Tied and True (Hearts Entwined Collection)

Melissa Jagears

Description

Privileged Marianne Lister is in love with businessman Calvin Hochstetler, but he believes the social divide between them is too great a barrier to overcome. So, Marianne takes a job at a local factory to show her devotion. But when it proves more difficult than she expects, can Marianne keep her commitment and convince Calvin their love can defy the odds?

Informations

• Publié par: Baker Publishing Group
• Date de parution: 01 mai 2018
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781493412037
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 2 Mo

Extrait

Cover
Title Page
Copyright Page
© 2018 by Melissa Jagears
Published by Bethany House Publishers
11400 Hampshire Avenue South
Bloomington, Minnesota 55438
www.bethanyhouse.com
Bethany House Publishers is a division of
Baker Publishing Group, Grand Rapids, Michigan
www.bakerpublishinggroup.com
Ebook edition created 2018
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—for example, electronic, photocopy, recording—without the prior written permission of the publisher. The only exception is brief quotations in printed reviews.
ISBN 978-1-4934-1203-7
Scripture quotations are from the King James Version of the Bible.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, incidents, and dialogues are products of the author’s imagination and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
Melissa Jagears is represented by Natasha Kern Literary Agency
Cover design by Dan Thornberg, Design Source Creative Services
Contents
Cover
Title Page
Copyright Page
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
Epilogue
Excerpt from A Love So True
About the Author
Other Books by Melissa Jagears
Back Ads
Chapter 1
K ANSAS C ITY , M ISSOURI S EPTEMBER 1908
T he pounding of hammers above them ceased.
Marianne Lister put down her tea and smiled at the widow whose roof was being reshingled by men from their church. “Seems you’ll have peace and quiet now.”
Mrs. Danby’s faded blue eyes blinked as if it were hours after nightfall. “I could hardly hear them, sweetie. But God bless you for coming.”
“You’re welcome.” Not that she’d been much help; she’d simply kept the woman company.
If only she could’ve done more than rearrange Mrs. Danby’s pantry and chitchat while they waited. The widow had even taken over making lunch. Marianne rubbed the back of her hand where oil had left a welt. Evidently there was an art to frying ham if one didn’t want to splatter oil everywhere. As heiress to a large fortune, she’d never need to cook for herself, but that didn’t lessen her feeling of failure.
The front door opened, and Calvin Hochstetler poked in his honey-blond head. Her heart pitter-pattered like always whenever he came near.
“We’ve got your roof finished, Mrs. Danby. And none too soon considering the dark clouds rolling in. Was there more you needed done, or shall I send the men home?”
“Nothing I can think of.” She waved her age-spotted hand to encourage him across the threshold. “Why don’t you come in for more tea?”
Marianne picked up the nearly empty teapot. At least making tea was something she was good at. Even if this would be the fifth pot Mrs. Danby plied on the men.
“Thank you, but I think we’re good.” Calvin pressed a hand against his stomach and his eyes grew wide, likely at the thought of downing another cup. He managed to give Mrs. Danby a polite smile anyway, which only heightened his good looks.
“If you don’t have anything more for us to do, the men would like to get home before the storm.” He looked over at Marianne and then at the clock. “Is your driver coming to pick you up?”
She shook her head. “He won’t be coming for another hour. Would you mind walking me home?”
He beamed a genuine smile this time, making her insides warmer than the tepid teapot in her hands. “Certainly, but we’ll have to leave quickly. Are you ready to go?”
She was more than ready if it meant spending time with him. “Just let me tidy up.”
He nodded and backed out the door.
She put away the tea service, and when she returned to the parlor, Mrs. Danby had fallen asleep. Marianne arranged the quilt over the widow’s legs and let herself out.
The other men had already left, and Calvin was throwing away the last of the broken shingles.
So not only would she get to spend time with him, but they’d be alone? Her heart picked up and jitters took over. She looked at the sky. Hopefully the storm clouds weren’t in any hurry.
Calvin threw the last shingle into a bucket, carried it to the curb, then came back to meet her at the stairs. “Did you have a good visit with Mrs. Danby?”
“I did.” She tucked her arm around his, sighing a little at the tingles sweeping through her at his touch.
“I’m glad you agreed to keep her company.” Calvin tipped his hat at someone across the road as they started east. “She said her daughter hasn’t been up to see her for years.”
The poor woman, all alone with no one to help. And her daughter likely would’ve been better help today—she probably knew how to cook.
Marianne sighed. Would she ever be able to do anything of value? How was it she’d come to be twenty-one and couldn’t do much more than make tea? Wonderful tea, yes, but still nothing more significant than tea. Of course, she could also maintain a smile without it looking fake and nod her head sympathetically when Mother’s society friends complained about their husbands’ antics or philandering. If only she’d been born Mrs. Danby’s daughter, she might be able to do something useful outside a parlor. “I’m glad you let me be a part of your widow and orphan ministry, even if I am rather useless.”
“You aren’t useless.” He rubbed the top of her arm.
“When it comes to actually helping, I’m afraid I am.” She stared at the tops of her polished leather shoes. She’d certainly felt so today.
“You underestimate how much some of these widows need conversation. We can fix holes or replace windows to keep their houses warm, but you’re the one who warms their hearts.” He tucked her arm tighter against his and gave it a squeeze.
Did he see something valuable in everyone? “Might I go with you next Saturday?”
“I’d hoped so. Mrs. Phillips makes terrible tea.” He winked.
“But what if I wanted to help tear down her porch?” Manual labor couldn’t be too hard. Even children did it.
He raised his eyebrows at her. “What about talking with Mrs. Phillips?”
“I’d chat with her afterward. I know I can’t help you build the porch, but today I could’ve picked up broken shingles. Surely I could pile up rotted wood.”
“Sounds fine to me.” He waved at someone across the street. “You’ll save us time.”
She smiled so big it could have lifted her off the ground if not for Calvin’s arm around hers. And here she’d thought nothing could lighten her step faster than his dimpled smile.
If she’d told anyone in her social set she wanted to pick up rotted wood, they’d have laughed at her. “What project is after Mrs. Phillips’s?”
“Not sure. Her porch will wipe out next month’s budget.”
She was tempted to promise him extra funding, but she could imagine her father would gripe about how the group conveniently started going over budget once she volunteered. “What will you do for the rest of the month?”
He shrugged and looked back over his shoulder at the threatening clouds. “The others will be happy to spend time with their families, and I’ve got projects at work to finalize. With David out of the office, I should have enough time to do so before he returns. Other than that, I’ll keep my ears open for anything we can do that doesn’t require money. What about you?”
If she didn’t have anywhere to be, her parents would expect her to throw parties, pass cookies, and smile at eligible gentlemen . . . as long as she didn’t smile at any of them more than she did David. Calvin’s boss was the gentleman of choice when it came to a desired son-in-law.
If only they knew she and David had already discussed everyone’s expectations and chosen not to deepen their relationship. David was probably the only man in her circle who’d not take offense at her begging off his courtship because she had feelings for his secretary. “I don’t know what Mother has on the calendar, but I wish I could find something more useful to do than visiting.”
“What about that plan you had to help the homeless sell day-old breads?”
He remembered that? That had been an idea Papa had proven silly with long columns of numbers and figures, showing her business plan was unsustainable. “Seems I have to think up something that can be a blessing but still pay its own bills. If I do inherit, hopefully I’ll have figured out how to help those in need without bankrupting myself by then.”
“ If you inherit?” He turned to frown at her, a deep wrinkle forming between his brows.
“Yes, if . . .” David had warned her that a relationship with Calvin might cause her parents to disinherit her. Though she’d not meant to bring that up now . . . a lady didn’t ask a man to court, after all.
“Are your parents in financial trouble? Considering the amount of business they do with the Kingsmans, I hadn’t gotten that impression.”
“Oh no, no trouble like that. Just me—being trouble, that is.”
“If you cause your parents any real trouble, I’ll eat my hat.” He flashed her the silly grin that always made her feel accepted, despite how different they were.
And if they could be such easy friends, transforming their relationship into something deeper should be just as easy, right?
Oh, what to say? A lady might not propose . . . but was there anything wrong with hinting? “Well, they’ve forever expected me to marry David, so there’s no doubt they’ll find it troublesome I’ve fallen for his secretary instead.”
Calvin stopped midstride, his face suddenly blank.
Her body grew cold as she reviewed the words she’d just said. Seemed she was just as bad at hinting as being useful. Perhaps her unchecked tongue was where the real trouble lay.
His brows drew closer, and his gaze bore into hers. When his hand came up, her heart slammed against her chest and she closed her eyes. Would she receive her first kiss? Maybe bumbling out her feelings hadn’t been such a bad thing, after all.
Instead, he twisted her nose.
Her eyes flew open. “What was that for?”
His expression was wide-eyed with panic. “I just . . . In my dreams, I’d never tweaked your nose, and I . . .” He rubbed a hand down his face. “This isn’t