The Secret Hour (50 page)

 
Kate’s old family was going to be reunited for the first time in over six months. Last night, sitting by Willa’s side, she had stayed in the hospital till long after visiting hours. Willa had sobbed quietly, telling Kate the story of what had happened.

 
“I was staying at the East Wind,” she said. “It was so beautiful there, and I swear all I could think of was you coming up…me begging you to forgive me…”

 
“You wouldn’t have had to beg,” Kate whispered, although she wasn’t sure that was true. So much had washed away these last six months; all the hurt and rage had leeched out, leaving nothing but love and forgiveness for her little sister.

 
“I would have anyway,” Willa said stubbornly. “I would have taken you to lunch in Hawthorne, to see the American Impressionists in Black Hall…we would have walked together out to the lighthouse,” she said, shuddering.

 
“Don’t talk about it,” Kate urged, stroking her hair.

 
“I want to,” Willa said. “I sent you that postcard, and I felt so free. I didn’t have the nerve to ask you outright…but I hoped. I thought…she’ll come. I’ll see her soon. And I checked out, thinking I’d just go to Newport for a few days. Bonnie and I would bide our time, wait for you to come north.”

 
She had headed east, checked into the Seven Chimneys Inn, then driven up to New Bedford to the whaling museum.

 
“I remembered that time on Matt’s boat,” Willa said. “When we saw the mother whale.”

 
“I thought you did,” Kate said, knowing she had been right. She had smuggled Bonnie into the hospital, and the Scottie, overjoyed at seeing her mistress, lay blissfully across Willa’s lap while the nurses all pretended not to see.

 
“The museum was great…spent hours there. Then I grabbed a bite to eat across the bridge.”

 
“In Fairhaven.”

 
“Yes. And I needed gas for the ride home. So I…”

 
“Went to the Texaco station.”

 
“At the convenience store.”

 
Willa nodded. “I saw a van drive out from behind the long building. I thought I recognized it, from Connecticut…the son of the people who owned the inn.”

 
“Caleb.”

 
“Yes. I didn’t quite know his name, although we had waved to each other, and once…” she hesitated, reddening as if the memory still caused her shame. “Once I thought he was watching me in the shower. When I came out, he was pretending to replace a lightbulb. I should have told his mother. Or left right away…”

 
“But it might not have mattered anyway,” Kate said soothingly, “because you met up with him again.”

 
“Yes,” Willa said, shivering. “Right there in Fairhaven.”

 
“Fairhaven,” Kate said, thinking it was such a pretty name for the place where such a terrible thing happened.

 
Caleb had told Willa he was having van trouble, asked her to follow him to the highway. He’d led her the back way, pulled over at a rest stop. When he’d gotten out of his van, she hadn’t been upset or scared. But then he’d opened her door and let Bonnie loose—to run into the woods.

 
Willa had started to scream and run after the dog, but he’d forced her into his van.

 
“He had a knife, and he handcuffed me,” she sobbed, bending down to bury her face in her dog’s black fur. “I knew he could kill me, but all I could think of was Bonnie…of her thinking I’d abandoned her, wondering whether I was coming back. During that horrible time, when…” she trailed off, unable, yet, to talk about what had happened, “I never, never thought I’d see her again.”

 
“I came looking for you,” Kate said, touching her hand. “And I found her.”

 
“Thank you…I never thought I’d see you again…”

 
“Oh, Willa,” Kate whispered. “I’d never be able to let you go.”

 
“I thought I had disappeared forever,” Willa sobbed. “And I thought maybe you’d want me to.”

 
“Because of you and Andrew,” Kate had said, nodding. “For a while, I wanted you to. I was so angry with you, Willa. For falling for him—He should never have done what he did. You’re my sister. He came between us.”

 
“I let him! It wasn’t all his fault.”

 
“I know. And I was upset with you. But that’s over now. Andrew is in the past. I love someone else now.”

 
“I know,” Willa had whispered. “And I know who it is…”

 
Now, sitting with John, Kate remembered Willa’s words and felt a sharp chill run down her spine. Kate had strung the airplane charm onto a length of string, and she’d tied it around her neck to remind her of the people she loved, of how she had nearly lost both of them.

 
Brainer and Bonnie sat beneath the Judge, hoping for scraps to fall from the carving platter. Outside, the sun began to set. It was just dark enough for the beacon to switch on, for the lighthouse beam to make its first sweep of the sky. Kate swallowed, feeling the chill in her bones and hands. Somehow she had found it in herself to wield two weapons and kill two men.

 
She had had nightmares since that night—woken up screaming, crying for help. Last night John, sleeping down the hall in his own bed, had rushed into the guest room, limping along on his bad leg, and sat beside Kate—holding her tight until she’d stopped crying and Caleb’s and Beckwith’s faces had faded.

 
He had touched her cheeks so softly, drying her tears.

 
“He called it ‘the secret hour,’” she’d gasped. “That’s what he told Willa.”

 
“No, Kate,” John had said. “It was just nine o’clock. That’s all it was. The secret hour is ours…by the brook. Remember? The beautiful brook in the orchard.”

 
“The west-running brook,” Kate had whispered, feeling her heart begin to calm. “Where we stood with the dogs.”

 
“Do you know how glad I am to have you here?” he’d whispered. “How much I never want you to leave?”

 
She had nodded, touching his hand, feeling him kiss her lips, wanting more than anything to make love with him, to feel their bodies come together. “I want to stay,” she had said in a low voice.

 
“You do? Even after everything—after me being Merrill’s lawyer, bringing Beckwith into town…”

 
She had shaken her head, impatient, as if none of that mattered anymore. “Don’t you understand?” she asked. “That wasn’t you…you were just doing your job. Defending the principles you believe in. But we’re meant to be together, John. Everything tells me that. We keep going against the grain.”

 
“From that time in Fairhaven…and you showing up at the lighthouse to save my life.”

 
“We’re like your west-running brook,” she’d said, clutching his hand. “Going against everything in nature, running from the sea…”

 
“To be together,” he had said, taking her in his arms, kissing her deeply.

 
“Everyone have what they need?” the Judge asked now, looking around the room and shaking Kate out of her memory of last night.

 
“We should all be at the same table,” Maeve said, casting a disapproving glance at the sofa. It was her, Teddy, and the Judge at the kitchen table, Maggie, John, and Kate on the sofa.

 
“Dad has to keep his leg extended,” Teddy explained gently.

 
“Christmas at the big table,” the Judge promised. “All of us. Willa, too.”

 
“Thanks,” Kate said, smiling across the counter. The Judge nodded back, his eyes eloquent with emotion.

 
“You’re welcome,” he said, raising a glass in the air. “And here’s to the young lady who saved my son’s life.”

 
“To Kate, to Kate,” all the O’Rourkes and Maeve said, clinking glasses of cider and wine. Kate smiled and said, “And to all of you.” Everyone nodded and drank.

 
“But wait,” Maggie said, clunking her glass down and turning to look Kate sternly in the eyes.

 
“What, Maggie?” Kate asked.

 
“You STILL haven’t finished answering my question,” Maggie said reproachfully.

 
“I think she has,” John said quickly.

 
“Remind me…” Kate said, smiling, to tease John.

 
“Okay. Who’s the other person you loved enough to defend?” Maggie asked. “At the lighthouse?”

 
Kate just smiled. Maggie would have to wait a little longer for her to say the words out loud. Outside, the lighthouse beam flashed across the darkening sky, guiding sailors safely home from the sea. Matt was out there, and he’d follow the beacon straight to his two sisters.

 
Maggie’s question hung in the air. Kate squeezed John’s hand, and as their eyes met and held, she knew they had both learned a lot about finding what they’d thought they’d lost, about hearts that they had both sworn could never open again, about a time that was theirs alone.

 
It was the apogee. The tide was high, and Kate’s heart was full.

 
The secret hour was here, right now.

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