Adam's Heart Read online

  Adam’s Heart

  By Marianne Spitzer

  © December 2017

  This book is a work of fiction. All the names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to persons living or dead, events, locations, or organizations is purely coincidental. All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced without the written consent of the author.

  Acknowledgements

  There are many people I would like to thank for their help and understanding while I wrote this book, but first and foremost, I want to thank God for all His blessings. I also wish to thank my family and friends for their patience and understanding when I disappear into my writing world especially my son, Lance, for his unwavering support. Last, but by no means least, I would like to thank my loyal readers who read my books and leave reviews. I couldn’t do this without you. You’re the best.

  Adam’s Heart

  A Gentle Falls Mail-Order Bride Romance

  By Marianne Spitzer

  Chapter One

  Adam Greiner stopped before he entered Sarah’s Seamstress Shop and checked to see if any customers were inside. He saw Molly hanging a dress on a rack and decided to enter.

  “Good morning, Molly. Is Sarah here?” Adam asked while he turned his hat around in his hands.

  “She’s in the back. Just a minute and I’ll get her.” Molly smiled at the handsome young man and disappeared through the dark blue curtain that separated the showroom from the workroom. She returned in less than a minute with Sarah.

  Sarah pushed through the curtain and said, “Hello, Adam. What brings you in so early? You don’t need a dress, do you? I don’t think I have anything for your Ma.”

  Adam shook his head. “No, Sarah, I received a letter from a young lady that Mrs. Brutherington thinks would make a good match for me.”

  “That’s wonderful, Adam. Does she seem like someone you’d be interested in corresponding with?”

  Adam nodded. “Now that Ma is over the shock of my wanting to get married, I’d like to find a wife sooner rather than later. Rebecca Broadmoor sounds like a nice young woman. I’m going to answer right away. I wanted to share my news with you since you were so helpful when I decided to look for a bride.”

  “Bride, don’t get a bride,” Cal said as he barged into the seamstress shop in rumpled clothing and without his hat.

  Sarah spun to look at him, “What’s wrong Cal? Did you and Nell have an argument?”

  “No, but with a bride comes a baby and with a baby comes screaming. I can’t take it anymore. I can’t stand to hear Nell in pain. Is it always this way, Sarah?” Cal ran his hands through his hair and searched Sarah’s eyes for an answer.

  Sarah’s hand flew to her mouth, “Nell’s having the baby? It’s a month early. Is Doc Winters with her?”

  “Yeah, and Minnie. She made me go downstairs because Doc said I couldn’t go in the room. Minnie said I should eat something. Who can eat with Nell in pain?” Cal paced back and forth rapidly hitting his fists on his thighs.

  “Cal,” Sarah said softly, “Birthing takes time, and there’s pain, but women have done this since Biblical times. Nell will be all right, but Minnie’s made a good suggestion. You need something to eat and some tea. Adam, can you take Cal to the hotel for breakfast and sit with him for a while? I’ll get Giles to come to the hotel, too.”

  Cal shook his head. “Giles went home. He ran over to the restaurant when he heard a scream and thought something was wrong. When I told him Nell was having the baby, he said he’d work at home.”

  “All right, just go on with Adam and have something to eat. You’ll feel better and maybe by the time you’ve finished eating, the baby will be here. Someone will come to the hotel and get you.” She patted Cal on the arm, and he mumbled and walked out of the shop. Adam led him in the direction of the hotel.

  Molly rushed out from the back room as soon as she heard the men leave. “Nell’s having the baby. How exciting. I’m surprised Giles didn’t rush over here to tell you.”

  “I’m glad he went home. It’s hard enough to get him to let me work every day. I can’t imagine what he’ll say after what he heard this morning.” She laid her hand on her expanding stomach. “He’s as bad as Cal, maybe worse.”

  “Look,” Molly said. “Here comes Minnie.”

  Minnie bustled into the shop nearly out of breath. “Did Cal come over here?”

  “Yes, Adam took him to the hotel for breakfast. How is Nell? Is the baby here?” Sarah asked.

  “What? Oh, yes, it’s a boy but keep Cal away. She’ll deliver the next one quicker, but it’s still difficult,” she exclaimed as she rushed back out of the shop.

  “Twins,” Sarah mumbled. “Can you imagine what Cal’s going to do? Giles will have a nervous breakdown. He hovers over me all the time. If he gets the idea, I could have twins he’ll be much worse.”

  Molly giggled at Sarah.

  “Don’t laugh, your time will come. Imagine Ben’s face when you’re able to share this type of news.” Sarah twisted her lip and stared at Molly.

  Molly paled. “Oh, my, I didn’t think of that. He’s too overprotective as it is now. I believe we need a cup of tea before we get back to work.”

  “And say a prayer for Nell. I can’t imagine having twins. Now, I understand why she’s delivering early and grew so large this past month.”

  ~ * ~

  Cal followed Adam to the hotel mumbling the entire way. He sat at a table near the window and said, “I don’t know why we’re here. I own a restaurant. I could cook us breakfast, and I’m not hungry.”

  Adam didn’t have any idea what to say to help Cal through this. Women and babies were not an everyday conversation for him or most men. Fortunately, the waiter walked up, and Adam told him to bring a lot of coffee and two large breakfasts. The waiter nodded and hurried off.

  Adam still had his letter in his hand, and Cal looked at him through bloodshot eyes. “You plan on getting married? Do you know how hard marriage can be, son?”

  “I thought you and Nell are happy.”

  “We are,” Cal agreed. “But women are hard to understand.” He leaned closer to the table and confided, “Women must be braver and stronger than they let on. There are women in town that have six or eight children. After what I heard this morning, I don’t know how they survive one birth.” He rubbed his hands over his face just as the waiter set the coffee cups on the table.

  Before Adam could answer Cal, the waiter set plates of ham, fried potatoes, scrambled eggs, and biscuits in front of them. Cal nodded, and Adam thanked the waiter.

  “Cal, eat something. You’ll need your strength once the baby’s born. I do know that Nell will need a lot of sleep after and you’ll need to watch over your little one.”

  Cal nodded without speaking and pushed a forkful of eggs in his mouth. Adam took the opportunity to reread the letter.

  Dear Mr. Greiner,

  My name is Rebecca Broadmoor, and I am eighteen years old. I have light brown hair and green eyes. I currently reside in Ohio and answered an ad in our local paper placed by Mrs. Brutherington.

  I grew up on a farm and can do all expected farm chores and am a good cook. At least my Papa said I was before he passed. I understand you have a small ranch and intend to raise horses. I believe I could be of use to you on the ranch.

  Mrs. Brutherington assured me you are a God-fearing man. I am a God-fearing woman and would never consider a match with a man unless he attended church and is a believer.

  If you have any questions, please write and ask. I will answer them honestly.

  Sincerely,

  Rebecca Broadmoor

  Adam slid the letter back into his pocket and ate his breakfast. For a man
who claimed he wasn’t hungry, Cal finished his plate before Adam was half-through. The food did Cal some good since the frantic look in his eyes was gone when he spoke to Adam.

  “Sorry if I was out of line earlier. I didn’t mean to tell you not to marry.”

  “I understand. You’re worried about Nell.”

  “I am, but Sarah’s right. Babies are born every day. Nell will be fine,” Cal answered and lifted his cup to take a sip of coffee.

  Minnie’s youngest son burst into the dining room, “Cal, Ma said you should come home now.”

  Cal dropped the cup on the table and glanced at Adam with the same frantic look he wore earlier just before he shot out of the chair and the hotel.

  Adam paid for their breakfast, walked into the hotel lobby, and asked the clerk for a pen, ink, paper, and an envelope.

  “Sure thing, Mr. Greiner. Feel free to use one of our lobby tables; it’s quiet in here this morning.”

  “Thanks,” Adam answered and found a chair and small table in the corner. He pulled out the envelope and reread Rebecca’s letter. He needed to answer and post it before his Ma knew he wrote to Rebecca. Not that she’d mind, but knowing his Ma, she’d want Adam to write some silly words. He wanted Rebecca to get to know the real man he was.

  Dear Miss Broadmoor,

  I was pleased to receive your letter. I assume Mrs. Brutherington shared my information with you since you mentioned the horse ranch. The three-bedroom home on the property is thirty years old, but it is clean and updated. I believe you will find it acceptable.

  Yes, I am a God-fearing man and attend weekly services. Occasionally, I miss a Sunday service if we are in the middle of a blizzard. I do try to attend as often as possible. I am a believer and agree that without belief in God, we would never make a good match.

  I don’t have any questions, but please write and tell me more about what you like to do. I love riding horses and working the ranch. In case you didn’t know, I am a bit over six-feet tall and have blonde hair and hazel eyes.

  I look forward to hearing from you again.

  Respectfully,

  Adam Greiner

  Adam sat back, read the letter over, decided he sounded stupid and hoped Rebecca wouldn’t agree. He quickly slipped the letter into the envelope, addressed it, and sealed it before he had a chance to change his mind. He returned the ink to the clerk along with a few coins and a word of thanks, then headed for the mercantile to send off what he hoped was the beginning of his future.

  The street was unusually quiet except for hammering at both ends of town. Judge Magarey and Mr. Willoughby, the bank owner, were pleased the construction of the town hall was well underway. The three-story building would be the tallest building in town. Between the judge’s insistence that a jail cell was added for women only in case he ever had to oversee a female’s trial again and Mr. Willoughby’s distaste for privies and his resolve that indoor plumbing be added to every new structure in town, the town hall was the talk of Gentle Falls.

  The hammering assaulting Adam’s peace from the other side of town came from the new saloon. Since Silas Underwood sat in the Waupun State Prison for attempted abductions, his silent partner Malcolm Reed came to town to rebuild the saloon previously destroyed by a suspicious fire. The new construction rules of no porches facing Main Street to keep any soiled dove from hanging over the railings to entice the men angered Mr. Reed, but rules are rules. If he tried to break them, not only would he face the wrath of the town council, but also the Church Ladies Society determined to stop the construction. Mr. Willoughby’s wife, Alberta, headed the Society and Adam was sure that Malcolm had no desire to listen to another lecture from the excitable woman and her friends.

  Adam smiled wondering as he crossed the street to the mercantile, which side would win if the ladies decided to band together and fight Malcolm. He could imagine his Ma marching down the street with the rest of the ladies from church and shook his head. Adam glanced at the letter he held and hoped Rebecca wouldn’t want to join the ladies in the quest to clear the town of Malcolm Reed and his saloon. Surely, she’d be the perfect wife helping on the ranch, cooking meals and baking, raising their children, and submitting to all his requests. She wouldn’t consider joining Mrs. Willoughby and her causes. After all, a wife is supposed to listen to her husband, isn’t she? That’s what his Pa always says, but when he does his Ma just walks away laughing.

  Chapter Two

  After Adam dropped the letter off at the mercantile, he crossed Main Street and headed for the seamstress shop pulling his hat a bit lower as the wind picked up. Hoping no ladies would be there, Adam opened the door and called out Sarah’s name.

  “Hi, Adam, you’re back. Come in. I take it Cal went home?” Sarah answered as she turned from the shelves of colorful fabric she was busy straightening.

  “He sure did. Minnie’s son ran into the hotel dining room yelling that Cal needed to get home. I take it Nell had her baby,” Adam said and removed his hat and gripping it in his hands.

  “That she did. Actually, she had twins,” Sarah smiled at the nervous young man. “You look a bit pale, are you all right?”

  “Yes, I think. I did it. I wrote a letter to Rebecca Broadmoor and dropped it off at the mercantile. Now, I’m worried she won’t write back and more that she will. Maybe I should write another and tell her it was all a mistake.” He turned to head back out the door.

  Sarah shook her head, and Molly came out from the back room. “Hi, Adam. I thought I heard your voice. You look a bit green, do you want to sit down?”

  Adam nodded and dropped into a blue tufted chair next to the front counter. “I sent a letter to a possible bride, but I don’t know if I should try and get it back or write another one and tell her I changed my mind.”

  Molly, wearing one of Sarah’s newly designed dresses in deep blue that nearly matched her eyes, flashed a bright smile at Adam hoping to help him relax. “Why would you change your mind? I know you’ve thought about this for a while now.”

  Adam rubbed his hand over his face. “I’m not sure. What if I make a mistake? What if she hates me when she sees me or I don’t like her? She could have a personality to rival Alberta Willoughby.” Adam visibly shuddered.

  “Adam,” Sarah said softly, “That is why you write letters and when she arrives you wait for a bit of time before the wedding.”

  “That still might not work, Sarah. Look what happened with your first marriage.” Adam stared straight into Sarah’s eyes.

  Sarah bit her lip and then frowned. “Adam, that was a very different story. When I left Chicago and headed to Kansas as a mail-order bride, I didn’t take the time to get to know Harold. I didn’t know anyone in town, and I was isolated on his farm. My story is not the same for all brides. When Harold died, and I came here to see Nell, my life changed.”

  “I know. You married Giles, but he’s a good man, and you met him here. Look at Nell’s mail-order bride experience. It was a mess. Matthew wasn’t here when she arrived. Do these things ever work out?” Adam asked and ran his hand through his blonde hair. He debated bolting out of the shop and heading back to the mercantile. Louis was his friend as well as the postmaster. Surely he could get his letter back. Louis would understand, wouldn’t he?

  “Of course things work out more often than not. Matthew may not have been here when Nell arrived, but she met Cal, and they fell in love. She’s blissful and just had twins. Her story is happy.” A bright smile crossed Sarah’s face as she spoke of the twins.

  Adam’s eyebrows knitted as he thought it all over. “Cal was upset this morning.”

  “He was worried,” Molly interjected. “I can imagine he’s happy and excited right now. Minnie said the first baby was a boy. We’re waiting a while before we go over and see Nell. She might have two sons, and that would make Cal happy.”

  Adam nodded. “Maybe I should wait for Rebecca to write me back before I make a decision.”

  Molly nodded, and Sarah agreed. Adam stood and t
hanked his friends. “I better get back to my ranch. Oh, I forgot to tell you, Pa gave me half of my inheritance when I told him and Ma that I wanted to find a bride. It’s the section with the original house and barn. If Rebecca marries me, I have a nice place for her to live, but it needs a bit of work before I move my horses over.”

  Sarah hugged Adam, “Don’t worry. Take your time, and everything will work out fine.”

  Considering everything that Sarah and Molly said, Adam asked, “But doesn’t a wife have to submit to her husband? I mean when I marry, my wife won’t march with the church ladies if I tell her not to will she? My Ma does what she wants pretty much, and Pa just lets her. My sister is worse. She pushes her husband around like he was one of her children. Can I insist my wife obey me before we marry?”

  Molly quickly covered her mouth to stifle a giggle and hurried into the back room. She thought of her husband, Ben, and knew that if Adam spoke to him, he’d never marry. Molly had a mind of her own and the word obey was not part of her mindset.

  Sarah swallowed and tried to answer Adam the best she could since she was part of the Church Ladies group and agreed with Alberta Willoughby. “Adam, this is why you and your young lady will exchange letters and then spend time here getting to know each other. No one will force either of you to marry if it isn’t what you want. Take your time and see if you suit. I’m sure you will make a good decision.”

  Adam left feeling a bit better about the idea of courting Rebecca. He hadn’t taken two steps when he was nearly accosted by Cordelia Willoughby. Adam inwardly groaned as she slipped her arm in his. Her perfume, which she explained on previous encounters, came from Paris, but Adam preferred the scent of his horse barn. The woman dressed to perfection in stunning dresses that showed off her female attributes, but Adam was not interested in Cordelia. He preferred to keep his distance from her and her cantankerous Aunt Alberta.

  “Adam darling, I haven’t seen you in days. You should visit town and me more often. I miss you. How will we ever be able to decide on our future if you don’t call on me more often? My aunt said you should come for Sunday dinner soon. Please say you will,” she batted her eyelashes at him and smiled a sugary smile that Adam knew was as fake as Cordelia herself.