Ella Finds Love Again (36 page)

“Amen,” the bishop said, and Ella raised her head along with the others. She wanted to wipe her eyes, but that would draw attention and, no doubt, teasing.

“So Robert made it through instruction class,” the girl beside her said, spreading peanut butter on her bread.

“Yah,” Ella said, trying to keep her voice clear. “He seems really excited about Amish life.”

“It’s not often that we have someone join from the outside.”

“No, it’s not. But Robert is really different. He cares about getting away from the world and starting a new life.”

“With one eye on you, of course.”

Ella laughed. “Believe me, I couldn’t hold him if that was all there was to it.”

“You underestimate yourself, if you ask me,” the girl said. “Wasn’t Bishop Miller after your hand?”

“Let’s just say we weren’t suited for each other,” Ella said.

“Well, he seems to agree with you since he helped Robert out the way he did.”

“That’s because he sees what a great person Robert is.”

“Aw, you would say so,” the girl said. “But I must agree he’s a nice man.”

“He’s taken, just remember that,” Ella said with a smile.

“Oh I know. What a rotten deal.”

They laughed together quietly.

Ten minutes later the bishop’s voice boomed through the house. “If we have now eaten, let us give thanks.”

They bowed again, and after the prayer Ella stood and helped clean the table, soon catching a glimpse of Robert coming out of the barn, leading his horse. He was a little early, but so much the better. She slipped quietly away and gathered her shawl and bonnet in the washroom. He had the horse hitched and was driving up to the end of the walk when she came out of the doorway.

“Good afternoon,” he said, reaching down to take her hand and help her up to the buggy seat.

She took his hand and swung up to sit beside him.

“Amish boys don’t help their girls up the buggy steps,” she said. “You’re going to have to learn that. It will make us soft or something.”

“What has that got to do with me?” he asked, slapping the reins, guiding the horse out of the lane, the muscles on his arms rippling under his long shirt sleeves.

She reached over to run her hand from his shoulder to his elbow.

“Hey,” he said, “you didn’t answer my question.”

“Because you’re Amish now,” she said.

“I guess that’s right,” he said with a short laugh. “It feels like I’ve been one for a long time.”

“It looks like it too,” she said, touching his arm again. “One would think you’ve been working outside for months already. You’ve lost all that city fat, and there’s nothing left but muscle.”

“So that makes a real Amish?”

“It helps,” she said, snuggling up against him. “But the baptism was what really did it.”

“How am I supposed to drive a buggy if you keep leaning against me?”

“Just keep your hands on the lines. I don’t want to land in the ditch.”

“Do you think we could land in the ditch?”

“I doubt it—at least not with you driving.”

“Then I should be able to drive with one hand, right?”

“We would wreck for sure,” she said, pushing his hand off her shoulder and placing it back on the lines. “Just drive.”

“Did I do okay today?”

“Do okay with what? Everything you do is okay.”

“Act like an Amish man at my Amish baptism?”

“I couldn’t have been more Amish myself.”

“Well, that’s saying something.” He beamed.

“Don’t get proud now. That’s a big, big sin.”

“I know,” he said, draping his arm around her shoulder.

She snuggled tighter against him, leaving his arm there.

“I changed my name last week,” he said. “To Bontrager, like I said I would.”

“You did not,” she said, sitting bolt upright and dislodging his arm. “But you had a perfectly wonderful name.”

“It’s legal now, so there’s nothing you can do about it.”

“Robert,” she said, “I can’t believe it.”

“Won’t you marry me now?” he asked, his arm stealing back to her shoulder.

“I’d marry you if your name were Robert Blight, you know that.”

“That’s a
gut
feeling,” he said, laughing and pulling her close.

“Let’s stop here,” she said, pointing. “Tie up by that fence post. I want to walk with you down by the river.”

“Whoa,” he called to the horse, pulling on the lines. “The missus-to-be wants to walk by the river.”

Ella waited while he tied the horse. Then she took his hand and led him to the water’s edge where they listened to the sound of the water running merrily over the rocks.

“It’s beautiful here,” he said, drawing her close again.

“It’s more than beautiful,” she said. “But not half as wonderful as you are.”

She lifted her face to his, and he slowly took her in his arms and kissed her. Moments later he held her at arm’s length.

“Was that an Amish kiss?” he asked, chuckling softly.

“It was a baptized kiss.”

“It’s the best I’ve had yet.”

“It had better be,” she said, glaring at him before lifting her face again.

After another kiss they watched the water run, the spray from the rocks flying skyward, the light rays seeping down through the trees and sparkling like diamonds.

“There was a time,” she said, “when I thought I would never be happy again.”

“And I thought I’d never find happiness.”

“Do you think we’ll grow old together, and have a dozen children gathered around us?”

“Whoa, whoa,” he said. “One thing at time! And you already have three girls, so that’s a good start.”

“And you will be their daett, Robert. Do you know how wonderful that is of you?”

“It won’t be hard,” he said. “They’re wonderful girls. Where are they today?”

“Susanna has them so I could enjoy your baptismal day with you all to myself.”

“And now I have you all to myself.”

“See,” she said, pointing to a tree. “It’s a great day, and that cardinal is getting ready to sing a song for us.”

“I believe it is,” he said, watching the red bird fly to a higher branch. They waited as the minutes passed, the bird bobbed its head, stared at them, and then burst into song.

“Purdy, purdy, purdy…sweet, sweet, sweet,” it sang.

On the second round Ella burst into tears, sobbing into Robert’s shoulder.

“Now, now,” he said, holding her tight.

“It’s too good to be true,” she whispered.

“Perhaps,” he said, “but it just is. You and I—we were meant to be.”

Forty-four

Dear Journal,

It’s been a long time since I’ve written to you, a very long time because so much has been going on. The past few months especially were busy with the wedding preparations, the food that had to be made, and all the other little details. Mamm was a true wonder, as always, with her planning skills. She even figured out a way to get everyone in the barn at Seager Hill for the preaching service and filled the house—from the upstairs to the basement—for the meal.

I chose a really dark green for my wedding dress, and a slightly lighter green for my two witnesses. The table waiter girls wore dark brown, and the boys wore brown shirts. The day could not have been nicer if we had ordered the weather from heaven. The house ended up jammed to the limit, but Mamm did it. She is a very gut mamm in more ways than one.

Robert gripped my hand tightly up in the hayloft when the bishop joined mine and his. I don’t think he knew Amish people don’t do that, but it didn’t matter really. I’m sure I saw a little smile on the bishop’s face. Robert is like that. He forgets that he’s not really Amish-born, and we forget that he ever was Englisha.

I was so glad the wedding could be at Seager Hill. Sure, I would still have been married to Robert anywhere else, even here at the house on Chapman Road, but it was so much better at home, up on the hill, looking down on the rolling valley of my childhood. It was almost like another sign from heaven, a great lifting of spirits, as if I needed it once more, and then the freshness of it all when Robert drove me home after the singing.

It was after midnight, the night still warm, and we had the buggy doors open. I wanted to stop by the little stream to hear the water jingle in the moonlight, but I figured Robert wanted to get home.

Yes, the house on Chapman Road is his home now, as well as mine. How strange that a few words spoken by the bishop and the joining of hands can so change life. I don’t think there are many other things with that kind of power.

I waited in the driveway while Robert unhitched the horse, and we walked hand-in-hand toward the house. The girls were at Susanna’s for a few days, and Joe and Ronda were gone for a visit to his folks—by design, of course. At the basement door, Robert scooped me up and carried me inside.

I laughed and asked him what he was doing. He said it was an Englisha custom, this carrying of the bride across the threshold. I have never heard of such a thing, but it seemed right that on our wedding night there should be something present from Robert’s old world.

Robert’s love consumed me that night until I wondered if I loved him too much. I don’t know…I guess it’s possible. I only know that I love this man when not too long ago I was sure I would never love again. Such things are beyond me to figure out.

I am just a simple girl now…and happy beyond measure.

Discussion Questions

  1. Is Ella correct in her determination to place the three Stutzman girls’ happiness above her own and marry Ivan?

  2. Why does Ella’s courage fail her when Ivan proposes?

  3. Are Ella’s fears, stirred by the sight of Bishop Miller leading out at the graveside service, valid? Has the young bishop not forgotten her? And to what means will he go to win her hand?

  4. Should Ella have revealed her attraction for Robert Hayes after he shows up at her doorstep announcing his plans to join the Amish?

  5. To what degree was Ronda’s friendship and advice a help or a hindrance with Ella’s desire to untangle her feelings about her suitors?

  6. Is Robert aware of Bishop Miller’s attempted maneuvers when he shows up to ask Ella for German lessons?

  7. Would Ivan’s troubles with the church have led to excommunication if he had not attended the
Englisha
church in town?

  8. To what extent did Ivan’s dreams of his deceased wife Lois affect his church decisions?

  9. Was Ella reckless in taking a meal over to Ivan and sitting down to eat with him after the excommunication?

10. What does Ella’s evening with the three girls on the night of Old Christmas reveal about her character?

11. To what extent did Eli’s concern and subsequent investigation of Robert aid or hinder Ella?

12. What was the turning point of the story?

About the Author

Jerry Eicher’s
bestselling Amish fiction (more than 250,000 in combined sales) includes The Adams County Trilogy, the Hannah’s Heart books, and the Little Valley Series. After a traditional Amish childhood, Jerry taught for two terms in Amish and Mennonite schools in Ohio and Illinois. Since then he’s been involved in church renewal, preaching, and teaching Bible studies. Jerry lives with his wife, Tina, and their four children in Virginia.

More fine Amish fiction from Harvest House Publishers

Rebecca’s Promise, Rebecca’s Return,
and
Rebecca’s Choice
by Jerry Eicher