A Path Toward Love (41 page)

“Yes. Soon after he left for college I discovered I was carrying his child. I wrote to him and explained my situation, hoping he'd change his mind and marry me.” Harriet took a deep breath. “Charles answered my letter several months later. He said he'd met a young lady and he hoped to marry her after graduation.”

“Me,” Katherine said.

Harriet nodded. “I believe so.”

Katherine closed her eyes, barely able to absorb everything Harriet was saying. Charles had withheld so much. He'd never even mentioned a past relationship in Florida, let alone a child.

“Charles said our relationship was over. Of course I lost my governess position when my condition became obvious. That spring I gave birth to Zeke. Charles Ezekiel Roles. He didn't even have Charles's last name.” Harriet looked down at her clasped hands. When she finally looked up, her eyes were rimmed with red. “I was alone and desperate, so I took a job as a maid at a boardinghouse in Florida. The owner let me keep Zeke. But some of the boarders complained about a baby crying all hours of the day and night, so my employer asked me to leave.”

“Couldn't you have gone to your relatives in New York?” Katherine asked.

“Yes, but they didn't want me to come back with a baby. That's when I contacted Charles again. At first he refused to help, but eventually he softened. He was taken with baby Zeke, even though he fought it. He started coming around to see him. Then his visits became more frequent until—until he apologized for how dreadfully he treated me. I'm sorry to say this, but I was happy to have him in my life again. We resumed our . . . relationship.” Looking down at her hands, Harriet blew out a weary sigh. “I should've tossed him out, but my anger vanished with a few kind words. I had no strength to fight my feelings. I was weak and so hopeful he'd come back to me.”

Katherine's eyes widened. “But he'd married me.”

“Yes, he had. Not because he—” Harriet stopped and blushed a fiery crimson. “I mean . . .”

Katherine shook her head. “I know exactly what you mean. Charles didn't love me. He only married me because his father found me acceptable. I was a suitable match and it was time for him to marry.” Harriet started to disagree, but Katherine shook her head. “Please don't try to spare my feelings. My husband cared for me for only a short time. He obeyed his father and not his heart.” That was the sad truth. Look what misery it had brought all of them. “Do continue.”

Harriet nodded. “I had no right to love Charles, but I did, just the same. He was a weak man—an adulterer. Not that I was any different.” Harriet's voice shook.

“Did he take care of you and Zeke from then on?” Katherine could hardly believe all this happened practically in front of her and she hadn't seen it.

“Yes. He rented a small place in Brooksville for Zeke and me.”

“And that's where Charles spent all his time,” Katherine murmured.

Harriet flinched. “Yes. I'm truly sorry, Mrs. Osborne.”

Katherine met her gaze. “I can't pretend you didn't ruin my marriage, but . . . I do forgive you.” She never envisioned saying those words to Harriet. But she actually meant them.

“Thank you,” Harriet whispered.

“You ought to ask the Lord to forgive you as well.” As she said it, the heavy burden of grief slowly lifted from Katherine's heart. It was almost physical.

“I will. Thank you for being a true Christian. I never expected to be treated with such grace.” Harriet blinked rapidly. “Perhaps I have no right to say this, but I always felt Charles and I were meant to be together—legally, as man and wife. But he feared his father would disinherit him. And in the end, Charles valued society's standards too.”

Katherine nodded. It was an all-too-familiar story. Look at the misery it caused. Charles should've married Harriet and not worried about the opinions of others. Instead, he married a woman suitable to everyone but himself, and in turn, hurt them all. “Sometimes those outside forces keep us from the person we love, the one we should marry,” Katherine murmured.

Her heart jolted. Only her mother's snobbish disapproval kept her from marrying Andrew. Certainly they had enough love to bring each other true happiness. Only social conventions kept them apart. God had blessed her with a second chance, one she didn't deserve. Yet she'd firmly rejected it because she hadn't understood what He was telling her.

She could follow her heart without Mama's approval. But she had to take a risk. Could she muster the courage to defy her parents?

Katherine rose from the table, her mind alive with rekindled hopes, her heart thundering. If she took a chance on love
this time
, at least she knew she'd prayed for guidance and God had answered. She knew He blessed her love for Andrew, and his for her.
It's the path I've been looking for, praying for,
she thought, eyes wide.

But was it fair to ask him to give up his job for her? He'd worked so hard, and he was in line for advancement. Papa was a kind and generous employer, probably rather rare in the business world. But Andrew had already proposed to her, so he must be willing to start over somewhere else. No one in New York City would hire him once they learned he'd married William Wainwright's daughter against his wishes. They'd have to leave the area and find someplace else.

So be it.

She'd confess her love to Andrew and allow him to decide his—their—future.

Rising on wobbly legs, Katherine smiled tentatively at Harriet. “Good day, Miss Roles. And God bless you and Zeke. Thank you for telling me your story.”

Chapter Twenty-Six

A
ndrew searched the lodge and the grounds for Katherine, but no one had seen her since she'd returned from town earlier. He'd begun to worry by the time he ran into Aunt Letty knitting and chatting with Mrs. Lessman in the lounge.

“Excuse me, ladies. Have either of you seen Katherine lately? My train leaves in half an hour and I'd like to say good-bye. I only have a few minutes before I leave.”

He'd already said his farewells to the Wainwrights and Clarkes, and with the assistance of a footman, he'd carried his luggage downstairs. Now it was time to face Katherine. Bidding her good-bye and conveying best wishes for a happy life with Randy would be most difficult. The words might snag in his throat, but he couldn't avoid saying them. And hard as it would be, he had to see her one last time before she became officially engaged to his cousin. He expected their understanding to progress to an announcement before the end of the fall. It was inevitable.

Aunt Letty placed her knitting on her lap. “I have no idea where she is. But I'd be glad to help you look for her. Where are you going in such a hurry?” She rose and stuffed the half-knitted sweater in her cloth bag.

Andrew glanced at the mantel clock. Time was quickly ticking away. “Mr. Wainwright is sending me to California earlier than I expected. He only told me a few hours ago.”

She nodded knowingly. “Let's take a look in the cabin.” Together they strode outside and down the covered walkway. “She'll be so disappointed if she doesn't get a chance to say goodbye. In fact, she'll be devastated you're leaving.”

He glanced sideways to Aunt Letty and lowered his voice. “I proposed to her, you know, and she turned me down. I expected she would, but I had to ask anyway. If I hadn't, I would always have wondered if she might have said yes.” He tried to keep the sadness from his voice, but he failed. “So maybe she won't be quite as upset as you think.”

Aunt Letty touched his arm. “She will, Andrew. I'm certain she'll be heartbroken.”

He shrugged, completely unconvinced. Aunt Letty's romantic inclinations had gotten the best of her, and she didn't recognize reality when it stared her right in the face. Or maybe she just refused to acknowledge it.

When they arrived at the cabin they found it empty. He looked across the lake. He knew where she was—with Harriet.

“At least put your farewell down on paper.” Aunt Letty sighed as she shuffled through her bureau for stationery and a fountain pen. “Here you go, Andrew.”

He scratched out his news and gave the envelope to the elderly lady. “I'm afraid I must go now or I'll miss my train. Please tell Katherine how sorry I was to leave without saying good-bye.”

“I shall, indeed.” Aunt Letty nodded. “Perhaps you can write to her when you get settled. She'd appreciate hearing from you. You might not think it appropriate to correspond, but it would mean so much to her. And I think you agree that's more important than propriety.”

He didn't wish to disappoint dear Aunt Letty. “I'll give it serious thought.” Of course, it would be better to make a clean break. In the end it might hurt less than dragging out a relationship with no future.

He kissed Aunt Letty on her cool, wrinkly cheek and took her hands in his own. “I shall miss you very much. I appreciate your advice and your wisdom.”

She laughed and squeezed his fingers. “You're a dear boy to listen to a dotty old lady. Not everyone finds us old folks worth listening to.” She sent him a wry smile. “I assume you'll be back in the City sometime during the fall if all goes well.”

Andrew nodded. “I suppose so. But it's possible Mr. Wainwright will want me to stay on in California for a while. I suspect he won't call me back until after Katherine and Randy get engaged.”

Pressing her thin lips together, Letty sighed. “You're undoubtedly right, although I'm praying the Lord will change her mind.”

“Perhaps,” he said doubtfully.

“Andrew, when you do return home, call upon me. I'd love to share a cup of tea and hear about your adventures in California.”

“I will,” he said, smiling down at her.

Aunt Letty held on to his hands for several seconds and smiled up at him. “Godspeed, Andrew.”

“Take care of Katherine, all right?”

“I certainly shall.”

He stepped out to the deck outside her cabin and glanced toward the pier. He spotted the footman loading his luggage onto Mr. Wainwright's steam yacht. Striding down to the dock where his boss was waiting, he steeled himself. Leaving was more difficult than he'd anticipated, and he wished he could soldier through it alone without any more farewells. When he arrived at the pier, Mr. Wainwright thumped him on the back. “Good luck in California, Andrew. I'm counting on you. I know you'll do a splendid job.”

“Thank you for the opportunity, sir.” He meant it, though the cost of this assignment and his future promotion seemed almost too heavy to shoulder.

Mr. Wainwright nodded. His jowly face drooped, and his mouth curved downward, as if he felt a twinge of melancholy. “Safe travels, young man,” he said, giving him a firm nod.

Andrew stepped aboard and found his seat. But as they cast off and steamed down the lake, his eyes were not on his boss or Camp Birchwood, but upon the lake itself, searching for one last glimpse of Katherine.

Katherine saw her father's yacht steaming around the bend as she rowed toward camp. She thought she caught a glimpse of Andrew, but couldn't be sure. Frustration rose in her chest—she had to speak to him! Hopefully it hadn't been him. Where would he be going? As soon as she beached her rowboat, she returned to her cabin where she found Aunt Letty pacing on the front porch.