“That never bothered you before,” her mother replied.
“Well, I know but…” She glanced at Kent then returned her gaze to her mother. She couldn’t get out of doing some kind of chore, and she might as well be with the horses. It was better than being stuck in the kitchen. “Alright. Mind if I slip into my pants first?”
“Of course not.”
Resigned to leaving Kent for the moment, she went to her bedroom to change clothes.
Chapter Six
A week later, Adam placed a crutch against the bedroom wall and turned to Kent who managed to dress himself, though it took longer than he preferred. Kent had to keep reminding himself to be patient. He couldn’t expect to be like his old self in such a short time.
“You sure you feel up to going outside?” Adam asked.
“I have to,” Kent replied as he finished buttoning the plaid red and white shirt. “Thanks for letting me wear your clothes.”
“We’re lucky you fit them.”
He’d never worn denims or a plaid shirt before but figured there was a first time for everything. He slowly rose to his feet, holding the edge of the bed to maintain his balance. Adam handed him the crutch, and he placed it under his arm, mindful to take his weight off the injured leg. Joel said it was healing nicely, and the last thing he wanted to do was delay any progress. As long as he took things slow, he should be fine. He looked at the open window and saw it was a nice, sunny day. How he missed going outside!
“Do you need help?” Adam asked as Kent took a step forward.
He hesitated and tried another step. “I think I can do it.”
The sooner he could do these things himself, the better off he’d be. Though the Larsons were a generous family, he didn’t like relying on anyone for assistance. He would pay them back for their hospitality as soon as he could get his funds transferred to the bank in town. In the meantime, he would bide his time and wait until he was well enough to leave.
Adam pushed the door further open, allowing Kent sufficient room to enter the hallway. When Kent saw the stairs, he paused. They were steeper than what he was used to.
“I’ll hold the crutch,” Adam said.
Seeing no other recourse, he gave it to him and put his arm around Adam’s shoulders so he could help him down the stairs. Once they reached the bottom, Adam handed him the crutch. Kent placed his hand on the rail, out of breath from the simple trip. He didn’t know whether to be disappointed or disgusted by his weak condition.
“Do you want to sit in the parlor before going out?” Adam asked.
“I want to get some fresh air.” Kent waited until his breathing returned to normal before he carefully made his way to the door.
Adam helped him onto the porch and motioned to the porch swing and rocking chairs. “Which would you like?”
Realizing the trek outside had worn him out more than he expected, he hobbled to the nearest rocking chair and breathed a sigh of relief when he settled into it. He couldn’t recall a time when sitting felt so good.
“I’ll tell Ma you’re down here so she can give you something to drink,” Adam said. “In this heat, you’ve got to be thirsty from all that work.”
Kent thanked him and set the crutch by his feet. He couldn’t wait until he could walk without anyone’s help. How he hated relying on someone for anything, especially with something as simple as walking down some steps. He hated thinking what going up them would be like. Pushing aside the urge to shudder, he decided to study his surroundings.
The land was flat with corn swaying gently in the breeze. Horses’ neighs came from the barn. A dog ran across the grass, chasing something. He gripped the chair’s arm. He hated dogs. Ever since that dog attacked him in North Dakota, he stayed as far from them as possible.
“You stay away from me, and I’ll stay away from you,” he muttered.
The storm door opened and he sighed when he saw Rose carrying a drink. Of course. She’d made it her mission to be around him all the time. Why should it be any different when he wasn’t in the bedroom?
“Adam said you were thirsty, so I thought I’d bring you this.”
She held it out for him and he reluctantly took it, hoping by doing so he wasn’t somehow encouraging her. The last thing he wanted to do was feed into her fantasies that they were going to get married and live happily ever after.
She tucked a stray strand of hair into her bun and smiled. “How do you feel?”
“Fine.” He turned his gaze to the lawn. Yes, it was rude to cut their conversation off, but did he have a choice? He’d been polite and pleasant to people he didn’t want to talk to in the past and it’d caused him nothing but grief. He wasn’t going to make that mistake again. “Thanks for the water. Now please leave me alone before I call for your mother or someone else to take you away.”
Her face grew pale and her lower lip quivered before she went back into the house. He momentarily cringed, knowing full well he’d just hurt her feelings. He reminded himself of everything he’d been through in Virginia and steeled his resolve. It worked. His guilt subsided.
He’d never go through anything with someone like his father again. He was done being made a fool of, being manipulated to suit the whims of others. He was heading to California for a fresh start. This time, no one was going to stop him from doing what he wanted.
His jaw clenched, he stared ahead, not really seeing anything. He hated thinking of the past. Nothing would change it. He couldn’t go back in time and undo any of it. His grip tightened on the glass until he thought he might break it. Relaxing his hand, he slowly exhaled.
“I don’t know how to let go of the past,” he whispered, pretending his uncle was sitting next to him. “I thought coming back to America would be easy as long as I didn’t step foot in Virginia.” He shook his head. “All it did was bring back memories I thought I’d left behind.” He swallowed the bitter lump in his throat, fighting the tears that threatened to come to his eyes. All he wanted was to be free of the past.
The dog barked and his attention snapped in its direction. The dog ran toward the barn where Eli emerged with a pail. Eli set it down and patted the dog before he threw a stick for it to chase. The dog caught it and brought it back to him, and the two continued the game for a few minutes. Kent watched the whole thing, finding it soothing. It must have been the repetitive nature of the game that relaxed him.
“Oh good! You’re well enough to be downstairs.”
Blinking, he looked at Rose who came around the side of the porch, carrying a basket of folded laundry. He blinked again. Wasn’t she just wearing a bun and a light blue dress? When did she have time to let her hair down and change into yellow clothes?
She climbed the porch steps and placed the basket down. Clasping her hands in front of her, she smiled at him. “You’re very handsome, Kent.”
Good grief but she was relentless! “You really want me to call for your mother or Adam?” he asked. Here, he’d been feeling guilty for sending her back into the house, close to tears, only to find out she hadn’t been upset after all.
She giggled and sat in the chair next to him. “I don’t know why you insist on running from fate, but you were brought here for a reason.”
“And you think that reason is you?”
“Of course.”
He had to hand it to her. At least she didn’t play games. She came right out and said what she wanted. Even so, he had to be firm with her. “I’m not going to marry you. Ever. Save your time and find someone else to make miserable.”
Undaunted by his words, she asked, “What happened to make you shy away from love?”
He frowned.
“Did you wish to marry a young lady who loved another?” she softly asked.
“My past is none of your business,” he snapped, unwittingly thinking of Ann Statesman. He shoved all thoughts of her aside and focused on the irritatingly perceptive woman next to him. “I wish I’d never stopped in Omaha. I wished it’d been someone else your fa
ther found in the alley.”
“But he found you. Everything happens for a reason. I’ve been praying for a husband, one who’ll be perfect for me. Then my pa brought you home.”
“A coincidence.”
“There are no coincidences. Whatever happened in your past, it all happened for a reason and you’re here now because we’re meant to be together.”
He groaned and closed his eyes. If only he could open them and find out she really wasn’t there. The sound of footsteps on the porch made him open his eyes.
“I got milk,” Eli said as he reached the last step.
“Good.” Rose picked up her basket. “And I got the laundry. Looks like we’re on time today.” She glanced at Kent. “Usually, we’re the last ones done with chores.”
To his relief, she followed Eli into the house. At last, he was finally allowed to spend some time in peace and study the landscape.
***
“Kent? Kent?”
Kent jerked awake, unaware he’d fallen asleep on the porch. The glass he’d finished rested on his lap.
“Do you feel up to eating with us in the dining room tonight?” Adam asked as he took the glass from him.
“Is it dinner time already?”
“We call the evening meal ‘supper’ and yes, it’s time to eat. You up to it?”
He nodded and retrieved the crutch by his feet. Taking a deep breath, he stood up and used the crutch to gain his balance.
“At least the dining room is downstairs,” Adam said with a sympathetic smile.
Returning his smile, he hobbled into the house.
Rose, who’d been tidying up the parlor, hurried over to him. “Do you need help?” Before he could answer, she wiggled under his shoulder and wrapped her arm around his waist.
He leaned against the crutch on his other side but almost lost his balance.
She patted his stomach and grinned. “I won’t let you fall.”
Adam shook his head. “You’re hopeless, Rose.” Turning his gaze to Kent, he added, “We’ve told her to stop doing all this.”
“Doing what?” Rose asked, looking offended. “All I’m doing is helping him.”
Adam groaned and headed down the hall.
“You ready to walk to the dining room?” Rose asked Kent.
“I want to go by myself,” he replied.
“Nonsense. I can’t risk you falling and hurting yourself. What kind of wife would I be if I let you do that?”
“You’re not going to be my wife.” Though he didn’t want to, the stab of pain in his side encouraged him to lean more in her direction.
“If you say so,” she replied in a tone that indicated she didn’t believe him.
When they arrived in the dining room and he saw someone who looked just like Rose setting the table, he stumbled. Rose grabbed him with her other arm and helped him regain his balance.
The Rose lookalike glanced in their direction but focused on putting the utensils down. “If you’ll have a seat, supper will be ready shortly,” she quickly said and finished her task so she could hurry out of the room.
Kent looked down at Rose. “You are Rose, aren’t you?”
She nodded. “Of course, I am. Who else would I be?”
He eased into the seat she pulled out for him. “If you’re Rose, then who was that?”
“Oh, that’s my twin sister Harriett. Have you met her?”
“Briefly,” he replied, his face growing warm when he realized how rude he’d been to her—and unnecessarily so. She’d been the woman who’d had the bun and wore a blue dress. “Why didn’t you tell me you had a twin sister?”
She placed his crutch against the wall. “Does it matter?”
“Yes.” She smoothed a cloth napkin on his lap, and he swatted at her hand. “You have no right to touch me there.”
“I wasn’t touching you.”
He ignored the bewildered look on her face and adjusted the napkin. If she had any idea just how close her hand had been to touching a certain part of him, she’d be appalled. He studied her as she sat in the seat next to him and shot him a charming smile. Well, alright. Maybe she wouldn’t be appalled. It seemed that nothing embarrassed her. She had no sense of propriety at all.
Rose’s mother came into the room, carrying a pot roast which made Kent’s mouth water. If nothing else could be said for his time here, he had to admit that every meal was among the best he’d ever had. Harriett followed her, not looking in Kent’s direction as she set down a bowl of mashed potatoes and another bowl of pickled beets. He didn’t blame her for avoiding eye contact with him. If he’d only known she wasn’t Rose, he never would have spoken to her the way he had.
Adam, Eli and Rose’s father soon entered the room, and after her father said grace, they began their meal. Harriett sat on the other side of the table but not directly across from him. Across from him was Eli who went into a lengthy discourse on what he did while training his horse. Beside him, Rose chimed in from time to time, offering advice on what other techniques her brother might try. Rose’s father and Adam added a couple of thoughts, but for the most part, Eli and Rose dominated the conversation.
Kent didn’t pay much attention to it. It was hard to eat when he wanted to apologize to Harriett. He needed to make amends for what he’d said, and he wouldn’t be able to rest until he did. After the meal was over, Kent remained seated while her father, Eli and Adam left for the parlor.
Rose brought the crutch over to him as her mother and sister started clearing the table. “I can help you to the parlor if you feel up to visiting for a while.”
He accepted the crutch but said, “I want to stay here for a moment. Go to the parlor without me.”
He fully expected her to argue, to say something stupid like she couldn’t leave his side when they were supposed to get married some day. But to his surprise, she nodded and left the room. What made her so agreeable all of the sudden? He shook his head. She made absolutely no sense to him.
Once he was on his feet, he waited until he was alone with Harriett to speak. “I need to apologize for the way I talked to you earlier,” he softly began.
She stopped collecting the dishes and looked in his direction.
“I thought you were Rose. She won’t leave me alone. She’s been,” he shrugged, “for lack of a better term, annoying me ever since I came here. She seems to think I’m going to marry her.”
Harriett relaxed and smiled. “Yes, she’s mentioned that.”
Good grief. Was there no one she didn’t talk to about her delusions?
“Just to me,” she clarified. “You’ll have to forgive her. She means well, but she tends to have all sorts of romantic notions. I think when you came here, wounded and all, she couldn’t resist making you a romantic interest.”
Great, he sarcastically thought. It’s just my luck.
“She’ll grow tired of it in a couple days.”
“You think so?” Did he dare hope?
“Sure,” she replied and resumed her task. “She has a hard time focusing on one thing for long.” With a giggle, she added, “Before we found out you came here from Ireland and was heading to California, she thought you might be a prince who came here to hide from someone.”
“A prince who came here to hide? With my injuries?”
“She thought it was romantic you were injured,” she said and picked up the plates. “No one else in this house thinks you being hurt is romantic. It’s just the way Rose thinks. She’s a daydreamer.”
“I hope she gives up on the notion of marrying me.” He adjusted his crutch so it was more comfortable under his arm. “I really am sorry for the way I treated you. Can we start over?”
She nodded. “Of course. And thank you.” After a moment, she added, “It’s only fair I forgive you since you’re going to be my brother-in-law.” She chuckled. “I’m sorry. I couldn’t resist.”
Despite his frustration with Rose, he laughed then carefully made his way to the parlor.
Chapter Seven
From where Rose sat in the parlor, she had a good view of the staircase. She didn’t know what delayed Kent, but he’d been in the dining room for about five minutes. She hoped he didn’t plan to go to his bedroom. She really wanted to be with him for a little longer today.
“I wouldn’t blame him if he went upstairs,” Adam said from where he was carving into a thick branch he found in the yard earlier that day.
“He has to be exhausted,” her father agreed, flipping through one of the newspapers he’d collected last time he was in town. “I remember how tired I was when I was stuck with that crutch.”
Rose hid her disappointment the best she could. She didn’t want to wait until tomorrow to see Kent again. “Maybe we bored him at supper. We should’ve asked him more about himself. People love to talk about themselves.”
“I don’t think so,” her father replied. “I get the feeling he doesn’t want to talk about himself.” After a moment, he shot her a pointed look. “And I hope you respect that.”
Adam snorted as he threw a piece of bark into the pail in front of him. “I doubt it. She can’t stop asking him about his life.”
Her cheeks warmed. “Is it wrong that I’m interested in knowing who he is?”
“If he doesn’t want to tell you, then yes,” her father said. “Rose, some people don’t want to tell you everything about their past.”
“It’s because she rambles on,” Adam added. “Sometimes I don’t think she can help it.”
“I’m trying to be nice,” she replied, crossing her arms and slouching in her chair.
As Eli ran his fingers along the piano keys, her father turned his tender gaze to her. “I know. You want him to feel welcome here.”
She nodded.
“Let him volunteer some information next time, alright?” he softly asked.
Despite her reluctance, she said, “I’ll try.”
“She won’t last longer than five minutes,” Eli replied with a snicker.
Catching Kent Page 5
