1
From Ellie’s spot in the backyard, where she was hanging a quilt on the clothesline, she could see her twin trudging home from Jack Herr’s burial service. He was meandering this way through the north side of the orchard, out of view from the house, his shoulders stooped and head bowed. The sight of him made her sad.
Evan’s carrying a weight of sorrow, she thought, her heart soft toward him.
She glanced back at the house and wondered if it was safe for her to run out and say something kind to lift her brother’s spirits. But she certainly didn’t want to call attention to him. Only a few minutes ago, she’d heard a car in the near distance, and still up in her sewing room, Mamm might have heard it, too. No doubt Evan had traveled to and from Carlisle with one of the English neighbor boys.
Her back and neck muscles tense, she kept on with the task of draping bed quilts over the clothesline for their springtime airing. She wished Evan would glance up so she could at least wave or give him a thoughtful smile, but he proceeded to slog toward the yard, eyes on the ground.
Evan turned toward the barn, and Ellie inhaled with relief. Surely he’ll pull off his black coat and nice shoes and slip Dat’s overalls on to groom Nelly or Captain. That chore helped him unwind sometimes.
It wasn’t long now till suppertime, and Dat and Dawdi Hezekiah would be arriving home from the horse auction. Far as she knew, she was the only one aware Evan had left. Jonah would know, though, since he and Evan worked in the orchard together. But that didn’t mean Evan had told their brother where he was going.
She slipped off to the stable and found Evan sitting on a three-legged stool in the farthest corner from the stable door, leaning forward, hands covering his face.
“Bruder?” she whispered as she crept in. “You allrecht?”
He looked up to reveal a tearstained face and removed his straw hat. Then he pulled a white handkerchief from his pocket and wiped his nose. “Ach, ya caught me blubberin’ my eyes out.”
“Maybe splash some cold water on your face at the well pump before ya go inside the house?”
“Jah, and I’ll get out of these here gut clothes, too,” he muttered, looking somewhat dazed as he stood. “Honestly, the burial service was the worst thing ever. Jack’s family was so solemn. Some were crying. An American flag was draped over the casket, and the military men removed it and folded it real special-like into a tight triangle. And after a bugle played a sad tune, one of the men handed the flag to Jack’s weeping mother.” Evan swallowed hard.
At the thought of Jack’s grieving mother, Ellie pressed her lips together to keep her composure, then drew a deep breath. “My thoughts were with ya the whole time you were gone.”
Evan looked at her, eyes rimmed in red. “Kind of ya, Ellie, but my sorrow’s nothin’ compared to the Herr family’s.” His voice broke. Then, coughing, he seemed to gather himself. He told her about Jack’s great sense of humor and how he always finished his farm chores quickly and was kind to his younger brother, Chuck. “And he was a loyal friend, to be sure. Never seemed to mind that I was Plain and he was fancy when we were out together.”
Ellie listened, saying nothing.
“Jack sent me letters in care of the post office, and he told me he was mighty proud of his ability to fight for this country. He wanted to be a help to his fellow soldiers.” Shaking his head, Evan slowly walked past Nelly’s and Captain’s stalls, then pushed open the stable door and headed for the house.
Feeling ever so sad, Ellie hoped Mamm wasn’t in the kitchen checking on the roast beef in the cookstove. Evan was in no frame of mind for a talking-to from either parent. Not today.
During the meal that evening, Ellie was thankful for Dawdi’s animated talk about the auction. She tried not to fidget or let her thoughts give her away as she recalled her conversation in the barn with Evan earlier. Now and then, she glanced across the table at him, conscious of his unusual silence. Has Dat or Mamm noticed?
Evan’s eyes met hers, and she sensed his own relief at Dawdi’s talking just now.
Dat sat erect in his chair at the head of the table, an obvious indentation in his graying brown hair where he’d worn his straw hat all day. When he passed Mamm’s roast beef platter to Evan for seconds, his gaze lingered on her quiet brother. She held her breath as Dawdi continued describing one of the frisky thoroughbred horses he’d had his eye on “for your Dat here to purchase.”
Evan cracked a quick smile, more than likely for Dat’s benefit.
When Dawdi stopped talking to dig into the meat on his plate, Mamm said, “Anyone savin’ room for dessert? I made a butterscotch pie.” She lived for desserts—making and eating them—which Ellie appreciated, having a sweet tooth of her own.
“Oh jah. Always,” Ellie said, her mouth already watering at the sight of the pie on the counter. Evan’s favorite, she thought, glad Mamm had made it today.
“I’ll make extra-big slices,” Mamm said to the obvious pleasure of Ellie’s brother, whose dour expression brightened slightly. Now Dawdi was clapping his big callused hands and grinning at Evan as Mamm rose to cut the pie.
“What all’d yous accomplish in the orchard today, son?” Dat asked, looking straight at him.
“Jonah and I spread fertilizer round the new trees,” Evan said, glancing at Ellie.
Dat nodded slowly, studying Evan but good. “How far’d ya get?”
“Far as we could. Was a lot of work.”
Dat looked puzzled, making Ellie want to change the subject so he wouldn’t ask further questions. But Dawdi chimed in before she could.
“Keepin’ an orchard healthy is always a lot of work.”
“And mighty worth it,” Dat said before taking another bite of his beef.
A clatter of carriage wheels came from the lane, and Ellie turned to look out the window. There was her closest cousin, strawberry blond Ruthann Kurtz. Moments later she was tying up Bullwhip, her father’s road horse, at the hitching post. She liked to drop by in the evening, and Ellie was always happy to see her.
Evan excused himself to go to the side door and step out. He called “Hullo, cousin,” which he typically did whenever Ruthann arrived at the tail end of their supper. Her family ate earlier, and besides, their plump cousin loved Mamm’s desserts as much as the rest of them did.
Dat moved his chair back from the head of the table, locking eyes with Mamm, still looking befuddled.
Whew, Ellie thought, Ruthann’s come in the nick of time.