Hart's Longing (Secrets In Idyll Wood Book 1)

by Marisa Masterson

  This was not what Manny expected. A thoughtful expression shadowed his face. He shook his head and sighed. “I wish…”

  Hart wasn’t going to push him any harder about his wasted evenings. Instead he looked around to be sure plenty of folks were in the bank to act as witnesses to the coming conversation.

  “Please request that your dad come out of his office. I have to speak with him out here.”

  Manny moved to the office door and softly knocked. After poking his head in and speaking too softly for Hart to make out the words, he returned to his teller cage. Mr. Strong followed quickly behind him.

  “Mr. Bahr, our connection was severed as of yesterday. I can’t imagine what…”

  Hart took control of the conversation, much to the surprise of his former employer if his expression was anything to go by. “I am here to make you aware of a doctor bill you need to pay. Due to your son’s criminal behavior, Miss Fuller required medical attention last evening. I expect your word that you will pay for the visit.”

  The few customers in the bank edged even closer, standing directly behind him. Their presence would help, he knew, since public opinion was very important to the bank owner.

  After clearing his throat to speak, Mr. Strong said…nothing. He merely nodded his head and stomped back into his office.

  Facing the men who stood behind him, Hart solemnly challenged them. “You’re witnesses and can pass the word to Doc that Mr. Strong will pay.” All of them affirmed that they would.

  Before meeting Zelly and Greta at the dry goods store, he sent a telegram to Rebecca and David. He needed to let them know that he was arriving earlier than expected in Cashton.

  Within a few days, he left Idyll Wood. He’d gone ahead of Zelly to arrange a place to live and for a private wedding to take place.

  Zelly insisted on this. She told him she wanted Rebecca with her when she married and she wanted to marry in the town where their life together would start.

  So it was that he rode the train to Sparta alone and then rented a buggy to get him to Cashton. David Hildreth had told him about the special arrangement the livery in Cashton had with the livery nearest the train depot in Sparta. He rented the buggy in Sparta but returned it in Cashton.

  In the end, he drove the same horse and buggy back to Sparta. Back to the depot. This time, however, he wouldn’t make the return journey to his new home alone.

  At least he hoped not. That’s what he told himself while a swarm of locust danced in his gut.

  What if she changes her mind? What if she’s too afraid to leave home or decides she doesn’t want to marry me?

  A not too distant train whistle alerted him to its approach. He would soon have his questions answered. Rather than arriving quickly, Hart thought that the train took all the day and most of the next to pull into the station. He forced himself to stay still when, actually, he longed to race down the track and urge it to move faster.

  Still, he watched and waited. A conductor placed wooden steps near the door of the passenger car and stood with his hand out, ready to help the female passengers descend.

  Even though her face was tipped downward as she maneuvered the steps, Tante Greta was immediately recognizable. He could pick her out of any crowd as long as she wore her best Sunday bonnet.

  Striding forward to meet her, he stopped next to the conductor. Once there, he saw the gorgeous blonde hair of the passenger who followed behind Greta. The sweet relief of seeing her chased the locusts out of his stomach.

  Holding his own hand up and signaling to the conductor with a nod toward Zelly, Hart’s hand gripped hers as she made her way down the steps. At the familiar tingle passed between them, he saw her look up quickly. When he realized that she was losing her balance, his other hand and arm came around her waist and he swung her down to the platform.

  The spot was too public for the greeting he ached to give her. In lieu of it, he raised her hands to his mouth and kissed both.

  As innocent as he thought that greeting was, she still blushed a fiery red and lowered her eyes. He chuckled; her sweet presence made him want to joyfully laugh out loud.

  She is here! She came!

  After greeting his aunt with a kiss to her cheek, he turned back to Zelly. “You are the loveliest sight I’ve seen in days. Still holding her hand, he raised it again to his lips and kissed it.

  “I’ve found a little house for us Zelly. Not much, but we’re blessed to get it.”

  She pulled her hand out of his to grip his arm and hug it to her bosom. “Oh Hart, I am just so glad to have somewhere to belong.”

  “And a husband? Will you be glad to have him as well?” His eyes twinkled as he asked the question, though his features appeared very serious.

  “I am especially glad to have someone to belong to and who will be mine as well!” She ended her assurance with a soft, tinkling laugh that Hart felt all the way down his spine.

  How I love this woman.

  A smile on his face, he spoke about their new home. “David’s aunt had just decided to rent out the little house beyond her garden when I arrived here last week. Her mother-in-law lived there until she became too feeble. It’s empty and waiting for us to move into tonight.”

  As he had telegraphed to her, the marriage was arranged for that evening. He looked forward to taking his bride to the house that Rebecca had laughingly called “the honeymoon cottage.” He loved the name she gave it and would happily make her joke a reality that night when he could finally begin his honeymoon.

  Not quite two weeks ago, she was catching the bouquet at Rebecca’s wedding. Zelly found it hard to wrap her mind around that.

  What a time it’s been!

  Now she stood before a full-length mirror in a beautiful guest bedroom in Rebecca’s house and admired the light blue cotton dress she previously wore for Rebecca’s wedding. Mrs. Hoffman had objected and offered to buy her a new dress for the wedding. Zelly adamantly insisted she wanted to wear the dress she’d had on when Hart first held her in his arms and danced with her.

  She even brought the bouquet Rebecca tossed to her. Though she hadn’t taken it home the night of Rebecca’s wedding, Hart saved it for her. That he cared about small things like that assured her he was the right person to spend a lifetime with.

  Zelly thought she probably should be nervous, especially after Rebecca’s talk with her about the wedding night. What she felt instead was a great sense of relief.

  Her future looked bright and she had someone to belong to. Better yet, she grew stronger daily in her resolve that she no longer had to accept abusive behavior as her due or live with the anger of the memories gnawing at her.

  Downstairs, Rebecca’s mother-in-law played the wedding prelude music on the parlor piano. She knew this was her cue.

  As David was the only man, other than Hart, she knew in Cashton, she asked him to escort her up the aisle. Picking up a bouquet of pink roses that Hart sent up earlier, she left the bedroom. She took David’s arm and lifted her skirts just enough to safely maneuver down the stairs.

  And then she was next to Hart. Because she had chosen not to wear a veil, he could look into her eyes. Oh, I am so glad I can see his eyes! The look of love that filled them was so tender.

  Her eyes filled with tears. Hart squeezed her hand and directed his attention back to the preacher.

  They quickly exchanged their vows. At the pastor’s urging, Hart sealed her lips with his in a kiss that was a gentle promise of more tender passion later. After that, the pastor presented them to the few assembled guests as Mr. and Mrs. Reinhart Bahr.

  Rebecca surprised her with a lavish wedding supper. She knew Rebecca must have done much of the planning for the small wedding. Still she hadn’t expected the lovely dinner with its many courses interspersed with toasts from around the table.

  Dessert consisted of a white cake decorated with pink roses. She and Hart fed each other a taste of it before cutting pieces to be passed around to the guests.

  La
ter, at the front door, she hugged Rebecca. “You’ve been replaced as my champion dear Rebecca. But you will always be my dearest friend.” Then she gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. Next she thanked David for his hospitality before stepping out the door to start her new life as Hart’s wife.

  She had yet to see their home. They had been too busy this afternoon for that. She was very glad to learn that the home was only a short walk away from Rebecca’s.

  “We live here?” she gasped out with some trepidation in her voice.

  Before seeing this house, she believed Rebecca’s home was luxurious. The brick mansion Hart stopped in front of made her realize that Rebecca and David’s house was modest in comparison. She just wouldn’t be comfortable in surroundings like those.

  He chuckled and gave the hand on his arm a soft pat. “No, this is where David’s aunt lives.” He opened a gate and they proceeded down a stone path and through a carefully tended flower garden. Hart paused under a white trellis with blooming clematis entwining it.

  He kissed her and said, “Welcome home.” There, in front of her, was a small house painted white. Flower boxes at each window waited for her to fill them and the stone path went all the way up to the front door.

  She threw her arms around his neck. “Oh! This is so much more than I had hoped. You have provided so well!”

  “I think it’s Rebecca who made this possible. Thank goodness for her connections and that the house was available.”

  Then her husband placed his arms beneath her legs and swung her up into his arms. He carried her over the house’s threshold and shut the door with his foot. And their life together began.

  Epilogue

  Humming to herself, Zelly stirred the potato soup that was their supper. The arms that sneaked around her middle didn’t shock her at all. She’d heard Hart enter by the front door. As was his habit each evening, he hugged her before doing anything else.

  Leaning into him, she asked, “Good day?”

  After nuzzling her hair, he sighed. “Yes, I’m just tired. Working for David is much better than the bank though. I never had a wife to come home to when I was at the bank.”

  “I hope not since we weren’t married then, you tease.”

  She was content in Cashton. She had a job, cleaning the mansion three days each week for David’s aunt, Mrs. Crider. Earning money and being able to keep it was a new experience for her, one that made her feel worthwhile and satisfied.

  “On my way home, I picked up a letter at the post office. It’s from Tante Greta.” His lips left her hair and were now traveling down her neck. She giggled at the ticklish feeling and shoved at him.

  “Go. Wash up so we can eat. Then we can read your aunt’s news from Idyll Wood.” With a smile at him, she turned to begin dishing up bowls of soup. She set them on the table to cool and filled their coffee cups.

  Supper that evening was typical for them. Hart told her about the happenings at Hildreth’s Haberdashery. She told him what new things she’d seen or tried that day. Though she was busy at home many days or at Mrs. Crider’s, she and Rebecca still managed to have adventures together in their new community.

  After the meal and while she washed the dishes, he opened the letter and read it aloud. Much of it revolved around the antics of Sven and Lars. Still there was some news that shocked them both.

  Manny has disappeared. Mr. Strong won’t tell anyone where he is. Your uncle thinks that’s because he doesn’t know. Word around town is that probably Manny left on an early morning train. No one knows for sure since it is hard to trust anything that silly Albert Schmidt says. Such an unreliable man to trust to run a train depot!

  I understand Ram is to appear before a judge next month so it is an exceptionally hard time for Mr. Strong to have his other son desert him. I saw him on the street last week and he looked ever so tired.

  Speaking of being tired, your uncle has not been well. His expression is often weary and he complains of pains in his feet, like needles. I’ve noticed too that he is thirsty much of the time. I want him to go see Dr. Weber. He says maybe after fall harvest is over he’ll go.

  The letter continued on, asking them questions they would answer in a return letter to the Hoffman family. It was near the end of the letter that Ada Fuller’s name was mentioned.

  Pastor Nillson told me last Sunday that he spoke with Ada Fuller. She said she was not sorry for anything that happened to her husband, who she refers to as Mr. Fuller and never as her husband, according to the pastor.

  She did tell him that she does miss her sister. She still refuses to tell anyone how she was able to do away with them. He says she is becoming increasingly erratic in her thoughts so I wonder if we will ever know how or why she did what she did. I thank the Lord she didn’t harm Zelly.

  Ada Fuller had been demanding and harsh but had never behaved like a mother to her. After all, she always insisted that she call her ma’am and never mother.

  Ma’am repeatedly told Zelly that she wasn’t a decent person. Still Zelly lived through it and was now with Hart. Yes, she had a lot to be thankful for, she thought, as she walked into her husband’s strong arms.

  “When I go back to testify, are you coming too?” He rested his chin on her head and waited. She didn’t say anything, shrugging instead. “It’s up to you. Life’s nice for us here. I’d hate to force you back there.”

  Yes, she certainly agreed. Life was excellent away from her family’s secrets in Idyll Wood. Her handsome husband cared for her and provided well. She lived in lovely home and even worked in the elegant mansion to earn her own money.

  Still what was wrong with Hart’s uncle? Did his aunt need their help?

  And where was his friend Manny? She owed him much for speaking up that night when Hart was held in jail. She’d gone to school with Manny and knew that he wasn’t the ambitious sort, hardly one to leave home in search of adventure.

  What was happening in Idyll Wood? Perhaps she and Hart would learn more when they returned for Ada’s trial.

  She pulled Hart’s head down and kissed him. He saved her from so many terrible things and she thanked God every day for him.

  “When you go back, I will too. I can’t stand the thought of being separated from you.” While she gave him one more kiss, her heart whispered a thank you to God.

  Thank you, God, that Hart’s longing had been for me.

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  Turn the page to read the first chapter of Manny’s Story

  Sneak Peek

  from:

  Manny’s Triumphs

  Secrets in Idyll Wood #2

  Releasing Summer 2019

  Chapter 1

  Carlene January waited for the train’s movement to stop completely before she stood up, carpet bag in hand, to exit. She accepted the conductor’s hand as she stepped down the few steps to the platform and then moved out of the way for the next passenger to alight.

  No one met her, but no one expected her. She looked around, trying to decide if she wanted to stay in this town just by looking at the comings and goings at the depot.

  Seeing a man in uniform who she assumed was the station master, she walked up to him and dug a wrinkled clipping from the Milwaukee Sentinel out of a crocheted purse hanging from her wrist. Pointing at it, she asked, “Do you know where this hotel is?”

  The man quickly looked at the trunks waiting to be unloaded and then back at her. He glanced over the advertisement and pointed. “Real close. Go that way.” Without even wishing her a good day he was off to the waiting baggage car.

  The abruptness didn’t faze her. As an orphan, she learned to not expect politeness or even tenderness from the people around her. The nuns and volunteers at the St. Rose’s Orphans Asylum saw to it that she was feed, clothed and educated. That was as much n
urturing as an orphaned infant left in a park on a cold January could expect. With the exception of course of Sister Magdalena’s kindness.

  Now that the man directed her toward it, Carlene could see the brick three story building in the distance. After a short walk, she had arrived in front of Halderson’s Restful Rooms Hotel.

  That name is quite a mouthful!

  Carlene gave the bun below her hat a quick pat to be sure none of the dark curls were escaping. Reassured, she opened the door and stepped into a spacious lobby dotted with velvet sofas and potted plants.

  A counter that appeared to be stained oak stood across the lobby and she crossed to it. A stoop-shouldered and balding man behind the counter looked at her and then behind her, as if searching for her escort.

  “Are you needing a room, miss?” He shook his head as if renting a room to a woman alone was impossible.

  With a shake of her head in denial, Carlene once again pulled a clipping from the purse. Glancing at it, she put it back and reached in again for a different one. This one she laid on the counter.

  He read it and then looked up at her. His expression had changed from polite to almost feral as he gave her a knowing grin.

  “You’ll want to speak with Mr. Halderson. It’s his lunchtime. Sit down over there.” He pointed to a chair in a corner of the room placed next to a closed door with the word “office” stenciled on it. The seat was almost hidden by a large potted plant. She hoped the man wouldn’t forget her since she would be all but hidden behind that plant.

  While she waited, Carlene resisted the urge to swing her feet. With her short legs and the chair’s tall ones, her feet didn’t meet the ground as she sat there.

  Instead of dawdling her feet, she spent her time rereading the numerous clippings in her purse. The first one, an advertisement, stated that performers were needed at a theater in Northern Wisconsin. Even though Sister Magdalena told her that one didn’t sound reputable, Carlene still kept the clipping for her collection. Another advertised for workers needed in a lumber camp near Eagle River. The name of the place sounded so nice that she clipped it.