A look of understanding crossed Beth’s face. “Are they at it again?”
“I’m afraid so.”
“How ’bout some fresh cake to go with that coffee, Miss Sadie?” Hattie beamed as she approached, and Sadie turned toward her, missing the look of concentration on Beth’s face.
Nearly an hour later Beth began to wonder if Mrs. Browning would ever leave. She lingered over coffee and cake until Beth thought she would scream. When Sadie finally left, Beth made her excuses to Hattie and slipped down the hall. While their voices weren’t still raised in anger, she could hear both Katherine and Morgan.
“You were right, Morgan. You said to expect bad things from this town. Somehow I didn’t really believe you.”
“Because of Jake.”
A long silence ensued as Beth strained closer to hear.
“I don’t want to ruin our partnership, Morgan. You know how much you mean to me. If you want to shut down and leave—”
“It’s not that simple, Katie, and you know it.”
Katherine’s voice was even softer. “I know.”
“And there’s Beth. You’ve spent your whole life sacrificing for her. You going to give up everything you built, all the years of running a saloon so she could have the right marriage, the right life? What about all that? Isn’t it important anymore?”
Beth swallowed, trying to absorb Morgan’s words, when to her horror she heard Katherine’s soft sobs. “Oh, Morgan. Beth doesn’t want to go home. She thinks this life is exciting, that I chose it. And I can’t tell her different.”
“I’ve always tried to convince you to be honest with her. She’s a young woman, not a child. She deserves the truth, Katie.”
Katherine’s voice rose in defense. “What? That I scrubbed floors and then worked in a saloon so she could be a debutante? I’m sure she’d love to hear that.”
“Katie, she’s your sister. She loves you. Beth’s already accepted that we aren’t married. Trust her with the rest.” He paused, then added, “Unless of course you want her to follow in your footsteps.”
“Don’t be cruel, Morgan. It’s beneath you.”
“I’m trying to wake you up. Somebody needs to.”
Stumbling, Beth left her hidden position in the alcove near the door. Katherine had sounded as if her heart were breaking. Tears sprang to Beth’s eyes.
She escaped up the stairs, taking refuge in her room, trying to digest what she’d just overheard. All those years of luxury had been at her sister’s expense, and now Katherine was about to lose everything.
No wonder her sister had been so hesitant to show her preference for the minister. Katherine wasn’t only fighting to keep a valuable partnership; she’d run against the grain of every upstanding citizen in town, something she wouldn’t have had to encounter if her reputation hadn’t been damaged as a result of providing for her younger sister.
Sudden shame filled Beth, remembering how she’d spent exorbitant sums of money on frivolous trinkets, never considering the source of Katherine’s income. All those years of ease, while Katherine had endured…Beth’s thoughts jarred abruptly, wondering how much more Katherine had done to support them.
Swallowing with great difficulty, Beth knew it was time to take her share of the responsibility. Moving toward her window, she parted the delicate lace curtains and stared at the house next door. She owed more to Katherine than just to make sure she had time alone with Jake. She had to convince him to testify.
Chapter 37
The loud clash of voices was unnerving. Katherine clapped her hands over her ears, but the noise barely dimmed. The cat screeched amidst the din and ran from the room. Even Romeo and Juliet were flapping restlessly in their cage. Pulling a cloth over their cage, Katherine slipped a few dried melon seeds inside, hoping to quiet the birds.
“I insist!” Jake bellowed.
“I’m not the one who’s telling you not to testify!” Morgan shouted back.
“Well, there’s no need for either of you to be yelling,” Sadie interjected at an equally high volume. “I told you I’d testify, which solves your dilemma.”
Katherine faced Sadie. “It only creates another one.” Darting a glance at the men, Katherine lowered her voice. “You have enough problems at home without tackling this one.”
“That’s for me to decide,” Sadie retorted, lifting her chin. “It’s our fault you have this problem.”
Raising her arms toward the ceiling, Katherine shrugged in frustration. “This is crazy. Neither one of you is going to make the sacrifice.”
“Don’t count on it,” Jake insisted. His proud, noble features were reminiscent of past conquering warriors. The defiance made her both proud and sad. His support would mean the end of his chosen occupation if he persisted in openly defying the leaders of his church. She wondered suddenly if that was his intent.
Despite the squabbling, Katherine made her voice heard. “The decision is mine and Morgan’s. We both appreciate the sacrifice you’re offering, but we will have to settle this on our own.” Seeing the pain that flickered across Jake’s face, she strengthened her resolve. He was not going to abandon his ministry because of her.
“Katherine, no!” Beth’s distressed voice broke the layers of pandemonium in the room. Katherine turned along with the others to stare at her younger sister, whose face was twisted with worry.
“Beth, this doesn’t concern you. It’s business.” Katherine reached out to smooth Beth’s hair, distressed that her sister was here beside her, not miles away, secluded from all the unpleasantness.
“I’m not a child any longer, Katherine. Please don’t treat me as one.”
Puzzlement crossed Katherine’s face, and she gazed at her sister in question. “Please, Beth—”
“I know what’s going on. You’re about to lose your business. Why won’t you let me help you?” Beth bent forward earnestly as she offered the plea. Jake cleared his throat, and Beth whipped around, looking pointedly at him. “What better witness could you ask for?”
Katherine met Jake’s eyes over her sister’s head. What did he know of this?
Morgan’s voice remained remarkably calm. “Katherine and I have a little time yet to decide.” He stared at them all in turn. “Right now everybody’s pretty worked up. Let it settle, and we’ll think on it.”
A chorus of protests rang out, and Katherine strengthened her own tone. “Morgan’s right. We appreciate the support, but it’s our decision.” She saw mixed emotions wash over Jake’s face before he straightened his features into acceptance. She knew he must have felt as though she’d punished him. She tried to ignore the shaft of pain her thoughts caused. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to prepare a wire to send to our solicitor.”
Reaching her office, Katherine barely got inside before Jake appeared. Unable to disguise her weariness, she turned to him. “We’ve discussed everything already.”
The sudden slamming of her office door told her that Jake didn’t agree. “Being a martyr doesn’t suit you.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“You’ve spent most of your life sacrificing for Beth, and now you’re going to toss what we have into the ash heap because you think if I stand beside you, I’ll have to leave the ministry.”
Indignation flashed in her dark eyes. “You doubt that I’m right?”
“And if you are? Katherine, when are you going to realize that I’m a man who can stand up and make his own decisions?”
“I refuse—”
“You refuse?” Dangerous intent laced words that were issued as a feral growl. “You may run the Crystal Palace, your sister, and even Morgan. But you don’t run me, Katherine O’Shea.”
Crossing the distance between them, Jake gripped her arms and pulled her close. His lips ground against hers as though proving his point. But there was no cruelty in the action, rather a possessive stamping that fully defined their positions. Resisting at first, soon she sank against him. Unlike Morgan, who took his l
ead from her cool business sense, Jake wanted to be in control. And for the first time in her life she was ready to share that control.
Hot currents of desire stirred her blood, surprising her even as Jake deepened the kiss. His embrace tightened, and only their clothing separated their yearning flesh. When he finally drew back, she laid her face against his chest, breathing rapidly. Unable to believe the quick flash of passion, she tried to regain her composure but found that it had slipped away.
Knowing that she couldn’t let Jake destroy his dreams, Katherine wondered if there was a way out of the impossible situation. It didn’t help to realize that despite his own pain, Morgan had defused Beth’s distress. She could only imagine what was going through his mind with them shut away in her office.
Trying to clear her head, Katherine eased out of Jake’s arms. Walking to the door, she tried to turn the knob. It resisted. Katherine shook the piece of brass, and still it didn’t open.
“Did Beth strike again?”
Katherine whirled around, seeing the amusement in Jake’s expression before turning to try the doorknob again. It didn’t budge.
“I can’t believe it!” Disbelief threaded her words.
“Perhaps she’s the only one of us smart enough to realize that we need to iron out our differences. This is probably the only way to do it.”
“So you’re willing to be locked away to prove a point?” Exasperated, she put her hands on her hips as she glared at him.
“No need to get mad. I didn’t turn the key.”
Her defiance departed like the air whooshing from a pricked balloon. “This won’t solve anything.”
“Because of Morgan.” It was a statement, not a question.
“It’s so very difficult, Jake. Morgan has been everything to me for thirteen years. How can I turn my back on him?”
Jake thought of his own friendship with Morgan. The man had proved to be intensely loyal despite their desire for the same woman. He could imagine the extent of that rare loyalty stretched out over a long span of years. It only made their convoluted triangle that much more difficult.
“I can’t ask you to cut him out of your life. If you were the kind of woman who could…” His words trailed off, knowing if she were that kind of woman, he wouldn’t feel as though he couldn’t live without her. “But I can ask you for one thing, Katherine.” She looked at him warily. “To choose.”
The words seemed to echo in the still room and in their hearts. Katherine knew there weren’t enough locked doors in the world to hide behind. The days were running out, her choices narrowing. She continued to stare at him but remained silent. The silence was more telling than a volume of words.
Sadie’s determined steps took her to the boardwalk outside the shipping office. In keeping with Able’s image of himself, the building boasted an elevated false front, making it appear a half story taller than it really was. In her less kind moments, Sadie had wondered if part of Able’s dislike of the Crystal Palace stemmed from the fact that the building was far grander than his own establishment, which was once the pride of the town.
While most people wouldn’t accuse Able of unabashed braggadocio, there was far more to him than the rigid, upstanding citizen he appeared to be. She hadn’t always thought so, but since she’d come to know Katherine, Sadie had learned to understand far more of the human personality.
Glancing up at the outside stairway that led to the second floor, she wondered if Able was inside checking figures or at the train receiving shipments. It had occurred to her finally that only one thing stood between Able and those he’d seen fit to outcast. Pride. Pure and simple. It wasn’t moral indignation, as he’d proclaimed to the town council in Katherine’s case, nor was it disappointment in his son, as he’d shouted at David.
It was pride that made Able believe David’s actions pointed the finger of blame at him, making him look like a failure. Katherine had to be stopped for the same reason. As for herself, Sadie realized that she was just another failure. One who hadn’t met his precise expectations.
And in his own way Able still mourned his wife. Or thought he did. From everything the children and neighbors had told her about the first Mrs. Browning, there wasn’t much that was lovable about her. Sadie had discovered that the first Mrs. Browning had believed Able was a failure.
She had wanted him to establish a slaughterhouse to accommodate all the beef she expected to pass through Kansas. The fact that he refused had been a source of bitter debate. He had insisted that the cattle would never make their way to Browning. In her mean-spirited but accurate foresight, the first Mrs. Browning had gone to her grave cursing Able’s stubborn shortsightedness.
Sighing, Sadie ran a hand over the neatly painted railing. Because Katherine and Morgan also had the vision to believe the cattlemen would come to Browning, Able concentrated his hate on the Crystal Palace.
Glancing up at the dust of incoming riders, Sadie wondered which group was approaching. In addition to smaller trail drives, the Western and Chisholm trails now passed through their tiny town, each herd enforcing Able’s sense of failure.
Still not certain what she should say to her husband, Sadie had decided it was time to confront him, to let him know what she planned. Taking a deep breath, she eased open the door. The clerk at the front desk looked up and nodded. “Miz Browning.”
“Ed.” She glanced around. “Is Mr. Browning here?”
“No, ma’am. He’s down to the yards.”
“Thank you, I’ll find him.” After leaving as quietly as she’d entered, Sadie walked the short distance to the railhead. One couldn’t really call it a station. Only the water tank gave the train a reason to stop. Able was easy to find. Standing taller than most men, he directed the movement of incoming freight, checking each bill of lading with meticulous care. Sadie wondered if their family would have been happy if Able had ever given them the same care.
Ignoring the burst of unexpected longing, she approached him. Surprise registered on his face first, then displeasure. He’d never had to tell her, but Sadie sensed he wouldn’t appreciate an impromptu visit during the middle of a working day.
“Is something wrong?”
“No, Able.” She glanced at the young man who worked for him. “Could Tom handle this shipment?”
Able’s frown deepened. “If absolutely necessary.”
She gathered her courage. “Then I suggest you tell him it’s necessary.”
Waiting a few steps away, Sadie tried to ignore both the cold and the bawling of cattle as they were loaded into freight cars. It was almost as though the animals knew what would happen when they reached their ultimate destination. The thought made her shiver. Along with the ceaseless wind, Sadie fought the images of loss. Somehow she knew that despite what happened with Able, David, or Katherine, she would lose somebody.
“Well, what is it, Sadie?” Able asked gruffly, obviously impatient. His stance was at once commanding and intimidating. She wondered if he knew any other way to conduct himself. Was there any tenderness or even a simple gentle thought in the man? Forcing her chin upward, Sadie remembered her mission.
“I need to talk to you, Able.” Feeling the wind tear at her hair and clothes, she tried to ignore the fear and concentrate on the strength she sought so badly to build.
“I’ll be home tonight. Couldn’t it wait?”
“No, it can’t. I have to tell you that I’ve come to a decision.”
She wondered at the flicker of indecision in his eyes. It was gone so quickly that she was sure she had imagined it. “And what would that be?”
Ignoring the stiffness in his voice, she held her ground. “When the injunction to shut the Crystal Palace comes before the judge, I will be in court to testify on Katherine’s behalf.”
Beneath his imposing beard, she saw his face pale, then mottle with anger. “I refuse to permit it.”
“You won’t have a say in the matter. I have already decided.”
“You are my wife, and I
won’t have it.”
“You’ve never treated me like a wife.” The words came out in a hiss, and she saw that she’d struck a vital nerve—her meaning had not gone unnoticed. It hung in the air, whipping between them as viciously as the wind on the plain.
“If you carry out your intention, you will regret it, madam.” He refused to relent.
“There have been many things I’ve regretted since coming to this godforsaken place, but standing up for my friend won’t be one of them.” Not waiting to see his reaction to her words, she stalked away, keeping her head high until she was out of his line of vision.
Only when she turned the corner at the mercantile did her body slump. She didn’t want to ruin her marriage, but she could no longer stand being treated as though she didn’t exist, other than as an irritant to her husband. She admitted to exaggerating her abilities when accepting his offer of marriage. But wasn’t two years long enough to pay?
The wind gathered force, howling as it sped along the barren plains. Somehow it seemed fitting as it matched the feeling in her heart.
Chapter 38
The town, along with the outlying farms and ranches, stirred with gossip and boundless speculation. Young Tom had overheard enough of his employer’s conversation with his wife to know that Sadie planned to testify on Katherine’s behalf. Tom had passed on what he’d heard to several eager sets of ears. Now swirls of disagreement teamed up and down the length of the plains.
Wagers were placed as to whether Able would turn his wife out of his house, but so far the family remained intact. With no close friends in the area besides Katherine to confide in, Sadie didn’t provide any fodder for the women’s gossip mill. And Able was too formidable to approach. Lately his irascibility had become almost frightening in its intensity. And the gossip escalated.
Old-timers argued whether the reverend was really courting the saloon singer, if the wheat crop was better than the one in ’63, if Able Browning beat his wife, and if locusts would swarm the plains again. As Jake and Katherine traveled the snow-covered road early one morning in a horse-drawn sleigh, they didn’t dwell on any of the idle chatter.
Forbidden Fire Page 24