And Those Who Trespass Against Us (14 page)

"Why don't you stop and think about what you've just said? Do you not live out on the Pelham property? Is that not where the Pelham male is currently away, as he is for the greater majority of the year? Does that not leave
you
living with a woman? If you weren't a nun, what do you think would be said about you?" Mary threw her cigarette into the fire and stood.

Katherine jumped up and stood toe to toe with Mary. "How, how dare you! How dare you even insinuate the life you pursue and the fact that Catri...Miss Pelham and I share the same house is even remotely the same? We're nothing but friends, and she's been gracious enough to let me stay with her after my home was ruined in a dust storm. How dare you insinuate such impropriety!" She was close enough to Mary to smell the liquor and tobacco on her breath. Katherine's breathing quickened and her stomach, unbidden, drummed out a tattoo of its own. Pride and anger forced her to remain in her spot.

Mary stood her ground. "If that's all there is, then why are you so angry?"

Stumped for words Katherine turned on her heel. "I'm going to check on Joshua.
You
can stay right here."

While she tended Joshua, out of the corner of her eye Katherine saw Mary shake her head and take another sip from her flask. She had no idea how the bushranger could ever think the friendship between her and Catriona was the same kind of friendship she shared with other women. Yet Mary's intimations left her with an unsettled feeling in the pit of her stomach.

Finally satisfied that the boy was sleeping soundly, she had no other choice than to return to the fire, where Mary had made herself comfortable. Their earlier discussion wasn't revisited, and Mary instead chose to regale her with stories of bushranging and narrow escapes. Katherine listened inattentively, a part of her mind still playing over Mary's words, regarding her and Catriona, while another part tried to rationalise her body's reactions to Mary's proximity.

KATHERINE AWOKE TO the gentle shaking of her shoulder. She looked up at Mary, who looked as tired as Katherine felt. "Did you get any sleep, Mary?"

"Not a lot. I stayed up with Joshua."

Katherine sat bolt upright and looked to where the boy lay. "Is he all right?"

"Yes," Mary replied. "The fever's broken. Hopefully, he's on the mend. I expect it's time we got you on your way, or I'll have the town after me."

In the early light of dawn, Katherine's hands were again loosely tied and a hood placed over her head. Jim Barrett led the wagon this time, all the while thanking her for helping Joshua. When they reached the road, her hands were untied and, when the sound of horses had sufficiently receded into the distance, she took the hood from her head. She took her bearings and the reins and turned horse and wagon for home, her thoughts filled with the events of the previous night.

CATRIONA, HAVING SPENT a sleepless night worrying over Katherine, was confirming the scope of the search, when her concentration was broken by the sound of a man yelling inside the house. Breaking through the parlour door, the man skidded to a halt on the polished wooden floors, barely managing to keep his balance. "She's back! Sister Flynn's back! Coming up the driveway as bold as brass you might say." He turned, again skidding on the floor, and then returned from whence he came.

Catriona's heart leapt with relief at the news. Her relief was short-lived. Clenching her jaw in an attempt not to swear in front of the group of men, she turned on her heel and made her way out the front door.

SEEING CATRIONA ON the steps reminded Katherine of Mary's words. Surely no one thought of Catriona and her in that manner? Did they? She climbed off the wagon.

"Where the
hell
have you been," Catriona demanded, hands on hips. "Do you ever listen to anything I say? Didn't I tell you to wait at the Connor place? I told you if it became dark I'd come for you. But no, such a sensible idea clearly wasn't good enough for you, was it? I rode over there last night only to have Mrs. Connor tell me you had left on dusk. Dusk, Katherine, when it's getting dark for God's sake! I've been up most of the night as have a number of the men from nearby farms waiting to form a search party. And you ride up here like if you've been to town and back, instead of being away God only knows where all night!"

For once Catriona's anger had the opposite effect. Rather than react, Katherine composed herself by first tying the reins of the horse to a nearby tree and checking the brake of the wagon. "I'm sorry. I know now I should have listened. I was taken by the bushrangers."

Catriona's hands clenched into fists, and her lips formed a narrow line.

"However, I'm all right."

Katherine looked past Catriona's bristling figure to the men standing behind her.

"Gentlemen, thank you for offering to help look for me. I'm eternally grateful and very touched. As you can see, I'm back and unscathed. Now if you'd like to move into the kitchen, I'm sure I can prepare some breakfast for all of us." The men shuffled back inside the house, seemingly grateful to put some distance between themselves and the two women. Katherine walked up the steps, briefly meeting Catriona's angry blue eyes. "This is not the end of this, Catriona," she quietly said.

"You're
damned
right it isn't!" Catriona forced her words through gritted teeth as she followed Katherine into the house.

Despite her fatigue, Katherine prepared breakfast for the group while politely answering the questions from the town's police constable. No, she didn't recognise any of the people who had abducted her. Yes, she'd been treated well because she cooperated in ministering to an injured man. Sorry, but she couldn't lead the constable back to where she'd been, due to her being hooded during the journey. Frustrated that the bushrangers had again escaped his grasp, the constable sat and sullenly ate his breakfast.

THE GROUP WAS barely out of eye and earshot when Catriona turned to Katherine. "Inside, now!" She grasped Katherine's arm and propelled her into the study and strong-armed her into an armchair.

Despite her attempts to check her temper, Catriona knew she was losing the battle. "Do you have
any
idea what sort of danger you were in last night? You could have been killed or injured and left for the dingoes to finish! Bushrangers are not some romantic vision you may have inside that crazy head of yours. They're desperate men."

Katherine took a deep breath and exhaled. "Firstly, I'm an adult, not a child, and I'd appreciate it if you didn't talk to me as if I was a child. And, secondly, as you've already heard, I wasn't in any danger. They needed help. The leader stayed with me all night, so I doubt any of the men would have thought the risk of assaulting me worth the reward."

"That's
great.
The leader spent the whole night with you! And who protected you from him? Your damned habit won't protect you from everything." She placed her hands on the arms of the chair Katherine was in, effectively trapping her. "For God's sake, you could have been raped!"

Katherine cryptically smiled. "I had nothing to fear from the leader. And, as for the leader raping me, that's extremely unlikely. The leader was a woman, something I neglected to tell the good Constable Ford."

Exasperated Catriona stepped back and vigorously rubbed her face. "Man, woman, or well trained monkey--I don't care! You can't go running off to help someone without leaving some sort of message."

"Have you been listening to me? I
didn't
run off. I was abducted! Between my hands being tied, a hood placed on my head, and fainting, I had no time to leave you a note!" Katherine rose from the chair and stood near Catriona at the mantel. "Be reasonable, for heaven's sake. You can't always be looking after me, ensuring I'm safe. I have my own responsibilities to the families of the district."

As Catriona gripped the mantelpiece, the cloth of Katherine's habit lightly brushed her arm. She looked away, fearful of being betrayed by the raw desire rippling through her.

"I know last night couldn't have been easy," Katherine softly said. "What you need to understand is I need my freedom as much as you do yours. To come and go as I please, without taking
you
away from work on the farm. If you can't respect that then I'll have to seek a place in town."

Catriona turned, her tortured eyes seeking Katherine's. She took Katherine's hand in her own. "I'm sorry if you think I'm smothering you. I didn't mean for you to feel that way. You must know I care for you. I'd hate to see you come to harm in a place you're still learning about. I--I...," she searched Katherine's face, suddenly at a loss for words. Shaking her head, Catriona released Katherine's hand and walked out of the study, silently closing the door behind her.

KATHERINE REMAINED RIVETED to the place by the mantel where Catriona left her, the words spoken by Mary the previous evening reverberating in her mind. She looked down at her trembling hand. When Catriona touched her hand--she'd felt her body begin to warm with a fire from deep within, like it had the previous night with Mary. Shaking her head in an attempt to unravel her thoughts, she left the study and went to her room.

Chapter Seven

MRS. MONTEITH PASSED a plate laden with soggy cucumber sandwiches to Katherine. Katherine's stomach lurched. She would never get used to them. Why did her hostess insist on serving them when it was so hot? "Thank you." She held up her hand. "I don't think I could eat another bite."

"But, my dear, you're wasting away. Are you sure you're being well treated at Gleneagle?" Mrs. Montieth took the plate and placed it to one side. She conspiratorially leant toward her. "I heard what happened after your kidnapping," she whispered. "Miss Pelham's outburst--such horrendous vulgarity."

"Miss Pelham wasn't entirely at fault. I failed to listen to her sage advice and paid the price for my impetuosity." Katherine could only imagine what her life here would have been like had Mrs. Monteith or anyone from the committee met her at the train. Katherine inwardly shuddered while she finished her tea. She'd never have been allowed to travel unescorted within a stone's throw of committee homes, let alone roam the district.

She glimpsed the clock on the mantelpiece. "My heavens, is that the time?" Katherine rose. "Thank you so much for your hospitality. But, sadly, I must be on my way."

"You've only just arrived," Mrs. Monteith protested.

"The Lord's work is never done." Katherine resolved herself to ask God's forgiveness for such a blatant white lie.

"Of course," Mrs. Montieth spluttered as she walked Katherine to the door. "Maybe next week you can stay longer."

AS SHE DROVE the wagon toward the greater part of town, Katherine's thoughts lingered on the silent truce negotiated between her and Catriona regarding her over-protectiveness and Katherine's demand she not be mothered as if she were a child. As a result, the two now very rarely spent the whole day together, both freely absorbed in their own work.

Despite Catriona's outburst on the day of her return, Katherine felt the disagreement had strengthened their friendship. Of an evening, over dinner, they still found time to talk about the day's activities. That was the time she enjoyed most--when Catriona was least guarded. Yet there were occasions when she felt Catriona held her at arm's length and this confused Katherine. Then there were moments when she caught Catriona staring at her in an unfathomable way, as if she were measuring her against someone else. She concluded Catriona was comparing her to the way Sister Coreen cared for the families of the district. Katherine carefully manoeuvred the wagon to a stop outside Susan's store.

"Hello there." Susan made her way around the counter to close the front door of the shop. "Can I offer you a cup of tea?"

"Oh please, no. I've spent the past hour being plied with milky tea and soggy cucumber sandwiches by Mrs. Montieth."

Susan made a face. "I'm glad I'm not you." The two shared a laugh. "Honestly, you have the patience of a saint."

Katherine sighed. "I know I must visit them, despite the fact I feel we have literally
nothing
in common. Still, they provide at least some amount of support to the less fortunate."

"So, you're not moving in with one of them?" Susan asked, a hint of amusement in her voice.

"Now I know you're making fun of me. Certainly not. I prefer where I am and the friendship I have with Catriona and, indeed, you. You both provide such an invaluable insight into the district."

Susan lightly touched her throat. "Thank you. I'm very honoured to be your friend."

"I don't know what it is but you and Catriona understand me so much more than possibly any one else I've known, including my mother."

"Didn't you have friends in the convent?"

"No one I could call as such. Most of the nuns were either old women, who'd been in the calling for a lifetime, or painfully shy teenage novices, neither of whom offered any opportunity for close friendships. Prior to that, I could have counted my close friends on one hand. At least with you two we share similar interests.

Susan cleared her throat. "Yes, well some at least." She looked over as the shop door opened. "My work is never done. I promise I'll pay you two a visit, and then we can sit down and talk without interruption.

"That would be lovely." Katherine made her way toward the door. "I'll see you then, or next time I'm in town."

CATRIONA JOTTED DOWN the most recent amount of rain in her farmer's almanac. "That's about the same amount as last time." She placed the pencil on the table and flicked through the almanac's pages. It had rained the day Alexander left. She checked the date and her eyes widened. That was six weeks ago. It wouldn't be long before he returned.

She tiredly rubbed her hand across the back of her neck. How am I going to tell him? She glanced to the delicate water colour of Coreen that she'd painted for him when he told her of their engagement. She believed that with Coreen he'd finally found something to live for, rather than merely existing. She could only hope that Katherine was present to help her break the news. Catriona sighed. Oh Katherine, if you only knew how much I need you.