A Bride for Adam

a lull in the lovely wind we’ve had since we started.”
“We’re still moving,” she said.
“Yes, but not as swiftly as we were. That’s why most shipping companies are switching to steam ships.”
“Will your company do that?”
“Probably, but I won’t part with Eve.”
Greta smiled. “I’m glad. I rather like her.”
“I might see if I can add a steam engine to her and use it when there’s a lull in the wind.”
 “What can I do to help out today?” she asked.
“I’ll need someone to clean below decks because we have a skeleton crew. I have a crew member to mop the deck, and I want you to report to Tully in the galley. I told him you’d be giving him a hand. He’ll show you where we keep the cleaning supplies. Are you sure you’re all right with helping Tully and cleaning?”
 “I’m absolutely positive.” She turned toward the stairway.
“I’ll meet you in the galley, and we’ll have lunch together,” he called.
~~~~***~~~~
Adam watched Greta go below deck and said a silent prayer she’d do well. She was almost too nice a person, and she seemed overly docile. Then, this morning, when he took the helm at three, he realized why: she’d been “handled” her whole life. First, her parents had guided her, then her grandmother, then his parents. The poor woman had never had the chance to make decisions on her own or to be independent. He wondered if she even knew how. He’d vowed to make a stronger person out of her, and he hoped he could do it without her winding up hating him for it.
Adam knew Greta would be fine if she stayed married to him, but if she married Tanner, he’d control her. He’d seen women like Greta taken advantage of so many times; bullies always looked for women who they could control, and Greta was ripe for his picking. Once a man had a weak woman under control, his courage would strengthen, and he was likely to abuse her mentally, physically, or both. When he was finished with Greta, she’d be strong enough to tell Tanner where to sell his manure.
They pulled into the harbor of Charlestown just before sundown. Greta stood at the rail, her eyes glued to the shore. She smiled at him when he approached.
“I have a surprise for you,” he said. “Tomorrow, we’ll go into Charlestown to send a wire to Rhea and Sam and ask how Bethany is doing. We can send her kisses and hugs.”
Greta’s eyes lit up. “Can we? Do you think they’ll answer while we’re still in Charlestown?”
“I’ll put in the message that it’s to be delivered immediately, and that the messenger is to wait for a response.”
Greta sighed. “That’s a lovely surprise. I’m excited to hear from home.”
“Next year at this time you’ll be getting Bethany ready for school. She’s nearly four now, right?”
Greta nodded. “I intend to spend every moment with her until I have to send her to the schoolhouse.”
“You could teach her at home.”
Greta’s smile faded. “Your mother already offered, but while I hate to hurt her feelings, I want to spend the time with my daughter.”
“Greta,” he turned her to face him, “she’s your daughter, and you should make the decisions for her and yourself, not my mother or anyone else. You have to stand up to her.”
“I want to, and I have wanted to so many times, but she’s been so good to me, I just cannot.”
“You must or she’ll be spending more time with Bethany than you will. You have to learn to say, no—politely, of course.” Adam knew Greta’s heart was in the right place, but she had to stand up to his mother.
Greta simply shrugged.
“Let me hear you say, ’While I appreciate your offer, I’ve decided to send her to the schoolhouse.’ C’mon—say it.”
“She’d be terribly hurt, Adam, and she’ll think me ungrateful for all she’s done for us.”
“Not if you say it nicely...and I can’t picture you saying it otherwise. Say it,” Adam said, though more firmly this time.
“While I appreciate your offer, I’ve decided to send her to the schoolhouse or teach her myself.”
“That’s perfect.”
“What will your mother say to that?” Greta asked.
“Hmm,” Adam said, “she’ll be surprised and maybe even a bit hurt, but you need to do whatever it takes to make the right decisions for you and your child. Once she sees you standing up for yourself, she’ll stop trying to control you. I know—I learned it long ago.”
“I never really minded her taking charge,” Greta said.
“That’s not the point. You have to think of what it is you want, not what others want you to do. What do you want to do?”
“I want either to teach Bethany myself or send her to the schoolhouse. I want to be completely in charge of my daughter, but it’s difficult with your parents living so close and especially because she’s Seth’s daughter.”
“Take it from me: you’ll be so much happier and less frustrated if you start standing up for yourself in a polite way. You said you trusted me—you need to trust me in this because she did the same thing to me, and I had to stand firm, too. The last thing I’d want to do is hurt her feelings, but when I refused her in the right way, she was never hurt, but she did back down. Now, she doesn’t even try to get her way with me.”
“What’s the right way? Just to be polite?”
“Yes, and I always started with a compliment. For instance, she wanted me to stay in Fort Worth and buy a business, but I wasn’t ready for that, yet. I wanted to sail, so I said to her, ‘I’m grateful that you’re concerned for my future, but I know in