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clenched their teeth or shook their heads from side to side.
    Ella led him outside while Clara shut the barn door behind them.
    “He’s a nice horse,” Clara said, holding up the shafts of the buggy.
    “Daniel picked a good one,” Ella agreed.
    “He’s gut with such things.”
    “Yah, he is,” Ella said. Would Clara still think Daniel was gut if she knew about his visit last night? Clara is a little young for such information. Likely she would blame me for a lost opportunity rather than Daniel for his muddled state of mind. I guess Daniel’s visit best remain my secret .
    Clara climbed in and held the reins as the horse stood patiently until Ella had climbed in.
    “Getup,” she said softly, slapping the reins. The gelding threw his head in the air and took off with a jaunty air.
    “He is a nice horse,” Clara said, smiling.
    “A real nice horse,” Ella said as they pulled out of the driveway, wondering whether everyone had as many secrets as she did.

Seven
     
    T hey drove south and turned east at the river. A fog hung heavy along the banks, making a mist that increased the early summer morning chill. Ella searched for and found the light buggy blanket under the seat. Clara pulled it up well over her knees.
    “I don’t like this spooky weather,” she whispered.
    “It’s just the clouds come down low.” Ella smiled. “Aden always liked a fog along the river, and I think I learned to enjoy it from him.”
    “Not everyone’s like Aden.”
    “I know,” Ella said, feeling her mood dip. She slapped the reins, and the horse responded quickly enough by settling into a steady climb up from the river. They broke out of the mist to see the crest of Seager Hill in front of them.
    Her parents’ place sat on the ridge, surrounded by Amish farms on either side. A sweep of the valley opened toward the east and west to the low mountains. Ella had always loved the place.
    “Mamm will be lookin’ for us with all the work that’s to be done,” Clara said.
    “I know.” Ella slapped the reins again. “I think I’ll stay awhile and help out. Perhaps I can make up for the use of you last night.”
    “I wanted to stay,” Clara said, “and I hope Mamm lets me come some more—even often.”
    Ella agreed with a nod of her head, pulled to a stop at the bottom of the valley, and then turned left. The horse slowed on the climb up the hill, but Ella was glad to see he wasn’t winded as they pulled into the driveway.
    While Clara held the shafts, Ella unhitched the horse because she planned to stay at least till noon. Clara waited until Ella returned from the barn, and together they walked toward the house. Ella expected their mom to meet them at the door, or perhaps Dora would. She hadn’t been gone so long but that their arrival still warranted some level of interest.
    With no one to greet them, Clara walked on in without a knock. Ella supposed she would have done the same, and yet the feeling was a strange one now that she didn’t live at home. Do I just walk in without notice? I suppose so. Some things are just like that—home, family, and where one belongs. They grip the heart with roots that can hardly be dislodged. It’s the way things are supposed to be .
    Ella followed Clara into the silent house. Surely her mom was close by, occupied with some task, which kept her from a friendly greeting at the front door.
    Through the familiar living room opening, the muffled cries they heard stopped them short. Clara glanced at Ella but said nothing. When Ella stepped forward, Clara followed. Cautiously, Ella entered the living room to find her mom and Dora seated on the couch. Mamm held her handkerchief tightly. Her tears were thick on her cheeks, and a muffled sob still hung in the air.
    “What’s wrong?” Ella gasped while a hundred fears raced through her mind. Has there been another accident? Has Daett been injured? Maybe Eli or Monroe? Since there was no sign of her two brothers or dad, she expected the