Book Title: THE PURSUIT OF ELENA BRADFORD
Character Name: Elena Bradford
Welcome, Elena. My name is Rebecca. Thank you for talking with me about your stay here at the Grahams Springs Hotel. If you agree, I want to take some notes of our conversation to share with Dr. Graham. He likes getting to know his guests here at Graham Springs and how we might make your stay even more enjoyable.
Elena: That would be fine. It’s a pleasure to talk to you about this beautiful resort.
Rebecca: Oh, thank you, dear. Dr. Graham does want everything to be perfect for those who come to take the waters here. Let’s see. It appears that you arrived on June 7 this year. Let me make a note of today’s date, June 12, 1844. That means you have been here five days. How long do you expect to stay?
Elena: We hope to stay throughout the summer season.
Rebecca: Yes, of course. We are always pleased when our guests can enjoy all summer with us. Tell me a little about your family.
Elena: I’m here with my mother, Juanita, and my younger sister, Ivy. Ivy is having such a wonderful time, especially at the evening dances. She’s sixteen and loves to dance. Since the hotel has more gentlemen guests than ladies, she has no lack of partners.
Rebecca: Nor do you, I’m certain. So, you must be the older sister?
Elena: Yes. I’m twenty. My father passed away suddenly in January. Our doctor said his heart simply gave out.
Rebecca: Oh, I am so sorry for your loss. Is that why you came to Graham Springs? To recover from your grief?
Elena: It does seem a place to regain one’s peace after a death, but that is only partly why we are here. My mother has dreadful headaches, and she hopes taking the waters will relieve those. She also is in hopes that the social scene here will help me find a suitable romantic match. She is concerned for my future and wants to be sure I, as well as Ivy, meet the proper sort of gentlemen.
Rebecca: Perfectly understandable. And you have come to the right place. Dr. Graham has the most upright gentlemen as guests. Fortunately for our young lady guests, some of the gentlemen here are unmarried and surely as ready to find a match as you might be.
Elena: I regret to say that my mother is more obsessed with matchmaking than I.
Rebecca: That could change. Here at Graham Springs we do more than heal bodily complaints with our amazing spring water, but often cure needs of the heart. The dances in the evening give a young lady the opportunity to ply the young men with her charms. Plus, the paths throughout our lovely grounds are perfect for a promenade with a handsome suitor. I have heard some say a stay at Graham Springs can cure most anything including spinsterhood. This place works its magic on even the most confirmed bachelors to have them on one knee with a proposal in mind. Not that you are old enough to be considered a spinster. Not at all.
Elena: That’s kind of you to say, but I must admit to thinking I might very well end up in a spinster’s corner.
Rebecca: Oh no. Not as lovely as you are. I’m sure you will have all the single gentlemen seeking your favor. But let us move away from thoughts of romance a moment. Let me check my notes here. Oh yes, someone told me that you were seen with a sketchbook in hand. Have you been sketching long and what do you like to draw?
Elena: I can’t remember when I didn’t like to draw and paint. My father cultivated a beautiful rose garden, and I love going out early in the morning to sketch the roses or the butterflies or whatever shows up. I have a cat that keeps me company as the sun rises. Willow has made it into many of my sketches.
Rebecca: That sounds delightful. Have you found interesting subjects for your art here at Graham Springs?
Elena: Oh yes. Many. The flowers and trees are so lovely here. I enjoy finding a place in the gardens to watch the sun come up while I do a sketch.
Rebecca: You must be an early riser. I daresay most young ladies are not. Not when the music for the dances goes into the wee hours of the morning. Have you met the young man who is doing portraits down by the lake? Kirby Frazier, I think is his name.
Elena: Yes. Mr. Frazier ended up on the same stagecoach that brought us to the Springs. He was very courageous in stopping the coach after the driver fell from his seat and the horses took the stage on a wild ride.
Rebecca: I heard about that. I’m sure you were terrified. We are so glad none of you were injured. I think young Andrew Harper was also on that coach. He is such a nice young man and a favorite of Dr. Graham’s. How wonderful that you were all able to get acquainted before you arrived. And I hear both young men are single. With both you and Mr. Frazier sharing an artistic bent, perhaps romance will bloom between you.
Elena: I doubt that could be possible. My mother does not consider him a favorable match for me.
Rebecca: Or young Andrew either? Never mind. I can see that you would rather we steer our conversation away from romance.
Elena: Sometimes romance is not the most important part of a good match, or so my mother thinks.
Rebecca: But you must have romance and such feelings bloom like summer flowers here at Graham Springs. But tell me. Have you taken the waters? Enjoyed the baths?
Elena: I have tasted the water. It has a very strong flavor that I do not like, and while my mother and Ivy enjoy the baths, I prefer walks in the gardens. May I ask you a question?
Rebecca: Certainly.
Elena: Does the spring water actually have curative properties?
Rebecca: Of course. Our spring water is very reviving. And though the taste is different than most water, you can develop a taste for it. I can see by your face, you find that hard to believe, but it is true. The benefits of the water are worth the slightly bitter taste, I assure you. Many of our guests can testify that taking the waters and enjoying the baths ease their rheumatism or digestive difficulties along with other health issues. We do hope it will also cure your mother’s headaches. And perhaps your need for romance.
Elena: Such cures are surely desirable.
Rebecca: Let me ask you one last question. What brings you joy, my dear? And whatever that is, do you feel you might find it here at Graham Springs?
Elena: I find joy in so many things. A beautiful sunrise. A butterfly floating past on the breeze. Bees buzzing around flowers. Ducks floating on a lake. Music that makes one’s feet ready to dance. A pencil or chalk in my hand and a blank page in my sketchbook to fill. And all those things are here at Graham Springs. My mother, sister, and I are blessed to be able to spend our summer here whether romance blooms for me or not.
Rebecca: What a lovely answer! Thank you for letting me interview you. And I do wish you will also end up finding joy in romance before you leave Graham Springs.
At twenty-two, Elena Bradford has never met a man who made her consider marriage. But when her father dies and leaves the family deeply in debt, Elena becomes her family's only hope. Her mother uses their last funds to take Elena and her younger sister to Graham Springs, Kentucky, where people find healing by drinking the mineral spring water and healthy recreation through the many daily activities--including dances almost every evening.
As her mother schemes to find Elena a wealthy husband, Elena finds herself drawn to two men her mother would never consider. Charming artist Kirby Frazier spends his days drawing and painting the guests, but his real mission is to find a wealthy bride to finance his dream to go west. Melancholy Andrew Harper has come to Graham Springs in need of healing after a broken heart.
When a beautiful young lady shows up at the Springs with no chaperone and a story that seems suspicious, nearly everyone is charmed and intrigued. But when an unexpected tragedy occurs, Elena, Kirby, and Andrew will all be faced with decisions of life, love, and loyalty.
Romance Historical | Christian [Baker Publishing Group, On Sale: May 6, 2025, Paperback / e-Book , ISBN: 9780800746261 / eISBN: 9781493450589]
Ann H. Gabhart started writing when she was ten and has been writing ever since. Her first published writings were personal experience pieces, youth stories, and poems in church periodicals such as HomeLife. Her first novel, a historical romance about the settling of Kentucky, was published by Warner Books in 1978. Since then, she's published numerous books for both adults and young adults. Ann lives on a farm in Kentucky not far from where she was born.
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