Catalina wanted to hug the little girl tightly. The poor thing had barely met her mother before she’d been taken from her, and then to lose her father so soon after. Oliver was an amazing man for having taken her in. He was as kind and caring as she’d always hoped her husband could be. The idea twisted in her belly, insecurity and doubt causing bile to rise and burn her throat. She couldn’t help the thoughts of inadequacy that plagued her. Catalina turned her focus back to the horizon. “You’re a wonderful friend, and I’m sure an amazing father, Mr. Wilson.” It was the best she could do even though she wanted to say so much more. The words were trapped on her tongue. They tasted bitter, and she was thankful they couldn’t be released to taint the air between them.
Her husband reached across the seat, brushing Minda’s hair from the side of her face before bringing his hand to rest on top of Catalina’s where it lay on the girl’s shoulder. “Please…call me Oliver.”
The barn was larger than she’d initially thought. The haze from the sun made everything sort of distorted and blurry. It was odd, the contrast between the starkness of the vegetation and the soft edges of everything the haze touched. She noticed a newer looking fence that created a paddock outside of the barn that looked as if there were three horses lounging within. The horses were beautiful with dark coats that shone in the summer sun and manes that were obviously well cared for. A small gasp escaped her lips as they came closer and the Harvey family’s home came into view. It was the cutest house she’d ever seen. So different from the ones she was used to seeing in New York. There was a wide porch with chairs for sitting and rocking. Catalina could almost picture the family out there in the evenings after supper, Judith or Nathaniel reading to the children that were huddled at their feet. A warm breeze blew across their path, kicking up dust that Catalina could feel between her teeth. She closed her eyes as little bits of grit settled in the corners, causing them to burn and sting. When she opened them, the small family was on the porch, waiting for them expectantly.
Judith looked just as Catalina had envisioned. She was a petite woman, her middle swollen with the child she carried. Two young boys ran in circles around the house, chasing after one another and shouting while the man, who had to be Nathaniel, stood holding the hand of the little girl that could only be Issie. The smile that formed on the small girl’s face as she noticed them approaching was broad and wide. She tugged at her mother’s skirts as Oliver brought the wagon beside the porch. “Momma. Momma. Momma.” The girl bounced on the balls of her feet, desperate for her mother’s attention, but Judith had eyes for no one other than Catalina. Catalina offered a shy smile as the other woman tore herself away and focused on her increasingly rambunctious child.
“Yes, Isabel? You mustn’t be rude. Wait your turn.”
The little girl nodded vigorously. “But Momma, look at her.”
Judith returned her attention back to Catalina just as Oliver was reaching for her to pass him Minda from her lap. “I am looking, little one. She’s very pretty.”
Isabel nodded hard. “Yes, Momma, but… but…”
“It’s alright. Slow down. We will all wait to hear what you have to say.”
Even Nathaniel was looking at little Isabel now. All waited to hear what words she was having such a hard time forming.
“She… she…”
Judith rubbed a hand down the little one’s back. “Go slow.” She turned to Catalina as she stepped down from the buckboard and turned toward the porch. “This happens when she gets excited.”
Catalina offered the little girl a big smile. “It is wonderful to meet you, Miss Isabel. Minda has told me all about you. Thank you for being such a good friend to her.”
Judith smiled, which reassured Catalina, calming the waves of nausea that were washing over her from nerves.
“You look just like her.” Isabel’s eyes were wide and her voice was quiet, but everyone had heard her. They all stopped. Even the boys.
Catalina’s breath caught in her throat. She’d noticed that she and Minda shared coloring and that the girl had bright but brown eyes just like she did. She’d been thankful to see that Oliver didn’t seem to mind that his daughter’s skin was darker than his, and she had hoped that would mean hers wouldn’t bother him either, but she hadn’t thought of whether the little girl looked like her.
Oliver took Catalina’s hand and patted it gently, smiling hugely, looking deep into her eyes. “Yes. Yes, she does, sweet Isabel. You see, sometimes you think you need one thing and you’re given much more than you even thought to ask for.”
Chapter Five
“How was the train ride?”
Catalina and Judith were sitting in the chairs on the wide porch, sipping tea and watching the children run around the yard. “It wasn’t as bad as I’d expected. I assume it would have been much worse had I not made a friend.”
Judith rubbed a hand over her swollen belly. “That’s wonderful. Any chance your friend’s destination was here in Shady Creek?”
“Surprisingly, yes! Her husband is the doctor in town. From what I gathered, he left shortly after their wedding, and living in Arizona wasn’t something they’d planned on.”
Judith smiled. “Sometimes the things we don’t plan are the things that work out the best. I do hope she likes it here. I’ve actually met Joshua. Jasper fell trying to follow his older brother up a tree. He broke his arm. We had to go to town to have it set.” She shook her head. “Boys. They’re so busy you’d think they’d be less trouble, when in fact they’re constantly finding mischief.”
Catalina laughed. “Back home, we would have the boys outside for a half hour more than the girls. They had such a hard time sitting still. It’s wonderful that you have so much space for them to run around.”
“I enjoy them.”
Judith’s words hung between them while Catalina’s attention remained back on her former home in New York. She really would need to write to her sisters that were still with Madam Wiggs and let them know she’d arrived, was married, and even had a little girl she’d be mothering. She watched the boys run circles around the girls, teasing them playfully the way that brothers did. “They so easily include Minda. It’s really wonderful how you’ve all taken her in.”
Judith set her mug on the small table between their chairs. “She’s a lovely child. Our lives are better for having her and Oliver in them. We wouldn’t have it any other way.”
Judith attempted to stand. Catalina quickly popped up from her chair to offer a hand.
“Thank you. I swear I grow inches and inches every day. I’m starting to wonder if there’s more than one baby in here.”
Catalina laughed. The only thought she’d had about Judith’s appearance was that she was glowing with happiness. The moment she’d made eye contact with her, she knew they’d be fast friends because she could see how much the other woman cared for her new family. Someone that loved Oliver and Minda as much as Judith did would no doubt become someone important in Catalina’s life. “Have you an idea when the little one will arrive?”
Judith shook her head. “Nothing for certain, though I’m thinking we’ve got a few weeks. Not much more than that.”
Catalina helped gather the mugs, as Judith hollered for the children to return to the house. The boys were the last to reach the porch. “Go help your father and Mr. Wilson finish up with the horses. I’m sure the Wilsons want to get back to their own space for dinner this evening.”
A moment of panic seized Catalina. She hadn’t even thought about supper. She hadn’t cooked for a long time. She was woefully out of practice. Judith must have seen the fear on her face. “Don’t worry. I’ve prepared chicken and vegetables for you and packed a few loaves of bread. I know Oliver keeps eggs and bacon and few other staples in the house, so it should hold you over for a few days until you can get your bearings and go back into town for supplies.”
Catalina didn’t even try to hide her relief. She sighed deeply. “You’re wonderful. Thank you. I’ll
have to find a way to repay you…” Her thoughts drifted as she contemplated how she’d be able to repay Judith for her kindness and hard work. Slowly, ideas started to form. Oliver knew that she was a teacher and that her ultimate goal was to open a school for the children of Shady Creek, but she wasn’t sure if Judith knew.
“Do you teach the children here at home?”
Judith nodded as she bustled around the kitchen packing items into a basket for Catalina, Oliver, and Minda to take with them for their supper. “I do. Though I’m afraid I don’t do a very good job of it. Especially now, I get tired quickly, so it’s helpful to have the break in the afternoon and let the children play while I prepare meals.”
“What if I could help with that?” Catalina took a dish wrapped in a linen towel from Judith and placed it in the bottom of the basket.
“What do you mean?”
Catalina smiled. Talking about educating young ones always got her excited. She lived to see the pride on their faces when they realized they’d figured out the solution to a tough problem or read a word they never had been able to before. “Well, back in New York I was a teacher. I actually plan to open a school here in Shady Creek soon, but in the mean time, what if you sent the children to me in the afternoon? The boys could still help Nathaniel and Oliver in the morning, and then after lunch you could send the three of them to me, and I’ll work with them on their studies while you have the afternoon to rest and work on dinner and the like.”
Judith’s shoulders perked up. “You’d do that? But it would be a lot of work. Are you sure? You are newly married after all. We wouldn’t want to intrude on that time.”
Catalina put more dishes in the basket along with two loaves of bread that smelled absolutely amazing and made her realize just how hungry she was. She hadn’t eaten a bite since the night before when they’d served supper on the train. “Of course! I’d love it, and I’m sure Minda would too. This transition is going to be work for all of us. Minda’s used to being with Issie, and you need rest. You’ve got babies…” Catalina giggled at the smile that came across Judith’s face. “Or baby to worry about growing. That takes a lot of energy.”
Judith was quiet for so long that Catalina almost interrupted it and took back her offer. But then the other woman sat in the chair at the head of the table, almost sinking into it. “That would be lovely, but not tomorrow or the next day. You’ll need to get acclimated, and you’ll need to go into town as well. Let’s start the day after that.”
Catalina bent down and wrapped the other woman in a hug. “Oh, thank you! I’m so happy to have a way to help. I was so worried I’d be useless in a place like this. Growing up in a city, one lives a very different kind of life.”
“What have you ladies gotten into today?” A deep but smooth voice broke the moment.
Catalina stood, turning to her husband. “We were just discussing the ways that we could help each other.”
Minda ran from the living room where she’d been playing with Isabel to jump into her father’s arms. “How was your day, little one?”
“We played outside and new Momma helped Miss Judith. We’re having chicken for supper.”
Catalina couldn’t help but smile at the light in Oliver’s eyes as he looked at Minda and listened to her talk about her day.
“Well, we love chicken, don’t we?” Oliver looked from Minda to Judith. “Thank you.”
She shook her head. “Go. Get out of here. Take your new wife home. She’s sick of chatting with me.” Judith winked at Catalina, who smiled at her new friend before reaching out to her husband for him to pass Minda into her arms.
Her breath caught in her throat waiting to see if he’d hand her off and if the little girl would come to her easily. She relaxed as he turned, and the little girl laughed as he swung her into Catalina’s outstretched arms. She spun so that her skirt and Minda’s both billowed as they giggled together in the Harveys’ kitchen.
“Thank you for introducing me to your friends.”
Oliver couldn’t remember when he’d had a more perfect day. He’d spent the morning with his favorite little girl as they rode to town to meet Catalina at the train. Then he’d met and married the beautiful woman sitting across from him before returning to his favorite place in all of America, and then capping the night with a wonderful, quiet dinner with his family in the home he’d built.
He had realized early on that he would have a hard time taking his eyes off his new wife. He couldn’t believe that she’d not already been spoken for when he’d placed his advert. How he’d gotten so lucky as to have her be the one to answer him, he’d never know. He smiled. “They really like you, you know.” He took a sip of the coffee she’d made for him after their meal.
“Judith doesn’t take to folks easily, but she really likes you. Nathaniel too.”
“They seem like wonderful people. I’m very thankful that you and Minda had them and that they’ve cared for you so well.”
Oliver had enjoyed his day so much that until Catalina rose from the table and began to clear it, while Minda finished her pie, he hadn’t thought of what the night would look like. The house was small, but he’d kept it as clean as possible. Judith would come once in a while and check in to make sure he wasn’t getting overwhelmed, but he’d never asked her for help. He’d tried to make sure she only needed to look after Minda while he was working. She had her own family to care for.
Oliver looked around the kitchen. Everything had a place, and it was functional but not very comfortable. He was sure that Catalina would change that in time. He hoped that she would. He wanted her to think of it as her house. He’d built it with a female in mind. He’d made sure to make the water closet big enough for a tub and even had a door straight out to the well so that even though you’d have to fetch water, it wasn’t very far to carry it.
Minda jumped down from her chair and climbed onto his lap, interrupting his train of thought. “Can we read, Papa?”
“Of course we can. Maybe Catalina would like to join us.” He looked over to where she’d turned from having set a pot to boil on the stove.
She nodded. “I would love to.”
Oliver and Minda took their usual spot on the sofa. The little girl patted the seat beside him, beckoning Catalina to sit beside him. He’d thought he’d been prepared to bring a woman into his life. He needed a partner. Someone who could help him get his, or now their, portion of the homestead land working for them and making some money, and Minda needed a mother. The thought of finding someone that he couldn’t stop staring at, or that had so easily and without question taken to his daughter, had never crossed his mind. He’d hoped that in time whoever he married would treat Minda as her own, but to have her look almost as if the girl could have been her own flesh and blood, the chances of that happening were so slim that he couldn’t fathom it.
Catalina took the seat. As she sat down their arms brushed, sending a wave of heat up from the point of contact into his neck and coming to rest in his cheeks, which he was sure were red as beets. He tried to act as if he’d not been affected, but when he looked up and saw that Catalina’s cheeks were also flushed, tinged pink with what he hoped was attraction and not embarrassment, he couldn’t turn away. “I …” His words faltered. He wasn’t sure what to say.
“Papa! You said you’d read.”
Minda poked him in the chest with the corner of the book they’d been reading. Oliver laughed, taking the book from her but turning back to Catalina. “How do you feel about fairytales?”
She shook her head while examining the cover of the thick leather-bound book. “I’m not sure. I’ve not read any.”
Oliver squeezed Minda in his arms. “Well, little one, looks like we get to introduce your new momma to our little fantasy world.”
“Rapunzel, Papa. Rapunzel.”
Oliver shook his head but opened the book and flipped the pages to find the story. “I will, but you’ll have to settle down. Catalina hasn’t heard these stories before, so y
ou have to be very quiet so she doesn’t miss a thing.”
He’d managed to capture his new wife’s attention from above the toddler’s head. Her eyes, deep and dark, held him as he flipped through the book, knowing Minda would stop him when he got to the right pages. The girl had memorized the titles of the stories, and he’d often found her reciting the words to herself when he’d be making dinner, pretending she was reading.
It didn’t take long for Minda to fall asleep in Oliver’s lap. Catalina had been starting to relax as well. Her eyes were fluttering closed when he shifted to set the book aside so he could carry the girl to her room. She watched as he got up so carefully not to jostle the girl in his arms. He was a big man, tall with wide shoulders and a dark shadows on his jawline. Catalina was used to seeing men in suits. Despite all she’d read trying to prepare herself, life in Shady Creek, Arizona was far different than life in New York City. Her husband’s hands were rough with calluses he’d come across honestly and with hard work. The few men she’d met in New York had had smooth skin, so much so that shaking hands with one of them was akin to shaking hands with one of her sisters. She’d never thought that the contrast of a man’s rough hand in her own would be something that could make her blood heat, but it had.
Oliver left, carrying Minda up the stairs. Catalina hadn’t gone up them yet. She wasn’t sure why, other than that she was a tad afraid of what she might find. Sure, she and Oliver were husband and wife, but they were also strangers. She’d not even known the man for an entire day yet. She wasn’t sure that sharing a bed with him would be proper, even though they’d said vows and made their promises before the preacher. She was enjoying his company and her new roles as wife and mother, but she wasn’t sure how far she wanted to jump into the unknown. Rising from the sofa, she headed back to the kitchen to finish cleaning the supper dishes. The water she’d set to boil had almost disappeared, but she filled the washbasin with what was left and went outside to refill it.
Catalina’s Cause: The Alphabet Mail-Order Brides Book 3 Page 4
