Stephen grinned. “You’ve finally accepted your feelings for her, haven’t you?”
Adam returned his brother’s smile. “Something like that.”
“She’ll make a good wife.”
A frown marked Adam’s features. “If she’ll accept me.”
“She will.”
Feeling lighter than he had been in a long time, Adam smiled at his brother and his wife and walked away from the kitchen. Unexpectedly, as he strode out of the house toward the stable, he felt the urge to pray.
He shook his head. Just because the law had failed him didn’t mean he would go running back to God with his tail in between his legs. God had also failed him. Mayhap he should believe in himself alone or not believe in anything at all.
“I’ll do just fine on my own,” he muttered, hoping Olivia would agree to see him.
Chapter 35
“Olivia, guess who is here to see you,” Susie said with excitement as she walked into the kitchen.
Olivia turned from the oven where she just put in a blackberry pie. To keep her thoughts from Adam, she had taken in more work at the orphanage. She helped Mrs. Burns whenever she could in the kitchen and the washerwoman as well. If Harriet couldn’t teach due to one reason or the other, Olivia was there to fill in for her. Sometimes, she got so exhausted at night, she slept off immediately. But the previous night, she had stayed awake thinking about Adam and what might have been between them.
Wiping her damp forehead with the hem of her apron, Olivia asked, “Who? Is it Cora?”
Her heart lifted at the thought of the older woman coming to see her. Perhaps she had news about Adam.
Susie shook her head. “It’s Adam.”
Olivia’s heart did a flip. Her hands dropped instantly from her face.
“What?”
Susie nodded energetically. “He’s outside. He refused to come inside to wait for you.”
Olivia’s face fell at that piece of information. It meant Adam had only come to say goodbye. He would have agreed to come into the building if he intended to visit.
She hastily pushed away her sadness. He was here, and that was all that mattered. She had longed to see him, no matter how short.
Thank you, Lord, for bringing him here.
Olivia untied the apron from her waist. “Please inform Mrs. Burns that I had to leave the kitchen. She’s in Mrs. Harrison’s office.”
Susie nodded.
Olivia fought to hide her joy. She questioned if it would be vain of her to go to her room to change her clothes and run a comb through her hair. Sensing that Susie might see it that way, she quickly threw cold water from a basin on her sweaty face and wiped it. She patted loose strands from her ponytail back, ignoring Susie’s giggle.
“You look as beautiful as always, Olivia. You know you don’t have to worry about your appearance. Even if you’re disheveled, men would still look at you.”
Blushing, Olivia nodded and walked out of the kitchen. Her gaze roamed her yellow cotton dress, searching for creases as she walked down the narrow hallway. Drawing in a deep breath and letting it out slowly when she reached the front door, Olivia peeped out from behind it.
Her breath caught in her throat when her eyes locked with his gray ones. She hadn’t expected that he would look directly at the door, waiting for her. He was a sight for sore eyes. His clothes were rumbled, his hair ruffled, his shoes dirty and his face drawn. It was as if he hadn’t slept in weeks, yet he was still the most handsome man she had ever seen.
His hands clutched tightly on his black hat as a frown appeared on his face.
“You don’t have to hide from me, Olivia. I know what a heel I’ve been.”
Hiding the fact that she was overjoyed to see him, Olivia stepped away from the door. Keeping an expressionless face, she trudged down the steps. Although she had forgiven him, it still hurt what he did to her.
Running shaky fingers through his hair, he asked, “Would it be too forward of me to ask you to take a walk with me?”
