She had wondered herself. Maybe having been without a man’s attentions for a while had been the reason for her responses to Miles’ touches. They sure set her on fire. She turned her head from his view as her face flushed. She had the strong desire to cover her ears at his low chuckle.
A knock sounded at the door and they all stopped and stared as if it could speak. With a shake of her head, Adelaide hurried to the door and opened it to her father-in-law. “Morning, children.” He stepped into the room and patted the two girls on their heads. “You ready to go to work, Miles?”
“Yep. Just finishing up breakfast.” He wiped his mouth and stood. “We need to get a stove in here today.” He waved at the bread. “This won’t do for breakfast after today.”
“I think your ma planned on having you eat at the house.”
Adelaide cast a pleading glance at Miles.
“No. We need our own stove. I don’t want to burden ma with cooking big meals each day for all of us. Later today I’ll take a run into town and see what the general store has.”
Mr. Ryan shook his head. “She ain’t gonna be happy about that. You know she considers it her responsibility to feed everyone in sight.”
“No matter. My family needs a stove, and I aim to get one today.” He walked to Adelaide and kissed her on her cheek. Already heat started in her middle at that innocent touch. Whatever was wrong with her?
“Would you like to go into town with me to pick up a stove?” Despite his pa and two daughters in the room, he touched her cheek lightly, more a caress than a touch.
“Yes.” She fought the dryness in her mouth.
His eyes sparkled, as if he knew where their thoughts were. “We can go to Ma’s for lunch and go into town after that.”
“All right.” Anything to get her mind off his nearness and her reaction to it.
It was a quiet ride to the schoolhouse in town. She sensed nervousness in both girls, which was to be expected. Another new experience for them. Hopefully they would continue with the good behavior they’d shown the last couple of weeks.
Once they seemed to accept that she was not going to let them get away with misbehavior, they settled down and didn’t give her and Miles as much trouble. Right now the poor girls were more afraid of their new school than anything else.
“Will we really have our own stove by supper?” Beth Ann clenched the clean handkerchief Adelaide had given her, her little face pinched.
Adelaide gave her a warm smile. “Yes. I promise. Tonight we will eat in our own house.”
Most likely they wanted the security of their own home—one that wasn’t on wheels. It would be good for them to feel more secure.
Both girls smiled, releasing a sense of satisfaction in her. Then she brought herself up short. She didn’t want those warm feelings. They could be snatched away without a moment’s notice. From experience, she knew what it was like to go from happy wife and mother to broken-hearted and homeless. She must guard herself.
A wave of panic washed over her when she realized even now she could be carrying Miles’ baby. Why hadn’t she thought of that last night when they’d made love so many times? Probably because she lost all sense when Miles touched her. She shook her head. No more. She would insist he do something to prevent her from getting pregnant. Such things existed, and Miles would surely know what to do.
They rolled to a stop in front of the school house. Children ran around outside the small building, chasing and calling to one another. Adelaide climbed down and helped the girls alight. They hung by her side as they approached an older woman watching the children, obviously the teacher.
“Good morning,” the woman said as they reached her. “Do I have two new students?”
“Yes. I am Mrs. Ryan and this is Beth Ann and Lizzie Ryan.” Adelaide placed her hands on the girls’ heads. “And you are?”
“I’m Mrs. Webster.” She looked at Lizzie. “I would say you’re in about the third grade?”
“Yes, ma’am,” Lizzie answered softly, then ducked her head. Adelaide almost laughed. Where was the unruly girl who caused so much trouble that Miles couldn’t continue on the wagon train until he secured a mother for his girls? Although she was glad they wouldn’t have school issues to deal with.
“And I would say you are in the first grade,” the teacher continued, speaking to Beth Ann.
“Yes, Mrs. Webster.”
“Wonderful. I’m sure you will do just fine.” She raised her eyes and addressed Adelaide. “I assume these are Miles Ryan’s daughters?” At Adelaide’s nod, she continued. “I’m so glad to meet all of you. Millie Ryan’s been talking about her son returning for weeks now. She never mentioned a wife though.”
Adelaide laughed. “I’m afraid she was quite surprised when I turned up.”
The teacher nodded. “Indeed. But she is such a lovely lady. I’m sure you’ll get on just fine.” She glanced at the watch pinned to her blouse. “Oh, dear, it’s getting late. I better call the students inside. School releases at three o’clock.”
“Thank you, Mrs. Webster.” Adelaide bent and kissed each girl on the forehead and was pleased, and then in turn disconcerted, when neither of them flinched at her touch. She began to worry that there would be no holding back of her affection for the two imps.
Adelaide stayed long enough to watch the girls enter the school house. Even though she’d tried to encourage them to play with the other children while Mrs. Webster and she had conversed, they’d hung back, attached to her skirts.
Once they were inside and the schoolyard grew quiet, Adelaide returned to the wagon for the trip home. She took a quick look around the little town. Devlin’s Creek appeared to be a nice little place. Thriving businesses lined both sides of the street, with some early shoppers already making their way up and down the boardwalk, shopping bags hanging from their arms.
Although she had plenty of work to keep her busy at home, she took a little time to walk around the town, enjoying the lovely hats in the milliners’ window, the long soda fountain in the pharmacy, and the snug little church at the end of the main street. Yes, a nice town. She could be happy here.
As long as it lasted.
***
Despite his mother’s grousing that they wouldn’t be eating with her each day, Miles and Adelaide had a pleasant lunch with his parents. Afterward, he helped Adelaide into the wagon and they headed into town to buy a stove.
“I have to check with the post office while we’re in town, I should have mail from my town in Missouri.” Miles snapped the horses’ reins to get the wagon moving.
He’d spent a productive morning with his father working the farm. Although he’d enjoyed spending time with pa, Miles was depressed to admit he still hated farming. He sighed as he led the wagon down the lane and turned onto the road heading into town. Nothing could be done about it now. His parents needed him, and he promised he would help.
A son’s duty.
The spring day was warm, the sun on their backs as they headed east. “I hope you’re feeling more settled now that we’re finished with the wagon train and have our own house.”
“I am. I love the little cottage, but it still needs a lot of work.” She turned to him, excitement in her voice. “When I had my house outside of Dodge City, I planted a lot of flowers around the outside, and Gerald built walls of bookshelves for all my books.” She looked out over the field. “Of course I had to leave them all behind since there was no way I could carry them with me to Dodge City.”
He reached for her hand. “Once things settle down, I’ll build you bookshelves and we’ll start our own collection of books.”
She beamed at him, warming his heart. He felt affection for Adelaide and thought that, with time, his affection could easily become more. Even though they’d only just met when he proposed, their time on the wagon train, and the taste he had of her last night convinced him they could have a passionate marriage. Would passion then lead to love?
The rest of the ride was sp
ent in companionable silence except for an occasional comment on the passing scenery, or on the animals who stood stock still as the wagon moved along. Small and large, the critters stared with wide eyes and rapid breathing, hoping to be ignored so they could continue with their day, and not land on a hunter’s supper table.
The general store was just as he remembered it from his childhood. He and his brother, Leo, had spent many a summer day sweeping out stores along the boardwalk for a little bit of money to buy penny candy. Mr. and Mrs. Peters owned the store, and he wasn’t surprised to see Mrs. Peters still behind the counter, adding up a customer’s order. The storekeeper looked the same, except for a few more wrinkles on her cheerful face.
“While we’re here, you might as well stock up on what you’ll need once we have a stove. And if you want anything . . . you know . . . personal, go ahead and get it,” he said.
Adelaide dug in her pocket. “I made up a list, which was quite easy since there was nothing in the house, and most of the provisions we bought in Dodge City were used up by the time we arrived.”
Mrs. Peters wished her customer a good day and walked toward him. “Miles!” She held out her arms and gave him a hug. “I heard from your ma that you were coming home to help out with the farm.”
Miles took Adelaide’s hand and pulled her forward. “Mrs. Peters, I’d like you to meet my wife, Adelaide.”
“How lovely to meet you, Mrs. Ryan.” A sly smile graced Mrs. Peters’ lips. “I’m sure it was quite a surprise to your ma that you came home with a wife.”
“Oh, yes. But she welcomed Adelaide with open arms.”
He allowed Mrs. Peters to examine Adelaide for a moment, then got down to business. “It seems the cottage my family and I moved into doesn’t have a stove.”
Mrs. Peters beamed. “So you have children? I think your ma said two girls?”
“That’s right. Lizzie is eight and Beth Ann is six.”
“Sweet ages. Enjoy them, they grow up way too fast. Well, lucky for you I have a stove for sale,” she said. “Come on back to the storage room. It’s not a new one, but it looks sturdy. When Mrs. Benson up on the hill bought a brand new fancy one, shipped all the way from Chicago, she sold this one to me.”
They all trooped through the curtain that hung between the store and the back area. The stove was a good-sized one, and as Mrs. Peters had said, it looked sturdy. “What do you think, Adelaide?”
She walked around the stove, picking up the lids, checking the oven doors, running her hand over the smooth surface. She turned to him with a smile. “Yes.”
“That was easy.” He addressed Mrs. Peters. “I can get a couple men to help load it on my wagon. We also need some supplies and I think Adelaide has a list.”
The storekeeper waved her hand. “No need. My boys will be home from school soon. Big strapping boys they turned into. You leave your wagon here with your list and I’ll get everything together and have it loaded.”
Adelaide checked the watch pinned to her dress. “Oh, my. That reminds me. We need to collect the girls from school soon.” She fished the list from her pocket and presented it to Mrs. Peters. “Thank you. We’ll be back in a little while.”
“No hurry. Miles, you might want to take your bride on a tour. The town’s growing, and a lot of new businesses have opened since you left.”
With a nod at Mrs. Peters, he took Adelaide by the hand and they left the store. He liked the feel of her small hand in his. They linked fingers as they crossed the street and made their way to the school house. “I went to school right here in that same building.”
“And I’ll bet Mrs. Webster was your teacher.”
“No, our teacher was Mr. Manville. Very strict, used the stick on our bottoms often enough to keep me and my brother in line.”
“Tell me about your brother.”
Miles grinned. “He was two years younger than me, and a troublemaker—maybe that’s who Lizzie takes after. We had some good times together, and I pulled him out of more than a few messes.” He shook his head and stared off into the distance. “But the most foolish thing he did was join up to fight in the war. We had no stake in the game, and I’ll always regret that I didn’t do more to stop him.”
“You said he ran off in the middle of the night.”
“Yeah, but he’d been talking about it for weeks. I should have known that’s what he would do. He joined during the final year, and never made it past his first battle.”
He was grateful for the distraction away from the thoughts of his brother when the school door opened and the children came tumbling out, shouting, running, freed from the confines of the day. Lizzie and Beth Ann appeared at the doorway together, and hand-in-hand with three other girls. “Looks like they already made friends.”
They both ran up to Miles and Adelaide, huge smiles on their faces.
“How was your day?”
“We have friends already.” Beth Ann hopped up and down, her braids bouncing on her shoulders. “And Mrs. Webster said I was very smart and she gave me a second grade reader.”
“I’m very proud of you.” Miles turned to Lizzie. “And how did you do?”
“It was all right. Mrs. Webster said I was very smart, too,” she stuck her tongue out at her sister, “and gave me a fourth grade reader.”
“Well, I am not at all surprised. I knew from the time I met the both of you that you were very smart.” Adelaide beamed at the girls, who both smiled back. For which he was very thankful.
Miles took Beth Ann’s hand. “We have to take a trip to the post office. I believe there is a letter for me.”
The four of them strolled the boardwalk and entered the pharmacy where the post office was located. The girls continued to chat about their day, with Adelaide doing a lot of exclaiming and murmuring praises.
“Sure do have a letter for you, Miles. It’s good to have you back in town again.” Mick Jenkins, the postal clerk retrieved a letter from a slot in a large rack behind him and slid it across the counter.
“Thanks, Mick. It’s good to be home.” He pulled Adelaide forward. “I’d like you to meet my wife.”
The man scratched his head. “Well, isn’t that nice? Very happy to meet you Mrs. Ryan.”
Miles picked up the letter he’d been expecting from Macon Ridge with his final paycheck. He thanked the man and tucked the envelope in his shirt pocket.
As they turned to leave, Mick said, “Oh, that reminds me. We have a letter here for your mother, if you want to take it.”
Miles reached for the envelope, which was addressed to Mrs. Ryan, but it had come from Dodge City. From an attorney. Strange.
The letter was quickly whipped from his hand. “Oh, that’s for me. It’s from my attorney.” Adelaide stared at the envelope, confusion on her face.
Chapter Ten
Why in heaven’s name would Richard be writing to her? And how had the letter managed to arrive here of all places? When she’d left the town she’d lived in where Gerald’s gun shop had been, she told Richard Gatling that she was moving to Dodge City. She requested that he arrange to sell the shop and her small house, and pay whatever outstanding bills there were. But someone had forwarded the letter from Dodge City to Devlin’s Creek. Probably the marshal, since he was the only person who knew where she was headed.
Miles watched her carefully, but never commented. She had no secrets to hide, so she opened the letter while the girls wandered over to the soda fountain, spinning on the seats. Her eyebrows rose as she read.
My dear Mrs. Markham
It pleases me to inform you that I sold Gerald’s gun shop, as well as your house. Once all the outstanding debt was paid on the business and your home, I was left with a bit of money. I deducted my fee and am enclosing a check in the amount of two hundred, eleven dollars and forty-seven cents. Also enclosed is an accounting of the sale of both the business and your house, and the outstanding debts paid.
I hope all is well with you.
Richard Gatling At
torney at Law
She quickly glanced at the sheet of paper behind the letter, and grinned at Miles. “I am rich!” Adelaide handed the letter and accounting sheet to him and studied the check. Two hundred, eleven dollars and forty-seven cents! She never expected to get anything from the sale and had only hoped she would not owe more when all was said and done.
“Indeed, this is a nice sum. What will you do with it?”
“I have no idea. What do you think?” The relief she saw in his eyes made her realize he was concerned the money might cause her to leave, since she married him to get out of jail on a vagrancy charge. Of course she would never do that. She made marriage vows and did not take them lightly.
“Well, I think we should all go to the hotel dining room for supper and talk it over.” He extended his arm to her.
“That’s a wonderful idea. A bit of a celebration.”
He patted her hand where it rested on his arm. “Exactly.” As they passed the girls still spinning on the counter seats, he said, “Come on girls, we’re going to the hotel for supper.”
The Devlin’s Creek hotel was a typical small town building. Miles explained that it had three floors of rooms to let out and a small dining room. The four of them sat at a table near the window just as a middle-aged woman approached them, pad and pencil in hand. “Hi there, Miles. I heard you were coming back to town.” She looked at Beth Ann and Lizzie. “Are these your girls?”
“Yes.” He waved at his daughters. “This is Beth Ann and this is Lizzie.”
“Girls, you look a lot like your daddy.” She looked at Miles “Are they rascals like you were?”
The girls burst out laughing, and Adelaide had a hard time hiding her grin. Just what she was sure Miles didn’t want to hear.
Prisoners of Love: Adelaide (Prisoners of Love - Mail Order Brides Book 1) Page 8
