Katie: Bride of Virginia (American Mail-Order Brides 10) (5 page)

Already he was learning that his sweet, bubbly wife had a strong will that could twist a man's insides into a knot. He wanted her in the worst way and she was having nothing to do with him.

“If you weren't so damn beautiful, this wouldn't have been a problem,” he said in the darkness and knew the moment the words slipped out of his mouth, it was the wrong thing to say.

“Oh, I should have been ugly, then you would have taken my virginity thinking of how you didn't want to hurt me? I don't think so. Go to sleep Mr. O'Malley. But in the morning, I expect to be told about your first wife.”

He cursed. She knew. She'd read the death certificate in his drawer and knew.

Chapter Four

T
he next morning when Katie awoke, her husband had already gone to the fields. That was certainly one way to get out of a conversation. Avoid your wife. But he'd have to come back for lunch, if not dinner and when he came home, he would not escape the story about his wife this time. It wasn't that she was afraid of Daniel, but why hadn't he been upfront about his first wife? All he had to do was say how she passed away.

Sure, now that she'd read the death certificate, she was curious, but all it took was one conversation.

After she'd straightened up the bedroom, she hurried downstairs to the kitchen. It was then she heard the tinkling of Mother O'Malley's dinner bell.

She hurried to her bedroom door. “Good morning, Mother O'Malley,” she said yanking back the curtains.

“Where have you been?” the old woman asked from her bed. “I'm weak this morning and can't seem to reach my chair.”

Katie was determined not to let the old biddy get to her today. She was going to shower this woman with so much kindness that she would drown in the happiness Katie bestowed upon her.

“I've been upstairs straightening. I'm sorry, I didn't hear your bell,” she said walking to the woman and helping her out of bed. “I thought Martha was here. Do you need help dressing.”

“No, Martha, will help me with that. Shut those blinds. It's too bright in here,” she said with a sneer.

“Sunshine brightens the soul and clears fog from the brain,” Katie said trying to be positive and uplifting, yet feeling like she was dragging a reluctant soldier.

Inside this woman, there had to be some goodness. She was, after all, Daniel's mother and her son was a good man. How could he turn out so well if his mother had always been like this? No, something must have changed her.

“I don't suffer from cloudy thinking or need my soul brightened. Go fix me some tea. I'll be in the kitchen in a moment,” she said scowling at Katie.

With a sigh Katie left the room. “Patience, Lord give me patience.”

When she arrived in the kitchen, Martha was there and had already started the tea. “Good morning, Mrs. O'Malley.”

The sound of someone calling her by her married name startled and thrilled her. It would take some getting used to, but she liked the way it sounded.

“Good morning. Oh, you heard her.”

The older black woman chuckled. “Couldn't miss the sound of her bell. Sounds like she's not feeling well. When she gets in this kind of mood, you can't make her happy.”

Katie shook her head. “Has she always been this way?”

“Since the carriage accident that killed her husband and injured her. She's never fully recovered is what I've been told. I've only been here as long as Mr. O'Malley owned the land.”

“That's sad. How long ago was that?”

Maybe this was what had changed her into the person she was now. Didn't all of life's events alter us in small ways, but deaths and births, those were branded onto us and shaped us more than most things in life.

“At least over five years,” the colored woman said as she prepared her toast.

“Okay, I know the accident was traumatic and sad and left her injured, but no one should be allowed to wallow in misery for five years.”

What if the death of her parents and siblings had left her bitter and angry? What would she be like today? And she had been angry. She'd lost everything she’d known and forced to move into the orphanage.

“They were going to visit Mr. O'Malley at college, when the wheel busted on their carriage sending it over on its side. Her husband, Mr. O'Malley, hit his head on a rock and died instantly. Mrs. O'Malley, injured her back. Now she can only walk a short distance before needing her chair. Between you and me, I think she could do better if she wanted to. But this way she gets all the attention.”

Until that moment, Katie had felt sorry for the cranky, older woman, but she firmly believed a person had no right to be a whiner or a complainer and make others miserable. She had to find a way to help her understand.

“Thanks, for telling me, Martha. I'm going to think on what we can do to change this situation. Because I'm not going to let her bully me.”

The woman shrugged. “I need to know if I accept my work from you or Mrs. O'Malley?”

“The only change is that I will give you orders on meals and the housekeeping, which we will get started on once you've got her settled.”

The older woman frowned. “I didn't take any orders from the first Mrs. O'Malley. In fact she didn't do much with the house.”

“Well, I can tell you that's going to change. I'll be handling all the household duties, the menus and the cleaning schedule. We're going to make this house look radiant once again.”

The older woman's brows raised. “I'll talk to Mrs. O'Malley and make certain that's okay with her, since I'm her servant.”

“Do that and I'll take to Mr. O'Malley about hiring us more hands,” Katie said not really understanding why the elderly servant was not following her lead.

Taking a deep breath she decided to see what the woman thought of Eloise, hoping she would give her some insight into how the house was run.

“So Eloise didn't run the household?”

“No, ma'am.”

“Did she do the menus, the cleaning? What did she do around here?”

The cook's face suddenly blanched and she shifted away from Katie and finished fixing the tray to take into Mother O'Malley's room. “I didn't have much to do with the first Mrs. O'Malley.”

The woman's demeanor changed and she was no longer as friendly as before. In fact she'd become almost cold and Katie knew that no matter what she asked, she wasn't going to say. With the mention of Eloise, the cook had gone from talking freely to being reserved and tight-lipped. What was so secret about Eloise O'Malley's death?

“I better get this tray into her room.”

“Is your grandson better?” Katie asked wanting to delay her departure so she could think of more questions to ask her.

“Yes, he's feeling much better.”

“Good, I need some help around the house. Would he be interested in dusting in high places?”

There was so much to be done around here and some things she needed someone who could crawl on ladders. She was getting rid of the dust, but could she wipe out the past as well?

“I'll have him come up here after lunch,” she said picking up the tray and walking towards the door.

“Great! We're going to clean this house thoroughly. When Daniel comes home, he's going to be shocked.”

“I hope so, Mrs. O'Malley.”

Katie watched the colored woman leave the room. Why did she feel like the old house held secrets.

#

Later that afternoon, Katie was finishing the cleaning and rearranging of the front parlor, when she heard a buggy drive up in the front circular driveway. She had spent the afternoon with the help of Thomas, Martha's grandson beating the rugs and drapes, moving furniture, polishing the wood until it gleamed, scrubbing the hardwood floors and putting down a nice shine with new wax. They were just moving the sofa back when the knock sounded on the door.

The kid was in his teens and when she'd offered to pay him for his time, he'd been more than willing to assist her all afternoon.

Glancing out the window, she saw Frank and opened the door. “Good afternoon, Frank.”

He reached down and pecked her on the cheek. “I had to come by and see how my favorite newlyweds are doing?”

“Please come in,” she said, and moved to let him enter the parlor.

Being called a newlywed felt strange. Yes, they were married, but it had only been days and there were still so many unresolved issues between them. Did all newly married couples have these problems or had she gotten herself into a fine mess?

Frank glanced around and nodded approvingly. “You're making this house look like a home again. Great job.”

“Thomas, please get Mr. O'Malley from the fields,” she said, to the young boy who had been helping her.

Martha and Betty were here with her, but she'd feel better if Daniel. This was after all his friend.

“Sorry, I'm not dressed more presentable, but we've spent the afternoon cleaning. I'm going room by room through our home making it shine,” she said, pulling her head scarf off, letting her hair fall loose past her shoulders.

Frank's eyes widened. “You've done a remarkable job so far. I can't wait to see what it looks like when you're finished.”

“It'll take time,” she replied, pleased with today's progress.

A bell clanging furiously from the back of the house, resounded in the parlor.

“Please have a seat. I've sent for Daniel, but let me see what Mother O'Malley needs,” she said, walking towards her room.

The old woman must have heard the door knocker and wondered who was here. Well, she wasn't going to tell her. She would just have to join them if she wanted to know. It was time she reentered society, but as a happier person.

Walking into the darkened room, she glanced at her mother-in-law sitting in her chair staring gloomily at nothing. “Where have you been? I'd like for you to read to me for a while.”

“I can't, we have a guest,” Katie said. “I think you should join us.”

The woman's eyes narrowed. “If it's Frank Lowe, absolutely not. That boy is using my son, just like you.”

The words were harsh. And she wanted to respond but decided no, that's what Betty wanted. Katie turned to leave.

“What, you're not going to deny it?”

She glanced back at the woman. “Why should I? You're going to believe what you want. And if Frank is using Daniel, why aren't you out there trying to learn more from him so you can protect your son.”

“Excuse me. Can't you see I'm in a wheelchair.”

Somehow Katie thought this must be an excuse she used often and she wasn't going to let her incite sympathy.

“Yes, but that doesn't make you invisible or not useful. I'd be happy to wheel you into the parlor if you'd like to join us. You're still Daniel's mother and a loving person. Come join the conversation.”

“No. And you shouldn't be talking to him either. You're a married woman with no chaperone in the house.”

This was why she'd sent for Daniel. She feared that his mother would start insinuating lies and she had to protect herself.

“You're here and I sent young Thomas to the fields for Daniel.”

“What can I do? I can't protect you.”

The woman had more excuses and complaints. “All you have to do is let me roll you into the parlor and be with us until Daniel arrives and then you're free to leave.”

“Hrrmph. Why should I worry about your reputation. You won't be here long,” she said smiling in a way that was just mean.

Katie forced a smile on her lips. “For too long, people in this house have walked around you carefully giving you too much power. I expect more from you. You are the matriarch of the family and should lead by example. If you want to be around your future grandchildren, then I expect you to be a nice person. I won't put up with you treating me or anyone I care about badly, including your son.”

“I'm not changing for you or anyone else,” she hissed. “You'll be leaving soon. The first woman my son married, didn't stay and neither will you.”

Fury rolled through Katie at the mention of Eloise. Until that moment, she had been trying to make the old witch realize she was pushing people away, but now she was just mad at how she was trying to instill fear in her and that wasn't right.

“Excuse me, we have guests and I'm not going to stay here and argue with you. If you want to join us, please do, but try to wear a smile. I know you've forgotten what that is, but I'll not put up with you being disrespectful to our guests.”

Katie turned and walked out of the room, running smack into Daniel's big solid chest.

She gazed into her husband's dark blue eyes. Wrapping his arms around her, he kept her from falling. Why did the man's body feel so good against her own? She licked her lips as she stared up at him.

“Is Mother giving you trouble,” he asked.

“Nothing, I can't handle,” she said, wondering if he would back her or his mother and not wanting to find out.

“Frank, is here,” she whispered.

“Frank, can wait,” he said as his lips covered hers.

For a moment all the secrets between them disappeared. The hurt and anger from their wedding night vanished as his mouth covered hers in a kiss that felt like he wanted to consume her. And she wanted to let him. Whatever magic his mouth possessed, it swept through her and she felt herself turn to almost liquid in his arms.

He smelled of the earth and the fields with a hint of the distillery and she quickly realized she liked her husband’s manly scent. Tilting her head, he slowly released her mouth, his breathing quick and shallow.

“That, Mrs. O'Malley, is the proper way a man should kiss his wife hello.”

She licked her lips. “Not bad, Mr. O'Malley, much better than the other night.”

Why was it her body responded to his kisses, his touch, but when they'd come together...it had been bad.

With a laugh he shook his head. “I fear that night is going to haunt me for a long time.”

“A girl dreams of her wedding night,” she said softly. “And mine was disappointing.”

“What can I do to make it up to you?”

What could she say? At least he was trying, but she wasn't willing to try again and she knew that would be his response. Give me a second chance. No, she wasn't ready.