Her Heart’s True Longing – Extended Epilogue

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April 1889

Clarion Hills

Staring at herself in the mirror, Adella traced the fine scar that was still white against her tanned skin. It was small and yet it had almost cost Adella her life. Such a small cut from that horrible man’s knife had almost ended all her dreams and for what? For one man’s selfish need to control everything. 

“Don’t worry,” Rosamund said coming up behind her. “I especially designed that collar so that no one will see the scar at all.” She fiddled with the lace collar of Adella’s dress and pulled it into place. “There,” she said admiring her handy work. “You look beautiful.” 

Adella smiled. “Thank you,” she said. “Especially for this dress. It’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.” She ran her hands down the beaded satin bodice. “I feel like a fairy princess.” 

“Well, you look better than one,” Rosamund said smiling. She was dressed in a stylish lilac gown she’d made with her own hands as well. Where she’d found the time was beyond Adella. 

Since the fire back in November, things had been crazy in the Mason household. There had been the house to rebuild, the avocado orchard to replant and all the irrigation pipes to fix. Of course, Simon had helped a lot with that. He was a marvelously patient person, trying to be the voice of reason when Adella and her father disagreed about what she saw as improvements, and he saw as unnecessary. Simon had steered them through all of that with his cheerful nature and his love. She was most especially glad of that. Simon was rather remarkable, and she was about to become his wife. 

At that thought, the butterflies that had been hiding somewhere in her, returned to her stomach and began to make a fuss. She bit her lip and meeting Rosamund’s gaze let her nerves show for a moment. 

“You’re nervous, aren’t you?” Rosamund asked. 

“You would be too,” Adella said a little defensively. “If it were you and Paul, then you’d have butterflies duking it out in your innards instead of me.” 

“True,” Rosamund said with a sagely nod. “However, today is your big day and I have to tell you, you needn’t worry. Everyone’s here, the groom included. I checked. And I’ve had Paul make sure that he stays put.” 

Adella had images of Paul gluing Simon to a pew and laughed. 

“Billy and Paul are both keeping him occupied until Minister Jackson is ready for you,” Rosamund said. “And Diana is greeting people at the door. When everyone’s here she said she’d come and call us. So, don’t worry, we’ve got everything in hand.” 

Adella turned and embraced her sister. “I can’t believe this is happening.” 

Rosamund smiled. “Well, it beats being knocked unconscious by a thug,” she said. “I still can’t believe it was Mayor Underwood all along. I mean what a piece of work he was!” 

“You’re going to have to get over it eventually,” Adella said. Brave words on her part. She still woke in the middle of the night screaming as her throat was cut. But that was all in the past where it belonged. 

Peter Underwood, the former mayor, was serving a hefty sentence for attempted murder and arson. It turned out that the green-eyed man and his thugs had set the terrible fire that burnt their house to the ground.  

Adella and Simon had had to ride all the way to San Diego to the closest court to give testimony. Even Archie had been there, telling how he’d heard his father talking to the green-eyed man and telling him to attack the Masons. That had certainly sealed Peter Underwood’s fate. But Adella liked to think that her testimony to his manipulating her and Archie and him threatening her had helped too. It seemed that the former mayor was a very bad seed indeed. 

Mrs. Underwood had come out of it all unscathed. She’d held her head high and sworn she knew nothing of her husband’s terrible plans and affairs. Once again, it was Archie’s testimony that sealed it. He and his mother had been completely in the dark. He told Adella later that he suspected Mary-Louise had known a bit about it but there was no proof. 

She was having a less wonderful time of things now. With her father in jail, her claim to ruling the town was over. People called her out for her hurtful, mean remarks and Mary-Louise was learning a great many lessons very quickly about what people would put up with and what they simply would no longer tolerate from her.

With peace restored to Clarion Hills, the Masons had rebuilt the farmhouse.

It had been clear, after he and Archie came to their rescue on the bridge, that Simon was madly in love with her. He had been willing to die for her and Adella felt the same about him. They’d become engaged the moment they could both see straight and speak after their ordeal. 

And now the day was finally here. 

Since it was spring in California, there were flowers all over and the sky was a perfect, unblemished blue, although the old folks were predicting rain later. Adella didn’t mind at all. It was the rain that had saved the citrus orchard and much of the alfalfa. The rain she’d prayed for and that had come. 

There was a soft knock on the door of the dressing room. Adella turned to see her mother entering. She looked lovely. Dressed in a pale pink dress with her hair done up in coils on her head, she seemed a good deal younger than she was. Her smile was one of pride and happiness. 

“Oh, Adella!” she exclaimed. “You look wonderful. Rosamund, you honestly have a gift for making people look their best.” 

Rosamund smiled and her chest puffed out just a little. Adella took their mother’s hands and gave them a squeeze. 

“It’s almost time,” she said. “I thought I’d come and warn you. But you look ready.” 

“I think I am,” Adella said. 

“Simon is a very lucky man to be getting one of my daughters,” she said. “I made a point of telling him so.” She grinned. “He looks rather handsome, by the way.” 

Adella knew he would. There was nothing that could make him ugly in her eyes. She couldn’t wait to have this whole affair over and move into their house together. 

It had been the Weintraub’s farm before, but after the fire, the elderly couple had decided to move to San Diego to be with their three children. They had sold the farm to Adella and Simon for a fraction of its worth, calling it a wedding present. 

A lot of work had gone into rebuilding the house and getting everything back into working order, but knowing it was theirs had made the work fun. And the money for it had come from designing and building irrigation systems. After Mr. Weintraub spread the word about how well his system had worked and how it had been instrumental in keeping the fire at bay for hours before everyone came to help, Adella and Simon could hardly keep up. 

Even the new mayor, Mr. Salvatore, had lauded them. He had asked them to design and build a system to bring water to the whole town in an emergency. Adella had several ideas, but Simon hadn’t approved any yet. He said a lot of them were simply fanciful. Oh well. She’d work on them. 

Their little company was called Mason and Robertson’s Irrigation and it was doing very well. Adella was so proud. Things had changed in the town. When she and Simon walked around, people would stop and talk to them, they would even wave and came and shake their hands. It was a nice change to them crossing the street to avoid her. Of course, there would always be those who thought she was touched by the devil, but Adella preferred to think of it as being touched by Hephaestus, which was far more fitting. After all, she was marrying a blacksmith. 

Rosamund had been surprised when Adella had refused gloves for her wedding dress. She was in short frilly sleeves and the scar seemed oddly perfect as though it were a ribbon wrapped around her arm. 

And suddenly, it was time. 

Adella’s father waited for her in the hallway. Her mother left them, and Rosamund hung back a little, letting Adella and their father have a moment together. 

“You look beautiful,” he said. “I’m so proud of you.” 

“For what?” Adella asked, frowning. Having her father with her, up and mobile after his second heart attack on the bridge, was the best gift she could ever have. 

“For being the wonderful person you are,” he said. “No matter what we’ve faced, you’ve never lost faith in us as a family and that means a lot to me.” 

She hugged him and more than a few tears were shed. 

The music started to play and Rosamund walked down the aisle. She looked lovely, even from the back. And then it was time for Adella and her father. It was so odd to see the town gathered in the church for her and Simon. Everyone smiled and looked happy for them. 

Archie was there with Layla Charles, her blonde hair gleaming in the light. They held hands and looked very happy together. Adella was thrilled for them. And then her attention slid to Simon’s mother. Elenore was still a mystery to Adella. She’d suddenly changed her tune entirely towards her and Adella was glad. She hated to think her mother-in-law might not like her. That would be terrible. But there she was in the front, holding a handkerchief in one hand and supporting herself on her husband’s strong with the other. She smiled at Adella. 

Adella smiled back and then her gaze slid to Simon and never left. He was so handsome in his dark suit and white shirt. He looked like a prince charming waiting for his princess at the end of a fairy tale. Adella was so glad she had let Rosamund talk her into this wonderful, lacy dress. It was perfect and he was perfect. It was all a dream come true. 

As Minister Jackson went through the ceremony, Simon kept smiling at her and Adella couldn’t help but smile back. Even the touch of his hands on hers made her heart beat very quickly and she was almost out of breath when Minister Jackson finally said, “And I now pronounce you, man and wife.” 

Adella’s heart might have stopped at that point. She wasn’t sure. And then he said, “You may kiss the bride.” 

The butterflies tried to escape through her chest, but she didn’t care. Simon drew her close and she felt his warmth filling her. As their lips met, Adella thought those watching had to see the electric spark it created. There had to be something visible because the feel of his lips on hers almost made her knees give out. 

From the ceremony, they all went back to her parent’s farm. They had set up tables and chairs under large tarpaulins that had been strung from the house to the barn. It created a wonderful, shady area where a spread of foods had been laid out. 

Luckily Adella had had nothing to do with the cooking and everything was delicious. The newlyweds and their guests enjoyed a most wonderful wedding feast. There was roast chicken and a leg of lamb, mashed potatoes, carrots, green beans, and loads of gravy. There were pies, puddings, and a peach cobbler, especially for the groom. Simon’s eyes grew wide when he saw the cobbler and proclaimed it all his own. 

Everyone ate and drank and had a wonderful time. Adella and her father sang Amazing Grace in such perfect harmony there wasn’t a dry eye in the place. Then they sang a few happier tunes and Simon insisted that there be dancing. 

Rosamund, who was surprisingly good at the guitar, played a few songs and people danced. All in all, it was a most wonderful wedding. 

As it began to wind down, Adella found a seat and took off her shoes to massage her aching feet. 

“My goodness!” Simon said, collapsing beside her. They watched others dancing to the music Rosamund was playing. 

It was a polka and Archie and Layla were having a good time being the only ones still standing. Everyone else was huffing and puffing on the sidelines. 

“And to think we have to do this all over again in a month,” Adella said. 

“Why?” Simon asked, frowning. Sometimes she wondered if he listened when she spoke. 

“For Diana and Billy,” she said, raising her brows. 

“Oh, right,” Simon said. “Sorry, all this jumping around has rattled my brains.” He smiled at her. “How are you feeling, Mrs. Robertson?” 

“Very good, but tired, Mr. Robertson.” 

They grinned at each other. 

“I love the sound of that,” Simon said, and raising her hand to his lips, he kissed it. It sent thrills through Adella, and she leaned towards him. 

“Do you think they would miss us if we snuck off?” she asked. 

Simon looked around. Everyone was talking and laughing. He shrugged. “But we should say goodbye, don’t you think?” 

It would be the polite thing to do. However, try as they might, they weren’t allowed to leave. Everyone wanted to talk to them and have a dance with them. Soon Rosamund proclaimed her fingers too sore to continue playing and the dancing ended. There were a few more songs sung without the guitar, and Mrs. Robertson recited several poems to many cheers and great applause. 

By that time, the sun was setting, and dark clouds were closing in overhead, blotting out the carpet of bright stars that were starting to peek out.

Adella and Simon said fond goodbyes to everyone. His mother hugged Adella and cried dreadfully as she said over and over how happy she was that they were married. His father was far more controlled and shook her hand and Simon’s before taking his mother home. 

James and Ana welcomed Adella to the family and she started to feel quite warm and fuzzy inside. Being accepted and welcomed was new to Adella. Only her family had ever accepted her as she was before, and yet, here was another family willing to do the same for her. It was novel and exciting. She couldn’t wait for Sunday lunches at her house where she could invite them all. Of course, someone else would have to cook. Perhaps, she could take a couple of days and her mother could teach her to make something edible. 

Eventually, they were the only people left at their wedding celebration apart from Adella’s family. They helped to clear up and bring things into the house. Just in time too, as soon it began to rain. 

“Do you want me to drive you over to your house?” her father asked. 

“In the cart?” Adella asked. ‘What would the point be? We’ll be wet anyway. No, I think we can borrow a tarp and walk.” 

“If you want to,” he said. 

With their tarp held over their heads, they made their way over the fence to their new home. It was the first night either of them would be sleeping in the house and it felt odd walking up this strange porch. 

Simon pushed the door open and something miraculous met Adella’s eyes. The house was bathed in warm light from several safety lanterns lit and set around the downstairs entryway. Petals, pink, red, and white littered the floor. Adella moved inside to inspect them and found that they led upstairs. 

She could work out which room they led to without going up. She turned to Simon. He shrugged. “I asked Diana to help me out with this bit,” he said. “She thought you’d like this.” 

Adella smiled. “I love it.” She drew him towards her. “And I love you.” 

She pressed her lips to his and felt him lean into her. His body was firm and solid beneath his clothes, and she longed to feel him against her. 

As he lifted her in his arms and began to carry her up the stairs, Adella knew that she would never be the same person who had stepped into her house that evening, but that was okay. Because the new her would never be alone and misunderstood again. She had her partner with her the love of her life and what came next would be wonderful. The future looked bright and full and as she lay on the bed with Simon beside her, she let love take her up on wings of light.

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