A Path Toward Love (35 page)

Katherine sipped her cup of tea and watched her elderly aunt eat.

Aunt Letty lowered her fork after a few bites. “May I speak frankly, my dear?”

“Yes, please do.”

Aunt Letty leaned across the table. “I think you've been mulling over your friendship with Randy and you can't make up your mind what to do.” When Katherine didn't comment, Aunt Letty continued, “I know there are a fistful of obstacles standing between you and Andrew. Personally, I believe those are ridiculous barriers.”

“Andrew?” Katherine's asked, surprised as how quickly Aunt Letty changed the subject.

“Yes, my dear. It's obvious you two are in love. Only you won't face your feelings.”

Katherine lowered her gaze. “As you said, there would be many difficulties to overcome.”

Aunt Letty shook her head sadly. “If you're not determined, those obstacles are nearly insurmountable. But if there's a will, there's a way. That's what they say. And there's truth to it, I believe.” Her sympathetic eyes narrowed. “I noticed Randy watched as you wandered off with Andrew Townsend.”

Katherine blushed. “I should have stayed with the group, I know. But Mama and Papa knew I needed to speak to Andrew.”

“Yes, if you're concerned with propriety, you should have. But you never were—were you?” Her face belonged to a merry elf, full of mischief.

“No. But I should've been. And I'm trying to conform more than I used to. No more childish lapses.” Though it turned out marriage to Charles was far worse than a mere childish lapse.

Aunt Letty waved away Katherine's comment. “Nonsense. You must do as you see fit, not what your mother or society demand. Of course, since I'm a Christian woman, I always consult the good Lord first to see what He advises. And if He's clear enough, I follow His will without hesitation. He's never led me astray so far, and I'm well near eighty. You'd do well to listen to Him too.” Letty ate another forkful of pie and looked up at Katherine.

She nodded. “I do listen, Aunt Letty.”

She cocked her head. “And what does He tell you about Randy?”

Katherine paused, taken aback by her great-aunt's direct question. “Actually, He tells me absolutely nothing.”

“Just as I thought. But I imagine He does say something about Andrew.”

A flash of heat rushed to Katherine's cheeks. Squirming in the hard, ladder-back chair, she struggled for an answer. “The only message I can discern is to follow my heart. And Andrew is my heart. But of course, that's really out of the question.”

Aunt Letty shook her head, “Oh no, my dear, it's really not. But you must have courage to claim the man God has for you. It won't be as easy as settling for someone else's choice, but much more satisfying in the long run.”

Katherine rose. “Be that as it may, I'm not sure I have the strength to see it through.”

Was it wrong to accept society's values when everyone except Aunt Letty and Andrew encouraged her to do so? She'd have to decide once and for all, although right now she felt drained from too many conflicting emotions.

Letty finished her pie and pushed aside the plate. She rose and took Katherine's arm. “You'll find your way, dear,” she said, patting Katherine. “I have every confidence in you.”

“I'm glad you do, Auntie,” Katherine said. “I'm afraid you're the only one left who does.” They moved to the dining hall door, and just before they reached it, Andrew stepped inside.

“I'm glad I finally found the two of you together. Would you sit a moment with me?” He gestured toward a table.

“Oh, it's so late. And we were about to leave, Andrew.” Katherine glanced toward the door, clearly looking for an escape.

“Not before your aunt and I tell you something.”

Aunt Letty lifted her chin. “Ah. Yes, indeed. Let's all sit down. Perhaps you'd enjoy a piece of pie, Andrew.”

“No thank you. I'm not hungry.”

He dropped into a chair across the table from Aunt Letty and Katherine. Her gaze darted all over the room but never lighted on him. She must feel terribly awkward after his declaration of love. He did too, but he couldn't postpone this meeting.

He leaned across the table. “Aunt Letty and I have found two investors—friends, actually—who are very interested in the Osborne Citrus Groves. They'd like to invest some money. They're not interested in purchasing the groves, just in investing.” He swallowed the dryness in his throat, poured himself a glass of water from the pitcher on the table, and took a long sip. He knew he didn't sound convincing, and Katherine's suspicious eyes and tilted head confirmed it.

“How much do they wish to invest?” she asked.

“Forty thousand dollars. Your aunt and I think this is a splendid opportunity for you to pay off your debt to the bank and—”

She stood up and pressed her fingertips against the table. “This sounds awfully coincidental to me.”

“What makes you say that, Katherine dear?” Aunt Letty's eyes grew rounder as she looked at her, but then she buried her shame in her teacup.

Andrew cleared his throat. He should've thought longer and harder about a plausible story before he blurted it out. “I can assure you we can get the money together.”

She shook her head and pulled in the corner of her mouth. “You two are the investors. I'm glad your lives don't depend upon it, because fibbing is not your forte.”

Aunt Letty's shriveled cheeks blushed crimson while she stumbled for words. “Whatever makes you think Andrew and I are involved?”

“Let's start with the guilt written all over your faces.”

Aunt Letty drew out a sigh. “We're merely trying to give you more options. If you pay off Charles's loan, then you can return to Florida to your business, with or without your parents' blessing.”

“I still agreed to remain here through August in exchange for the harvest loan. And now there's the matter of the buildings . . .”

“
Pshaw
,” Aunt Letty said. “As I said, your parents won't be pleased, but what could they do? They would not call your loans.

They wouldn't leave you destitute, homeless. Have some gumption, girl! Follow your heart!”

Katherine shifted her weight and wrung her hands.

Andrew stood up too. “Look, we can't let you toss away your future, Katherine, not when we can help prevent it.”

“I'm grateful, and I thank you both from the bottom of my heart. But I can't take a penny from either one of you. Aunt Letty, you need all your money. And, Andrew, if you loaned me the funds, you'd be turning over all you've saved for the last few years.”

“But we want to help,” Andrew insisted.

Katherine shook her head vehemently. “I can't have you two paying off Charles's loan for the same reason I didn't ask Papa to help me. I married Charles, and his debts are my responsibility, no one else's.”

Aunt Letty slowly rose. “Katherine, I admire your strength and determination. But you'll be forced to sell your company if you don't pay in full within a few short days. You must allow us to assist you and right away. You can't afford to dither or wring your hands. Or let your pride stand in your way.”

Katherine's shoulders sagged. “I know I don't have many choices.”

Aunt Letty planted her hands on her ample hips, gaining steam. “You'll lose your business and then you'll have to live with your parents until they make life so uncomfortable you'll find marriage to just about anyone an improvement. Do you think your mother will let you remain at home as a widow? Certainly not. Even if you turn Randy down, she'll throw another young man she deems suitable at you. Is that what you want?”

“No, of course not. But I won't have you two sacrificing your money for me.”

“We want to,” Andrew said softly. Clearly she wasn't going to accept their offer.
At least not tonight
.

The door swung open, and Mr. Wainwright and Mr. Clarke stepped through the entranceway.

Mr. Wainwright's eyes widened in shock and then displeasure, seeing the three of them together. Andrew subtly winced.

“Andrew, ladies,” he said with a genteel nod.

“Mr. Wainwright,” Andrew returned, refusing to back down with his gaze. If he loved Katherine, if he wanted to fight for her, he had to be able to face his boss. But he knew that his fate was now sealed. Even with Aunt Letty present, he'd gone against Mr. Wainwright's wishes and sought out his daughter.

And that won't settle well with him
.

“Andrew, you're up late,” Mr. Wainwright said, frowning. “Better turn in or sunrise will come earlier than you'd like.”

“Agreed, sir,” he said.

“Thank you for joining us, Andrew,” Letty said. “I'm sorry we intruded upon the solace of your evening.” She gave him a small smile that only he could see.
The old girl's a conspirator in more ways than one, God bless her .
. .

“Oh, no, Mrs. Benham. It wasn't an intrusion at all. Good evening.”

Chapter Twenty-Two

R
andy sat on the end of the dock, dangling his legs in the quiet water. His line didn't move. The sunshine brought out blue-black highlights in his hair. When he saw Katherine, he grinned. “Come join me. The water is warm. Relatively.”

She'd changed into a pretty new lace dress made in featherweight, finely woven lawn that Mama had given her. High at the neck, it boasted ruffles and ribbons on the bodice. Her hair, secured with silver combs, was loosely piled upon her head and tendrils curled at the sides of her face. She raised a matching white parasol to shade her from the noon sunlight.

“My, you look stunning today—not that you don't every day. New dress?” His slanted eyes glinted with admiration.

“Yes, it is.”

He viewed her with an appreciative gaze. “Much improved over all those prairie frocks you wore when you first came here.”

Katherine blushed. “I didn't realize you noticed such things.” He at least ought to keep his disparaging opinions to himself.

Since she couldn't very well sit on the rough dock in her lovely dress, she continued to stand. Reluctantly, it seemed, Randy rose, dried off his feet, and brushed off his rolled-up trousers. “Shall we sit on the bench by the boathouse?” he asked.

They strolled back to the wooden bench, partially shaded by overhanging tree branches. They took their seats close together, but she kept several inches between them. A mild breeze blew in from the lake and stirred the small birch leaves overhead. A few birds sang; a seagull dove into the water for a fish. They watched canoeists paddle by and a steam yacht pass in the distance.

Randy touched Katherine's hand lightly. “Have you thought any more about us?” He asked in an offhanded manner, but he sounded unusually tense as well.

“I have. I've given it a great deal of thought. Courting is too important to jump into headlong without praying about it first.” And weighing all advantages and disadvantages carefully.

“Praying? You actually pray about courtship?” He pulled on his mustache and frowned. “I've never heard of such a thing, but I suppose it's a good idea,” he murmured.