Longing for Home (23 page)

Katie shook her head. “Some things cannot be forgiven. All I can do is put right what I am able to and hope it is enough.”

“I have my doubts they meant for you to go in the first place.”

Suddenly her eyes were snapping again. What had he said to so quickly earn her wrath? “My father gave me away, Joseph Archer. He handed me over to strangers and never once looked back. He most certainly ‘meant for me to go.’”

He’d done it again—insulted her without meaning to. He reached out, not sure what he might do other than apologize and offer her some sort of reassuring pat on the arm or squeeze of the hand. She stepped back out of his reach.

“Don’t think you understand my life when you know nothing of me,” she flung at him. “Yes, I crossed a continent for money. I left my country on the promise of money. You may call that greedy or self-serving or any number of things, but money is the only way I will ever be allowed back home, and I mean to see to it that happens, whether or not it meets with your approval.”

His approval? Did she really think he’d undertaken this conversation from such a position of superiority?

A quick rap sounded on the kitchen door. Neither of them moved to answer it. They stood just as they were, watching each other.

A second knock broke the silence, this time from the front of the house.

Joseph pushed out a small, tense breath. “I’ll answer the door.”

“No,” she immediately cut in. “A proper servant answers the front door for her employer.”

“You know I don’t care about all that.”

“But
I
do.” Frustration emanated from every inch of her. “I don’t have many skills, Joseph Archer, but I know how to be a good servant. So long as I am working here, I would ask that you allow me to see to my duties properly.”

She didn’t wait for his response but marched herself directly toward the dining room door, no doubt headed for the front of the house.

Did she have any idea how much he hated feeling like they were enemies? Too many conversations ended in an argument. Too many interactions felt like a tug of war. He’d come to enjoy her company right up until those moments when things inevitably fell apart between them.

He pulled open the back door. Seeing Tavish O’Connor standing there didn’t improve his mood.

“Hello, Tavish.”

“Good afternoon. Is Katie about?”

He’d come to call on Katie. Thinking about it, that was the only thing that made sense. Tavish would have gone to the barn if he’d come looking for him or Finbarr.

“Katie went to answer the front door,” Joseph said, stepping aside so Tavish could come in.

“I can tell you who she’ll find there. Bob Archibald was pulling up just as I was.”

Joseph muttered a few choice expletives under his breath.

“My thoughts exactly,” Tavish answered. “Archibald’s not one for making neighborly calls out of nothing but friendliness.”

“Honestly, I’m surprised he’s taken this long to make a formal complaint,” Joseph said.

“You think he’s come about Katie, then?” Tavish asked.

“I
know
he’s come about Katie.”

That sobered Tavish considerably, something Joseph understood well. Katie had come into the town’s mess unknowingly, ignorantly, yet she would bear much of the brunt of it all.

“Shall we go save the fair damsel from the bloodthirsty dragon?” Joseph asked.

Tavish looked momentarily surprised. “We’re to be allies, then?”

“For the moment, at least.” Joseph could even smile a bit at the thought. He and Tavish had never been enemies in the true sense of the word, but neither had they been friends. “We have a fair maiden to rescue.”

Tavish walked with him from the kitchen. “You realize, of course, Katie has likely slaughtered the dragon on her own by now.”

“That would not surprise me in the least.”

They reached the front entryway in time to hear Katie tell Bob Archibald, standing yet outside the door, that if he meant to be a stubborn mule, he could very well stay out on the porch, but she’d not waste another minute holding the door for him.

Joseph stepped up beside her, acknowledging his visitor with a nod of his head. “Good afternoon, Bob. What can I do for you?”

Bob’s expression could not have been less friendly as his eyes roved over Katie. Joseph felt a very real urge to slip her behind him and stand as something of a shield. But, though Bob was vocal in his dislike of the Irish, Joseph had never known him to actually harm a woman.

“I see you still have this Paddy here,” Bob said, dislike heavy in every syllable.

Joseph looked him in the eye. “There’s no one here named Paddy.”

“You know perfectly well I mean this Irish girl.” He motioned at Katie with his stubbly chin, hatred dripping from his words.

Joseph glanced back quickly at Tavish. He hadn’t needed the reminder, apparently. Tavish pulled Katie away from the door and to his side. Joseph turned his attention back to Bob.

“A few of our families saw her and another of her kind sitting on your porch yesterday,” Bob said. “They were acting as though they were the queens of the place.”

Joseph had seen Katie and Biddy on the porch himself. There had been nothing high and mighty about their behavior. “You know a lot of queens who churn their own butter, do you?”

Bob’s mouth pulled in a tight line, anger snapping in his eyes. “You can make light of it all you want, Joseph, but we see what’s going on here. You have two Irish working for you, and your house is crawling with their kind. For years you’ve sworn that you will not take sides, but we have reason to doubt that lately. We won’t stand for it, Joseph.”

Joseph stepped onto the doorway and looked down at his neighbor. “Are you threatening me?” He pushed the words out through his tight lips.

“I am warning you. We’ll do what we must to keep the Irish in their place.”

“Then let me issue a warning of my own. I have told both sides of this petty conflict to leave me out of it. Should either group”—he threw a look back at Tavish before turning his glare on Bob once more—“bring their war to my doorstep, there will be consequences. And I think this town knows full well that I am capable of following through with that promise.”

He saw Bob blanch the slightest bit and knew his threat hit home.

“Now I suggest you go back home and tend to your crops and your family and quit worrying about my employees. Is that clear?”

Bob gave a short, quick nod. His obstinacy had not fled entirely, though. “I would suggest you tell that girl of yours to warn her people not to get too above themselves. We know how to bring them back down.”

He slammed his battered hat on his head and stormed off the porch and down the path.

Joseph forced himself to close the door calmly. He hated having to make threats against the people he considered his neighbors. The fact that he technically owned the land they all farmed was his only bargaining chip. Only the reminder of his position convinced them to leave him out of the mess they’d made of their lives.

He yet stood facing the door with his back to Katie and Tavish. “I don’t know what you had planned for this afternoon, but you might consider talking with the Irish Road instead.”

“You think Mr. Archibald was serious in his threat?” Katie asked.

He turned back to look at them. Katie was obviously surprised. Tavish wasn’t in the least.

“He was serious,” Joseph answered. “The only real question is how far the Red Road will take that threat.”

Worry creased Katie’s brow. As much as Joseph disliked seeing her upset, he felt she needed to know the truth of the situation. Tempers might very well calm and nothing serious would come of it. But history had shown the embers might just as easily be fanned into a fire.

“Do you mind, Katie, if we postpone our drive?” Tavish spoke with a somberness born of too much experience with such things. Joseph knew he had taken Bob’s warning to heart. “I think it’d be best if we go talk to my Da.”

She gave a slow nod. “I’ll fetch my bonnet.”

Tavish and Joseph remained after she slipped into the back, both of them still looking in the direction she’d gone.

“Ian and I said she’d start a war in Hope Springs,” Tavish said. “I honestly thought we were exaggerating.”

Joseph sincerely hoped things didn’t reach that point. “If your father can talk with the Irish Road before Seamus Kelly stirs them all up, we might avoid the kind of violence we’ve seen in the past.”

“I don’t know.” Tavish shook his head. “I don’t think the Red Road is as upset about having another Irishwoman in town so much as having one
here.
She’s crossed the boundary of where we’re generally allowed to be. So long as she is living and working here, I don’t believe the Red Road will simply let that pass without responding.”

Joseph paced away from the door. “I can’t just throw her out. She doesn’t have any family. She doesn’t have anywhere to go. I can’t imagine any of the Irish families are hiring housekeepers.”

Tavish followed him into the parlor. “None of the Irish could afford to.”

He stopped at the tall parlor windows, looking out but not really seeing. “She is thinking of selling bread to make a little money. I haven’t told her this yet but, seeing as she could only really sell to the Irish half of the town, I don’t think she would ever make enough to live on.”

“You think the Red Road will manage to run her out of town, then?”

He looked back at Tavish, recognizing the mixture of anger and worry on his face. Joseph felt the same thing himself.

“Like you said, the Red Road will not be appeased so long as she is living anywhere but the Irish Road. I am sure plenty of families would be willing to take her in, but I know their financial situations better than anyone. None of them can afford another mouth to feed.”

Tavish shook his head. “Katie wouldn’t take charity anyway.”

She certainly wouldn’t. Further, Joseph knew she’d only come to Hope Springs to earn money. If she left his employ, there would be no extra funds to add to her savings. She would leave for certain. He’d known her not quite two weeks and yet already found the idea of her leaving unsettling. But if she stayed in his home, the town would be thrown into battle again.

“I’ll see if my Da can’t keep the Irish tempers from flaring. Maybe that’ll buy us a bit of time.”

Joseph nodded. He held out a hand to Tavish, who took it and shook.

“You and I haven’t always been friends,” Joseph said, “but I think we can count each other as allies in this.”

Tavish nodded. “I’ll go see if Katie’s ready to be off. And Ian’ll likely come by and let you know what’s been decided.”

Joseph stood alone in the parlor a moment, weighed down and tired to his core. He’d come to Wyoming for peace and calm but had somehow landed himself in a firing range. Staying out of the conflict grew harder each time tensions flared up in the town.

This time was worse. He worried what the Red Road might do to Finbarr out of spite. He worried even more what they would do to Katie. She was seen by both sides as something of a symbol of their conflict.

“Joseph?”

His heart clenched at the sound of his name on Katie’s lips. She’d never called him simply “Joseph” before. It echoed around in his mind, settling as warmth in his chest. He hoped his reaction didn’t show on his face when he looked over at her.

She crossed to where he stood, looking up at him. Her threadbare bonnet framed her apologetic face. It was little wonder, really, that he felt drawn to her. She was fire and sweetness, determination and beauty all in one.

“I am sorry I’ve brought you trouble so quickly. You did warn me how it would be, and I didn’t listen, not really.”

Joseph shook his head. “This isn’t your fault. The town has been this way for a decade.”

Her brow creased in concern. “Once my bakery is up and running and you’re not employing me any longer, the Red Road will leave you out of this, won’t they?”

He didn’t have the heart to tell her things couldn’t possibly work out as easily as she hoped. Too often he’d seen pain and worry in her eyes. For just a moment he wanted to see hope win out. “They’re only worried that I’m taking sides. Once your situation has been settled, I’m certain they’ll calm down.”

“I’m beginning to realize what a chance you took allowing me to stay. I don’t want you to regret it.”

Joseph reached out and brushed his hand along her cheek. It was an impulsive gesture and an inadvisable one. But he couldn’t help himself. “I don’t regret it, Katie. Not at all.”

Color stained her cheeks. She didn’t step back or pull away. He thought she even leaned the tiniest bit into his touch. The urge to pull her to him and kiss her smiling lips grabbed him without warning. For a moment he couldn’t think of anything else.

Sanity won out in the end, but only just. He let his hand drop back to his side and managed something of a casual smile.

“Tavish is probably waiting for you.”

She nodded mutely.

“You probably shouldn’t keep him waiting.”

After another nod, she turned and left the parlor. Tavish would have the pleasure of her company for the afternoon. A great deal of that would likely be spent discussing the tensions in Hope Springs and formulating plans. But even in the midst of that difficult topic, Tavish would get to spend time with her, talk with her, enjoy her smile.

Joseph recognized his gnawing of jealousy for what it was. He wanted to be the one sitting at her side, the one she saw making plans to help her. Tavish would be the hero, and he would be her indifferent employer, the one unwilling to jump into the fight. She would have no idea that his neutral position and the ability it gave him to negotiate with both sides was all that had saved the town from destroying itself many times over.

He flexed the fingers of his right hand, remembering all too well the feel of her soft face as he’d touched her. It wouldn’t do. He was her employer. She worked and lived under his roof without a single relative about to look after her. She was a young, unwed woman living in the same house as a young, widowed man. There was a certain inherent vulnerability in her position.