by Cyndi Raye
“Here we go,” Samuel said, nodding in the direction of a cute waitress holding a tray filled with hot coffee. She smiled and winked at Samuel then set a cup in front of Thomas.
“My, my, brother. You have an admirer.”
Samuel laughed. “She is sweet but I hired her for this job. She’s wrapping up a production at the theatre and was getting ready to leave on tonight’s train. I met her at the clothing shop where I bought our suits this afternoon. After discovering she is an actress, I offered her a part in tonight’s presentation and paid her and a few of her fellow actors to help out. Just wait and see what happens next.”
The pretty waitress stopped by their table, whispering in Samuel’s ear before exiting through the door.
Adam pressed his jaw tight as he watched Thomas lift the coffee cup to his mouth. Then Adam stared at the speaker, distracted by the words spewing out of his mouth, wondering if they were talking about the same person. “He is by far one of the most honest, capable, loyal and trustworthy persons I know. Please, give a round of applause for Thomas Cromwell.”
Adam turned to look at the man he wanted to exact revenge upon when the whole room became silent. Several moments later, a bevy of snickers began as the crowd started to laugh, the eerie quiet turning to a flurry of hilarious guffaws and clapping of shoulders and backs.
Thomas Cromwell stood in front of all his colleagues in an expensive suit, smiling away while black ink covered his teeth and mouth. His face went from arrogant to puzzlement. He raised his hands out from his sides and shrugged his shoulders, drawing even more guffaws from the crowd then realized the laughs were on him. His look of fury on the man’s face had Adam grinning.
Before the crowd was able to settle down, the double doors crashed open. Two women marched in, the one leading the way stomping through with a look of intention upon her face. She was dressed well-to-do, wearing an expensive gown with a thin shawl over her shoulders. The one behind her wore a hat with a wide brim hiding her facial features and a coat wrapped around her too warm for the type of weather in Texas. “Thomas Cromwell?” She spoke in a clear, loud voice that penetrated throughout the room.
Fingers pointed to the man standing at the table in the front of the room, his black mouth sticking out like a bright star on a moonless night. Adam leaned back, enjoying the show. What had Samuel done?
“Are you Thomas Cromwell?”
He nodded. “I am,” he seethed, his voice barely audible.
“You, sir, are a disgrace! How dare you bed my daughter!”
“What! No! I don’t know you, or her!”
“Mr. Cromwell, you have been sneaking around with my daughter, Prissy, for the last eight months. Now, look what you have done!”
She turned, pulling the other woman’s coat away, revealing a full belly on the woman with the wide brimmed hat. A hand went to her forehead and she leaned back as if ready to swoon. “How dare you do this to her and then try to brush it off! I will not tolerate this. I have witnesses who saw you entering her window!”
Thomas shook his head furiously. “I am not the father! I hate kids! I don’t know this woman, I swear!” He desperately looked around the room, his eyes flaying back and forth to his partners in disbelief.
Whispering began from one table to the next.
“What a show! You did good, Samuel. We better get out of here.” Adam was ready to leave. If he wasn’t able to do anything to Thomas, the thought of his humiliation tonight was going to live on for a long time. Even so, he wanted to get back to see how Melody was feeling.
“Shh, brother, we’re not done yet!”
“I tell you now, in front of all of these fine people that you will not get away with this. Tomorrow morning, I have secured the priest at the Dallas Lutheran Church and you will marry my daughter!”
“That’s brilliant,” Luke slapped his brother on the back.
“Still not done,” Samuel said, “here comes the finale.”
Thomas stood with his arms hanging at his sides, trying to reason with his partners who looked horrified. He ignored the women, offering excuses the men weren’t buying. “I swear, this is a joke. I do not know this woman and refuse to marry anyone!”
“That’s a lie. You know me,” the soft voice rang out. Everyone turned to the woman hiding under the wide brimmed hat, her soft spoken voice drawing everyone’s attention. “We shared my bed, Thomas, or, Tommy-tom, as you liked me to call you when, well, I’ll spare the details.”
“I’ve never seen you in my life!” He began to walk towards her, fury in each step.
Adam stood. He wasn’t going to let the man lift a hand to another woman, no matter if this was a theatrical spoof. Cromwell clearly didn’t know the woman was an actress.
Before Thomas got too close she ripped the hat away. The whole room gasped.
Thomas stopped in his tracks. His eyes widened in horror.
Adam threw his head back and laughed.
The woman behind the wide brimmed hat had the ugliest looks on a woman he had ever seen. Her nose was so big it even had a hook on the end. Pastey, dull flat hair so short it was unbecoming to a woman covered barely below her ears. Her chin was just as pointy and when she smiled she was missing all of her top teeth. How had they pulled this off?
“That’s hideous,” he heard someone close by say.
“Poor man, he’s stuck with that hag!”
“We better get out of here, it’s five o’clock,” Samuel warned. “Shows over.”
The damage was done, now they needed to get to the horse and wagon before anyone saw them.
The three brothers slipped out the exit while the two women marched from the room, vowing if he didn’t show up at the church in the morning the man would pay dearly! Adam knew the coward, he’d flee Dallas before facing another wedding. Hopefully, his life was ruined the same way.
“The ladies will be long gone by then,” Samuel told his brothers. “Their train leaves at six. By the time Thomas figures it all out, his partners will have thrown him out the door like yesterday’s bad news. Well deserving for the coward he is. As for us, let’s get moving. We sure don’t want to wind up behind bars.” He stopped on the street, bowing to the other two.
“Come on, you are such a show off, we need to keep moving,” Adam said, pulling Samuel by the arm.
Just as promised, the wagon and horse was tied in the rear of the stable, along with the pony for Tommy. It was going to be a long journey back since the pony would slow them down, but well worth the trip to see the coward get what he deserved. “We may be able to make it to Wichita Falls before sundown, men. If not, we’ll camp out and head home at first light.”
Adam was going to take every short cut possible until he made his way back to Melody. Hopefully, Ma had gotten her back to the ranch by now. He couldn’t wait to see her.
This time he was going tell her how he truly felt.
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“Nora, are you sure you don’t mind us staying here in this house with you?”
“Of course not! Why would you even think I would mind? To be honest, I love my sons, but I need more women here on the ranch. Thank the good Lord Luke smartened up and found himself a beautiful bride. Abigail is such a wonderful addition to our family.”
“I agree. When will you let me help you? I’ve been sitting around here all morning resting. I’m tired of resting.”
“Now, now, Melody. You heard the doctor’s orders. He said another twenty-four hours and you will be out of the woods. I plan to make sure you follow the rules.”
Melody smiled. “Thank you, Nora. You remind me of my mom at times like this. I miss my parents.”
“You will have to send a telegram and ask them to come for a visit. I always enjoy your parents. Melody, do they know what happened?”
“No, they don’t need to know, Nora. Not right now, they are enjoying their life in Montana. I’ll tell them on their next visit.”
Nora and Melody’s mom had been friends for a long ti
me, ever since she could remember. They had a special friendship where even though they were hundreds of miles apart whenever they saw each other they picked up right where they left off.
Melody felt the same way about Adam. The moment she realized he was at her bedside, her feelings went right to when they shared a kiss on the creek bank so long ago. It was as if the last five years never happened and she was back in his life where she belonged.
Abigail came through the screened door, a basket in her hand. “Good morning, ladies. Melody, so nice to have you here.”
The two embraced. Abigail held her a bit longer. “I’m glad you came here,” she told Melody. “It’s for the best. City folks can be so cruel.”
Nora raised a brow. “Abigail, I hadn’t told you what happened yet. How do you know the city folks were mean to her?”
“Tommy let the cat out of the bag at my wedding reception. I’ve seen how city folk can be. I’m from Philadelphia, remember? I had a friend there who got divorced and had to leave the city in order not to be ridiculed.”
Nora patted Abigail’s hand. She smiled in understanding. “Thank you for being there for Melody. I’m glad she had someone to talk to since she is like a daughter to me. That’s why I must speak to you both about Adam.”
“Adam?”
Abigail poured the ladies coffee, handing each a cup. She sat down at the kitchen table across from Melody. Nora joined them at the head of the table.
“Yes, we must speak about Adam. Melody, I’ve hired Miss Addie to find brides for my boys. Abigail, being the first mail order bride knows how determined Luke was trying not to marry. Why, he almost sent her back. Seems there was a glitch in the contract I signed but thankfully he fell in love as I knew he would. Now, I have a wonderful daughter.”
Melody wasn’t sure where this was going. If she was ordering mail order brides for the brothers, that meant Adam was next. A small lump formed in her throat.
“Thank you, Nora. I feel loved here. You are a wonderful mother as well.” Abigail wiped at her tears. It was apparently clear the two were close.
While the two ladies were paying each other compliments, Melody was preparing her mind for Nora’s next words. She had a hunch about Nora’s next words..
She just didn’t want her to say it.
“Ladies, these past months we have been building Adam’s new home not far from Luke and Abigail. There is so much land here, I’m surprised Adam wanted to build so close to his brother and yet I can understand why. All my boys share a common thread.”
Abigail continued to pat Nora’s hand. “I believe that common thread is you,” she said lovingly.
“It’s family, dear. We are all part of one big, happy family. Now, I know my boys. They didn’t want me being alone and while I understand why, I had to move things along for them. I knew once Luke tied the knot the others would agree, also. You’d think there was some secret between them the way they acted about getting married. Or a pact, like children make when they are young.”
Melody wanted to cover her ears. Instead, she smiled politely as Nora continued.
“Well, now that Luke has honored us by marrying Abigail, I’ve sent for a bride for Adam. She will be here in two weeks time. Ladies, it’s a busy time at the ranch so I’m going to need your help with some curtains and décor.”
Melody’s heart fell to the ground. What if she stood up right now and declared her love for Adam? Would Nora send the bride back? Her hand went to her stomach, she felt a sudden ache coming on. It wasn’t up to Nora, or her. The decision for a bride had already been made.
By Adam.
He had agreed to a mail order bride.
Nora turned to Melody. “I’m so happy to have you here, Melody. You are like the sister the three boys never had. Especially Adam, since the two of you are best friends.”
A sadness deep inside had Melody wanting to escape the room. “If you’ll excuse me, I am feeling poorly. I believe you are right, Nora, I need to get more rest.”
The two ladies helped Melody up the stairs to the room she shared with Tommy. “Thank you,” she told them.
“Get some rest. Hopefully, the men will be back today. I’m sure anxious to see Tommy’s reaction to a pony.”
After Abigail and Nora left, Melody pulled the covers over her. She closed her eyes, trying to force the tears back but they fell anyway.
She thought Adam truly cared for her but realized it was time to face the truth. He loved her like a sister. Nothing more. Why was she so naive when it came to men? Of course he would hold her hand through out the night, staying by her side. It was no different than when they were younger, wasn’t it?
He looked at Tommy as a part of the family. Everyone did. At least she had that. A deep sigh rose up. Nora had ordered a bride with Adam’s approval. He had built his bride a new home.
She would continue to be his best friend until his wife became that woman.
She didn’t blame him one bit for moving on when she married five years ago. Even though there was something between the two of them, neither one ever had a chance to say how they felt.
Why did Melody assume he would want her now? He never even knew she was getting a divorce. She had never once given him any idea the marriage to Thomas wasn’t working out. He had no reason to assume anything except she was happy. Melody sniffed and wiped her tears. He deserved to have a life with the woman he loved.
She would not stand in his way. Even though it seemed as if there was something between them, she’d treat him like a sister. Stand back out of the way so he was able to find the love and happiness of a good Christian woman.
Like his mother had promised for him.
Chapter 7
“Mommy! Mommy! I have my own pony!” Tommy stood at the side of the bed, jumping up and down.
Melody must have fallen asleep after her bout of tears earlier. Pushing the covers aside, she picked Tommy up, setting him on her lap. He snuggled in her arms for a well deserved hug.
Then he hopped off her lap and began to bounce up and down on the bed. “Tommy! Stop that this instant!”
He settled down, sticking his bottom lip out in a pout. “I’m just so happy. Want to see the pony? Come on, Mommy. I want to show you!”
Since the doctor had warned her to take it easy for the next twenty four hours, Nora must’ve let her sleep instead of waking her to help with supper. When she got downstairs, Abigail and Nora were just about done.
“How was your rest, dear?” Nora stopped what she was doing to give Melody a hug.
“I’m feeling so much better. Tommy wants me to see the pony so I’m going to the barn to have a look.”
Nora stooped down to Tommy’s level. “Young man, I’m placing your mother in your hands. It is your duty to make sure she doesn’t get overly excited about this pony. The doctor has not cleared her yet so you must take good care of her, do you understand?”
By the time Nora had finished, Tommy’s eyes had widened. His shoulders went back and he stood taller. “Yes, ma’am, I will watch out for my mommy!”
He grabbed Melody’s hand. “Mommy, you must listen to me, I am in charge.”
Melody looked back to see the ladies trying hard not to laugh at Tommy’s serious tone of voice. Instead, she ruffled his hair. “Lead the way, Tommy.”
The two made it safely to the barn, as Tommy took Nora’s words to heart. The pony was already put away in a stall for the evening. “I helped to brush him and feed him. Adam says it’s my job from now on and he’ll teach me everything to know about a pony.”
“Well, then, lets take a look at your new pony.”
As she paid close attention, Melody felt his presence before she saw him. There was an urgency in the air the moment he entered the barn. When she turned around, Adam stood there, his face clean shaven, hair slightly damp.
She smiled. “Hello, Adam.”
He marched right over, gathering Melody in his arms. “Hello, Melody. I’m glad you are home.”
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nbsp; She was home. This ranch had always been a haven for her. With his arms around her now, the need to escape never entered her mind. Not like it had in Dallas. Thomas’s arms never felt like this, a safe place.
She was afraid her feelings for Adam were still very much alive. It was much more than sisterly love or a feeling of being best friends. How was she going to be able to live here and watch him with a new bride?
When she stepped out of his arms, Melody heard Tommy’s soft voice in the background, coaxing the pony to the stall door.
For right now, she had to keep Tommy the main focus. She had to help him forget the terrible ordeal of having a father who didn’t want him. Here at the ranch, Tommy would thrive and grow among these sons of Nora White. They wouldn’t turn their back on him or call him a brat.
There was no time for loving Adam White. Not even for a moment. She knew she was welcome here for as long as she needed to stay so she would be grateful and appreciate the time here. Perhaps she’d go to Montana to visit her parents, take Tommy on an extended visit. It was too soon to think about anything else but making sure Tommy was safe and well taken care of.
Adam took her hand as they walked to the stall while Tommy talked away, explaining for the second time how he was taking care of the pony.
Melody tried hard to listen, to smile when appropriate and say the right thing. Her hand in Adam’s felt nice, it felt warm and the tenderness in his eyes when he looked at her melted her heart.
She pretended for the moment things would always be like this. Like the three of them were family. Like they belonged together. She let the sadness go for now because Melody knew there would be many, many days ahead she’d succumb to the bitterness and devastation of losing Adam to a mail order bride.
At first, she thought maybe they’d have a chance to be together, but not now. Not if he were already planning to marry someone else. She would never ruin his happiness.