A Path Toward Love (32 page)
A fine life,
she thought.
We might be poor, but we'd be happy
.
She didn't dare say it aloud to Mama, but in her heart, she knew it was true.
Katherine scoured the chalet in search of her father and finally found him shooting targets at the sighting range he'd set up for himself and his friends. Set by a small, empty field near the edge of the woods, Papa's range boasted ten shooting positions. He stood beside Randy's father, Clarence Clarke. Papa was peering intently through his sight one hundred yards away from his target.
Katherine halted by her father's side. “Papa, I'm sorry to interrupt, but may I have a word with you?”
He nodded. “What can I do for you, sweetheart?” He placed his rifle on the bench rest with the barrel pointing downrange.
“It's private.” They moved away from the shooters to an area where they couldn't possibly overhear. The crack of gunfire shattered the quiet.
When they stopped near a clump of evergreens, Papa cocked his head. “What's wrong, Katherine? You look pale.”
“I just spoke to Mama about Randy. She practically ordered me to turn my affection toward him. She fears I'll revert to my old, impulsive self and run off with Andrew. Can you imagine?”
When Papa hesitated, Katherine felt the knot in her heart twist like a rope. “You don't agree with her, do you?”
Papa shifted his bulk from one booted foot to the other. He scrunched his face as if he didn't know how to answer without offending her. When he sighed, Katherine swallowed hard and steeled herself for a response she didn't wish to hear.
“Sometimes your mother exaggerates, and she's often an alarmist. Yet I do believe this time she's hit the mark. You may not have seen the look in Andrew's eyes, but we have. Without a doubt he's fallen in love with you. And your mother won't have it.”
“Have you questioned Andrew, or are you merely guessing?”
Papa shook his head. “I'd never be rude enough to ask him directly. He's my employee, after all.”
Katherine nodded.
“But I have to agree with your mother. I suspect he's always been half in love with you, whether he realized it or not.” Papa narrowed one eye and stared at her with such skepticism, she glanced toward the woods. “I can't believe you haven't noticed, princess. Surely you must be well aware of his interest.”
“I, uh . . . well, yes.” Heat burned through her and scorched her cheeks. “Have people been gossiping?” She dreaded his answer.
“You know how our set is. Some people delight in gossip.”
“Do you suppose Andrew and Randy have heard it?”
“Perhaps not, although I really can't say. But you ought to carefully guard your reputation.”
“You don't think I've been inviting idle talk, do you?”
Papa winced and rolled back on his heels. “I don't know about such things. You'd have to ask your mother her opinion.” He glanced toward the gun sighting range with longing in his eyes. He stepped toward it as if he wanted to excuse himself and bolt.
But she wouldn't allow him to go yet. “Papa, please tell Mama that if I marry, I don't want her to choose my husband for me.”
Her father shook his head sadly. “I'm sorry to have to tell you this, but I can't put myself between you and your mother. You'll have to work out your own disagreements.”
Katherine's jaw dropped and tears blurred her vision. “But, Papa, you've always stood between Mama and me.” She stopped. No, she was mistaken. Papa always listened to her complaints and murmured his understanding, but he never once took her part against her mother. He was a mere sounding board, not an advocate.
Gazing down at her with deep regret, Papa gently touched her shoulder. “Your mama asked me to fire Andrew, not because he's doing a poor job, but because of his fondness for you. In her mind, he's interfering with her plans for your future with Randy.”
Katherine gasped and gripped his arm. “You wouldn't dismiss him, would you?” She couldn't believe her beloved father would do such a terrible injustice to a loyal employee.
“No, but that's why I'm sending him to California, in all haste. It'll be better for all of us if he's gone for a while. While he's an excellent worker and I admire him greatly, there are hundreds qualified to take his place.” He held up his hands to shush her retort. “You have to understand that I'd hate to lose him. I'd like to promote him, actually. But I've only got one wife and I intend to keep her happy. She's irreplaceable. I'm sorry if I'm disappointing you, Katherine.”
Her breathing came in short gulps. “I was counting on you to help me with Mama.” She shook her head in disappointment. “Just promise me you won't fire Andrew.”
He shook his head too. “I'm sorry. I can't, princess. If he continues to pursue you, and if you encourage him in any way, I'll have no option but to let him go. Believe me, I won't want to, but I will do it.”
“So you'd send Andrew packing simply because I enjoy socializing with him? Doesn't that seem a bit punitive?”
He studied her. “I shall not take any action if you keep your distance from Andrew and allow Randy to begin courting you now. You've put Randy off for too long. It's not good for a man's reputation.”
“His reputation. My reputation. Do you ever feel as if all we consider are our reputations? What about passion? Direction?
God's path?”
He opened his mouth and then clamped it shut. “I'm sorry about all this, but now you have a firm understanding about where your mother and I stand. I trust you will tell Randy he may begin to court you.”
Mr. Clarke called out to Papa, and he glanced over his shoulder and then back to her. “Excuse me, Katherine. I must return to my shooting.” He tipped his cap and strode back to the range, leaving her behind.
Katherine's legs weakened. She wrapped her arm around the thin white bark of the birch tree and struggled to regain her composure. What choice did she have except to follow Mama's wishes? She couldn't allow her stubborn ways to lead to Andrew's dismissal.
Lord, Lord, please help me see the path You've laid before me. Please
.
She strained to hear even a whisper from the Lord, but she only heard the call of a loon, flying toward the lake.
O
n the way out of the dining hall that evening, Andrew brushed by Katherine and slipped a tightly folded paper into her hand. Her pulse quickening, she eased it into the folds of her skirt, excused herself, and made her way to her cabin.
Safely inside, she unfolded the paper and read the note.
I've received important information from Marston Voyles. If you're able, take your swim tomorrow morning to reach Pine Point by 7 a.m. I'll be waiting.
With thoughts of her father's subtle threats about firing Andrew alive in her mind, she shredded the note and tossed the strips into the wastebasket.
Early the next morning Katherine waited for Aunt Letty to leave for breakfast before she donned her bathing costume, a black wool dress with a white sailor collar, big bow, stockings, and slippers. She assumed Andrew would walk to their meeting place, and given that she liked to take morning swims, no one would think twice about her heading west along the shoreânor would they consider she might be meeting up with Andrew at the thickly wooded, secluded peninsula.
As she rolled up one of her black stockings, a large rip down the front caught her eye. Apparently Bridget had forgotten to mend it. Katherine pulled it off and searched through her bureau drawers for another pair. But she couldn't find more thick black stockings of the type she wore for swimming.
The mantel clock struck six forty-five. If she was late, he might be gone by the time she arrived. He didn't dare arrive later than eight for work, especially now with her parents on edge about his interest in her. Katherine huffed. She'd have to go barelegged and hope no one spotted her and reported back to Mama. No lady appeared without stockings in public, even garbed in a calf-length bathing dress and bloomers. She'd just have to chance it. She simply had to know what he'd heard from Marston Voyles. And truth be told, she was dying to see him. To verify a certain inkling in her heart . . .
She slipped out of her cabin and glanced around the yard, still deeply shaded and deserted. Rushing across the small patch of lawn to the beach, she glanced back and breathed easier when she didn't see anyone. Without tarrying a moment longer, she hastened to the narrow strip of beach.
Without wind to ruffle the water, the lake shone like a sheet of blue tinted glass. All around its edge, forested hills and mountains rose, one behind the other, into the distance. Birds twittered in the branches of yellow birch trees that hugged the shore, and bushy-tailed squirrels skittered across the lawn and scrambled up tree trunks.
Gingerly she stepped across the coarse strip of sand and into the crystal clear water, immediately invigorated by its chill. She hugged her chest as goose bumps broke out on her arms. She waded out into the chilly water and dived in. When she'd rounded the corner, she spotted Andrew in the distance, swimming toward Pine Point, and she began treading water, wondering if this was a mistake. She'd been certain he'd walked . . . What if someone saw him head out, and then her following?
She looked back over her shoulder, remembering the vacant yard, the guests likely to still be slumbering for some time yet. With luck, no one had seen either of them. Committing, she settled into her breaststroke, enjoying the feel of the water and the exerciseâin her opinion, the perfect way to begin any day.
Ten minutes later she reached the peninsula. When she spotted Andrew resting in the sun on a giant boulder by the foot-wide strip of sandy dirt, she waved. Invigorated but shivering, she waded toward shore.
He came forward, took her hand, and helped her over the rocks and protruding tree roots. His arms and legs, usually covered by his shirt and trousers, displayed strong muscles and pale blond hair lightly covering his tanned skin. He wore a bathing costume with fashionable navy blue and white stripes, which exposed more flesh than she usually saw on a man. Although standards at camp were more relaxed, Mama would never approve of this secret rendezvous. Not that she'd approve of any rendezvous at all with him, so what option did she have?