“I’m really sorry to be leaving you like this,” Caroline rushed in. “I wasn’t expecting this to happen. One minute, I was alone and happy, and the next, I was being courted and confused, and now I’m engaged and . . . I don’t know what I am. I’ll get everything as organized as I can before I go.”
Adam held up a hand. “Everything’s under control. In fact, the timing couldn’t be better. Rose is demanding more and more of Elizabeth’s attention, not only because of the teething, but because her naps aren’t as long as she gets older. We’re finding that Elizabeth can’t spend nearly as much time serving and cleaning the rooms. Oh, how we miss Agatha—I don’t think we realized just how much she helped us, and I for one wish I’d shown more appreciation.”
He looked down at his desk, then back up. “We’ve talked it over and decided that Elizabeth will take over as manager of the hotel in your absence. Training the girls and giving them assignments won’t be as time-consuming as working alongside them. And because we have seven girls right now, when Elizabeth steps back from waiting tables, that will leave us with six, which is the perfect number.”
Elizabeth cleared her throat.
“Oh, that’s right. We’ll have six until Harriet can no longer serve, but we’ll worry about replacing her when the time comes.” Adam held out his hands in an expansive gesture. “We’re in a very good position to let you go. Do we want to do it? No. We’d rather keep you nearby, where we can see you often. But your new future is calling you, and it’s time for you to go answer it.”
While Adam spoke, Caroline’s heart had grown lighter and lighter. She’d never thought about Elizabeth becoming the new manager, but the idea felt so right, so meant to be, that she accepted it instantly. The hotel would be in perfect hands.
“Thank you both so much. I can’t tell you what this means to me.”
“And we can’t thank you enough for everything you’ve done around here,” Elizabeth added. “This hotel wouldn’t be nearly so nice if you hadn’t helped create it.”
“And now I do mean what I said when I told you to get out of here,” Adam said. “I’d like to canoodle with my wife in my office—because it’s my office to canoodle in, remember—and we need our privacy.”
Caroline laughed as she closed the door behind her. Oh, how she would miss those two.
***
The morning light was absolutely perfect as Caroline stood on the front porch of the Brody Hotel, taking in the sunrise and breathing the fresh air. She smiled as she looked out across the landscape, at the town with all its buildings lined up in neat rows, at the dust that even now was swirling down the street, at the clouds that puffed and billowed in a crystal-blue sky tinged with pinks and yellows. She would miss this morning ritual, but she had it on good authority that the sunrises in Wichita were also beautiful, and Wallace said that his house had a small porch.
She glanced down at her dress. She had never imagined that she would actually have the opportunity to borrow Elizabeth’s wedding gown, and yet, here she was, with white flowers in her hair. Pastor Osbourne had agreed to hold the wedding ceremony early in the day before the first train so no one had to miss it. And what better time for her to get married than at dawn?
She turned to look as a carriage came rumbling around the corner of the hotel—Adam, looking misty-eyed.
“Pardon me. I’m here to give a Miss Caroline Hampton a ride to the church. Seems she’s getting married today.”
“Getting married? What a lovely thing to do, and what a perfect day for it.”
“I couldn’t agree more.” Adam gave her a boost into the carriage. “Shall we?”
“We shall.”
Fifteen minutes later, Caroline grasped Adam’s arm with trembling fingers as she walked down the aisle. Wallace stood there waiting for her, looking more than handsome in his dark suit, and when she reached his side, a small tear ran down her cheek. She was so undeniably happy.
When it was time to leave, Wallace helped her climb into his rented carriage, holding her skirts clear of the wheel so they wouldn’t get dirty. It was all those little thoughtful things that made her love him so much, things that other people might not even notice or think about, but he did. When he climbed onto his seat from the other side, she reached out and touched his arm. “Thank you.”
He looked surprised. “What for?”
“For everything. For being you. For coming into my life. For being wonderful.”
He grinned. “I could say all those things back to you, you know.”
She lifted her hand and stroked his face, his dear, dear face. “In all seriousness, I do thank you. I wasn’t expecting the blessing that was you, but now you’re here, and I can hardly believe this is really my life. Is all this really happening to me?”
He met her gaze with his. “It’s really happening to us.” With that, he slid closer, pulled her into his arms, and kissed her until all she could think about was being his forever.
THE END
And now, a special
sneak peek …
A Careless Wind
Kansas Crossroads Book #7
by Amelia C. Adams
Topeka, Kansas
1875
As long as Rachel didn’t think about Daniel, she could pretend that he was still alive, just working somewhere, and that he would send for her soon and they’d get married. Most days, this little game worked, and she found that his face was fading from her mind. That was, until the Hardys walked into the Brody Hotel and shattered her little dream world. Nicholas and Giselle, Daniel’s brother and sister.
Giselle had taken a job working at the Brody as a waitress, and that was all right. Rachel hadn’t known her well, and she didn’t closely resemble Daniel, so it was easy to pretend they weren’t related at all. But Nicholas . . . it didn’t help that he was the mirror image of Daniel, or that he was the brother she almost chose instead.
Thankfully, Nicholas had left shortly after he arrived. His main goal had been to get Giselle settled before going off to work for the railroad. However, his absence didn’t mean that Rachel could stop thinking about him. He was almost like a song that played over and over again in her mind, never relenting.
Why was she finding it easier to let Daniel go than Nicholas?
I hope you’ve enjoyed this sneak peek at A Careless Wind, book #7 of the Kansas Crossroads series. Please join me at www.ameliacadams.com to stay on top of news and upcoming releases, and follow me on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Amelia-C-Adams/584870491648423.
The Kansas Crossroads Series:
A New Beginning
A Free Heart
The Dark and the Dawn
A Clean Slate
A Clear Hope
The Whisper of Morning
A Careless Wind (coming September 2015)
A Narrow Road (coming October 2015)
And many more to be announced …
The Whisper of Morning (Kansas Crossroads Book 6) Page 11