And Those Who Trespass Against Us (36 page)

Save for the ticking of the grandfather clock in the corner, silence settled over the room. Katherine waited, hands nervously clasped, for an answer.

"Why this sudden need to part from your religious life? Isn't it sufficient that you're already part of the town?" His calm response was at odds with the rigidity of his body. "You're well accepted and respected by all." He searched her face. "Surely you can see this in the people you work with?"

Katherine lowered her head. "I don't think I can honestly look at people and tell them the loss of their child or the ruin of their crops is God's will. In circumstances such as those, I find myself questioning the holy logic of such actions. If I were to continue under my current vows, I'd be committing the sin of lying to these people. I'm afraid after a while I would grow cynical and I don't want that. I want to do what I enjoy most and that's to work with these people as an educator and a helper. But
not
as a nun."

Father Cleary pinched his brow and closed his eyes as if to block out Katherine's words. "I sense there's more to this than you're telling me, Sister. I'd be lying if I said your decision hasn't come as quite a shock to me. I feel I must ask you--what influence has Miss Pelham had in this decision of yours? She's an unorthodox woman with unconventional ways. Her actions with Mrs. Crosier on the day of her brother's death." He searched Katherine's face. "Surely
they
didn't escape your attention?"

Katherine's heart missed a beat. He couldn't possibly know the main reason for her leaving. "I have discussed this with Miss Pelham. She said she respected any decision I made. As for her actions on the day of her brother's death, I can only say what I saw was perfectly reasonable under the circumstances. Miss Pelham and Mrs. Crosier are close friends. It was only right that she should receive comfort from Mrs. Crosier when she refused any comfort we could offer."

Father Cleary rose and paced the room. "It's Sister Coreen all over again," he muttered moreso to himself than Katherine. "At least she waited until you arrived." He stopped and clapped his hands. He turned to Katherine, a self-satisfied smile on his face. "You must be aware I don't have any power over your presence here. I also have no power over the decision you've made. However, don't you think you should at least advise your Mother Superior of what you want to do and then give her time to provide you a response? There are protocols which must be addressed. They can't be done here. Will you at least wait for her reply?"

Katherine was taken aback. "You're right--I'd forgotten." She shuddered at the thought of having to return to Ireland for the formalities he'd mentioned to occur. In theory, her decision had been all too easy. In practice, she realised it wouldn't be a case of merely mailing her religious belongings with a letter of resignation.

"Yes, Father," she reluctantly replied. "I'll write to the Mother Superior and await her answer. You must be aware, though, I've made my decision. Regardless of what the Mother Superior has to say, I won't remain a nun in name's sake only. If I have to return to Ireland to leave the Order then I will. But, rest assured, I'll definitely return. My ties with this town are far too great to leave it forever."

CATRIONA SPENT HER morning tending to the accounting for the farm. She became so engrossed in her paperwork that until she heard the knock at the back door she'd forgotten the guests she was to have for the day.

Robert Johnston stood, hat in hand, at the kitchen entrance. Looking over his shoulder, she saw William Gilchrist, still sitting on the wagon. "Welcome to my home, Robert," she said, smiling. "And thank you for bringing out the blade for the stump plough. I swear with the ground out here, it's a wonder I don't go through more blades. Won't you come in? And tell William to come in also. I don't expect my reputation would be greatly enhanced if I left one guest outside while I entertained the other."

Robert motioned to William, who alighted from the wagon.

William tipped his hat. "Morning, Miss Pelham," he said and followed Robert inside.

"Why don't you both come on through to the parlour?" Catriona strode ahead of them and opened the door. "Make yourself comfortable. I'll get us some tea and scones."

Settling down with the two men in the parlour, she couldn't help but sense Robert's discomfort. She casually poured tea for the group and handed each man a cup. "Is anything the matter Robert?"

The young blacksmith uncomfortably shifted in his seat. "I'm sorry, Miss Pelham. It's just I've never been invited into a house like this. My family's home is so, er cramped, and this lovely home--it's so big."

Catriona sat back in her chair, one leg slung casually across her knee. "The size of a home isn't a measure of the inner wealth of a person. For what it's worth, you're always welcome here. That also goes for you, William. While we're at it, I'd prefer you call me Catriona. Calling me Miss Pelham makes me feel fifty years old, which I can assure you I'm not."

"Thank you for your offer, Miss, er, Catriona." Robert stumbled, finding it difficult to break with formality. He turned to William. "I'm sure I speak for both William and myself when I say we'd be happy to visit again, possibly on a day when there isn't work to do--a social visit perhaps?"

Catriona smiled, feeling a common bond with the young men. It was unnecessary to put in to words what was in front of her. She was sure, by the silent looks shared between them they were indeed lovers. She leant forward to retrieve a scone. "That would be very nice, very nice indeed."

The rest of the conversation revolved around work which was overdue in the Pelham family graveyard. William kept his responses to her questions concise and business-like. Far too serious for such a young man, Catriona thought. Although, given the reputation his father had around the district, she sympathised with him, struggling to carve a niche of individuality, representational of his own distinctive work.

She rose from her chair and Robert and William also stood. "I better let you get to your work then. I've got paperwork to see to in the study."

"So have we, I mean, work that is," Robert stammered.

"No problem. Just let yourselves out the back door."

Once they left the room, Catriona set about tidying up the parlour prior to Katherine's return. Although Katherine wasn't fastidious, she had a nervous habit of cleaning even the most miniscule mess left about in the house. Smiling to herself, she placed the plates, cups, and saucers on a tray and took them out to the kitchen.

From behind the gauze curtains of the kitchen window, she clandestinely watched the two men lift the additional plough blade from the rear of the wagon and carry it into the barn. As they walked back into daylight, William looked around and then reached up and gently wiped sweat from Robert's forehead. With a smile on his face, Robert also carefully looked around, then pulled a laughing William back into the darkness of the shed.

Catriona wondered if she acted the same way around Katherine. "I expect I'm well and truly relegated to the study--at least until Robert and William depart from my shed and head out for the family cemetery."

AFTER HER VISIT with Father Cleary, Katherine quickly left the main part of town, for fear of encountering one of the members of the ladies' committee. It had been a stressful morning, and the last thing she wanted to do was to have to endure inane pleasantries and false smiles. After the father's success with the ladies, firstly in allowing her to remain where she was and, secondly, supporting her decision to return to Gleneagle, relations between her and the committee had been somewhat strained. Not that this bothered her in the least. She didn't care for the opinions of women whose values were so shallow.

Having not visited Mary Connor since the birth of her last baby, she rode out to the Connor property. On arrival, she was greeted warmly by mother and children alike. Katherine was amazed to find, despite the difficulty of the birth, Mary was again knee deep in manual labour with a smiling Katie on her hip. She'd initially bestowed the majority of her books on the Connor children and had been amazed at the speed with which they'd learnt. Her heart ached at the idea of such keen seekers of knowledge resigned to working on a farm. She felt at least two of the children showed sufficient potential to pursue a more formal path of education. Unfortunately, such institutions were places for the wealthy, not struggling farmers who needed every hand there was to help them survive.

Satisfied their learning was progressing well, and, after delicately lecturing Mr. Connor on the strain continual births were having on a woman aged beyond her years, Katherine set her wagon for home.

As she headed toward the front gate of Gleneagle, she was surprised to see the happy faces of Robert Johnston and William Gilchrist as they left the property in their wagon. They sat close beside each other, as if sharing a joke, and not yet aware of her presence. William, on finally recognising Katherine, slid from where he was sitting as far away from Robert as possible. Robert looked up and blushed. Katherine pulled the wagon to a halt.

"Good afternoon, gentlemen. You look like you've had quite a pleasant morning's work. I trust Miss Pelham hasn't worked you too hard?"

The faces of both men reddened, which she found strange.

"Oh no, Sister," Robert replied. "Not at all. We were happy to help Catr, er, Miss Pelham. She's also invited us back to finish our work."

"That's nice. Perhaps we can have lunch together next time you return?"

Robert smiled. "Thank you, Sister. That would be delightful. I'm sorry, but we must be on our way. There's still plenty of work to be done at the foundry today. We hope to see you soon." He motioned his horse forward.

Perplexed, Katherine tilted her head and frowned. She was sure she'd missed something, but she didn't know what. Turning the wagon onto the property, she headed for the house to fill Catriona in on her visit with Father Cleary.

She smiled as she looked and saw Catriona, waiting on the verandah. What a change to come home to someone who was so much more than her friend, who'd hold her and love her no matter how difficult times become. She uttered a quiet blessing that Catriona had been at the station the day of her arrival, and not Mrs. Greystone.

After un-harnessing the horse Katherine walked to the verandah to find a woman very eager to learn the result of her day's discussions. Moving inside out of the afternoon sun, Catriona listened quietly while Katherine conveyed the essence of the morning's meeting.

Her face fell when Katherine mentioned she might have to return to Ireland to formalise her departure from the convent.

"Can't someone do it out here? Or can't they send a letter saying they respect your decision?" she complained, her frustration evident. "It's a long way to go to have someone advise you you're officially released from your vows."

"Catriona, I'm not quite sure how this is done. It only makes sense the Mother Superior may wish to speak to me prior to making her decision. As for somebody else doing it in her stead, I suppose I'll know this once I get a response to my letter. Rest assured, if I have to return to Ireland to see an end to this, then I will. And the minute the matter's resolved I'll return to you on the next available ship," she promised, stroking Catriona's face.

"Return to me, be damned. If you think I'm going to let you travel all that way without me, then you've got another thing coming. If you have to go halfway around the world, then so will I," Catriona declared as she held Katherine's hand.

Katherine was surprised by the vehemence of Catriona's reaction. "If you do go, who'll look after the property? The visit could take over a year."

Catriona smiled a secret smile. "Oh, I think I've just the people in mind for the job. I'm sure Robert and William would be
more
than willing to look after the property." Before Katherine could question her further, Catriona got out of her seat and, taking Katherine in her arms, gave her a lingering kiss.

THAT EVENING, AS they lay in bed, Katherine remembered the reaction she'd evoked in the two men that afternoon and described the incident to Catriona.

Catriona's body shook with silent laughter.

Katherine raised herself on her elbow and looked indignantly at Catriona. "And what is it you find so funny?"

Catriona, having finally managed to regain her control, looked knowingly into Katherine's eyes, in turn evoking warmth deep inside Katherine. "You mean you honestly don't know?" She reached for Katherine's lithe form.

Katherine luxuriated in the feel of her skin against Catriona's. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Unless I'm completely off the mark which, as you know, I very rarely am." Catriona dodged Katherine's mock punch, "I believe young Robert and William are lovers," she smugly declared.

Katherine's jaw dropped and she felt her face redden. She tapped her chin as she thought on the matter. "Now that you mention it, it's so obvious. I mean the closeness, laughter, and looks they shared when I approached them. Then William's quick shuffle away from Robert. I'm surprised I didn't notice."

Katherine looked at Catriona and giggled. "Oh my, the shock they must have got, seeing the pious Sister Flynn approach." She entwined her legs around Catriona's. "I wonder what their reaction would be if they could see the brazen and wanton side of my life."

"At least for the moment, I think the less said the better," Catriona huskily replied, as she brought her lips down to meet a laughing Katherine's.

Chapter Seventeen

FOR CATRIONA THE next week was unusually long, with Katherine's temper resembling a bear with a sore head. Catriona's repeated offers to help Katherine write her letter to the Mother Superior were continually met with terse refusal. Exasperated, she turned her efforts to planting the lucerne and barley crops for the oncoming season. She was again grateful for the group of workers who helped make a potentially difficult task easy. She made a mental note to ensure she was extra generous with the Christmas hampers that year.