Read Online A New Beginning by Amelia C. Adams - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Amelia C. Adams
Ads: Link
that you wish she’d mentioned the napkins to you at the time. Doesn’t that just annoy you?” He purposely made his voice more dramatic.
Caroline laughed. “You’d love it if I gave you a reason to ignore her letter, wouldn’t you?”
“The thought has crossed my mind.” Adam put the letter back in the envelope and tossed it onto his bed. “Olivia Markham always has a plot brewing in that pretty little head of hers. She did everything she could think of to ruin my relationship with Vivian—not that I was ever able to prove it, but it was most definitely her. I don’t trust this offer, and I can’t help but wonder what she means by it.”
“Let’s get these things taken over to the hotel, and we’ll discuss it tomorrow,” Caroline said. “It will be full dark soon, and I’d rather not be traipsing up and down the street by moonlight.”
Adam took the handles of one bag of his aunt’s and another of Miss Martin’s and carried them down the stairs. “Off we go, then,” he said, and they made their way toward his new establishment.
* * *
“And here comes the train.” Adam craned his neck to see as the steam locomotive chugged into the station and let out a long hiss. He could hardly wait to unpack their order and begin putting the hotel to rights. With all the shredded and faded linens and bedding they’d had to discard, the hotel looked virtually naked, and he looked forward to dressing it up again.
Tom stood at his elbow, ready to carry whatever was needed, and Caroline was with them as well. Adam nodded to the conductor as the man stepped off the train, and then he strode across the platform to shake his hand.
“I’m Adam Brody. I understand you have a rather large shipment for me today.”
“I do indeed, sir. My name is Wallace Dupree, and I’ve been keeping an eye on your packages since they were loaded on. Let me show you where they are.” Mr. Dupree’s eyes flicked to Caroline as he spoke, but he brought his attention right back to Adam. His ears turned a shade of pink which reached the very tips. Curious, Adam thought.
The conductor led them a few cars down the length of the train and opened the sliding door on a cargo car. “Here you go,” he said. “Nearly this whole thing belongs to you.”
Adam nodded in satisfaction when his gaze landed on the bedframes. One of those was his, and he’d move into the hotel that very day and put Miss Martin’s fears to rest. Nothing had happened the night before, but according to Caroline, Miss Martin felt that was entirely thanks to Mr. Samuel Colt’s invention.
“I’ve got a list here of everything,” Mr. Dupree said, handing it over. Adam scanned down the left-hand column, taking note of the linens, the carpeting, the dishes, and remembering that he’d neglected to order new drapes. Caroline had taken him to task for that, and now he felt foolish. These were the sorts of things that were liable to happen when he didn’t consult with his aunt before acting. How could she have known from New York the condition of the drapes in Kansas? She’d been relying entirely on him to know what to choose.
“This all looks good,” Adam told the conductor. “I’ll be placing another order shortly, but it won’t be this large.”
Mr. Dupree chuckled. “I’m glad to hear that.”
Tom brought the wagon around, and the men began making the transfer of goods. Caroline stood off to the side, her parasol blocking the harsh rays of the morning sun. Adam thought she made a rather fetching picture up against the wood of the train station, and then noticed that he wasn’t the only one who thought so. Mr. Dupree’s eyes kept wandering over there, even when his task was clearly right in front of them. Adam hid a smile. He wouldn’t mind seeing his aunt attract a gentleman caller.
“All right, let’s get this over to the hotel,” Adam called out after they’d moved the last bedframe. Each one made of brass, each one designed to attract a
Caroline laughed. “You’d love it if I gave you a reason to ignore her letter, wouldn’t you?”
“The thought has crossed my mind.” Adam put the letter back in the envelope and tossed it onto his bed. “Olivia Markham always has a plot brewing in that pretty little head of hers. She did everything she could think of to ruin my relationship with Vivian—not that I was ever able to prove it, but it was most definitely her. I don’t trust this offer, and I can’t help but wonder what she means by it.”
“Let’s get these things taken over to the hotel, and we’ll discuss it tomorrow,” Caroline said. “It will be full dark soon, and I’d rather not be traipsing up and down the street by moonlight.”
Adam took the handles of one bag of his aunt’s and another of Miss Martin’s and carried them down the stairs. “Off we go, then,” he said, and they made their way toward his new establishment.
* * *
“And here comes the train.” Adam craned his neck to see as the steam locomotive chugged into the station and let out a long hiss. He could hardly wait to unpack their order and begin putting the hotel to rights. With all the shredded and faded linens and bedding they’d had to discard, the hotel looked virtually naked, and he looked forward to dressing it up again.
Tom stood at his elbow, ready to carry whatever was needed, and Caroline was with them as well. Adam nodded to the conductor as the man stepped off the train, and then he strode across the platform to shake his hand.
“I’m Adam Brody. I understand you have a rather large shipment for me today.”
“I do indeed, sir. My name is Wallace Dupree, and I’ve been keeping an eye on your packages since they were loaded on. Let me show you where they are.” Mr. Dupree’s eyes flicked to Caroline as he spoke, but he brought his attention right back to Adam. His ears turned a shade of pink which reached the very tips. Curious, Adam thought.
The conductor led them a few cars down the length of the train and opened the sliding door on a cargo car. “Here you go,” he said. “Nearly this whole thing belongs to you.”
Adam nodded in satisfaction when his gaze landed on the bedframes. One of those was his, and he’d move into the hotel that very day and put Miss Martin’s fears to rest. Nothing had happened the night before, but according to Caroline, Miss Martin felt that was entirely thanks to Mr. Samuel Colt’s invention.
“I’ve got a list here of everything,” Mr. Dupree said, handing it over. Adam scanned down the left-hand column, taking note of the linens, the carpeting, the dishes, and remembering that he’d neglected to order new drapes. Caroline had taken him to task for that, and now he felt foolish. These were the sorts of things that were liable to happen when he didn’t consult with his aunt before acting. How could she have known from New York the condition of the drapes in Kansas? She’d been relying entirely on him to know what to choose.
“This all looks good,” Adam told the conductor. “I’ll be placing another order shortly, but it won’t be this large.”
Mr. Dupree chuckled. “I’m glad to hear that.”
Tom brought the wagon around, and the men began making the transfer of goods. Caroline stood off to the side, her parasol blocking the harsh rays of the morning sun. Adam thought she made a rather fetching picture up against the wood of the train station, and then noticed that he wasn’t the only one who thought so. Mr. Dupree’s eyes kept wandering over there, even when his task was clearly right in front of them. Adam hid a smile. He wouldn’t mind seeing his aunt attract a gentleman caller.
“All right, let’s get this over to the hotel,” Adam called out after they’d moved the last bedframe. Each one made of brass, each one designed to attract a
Similar Books
