Shelton walked to Urias’s house. By the time he arrived the sun was up over the eastern ridge. “Urias?” he called as he entered the barn.
“Over here.”
Shelton stepped into the darkened barn. The smell of freshly spread hay made him realize he needed to do the same in his own barn. Urias sat by the cow, milking her.
“Have your parents moved out?”
Shelton filled Urias in about the latest turn of events. “If Father follows through on his promises, it looks like he and Mother will be living in the house permanently. Of course, if Katherine and I get married, it’ll be tough living under the same roof with them. But we’ll have to … at least until I can build a house for the two of us.”
Urias leaned back and raked his hair with his fingers. “Before you and Katherine started developing a relationship, Mac and I were building a log cabin for her a little to the west of Grandma Mac’s house. She wanted so much to have her own home.”
Shelton knew about that desire.
“We got as far as putting up the sides, but haven’t put a roof on yet. What do you think about you two living there for a couple of years while you build your own home?”
“My parents could use the privacy.”
“And so could you and Katherine.” Urias described the cabin’s location and the work they had accomplished so far. The weather was too cold to put on the roof right away, but come spring, it could be finished within a day or two. Shelton wondered if Katherine would be ready to marry by spring.
As he made his way to Grandma Mac’s house, he wondered if he should take Urias up on the offer of the log cabin or if he should just build his own house on the peninsula overlooking the river. He couldn’t wait to consult Katherine.
“Good morning, Mrs. MacKenneth,” he said when she opened the door to him.
“Morning, Shelton,” she said, escorting him into the living room. “You’re up early.”
I haven’t gone to sleep, he held back from telling her. “Is Katherine up?”
“Haven’t seen her yet this morning. What happened last night?”
“I’m not sure. That’s why I need to talk with her.”
“I’ll go fetch her. You set for a spell. You look exhausted.”
Shelton paced in the sitting area until Katherine entered, wearing her robe. “Is everything all right?”
“It’s fine. I didn’t mean to worry you.”
“What’s the matter? Why are you here so early?”
“I have to ask you a couple of questions about your conversation with my parents last night.”
Katherine tensed.
“Honey, relax. Whatever you said did wonders. Father is repentant. Mother is in shock. They both want to stay. Is that all right with you? I mean, it’s your house, too, or at least it will be.”
“Shelton, sit down.” Katherine coaxed him to the chair and she sat in the rocking chair. “It’s not my house, Shelton.” Tears formed in her eyes. “It never will be.”
“Why? What’s happened?”
“I can’t really explain this,” Katherine said, “but yesterday, when I was speaking with your parents, I realized the house would never truly be mine. It’s theirs. You probably think I’m missing some mental capacities, and I probably am, but—”
Shelton placed a finger to her lips and smiled. “I know what you mean. I was out this morning exploring my—I mean our—property, and I found what I think will be the ideal place for us to build our home one day. Unfortunately, it will be a couple years before I have the funds to build the kind of house I’d like for us.”
Katherine blinked. “Two years?”
“Yes.”
“We have to wait two years?” she repeated. Didn’t he know she’d be happy living just about anywhere with him? Except in his parents’ house, she amended.
Shelton flushed. “Well, we could get married in the spring if you don’t mind living in something temporarily.”
“What are you saying?”
“Apparently, Mac and Urias started building a log cabin for you a while back. Urias told me about it this morning. The roof isn’t on, but we could put one on in the spring. It’s small, but it would be big enough for us to use for a while. What do you think?”
“I think this family tries to help each other a little too much.”
Shelton chuckled. “You’re probably right. But you didn’t answer my question.”
“I’m not sure. It sounds promising, but …”
Not wanting her to talk herself out of getting married next spring, he changed the subject. “So, what did you say to my parents?”
Katherine gave a detailed account of the things she’d said to the Greenes. “We still have some issues to deal with regarding your parents. We can’t be paying up every time your father slips up and gambles.”
“We have to trust them.”
“I can’t, Shelton. Not yet. I need more time.”
Chapter 16
For two weeks Katherine found various ways to avoid Shelton’s parents. The Christmas season provided an excellent excuse. She had gifts to make and embroidery and needlepoint to finish.
She knew Shelton no longer believed her excuses. He hadn’t pushed her, but he stopped inviting her to come to the house and have dinner with him and his parents.
But on Christmas Eve, meeting with the family was unavoidable. The O’Learys, the Greenes, and the MacKenneths were all getting together at Urias’s house tonight. Katherine packed the last of her gifts in the satchel.
“Katherine?” Grandma Mac called from the bottom of the stairs.
“Yes?” Katherine tied the bag closed and placed the strap over her shoulder.
“Shelton is here.”
Katherine stood at the top of the stairs and looked down at the elderly woman. If she and Shelton got married in the spring, Katherine realized, Grandma Mac would have to move in with Mac and Pam. “I’m ready.”
Shelton stepped up behind Grandma Mac and placed his hands on her shoulders. “She’s mighty pretty, ain’t she?” Shelton winked.
“Isn’t she,” Grandma Mac corrected with a light tap on his knuckles.
Katherine held back a giggle.
“She’s very pretty, isn’t she?” he amended.
Grandma Mac smacked him on his backside with her cane. “Go load those packages by the door into the wagon.”
“Yes ma’am.”
After he left, Grandma Mac whispered to Katherine, “Two can play at that game. Notice, he didn’t get a chance to kiss you yet.”
“What did I do to deserve such treatment?” Katherine said, enjoying their little repartee.
“You encouraged him. I saw the twinkle in your eyes. I may be getting on in years, but you can’t fool me.”
Katherine giggled. “No ma’am.”
Outside, they climbed into the carriage. Shelton provided several wool blankets and a large bearskin to wrap around Grandma Mac.
“Mac sent this, didn’t he?”
“Yes ma’am. He didn’t want you getting too cold on the way to Urias’s.”
“Humph. I dressed in layers.”
Shelton draped the bearskin around her anyway.
“Can I join you under there?” Katherine asked, shivering.
The old woman clucked her tongue as she lifted the blanket for Katherine. “You young folks don’t know how to weather the elements. Why, back in my day …” Grandma Mac instructed them on cold weather survival all the way to Urias’s.
Shelton brought the carriage to a stop at their destination and escorted Grandma Mac to the front door.
A hint of jealousy swept over Katherine at the sight of someone else in Shelton’s arms. How long had it been since she’d been in his embrace? She sighed and managed to wiggle her way out of the bearskin covering and retrieve her satchel from under the bench.
Shelton came up behind her and wrapped her in his arms. “I missed you.” He kissed the nape of her neck.
Katherine turned in his a
rms and faced him. “I’ve missed you, too. I’m actually jealous of Grandma Mac.”
“Really?” Shelton chortled. “She’s a great old woman, but not my type.”
“Grandpa Mac must have had his hands full with her.”
Shelton released her, and an instant chill washed over her. “No doubt about it.” He reached behind the bench and gathered Grandma Mac’s packages. “What did she make?”
“I don’t know. She’s been rather secretive.”
He eyed her satchel. “What about you?”
“You’ll have to wait and see,” she teased. “But your present isn’t in here.”
“It’s not?” He grabbed a third package.
“I saved it for later, for just the two of us.”
A smile spread across his lips and lit up his blue eyes.
Lord, I love that smile.
“Then you’ll have to wait to receive your gift, too.”
“When can we slip away?”
“Honey, if I had my way, we would have slipped away ages ago.” He leaned over and gave her a quick kiss. “We need to talk, but it’s freezing out here. And if I don’t take Grandma Mac’s packages inside she’ll skin me alive.”
Katherine relaxed again and chuckled. “Aye, that be your lot for sure.”
They scurried into the warm house. The family members sat in the living room while the children ran up and down the hallway. The air seemed alive with excitement … until she caught a glimpse of Hiram Greene’s eyes.
Katherine’s back tightened and she felt the color drain from her face. How could she live like this for the rest of her life?
Shelton leaned against the living room wall. He noticed Katherine’s demeanor change as soon as she walked into the house. Why?
Everyone else seemed full of cheer. Even his parents were enjoying their grandchildren. He gently rubbed the back of her neck. “Are you all right?” he whispered in her ear.
She turned and looked at him. Her lively green eyes reflected a deep sadness. He pulled her into his embrace. “Whatever it is, it will be all right.”
Katherine shook her head.
Lord, help me. I don’t understand what has Katherine so upset. His mind flickered back over the moments before they entered the house. Everything was fine. She had been happy, excited, playful. What could have changed?
The rumble of laughter and merriment dissolved into an expectant hush as Mac cleared his throat and stood. “Grandma Mac, as the matriarch of the family, would you please read Luke’s account of Jesus’s birth?”
Grandma Mac’s weathered face lit up. “I’d be happy to.”
Shelton slipped out of the family room with Katherine in tow. “Come on. We should talk.”
Katherine planted her feet. “Not now,” she whispered. “Later.”
He didn’t want to wait. He wanted to deal with whatever was bothering her immediately. But he also didn’t want to make a scene and have the entire family in on their discussion. He let her go back to the living room. But instead of joining her, he left by the back door and headed to the barn.
For the past month, since his father had decided to quit gambling, Shelton’s time with Katherine had become almost nonexistent. His parents, the house, the barn, and the horses all needed him. He’d been working with his mother on their finances, trying to teach her how to keep records and ledger sheets. Father had never let her be a part of the financial picture, and there were many little details she had to understand. In addition, Shelton was busy every day working on the land, preparing it for next year’s planting. If only he had more time.
Kehoe stood in his stall, noisily munching on oats.
“Hey boy, how you doing?”
Kehoe’s silence emanated unquestioned loyalty and acceptance.
“I can’t stay in here.” Shelton patted the animal’s neck. “Katherine and I need more time together.”
Kehoe shook his head and snorted.
“You’re right. I should be inside with her. I don’t like it much when she shuts me out.”
Kehoe took half a step sideways, leaving little room for Shelton.
He chuckled. “All right, boy, I get the message.”
He turned toward the barn door and found Urias standing there, his hands draped across his chest. “Pru sent me out to get you to come back inside and join the festivities. What’s the problem?”
“Nothing.”
“If I believed that, I’d be dumber than a stump. Are you and Katherine having trouble?”
Shelton clapped Urias on the back. “Nothing that can’t be solved with time and a little conversation.”
Urias’s green eyes fixed on Shelton. He squared up his shoulders, his posture like a soldier standing at attention. “Fine, I’ll trust you. But don’t hurt her. She’s had enough trouble in her life.”
They made their way back to the house. As he entered the living room, Shelton smiled at Katherine. She turned away. His heart sank. Dear Lord, don’t let me lose her.
Katherine buried herself under the covers. A chill nipped her nose. The house creaked against frequent gusts of wind.
Christmas morning had arrived. But she didn’t feel much like celebrating. All night she’d battled conflicting emotions. Her love for Shelton. His love for her. Hiram Greene’s disdain. Would she ever be free from the past? The bondage she’d been in for so many years was gone. But the anger in Hiram Greene’s eyes led her to believe she’d never be able to marry Shelton. How could she bring children into this world when their only grandfather hated her so?
“Why do I have to keep going over the same things, Lord? When will I be truly satisfied and accept myself as someone You cherish? As someone Shelton cherishes? Why does it have to be so hard? Will I ever stop overreacting when people like Hiram Greene glare at me?”
Katherine threw off the covers and jumped out of bed. Her fur-lined slippers, a gift from Mac and Pam a couple of Christmases ago, gloved her feet. They were getting thin on the bottom and she could use a new pair, but she’d never felt the freedom to ask for anything for herself.
“Katherine?” Grandma Mac called out. Her voice sounded weak and shaky.
She bolted out of her room. “Where are you?”
“In my room, dear. I’m all right. I’m just a bit unsteady on my feet.”
Katherine ran to Grandma Mac’s room and saw the older woman holding on to the tall bedpost. “What’s the matter?”
“I’m just old, and stayed up too late, I suspect. Would you help me get ready for Christmas dinner? I want to wear my red dress and white lace shawl, the one Pam and Mac gave me last year.”
Katherine offered a steadying hand. “Why don’t you sit in the chair and I’ll get your things.”
“Thank you,” Grandma Mac sighed as she sat.
Katherine’s heart pounded in her chest. She’d feared something like this would happen one day. Age had a way of creeping up on folks, but Grandma Mac never seemed as old as she really was.
She moved to the closet and glanced back at the old woman. Grandma Mac’s chest moved up and down in slow, labored breaths. “Are you certain you’re all right?”
The woman’s brown eyes seemed darker. “Perhaps I should rest.”
“We’ve got plenty of time, Grandma Mac,” she said, returning to the woman’s side. “Here, let me help you back into bed.”
Blue-veined hands patted Katherine’s arm. “Thank you.”
Katherine helped Grandma Mac settle into bed. Father God, please be with Grandma Mac and heal her, she prayed over and over. She hoped someone would come to call on them. Last night, the group had decided that each family would spend the early morning hours at home, then gather at Urias’s house for a late breakfast while they waited for the Christmas dinner to cook. Not that she wanted to spend any more time with Hiram Greene and his accusing scowls.
Katherine paced and nibbled her fingernails. “Lord, please make Grandma Mac well.”
Tea! The idea hit her hard. She ran to the cabinet
s and looked through the various tins and glass jars. Mac always claimed tea helped a person get going in the morning. Personally, she didn’t care for the stuff. It tasted too much like the roots and dirt it had grown from. But she had to confess, it did give her a boost when she didn’t feel quite herself.
She pushed things around until she found the little blue tin. She positioned the kettle on the stove and added some wood to the cooling embers, found a tea rag, and measured out a rounded teaspoon. She placed the spoonful of leaves in the center of the tea-stained cloth and tied a thin cotton string around it. Then she set it in the china teapot that Grandma Mac claimed came from England as a gift from her grandmother, who had received it from her mother as a wedding present.
Katherine put a tray together and rummaged through the room for things to decorate the tray for the festive holiday. She placed the tip of a pine branch in the corner with a hand-painted red glass ball that Grandma Mac said had been a gift from Grandpa Mac on their fifth Christmas together.
With the tray set, she carried it to Grandma Mac’s bedroom. When she pressed the door open, she saw Grandma Mac sleeping comfortably. Her breathing was even, less labored.
A loud rattle at the front door echoed through the house. Katherine set the tray on a table and went to the front door. When she opened it, Hiram Greene’s eyes locked with hers. Katherine shrank back against the wall.
Chapter 17
Merry Christmas, Katherine,” Shelton said as he worked his way around his father. Her stance reminded him of a frightened filly plastered against the back wall of a corral. “Honey, what’s the matter?”
She looked at the floor. “Grandma Mac isn’t feeling well.” She slowly lifted her head. “If you stay with her, I’ll get Pam and Mac.”
He laid a reassuring hand on her forearm. “I’ll go. You stay here and take care of her.”
She glanced at his father. Her shoulders squared off as if bracing herself against some unseen horror. Shelton’s mind flicked back across the stories Katherine had revealed about her past. Had his father abused her? No. Katherine had been clear on that. Then what had he done or said that made her so leery of him?
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