Wild Kat (6 page)

“Nice
girl.”  Thomas commented.  Kat gulped her wine.

She
slept most of the way home.  Thomas carried her in the house and put her in his
bed to sleep off the effects of the wine.  He crawled into bed beside her later
after the sun had long set.  She woke suddenly around midnight.  He was beside
her, bare-chested and snoring softly.

“Don’t
tell me, I missed it?”  She sat up and shook him awake.

“Yes,
you missed it.”  He said sleepily, “you missed the whole evening.”

“What? 
I mean us. I missed us making love.”

“No,
we did not.”  His eyes flew open.

“Oh
good.”  She fell back into her pillow, and snuggled closer to him.  Thomas
rolled over away from her.

“I
think you should go back to the loft since you are sober or at least across the
hall.”  He sounded angry.  Kat went out to the porch and sat in the swing.  She
cried softly. Her knees pulled up to her chest like a child scorned.  He would
never want her, ‘just a dirty little heathen.’   She remembered Louisa’s words,
“I will make him chase you.”  She decided to be waiting at the shop for her
friend first thing in the morning.

“Anything
you want, I can make.  What kind of dress were you considering?”

“I
need more than one.”  Kat fingered the silk of a dress on a body with no head. 
She felt out of place, standing there in her buckskins and moccasins.  “What do
ladies wear?”

“You
need more than one.  You need a whole wardrobe Kat.  It is time for you to be a
woman.”  She was measuring Kat’s chest.  Kat blushed with Louisa’s hands all
over her intimate places.  “Let’s start this way.  You choose material and then
I will show you a catalog of dresses, hats and shoes.”  Kat felt different
materials with her hands and some she rubbed on her cheek.  She ordered three
dresses with shoes and hats to match.  Louisa suggested nightgowns and
underclothes also.  

“Louisa,
I do want him to chase me, but I also need clothes to work in.  Can you ask
your husband to make me a pair of overalls too?”

“Of
course.  After I make these dresses, he best not chase that horrid thing.” 
Louisa laughed.   “Give me a week and I will have part of your order, Miss
Whitley.”  Louisa’s tone turned formal when another customer came in.

Thomas
was in the garden pulling weeds when she came home.  “You left early.”

“I
had business to tend to in town.”  Her voice was sharp.

“You
have business here.  I had no breakfast, wash needs done and the rugs need
beating.”  He teased, yet she did not appreciate his humor.  If he had looked
up from the weeds he pulled he would have seen pure contempt in her eyes.  How
dare he order her about like a servant!  “If you want to keep that loft to
sleep in, I suggest you get to work.”  He continued pulling weeds. Thomas was
suffering from lack of sleep, it was her fault.  She innocently snuggled close
to him in bed but it did not change the fact that Thomas suffered for it.  If
he slept she was there in his dreams, if he were awake he smelled her or had to
see her.  He was in a terrible ache most of the time.  She had his nerves on
edge and the only protection was to make her angry so she would keep her
distance.

 Kat
dragged the kitchen rug out first thing.  She took her frustrations out on it. 
Thomas was fortunate it was not he on the clothesline like she pretended.  She
fixed his meals and did chores to earn her keep.  Thomas kept his distance.  He
watched her when she was busy.  She was very angry but it was for her own good,
he told himself.  Visions of them together flickered in his mind often.  The
way she smelled and tasted burned in his memory.

Kat
heard a wagon coming while she was hanging clothes late in the week.  She
pressed her hand to her brow to see who it was.  Thomas was in the barn working
and had said nothing of visitors.  Kat could not see and finished hanging her
clothes.  The wagon stopped as she hung the last bed sheet.

“Kathleen,
how you have grown.”  Julie climbed down from the wagon.

“Julie?” 
Kat threw her arms around her sister.  “I missed you so much.”

“Where’s
mama?  I want her to see her grandchildren.”  She threw her long blond hair
over her shoulder.

“Let
me see them, I am an aunt.”  Julie hoisted two baskets out of the wagon. 

“Jacob
and Emily this is your Aunt Kathleen.”  Both babies were asleep.

“Why
didn’t you say you were coming?”  Kat squinted into the sunlight.

“I
need an invitation to my own house?”  Kat’s tears stained her cheeks.

“What’s
wrong Kat?”  Julie was confused.

“It’s
not our house anymore Julie, mama and papa are dead and the bank sold the
house.”  Tears instantly filled Julie’s green eyes.

“I
do not understand.”  Julie put the babies down.

“The
night you left, they followed, they turned wrong and rolled the wagon over a
ravine.  They were killed instantly.”  Her sister sniffled into her
handkerchief.

“But
papa...”

“I
know he knew, he was not thinking.”  Large tears streamed down both girls’
cheeks now.

“This
house was paid for Kathleen.  There must be a mistake.”

“It
was paid for, I did not know you had to pay taxes and I was locked up in the
orphanage.  When the taxes weren’t paid the bank sold the house to pay them.”

“Oh
Kat how could you?”  Julie’s reserve strengthened now.

“I
did not know Julie, I was a child.”  Kat defended herself, how dare Julie blame
her, it was all her fault anyway.  She was the one in the hayloft with Doug. 
She wiped her tears with the back of her hand.

“So
whose is it now?”  Thomas came around the side of the barn.

“It’s
his.”  She pointed.  He was walking toward them.

“Hello.” 
Thomas waved at Julie.

“Well,
hello yourself,” Julie fluttered her lashes and smiled coyly.  “I am Kat’s
sister Julie.  It is so nice to meet you Mister...?”

“Thomas,
I am your sister’s landlord, I guess.”  He chuckled.

Not
her friend, not her almost lover, but her landlord.  Kat fumed.  “Where is Doug?” 
Kat piped up to remind Thomas that her sister was married.  It made her feel
infantile, but she couldn’t help it.  She did not want Julie getting her hooks
into him before she had her chance to make something of their budding
relationship.

“Dead.” 
Julie waved her off not looking away from Thomas’ fascinating gray eyes.

“Bring
those children inside out of the sun. You can sleep in your old room.”  Thomas
grabbed a basket in one hand and Julie’s elbow in the other.  Julie had the
other baby leaving Kat to the trunks and satchels.  Julie’s full hips swayed as
she walked close to Thomas, her skirts touching his legs as she walked.  She
smiled up at him remarking how great the place looked.  She had not changed at
all.

“So
Julie, what happened to Doug?”  Kat asked again, not believing he was dead.

“I
told you, he is dead, so I came home.  The house looks as fine as it ever has
Thomas, just as clean and polished.  I must say I am impressed.”    Her lashes
fluttered again.

“Thank
you Julie, would you care for a drink?  You must be thirsty after your ride.” 
Kat’s stomach turned.  Thomas was making cow eyes like every other man did at
Julie.  It was just a matter of time now.  Julie would be back here permanently
as Missus Woods.

“That
would be wonderful.”  She oozed sweetness.

Thank
you Julie, not your sister takes care of the house or your sister keeps it
polished but thank you Julie.  He said it like he did all the cleaning by
himself.”   Kat’s tongue flew once she was outside.  She had to get out of
there, the sugar in the air choking her.  Julie had not changed one bit.  She
threw seed hatefully at the chickens.  “And letting her sleep in her own room,
just like she never left.  It was never my room, it was her room and I was an
unwanted guest.”  Kat told the uncaring chickens.  “Why do you have to ruin
everything Julie?  You can have any man you want, why mine?  I never even got a
shot at him.  Well, I am not standing around here and taking this for long.  I
hope you realize the choice you’re making Thomas.  There are other places I can
go.  Either Julie goes or I will.  This farm is not worth putting up with her. 
I will buy another if I have to, or maybe I will just go be a squaw.  Great
Bear’s people treat me with more respect than I am getting here.”  Seed smacked
the ground and scattered.

“I
will not hear of it, your sister is a welcome guest.  I have invited her to
stay as long as she likes.”  You can sleep in the loft until fall... is what
Kat heard.  Julie can stay in the house but a dirty little heathen like you
belongs in the barn.  That was what he meant.

Julie
stayed indoors mostly, tending her babies.  It only meant more work for Kat,
bigger meals, more dishes, more messes and babies made plenty of laundry.  Kat
considered this as she hung endless diapers on the line.  Julie never offered
to help with chores, she was an invited guest and she thought she was the queen
of the castle.  Julie would never change.  Kat took a list into town on Monday
for Julie.  She sure did need a lot for someone just visiting.  Perfume,
castile soap, bath oil, new dresses, shoes and hairpins were just some of the
items on Julie’s list.  Kat bought everything on the list and picked up her own
dresses.  She told Louisa her sister’s measurements and ordered matronly
dresses.  “She is recently widowed.”

“I
understand.”  Louisa answered.  “Shall I put them on your tab?”

“Yes.” 
Kat sighed, woeful.  She cursed Julie all the way home.  She could see the
house in the distance.  Julie and Thomas sat in the swing together.  Julie kissed
his cheek.  Kat’s temper flared red-hot.  “If they want each other, they can
have each other; neither one of them is worth two bits anyway.”  She told the
horse, his ears flicked with her words.  Kat pulled the wagon up to the porch.

“Here
are the things you wanted Julie.”  Kat hopped down from the seat.

“Just
take them in the house.”  Julie murmured cooing at the baby she held.

“I
think you can handle it.”  Kat spat at her.

“I
will get them for you.”  Thomas offered.  Kat tied the horse to the porch
post.  She walked to the barn and gathered her things stuffing them in her
satchel. 

“He
wants her?  He can have her.  They can each find out how useless the other is. 
She can give him all the money he ever dreamed of and he can wait on her hand
and foot.  I say to hell with the both of them.”

“What
is she doing up there?”  Thomas asked from the doorway.

“Who
knows?  Kat can be strange sometimes.”  Julie smirked.

“I
love her anyway.” His eyes filled with emotion.

“I
know you do.  Have you told her that?”  Julie’s eyes filled with joy.

“Not
yet.  Soon.”  Thomas confided.  “I was going to ask for her hand after an
appropriate time.”

“There’s
no time like the present Thomas.  You should not dally.  She is a beautiful
girl.  I am sure there are suitors lined up for her.”

“She
does not see anyone.”  Thomas challenged.

“She
cannot see past you for now but that won’t last forever.” She paused, “I hear a
baby, excuse me?”

“You
think so?”  Thomas followed her.  Neither of them saw Kat walk to the edge of
the woods and disappear.\

“I
need a place to stay for a while Great Bear.  Perhaps I will choose a
husband.”  Her eyes that had been far away now met his deep brown ones.

“I
will gather my braves.   It is so good you plan to stay with us Running Deer.” 
He smiled.

“I
need to mend my heart first, and then I will choose.”

“You
will have your own teepee Running Deer.  Take your time with the heart, if it
is broken.  I am sorry the white-haired man was not kind to you.  I can see you
suffer much.”  His strong arm squeezed her shoulders.

“My
sister came back without her husband.  She wants the white-haired fellow now. 
I hope they are happy together.”  She sniffled.  The squaws watched the white
woman called Running Deer.  She was sitting with their Chief in front of his
teepee.  She wept openly onto the Chief’s chest.    His arm was wrapped around
her and the longing in his eyes had returned.  The chief loved the white woman,
the villagers had known since they were children.  He was unable to break
tradition since he was Chief, it would mean leaving his home, his people and
his family.  They would be outcasts in both worlds.  Great Bear could offer her
comfort and a place to live though.   The white woman had been the Chief’s best
friend since childhood and she was the only one who did not recognize the love
in his eyes.

“You
go to your teepee and you will not be bothered Running Deer until you are
ready.  I am very happy you have chosen our village as your home.”  He patted
her back.

“What
do you mean she is not up there?”  Julie called from the barnyard.