Ella pulled Clara’s suitcase from the back of the buggy, and they headed for the basement.
“I’m in the mood to do something,” Clara said, once the girls were settled down to play.
“I want to check on Ronda first,” Ella said. “It shouldn’t take long. Then we’ll figure out what to do for supper.”
Ella knocked twice on Ronda’s door and then stepped in. “Ronda, I’m home with Clara. Are you all right?”
“I’m fine,” Ronda called from the bedroom. “I’m feeling much better, and I think I will actually get some work done later.”
“Did I wake you?” Ella asked.
“No, I was already up,” Ronda said, coming to the bedroom door in her work clothes. “I had my nap earlier and I was cleaning the bedroom.”
“You let me know if you need anything,” Ella said firmly.
“You’ve done plenty already, Ella.”
Ella turned to go. Reaching the bottom of the stairs, she took the last two steps in a single bound. Why, she didn’t know. It just felt gut.
“We’ll make bread and soup for supper,” Ella announced.
Clara raised her eyebrows. “Yah. Well then, let’s do it.”
Ella stoked the nearly expired embers in the oven and then added wood. The fire was soon roaring, and the soup and bread preparations were started. Clara was kneading the bread dough while Ella gathered the soup ingredients from the root cellar and began slicing vegetables. They worked quickly, chatting as sisters do, but keeping their minds on their work. Ella glanced over to check on the girls occasionally. At one point she stopped and put baby Barbara down for a nap. By late afternoon, Clara was setting the table as Ella hovered over the soup pot, stirring occasionally. The sun dipped below the horizon. Ella lit the gas lantern as Clara took the brown loaves of bread from the oven and set them on the counter. She began rubbing them with butter.
“I bet these are just like the loaves Jesus multiplied for the crowd,” Clara said as Ella ladled soup into a large serving dish.
“Well, I doubt they had butter,” Ella said. “And Jesus didn’t have to make His bread with an oven.”
“Mamm says Da Hah doesn’t make things easy for us because we need hard times.”
“Are you interested in theology now?” Ella teased.
Before Clara could answer, they heard the crunch of Englisha car wheels in the driveway. They both raced to the door and stepped out.
A man emerged from the car, and Ella realized it was Eli—mainly by his bearing. Otherwise she wouldn’t have known him in the dusky twilight. He was wearing Englisha clothes—his pants were store-bought and a shiny belt hugged his waist. She could see the glitter of silver things on it all the way across the driveway.
“Eli!” she gasped, unable to keep the joy out of her voice.
The distance between them melted away as Eli ran toward her with quick steps across the snow, wrapping his arms around first her and then Clara.
“It’s so good to see you, Ella!” he said, his voice catching.
“Oh, Eli!” she said, holding him at arm’s length. “How could you do this? You are an Englisha man now.”
“I’m still Eli,” he said.
She saw the tears in his eyes.
“See? Don’t I look the same?” His voice was pleading.
“Not exactly,” she said. “But I doubt you’d listen to anything I have to say on the matter since Daett said you wouldn’t listen to Bishop Miller.”
“Is that why you asked me to come after all?” he asked, his eyes flashing, his mouth set in a stubborn line.
“Nee,” she said. “I promise.”
“Okay, then. You know, I can stay all evening—even for supper,” he hinted hopefully.
Clara gave Ella a look of warning and then said, “I’ll go inside and keep an eye on the girls. I’ll get the baby up.”
Ella nodded and turned back to Eli. “I wish you could stay, Eli, but it would be best if you didn’t. I’m sorry.”
Eli laughed, but his expression showed his pain. He cleared his throat and asked, “Is this true what I hear about my dear sister? That she is hanging around with an Englisha man, giving him German lessons?”
Ella gasped. “How have you heard of such things?”
“So it is true?” He smiled again. “Remember, I know you, Ella. You are my best sister.”
Ella’s heart melted and she touched his arm. How gut it felt to have someone care about Robert and her, but she must not allow Eli to see her feelings. She took a deep breath and turned the question back on him. “Eli, won’t you go back to the farm? Daett needs you so much.”
He didn’t say a word, but he shook his head.
“Why not, Eli?”
“I love Pam,” he said quietly.
“Yah,” she said, touching his arm again. “So we will leave that alone. I had to ask though.”
Eli nodded. “So what about this Englisha man, Ella? I want to know what he’s up to with my sister.”
Ella tried to read Eli’s eyes, “Has he done a crime or something?”
“I hope not. But tell me about him.”
Ella looked away. “His name is Robert Hayes. He arrived here in the community not long ago with plans to join the Amish. Bishop Miller has taken him under his wing. As to his past, I don’t know anything more than what he’s told me. And I see no reason to doubt him.”
Eli rolled his eyes. “And you’re not looking for dark secrets?”
Ella shook her head.
“Well you should be, Ella. Believe me. I’ve been out in their world for awhile, and there are always secrets.”
“We really shouldn’t talk about this Eli, please. I called you so I could see you, not to talk about my problems.”
“Well, your problems are important to me,” Eli insisted. “I want to look into this man’s history for you. Things like his past life, his girlfriends, wives, children. Any secrets he may be hiding, that sort of thing. All I need is some basic information to start with.”
“Please,” Ella pleaded. “I don’t think Robert is the problem at all. Bishop Miller is, but that’s another matter. You can’t do much about him.”
Eli laughed, “I suppose not, but humor me. I’m your little brother and I worry about you.”
“Not so little,” Ella managed a smile, finally relenting. “Okay. Robert’s mother’s name is Marie Hayes, and she’s from Cumberland, Maryland.”
“Thanks.” He smiled then turned to go.
Ella walked to the car with him. “Eli, please know you are loved…and missed.” She gave him another hug.
Again he said nothing, but Ella noticed more tears forming in his eyes. And then he was gone, the headlights of his car cutting into the dark sky as he bounced down the driveway.
“I thought he might ask again to stay,” Clara said after Ella had come inside.
“He understands why he can’t,” she replied.
“I wish he could.” Clara helped Sarah into her chair. “He’s still my brother.”
“I know. He’s mine too.”
They took their seats at the table and bowed their heads together in silent prayer. Above them the faint sound of the front door opened, and they could hear Ronda’s muffled words of welcome for Joe.
“At least someone’s happy,” Ella said after saying amen.
Clara nodded soberly.
Thirty-one
The next morning Clara helped Ella with the girls and then settled in to work on a quilt. “I can almost do the smallest stitches,” Clara said, flexing her fingers.
“I’ve noticed,” Ella said. “You’re getting good at this.”
“But not as gut as I am at drawing,” Clara countered.
Ella had no answer to that. There was nothing either of them could do about it.
Over in the corner, Mary and Sarah played at their own make-believe washday. Baby Barbara watched them, fascinated as they dipped their doll clothes into a small dish of soapy water, scrubbed them by hand, a
nd then wrung them dry before hanging them on a little string stretched between the rocker and a kitchen table leg.
“Mamm should come here before long, don’t you think?” Clara asked.
“Likely, but both of you can stay as long as you want. All day if you please. I suppose Mamm already knows that.”
“She does, but I’m sure there’s work at home for us to do.”
“With Eli gone and me gone, I guess it’s the same amount of work but fewer hands to do it. I’m sorry about that, Clara.”
“It’s not your fault. We make do. But it doesn’t leave us much time for anything else.”
“Like…boys?” Ella asked with a smile.
Clara grinned. “Well if there were a boy, I’d make time for that.”
Ella pressed on. “Whatever happened with Paul, the boy from your school days? I think you liked him quite a bit. Is that still true?”
Clara gave her a look with narrowed eyes.
Ella laughed.
“He’s got his eyes on a few other girls now,” Clara said.
“Are you sure? You’re the best lookin’ one around.”
“Oh, Ella, don’t tease me,” Clara said. “Apparently not to Paul. And I wouldn’t be surprised if he asked Katie Troyer home soon.”
“It goes that way sometimes. I thought for sure Aden would never look twice at me.”
“They’re not all like Aden. You once said that to Dora.”
“I didn’t know you were listening.”
“That’s what comes from discussing things around little sisters.”
“Yah, that’s true!” Ella replied, laughing. “Well, if not Paul, is there anyone else? I’m sure you have lots of boys who would take you home—I mean sometime—when you’re older.”
“Not that I’d consider them,” Clara said, keeping her eyes on her needle.
“Aren’t they as handsome as Paul?”
“Looks aren’t everything, you know.”
“I agree,” Ella said. “A good man makes his own good looks.”
“Then what would you say if I let Ezra take me home?” Clara asked, glancing up.
“Ezra?” Ella said, the surprise in her voice evident.
“See, there you go. What’s wrong with Ezra?”
“I’m sorry,” Ella said. “I thought Paul was the one you had your eye on since your school days.”
“Why don’t you like Ezra? Is it because he lives at the bottom of the hill, and his father doesn’t own a big farm? You think he’s not good enough, don’t you?”
“I didn’t say that.”
“But you thought it.”
“Well, Ezra is a solid boy, I guess. At least what I know of him.”
Clara laughed, “Solid. I like that. You make him sound like a rock or a piece of dirt. I haven’t dared tell Mamm yet, even though I think Ezra may ask me home soon.”
“What makes you think so?”
Clara blushed and admitted, “Because I encourage him. So there! I like him. Ever since the day in school when I saw how much I meant to him. A boy like that would go around the world for a girl—he really would, Ella. I know it’s hard to see what the boy is made of, hidden as it is under all his fears. But I don’t intend to make him run through a bunch of barnyard mud to get to me. I won’t make him think I’m so far above him that he has to be so much better than he is before he can have me. It’s not his fault he doesn’t live on top of the hill or that his daett doesn’t own a hundred acres.
“That boy has a heart of gold. He can make a horse do almost anything without a whip or a bridle. I saw him do it, Ella. Ezra can have my heart, and all of it, whenever he wants it. And I don’t care what anyone says.”
“Well,” Ella said, “that was quite a speech. And you expect me to disagree?”
“I don’t know,” Clara said, breathing hard. “But it felt gut to say it.”
Ella shrugged. “I don’t think either Mamm or Daett will object, and I certainly won’t.”
“It’s better than what Eli did,” Clara said. “At least Ezra’s not Englisha.”
“Don’t measure your life by Eli’s.”
“I know…it’s just always there, hanging in the air.”
“We will have to live above it somehow,” Ella said, thinking of her own feelings for a certain Englisha man. Thankfully Clara didn’t know about him.
Behind them footsteps came down the concrete steps. After a quick knock the basement door burst open, bringing in a blast of cold air.
“Mamm!” Ella and Clara said together as they bounced to their feet.
“Good morning!” Lizzie took off her shawl and bonnet. “If you can’t even hear your own mamm driving in, you must be having quite the sisterly talk.”
“Yah…guilty,” Ella admitted. “Why didn’t you yell for us? We would have come out to help you.”
“Because all I had to do was tie up and throw the blanket on the horse. I can’t stay long. There is a ton of work to do at home.”
Clara groaned.
“Before you complain too much, I have something for you,” Lizzie said. “Your daett and I had a long talk last night and we decided something. Now do you want to run out to the buggy and see what I brought?”
“What is it?” Clara asked.
“Just go,” Lizzie said, waving her hand. “Quick now, and bring them all in with you.”
“Did you bring anything for me?” Ella asked teasingly as Clara pulled on her coat and dashed out the door.
“No,” Lizzie said. “Daett and I talked about Clara, but not about you. I’m afraid your situation with Ivan is in the ministers’ hands. They will make the correct decisions, I’m sure.”
Ella was silent. Out the basement window she saw Clara racing back down the snowy stairs, risking life and limb in her haste.
“Clara!” Lizzie said when the door opened. “Slow down, child. You’ll fall and break something.”
Clara was dancing around the living room floor. “Ella, my pictures!”
“Yes, yes! Now calm down,” Lizzie said. “You will overwork yourself and be useless for the rest of the day.”
“Oh, Ella!” Clara squealed, waving the pictures around. “Just look!”
“Now just a minute,” Lizzie said. “We thought Ella might be able to sell what you’ve done, but you can’t draw anymore. Is that understood?”
“Oh, yes! Thank you,” Clara cried. “There is hope left in the world.”
“There is always hope, dear,” Lizzie said, hugging her tightly when Clara flew into her arms. “Your daett wants to be reasonable. But no more drawing for now—remember that.”
Ella took the pictures tenderly from Clara and carried them to the spare bed she used for a quilt display. “I will hang them on the wall as soon as the weather breaks. That way they’ll stay nice.”
Mary and Sarah got up to see the pictures everyone was excited about. They cooed over the drawings.
“They’re to look at, not to touch,” Ella warned.
Clara had calmed down. She turned to her mother and said, “Now might be the best time to tell you something you might not like.”
“Oh?” Lizzie said, glancing at Ella.
“Mamm, the sisterly talk you walked in on was about Ezra. Ella doesn’t think you’ll object if I tell you that if he asks me home, I’m going to say yes. I know he doesn’t have a big farm and lives at the bottom of the hill. Is Ella right? You won’t object?”
“Ezra?” Lizzie said. “Oh, Clara, I’ve known you’ve been interested in Ezra for quite some time. A mamm knows these things. You had me worried. I thought you were going to tell me something really awful.”
“So then you don’t mind?” Clara asked, studying her mamm’s face.
“Ezra’s a fine boy. I don’t object. Is that what you want to hear?”
Clara’s face broke into a smile.
“There now,” Lizzie said. “That’s settled. Now, really, we must get on the road.”
Ella hesitated, but since the da
y seemed to be one of confessions, she said, “Mamm, I should tell you that Eli stopped by last night. I spoke with him for a little while.”
“Eli?” Lizzie said, turning toward Ella. “Does he do this often?”
“No, Mamm,” Ella said. “I asked him to come by so I could speak with him.”
“He has stopped in at home a few times,” Lizzie said. “I suppose your daett won’t say too much, but do be careful with Eli—even if he is your brother.”
“Yah,” Ella said. “And I could have invited him in for supper, but I didn’t.”
“I know it’s hard,” Lizzie said. “We hope and pray he comes to his senses soon.” She turned to Clara. “And now, we really must be going.”
Ella watched from the doorway as they went up the stairs. At the top, her mamm turned and said, “Be careful with Ivan too.”
Ella nodded and closed the door as her mamm and Clara walked to the buggy.
Sarah wanted to watch them leave, so Ella held her up to the window as the two women drove down the driveway, vanishing from sight when they turned onto the main road.
“I wish I could go with them,” Sarah said.
“You can’t, darling. But your daett will come for you tonight. You’ll be going to your own home for the weekend.”
Sarah looked at her, eyes brimming with tears.
Ella glanced away. Ivan needs to resolve the girls’ fate before too long. Yet how will he do it? Certainly we can’t wed, even if I were agreeable. Not if there is a chance he might be excommunicated. And what of the Englisha woman he was seen with? Perhaps when he arrives for the girls we can talk about it.
With Clara gone, the afternoon passed slowly. Ella played with the girls between short shifts working on the quilt. Sometime after three she gathered the girls’ things, and for the second time in the day was surprised by the sudden sound of footsteps coming down the stairs. When she opened the door, Ivan stood there, looking rather pathetic she thought. His hat was lowered almost to his eyebrows, as if to hide as much of his face as possible. When he took it off, his hair was unkempt. His trousers looked unchanged for the entire week and had straw and little pieces of silage hanging on them.
Ella Finds Love Again (Little Valley 3) Page 19