Heather Is Coming

In my soon to be published novel, Heather, Hot Springs Bride , Heather Perry helps her family run a boarding house in Hot Springs National Reserve. Anson English and his grandmother come to take advantage of the waters at the bathhouses, hoping to strengthen Anson's legs, injured in a riding accident and confining him to a wheelchair. The reservation had become popular for all sorts of health concerns, especially since the Civil War. Anson goes to the newly constructed Fordyce Bathhouse, the most luxurious one.
Here is some of what Anson experiences:  As soon as they checked in at the bathhouse,Stedman pushed him into the men’s section of mahogany changing rooms. ToAnson’s dismay, the rooms were small, little more than a closet, and wouldn’taccommodate a wheelchair. Stedman helped him maneuver from hischair to the bench seat in the room, but it wasn’t easy. In fact, one of theattendants came to help. There he undressed and wrapped a sheet around himselflike a Roman toga.

The men’s bathing section was moreimpressive, and since he doubted the other bathhouses’ facilities would havebeen any more accessible for a wheelchair, he found himself glad thatGrandmother had insisted on the Fordyce. The eye-catching marble fountain in thecenter of the room drew his attention at once. It featured a statue of Hernandode Soto, the Spanish explorer who was believed to be the first Caucasian to seea hot springs in America.

Anson liked the soothing sound of theflowing water. The ceiling above the fountain held a gorgeous stained-glassscene depicting an aquatic design. The calming colors and intricate motifscreated the feeling of being under the sea. Even the walls in the large rectangular men’sbathing hall were made of decorative tiles in pretty designs as was the floor. Themarble-line bathing pools, complete with marble partitions and mahogany doors,added to the elegance.

The hall also had other amenities suchas massage rooms, steam cabinets, and cooling rooms. They had thought ofeverything except accommodation for wheelchairs. An attendant adjusted the settings andfilled the tub with water the right temperature. Then he helped Stedman getAnson into the water.

The thirty minutes of soaking in the hotmineral water went faster than Anson expected. He also found the experiencemore pleasing than he’d anticipated. He suspected it was more than just thewater itself; it was the whole experience, including the ambiance of the place.He left feeling a little weak but better than he had in a long time. He justdoubted it would last.

Be sure to get your copy of Heather, Hot Springs Bride, now on preorder and releasing on October 3.

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