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This is my story, this is my song
The next morning, Eve and Evangeline excitedly told Adelaide about their visit with Allen Reese and how he had generously offered to let them stay with him until they were married. Adelaide was reluctant to leave her new friends, Elizabeth and Priscilla, but tried not to show it knowing Elizabeth would offer to let her stay anyway. She finished packing her things and then went across the hall to Priscilla’s door.
She tapped on the door and stepped inside when Priscilla called for her to enter.
“I hear you are leaving us.”
“Yes. It seems like a sensible solution.”
“But?”
“But I’d rather stay here with you.”
Priscilla held her baby out. “Would you like to hold Grace?”
Adelaide smiled. “Yes, please.”
“You do know I won’t be staying here forever, don’t you?”
Adelaide sat down and cuddled Grace. “I know. I love the name you chose. It fits her.”
Priscilla leaned back against the pillows. “How so?”
“God graciously gave you this baby so you could get out of your awful situation.”
“I hadn’t thought of it that way before.”
“Then why did you name her Grace?”
Priscilla smiled. “Because Grace is Elizabeth’s middle name and I wanted to name her after Elizabeth.”
“That is a good idea, too.” She sighed and put Grace back in the cradle. “I should go. I’ll try to come visit as often as I can before you leave.”
“Thank you, Adelaide. You are a precious young woman.”
Adelaide felt her cheeks warm. “Thank you. Goodbye.”
“Goodbye.”
***
Adelaide adjusted to the new house quickly. It helped that Mr. Reese put her immediately at ease with his gentle, hospitable manner. After a few days, Adelaide went to his den.
“Come in,” he called. When he saw who it was, he set down his pen and smiled. “Miss Adelaide. What can I do for you?”
“You are the one who will be approving or not approving of any young man who wants to court us, correct?”
Mr. Reese nodded. “If that is acceptable to you.”
“It is.” She sat down across the desk from him. “Do you mind if I give you my list of expectations in a husband?”
Mr. Reese blinked in surprise. “You have one?”
“Yes, I do.”
“Did the man you wrote to fulfill them?”
Adelaide bit her lip. “No. I didn’t have the list then. This is something I started putting together after I arrived in Cheyenne. When I left my hometown, I just needed to get away and wasn’t as worried about it. Now that I can have more of a choice—” Her voice trailed off.
“I understand. Can I see the list?”
Adelaide stood up and handed him a piece of paper with five things written on it. Mr. Reese read it carefully while Adelaide sat back down. “This doesn’t look too hard to fulfill.”
Adelaide shrugged. “I didn’t want to make it too hard and these are the most important things to me.”
Mr. Reese nodded. “I’ll make sure no one slips past me without first meeting these.”
“Thank you.” She stood up. “Don’t go out of your way looking for them, though. I’m not in a hurry.”
“You’re sure?”
Adelaide nodded. “I’m sure.”
“All right. I’ll try not to do any matchmaking yet.”
“Thank you for everything, Mr. Reese. It takes a special man to allow five young women to live in the same house as him.”
“I always wanted children. This is one way to get them.”
Adelaide smiled. “And grandchildren, I’m sure.”
Mr. Reese chuckled. “Probably.”
Adelaide approached the door. As she turned the knob, Mr. Reese spoke up, “Do you fear men?”
Adelaide stiffened. “Why do you ask?”
“You seemed cautious around me until today and I thought perhaps it was because you feared men.”
Adelaide turned around. “I don’t fear men, but I am cautious around them. I have had a few bad experiences that have probably made me overly cautious.”
“But once you get to know them, you are fine?”
“If they don’t do anything to make me uncomfortable, yes.”
Mr. Reese nodded. “That should be all. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” Adelaide hurried out of the den. How had he figured out so much about her already? She took a deep breath. It really wasn’t a problem, just disconcerting.
Adelaide went down to the kitchen.
“Is there anything I can help with?”
The cook, Beulah Corland, looked at her. “This meal is pretty simple, so not really, but if you really need something to do, I can figure something out.”
Adelaide chewed her lower lip. “I think I do, but I don’t want to be a bother, either.”
“Do you know how to make a spice cake?”
Adelaide smiled. “That was my father’s favorite dessert and he always liked mine better than Mother’s.” She stared into the distance as the memory came to her. “I think that always made Mom a little jealous, but she tried to never show it.”
Mrs. Corland nodded toward the pantry. “I haven’t done a dessert for supper yet, so how about you do that?”
“Thank you.”
Adelaide gathered the needed ingredients and started putting the cake together. “How is your family doing?”
“They are fine. My children are almost all grown now. I just have one more living at home, but I don’t think she’ll be there much longer.”
“Does that sadden you?”
“In a way it does, but I also know she’s very much in love with her beau and I don’t want to take that away from her.”
They were silent for some time. “Is the oven ready for the cake?”
Mrs. Corland nodded and Adelaide put it in. “Thank you for letting me make it. I’ll be back down to check on it.”
“I’ll be here for a while. Don’t worry about it.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes, I am.”
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
