“It’s not right, but it’s the way things are.” Caterina held her hands tightly together in her lap, like they helped hold her together. She didn’t resist when Kade took one and held it in his, rubbing his thumb over the back of her fingers and hand soothingly.
“Mamma and Papa finally agreed I could work for Uncle Laz, as long as I stayed in the kitchen and out of trouble. I would have done it anyway, but I was grateful for their blessing. In two years time, I managed the kitchen as head cook for my uncle. It was then Luigi noticed me. At some point, he decided I would belong to him, not caring how many times I turned him down. He’s old enough to be my father, is hideous and portly, but beyond that, he is evil. Pure evil.”
“So what happened? What made you run away?”
“He insisted I wait on him when he dined at the restaurant. One evening he came in demanding his usual service. I took him soup and coffee, and as I turned to leave he… um… he grabbed me inappropriately. I lost my temper and dumped the soup on him then smacked the back of his head. He chased me into the kitchen and ordered everyone to leave. Uncle Laz was running an errand, you see. When the staff all left he tried to… he threatened to make it so no man would look at me by burning my face on the stove.”
Kade’s breath hitched in his throat and the hand that wasn’t holding Caterina’s clenched into a fist. If he ever met Luigi Saverino, he’d kill him. With his bare hands.
Rage unlike any he’d felt since he was a boy flowed through him and he fought to keep control. Carefully schooling his face not to show his emotion, he nodded at Caterina to continue with her story.
“Uncle Laz arrived just in time to save me. I got away but only because Laz made Luigi a promise I would marry him immediately. Luigi was going to…” Caterina closed her eyes and swallowed twice before she could continue. “He tore my dress and threatened to… he tried to… compromise me right there. He said he’d make sure I was ruined if I didn’t concur, so I agreed to meet him the following evening with my parents to make plans for the wedding. We spent the night packing my things and the next morning Tony, Mamma, and Anna helped sneak me out of the city. I was supposed to get on a boat and go to Anna’s family in London, but thanks to Luigi’s men, Tony had to stick me on the train, in a trunk.”
“You were crammed into a trunk? For how long, darlin’?” Kade grew increasingly agitated as Caterina told her story.
“Just to Philadelphia. Mamma’s sister lives there, so they dressed Anna up to look like me. She and Mamma pretended they were going to Aunt Teresa’s to take care of her. Tony ended up going along because a couple of Luigi’s ruffians were following us. Tony got me out of the trunk at the depot, put me on a train to Chicago, and told me to decide my own future. When I noticed the man you’ve talked to sitting a few rows behind me, the porter helped make sure he didn’t get back on the train when he disembarked in Wyoming during one of the stops.”
Kade held her close and kissed the top of her head. “I’m so sorry. You shouldn’t have been forced to leave your family. Have you tried talking to the police?”
Caterina laughed derisively, pushing away from him. “The police are the reason I ended up on a train instead of a boat. They were Luigi’s watchdogs that morning and helped load our trunks on the train. Tony couldn’t get rid of them. Haven’t you wondered why I didn’t trust you? We learned early on not to trust anyone wearing a badge.”
Kade was incredulous someone sworn to uphold the law could so easily disregard it. “What can I do? How can I help?”
“You can’t do anything, Kade, but I appreciate your willingness to help. I can’t have any contact with my family. I have no doubt Luigi has people watching both the store and restaurant in case I do try to contact them.”
Part of her felt relieved at having shared her story with someone, particularly Kade. She knew she could trust him. He would never be like the officers who worked on Luigi’s behalf instead of upholding what was right.
The other part of her felt her heart break all over again as she verbalized what she knew. She could never go home and never see her family.
“You’ve been through something terrible, Caterina, but however you ended up in Pendleton, I’m mighty glad you’re here.” Kade softly rubbed his knuckles across her cheek and down her chin, causing warmth to spread through her.
“I’m glad I’m here, too, with you.”
Chapter Sixteen
“He’s huge!” Caterina stepped back as Kade introduced her to Ike.
The blue Great Dane wagged his tail and raised his head, sniffing the person Kade brought home with him. He let out a throaty ‘woof,’ deciding he liked her.
When his big tongue came out and licked her hand, Caterina wasn’t sure if she should be pleased or disgusted.
“Shake her hand, boy,” Kade prompted, happy Ike seemed taken with Caterina. The dog was particular about who he liked and didn’t. Fond of the sheriff, Uncle John, and most everyone at Nash’s Folly, there were few other people he’d let pet him.
The dog sat on his back haunches and lifted one mammoth paw, holding it out to Caterina. She took it in both her hands and laughed. The sound winged its way to Kade’s heart.
“I see he has nice manners,” she said, releasing Ike’s foot and rubbing his head. The dog leaned against her and would have knocked her over if Kade hadn’t reached out to keep her from losing her balance.
“He seems to have taken a shine to you.” Kade scratched Ike’s back before taking Caterina’s elbow and guiding her down the walk and up the steps to the front door. “Ike doesn’t usually cozy up to strangers and he rarely lets anyone he doesn’t know pat his head.”
“It is certainly a privilege, then, to be in his good graces,” Caterina said solemnly as she walked inside the house
Eager for any excuse to see his place and meet the dog she’d heard so much about, Caterina readily accepted when Kade invited her to join him for lunch after church services.
Kade stopped to pick up a basket of food from his former favorite restaurant, now that Caterina’s held that title. He drove a borrowed buggy a short distance from town then turned onto an almost hidden lane. They followed a bend in the road before approaching a well-kept place with a welcoming little house, barn and corrals.
Shocked at the size of the dog as Kade stopped the buggy, Caterina felt intimidated by the behemoth canine. He looked up at her with beautiful blue eyes, full of life and a soulfulness she wouldn’t have thought an animal could possess.
As the dog followed them into the house, his large tail banged against her skirt, making her smile. Kade stepped between Caterina and the dog, thumping Ike playfully on the side.
“Be careful, boy, or you’ll beat her to death.” Kade motioned for Caterina to precede him through a doorway to the kitchen.
The house was clean, although sparsely decorated. Light spilled through the windows in the kitchen, making the space look bright and airy. A blue cloth covered a small table and Kade set down the basket he carried.
Caterina removed her hat and gloves, washed her hands, and watched as Ike accepted the bone Kade removed from the basket and handed to him.
The dog took it and went out the door Kade held open.
“That will keep him occupied for a while,” Kade said as he washed his hands, retrieved plates off an open shelf, and filled two glasses with water.
He set them at the table then helped Caterina remove fried chicken, biscuits, and a jar of peaches from the basket.
After giving thanks for the meal, the two of them ate and visited.
Kade asked about the restaurant and complimented her on the thriving new business. Everyone in town talked about the good food Caterina served at reasonable prices. She was busy every night she was open and already added three additional people to her staff.
Nik helped Tuesday through Friday, staying at the farm on weekends. Caterina hired a fellow student of his to help Friday and Saturday evenings, since they were her busiest nights. The restau
rant remained closed Sundays and Mondays.
Aware that her afternoon was free after church, Kade took advantage of the chance to invite her to see his home and meet Ike. Caterina heard him talk about the dog several times and Nik had practically created a legend around the animal since he’d spent some time with him during the summer.
Kade passed her a biscuit and butter, grateful for the opportunity to study her at his house.
He spent time helping her with a few projects as she settled into her apartment above the restaurant. He’d watched her there any number of times, liking what he saw more with each passing day.
One of the projects he’d completed for her was to install a door at the top of the stairs leading up from the kitchen. It now boasted a sturdy lock. He also changed the locks on both the front and back doors on the main floor. He, Caterina, and Aundy had copies of the new keys.
It bothered him more than he cared to admit that she was there alone and most everyone in town knew it. If a criminal really wanted to get to her, any number of ways would allow a person to break in. The nights Kade worked, he made several trips past the restaurant, checking to make sure everything was as it should be.
The nights he didn’t work, he didn’t get much rest. He tossed and turned, hoping she was safe and well, or fell asleep only to have a vision of her beautiful face, the sound of her smoky voice and her exotic scent invade his dreams.
“Do you think…”
“Have you seen…”
They laughed as they spoke at the same time. Kade insisted she speak first.
“I was just going to ask if you thought you’d have time tomorrow to help me hang a few shelves in the kitchen. I need more storage space and we waste too much time running up and down the stairs to the room I’m using to store the items that won’t spoil. I’m going to enlarge the pantry in the spring, but for now, I want to add some shelves over by the worktable.” Caterina spread berry jam on her biscuit and took a bite. The biscuit wasn’t as light as Aundy’s and the jam wasn’t as sweet as Mamma’s, but it tasted good and she enjoyed eating something she didn’t have to prepare.
“I can stop by when I get off work. It will be late afternoon.” He hoped Caterina would invite him to stay for dinner. He ate there most nights when he was off work or on a break. Aundy still sent him the occasional treats and he continued to either eat breakfast or lunch at his old favorite restaurant, so they didn’t feel slighted by the fact he ate his evening meals at Caterina’s place.
“Why don’t you just plan to come for dinner? If you get there soon enough, we can do the project before we eat, or after if it’s later.”
“I see how you are. You tempt me with the promise of a good meal then force me into slave labor.”
Caterina laughed and slapped his arm with a light hand. “Deputy Rawlings, I do believe you could carry around a sign that says ‘Will Work for Food’ and not a single person would think it odd.”
“What exactly are you trying to imply?” Kade asked, more amused than insulted by her observation.
“That you’re easy to talk into doing work with the promise of a hot meal.” Caterina grinned at him impishly.
“I’ll have you know there are a lot of things I won’t do for just any old meal.” Kade toyed with a piece of chicken on his plate. “For one of your meals, though, I’d do just about anything.”
Caterina dropped her gaze before she fell into Kade’s intense green eyes, blazing like twin emeralds. It would be easy to forget everything except how much she wanted him to kiss her when he looked at her like that.
In an attempt to regain her mental footing, she remembered Kade started to ask her a question. “What were you going to ask me?”
“Just if you’d seen the signs around town for the Harvest Celebration.” He hadn’t yet worked up the courage to ask Caterina to go with him.
“As a matter of fact, I have noticed them. I’ve had several invitations to attend.” She knew her words would throw Kade off kilter.
She wasn’t disappointed when his head snapped up and his narrowed gaze settled on her delighted expression.
“Who asked you?”
“Well, obviously, it wasn’t you,” Caterina said, prodding the handsome cowboy. It was more satisfying than she imagined seeing him flustered at the possibility of her attending the event with someone else.
“I’m asking now. Will you please go with me, if you haven’t already promised someone else?”
Caterina clasped her hands in her lap to keep from reaching across the table and smoothing the frown lines from Kade’s forehead. He looked like a little boy who’d been rapped across the knuckles for no good reason.
“I’ll take your invitation into consideration, if you’re sure you want to accompany me.” Caterina wanted to convince Kade she would actually think of going with anyone other than him.
“Just who would you turn down if you did go with me?” Kade’s tone grew hard and cool while a muscle started ticking in his jaw.
Not wanting to spoil their pleasant Sunday afternoon together, Caterina decided it was time to put Kade out of his misery, although his blatant jealousy did stroke her ego.
“Nik asked me first then Dent, and the most recent request was from Mr. Tooley.”
Kade registered her words and his frown slowly turned into a grin. “Not smelly ol’ Marvin Tooley.”
“The very one. He comes by the restaurant once in a while to trade insults.”
“Does he now? What type of insults?” Kade leaned back in his chair as the tension flowed out of him.
“Well, the other day he came by to bring me some pheasants he shot in trade for baked goods. He informed me that my tongue was so sharp, I could give a closer shave than the barber to any man sufficiently brave to willingly place himself close enough to receive a lashing. I, in turn, informed him the sewer rats running rampant in New York have better hygiene skills and manners than he seems to possess.”
Kade threw back his head and roared with laughter.
“You did not say that to him,” Kade said, stunned that Marvin Tooley would take Caterina’s sass. The man was cantankerous and rude on a good day.
“I most certainly did. The first day I met him I called him a crotchety ol’ goat, although I didn’t mean to say the words aloud.” Caterina remembered the shocked look on Aundy’s face and the bemused one on Marvin’s.
“What is it with you and Aundy befriending him? He’s dirty, nasty, and can be downright mean.”
“Aundy says he just needs to know he has friends. She’s convinced he’ll come around one of these days.”
“I seriously doubt it, but it’s admirable you girls try to help him.”
“Don’t make me out to be a saint just yet. I’m used to joking with my family, and Marvin has somehow filled a little of that void.” Caterina watched Kade take another biscuit, slathering it with butter and jam. “Besides, he takes my stale baked goods and brings produce and meat I can use in my restaurant. I’d say it’s an even trade.”
“As long as you’re both being mutually abused and insulted, then I guess it’s fair,” Kade mused, surprised that Marvin accepted Caterina. He generally disliked females even more than men, but he did seem to soften a little toward Aundy. “Did he really ask you to the celebration?”
“Not exactly. We discussed it and he mentioned only a ‘puddin’ headed idgit’ would want to go.” Caterina smiled as she recalled the conversation. “When I told him I thought it would be a very nice evening, he informed me I was as lacking in intelligence as he predicted and he might have to go with me just to prove he was right.”
“And what about Dent? He asked you, too?”
“He said if I couldn’t find any young buck smart enough to sweep me off my feet, he’d be happy to escort me so the Widow Johnson will leave him alone,” Caterina said, dropping her gaze and hiding her grin. “Nik, of course, thought it would be great fun to go together until one of the girls at school hinted she’d like to attend with
him. He immediately rescinded his offer. My heart might be permanently broken.”
Kade chuckled and shook his head.
“I think not.” Kade cleaned their plates and set the dishes in the sink. After washing his hands, he motioned for Caterina to walk into the front room where masculine furniture dominated the space.
Primly sitting on a large sofa, Caterina wasn’t surprised when Kade sat beside her. He slipped his arm around her back and edged a little closer.
“So you’re telling me a grouch hardly anyone talks to because he won’t bathe, a man hiding from a zealous widow, and a school boy are all the males in town who worked up the nerve to ask you to the celebration.”
“There may have been a few others.” She hesitated to tell Kade she’d had more invitations to go to the celebration than she could remember. Everyone from Grant at the bank to the boy who worked at the mercantile part-time asked to accompany her. She told them all no, waiting for Kade to get around to asking.
Now that he had, she thought he should suffer a little anxiety, like she had while waiting for his belated invitation. The celebration was next week, for goodness sake.
“Who else?” Kade wasn’t sure he wanted to know. The idea of anyone taking notice of Caterina started his temper on a slow boil. It wouldn’t take much to set off his unreasonable anger when it came to the Italian spitfire.
“I think I’ve told you enough,” Caterina said, somewhat wary of the look settling on Kade’s face.
“I don’t believe you have, but I’ll not press you further. Now, are you going to put me out of my misery and go with me?” Kade tamped down his irritation that she hadn’t agreed as soon as he asked.
“I don’t think so.” Caterina gazed at him with mock seriousness. “You tend to be high-handed and grumpy and you really should learn the importance of asking a lady well ahead of time instead of waiting until the last minute.”
“High-handed and grumpy?” Kade glared at her, the muscle in his jaw jerking. Then he noticed the teasing smile on Caterina’s face and the glint of mischief in her eyes. His tension and anger melted away as he grabbed her around the waist and pulled her onto his lap. “I’ll show you high-handed and grumpy, you little wildcat.”
Caterina (Pendleton Petticoats Book 2) Page 20