Courting Miss Adelaide. Janet Dean

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СКАЧАТЬ Do you see this was my last chance—” Adelaide blinked hard and pulled away her hand.

      “I’m sorry, dear,” Laura said, her heartfelt tone bringing a lump to Adelaide’s throat.

      “No, I’m the one who’s sorry for burdening you with this.”

      “Don’t be silly! I’m your friend.” Laura slapped the table. “That committee is made up of nitwits.”

      “Some nitwits. Only the superintendent of schools, the president of the bank, the editor of our newspaper—”

      “Mr. Graves?” Laura scooted to the edge of her seat.

      “None other.”

      “Now there is a handsome man,” Laura said, with a grin. “Looks like his father.”

      Adelaide gasped. “You knew Mr. Graves’s father?”

      Laura nodded, her eyes shining like a brand-new penny. “He grew up in Noblesville. Back then, I had a huge crush on Adam Graves. But he only had eyes for your mother.”

      “My mother?”

      “Yes, dear, it might astonish you to hear this, but as a young woman, Constance Gunder reigned as belle of the county.”

      Her mother had been an attractive woman, but the pained expression she’d worn as long as Adelaide could remember suggested Constance had never known a happy day in her life.

      “For a long while, Adam and your mother were inseparable,” Laura continued. “Everyone assumed they’d marry.”

      Adelaide hadn’t been told any of this. Why had her mother gone from belle to bitter? “What happened?”

      “Constance fell in love with your father. Not a staying kind of man, but he swept your mother off her feet.” Laura sighed. “Adam moved away right after that. Landed in Cincinnati, I believe. Your folks got married. As far as I know, Adam never came back, not even to visit his parents before they died.”

      “That seems callous.”

      “A broken heart can change a man—and a woman. I’ve always wondered if that’s what damaged your mother.”

      Adelaide shook her head. “My mother never opened her heart enough to get it broken.” She ran her finger around the cup’s rim. “Did you know my father?”

      “Not really. A fun-loving, charming traveling salesman with dimples—that pretty much describes Calvin Crum.”

      “Do you know why he left?”

      Laura shook her head. “Constance never confided in me.” Laura pursed her lips, as if cutting off something she wanted to say, then brightened. “Well, all that’s water under the bridge.” She waggled her brows. “I understand Adam Graves’s son is available.”

      “For what?”

      “For your ad, what else? And you better get over there, before all these hats start gathering dust.” Laura returned to her tea, her face the picture of innocence, knowing full well she’d used the exact words that would convince Adelaide to place the ad and put her into the presence of Mr. Graves.

      Whether Adelaide wanted to deal with the editor or not, she needed cash to buy supplies. She couldn’t afford to dip into her meager savings.

      Besides, she had another pressing reason to see him. “I do owe Mr. Graves and the entire committee an apology.”

      “Why?”

      “I lost my temper at the distribution of the orphans.” Adelaide glanced at her hands.

      “I’d have wanted to give them a piece of my mind, too.”

      “Yes, but you wouldn’t have. I’ve asked God’s forgiveness.” She swallowed. “But I’ve put off the next step.”

      Laura nodded. “You’ll be doing the right thing. You can place the ad as an act of repentance and good business.” Laura smiled, then rose to give Adelaide a quick hug. “I’ll be back to quilt on Monday. I’m only blocks away if you need me,” Laura said, then left.

      Adelaide restored order to the shop and then climbed the stairs, her stomach lurching at the prospect of facing Mr. Graves and the entire committee. If she had more say in what happened, maybe she wouldn’t be in this mess. In her world, an unmarried woman couldn’t discern anger in a man, couldn’t challenge the decisions of men. Couldn’t be deemed fit to rear a motherless child, though countless widows raised their own children.

      If only I had a way to get through to these men, to let my voice be heard.

      Then maybe—

      “Oh, why am I even bothering to dream about what can’t be undone?” she said to the empty room.

      Adelaide whipped off the apron, smoothed her navy skirt and then donned hat and gloves. Mr. Graves would not see how dejected she’d been since the committee’s decision.

      In fact, she wouldn’t let Mr. Graves see her heart at all.

      Downstairs, she flipped the sign in the window to CLOSED, left the shop and stood at the edge of the boardwalk, waiting while horses of every description clopped past. The sight of the huge animals always left Adelaide weak in the knees. Would she ever get over her fear of horses?

      Seeing an opening, she hustled across the street, holding the hem of her skirt out of the dust. Arriving safely on the other side without being crushed by the temperamental beasts, she heaved a sigh of relief. In front of The Ledger, she took a moment to slow her breathing. Grasping the handle of the door, she turned the knob when the door burst open.

      A young man slammed into her. The red-faced youth steadied her with his hand. “Excuse me, miss! Are you all right?”

      Adelaide fluffed her leg-of-mutton sleeves. “I’m fine.”

      “I’m sorry, I didn’t see you. I’m rushing to get to the courthouse. A horse thief is being arraigned today, and I’m sitting in on the trial.” Holding a pad and pencil aloft, he puffed out his chest like a bantam rooster. “I’m a reporter.”

      “Not apt to be one for long if you knock down a loyal reader, James,” warned a deep masculine voice, a familiar voice that sent a wave of heat to Adelaide’s cheeks.

      The young man’s complexion also deepened to the color of beets. The editor smiled, softening the harshness of his words, and gave Adelaide a wink. The second time he’d winked at her. Despite everything, she couldn’t help but smile back.

      “Don’t worry. I’ll take care of Miss Crum.”

      Adelaide’s gaze darted to the editor. Heavenly days, no one took care of her. Even hearing the words unsettled and somehow thrilled her, too.

      “I’ll expect a full report on the proceedings, James.”

      The young man nodded, then took off at a run across the street, his long legs dodging buggies and wagons on his way to the courthouse.

      Adelaide СКАЧАТЬ