Page 7 of A Letter to Adaya
Her thoughts drifted back to her recent trip.
Adaya realized that both Papa and Grandmother were praying she’d find a man from the elite of Virginia. As much as Adaya wanted to resist conforming to societal expectations, she couldn’t help but wonder if maybe they were right. A part of her even hoped she would meet someone as well, but after a year with no response from the matchmaker one of her classmates had recommended, things did not look promising. She wasn’t sure if anyone was out there meant for her. Perhaps she would end up a spinster if even someone renowned for their ability to match people perfectly couldn’t find anyone for her.
Lightning rippled across the horizon as another boom cracked through the sky, making her jump slightly on the wooden seat. She silently wondered if they could reach the house before the sky opened once more. Walter was driving the carriage hard, eager to get them home, but the muddy paths were not cooperating.
Adaya’s thoughts were interrupted by a sudden jolt as the carriage hit a deep rut, throwing her forward. She stumbled, barely catching herself, before falling onto the floor. Walter immediately pulled on the reins, bringing the carriage to a halt.
“Miss Adaya, are you alright?” he asked, concern echoed in his voice as he called to her through the small window separating them.
“I’m fine, Walter. Just a little shaken,” she replied, her heart still racing in her chest. She straightened her skirt and adjusted her cloak before nodding. “Let’s continue on, shall we?”
As the carriage lurched back onto the road, Adaya couldn’t shake the feeling that something was very wrong. The storm outside mirrored the tumultuous emotions she was feeling within. Where was her father, and why had he not met her at the station? And what was in the letter waiting for her at the house?
She clung to the side of the carriage as it rocked back and forth. There was a tightness in her chest that had nothing to do with the bumpy ride. Walter was dismissive in his tone, and he barely glanced at her as he collected her things. She wanted to know why her heart felt heavy, as if everything was about to change. Adaya longed for adventure but disliked uncertainty. Now, it felt like she was walking into a new future that she knew nothing about.
As they finally reached the long driveway leading to the family estate, her heart was pounding in her chest. She gazed out of the window, her eyes taking in the familiar sights of the sprawling estate. Even with the rain, the horses, or the small herd of cows the family ranch boasted, should have been in the fields.
There were no animals in sight.
She dismissed the thought as quickly as it had come. The weather must have been poor for some time.Someone probably nestled them in the barn,she assured herself.
A gust of wind blew against the carriage as Walter drove up to the front of the house. Adaya noticed that the temperature had dropped significantly, and she wondered if it was a sign of snow coming soon, since it was nearly October. She remembered seeing a few places along the train ride home with white patches on the ground, signaling the possibility of early snowfall.
The carriage stopped and Walter yanked the door open, fighting against the wind and rain that had started once more. She wasted no time climbing down, her hair whipping into her face like a thousand tiny lashes as she hurried towards the front door, Walter following close behind with her trunks, dropping them on the porch.
“You get in the house. I’m going to put the horses away,” the older man fussed before dragging himself back onto the driver’s bench.
Adaya let herself in the front door, quick to close it behind her. A wave of shock went through her when she faced the house. There was nothing in the entrance hall except for a few hooks that once held her coats close to the door. The tables and bench were gone, leaving only a dimly lit lantern illuminating the bottom step of the stairs.
What on earth was going on?
She let her eyes sweep the entry again and felt a plan forming. “I’ll take a bath and have some food, then we’ll sort this all out.” Something was wrong, and she’d returned just in time to fix it.
Adaya didn’t take the lantern. She had memorized the route to her room by now. A chill of anxiety that it would be empty ran down her back; but would Walter have let her go in the house alone if that were true?
Moments later, her hand twisted the knob to her childhood bedroom. It appeared the same as the last time she’d been here, making the absence of items beyond the four walls even more noticeable. As she removed her wrap, she noticed two envelopes on top of her quilt, their pale color in stark contrast to the dark blue background. With a sniff, she turned away to the water warming on the fire. Walter must have started it before he came to collect her.
The fire was low, and the room felt chilled, yet her body was still slick with the sweat of travel. Picking up the kettle warming over the fire, she walked over to a small table and poured the contents into an enamel washbowl. The hot water steamed as she refilled the kettle and placed it back on the fire. The water would take a bit to cool, so she kicked off her soaked shoes and peeled away her drenched layers of clothing, tossing them aside in a heap. Despite feeling exhausted, wet, and famished, she knew that the contents of the parchment would reshape her destiny for the rest of her life.
She wanted to read the letters, but she was afraid of what she might read. Adaya paced around the room, trying to quell the rising panic within her. It wouldn’t do any good to read them until she had freshened up.
Dipping her fingers in the water, she hissed and yanked them back. The water was still too hot. She tried to put a number on how long her journey had been. Hours seemed like days, and for all she knew, the same people could have been pacing around her from one stop to the next. When the water was lukewarm enough to touch, she submerged her hands and arms into its comforting warmth, ignoring the dirt that swirled to the surface.
As she sunk her hands deeper into the warm water, the stiffness from the cold slowly disappeared. She reveled in the warmth before grabbing a bar of soap and a rough cloth and scrubbing herself, ridding her body of the dirt and grime brought on by traveling. After she dried with a thin towel, she pulled on a cozy nightgown and settled into her bed.
Stiff fingers wove her hair into a braid, and she promised herself she’d style it in the morning. Right now, she wanted to read the letters and go to sleep. Her eyes widened as her fingers touched the first letter, recognizing her father’s handwriting boldly written across the envelope. Picking up the second letter, a sweet scent of vanilla and fresh-baked bread wafted over her nostrils. She brought the item closer to her face, taking a deep breath. She could smell cinnamon, as well. It was unmistakable.
Adaya’s fingers trembled as she flipped over the envelope and saw an unfamiliar feminine handwriting spelling out her name. Her heart raced as she ran her finger along the crisp edges. What kind of person would send a letter scented like fresh baked goods? She wanted to read the letter, but her eyes were so heavy. Adaya set the letter down once more and rubbed her eyes, not able to keep them open. With no choice but to read the correspondence in the morning, she sighed, feeling the exhaustion pull at her bones. As she settled under the covers, she reached out to the lantern to blow out the flame, but it flickered and died on its own. Darkness enveloped the room, and she closed her eyes, finally letting herself surrender to the sleep that had been eluding her during her journey.
Adaya woke with a start, pulling the covers tighter around her as she shivered in the cold air. It took a moment for her to realize that she wasn’t on the train, as the sensation of the floor shifting below her persisted.
Breathing a sigh of relief, her fingers reached out to curl around the edge of the mattress. As she blinked away the grogginess, she realized the fire had burned out several hours before. A glance out the window showed that the sun hadn’t risen yet, but the storm had passed. Something crinkled as she pulled her hand back. Patting the top of the blanket, she felt the letters she had dropped the night before.
Groaning, she rolled over, taking the letters and blanket with her, and turned the knob on the oil lamp to raise the wick. A soft glow filled the room as she pulled the lamp closer to the bed. Struggling up into a seated position, she picked up the two letters she abandoned the night before and looked them over once more.
She placed the thicker envelope from her father on her lap and glanced at the second envelope with the floral script. Flipping it over, she found a return address for Flat River, Nebraska. A burning curiosity filled Adaya; she had never heard of such a place. Stifling a yawn, she slid her finger under the seal and opened the envelope, pulling out a single sheet of paper.
Dear Miss Breckenridge,
