Surrender Your Heart

by Marie Higgins

  Cousin Brian? The man driving her wagon couldn’t possibly be the cousin who’d gone to Ireland a few years ago. And he was a clergyman? From what she’d remembered in years past, he’d always had a rebellious streak in him.

  “Brian Farrell Crane?”

  He stopped the wagon, set the brake, and jumped down. He removed his hat, and the sun shone on his light brown hair, giving it a touch of red. Laughing, he walked toward her with open arms. A smile stretched across his pleasant face, his brown eyes twinkling.

  “Father Crane I am to you, my dear cousin,” he corrected.

  Surprised, she couldn’t move, let alone speak. No, he couldn’t possibly be... And why did he have such a strong accent?

  “As I live and breathe,” he continued with a touch of humor in his voice. “Why look at you all grown into a fine woman.” Brian scooped her in his arms and twirled her around.

  She laughed and clung to his shoulders. “I still don’t believe it. Although you look like Brian with the same brown eyes and hair, I think you’re in disguise. Not only are you dressed differently, but...why are you talking differently?”

  Brian laughed heartily then set her on her feet. “Nothin’ of the kind, my dear cousin. Wouldn’t do to be judgin’ my accent until you’ve walked in my shoes.” He ruffled her wet hair. “No more do you look like the ragamuffin I remember as a lad. And why is it that no bonnet is on your head to hide the sun?”

  “That’s because your friend just pulled me out of the water, silly. I promise I had it on when I entered.”

  He tilted his head, his gaze narrowing. “Ah, but the freckles decoratin’ your nose tells me a different story, lass.”

  She shrugged. “So, I don’t wear my bonnet as much as I should.” Straightening, she folded her arms. “I’m twenty-four, if you must know. I don’t let people tell me what I can or cannot wear any longer.”

  “What does age have to do with wearin’ a bonnet?”

  “I’m not a child any longer.”

  “There’s not a chance of it now.” He laughed again. “And here you go on accusing me of drastically changing, did you not?”

  “But you’re a—” She swiped her hand through the air, motioning toward his clothes.

  “A man of God,” he finished with a nod, pulling his shoulders back and lifting his chin.

  “Exactly. How in tarnation did that happen?”

  “Shhh—” he hushed, touching his finger to her lips, “—no more cussin’ around me. My ears will burn, they will.”

  “How can I burn your ears when I learned most of these words from you?” She laughed heartily.

  This couldn’t be real, yet, Brian was serious. Humor didn’t dance in his eyes this time. He was a full-grown man looking like an obedient priest. Around his neck, he even wore the heavy gold cross. Unbelievable. Especially when she remembered how promiscuous he’d been when they were younger.

  A chuckle came from the other man, and Emily swung around to face her rescuer. How had she forgotten about him so quickly? She smiled. “Ooops. I hope I didn’t ruin your saintly opinion of Father Brian.”

  “Actually, I have just recently become acquainted with your cousin, so I really don’t know him well.” His green eyes now held a hint of sadness. “We met two days previously before traveling here.”

  “Oh, forgive me, lass.” Brian stepped around her toward the other man. “It’d be my pleasure to introduce you to Mr. Adam Hamilton. He’s your sister Hannah’s brother-in-law. Hamilton, this is my dear cousin, Emily Black.”

  Emily gasped as surprise washed over her once again. Hannah didn’t write much about her husband’s family...especially about them being so grand. Although money was never mentioned, she could see by his clothes that he was indeed wealthy.

  She put forth her right hand. “What a pleasure it is to meet you, Mr. Hamilton.”

  He nodded and enclosed his fingers around her hand, shaking it once. “Likewise, Miss Black. It’s a pleasure to meet one of Hannah’s sisters.”

  Emily tilted her head, studying him closely. Why hadn’t her sister talked about her very handsome—and rugged—brother-in-law? Especially, since Hannah knew that Emily was still searching for a husband.

  “So, Mr. Hamilton? What are you doing out here with my cousin, and traveling toward my house, no less?”

  Brian touched her shoulder to get her attention. “I think it best that we’d be leavin’ soon, Emily. Truth be told, the news we have for your family isn’t very joyous.”

  She gasped as her mind clogged with horrible ideas. “Oh, Brian. You must tell me. I don’t think I can wait until we get home.”

  “Now lass, you needn’t be pushin’ me for an answer. You’ll learn when your family hears, and not a moment sooner.”

  As she switched her gaze between Brian and Mr. Hamilton, worry expanded inside her heart. Something was amiss. She could tell by their troubled expressions. Whatever it was wasn’t going to be good.

  TWO

  “We’re about twenty minutes away from home,” Emily told them.

  Mr. Hamilton held out his hand to assist her into the wagon. As she slipped her palm against his, warmth spread through her so quickly it had her stumbling backwards. He caught her elbow as he continued to help, acting unaware that a jolt of lightning had shaken through her. She kept a close eye on him as he moved to his horse. Why would she react to his touch in such a way? So odd...

  Once she was on the seat, her cousin untied his horse and mounted. As she urged her horse forward and the wagon jerked into motion, Mr. Hamilton mounted and followed. Both men stayed behind, only talking amongst themselves. She didn’t dare ask what their conversation was about, only because of the worried lines on their faces and their hushed tones.

  It wasn’t hard to conclude that this trip wasn’t one for pleasantries. Mr. Hamilton diverted his eyes, keeping them downcast. Fear gripped deep within her heart and squeezed. Something wasn’t right.

  Within time, the Texas sun warmed her, and she shucked Mr. Hamilton’s nice coat to the empty space on the seat beside her. She prayed that her clothes would dry by the time they reached home, but she suspected the Lord wouldn’t grant her two wishes in one day, especially since she’d gone against Pa’s instructions to come directly home.

  Twenty-five minutes later, Emily pulled the wagon in front of the two-story home where she had been born and raised. A curling streak of smoke lifted from the chimney, and the scent of freshly baked bread coming from inside made her stomach growl.

  She handed Mr. Hamilton his coat before he helped her out of the wagon. Once again, her body experienced the warm, tingling sensation where he had placed his hands.

  Emily led the two men into her house and stood in the middle of the living room floor, listening for any sounds. Ma’s humming came from the kitchen, and Emily was certain her Pa and brothers were at the livery.

  “Ma? I’m home,” she called out.

  Her mother walked into the living room, wiping her hands on her white apron. When her gaze locked to the men standing behind Emily, her mother’s eyes widened and she froze. Within seconds, Ma released a gasp.

  “Brian? Is that you?”

  Her relative from Ireland grinned wide. “Your eyes are not deceivin’ you, Aunt Lilly.”

  Ma squealed and rushed to Brian, giving him a hug. “What are you doing here looking like that and talking with an Irish accent?”

  Emily wanted to laugh since she’d said the same thing to him earlier.

  Brian broke their closeness by stepping back. He removed his hat and frowned. “Now is not the time to discuss that. I have some news for your family, and it’s not good, I fear.”

  Emily’s chest clenched. She didn’t know if she wanted to hear the news now.

  “You should round up the family immediately, I think,” Brian continued. “The sooner, the better.”

  From Brian’s mouth to God’s ears... The front door opened and Pa walked in with Emily’s gangly brothers tagging behind. When
Pa’s eyes landed on Emily, his gaze moved over her wrinkled clothes and damp hair. He arched his eyebrow in question.

  Inwardly, she groaned. How could she think he’d not notice? Her father noticed everything.

  She flipped her hand and mumbled, “I’ll explain later.”

  Pa turned to Brian and shook his hand. “I saw you passing by the livery and wondered why you were coming to visit.” His gaze moved to the turned collar of Brian’s attire. “Especially, why a priest would come see us.”

  “Marv and Lilly,” Brian said, “let me first introduce you to Hannah’s brother-in-law, Mr. Hamilton.”

  “Hannah?” Ma asked hesitantly shaking the other man’s hand. “My Hannah?”

  “Aye, the same one.” Brian linked his fingers across his wide middle and rocked back on his heels.

  Emily kept her focus on Mr. Hamilton. When she first met him, she didn’t get the impression that he was shy in the least. And yet, he seemed stiff and aloof now.

  Pa ushered the family toward the couches to sit and motioned for Brian and his friend to take a chair. They both shook their heads. Emily stood against the wall as her parents and brothers took the remaining chairs.

  The room hushed as Brian stared at the floor for the longest time. Finally, he took a deep breath and raised his gaze to Ma. Sorrow moistened his eyes and left creases around his mouth, yet his stiff body presented a form of detachment from everything.

  “These last few months, I’ve been livin’ near Hannah in Savannah, Georgia. Seein’ as I live so close, I was there when tragedy struck their household, and she bade me to come tell you right away.” He stepped closer to Ma, reached out and took her hands. “Hannah and Jacob were in a carriage accident. Both were thrown from the vehicle.”

  “Oh, dear.” Ma gasped as tears formed in her eyes. Emily held her breath, her fist against her mouth to keep the shocked gasp from escaping.

  “Nobody knows how it happened or why,” Brian continued. “Only the good Lord knows these things.” His hands made a cross before him before he kissed his thumb knuckle. “Thankfully, through our prayers, Hannah’s life was spared, but she lost her unborn baby.” He paused as his gaze slowly moved from one person to the other round the room, finally stopping on Ma. “And...she lost her husband.”

  A loud sob escaped Ma’s throat before her hands covered her face. Emily wanted to rush to her ma’s side and enfold her in her arms, but her body was numb with shock and wouldn’t let her move. Poor Hannah! Emily couldn’t imagine how her older sister was dealing with this kind of heartbreak.

  Pa hurried to Ma’s side, knelt by the chair and embraced her. His gaze met Brian’s. “How is Hannah taking this?”

  “The poor lass is devastated.” Brian shook his head. “And little Megan and Flynn are sufferin’ because of the loss of their father.”

  Just thinking about the agony Hannah’s children were going through, brought tears to Emily’s eyes. Her chest tightened harder, making it difficult to breathe. She moved her focus to Mr. Hamilton. He hadn’t said a word. With eyes downcast, his frown deepened. He held his hat against his middle. Her heart broke again. It was his brother who’d died. How awful! The man was probably having a grueling time trying to suppress his anguish.

  “Poor Hannah has lost so much,” Brian continued, “and she needs another woman to help her through this time of peril.”

  Cousin Brian’s gaze moved to Emily and stopped. She hitched a breath, knowing what he wanted before he even spoke the words. She couldn’t stop her heart from leaping at the mere idea of traveling to a place she’d never been. In fact, she’d never set foot out of Texas, and the prospect was too exciting to think about. Pa would never allow it, her sinking heart told her. Especially since she’d disobeyed him today by not coming straight home.

  “I think you should consider Emily comin’ to Savannah for the purpose of helping her sister,” Brian finally said.

  Emily swung her attention to Pa. She silently pleaded with her eyes. Please, please, let me go. The question really was—how much did Pa need her help at the livery?

  Pa stood and paced the floor, his mouth stretching tighter the longer he remained silent. Emily didn’t dare disturb him while he pondered the situation, but it wasn’t in her nature to be patient, either. She bunched her hands at her sides but hid them in the folds of her skirt. Although she wasn’t a child any longer, Pa still thought of her as one since she was his youngest daughter.

  Finally, he stopped and looked at Caleb and Timothy. Her brothers’ wide eyes were directed on their father.

  “Well, I suppose the boys will have to take over Emily’s duties at the livery if she goes.” Her pa rubbed his chin.

  She gritted her teeth. Pa didn’t actually say she was going, he just made an observation. So much like him to let her stew a little while longer. He knew how she hated to wait for an answer.

  Pa shifted his gaze back to Ma and moved toward her. “But I’m more worried about you. Who will help you around the house if Emily goes to Savannah?”

  Ma wiped the moisture from her eyes and smiled. Peace settled in Emily’s heart, just as it always did when Ma smiled so reassuringly. Her mother squeezed Pa’s large hands. Love emanated from both of them as they stared at each other. Emily wanted to sigh, wondering when she would be blessed to find her true love—just as her parents had found each other.

  “Not to worry, Pa,” Ma said softly. “At this time, I believe Hannah needs Emily more than I do.”

  Giddiness bubbled in Emily’s chest, but she didn’t dare show excitement. Pa always gave the last word, and sometimes it was different than what everyone expected.

  He turned his worried eyes to Emily before walking toward her. “Are you up for the journey, Em?”

  “Oh yes, Pa.” Excitement trembling through her, she clutched her shaky hands against her middle. “Cousin Brian will be going with me, so I’ll be all right.”

  Brian heaved a sigh. “Well, we’d best be off. It wouldn’t be good to keep Hannah waiting any longer. Emily, go and pack quickly.”

  Energy she hadn’t experienced since before Mr. Hamilton pulled her from the water, returned and she sprinted upstairs to her room, anxious for her new life to begin. As long as it wasn’t filled with pitfalls, she’d be able to handle anything.

  Except for rafting, obviously.

  ALTHOUGH THE TRAIN ride wasn’t smooth and bounced Adam Hamilton on the seat more than he’d like, he still pretended to read the opened book in his hands. Crouched low in the seat, he hoped to give the impression to those traveling with him that he didn’t want to be disturbed. Visiting with anyone right now was out of the question, especially as turbulent thoughts crashed inside his head.

  He wasn’t looking forward to returning to Savannah and confronting his fears. The death of his older brother brought back horrid memories that Adam had experienced five years ago. He’d tried to bury those feelings of anger and pain, but the closer the train took him to Georgia and all of those horrendous memories, the more his stomach rolled.

  Already he’d been to his brother’s house, only to find Father Brian there, preparing to leave for Texas. Anger and pain had built inside Adam quickly from the shocking news about his brother, and putting distance between his sister-in-law and the children was the best thing for Adam to clear his head. His sister-in-law needed his help, but in his present state of mind, he couldn’t do anything to assist her.

  Memories swallowed his soul, those he wanted to forget in order for the heartache to disappear. He wanted to forget he’d once been married and had a child, and that he’d actually been happy. Then, after tragedy struck, he returned to live with his parents in Kentucky and helped them with their prospering steel company that made rail cars for the railroad. His father was excited to have a son to teach how to take over the business one day. Adam worked with his father, not because he enjoyed it, but it took his mind off his problems. At least for a short time.

  Rumors around town made him want to hid
e away and never see those gossipers. Finally, he couldn’t take it anymore, so he left to wander the country. For a few months he’d even lived a wild life. But nothing made him happy. He’d been labeled bad luck, and he honestly believed it. In the depth of his sadness, he decided to return to Savannah to visit his brother. Jacob had always cheered him up.

  Now he needed to channel his sadness in a different direction. His sister-in-law grieved, along with his niece and nephew, so Adam must not dwell on his own feelings. Instead, he would focus on Hannah and her children. They needed him. They needed Miss Emily Black, too.

  Returning to Savannah burned an inner fire in his belly, but he was determined to weed out the ghosts from his past and move on to a better future.

  Across from him, Miss Black shifted on the seat as if she couldn’t find any place comfortable. Beside her, Brian slumbered with his head against the window. Soft snores escaped the priest.

  Before they left on their journey, Miss Black had changed into a lavender, gold, and beige floral dress. Her short sleeves puffed around her shoulders, but the ties around them didn’t hold them up very well, because every so often, the sleeves slipped down her arm and she quickly tugged them back into place. Her cousin had been delighted to see her wearing a bonnet this time. Yet, Adam thought her long chestnut curls looked just fine without the bonnet.

  Releasing a frustrated sigh, Miss Black snapped her eyes his way. Adam quickly moved his gaze back to the book in his hands, hoping she wouldn’t bother him with conversation. He still wasn’t in the mood. His confused thoughts wouldn’t allow it.

  Not only did he not want to talk, he also didn’t want to look at the woman. He’d panicked earlier this morning when he’d heard her cry for help and saw as the currents continuously pulled her under. It had always been in his nature to help anyone in need, and at the time, she had desperately needed assistance. Once he’d pulled her from the stream, dripping wet with hair hanging in her face, she’d held onto him with such tight fingers and looked at him with adoring eyes. He knew she was grateful, but he certainly didn’t like the way his heart softened the longer he studied her. But it didn’t matter. He couldn’t allow another woman to come into his life and take hold of his heart. He was indeed bad luck, and he couldn’t place another woman in danger.