Whatever Tomorrow Brings (The Californians 1) (14 page)

Coming downstairs from her bedroom, an hour later, Kaitlin was very self-conscious of her wet hair. But the only people in the kitchen were Sean, Marcail, May and a young man that Kate didn't remember seeing before, but thought he had to be Jeff's brother.

"Feeling better?" May wanted to know.

"Much. Thank you."

"Sit down here and have some lunch. Nathan, this is Miss Donovan, your new teacher."

"Hello."

"Hello, Nathan." Kaitlin smiled kindly and watched as Nate blushed to the roots of his hair. She took pity on him and turned her attention to the plate that May had set in front of her. Kate made short work of a slice of beef, potatoes, sliced carrots and a large helping of applesauce.

Marcail was sitting near her with a cookie in her hand and the other people in the room were talking about the farm. Kate, not wanting to embarrass her sister, spoke to her in soft Hawaiian.

"How are you doing?"

"I'm okay."

"If you want, I can fix you a bath. Believe me, it felt wonderful."

"That sounds nice." Tears came to the young girl's eyes. "Katie, I hate it when I get sick to my stomach."

"I know you do." Kate reached a hand over and stroked her sister's hair. "But I think your way might be easier, you know, just to get sick and get it over with. I hold things inside and then they bother me a lot longer."

Sean had heard part of the conversation and turned without thinking away from May and Nathan to ask his sister a question. The Taylors would have thought nothing of this at most times, but the Donovan children all continued to speak in a foreign tongue, completely forgetting they were not alone.

"Katie, did you have a chance to get writing materials to write to Father?"

"No. I've got to take care of that soon. Actually Sean, tomorrow is your first day at the mercantile, maybe you could just take our dollar and see what you could find. Maybe Mr. Riggs can show you what he's got. We could write tomorrow night and mail it before school Monday."

"Okay. How are you doing Marc?"

"I'm fine. I'm going to have a bath and change my dress."

"You don't smell very good," Sean teased her with a smile. Marcail had just made a face at him when they became aware of their audience.

"Mrs. Taylor," Kaitlin was red-faced and ashamed as she quickly changed to English. "You're going to think that we haven't any manners at all. Please forgive us."

"You've done nothing that needs forgiving. I only hope if something is wrong you'll let me-help."-

"I was just asking Marcail how she's doing and if she wanted to clean up."

"We also need to write letters," Sean added, sensing a genuine offer of help from this woman.

"No problem. Why don't you come with me, Marcail, and we'll see about your bath. And Nate can show you where you can write your letters."

May certainly had a gift for hospitality. She was so matter-of-fact about everything that no one was given a chance to feel like an intruder.

May disappeared with her littlest house guest and Nate showed Kate and Sean to a desk that satin the huge living room. Kate took a seat and tried to gather her damp hair to lay it over one shoulder. She certainly hoped the rest of the young men in her class wouldn't stare at her as Nathan was doing.

But in a few moments she was oblivious to everything but the paper in front of her. She was rather glad she wasn't going to be there to see her father's face when he found out why they'd left San Francisco.

twenty-one

May's heart, which had begun to melt when she met Marcail Donovan, was now a puddle in her soul. She was the sweetest little girl she'd ever known. May guessed that her bone structure was very small by looking at her face, but when Marcail undressed, bone structure was the last thing on May's mind.

There was a bruise, gigantic and already black, nearly covering the little girl's upper arm and spreading across her shoulder. May saw that she was safely in the tub and then had to force herself to walk to find Kaitlin. She found her at the desk.

"Kaitlin?" Kate looked up from her letter in expectation.

"Marcail has a huge bruise on her arm. I've never seen one so bad. Maybe I should send for the doctor?"

Kate came to her feet. "I'll look at it, Mrs. Taylor, but I think you should know that Marc bruises easily and that man, well he had quite a hold on her."

May could only nod her head as she visualized Marcail being hurt. "Would you like me to stay here?" she asked when Kate rose from the desk.

"No, you can come. You could have talked with Marcail about it, she's had them before."

The women walked through the kitchen and Kate knocked gently before entering.

"Hi, Marc. How's it going?"

"Fine."

"You gave Mrs. Taylor a -scare."

Marcail looked at the older woman in surprise.

"Your bruise," Katie informed her.

"Oh, it doesn't hurt unless I press on it."

May looked instantly relieved and said with a small laugh that she had been ready to get a doctor. The smile left Marcail's face and she nearly came out of the tub. Kate didn't miss her panic.

"It's all right, Marc. She was only kidding."

"I'm sorry, Honey," May said quickly. "I wouldn't do anything without asking Kaitlin first."

The little girl nodded and looked uncertainly at her sister. Kaitlin smiled. She figured something like this might happen remembering the hard time Marcail had with Dr. Weston in San Francisco.

Kate took her leave a minute later in order to finish her letter. Sean and Nate had been in the living room the entire time she was writing and Kate was pleased at how well they were getting along. Sean needed a friend.

"How's the letter coming, Katie?" her brother wanted to know as she came back into the room.

"Pretty good. Why don't you read what I've got?"

Brother and sister traded chairs and Kate found herself once again scrutinized. She tried to ignore it.

"How old are you, Nathan?"

"Fifteen."

"You're tall for 15. Do you like school?"

"Most of the time."

Kate grinned. "That was an honest answer."

Nathan grinned back, turning only a little bit red this time. Sean spoke from the desk. "I added a little to what you have Katie. Are you going to tell Father about what happened today?"

"I don't know. I don't want him to worry about us because I really do think Marc's going to be fine. What do you think?"

"I'd leave it out," Sean said and then thought, Father is going to be upset enough when he finds out why we left San Francisco.

The rest of the afternoon sailed by in a lazy fashion. Kate had gone to her bedroom for a while to read her Bible and then joined everyone else in the living room where they were poring over the newspapers. She was so intent on the article she was reading, that she nearly tore the page in two when Rigg startled her by sitting down on the sofa very close to her.

twenty-two

"You look better." Rigg's voice was soft and deep and his eyes were intent on her face from his close position beside her. Kate didn't want to know what he meant by better, so she lowered the paper only to find the room empty.

"Where did everyone go?" Once again Kate's voice was breathless and she wanted to pinch herself.

"They're all in the kitchen; supper's almost ready."

"Oh, my!" Kaitlin exclaimed, "I should be helping." Kate quickly folded the paper and hurried to rise but Rigg caught her arm and kept her in her seat.

"Do you always do the proper thing?" He sounded amused.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Don't you?" There was still a smile lurking behind his eyes.

"Mr. Riggs, if you have something to say to me, I'd appreciate you simply coming out with it."

"I do have a capacity for making you furious, don't I Katie?" He had changed the subject in midstream and Kate was having a hard time keeping up with him. She decided not to try.

"If you'll excuse me, Mr. Riggs, I think I'll go into the kitchen to see if your mother needs help."

"She doesn't," Rigg said as Kate tried to rise and found he'd sat on her skirt. That he was equally aware of his position became clear as soon as Kaitlin turned her head to look at him. His look was almost angelic.

They sat looking at one another for a long moment. Kate could see that Rigg was enjoying himself and even though she was frustrated with him, she had to admit that he was the best looking man she'd ever seen.

Very softly, so Rigg had to lean to hear her, Kaitlin said, "You, Mr. Riggs, are a flirt."

Kate was very satisfied with the look of shock that registered on his face. In the next instant she had tugged her skirt free and was headed toward the kitchen.

"And heavenly Father, we thank you for the family that has come into our midst. Please bless them and take care of them, and use all of us to Your good pleasure. In Christ's name I pray, Amen."

Mr. Taylor's prayer worked wonders at calming Kaitlin's nerves. It was a classical farm kitchen, the kind she'd only read about, with a very large table and plenty of chairs. Her place was between Jeff and Sean and unfortunately, across the table was Rigg. He was very solicitous to Marcail who was beside him, holding the bowls of food and anything else she needed to serve herself. But even though his attention was centered on the youngest Donovan, he was more than able to make Kate feel self-conscious with his intense glances and warm smile.

That Rigg was the only one staring at Kate, was thanks to Bill Taylor. He had arrived at the house with Jeff and Gil not too long before Rigg, only to find Nate staring at Kate as though he'd never seen a woman before. That his older boys followed suit the moment they arrived, had been a source of great disturbance to him. Kaitlin, intent upon her reading, did not see the father of these young men signal them out of the room to inform each of them that they knew better and to please not do anything to make their guest uncomfortable.

Sean had been an unwilling observer to the whole episode and every time he looked at Kaitlin he wanted to cry. His heart ached for Hawaii where Katie was just Katie and not the object of every man's attention, or where Marcail was not shaken and bruised by some man who never saw her steal a thing.

Maybe he was too young to understand all the ways between men and women but he told himself he was not ever going to stare at a woman as though she had two heads, or blush and stutter when spoken to, no matter how pretty she might be. After all, a person's true beauty was beneath their skin. He might be only 14 but Sean Donovan believed that with all of his heart.

Rigg watched the emotions scoot across Sean's face and wondered what was tormenting his housemate. Surprised at how paternal he felt toward this young man, he hoped they'd have a chance to talk on the way home.

Rigg would have been really surprised to know that he was the only person Sean didn't mind looking at his sister.

After supper Kaitlin volunteered to do the dishes and Jeff helped her. They worked quietly for a time and then began to talk like old friends.

"Is it normal to have your purse snatched here in Santa Rosa? I mean, it was right in front of all those people and well, I realize this is a big city, but I'm surprised."