She left the room to the sounds of pans clanging and jars clanking as Katherine put the rest of the supplies away. Guilt washed over Frances as she walked to her room. Had what she’d accomplished been worth the price she paid in evoking Katherine’s anger and displeasure? Well, her own mother hadn’t approved of her most of the time, and they’d never been close friends, so what could she expect with her own daughter? She often wished for a closer relationship with Katherine, but she’d had to content herself with June. Maybe getting that man and his son out of the house and letting life return to normal would help. Frances sighed, not sure the Jacobs’ leaving was the answer, but only time would tell.
Katherine wasn’t sure how she’d gotten through the past couple days after her talk with her mother. She still wasn’t convinced Mama hadn’t encouraged Lucy in her behavior toward Zachary, regardless of what she’d claimed. Not that Mama had ever outright lied to her before, but there had been times Katherine suspected she’d shaded the truth in a certain direction when it suited her. After what her mother had shared, she was thankful she hadn’t confided about the episode between Lucy and Zachary. That would pour fuel on the fire, for sure.
Today, Katherine couldn’t get her morning work done fast enough to suit her. Micah had been taciturn at breakfast, Lucy had refused to speak, Zachary appeared to be embarrassed, so she could only assume his father had spoken to him. The only person who didn’t seem to notice the tension was her precious little Mandy, who’d chattered throughout each meal. She talked about the fun she’d have with her friend while Mama quilted with the ladies today. Katherine winced at the memory, wishing Mandy hadn’t mentioned the group in front of her grandmother.
Anger bubbled inside, and it took all Katherine’s effort not to slam the pots and pans. She’d known it wouldn’t be easy having her mother live here, but the years of being apart had softened the bad memories. Since Mama arrived, they’d come rushing back. So many harsh, hurtful words had bruised her young heart, with no tender touches or hugs to balance the pain.
All Katherine could think about at this minute was getting out of the house and off to her quilting session. The ladies were nearing the completion of the quilt and had decided to meet an extra day this month. Thank the good Lord it was today. Everything seemed to be tilting sideways in her world. Maybe her friends could help bring her back into balance.
Drying her hands on a towel she surveyed her kitchen with satisfaction. The bread dough was rising in a large bowl beside the stove and would be ready to punch down when she returned.
“Mandy? Are you ready to go, honey?” Katherine stopped at the door of the parlor and smiled. Her little girl sat on the floor playing with a doll.
“Yes, Ma. Can I take my dolly and the clothes Grandma made for her?”
“Of course. Hurry and let’s go.”
Mandy carefully folded and placed each item into the bag her grandmother had provided for safekeeping, then jumped to her feet and held out her free hand. “I’m ready. Carrie will be so happy to see Verna.” She waved her stuffed doll in the air. “She doesn’t have one with a real head and glass eyes.”
Katherine leaned down to Mandy’s level. “Are you sure you should take her, then? We don’t want Carrie to feel bad that she doesn’t have something as nice as you do.”
“Oh, it’s all right.” The little girl spoke in a wise, serious tone. “She has a doll with real hair, and my doll’s head is naked.”
Katherine choked back a laugh. The porcelain-headed doll was a replica of a newborn baby, and the artist had painted tiny tufts of hair on its head rather than applying real strands. “Well, as long as you girls are both happy, I guess that’s what matters.”
“We are, Ma. And I don’t even mind that Carrie’s doll has long hair.” She placed her petite hand into Katherine’s, and they set off out the front door.
After dropping Mandy at her friend’s house a block or so away, Katherine sighed with contentment and struck out at a brisk pace for the church. She slipped into the building, drawn by the chattering voices and laughter echoing through the open door. This was as close to heaven as she was apt to get today or anytime soon.
Each head turned and faces lit with smiles as she walked into the side room. Voices lifted in greeting and Virginia, standing the closest, offered a warm hug. Katherine melted into her embrace, holding the older woman for several seconds. Virginia stepped back and swept her a quizzical glance. “Is everything all right, dear?”
Katherine inhaled a long, cleansing breath. “It is now. I needed to get out of the house and be with friends who love and accept me.”
Leah cocked her head. “Your mother again?”
Katherine gave a dry laugh. “Something like that, I guess. But truly, I don’t want to dwell on my problems today. Leah, are things getting any better with your father?” She took her place behind the quilting frame and positioned her thimble on her finger, then held up her needle and ran the thread through its eye.
“Yes, I think he’s forgotten all about his efforts at the saloon.” She wrinkled her nose.
Hester Sue poked her needle through a colorful square of the sunburst quilt. “Ain’t no man worth his salt should do a thing like that. No offense to your pa, Leah, but someone needs to knock some sense into that man’s noggin. Why, you’re as fine a lady as they come.”
Leah held out her sun-kissed hand. “I’m certainly no city lady with soft hands and white skin.” She rubbed her fingers against her cheek. “I wish these confounded freckles wouldn’t pop out every summer.”
Virginia patted the younger woman’s shoulder. “Your freckles give you character, and your skin has a positive glow. I wouldn’t worry overly much about little things like that, if I were you.”
“I declare, any man worth keepin’ won’t give a lick about freckles, or brown skin over white.” Hester Sue jabbed at the cloth beneath her fingers, then ran the needle back up through the square. “Mark my words, girl, the good Lord will send along the right man, and you’ll be glad you waited.”
Leah rolled her eyes. “It’s not like I have much choice in the matter, ladies. I don’t have many eligible men beating my door down wanting to marry me. I’ll probably be single forever.”
Virginia shook her head. “I doubt there’s much chance of that, dear. You’re much too pretty to stay single forever, but it’s all in the good Lord’s time.”
Leah brightened and turned to Katherine. “Enough about me. Tell us what’s been happening at your house. I heard you have new boarders—beyond Mr. Jacobs and his son—so your house must be nearly full now?”
“Yes. There’s Mr. Tucker, a single man who’s in town on business. And you know about Mr. Jacobs, Zachary, and my mother, of course, so that leaves Mrs. Roberts and her niece, Beth.”
Ella tugged her needle through the fabric and pushed it in again before looking up. “I met them both in the store not long ago. The girl is lovely, but she didn’t say a word. But as I recall, her aunt didn’t leave much time for anyone else to talk.” She giggled. “Do they have business that brought them to our town?”
“I’m not certain, but it seems Mrs. Roberts might be hoping to catch an eligible bachelor for her niece and marry her off if possible.”
Leah snorted. “Good luck to her is all I can say.” She eyed Katherine. “Sounds like you have your hands full as well as your house.”
“Yes, but if I have anyone else needing a room, I’ll put a cot in Micah’s—I mean, Mr. Jacobs’s—room and move Zachary in there.” Heat crept into her cheeks, and she prayed the ladies wouldn’t notice.
Hester Sue’s head whipped up, and she cackled. “Micah, is it? Well now.” She winked. “Want to tell us about it, dearie?”
Katherine shook her head. “There’s nothing to tell.”
“Come now, you used his Christian name, so that must mean somethin’.”
“We’re just friends. We decided it might be simpler to not be so formal.” Hearing the words, she realized how weak
they sounded, but she had no idea what else to say. “That is, we were friends of sorts until recently. Now I’m not so sure.”
The women put their work aside and turned their full attention on Katherine, each one intent and alert. Finally Leah asked, “So, what happened?”
Katherine settled onto the stool behind her, sticking her needle into the quilt and leaving it there. “I found Lucy in Zachary’s room and confronted them. Lucy claimed she was helping Zachary with something, but she wouldn’t tell me more. I’m convinced the boy is smitten with my daughter, and she’s too young for courting. So I had a talk with his father on the way back from town.”
Ella’s mouth formed a small O. “You went to town together? You and Mr. Jacobs?”
Hester Sue smirked. “No, she didn’t go with Mr. Jacobs; she went with her friend Micah.”
“No, I mean, yes … it’s not like we’re courting or anything. I simply took the wagon to the mercantile for supplies and gave him a ride. He’s still on his crutches for a while. That’s all it amounted to, I assure you.”
“Oh.” Ella’s face fell, then lit up. “But you had a day together, and it was lovely.” She patted her swollen belly. “It’s been some time since I’ve had any real romance in my life, so hearin’ about the possibility in someone else’s makes my knees a little weak.”
Katherine stifled a chuckle. “Believe me, Ella, there was no romance involved on this trip, nor will there ever be between Mr. Jacobs and me. Especially after our talk.” She sobered. “He was none too happy that I accused his son of inappropriate behavior toward my Lucy. In fact, he implied it was as much her fault since she was in Zachary’s room, rather than the other way around.”
Virginia’s gaze was direct. “I’m afraid you can’t really fault his reasoning, dear … at least not if you’re fair and looking at it from his point of view.”
Katherine’s indignation rose, but she pushed it aside. She loved this woman and knew Virginia would never say or do anything with the intent to hurt. “Would you explain, please?”
“Mr. Jacobs may have felt you were attacking his son’s virtue unjustly.” She held up a finger when Katherine started to protest. “Hear me out. I’m not saying Lucy did anything wrong, and she’s a young girl who didn’t think through the impropriety of going into his room. Was the door open or closed? Do you think they were trying to hide anything?”
Katherine thought for a moment. “Not at all. The door was open, but not wide enough for me to see in before I pushed it the rest of the way. I heard her giggling and the two of them talking before I entered.”
“Has Lucy ever lied to you that you’re aware of? Do you have reason to believe what she told you—that nothing happened?”
“No, she’s never outright lied. Like any child, she’s probably skirted the truth a bit when it served her purpose, but if asked a direct question, I believe she’s told me the truth.”
“Then if she told you Zachary wasn’t doing anything wrong,” Virginia pondered, “you ought to believe her.”
Katherine sighed. She probably should have talked to these wise ladies before jumping on Micah about his son and embarrassing Lucy and Zachary, but seeing them together in his room had shocked her. “Yes, I suppose. But it still wasn’t right they were together, unchaperoned, in a bedroom. Mr. Jacobs needed to be aware of that fact.”
“I agree; he did.” Virginia nodded, and the other women followed suit. “I’m merely pointing out it may have been totally innocent, and that Mr. Jacobs isn’t at fault here.”
Katherine frowned. “I know he’s not, but he is Zachary’s father and responsible for his son.”
“To a point, yes, but just like you can’t be everywhere at once watching your children, neither can he. Let me ask you a question. What if he’d been the one who walked in on those two? Do you think he’d have the right to be incensed and come to you, demanding you take action against your daughter?”
Katherine’s hand went to her throat. “Putting it that way, I suppose I can see how he’d feel. In fact,” she caught her breath as she recalled the last words he’d spoken, “he thinks I was judging Zachary because I believe his son isn’t good enough for my daughter. I’ve made a mess of things, haven’t I?” She bowed her head. The past weeks with her mother’s shenanigans, the advent of Mrs. Roberts, the bickering between the two women, Micah’s accident, and now this business with Lucy and Zachary, left her feeling completely drained.
Virginia patted her hand. “Not at all, dear. Have you prayed about this? You might consider apologizing to Mr. Jacobs.”
A sick feeling lodged in Katherine’s stomach. She hadn’t prayed much about anything lately, she’d been so busy. When had she slipped so much in her daily walk with the Lord?
“Not like I should have, I’m afraid. I appreciate the reminder, Virginia.” She was skirting the suggestion of apologizing to Micah, but that one needed a little more consideration. “I know you’re right about how Mr. Jacobs must have perceived my words.”
Why was she being so stubborn about agreeing to apologize? She was so tired of the battles going on in her home that left her feeling battered; maybe she simply wanted to be right this once.
Whatever the case, Katherine knew she was wrong. The last thing she desired was her relationship with the Lord suffering as a result. She must make this right, and not only for Micah’s sake.
Someone tapped at the portal of the open door, and all heads swiveled that direction. Katherine covered her mouth with her fingertips.
“Hello, ladies. Katherine has told me so little about this group that I decided to come see for myself what I was missing. I found my way down here, and I would dearly love to get acquainted. Introduce me to your friends, will you, Daughter?” Mama stood in the archway, smiling, her eyes pinned on Katherine’s, looking for all the world like a cat that cornered a canary.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Frances swept her gaze over the faces of the five women gathered around the quilt frame, each frozen in place, staring at her as though she were an apparition come to haunt them. At least one of them looked to be her age, so she couldn’t imagine not being welcome. After all, church quilting groups were typically open to anyone who wanted to attend and could handle a needle, and that was one area where she excelled.
A flutter of nerves attacked her spine and almost set her to shaking during the silence that seemed to stretch without end. Had Katherine gossiped about her, and were her friends aghast that she had shown up unannounced? Maybe she should march right back the way she’d come, before one of them opened her mouth and dismaying words tumbled out. She had rarely been wanted in many small groups she’d attended before, so why should this one be any different? Slowly she pivoted, reaching for the door frame with a trembling hand.
“Mrs. Cooper?” The oldest woman in the room stepped from her place and moved forward, her hand extended. “I am Virginia Lewis. You must be Katherine’s mother. We are so happy to meet you. Please, won’t you come in and join us?” She grasped Frances’s hand in both of hers, giving it a warm squeeze.
The rest of the women came alive and moved toward them. Friendly voices were raised in welcome, and smiles creased nearly every face. Every face, that is, but for one.
Katherine’s.
Her daughter’s expression of shock had turned to one of fleeting anger that just as quickly smoothed over into careful acceptance. Had Frances even seen that flash of anger, or had it been something more akin to hurt? But why should her daughter be grieved because her mother came to a church quilting group?
Maybe she’d misgauged Katherine’s reasons for hiding her attendance and walked in where she wasn’t needed, much less wanted. The other women seemed welcoming enough, but for all she knew, it could be an act.
People had set her up to be disappointed before, offering friendship and then withdrawing it as soon as they got better acquainted. She had learned years ago to put her prickles to the forefront to keep from being disappointed. At least s
he knew what to expect that way and didn’t chance opening her heart only to have it stepped on.
She lifted her chin and sniffed. And she would put up a wall again here, since it appeared she wouldn’t be welcome for long—not if Katherine had much to say about it.
Micah placed his foot on the floor and grinned at the doctor. “Feels good. I’m happy to get rid of those sticks.”
Doc Sanders pointed across Micah’s bedroom to the open door leading into the hall. “Not so fast. Let’s see you walk first; then we’ll decide.”
Micah took a tentative step, then another, lengthening his stride with only a slight limp as he walked into the hall, turned, and came back again.
“How’s the leg feel?”
“Not bad. Sore, but I guess that’s to be expected.” He slowed to a halt a couple paces in front of the doctor.
“It is. Any burning in your muscles or tightness?”
“No, just a little stiff.”
“Good. The gash is healing well, and the stitches are holding. The burned area has covered over nicely and doesn’t appear in danger of infection, so I think I can release you from some restrictions. Of course, I expect you to be sensible, and I’ll want to see you again in a week or so to remove the stitches.”
“How much do I owe you, Doc? I’ll need to make payments, but I’ll get you the money, you can count on that.”
Doc Sanders waved in dismissal. “I’m sure I’ll need your services in the future. As many trips as I make out to the ranches and up to the mines with my buggy, work always needs to be done on a wheel or a harness. I’ll take it out in trade, if it’s all the same to you.”
The tension went out of Micah’s spine. He hadn’t realized how worried he’d been about his inability to pay this bill on top of what he owed Katherine for board. “Thank you, Doc. Much obliged. You say the word, and I’ll take care of whatever you need.”
Blowing on Dandelions: A Novel (Love Blossoms in Oregon Series) Page 18
