Kaitlin's Silver Lining (13 page)

“I reckon I can’t at
that. She’s got more lip than a muley cow.”

“Uncle Bryce, I don’t
see why you had to invite her to sit with us anyway. Aunt Kate fixed enough for
all of us. She even made those cookies you raved about the other night.”

At the mention of the
cookies, Kaitlin blushed. She didn’t want Bryce thinking she’d made them
special for him, even if that’s exactly what she’d done.

“I know, Charley, but
I don’t think Kaitlin’s interested in marryin’, and I need a wife. I gotta
start lookin’ somewhere.”

Charley set down her
cookie and stared at Kaitlin. “You don’t wanna marry, ever, Aunt Kate?”

“Well, I...”

“Why don’t you marry
Bryce? He’s single, and you’re single, and you both have me, so it makes
sense.”

“It’s not that
simple, Charley,” Kaitlin began, frustrated by Bryce’s silence during this
embarrassing moment. He seemed content to let her handle Charley’s less-than-subtle
questions.

“Sure it is. Bryce
has been lookin’ for some time now, and he just can’t seem to find the right
girl. But you’ll do right nicely, I’m thinkin’. I’m learnin’ to like you better
than I did when we first got here even if you do make me go to school. I hate
school. You’re teachin’ me to sew, and I like that. Anyways, you don’t cluck
forever like Miss Klein. And Uncle Bryce likes you, don’t you, Uncle Bryce?”
She turned her earnest gaze toward Bryce. “You like Aunt Kate?”

Bryce cleared his
throat and leaned forward on the wooden pew. “Of course, I like your aunt.”

“Well, then,” Charley
said, slapping both palms on her thighs. “I don’t see the problem.”

“I don’t think she
likes me, Charley,” Bryce said quietly.

“Of course she likes
you. All the girls like you. That’s part of your problem in pickin’ a wife.”
Charley turned toward Kaitlin. “When he knew I was comin’ to live with him
permanent-like, he started courtin’ several ladies in town. Before he knew it,
he had more hens peckin’ at his toes than my Uncle William has in his whole
henhouse. That’s when he decided to come up here and see if Emma would hitch up
with him. Too bad she got herself engaged to that other feller.”

“Charley.” Bryce
seemed calm in spite of the topic. “Anyone ever tell you, you talk too much?
’Afore long, you’ll be gabbin’ as much as Marcy.”

“Just makin’
conversation,” Charley mumbled and dropped her gaze to her lap.

“More like, you’re
makin’ trouble. Let’s gather this mess, and head for the hacienda.” Bryce
leaned over Charley to help stuff items back into the basket. His head collided
gently with Kaitlin’s, and she reeled from the unexpected contact. He laughed
softly, the sound tickling her hidden desires. If she could find a man like
Bryce who made her laugh and think silly thoughts, she might recant her opinion
of marriage. Kaitlin remained silent, subdued by Charley’s careless words and a
need she couldn’t quite identify.

“Hmmm, you have that
dreamy look in your eye, Katy. Unfortunately, this isn’t the spot to entice me
for that kiss,” Bryce murmured so only she could hear him. “A man always picks
his locations with care so the kiss isn’t witnessed by others. You’ll have to
find another time and place.”

Kaitlin reeled back.
If she’d had a chicken leg in her hand, she would have whacked him with it.
Thinking she still could, she started to reopen her parcel.

Bryce put his warm
hand over hers. “No sense wasting a good drumstick like that. You’ll have to
find somethin’ else to hit me with.”

“Are you a mind
reader?” She snatched her hand from his.

“Naw. But with
everything already put away, there wasn’t any other reason for you to get into
your basket.” He seemed right pleased with himself if the brilliant smile he
had plastered on his face was any indication.

“Look, Aunt Kate,
they’re fixin’ to play some music,” Charley exclaimed.

“The two of you are
welcome to stay for the concert. I have a dress for Mrs. Watkins I need to
finish by Wednesday.” Kaitlin scooted along the pew seat, headed for the
nearest exist. The idea of sitting so close to Bryce for any length of time
made her head reel. During the services, Charley had sat between them, acting
as a buffer for her confused nerve endings.

Bryce grabbed hold of
her hand and gently pulled. “Runnin’?”

“Bryce, please.” She
tried to pull her hand from his grasp. “People are staring.”

“Let ’em. I enjoy
your company, and I’d like you to stay. Listenin’ to some good music might be a
pleasant way to spend a Sunday afternoon. We don’t have to stay long.”

“I thought you were
anxious to get back.” She tried a different tact.

“That was before I
realized more entertainment was planned. It’s been years since I had time to
waste, and I find I want to waste it with you. Come on. I promise not to scare
you with any more talk of stolen kisses.”

“You didn’t scare
me.” She gripped the edge of the pew, hoping he would see reason.

“You just suddenly
felt the urge to run off.”

“I have work to do.”

“It can wait.”

“You are the most
stubborn man I’ve ever met.”

“You’ve said that
before, Katy. ’Course, that’s why you like me so much.” He flashed her a wide
smile. “It’s my persuasive charm.”

She chose to ignore
that particular observation. “Maggie will wonder where we are.”

“Maggie’s busy being
courted by Jack. She’s got him takin’ her to her church now and takin’ buggy
rides afterwards. She doesn’t have time to worry how you’re spendin’ your
time.” Bryce took a deep breath and continued, his voice very persuasive
indeed.

 “Come on, Katy.
Enjoy the day and the music. You work too hard. You deserve this day off.” He
laid his hand over hers and gave it a gentle squeeze.

Kaitlin slid back in
her seat, accepting his invitation with more grace than she felt. “An hour.
We’ll listen for an hour, and then I really do need to attend chores.”

Bryce nodded. Kaitlin
looked toward the pulpit, concentrating on the musicians setting up their
instruments. Beside her, Charley’s leg jiggled uncontrollably. Kaitlin put her
hand upon the child’s thigh to still the annoying movement. Charley shot her a
disgruntled glare but stopped wiggling.

The concert began
with a violin solo that sparked a chord of loneliness within Kaitlin’s soul.
Never before had the feeling been so pronounced, but now, surrounded with a
church full of people, those suppressed emotions pushed forward. Bryce could be
blamed, for his presence made her desire things she had no business wanting.
Home, family, and love had no place in her heart. No—her commitment must remain
focused on the movement.

But Bryce made it
difficult to remain true to her convictions. His presence sparked ideas that
contrasted to those of woman’s suffrage. A secret part of her yearned for a
strong male to share her life, to pamper her with romantic words of love.
Lately she found herself fantasizing about Bryce.

Bryce slid his arm
around the back of the pew, and Kaitlin pretended he did so to get closer to
her. If she leaned all the way back, her head would rest upon the crook of his
elbow. She kept herself rigid, not daring to even think about such a
possibility. Bryce’s other hand rested upon his thigh, tapping lightly to the
beat of the music. Across the aisle, she caught Marcy staring at Bryce with
unabashed regard. Three aisles over, another group of young ladies gazed his
way. Until now, Kaitlin hadn’t realized just how charismatic Bryce appeared to
all these women.

He’d just started
coming to church with her and, already, the young, unmarried ladies vied for
his attention. If any of them had their way, Bryce would be married within a
week. To their collective chagrin, Bryce proved choosy with his affections.
He’d broken several hearts after only one outing. For some reason, this made
him even more popular.

Groaning with
frustration, she leaned back, forgetting about the arm draped carelessly behind
her. He dropped his hand upon her shoulder and smiled.

“Thanks for stayin’,
Katy. This is nice.”

She tensed, unused to
such a public display of affection. “Yes. The... the music is very good.”

“Relax. You’re stiff
as a board.” He reached out and ruffled Charley’s curls. “Are you enjoyin’ the
concert, Charley?”

Charley beamed at
him. “Yep. They’re lots better’n Bobby Douglas and Snake Thatcher. Leastwise,
it don’t sound so twangy and off key.”

“Perhaps, you’d like
to take piano lessons while you’re here,” Kaitlin offered, looking for any
topic that might take her mind off of Bryce. “My next-door neighbor has a piano
that I feel sure she’d let you come over and use, if you think you’re
interested.”

“Naw.” Charley shook
her head. “I won’t have no call to learn fancy music if’n I’m gonna own my own
cathouse.”

“Cathouse? Did you
not understand the Reverend Barker’s sermon on the sins of the flesh?” Kaitlin
whispered urgently.

“Sure I did, but
since I ain’t baptized in the faith, it don’t pertain to me none.”

Kaitlin closed her
eyes in mortification. Charley was going to be harder to reach than she
realized. A memory of the private school she’d attended in Boston gave her an
idea. Bryce wouldn’t like it, but maybe it would be Charley’s only chance for
salvation. A convent owned the school. If she could persuade Bryce to send
Charley there, even if only for a year, Charley might be persuaded to change
her mind. The daily influence of religion and education surely couldn’t hurt.
Charley needed more than either one of them could give her. Kaitlin just had to
convince Bryce.

Sixteen

“How was school?”
Bryce asked Charley the following afternoon. After his conversation with Pete,
he couldn’t quite shake the feeling he’d have to be more active in Charley’s
upbringing. He wanted her to have more advantages than young Pete had enjoyed.
Perhaps Kaitlin had a point about Charley needing a firmer hand.

“I ain’t going back,
and you can’t make me,” she declared, staring out the foggy window at the light
falling of snow.

From the kitchen,
Kaitlin yelled back, “Aren’t, and you are.”

Bryce smiled. He
might have to break his own bad habit of saying ‘ain’t’ if he wanted to help
Kaitlin teach Charley. Luckily, he didn’t think he said it too often. “Sounds
like your Aunt Katy might have something different to say on the subject.”

“She wants to torture
me, Uncle Bryce. I don’t know near as much as kids three years younger than
me.” Charley traced a face in the steam-covered glass. “It’s embarrassin’.”

“All the more reason
to go to school,” he reasoned.

Kaitlin entered the
parlor where they’d found a few pieces of furniture to replace the broken ones.
Charley sat slouched in one of the smaller chairs while Bryce stood to one
side. Kaitlin gathered the latest dress she’d been working on and slipped into
the settee.

“According to Mrs.
Stone’s report, Charley disrupted class. She became uncooperative when Mrs.
Stone tried to help her with math. I’m hoping tomorrow will prove to be a
different story.”

He started to offer
Charley a bribe, but caught himself, remembering Kaitlin’s earlier advice. If
no bribe, then what?

“I don’t need math to
be a madam.” She turned in the chair and folded her arms about her waist, her
lips forming a pout.

“Charley, you need
math to own your own business, no matter what the business might be, and you
need to read well enough to look over contracts,” Katy said, glancing up from
stitching the hem.

He was glad Kaitlin
hadn’t made a big issue of Charley’s desire to become a madam. He knew from
experience too much protest would have just the opposite effect. “Katy’s right,
Charley. School’s important. I should’ve made you go back in Brownwood, but
well, time kind of got away from me.”

Kaitlin cleared her
throat. “Charley, maybe this isn’t the right school for you. I went to a school
in Boston that was wonderful. It’s just for girls, and you would make lots of
friends.”

“You wanna send me
away?” She jumped up.

Bryce frowned.
“Charley, I don’t think...”

“I ain’t going. You
just wanna send me off to get rid of me. I hate you. I hate you both.” Charley
ran from the room, the wooden soles of her shoes drumming loudly on the
stairway as she headed for her room.

Bryce stood to
follow, but Kaitlin grabbed his arm. “Going after her will only give her the
upper hand. All adolescents try to manipulate their elders.”

“But she thinks I
plan to send her away. I can’t have her thinkin’ that way.”

“You can set her
right on the matter after she calms down some. Besides, sending her away to
school might be the best thing. You don’t have to decide now, but you should
give it some honest consideration.” Kaitlin paused, tilting her head to one
side as if to study him. He frowned, but waited for her to continue. “You
handled her well. You didn’t lecture or yell. You didn’t bribe her.”

Bryce nodded. It had
taken effort, but he had tried to implement Kaitlin’s suggestions. “Thank you.”

“For what?”

“For helping me be a
better parent. I...I want Charley to have more advantages from life than she’s
had so far.”

“So do I.”

“I think you really
mean that, Katy.”

“Of course I mean it.
How can you think I wouldn’t want what’s best for Charley?”

Bryce shook his head.
She would make a good mother. Charley’s idea didn’t seem so crazy now he had
time to think on it. He could almost picture himself married to this prim and
proper lady. The seed planted itself in his thoughts, taking root. Kaitlin
would be adamantly opposed to the idea. Unless...unless he could convince her
otherwise. He stared at her stern features, remembering how she looked in the
billowing nightgown with her hair falling loose about her face. Perhaps he
should give this thought serious consideration.

He frowned, suddenly
remembering the danger Kaitlin faced. Even if he could convince Kaitlin to marry
him, she wouldn’t be free to do so until the threats against her person ceased.
He needed answers, and he needed them soon. Kaitlin meant more to him than
Charley’s aunt, and he wanted to see her safe. Tomorrow, he planned to find out
as much as he could, and he knew just where to start. He would investigate the
source, the town whose postmark graced most of the canceled letters and threats
she’d received to date. He aimed to find out about Sarge and what the man meant
to Kaitlin.