by Lisa Harris
“I’m sorry, Adam.” Lidia blinked back the tears and turned to run off into the night.
fifteen
“Wait, Lidia.”
Adam took half a dozen broad steps before he caught up with her. Reaching out his hand to grasp her shoulder, he turned her gently toward him. Tears streamed down her face as she looked into his eyes. “Adam, please …”
“Just tell me why. Give me one good reason why there’s not a chance for us; then I promise I’ll let you go and never bother you again.”
She wiped away the tears from her eyes and shook her head. “You say that you care about me the way I am—”
“And you’re not convinced?”
“Why should I be? You obviously despise my Polish culture. Besides, there are dozens of other girls who would jump at the chance to let you court them.” She waved her hands in the air. “Dozens of girls who know how to serve a five-course meal or do fancy needlework like a proper lady.”
“I’m not interested in any of that.” He let his arms fall to his sides. “What is it? The differences between us can’t be that great.”
“Then you don’t know me at all. Don’t you see? I’ll never be anything more than a common laborer, Adam. I have to work in order to provide for me and my brother, something no respectable Yankee girl would ever do.”
She placed her hands firmly on her hips as she continued.
“My mother tongue is Polish. I’m the daughter of a poor itinerate farmer who came to this country for a better life. I’ve had to work my entire life just to have enough to put food on the table. But I’m so much more than a poor immigrant from another country. I love dancing to traditional Polish songs and eating bigos, noodles, and cucumber beet soup. I love stories my babcia used to tell me. Tales of dragons, Zlota Kaczka, and other legends my people have passed on for generations.”
Adam stifled a grin as she paused to take a deep breath. “Are you finished?”
She flashed him a look of impatience. “For now.”
“I see a woman who loves books and poetry. Someone who can see beauty in a starry night and in the taste of maple syrup. I see a woman who can work almost as hard as any man when she has to and who would give up everything to help a stranger. I see a woman who puts God first in her life and has finally discovered that He loves her exactly the way she is.” Adam shook his head as he continued. “Just like you can’t change who you are, I also can’t change the fact that I was born in this country and only speak English. I can’t help the fact that I feel more comfortable working my land than mixing at a social. But just because I can’t dance and don’t particularly like cucumber beet soup doesn’t mean that you and I shouldn’t take a chance together.”
The corner of her mouth quivered upward. He took a step toward her and tilted her chin up with his forefinger. She was so close he could feel her warm breath against his skin, and it was all he could do to stop himself from leaning over and kissing her.
“You once told me that your people were no different from mine.” He ran his finger across her jawline. “You said that while some immigrants make mistakes, all they wanted was what was best for their families—political and religious freedom and a place to call home. That’s all I want, Lidia. Freedom, home, and a family. I see the way you look at me. Don’t deny what your heart is telling you.”
Lidia drew in a quick breath. Adam’s words shook her to the core. She was afraid to hear what her heart was saying. Afraid that if she gave her heart away completely, he’d only end up breaking it. She’d spent her life dreaming that one day her own romantic champion would enter her life and sweep her away in one magical moment. Instead, she’d met a man whose past collided with hers … and still they had fallen in love.
She swallowed hard. When had love come into the picture? Looking up at him, she felt her chest tighten. The wind ruffled his hair, and she longed to run her fingers through the dark strands. His eyes pleaded with her. If she truly had fallen in love with Adam, then wasn’t this a chance she needed to take? Her grandmother’s tales of brave heroes and beautiful handmaidens all had happy endings. Perhaps God was offering her a happy ending, too.
Adam interrupted her thoughts as he took a step backward and bowed. “I was wondering, mademoiselle, if I might have this next dance?”
She caught his mesmerizing gaze, and her legs began to quiver. “You want to dance?”
“It’s called a mazurra, I believe.” Adam looked down at her and winked. “A traditional dance from Poland.”
She tried not to laugh, but she couldn’t help it. “It’s called a mazurka.”
“Well, you’ve got to give a fine gentleman like myself credit for trying at least.”
“I … I suppose you’re right.”
Lidia’s heart pounded as she stepped into his arms. “You don’t give up, do you?”
“On you? No.”
A sense of unexpected joy washed over her. Like the night he first kissed her, it was as if this was where she’d always belonged.
She laughed as Adam tried to follow her lead. With her head held high, she let her hands move gracefully through the air. The fast tempo and syncopated rhythm left Adam struggling to keep up, but for the moment nothing seemed to matter except the fact that she was dancing with him beneath a moonlit sky.
He stepped on her foot, and she leaned forward to try to gain her balance. Grabbing her arm, he steadied her, then drew her toward him. His face hovered inches from hers.
She stopped dancing. “I …” Her mouth went dry and she couldn’t speak.
Adam drew her hands toward his chest. “There’s something I’ve been wanting to ask you all evening.”
“Yes?” This time she was ready for his question. This time she knew what she wanted more than anything else.
“Lidia Kowalski, may I have permission to court you?”
“I think today’s the day.” Sarah sat Indian-style on the picnic blanket and dangled a blade of grass between her fingers.
“The day for what?” Lidia rested against one of Adam’s sugar maple trees and let the warm sun begin to lull her into dreamland.
“The day that Adam asks you to marry him.”
Lidia’s eyelids popped open. “Are you sure this time?”
“Well, not one hundred percent, of course, but pretty sure.”
“Did he say something to you?”
“Not specifically.”
Lidia closed her eyes again. “If you don’t know for sure, then don’t tell me.”
“Why not?”
“Because you’re making me nervous. On Easter you told me you were certain he was going to ask me, then again at his birthday celebration—”
“Just be patient. He’ll ask.”
Lidia frowned. She needed more than unsubstantiated feelings from Sarah. During her courtship with Adam he’d been the perfect gentleman, escorting her to church, accompanying her to socials, and even taking her out to dinner in town twice. But little had been said about their future. Silvia had dared to imply at one point that Adam had no intention of tying himself down to someone like her. While Lidia knew that the woman’s words were meant to hurt, it was hard to ignore them all the same.
Sarah helped herself to a second slice of lemon cake out of the tin. “You have to admit that the very thought of Adam proposing is completely romantic.”
Lidia didn’t answer.
What would be romantic would be an actual ring on her finger and a wedding day set, though she’d never be so presumptuous as to say so to Adam. She’d dreamed about his asking her to marry him for weeks, and what their wedding would be like. While she didn’t expect Adam to agree that the wedding be strictly Polish, she did want certain aspects of a traditional wedding to be incorporated into the day.
She envisioned the engagement when they would invite friends and family to witness the celebration of their commitment. Then on their wedding day his parents would give the traditional Bread and Salt Blessing at their house, and later there would
be the Unveiling and Capping Ceremony that represented passage from being a young woman to a married woman. Drawing in a deep breath, Lidia could almost smell the tables of rich food that would be set out for everyone. Hunter’s stew, dumplings, roasted meats with vegetables—
Lidia started as Adam’s puppy jumped onto her lap and began licking her face. “Star!”
“I’ll get him.” Sarah stood and shooed the dog away before he caused any damage to their picnic lunch.
Lidia yawned as she shoved her half-empty plate to the edge of the blanket, surprised Star hadn’t take off with her uneaten chicken leg. “If Adam doesn’t come back soon, I’m going to end up sleeping through his proposal.”
Sarah laughed. “If Ruby and Anna have their say, he won’t even have time to propose to you today. He’ll be too busy carrying them around the farm on his shoulders.”
Five minutes later, Adam showed up with both girls. One on his shoulders and one holding onto his leg.
He’s going to make such a good father. …
Ruby climbed down from Adam’s shoulders as they approached the picnic blanket and plopped beside Lidia. “Are there any more of those sugary treats you made, Lidia?”
“I think so. Look in the basket.”
When Sarah had convinced her stepmother to fix a picnic for the five of them, Lidia had volunteered to make the dessert. These special treats were one of her grandmother’s favorites. Lidia’s mother had taught her to make them soon after they’d arrived in America.
“There called chrusciki,” Adam said, as he handed his sister a handful.
Ruby attempted to pronounce the name of the fried cookie, but ended up scrunching her lips together in frustration.
“My grandmother used to call them ‘angel wings,’ sweetie.” Lidia reached out to smooth the back of Ruby’s dark hair. “That should be a bit easier to say.”
Ruby smiled. “That I can say.”
Lidia nodded to Adam. “I’m impressed. Your Polish pronunciation is coming along quite nicely.”
Adam let out a deep chuckle. “Considering I know about three words of the language.”
Lidia laughed with him. All the doubts she had ever had about Adam accepting her for who she was had vanished in the past few months. So much of the pain she’d experienced over her parents’ and Jarek’s deaths was beginning to heal. She still thought of them every day and made sure Koby remembered them, but the deep ache she’d carried inside her for so long was finally lessening.
Adam leaned close and gazed deep into her eyes. It always caused her stomach to do flips when he did that.
“Don’t you want to eat the rest of your lunch, Lidia? You’ve hardly eaten a thing.”
“I’m fine, really.” She smiled at him. Even if he didn’t ask her to marry him today, the outing still would be perfect. She knew his sisters were important to him, and when they’d asked to spend the afternoon with him, he hadn’t even hesitated. Lidia’s presence, he’d told her, was icing on the cake.
“If you’re finished, then, shall we go for a walk?”
“I’d love to.” Lidia felt her pulse quicken.
“Don’t worry about us,” Sarah said. “We’ll finish packing the picnic basket and load it into the wagon so Star can’t get into it.”
Adam reached down to help Lidia to her feet. His hand enclosed her fingers, sending tiny shivers up her arms. She tried to steady her nerves. Since the night Adam asked if he could court her, she’d known she wanted to marry him. But as ready as she was to get married, she knew they both needed time to get to know each other after all that had transpired between them.
The girls giggled and avoided Lidia’s questioning gaze. Maybe Sarah really knew something and just hadn’t been able to keep quiet. From the scheming looks on the three girls’ faces, something was definitely afoot.
Briefly, Lidia touched the smooth texture of his shirt fabric before pulling her hand away. “What’s going on?”
“Nothing.” Adam shrugged a shoulder, then winked. “I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about the farm lately and need your opinion on something.”
Lidia frowned. Talking about farm work wasn’t exactly what she had in mind. She took his arm and let him lead her across the path toward the other side of the house. Summer had arrived, and the flowers that dotted the landscape were still in full bloom. The meadows and woodlands spread out before them in varying shades of green. A robin chirped, its cheerful sound mingling with the soft rustle of leaves from the afternoon breeze. With his arm around hers, Lidia smiled, wishing she could capture this perfect moment forever.
Adam pointed toward the south of his land. “I want to take some of the earnings I made from the syrup harvest to increase my herds of both cattle and horses by the end of the year. I know I’ll have to start slow, but I want to make use of as much of the land as possible.”
Lidia nodded. “I think that’s a fine idea.”
“One of my neighbors is moving and has promised me a fair deal on some of his livestock. I’m even thinking about dairy cows to produce my own cheese to sell.”
“Cheese.” Lidia tightened her lips, wishing she could be a bit more interested. It wasn’t at all that she thought Adam’s dreams were too big, or that he couldn’t do it, but thanks to Sarah, she had marriage on her mind.
While she enjoyed listening to his dreams for the future, she didn’t want to just hear about it, she wanted to be a part of it. They skirted the edge of the sugar bush, and Lidia couldn’t help but feel the swell of pride within her. She had been a part of this year’s harvest, working beside Adam once he’d recovered to ensure that the sap was collected and properly processed. It was what she wanted. To spend the rest of her life at his side.
Adam reached out and plucked a green leaf from one of the maples. “Next year I plan to harvest at least twice as much. …”
Adam’s voice faded into the background as Lidia stared at a bird’s-eye marking on the bark of one of the trees. Maybe she should say something to him, or at least attempt to draw him into a conversation regarding their future. She knew Silvia and her ugly words weren’t true, but if Adam really loved her wouldn’t he be thinking about their future instead of the future of his farm?
“… I also want to—” Adam stopped and turned to face her. “Have you heard anything I said the past five minutes?”
“No—Yes.” What could she say? That she was ready for him to ask for her hand in marriage?
“What is it?” A slight grin framed his expression as if he’d caught her with her hand in a penny jar.
“You’ve spoken about your plans for the house before. …” Lidia swallowed hard. “I was wondering about the house?”
“The house?”
“Yes.” Lidia felt her confidence rise. She’d find a way to discover his intentions if it was the last thing she did. “I remember you saying at one time that you had plans for the house.”
He turned to look at the wooden structure. “The flooring needs to be replaced in at least one area, and I’d like to fix the front door. It creaks when you open it.”
“Oh.” She tried to hide the disappointment that flooded over her. He obviously didn’t see the need of a new stove, or kitchen, or any other things a woman found essential.
“What’s wrong?” he asked.
“Nothing.”
Adam wrinkled his brow as if deep in thought. “There is one thing, though, that I could use your opinion on inside the house. Come.”
The girls were nowhere to be seen as they made their way toward the house. Even Star’s usual barks as he snapped at birds and butterflies had quieted.
“Where are the girls?” Lidia asked, trying to keep up with him as they took the stairs to the porch.
“Maybe they’re in the house.”
Adam opened the door, letting Lidia enter first. She stepped inside the living area then stopped abruptly. The room was full of people.
“Good afternoon, everyone. I didn’t know …” Confused, Lidia
turned to Adam.
There surrounding her was all of Adam’s family. Mrs. Johnson with little Daria. Mr. Johnson with his arm around Koby. Mark and the three girls … even Star sat quietly on the hearth. Mrs. Gorski from church, who’d always been good enough to lend Lidia copies of her books, stood smiling beside her husband and two small children, as well as several other acquaintances from church.
Adam drew his arm around her. “Lidia, I wanted our engagement period … our zareczyny … to be what you’ve always dreamed it would be. I know it can’t be the same without your parents and brother here, but I still wanted you to have a traditional Polish engagement.”
Lidia’s eyes filled with tears. “Our engagement period?”
Mrs. Gorski joined Adam’s stepmother with a loaf of bread in her hands. “Your Adam here has been coming to see me to learn more about our Polish traditions and language. Today, if you say yes, Lidia”—laughter filled the room—“we want to ask God’s blessing upon you. That you will always have bread beneath your hands and that your home will be filled with children and love.”
Koby took a cautious step toward the center of the room with a white cloth in his hands. “This is so that the two of you will always be bound together.”
Lidia’s eyes filled with tears. She couldn’t believe Adam would do this for her. But he had, and this gift to her was one she’d never forget as long as she lived.
Adam turned toward her and took her hands. “Lidia Kowalski, there’s nothing I want more than to spend the rest of my life with you. With these friends and family brought together as a witness of my love to you, I pledge to love and honor you always. Will you be my wife?”
She couldn’t speak. She glanced around the room, tears streaming down her cheeks. Her gaze rested on each person, each smile filling her heart with emotion and an abundance of thankfulness.
Sarah caught her gaze and gave her a wry grin. “I promise this was a surprise to me, Lidia. Adam found out I’d been trying to discover when he was going to ask you to marry him, so he never told me.”