadie, her voice soft.

“Looks like it might fall apart,” Anna said as Sadie handed her the envelope.

“Do you think your Mammi knew it was there?”

“I don’t know.” Anna shook her head and exhaled. “Either way . . . it’s been there for seventy years.” She held the letter gingerly. “Honestly, I wish Mammi had lived long enough to know I found it.”

“What’s it matter?” Sadie replied, patting the spot on the settee for Anna to sit. “Eliza moved on with her life and met and married your Dawdi John, a fine and godly man.”

Anna nodded. “You’re absolutely right.”

“You oughta read it, dear,” Sadie encouraged. “You might have more to tell your family, ya know.”

Anna excused herself and headed to the woods, choosing the medium-hard trail and glancing above at the glints of sunlight filtering down through the dense trees still leafed out here and there with brilliance. Like Joseph’s coat of many colors.

At the tree house, she climbed the custom-made staircase all the way to the highest level and sat there looking out at nature’s awning all around her. The old envelope was safely tucked into her pocket, and after a time, Anna carefully opened it and began to read the faded words:

My dearest Eliza,