A Free Heart (2 page)

“Of course.” Adam turned back to Olivia. “Why don’t you go next door to the hotel, and I’ll be along in a minute?”

“Oh, I wouldn’t dream of going without you. There’s a nice little bench right there—I’ll just make myself comfortable.” Olivia sat down, arranged her skirts around herself, and set her little reticule on her lap. She seemed perfectly content to wait, so Adam nodded and walked off with Mr. Hoover. He couldn’t force her to go, even if the fact that she was waiting for him made him uncomfortable. They had never belonged to each other, and he didn’t want anyone to think that might be the case now.

Three wooden crates were marked for the Brody Hotel, each large and unwieldy. Mr. Hoover helped Tom and Adam move them to the platform. “Mighty heavy,” Mr. Hoover said, pulling out his handkerchief and mopping his face. “What have you got in there—gold?” he asked.

“Table linens, mostly,” Adam replied.

“They’re a touch heavier than I would have expected for linens,” Mr. Hoover said, shaking his head as he walked away.

“I’ll gather some men to help carry them to the hotel,” Tom said.

Adam signed the necessary paperwork and then went to collect Olivia, who was right where he had left her. He’d almost hoped that she had vanished as suddenly as she came—he didn’t know what to do with her.

“This is quite the little town,” she commented as she stood to take his proffered arm. “I’ve been watching the people walk to and fro, and from what I can tell, there’s quite a variety of men and women. I didn’t see many children, but I suppose that at this time of day, they’re all at school.”

“Topeka is a very nice little town, as you put it,” Adam said. “It can’t come anywhere near New York—its population hasn’t yet reached nine thousand—but we have many of the same comforts. The train brings in fresh foods, things that we’re still learning how to grow here, and we even have a university now. It’s called Lincoln College.”

“A university?” Olivia looked around as though expecting the establishment in question to appear right in front of her. “And there are students who attend?”

Adam laughed. “I imagine so. It would be very hard to have a university without students.” He guided her through the gate and up the front walk, pleased to see that many of the other passengers had also come this way. “Here we are—the Brody Hotel. And there’s something—or rather, someone—I very much want you to meet.” He steered Olivia into the dining room, but rather than showing her to a table, he paused, glancing around until he saw Elizabeth. His heart quickened at the sight of her. He understood that their relationship was new and that things change, but he couldn’t imagine ever growing tired of seeing her lovely face.

“Ah, there she is.” He took Olivia’s elbow once again and crossed the floor. “Elizabeth, wait a moment.”

She paused before moving on to the next table to take their food order. “Yes, Adam?”

“Elizabeth, this is Olivia Markham, a friend of mine from New York. She’s the one who chose out the extra linens for the hotel. They just came in the train, and Olivia was with them. Olivia, this is Elizabeth Caldwell. We’re to be married on Saturday.”

Olivia’s mouth opened and closed a time or two. “Married? On Saturday? My, isn’t that wonderful news?” She reached out and gave Elizabeth’s hand a squeeze. “Congratulations. You must be so happy—Adam is a wonderful man.”

“I’m very happy,” Elizabeth replied. “Thank you, Miss Markham. May I offer you a place to sit and something to eat? I’m sure you’re very tired after your journey.”

“I would appreciate it very much,” Olivia said with a nod.

Adam leaned forward and spoke in Elizabeth’s ear. “Serve her whatever she likes and put it on the hotel’s charge account. I’ll speak to Aunt Caroline about getting her a room as well.”

“All right.” Elizabeth smiled brightly. Adam recognized it as the smile she wore when she was hiding her true feelings. He had only known her for a short time, but he knew the moods that flickered across her face. He would need to speak with her later and discover why she seemed irritated.

“Please come this way, Miss Markham,” she indicated, and Olivia followed her with her shoulders held straight and her hat tilted at a mocking angle. She glanced from side to side at the other diners. Adam couldn’t see her face, but he could guess at the expression—pure disdain. Ah. This would be why Elizabeth was so upset. What kind of game would Olivia be playing this time? He well remembered how hard she’d tried to lure him away from Vivian, his first fiancée. She’d never had a moment of success—Adam wasn’t the kind of man to flirt with one woman while coming to an understanding with another—but that had never seemed to deter Olivia. Once she set her sights on something, it was extremely difficult to pull her off the scent. Adam was only somewhat flattered that she’d set her sights on
him
. Mostly, he was annoyed.

* * *

Elizabeth showed Olivia Markham to a table near the largest window. It looked away from the train station and showed some of the shops of Topeka to their nicest advantage. “Adam has invited you to order whatever you like, his treat,” she said, handing Miss Markham the menu. “Miss Hampton runs the kitchen—you do know Miss Hampton?”

“Caroline? Of course. She and I were good friends back in New York.” Miss Markham took the offered menu and glanced over it. “Nothing too fancy here, I see.”

“There isn’t much call for fancy food in Kansas, but Miss Hampton sees to it that everything’s delicious.” Elizabeth bit her tongue. This woman was Adam’s guest, and she would speak civilly. She might incur permanent tooth marks in her tongue, but she would not embarrass him.

“Why don’t you tell Caroline I’m here and ask her to prepare my meal? She knows what I like.” Miss Markham set her small bag on the table and looked up at Elizabeth expectantly. “I am quite hungry, if you’d be a dear.”

Elizabeth knew when she was being dismissed. She nodded and moved off to the kitchen, where she took a deep breath before speaking to Caroline. “Two bowls of stew for table four, and Miss Olivia Markham would like you to decide what she will have to eat.”

Caroline looked up from the stove sharply. “Olivia Markham is here? In our hotel?”

“Indeed she is.” And Elizabeth couldn’t wait to see the other side of her when she left.

Caroline looked at Elizabeth with shrewd eyes. “Already trying to get her hooks into you, I see.”

Elizabeth bit back a laugh. “It would appear that way. Are the two of you really great friends, as she says?”

“Hardly. I tolerated her presence as I had to, but I never considered her anything but a nuisance.” Caroline dished up the bowls of stew as she spoke, and placed them on a tray with a basket of bread and a small plate holding a pat of butter. Elizabeth took the tray out to the dining room and set the bowls in front of the people seated at table four, then returned to the kitchen.

Caroline had placed two pieces of fried chicken on a plate, along with a scoop of spinach greens and another of corn. Biscuits were already waiting to go out.

“Are spinach greens fancy enough for Miss Markham’s tastes?” Elizabeth asked.

“Sometimes we all need to eat our vegetables, whether we want to or not,” Caroline replied, a hidden note of amusement in her voice.

Elizabeth pressed her lips together so she wouldn’t laugh. When she first met Adam’s aunt, she’d been worried about ever getting along with the austere woman. But the more she came to know her, the more she appreciated her wry wit and wisdom. She was coming to see why Adam adored her and depended on her so much.

“Here you are,” Elizabeth said warmly, setting the food in front of Miss Markham. “When you’re done here, we have a wonderful apple pie for dessert.”

Miss Markham picked up her fork and poked at the spinach. “What is this?”

“It’s spinach. I’ve heard it has amazing restorative powers, and I’m sure you’re very fatigued after your journey.”

Miss Markham did not look convinced. “Does Caroline know I’m here? Did she prepare this for me?”

“She chose out every item. I believe she’s just as concerned about your health as I am, Miss Markham.” Elizabeth smiled sweetly. She would not give this woman the satisfaction of any sort of reaction.

“Very well. I’d enjoy speaking to Caroline when she gets a minute.”

“I’ll make sure she knows.” Elizabeth walked off to see to the needs of another table, smiling at the memory of Miss Markham poking at her food, almost as if she was expecting it to still be alive.

She had no idea what to make of this woman’s sudden appearance. She knew that Adam had sent for more linens—after all, each of the employees of the hotel had reminded him of the shortage. She had not, however, expected them to be personally delivered by someone who seemed to be very interested in his success or failure. She took an order for table six and glanced over her shoulder at Miss Markham, who was still poking at her meal. Elizabeth supposed that she was used to much finer food, but this was Kansas, not New York. It wasn’t long ago that Kansas was on the edge of the explored West. If Miss Markham expected New York treatment out here in a developing area of the land, she would certainly have a very rude awakening.

“Miss Markham would like a chance to visit with you,” Elizabeth reported to Caroline when she went into the kitchen next.

“I suppose I can’t avoid it. Adam asked me to arrange a room for her—there will be no shipping her off on this evening’s train. More’s the pity. I wouldn’t mind seeing the back of her.” Elizabeth smirked as Caroline said what she herself had been thinking. She’d wondered if she should feel guilty for her thoughts, but Caroline had just provided all the justification she needed.

Caroline handed Elizabeth a tray full of slices of pie. “Let’s get these people fed and back on the train, and then we’ll worry about the ones who have stayed behind.”

Elizabeth glanced around the kitchen as she left the room. Caroline was in there alone—Harriet, Abigail, and Jeanette were all out in the dining room taking care of their customers. Not only had several people come over from the train, but so had a few townsfolk, and the dining room was nearly full. This is what Adam wanted—a place for people from every walk of life to gather and break bread and share new ideas. But she could see that Caroline needed more help in the kitchen if that were to happen. Agatha, Elizabeth’s mother, would be a valuable resource, but she was watching Rose, and until Elizabeth was able to tend her daughter herself and was no longer needed in the dining room, Agatha’s wisdom would do no one any good.

Elizabeth worked her way around the dining room, placing dessert in front of each customer. The warm scent of cinnamon drifted up to her nose, and she smiled. Some aromas spoke of home, comfort, and hospitality, and she hoped this pie would leave a pleasant memory in the minds of these travelers. It would be a blessing for them, and good for business as well.

Without turning, she recognized Adam’s voice as he stood in the doorway, shaking hands and wishing the departing customers a good journey. Oh, how she loved that man. He had taken her from a life of doubt and insecurity and given her hope she’d hardly dared to dream would ever be hers. Saturday could not come soon enough.

“Here’s the pie I promised you, Miss Markham.” As she slid the plate onto the table, Elizabeth noticed that the other woman’s eyes were also on Adam. She had a curious expression on her face, almost one of ownership. Elizabeth spoke a little louder. “I hope everything was to your liking.”

Miss Markham blinked and turned to face her. “It was very different, to be sure. The pie smells delicious. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” As Elizabeth moved off to begin cleaning up the dining room, she pressed her lips together. Miss Markham would soon find Topeka a very hard place to be if she continued on this path. Elizabeth would see to that personally.

Chapter Three

Harriet climbed the stairs to her room, taking off her apron as she went. All too soon, it would be time to start the laundry, the only chore she truly detested here at the hotel. Miss Hampton was teaching her how to make bread, and that was enjoyable—she loved seeing the rising loaves and knowing she had created something that would fill up a hungry stomach. But laundry was such a never-ending task, one that wasn’t even noticed or appreciated unless it was left undone. She hadn’t been trusted with the ironing yet—the Peterson sisters took care of that. Apparently it was a special skill, and Miss Hampton was afraid she didn’t possess it.

Elizabeth had promised to meet her up here as soon as the dining room was stripped. Abigail and Jeanette were helping Miss Hampton with the dishes, so now was a good time for Harriet to unburden herself to her friend. While she liked the Peterson sisters, she didn’t know them as well or have the same kind of connection with them as she did with Elizabeth.

Moments later, light footsteps echoed up the stairs, and Elizabeth entered the attic room. “I thought I’d never escape Miss Markham’s clutches,” she said, dropping onto one of the beds. “That woman has such an air of superiority about her, it’s almost unbelievable. I was tempted more than once to remind her that I, too, am from New York, but I didn’t want to play her little game. She’s tucked away in a guest room right now, which is obviously below her standards, and here I am.” Elizabeth sighed and then focused her attention on Harriet. “I haven’t forgotten about you, my friend. Please, finish telling me your story.”

Harriet smiled. “I’m not sure that my story could possibly compete with the last hour you’ve had.”

“It’s not a competition. Come on now—we have to start the laundry soon. Tom’s already got the water boiling outside.” Elizabeth sat forward, her expression open and eager.

Harriet tried to ignore the flash of disapproval that zipped through her at the mention of Tom White’s name. She was simply going to have to get used to the idea that he existed. “Let’s see—I had just told you about the laundry incident.”

Elizabeth laughed. “That’s right. I feel sorry for those poor geese.”

“You shouldn’t. Geese are some of the meanest creatures God ever invented, especially the ganders.” Harriet got a little more comfortable on the bed, pulling her pillow onto her lap. “Well, let’s see. Things went on much the same as ever until the war ended. I was eight years old, and suddenly, my entire life changed. The slaves were leaving the plantation in droves, these people I’d grown up with, depended on. Jane, Sammy’s mother, had been one of my dearest friends, and Sammy—well, I can’t even describe how I felt about him. He was my other half. We did everything together. I even insisted that he be allowed to sit in on my lessons. My tutor wasn’t allowed to teach him anything directly, but he was there, in the room, and so he learned everything I did. Reading, arithmetic, history—everything a slave wasn’t supposed to know. ”