The Governor's Sons (18 page)

Seletha smiled.
 
Ash, with his smart self, had figured out what she was doing, but Catherine still hadn’t caught on.

****

Standing on the front lawn, Kitty watched as Ash spread out an old patchwork quilt made by Esther’s mother.
 
After they sat down, Kitty carefully arranged her dress to hide her ankles.
 
Then with their backs to Seletha, Kitty read aloud from
Gone with the Wind.

When she’d finished chapter 37, Ash said, “Frank’s not man enough to handle Scarlett, and it’s not like a baby’s gonna change her!
 
She’s nothing but a bi—” he caught himself and smiled, “female dog.”

Kitty laughed, while Ash glimpsed over his shoulder.
 
“Is she asleep yet?” Kitty asked.

“Yeah,” he said. After Kitty placed a marker in the book and set it aside on a patch of pink and white stripes, Ash held her in a snug embrace and kissed her.

Although long, slow and deep, the kiss was much too brief, and when Ash pulled his lips from hers, Kitty tugged him back for more.

“Come on, Kitty,” he laughed, “we can’t!
 
Seletha’ll wake up any second.
 
Besides, you know I can only take so much.
 
It’s torture enough—not being able to—be with you—like I want.”

“I’m sorry, Ash.”
 
Kitty removed her hands from him and then sat looking straight ahead.
 
The wind gently wrestled the leaves of the large oak trees around them.

She couldn’t put off what she had to say for another week.
 
They couldn’t go on.
 
When
would
she tell him, if she didn’t do it now? After the baby was born?
 
No.
 
She
had
to say something today.
 
It wouldn’t be fair to either of them to keep postponing it.

“What are you thinking about?”

Kitty’s heart pounded as her gaze turned to Ash.
 
He was smiling.
 
She sighed, thinking how she loved everything about him. There was no denying how handsome he was, and intelligent.
 
His mischievous smile and the devilment in his eyes still excited her, and because of his charm, she even found his arrogance appealing.

But things couldn’t go on between them.
 
Her eyes welled as she continued to look at him.

Ash’s smile disappeared at the sight of her tears.
 
He grabbed her hand.
 
“Kitty, what’s wrong?”

“Ash,” she said softly, “I—I shouldn’t really be kissing you at all.”

“Why not?
 
I thought you liked kissing me.”
 
He winked.

“I do—maybe—too much.”
 
Glancing down at her large belly, Kitty thought of the irony of this remark.

Ash must’ve thought the same thing.
 
Placing a hand on her stomach he said, “I can—uh—see what you mean.”

“Ash,” she met his eyes, “by making light of things—you’re not making what I have to say any easier.”

“I’m sorry, Kitty.
 
Just tell me what’s going on.”
 
She could hear the worry in his voice.
 
“Just say it.”

“You—you shouldn’t be coming here at all.
 
And after I tell you what I have to say,” tears began rolling down her cheeks, “I’m prepared for us—never to see each other again.”

Ash squeezed her hand.
 
“Kitty, what in the blue blazes are you talking about?”

“I’ve decided that—we should end things.”

Ash was quiet for a few seconds.
 
Not removing his eyes from hers, he said, “End things?”

“I want to go to a different school next year.
 
I want to start clean someplace else—with you—and the baby behind me.
 
Ash—I love you—but I can’t be your—what you want me to be.
 
I want to be more than that—and I think I
deserve
more than that.”

Ash looked away from her for a moment, but never let go of her hand.
 
“Kitty,” he gazed into her eyes, “you’re right.
 
I think you deserve more than that, too.
 
But--can I--convince you to change your mind?”

She looked at him skeptically.
 
“I doubt it.
 
At least I—I think I doubt it.”
 
Why had she said that?
 
Kitty thought.
 
He’d probably try to snare her with a bunch of crafty words and lawyer talk.
 
Then she’d fall prey to his charm, and be right back to where she started.
 
“No—you can’t change my mind,” she said firmly.
 
“You’ll just offer me more of the same and—”

“Hold on a minute.” Ash smiled, as he released her hand and then reached into the back pocket of his trousers.
 
“Look at this.”
 
He handed her a letter.

She unfolded it and began reading.
 
“This says—that you’ve been accepted to the law school—at Cambridge University—in England?”

“Yeah.
 
It does, doesn’t it?”
 
He hesitated.
 
“And I want you to come with me.”

“What?”

“Look, Kitty, after the baby’s born, I thought we could--go up North--and get married.
 
I’d rather die than become a Yankee, but I’ll move to Europe for you.
 
Ever since you left Joy Hope to come here—I’ve realized that I don’t want to live without you.
 
I miss you too much—and I miss—loving you too much.
 
I want you to be happy more than anything, and I finally realized that what I wanted to offer you wouldn’t ever really make you happy.
 
So, Kitty, will you
legally
marry me?”

He pulled a ring from his shirt pocket. “The setting’s platinum, more precious than gold, and it’s a whole carat, clear as water.”

At first, Kitty said nothing.
 
She only stared, not believing what was happening.
 
He lifted her hand and slid the ring onto her finger.
 
“Oh, Ash!”
 
She grabbed him tightly around the neck and cried, “Yes, yes, yes!”

“Are you willing to keep the baby now?”

“Yes,” she said through tears and laughter.
 
“Ash, I was beginning not to want to give him up at all.
 
Now I know why.”
 
She slowly released him from her embrace and looked at his clothes.
 
“So did you dress up to propose?”

“I didn’t want to ask you to marry me without being properly attired.” He smiled.
 
“Now, Kitty, once we’re settled over there, you can look at colleges, too.
 
We can get a nanny for the baby.”

“I can put off finishing school for a while.”
 
She held out her hand and admired the large diamond.
 
“I want to be with the baby instead.
 
And besides, I’d rather have a cook.”

Ash smiled.
 
“Done!”

“Oh, Ash, I’ve never been happier!
 
But where’s all the money coming from for us to pick up and move?”

“Trust fund, real estate, stocks. But don’t
you
worry about finances.
 
I’ll take care of everything!”

“What about your parents?
 
What do they think about this?”

“They don’t know yet.”

“Ash!”

“They’ll either accept it—or they won’t.”
 
He smiled.
 
“But they’ll have to live with it.”

“What about your friends?
 
Aren’t you afraid that--”

“Guess I’ll find out who my real friends are, won’t I?”

“Ash—how can you be so—nonchalant about all this?”

He was silent for a moment as he looked at her.
 
“To be honest—I don’t really know.
 
I’m just—following my heart.
 
And this is the right thing to do.”

“And, you’re actually doing this--for
me
.”
 
She put her hand on his forehead.
 
“Are you sick?” she asked in mock concern.

He shoved her hand away and smiled. “Cut it out.
 
I’m just in love with you, that’s all.”

“And loving me is more important than becoming the governor of the state—or even president of the United States?”

“I reckon so.
 
But I’m a Kroth.
 
I can be a lawyer anywhere. Then, after a while, I’ll move up through the ranks and eventually take over the whole political system wherever I am and be in charge.”

“Ash Kroth—you’re
still
nothing but an arrogant rascal!”

“But you
still
love me.”

She hugged him tight.
 
“I can’t help it.”

Ash didn’t return her embrace, but laughed instead, while he tried to push her away.

“Catherine!” Seletha yelled. “You remember yourself and remove your arms from him this instant.”

Kitty turned to face her.
 
“Yes, ma’am.
 
I’m sorry, Miss Seletha.”

“Don’t let me catch any more of that monkey business.”

“I’ll be sure to beat her off with a stick if she touches me again, Seletha,” Ash yelled.

“You’d better watch yourself, Ash, and stop being fresh or I’ll stop your visits all together!”

“Yes, ma’am.”
 
Ash turned back to Kitty.
 
They tried not to laugh, but couldn’t stop themselves.

“I can’t wait to tell her!” Kitty said.

“She already knows.
 
So does Esther.
 
Why do you think they decided it was okay for me to visit you?
 
They knew I applied to Cambridge.
 
But I didn’t want to propose until after I knew I’d been accepted.”

“Well, I can at least show them the ring.” Kitty beamed.

“They’ve already seen it.”

“Ash!”

“I showed it to them when I first got here.”

“Oh!”
 
In feigned exasperation she pulled at her dress, accidentally revealing her ankles.

“Kitty!”

“What?” She laughed.

Looking toward her feet, Ash said, “What’s wrong?”

Embarrassed, Kitty quickly covered her ankles. “Nothing’s wrong.
 
That swelling’s normal when you’re expecting, especially when it’s hot.
 
That’s what the doctor says.”

“But are you feeling alright?”

“Of course I am,” Kitty said.

“But you’ve seemed a little more…”

“Tired?”

“Yeah--more tired than usual.”

“I’m eight months pregnant!
 
What do you expect?”

“What’s the doctor say about that?”

“That I’m pregnant.”
 
She laughed.

“C’mon, Kitty!
 
You know what I mean.”

“He says I’m fine.”

“Well, I don’t like the way you’re looking today.
 
And I don’t like seeing your ankles look like Miss Esther’s.”
 
Ash paused for a second.
 
“As a matter of fact, you know what I’m gonna do?”

Kitty clicked her tongue.
 
“I don’t think I want to know.”

“I’ll tell you anyway. I’m gonna bring Heath with me next week.”

“No, Ash!
 
Don’t go dragging Heath up here, busy as he is!”

“But the doctor here’s nothing but a country bumpkin.
 
He doesn’t have all the special training Heath has in obstetrics.”

“Dr. Farmer isn’t just some country bumpkin!
 
He’s delivered hundreds of babies, and he’s very nice.
 
So relax, Ash.
 
I’m fine.”

“I’m still bringing Heath—whether you like it or not!”

“I don’t suppose I have a say in the matter, do I?” Kitty sighed.

“Nope.”

“Well,” Kitty smirked, “you’ll just be wasting his time.”

Early in the morning, a week later
, Ash left his apartment near Simpson Leggett University to pick up his brother.
 
The drive home took an hour, and Heath was waiting outside when Ash pulled up in his new car, a large black Oldsmobile with white wall tires.
 
Since he’d be a family man soon, Ash had traded in his two-door convertible for a 1937 four-door sedan.
 
He’d have it shipped to England when he and Kitty moved there.

Heath placed one foot on the running board, then ran a hand over the glossy exterior.
 
He bent down to look in the open window and admired the off white leather upholstery.
 
“I’m impressed.
 
Looks just as good inside as it does out.”