The Housekeeper's Proposal

by Barbara Goss

  As she straightened the crumpled letter, she realized it was a draft—words had been crossed out and rewritten. She had no doubt Helen had copied the draft and sent it off. She read the edited letter:

  Dear Kenneth Ken,

  I am sure swear the baby’s yours. Why are you now denying it? Yes, Jeremy Walker married me, yet but I don’t like love him—I love you. There is no has never been a romance between my husband and me myself. I don’t want wish to spend the rest of my life in a loveless marriage.

  Come Please come for me. I’ll meet you anywhere whereever you say, and we can run off together. Please respond and. Address the letter to me here because Jeb picks up the mail and he just hands it out and doesn’t ask questions.

  Yours Love XXX,

  Helen.

  Kate checked the date of the letter against the envelope from Kenneth and could see Helen had written to him first.

  She then opened the folded paper and read the letter Kenneth had written back to her:

  Helen,

  I ain’t got a job or money. How can I support you and a baby? I’m going home to Kansas City. Besides, you weren’t as pure as you said you were—how do I know that babe’s mine? Someone was there before me—maybe several more—before I touched you. Good luck.

  Kenneth

  Kate sighed. She almost felt sorry for Helen. She placed the letter from Kenneth inside his envelope; it fit perfectly. She put all the items back into her pocket. She’d show them all to Jeremy when they took their walk after dinner.

  Trying to digest all she’d discovered, she came to a conclusion: Helen had written to Kenneth Otto to ask him to save her from a loveless marriage but he had refused. When she received Kenneth’s letter, she left the Walker home. Finding her ribbon at her and Griff’s old home next door was proof Helen had been staying there.

  So who had killed her? She still didn’t know. Kenneth? He had no reason to, since he’d already broken it off with her and probably had left for Kansas City.

  Walking out to the stables with determination, Kate stopped short when she remembered her roast in the oven. She stopped and turned back—she’d have to check it first.

  The roast fell apart when she stuck a fork into it—done to perfection. She removed it and set it on the part of the stove that always stayed warm when the stove was lit. She walked to the hall and checked the grandfather clock; it was almost six. She’d have to postpone her visit to Jeb until morning.

  Kate busied herself by mashing potatoes and thought about topping the cherry pie she’d made with whipped cream. She went down to the cellar— she always did so quickly, as the memory lingered—and brought out some cream. About the time she finished, she heard Jeremy walk through the front door. He had a habit of whistling on his way to wash up so she'd know he was home.

  Her heart gave a little pitter-patter when she heard him whistling—just knowing the signal was for her gave her a warm feeling. She couldn’t wait to see him, yet she couldn’t show it.

  It was going to be a long week.

  As she waited for Jeremy to come into the kitchen, she counted her suspects: Jake, Abe, Ethel, and now Jeb, as well.

  Chapter 13

  Jeremy came into the kitchen and sat down at the table. They exchanged mumbled greetings without looking directly at each other, as Kate set his dinner before him.

  “Call me if you want seconds. I’ll be in the back, eating dinner with the maids,” she said, turning away.

  “Fine. Thank you,” Jeremy said, trying not to watch her walk away. He loved the swing of her hips when she walked, but never knowing who might be watching, he dared not look.

  Jeremy thought they were doing just fine. No one would ever guess they were in love.

  Dinner tasted delicious: tender, roasted chicken cooked with carrots that took on the flavor of the meat, and creamy mashed potatoes covered in thick, rich, gravy—a meal fit for a king. He’d never liked carrots, but cooked that way, they were delicious.

  When he set his fork down to use his napkin on his mouth, Kate jumped up to deliver his dessert, piling the whipped cream onto the pie before setting it before him.

  “Tea in the sitting room to discuss the household?” he asked without looking up.

  “As you wish,” she said and walked back to where the maids were eating.

  Just in case someone might be listening, they talked about the household while taking their tea. He didn’t trust Ethel, and though he did trust Geraldine, she had a habit of talking too much.

  Once outside and around the bend in the road, Jeremy put his arm around Kate’s waist and pulled her close. “I missed you,” he said, kissing her temple.

  Kate smiled up at him. “I have news that may take away from our kissing time.”

  “You’ll have to talk fast, then, because I’ve been looking forward to this all day,” Jeremy said.

  They turned into the forest, walked to their special, secluded place, and sat on the bench.

  “Tell me your news, quickly,” Jeremy said, putting his arm around her.

  Kate pulled some items from her pocket. “I found some things in Helen’s room.” She dangled a ribbon before him. “Recognize this?”

  “Is that the ribbon from your old house?” he asked.

  “No, this is another one. I found it in Helen’s dresser drawer.” Kate laid a crumpled paper on his lap. “Read the letter Helen wrote to Kenneth Otto.”

  Jeremy read the letter. “Holy buffalos!” he exclaimed. “Otto was his last name!” He shook his head.

  Kate held out another paper. “This is Kenneth’s response.”

  “This is big,” Jeremy said after reading the letter. “If Kenneth wasn’t the first man Helen was with, then God Himself only knows who the father of that baby could be.”

  “Or,” Kate added, “Kenneth could have been worming his way out of it. We can’t be sure he wasn’t lying.”

  “You’re right,” he said.

  He handed the items back to Kate. “Can we kiss now?”

  She placed the items in her pocket and smiled up at him, “Not quite yet.

  “I need to know what conclusions you’ve drawn from what you’ve just learned,” she asked.

  Jeremy scratched his head. “I’m not much of a detective, but first off I’d say that Jeb may not be as trustworthy as I’d thought. He should have told me about the letter when she disappeared. Secondly, because of the ribbon, Helen must have been staying at your homestead for a while. Thirdly, I don’t think Kenneth killed her. He had his way out and could have just turned away. He had no reason to kill her. Someone wanted her dead for another reason. Maybe Kenneth wasn’t the father of the baby and the person who was—or thought he was—killed her.”

  “That’s interesting,” Kate said. “I like your deductions, and I agree. Now, we just need to figure out who wanted Helen dead.”

  “Now, can we kiss?” Jeremy asked impatiently, reaching for Kate.

  Kate put her arms around his neck. “Yes, please.”

  He pulled her onto his lap so she’d be as close to him as possible. He found her lips, kissed her passionately, and groaned when she returned his kiss with enthusiasm. He thought he might explode from wanting her. When he became too heated, he started reciting Bible verses in his head. He had to gather the strength to pull away—he was unable to do it on his own. He breathed so heavily, clutching her so tightly, he feared hurting her. When she started playing with his chest hair, he knew it was time to stop the torture. He ended the kiss and just held her, taking her hands from his chest and placing them behind his neck.

  “You’re pushing me beyond my limits, Kate,” he said breathlessly.

  “I’m sorry,” she said. “I didn’t realize.”

  He held her until he got his breathing under control. “It’s different for a woman, I think.”

  “How so?” she asked, still breathless.

  “Some of the workers were talking at the lumber yard about romancing women just a few weeks ago, and how
a woman could kiss and hug all night long without needing more, while a man—it’s very difficult for a man because his anatomy changes and he gets a strong urge to satisfy—well, you know.

  “Anyway,” he continued, “I made myself a promise to try to live according to God’s word, and that means no intimate relationships until the woman is my wife.”

  “So…” Kate said.

  “So, I love you more than words can say, but we can’t keep doing this,” he said, kissing her forehead. “I want to save it for…for our wedding night—if you’ll have me, that is.”

  “Was that a sloppy proposal?” she asked with a grin.

  “It was.” He slipped down onto one knee. “I know this is soon in our relationship for a betrothal, and I haven’t properly courted you yet but I love you, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Will you marry me, Kate?”

  Kate seemed stunned and didn’t answer.

  “You don’t have to answer right away. Think it over and let me know?” he asked, standing and pulling her up with him.

  Kate threw her arms around him and hugged him tightly. “I will! Yes! I’ll marry you!”

  He kissed her lips lightly. “After my name is cleared, of course.”

  “Of course,” she said. “I’m a bit worried about going home on Sunday.”

  “Why?” he asked.

  “I’ll miss you so much!”

  He pulled her close. “I know, but it’s for the best.”

  “Isn’t there some way we could meet? We might have news to share or something,” she said.

  “I’ve thought about this,” he said thoughtfully. “What if I send you a message and your brother intercepts it?”

  “You can send a message to Horace Monroe,” she said. “I’ll check with him or his clerk daily for a message.”

  “That’s a great idea. Maybe we can sneak in a meeting if finding the murderer takes longer than we think.”

  “Oh, Jeremy! I hope not!”

  He kissed her neck as he spoke. “I’ll be ten pounds lighter, too.”

  “Why?” Kate asked.

  He grinned. “Geraldine’s cooking.”

  So far, Abe was the only person she hadn’t questioned because she couldn’t figure out a way to make it seem casual. She rode out into the fields where he was working at mending the fence between the Walkers’ property and her old homestead.

  “Hello, Abe,” she greeted.

  He nodded with a grunt.

  She slid off her horse and walked closer to the burly, rough-looking man. Abe appeared unshaven, which added to his coarse appearance.

  “See that house over yonder? That was my childhood home.”

  “That right?” he said without looking up from his work.

  “Mr. Walker took me over there to see it the other day. It’s sad the house has been so neglected. It’s a mess, but it looked as though someone had been staying there. Have you seen anything suspicious?” she asked.

  Abe stopped working and stood. “I haven’t seen a thing unusual—not since that body turned up, that is.”

  “I’m wondering if that’s where Helen had been hiding out.” Kate tried to sound casual but hadn't failed to notice his sudden interest.

  “I keep to myself, pretty much, miss, and mind my own business, too. If you want information, try talking to Jake. Not much gets past that man.” Abe turned to stoop down and continue to work on the fence, his action signaling an end to the conversation.

  “Thank you, Abe,” she said, as she mounted her horse. “It was nice talking to you. Have a nice day.”

  Kate rode back to the stables feeling as if Abe wasn’t her man, although she did wonder why he’d helped Ethel on the same day as the body was found.

  Jeb greeted her as she walked her horse into the stable. He took her horse from her and said, “I’ll take care of him for you.”

  “Wait a minute, Jeb.” He paused and she continued, “Why did you help Helen by not mentioning the letter delivered to her?”

  Jeb looked surprised she knew, and then he shrugged. “I always get the mail and distribute it. I never report to Mr. Walker as to who got mail and who didn’t.”

  “That’s true, but after she went missing, it would have helped Mr. Walker to know that,” she said.

  “I’d forgotten all about it,” Jeb said. “Sorry.”

  “I can understand that. Thank you, Jeb,” she said in dismissal.

  Kate scratched Jeb and Abe off her mental suspect list. Ethel and Jake were now at the top of her list. She had only a few more days to solve it.

  In the evenings, Kate and Jeremy still took their walks but agreed to keep the passion at a low pitch, for now. She agreed with Jeremy, whom she respected for the way he lived according to the Bible, that too much passion was just too tempting. Their feelings were too deep and powerful to control. She looked forward to becoming Mrs. Walker one day and enjoying her husband to the fullest when the time was right and the union was blessed.

  During their walks, Kate filled Jeremy in on all of her findings. Kate wondered how seriously Jeremy considered her reports because he said little about them. All he seemed to want to do was to hold her close.

  Chapter 14

  Jeremy made mental notes of every clue or hint Kate reported. He made few remarks on her findings, however, because he really wanted to discourage her from doing more investigating. When she left for home on Sunday, he’d take over. He felt just as anxious to clear his name as she, and now he had a reason to clear it quickly, so he could marry her. He truly loved Kate—she was all he thought about. Surely, once his name had been cleared, Griff wouldn’t have a problem with him marrying his sister. If he lost Kate—well, he didn’t know what sort of sorry shape he’d be in if that happened. Someone in his employ—maybe even in his home—had committed murder. He had to discover who it was and within a reasonable length of time, because he would miss Kate intensely.

  Kate’s findings were important—they'd come in handy when he started his own investigations. He’d arranged to have Harold, his foreman, temporarily take over a few hours at the end of the each workday so he could spend more time solving the mystery. Harold wouldn't be able to start until the following week, owing to his wife having just given birth to a baby. He promised he could start on Monday, so instead of arriving home at six each day, he’d get home around three in the afternoon. He had to find out who killed Helen or live with a broken heart.

  On Saturday night, Kate and Jeremy went for their last walk together. They walked slowly as if by doing so, it would last longer. They made their way to the bench in their secluded hideaway, but they were in each other's arms before they even sat down. Kate began to weep. He felt like doing the same. He’d only loved her for a short time, but she’d already changed his life.

  He rubbed her back as they hugged. “It won’t be for long. You’ve done most of the work, now all I have to do is pull it all together.”

  Kate looked up at him with tear-filled eyes. “You’ll get messages to me through Horace Monroe?”

  “I promise.” He kissed her forehead. “I love you so much, Kate, and I’ll miss you, but just knowing you’re safe will be a comfort.”

  “I wish we could just pack up, move far away, forget all this,” she said “and live happily ever after,” she said.

  “And one day, when we have children, someone would walk up to us and say, “Hey, aren’t you the man who murdered his wife in Hays, Kansas?”

  Kate put her head against his chest. “I know…it was just a wish.”

  “When we marry, we’ll live happily ever after, right here on this land. I’ll build a cabin on this very spot, where we can go to get away from everyone,” he said.

  “I’d love that,” she said with a sniffle.

  Jeremy handed her his handkerchief. “Do you want to sit down?”

  “No. I just want you to hold me until it’s time to go,” she said. “Hold me tightly, so I can remember it when I’m alone in bed each night.”
<
br />   Jeremy threw his head back and laughed. “You’d better be alone!”

  Kate laughed with him for several moments. “I will be, and praying, too.”

  “Praying is the key,” he said.

  “I know we've curtailed the kissing since it became too tempting, but tonight, can't we kiss just one last time?” she asked.

  Jeremy’s answer was to capture her lips between his and ardently explore her lips, relishing the taste of them. When the kiss ended, he found himself murmuring her name over and over.

  “I’m leaving early in the morning—please don’t get up and see me off. I couldn’t handle having to say goodbye again,” she said. When he opened his mouth to object, she placed her finger on his lips and said, “Please?”

  Jeremy nodded. “What should I tell the staff?”

  “That I quit because my brother needs me?”

  “All right. It sounds plausible.”

  In the morning, Jeremy remembered Kate had wanted to leave without saying goodbye again. He got out of bed just in time to see her buggy rumbling toward the road. He said a prayer for God to watch over her and keep her safe. He felt desolation envelop him at the thought of not seeing her for who knows how long.

  Breakfast was late, the toast was burnt, and his eggs were overcooked. He could live with the bad food, but he felt lost without a woman he hadn’t even known only a short month ago. He thought it strange his life had changed so abruptly from being a miserably married man to a widower in love with his housekeeper.

  Jeremy wanted to begin immediately with his detective work, but the men were off on Sunday. He’d just have to start with Ethel, then.

  Jeremy found Ethel making his bed. “Can I have a word with you, Ethel?”