Free Adam's Bride by Lisa Harris Page B

as if they had saved it. Instead of leaving Koby and her on their own to find jobs after Mrs. Moore dismissed them, Mr. and Mrs. Johnson had hired them to work on the Johnson farm.
    Lidia untangled the rope, careful to keep her balance in the process as she teetered on the edge of the branch. She had no idea what Adam would think now that she was living on his parents’ farm. She’d seen his face the day she rode away from his cabin with his father barely two weeks ago. The hurt in Adam’s eyes had been clear, as though she’d betrayed him with the truth. He might have had feelings toward her at one time, but they had vanished with her confession.
    She shook her head. Adam Johnson and his maple grove weren’t her problems anymore. She refused to pine after a man who couldn’t put the past behind him. She was dreadfully sorry for what her brother had done, but nothing she could ever say or do would change what had happened. The rest of the Johnson family, in giving her and her brother employment, had decided to move on with their lives. Something she could only hope and pray Adam would one day do, as well.
    She gave the rope one more tug, and it broke loose. “All right, girls. I think it’s fixed.”
    Dropping the rope, she watched the swing fall to its proper position. Pleased at her accomplishment and the giggles now emanating from the girls, she allowed herself a moment to enjoy the patchwork of rich earth that spread out before her. With spring clearly on its way, the acres of farmland were beginning to wake from their winter sleep. Soon mayflowers, hydrangeas, and a vast array of flowers would bloom. The apple orchards would begin to bear fruit. Pastures with their stone fence borders were dotted with grazing cattle, and in the distance the banks of the Connecticut River rose from the water.
    Taking in a deep breath, she relished the fresh scent of spring that hovered in the air like a bee ready to take nectar from a blossom. It had been a long time since she’d felt so free and happy, and she had no intention of losing this feeling.
    Dust rose in a hazy cloud to the north. A horse and rider galloped across the dirt road toward the Johnsons’ house. Not wanting to be found in such an awkward position, Lidia began to make her descent. She felt a sudden tug at her waist. Reaching behind her back with one hand, she felt the material that had caught on one of the branches, but it was too taut for her to loosen it. She tried squirming free, but the fabric only pulled tighter. If she weren’t careful she would rip a hole in the dress. With only three dresses to her name, she certainly couldn’t afford ruining one of them.
    “Hurry down, Miss Lidia. Adam’s coming.”
    Lidia froze. Ruby and Anna jumped with excitement below her. For the first time all morning, Lidia regretted agreeing to watch the girls while their parents went into town. Surely she hadn’t heard them correctly. Adam was supposed to be on his farm finishing the sap harvest. Not here. Not now. The girls continued squealing with delight as they watched their older brother and his black stallion approach the back of the gray-shingled farmhouse.
    Her jaw tensed as he drew closer. He looked so handsome wearing Levis and a tailored work shirt with his Stetson pulled low across his forehead to block the sun’s warming rays. He pulled on the reins as he approached the tree, then jumped off his horse, his eyes lighting up as his sisters enveloped him with their hugs, greeting him with more excitement than a fireworks display on the Fourth of July.
    The wind ruffled his hair when he took his hat off, and she could see the shadow of stubble covering his jawline. This wasn’t the Adam who kissed her in the moonlight beneath a blanket of stars. That man had vanished, taking with him a piece of her heart. She fought against the sense of panic that swept over her, not knowing what he would think when he realized she was hovering above him. She’d known he