Adam's Bride Read Online Free PDF

the rough bark of the maple tree then across the tip of the spout where a clear liquid dripped into the bucket below. The bulge of an icicle remained on the tap, confirming that the conditions for the harvest of the sweet sap were perfect. At first, Adam had tried to fight her decision to begin the gathering in the maple grove, insisting he was well enough to do the work himself. She watched as he stumbled across the room in search of his boots, until he finally conceded that he wasn’t well enough to get up, let alone work out in the chilly March afternoon. In his feverish state, he’d been forced to lie back down and, within minutes, had fallen into a restless sleep against his thick feather pillow.
    Now the wind whipped through the grove, leaving a stinging sensation in Lidia’s cheeks. The snow glistened beneath the pale sun, shimmering like tiny crystals through the maple grove. It wasn’t cold enough to freeze the sap, but it was cold enough for the wind to make its way through the threads of her thin coat.
    Balancing the half-full bucket between both hands, she tromped through the crusty snow toward the next tree. By nightfall, the buckets would be heavy with sap. How Adam had ever thought he could collect then boil the sap while keeping the fires going by himself, she had no idea.
    In the short time she’d been around him, he’d reminded her of her father. Stubborn, yet enthusiastic at the same time. Her father had possessed a passion for freedom. This deep emotion had sustained him through difficult times in his native country, through the long crossing of the Atlantic with their family, and to the new life they started together in America. She wasn’t sure what drove Adam. Part of her wanted to know what lay behind those dark eyes. Another part of her wanted to run.
    Koby labored without complaint, a feat considering his normal attitude at the mill and the work that still lay ahead of them. Once they collected the sap and transferred it into the large vats at the sugarhouse, the liquid would have to be constantly stirred as it boiled, making sure it didn’t run over or form a skin on the surface. With the furnace burning strong, the entire process would have to be repeated tomorrow and the next day—as long as Adam needed them or until the weather cleared enough for one of them to go for help.
    Lidia was used to hard work. She hung an empty bucket, swapping it for the fuller one. For a moment, Mrs. Moore’s birdlike nose and thin, wrinkled face flashed before her. While the woman who ran the factory where they worked wasn’t as stern as many of the overseers she’d heard about, Lidia knew she wouldn’t tolerate their absence. But neither could Lidia ignore the fact that Adam needed her. A good run of sap wouldn’t wait for the deep snow to melt from the roads or for Adam to regain his strength.
    Her brother struggled beside her as he strained to lift the wooden sap yoke that carried the two buckets across his shoulders. “Do you remember the last sugaring off we went to?”
    “I remember how you ate so many sour pickles we all thought you’d turn green.” Lidia laid the bucket down then leaned against one of the sturdy trees, smiling at the memories.
    The pickles were said to cut the sweetness of the sugar so one could eat plenty. Koby had never had any problem eating a generous amount of the waxy, taffylike treat that had been boiled then cooled into strips on the snow and eaten with a fork.
    She wrapped her arms around herself and let out a slow sigh. “We had some good times together as a family, didn’t we?”
    Her brother kicked one of the buckets with the tip of his foot. “I miss them.”
    “I miss them, too, Koby.”
    Her brother’s pained expression sifted though the recesses of her heart. What do I say to make things better for him, God? She longed for her mourning to turn into joyful dancing, as David once wrote in the Old Testament. Longed to see a carefree smile cross her