A Heart Renewed (3 page)

“Do not ever do that again,” he said in a hostile tone.  “Do you not know that Reuben has promised you to me?  Make no mistake,
Miss
Colter, I am a powerful man.  If you want to live a decent, peaceful life under my roof, you best lose some of your haughtiness.  Or, I will take whatever measures necessary to force it out of you.”

She blinked, trying to absorb all that he said.  Was he saying that Reuben already agreed to her marrying this loathsome man?  An ominous chill swept over her as he continued his intense stare.  Her heart beat rapidly within her chest as her panic rose.  She could not—would not—marry this dreadful man!

Dropping his hold on her, Mr. Norton extended his arm and placed her hand in the crook.  “Smile,” he commanded as he limped to open the front door.

Though her smile came insincerely, his seemed quite pleased.  He crossed the room slowly, still favoring his injured foot, before stopping in front of Reuben and Mary.  “Reuben, it gives me great pleasure to announce that Julia has eagerly agreed to accept my offer of marriage.  She was so delighted that she agreed to a short engagement.  We will be married in a month.”  His fingernails dug into her arm daring her to speak otherwise.

The smirk on Reuben’s face told her this had been their plan all along.  Such a public announcement, even though it was completely false, would be difficult to break. 
Lord, help me.  I cannot marry that man.

Chapter 2

Larson Ranch, Texas

August 4, 1864

Adam Larson glanced up, watching the approaching rider pull to an abrupt stop in front of the ranch house.  A smile twitched at the corner of his mouth as he watched her dismount from riding astride in a dress.  To the best of his knowledge, only one woman in the area dared to bend the rules of proper society in such a way.  As Caroline’s squeal floated across the distance from the house to the corral, his suspicions were confirmed.  The rider was indeed Julia Colter.

Leading the young gelding through a series of training exercises, he wondered again about Julia’s decision to marry Hiram Norton.  He heard the news, not from Caroline as he expected, but rather from one of the neighboring ranchers who witnessed the strange announcement.  It made no sense.  She was far too spirited to be tied down to someone so controlling.  And she was half his age.  There were plenty of eligible men much closer to her age—including his older brother Georgie.  Even Adam himself would be considered a good match.

The thought startled him.  To think of him married to Julia.  She was nice enough to look at.  But, he knew her far too well.  She was audacious, unconventional, and mischievous.  Too much of a tomboy for most men, though she might make a fine wife for a rancher—if he needed help with herd and didn’t care if or when supper was ready.

Any man that married her would be in for a lifetime of trouble.

As Julia and Caroline took a seat on the front porch, he waved.  Though he struggled to think of the young girl he knew for years as a woman, he did have eyes.  It was hard not to notice Julia’s shapely figure.  She was most definitely a woman now.  No doubt that’s what Hiram Norton saw in her.

Yet, what could she possibly see in Hiram?  Adam heard the rumors about Hiram’s shady business dealings.  He personally witnessed the man leaving the saloon in the clutches of a soiled dove on more than one visit to town.  Surely Julia knew of his unsavory reputation.  He could not envision her marrying such a man.

Snorting, the gelding drew Adam’s attention back to the training, though his mind didn’t stay there long.

The Larson and Colter families had been friends as long as Adam could remember.  Many Sunday afternoons and holidays passed with the two families enjoying each other’s company.  Since the Colter brothers were already grown men when he was a young lad, Adam spent most of his time cajoling Caroline and Julia into his boyish pursuits—not too difficult a task, given Julia’s adventurous personality and the fact that Will taught her many manly skills.  Caroline didn’t stand a chance against the two of them.

Once, at the age of thirteen, Julia challenged him to a roping contest after school in the playground.  At fifteen, his confidence soared.  He planned to embarrass her for brashness.  Instead, he left the schoolyard that day embarrassed at being trounced by a girl—a younger girl nonetheless.  When she finally caught up with him, he saw the innocence in her eyes and easily forgave her.  She hadn’t intended to wound his male ego in the slightest.  She was just being her usual competitive and flamboyant self.

Still, he sensed things began to change after that.  He focused more of his time and energy towards helping his pa build up their horse breeding business.  He spent less and less time hanging out with Julia and his sister.  The friendship, while not ending, took a different shape—one involving much less contact as the years rolled by.  Frowning, he tried to remember the last time he spoke to Julia other than in passing at church.  Had her birthday in January really been the last time their family visited the Star C?  That was nearly eight months ago.

“You seem a bit distracted, son,” Pa commented, placing a strong hand on his shoulder.  His pa turned his head to follow Adam’s line of sight.  “Julia’s visiting.”

Adam nodded.  “Why do you suppose she wants to marry Hiram?” he asked, even though it wasn’t his concern, but also knowing his pa would give him a straight answer.

Pa laughed, his eyes sparkling.  “I don’t think any man understands the heart of a woman.”

After Adam took the gelding around in another circle, his pa spoke again, more seriously.  “Wondered a bit myself if Reuben isn’t pressuring her into such a union.  Certainly seems far different from the Julia we know.”  Pa’s voice faded to a mutter, only deepening Adam’s apprehension on Julia’s behalf.

“Caroline, what am I going to do?  The wedding is just over a week away and I still have no idea how to get out of this.”  Julia voiced her fears, her throat constricting in panic.  “I cannot marry that wretched man.  I never agreed to his offer.”  Having previously shared the details of her awful, unwanted engagement with her dear friend, she hoped they would have come up with a way out by now.  They hadn’t.

“Let me think for a minute,” Caroline said, tilting her head to one side.

Julia paced under the shade of the Larson’s porch while Caroline remained seated, her boots giving sound to the agitation wound so deeply in her soul.  As her friend tapped her finger rapidly against her temple, Julia knew she was thinking through the situation. 
Please Lord, provide me a way out of this.
  The familiar prayer echoed through her mind as she walked back across the length of the porch.

For weeks, she prayed, begging God for a resolution to this situation that would not involve her becoming Hiram’s wife.  For weeks, her prayer went unanswered.  She endured Hiram’s forceful kisses with each of his visits and she wearied of the feel of his hands on her body.  Bile crept up her throat as she recalled his last visit to the ranch when he tried to take advantage of her, before she managed to free herself.  Sharing a bed with this man for the rest of her life—she shuddered at the thought—would be completely unbearable.

Wringing her hands, she walked the length of the porch again.

At last, Caroline shot to her feet.  “I’ve got it!”  Excited green eyes looked in her direction as the sun reflected off of her golden blonde hair.

Julia’s anxious posture remained, though her feet stilled.  “What?” she asked, hopeful.

“Well, since the engagement was very publicly announced, I think the only way out of this is a very public denouncement.”

Julia nodded.

“And it will do you no good to appeal to Reuben or that nasty Mr. Norton privately.”

It hadn’t.  She tried several times, only becoming more discouraged with each attempt.

“The only way to ensure there is an end to this charade is to end it—very publicly.”

“How?”  The dim light of hope flickered a little brighter.

“What you need to do is break off the engagement on Sunday morning following the service at the church in front of everyone.”

“At church?” Julia shrieked, picturing herself forever shunned after such a display.

Caroline held up her hand, stopping her from further protests.  “Hear me out.  Mr. Norton will, of course, be there and insist you sit next to him.  Throughout the service, you should appear distracted, maybe even distraught.  Then, as the two of you are leaving the church, you break down in tears and accuse him of being with another woman.”

“But, that’s a lie.”  Did the path to freedom have to involve dishonesty?

“Julia, do you want to escape this or not?”

At her nod Caroline continued, “Then you tell him that you cannot marry someone who would bed another woman even before his wedding vows have been uttered.  Don’t give him a chance to respond and make it very clear that you will not marry him ever.  Then, don’t get in the carriage.  Instead, take my brother’s horse and ride off.  Once you’re gone, I’ll reinforce that you will never marry such a man.”

As she considered the idea, her friend anticipated her reservations.  “I know that you don’t know for
certain
that Mr. Norton has given himself to another woman.  But everyone will believe you—especially given his reputation.”  Taking her hands, Caroline gave them firm squeeze.  “This will work.  I know it.”

Julia bit her lip as she remembered his stern warning the night of their engagement.  She feared how Mr. Norton might treat her should this plan fail.  Trying to mask her despair, she asked, “Won’t Adam be mad if I steal his horse?”

Caroline rolled her eyes.  “You’re not stealing it.  You will be distraught and looking for transportation.  It will be a matter of convenience that his horse is the one you will
borrow
.  I’ll send him over to fetch it later in the afternoon.  You can relay any messages to me through him to let me know how you are faring.”

Julia folded her arms around her waist.  “If this fails…”

“We’ll pray for success,” Caroline reassured her with great optimism.  “I can’t imagine that God wants you with that man any more than you want to be with him.”

After several silent seconds passed, she looked at Caroline out of the corner of her eye as hope took deeper root.  “I hope I never cross you.  Your mind is quite devious.”  She laughed nervously.

“These are desperate circumstances.  I want to see you wed the man of your dreams and not be forced into a dreadful lifelong marriage.”

Hugging her friend, Julia smiled for the first time in weeks.  Just maybe this would turn out alright.

Adam waited impatiently as Georgie pulled the wagon to a stop in front of the house a few hours after Julia left.  Eager to see if a letter arrived for him, he led the gelding back to the stables.  The minutes of brushing down the animal seemed like hours as he thought of what news might await him.  If he received the news he hoped for, his dream would begin to take shape, even though it meant leaving the loving home of his family.

The last year had been difficult on the Texas cattle industry.  The primary market for his father’s cattle was in New Orleans, which was being blockaded by Union troops, forcing prices down to an unsustainable level.  With falling prices and the added strain of finding new markets, the Larson’s horse breeding business also suffered.  Many ranchers were pulling up and moving to the west or northwest, leaving less of a demand for Larson’s quality horses.  So, the family ranch suffered losses in both areas.

For the past several months, these losses gave Adam pause as he considered his future.  At nineteen years old, it was time for him to determine what path he would take—whether it involved continuing to work at his father’s side with the horses or striking out on his own.  Each option held significant risks and rewards, which he weighed cautiously.  Finally, he sent a letter inquiring about an opportunity—one that would allow him to be independent, yet have some safety in knowing he would not be alone.

Once he finished caring for his horse, it was all he could do to walk calmly into the house and ask Mama if Georgie brought him a letter from town.  When she handed it over with a confused look, he knew she read the return address.  Giving her a quick kiss on the cheek, he sprinted to his room closing the door behind him.  Plopping down on his bed, Adam tore open the much anticipated letter from Will Colter.