Moonlight on Water (16 page)

“They do like you. Promise me, Kitty Cat, that you'll stay within the grounds of the Community unless I'm with you.”

“Sean wants me to help with decorating for the Centennial.”

“I know, and I'll be talking to the Assembly of Elders about that.”

“Last time—”

“This isn't last time. This is
this
time, and you have to help me convince the Assembly of Elders that this time is different. You can do that by making the promise not to leave River's Haven without me.”

Kitty Cat pouted, but said, “I promise to stay here unless you go with me. It's a stupid promise, Rachel.”

“I know, but it may help when I go to the Assembly of Elders this time.” She chuckled and turned the little girl toward the hall between the bedrooms. “And now it's time for you to go to sleep.”

For once, the child did not ask for a story or a song before going to bed. She cuddled into her pillow, holding her doll close, and went right to sleep, almost before the covers were drawn up.

Closing Kitty Cat's door partway behind her, Rachel untied her bonnet, then set it on the peg by the front door. She was drawing the pins out of her closely bound hair when the door opened. Hope exploded through her. Had Wyatt followed them here?

She turned, faltering when she saw her brother standing in the doorway like an avenging angel. He eyed her, and his frown grew more furious.

“What's wrong, Merrill?” she asked.

He strode to her and bellowed, “How can you be so stupid?”

“Stupid? What are you talking about?”

“Rachel, I thought you knew the consequences of breaking our rules.”

“Please lower your voice. Kitty Cat is asleep.”

“Katherine! The child's name is Katherine.”

Although she was tempted to let him change the subject, she said, “You aren't here to argue about what I call her. What's wrong, Merrill?”

“You!” he retorted, but more quietly. “You and your sudden bout of stupidity.”

“If you're going to stand there and repeat insults to me, you might as well go.” Rachel frowned. “I'm too tired to argue with you, Merrill.”

“Is that your excuse for failing to think clearly?”

“About what?”

He wagged a finger in her direction as if she were no older than Kitty Cat. “You have let that riverboat rogue woo you into what could have been scandal if I hadn't seen you.” He began to pace from one side of the small room to the other.

Rachel sank to sit on the sofa as she choked, “You were in Haven?” If her brother had witnessed Wyatt holding her by the river … Merrill was right. She could be banished from River's Haven. Then she would lose both Wyatt and the family she had here.

“Yes. I saw you coming up the hill from the river near where Colton keeps his boat.” He paused and looked at her. “What were you thinking?”

“I was thinking I should keep Kit—Katherine out of trouble. She went there to go fishing, and I brought her home.”

“You went there to keep her out of trouble?”

“I just said that.”

“So you could find trouble of your own?”

Coming to her feet, she said quietly, “I appreciate your concern on my behalf, but it's misplaced. I haven't done anything to create trouble. I asked Mr. Colton—” She almost choked on the formal name when such a short time ago she had whispered Wyatt's name while he was sending shivers of delight through her. “I asked him to send Katherine back here immediately if she went to
The Ohio Star
again.”

“Maybe, if it's becoming too much of a chore for you to keep an eye on the child, it'd be for the best if she went to live with the other children her age.”

“She isn't seven yet!”

“How do you know that?”

“Her birthday is coming up, and if she were already seven that would mean she would be turning eight. She's too little to be turning eight.”

He sniffed in disagreement. “You have no idea how tall she should be. Who knows what she had to eat before she came out here? How many times have you said that she's growing like a dandelion?”

“She
is
growing, but I can't believe that she's already seven.” She put her hand on the back of the chair by the table. “For heaven's sake, Merrill, she just left an orphanage. She needs a chance to live in a regular home.”

“
This
is our regular home, and all children of her age should be living in the children's area. You have to face that fact.”

“And I have. I understand that she'll be going to live with the other children when she turns seven. Until then, she stays here with me.”

“Mr. Foley isn't pleased with the fact that you've got a child who isn't yours.”

Good!
she wanted to shout, but said, “He knew about her when he asked if he could call on me. Why is he upset now? If he's changed his mind—”

“He hasn't!”

Rachel flinched at her brother's sharp answer. Hearing bare footsteps behind her, she turned to see Kitty Cat standing in the hallway that separated the two bedrooms. The little girl was still yawning. How much had she heard?

“May I have a drink of water?” Kitty Cat asked.

With a sigh, Rachel guessed that once again Kitty Cat had been oblivious to a heated conversation. After getting a glass, she ladled water from the bucket on the stove. She handed it to the little girl and sent Kitty Cat back to bed.

Merrill barely waited for the squeak of Kitty Cat's bedroom door closing before he said, “I trust when Mr. Foley calls tomorrow evening, you won't allow that child to interrupt.”

“Let me worry about that. Good night, Merrill.”

“Rachel—”

She faced him and put her hands on her waist. “I need to get some sleep. I have a long day's work tomorrow, because it's my day to help in the barns in addition to my regular work. If I'm going to be receiving Mr. Foley tomorrow night, I shouldn't be yawning like Kitty Cat was.”

“Katherine
!”

“Good night, Merrill,” she repeated, not wanting to give him a chance to start the argument anew.

He grumbled something that might have been good night and stormed out the front door.

She went to make sure it was securely closed. Leaning her cheek against the wood, she wondered why her brother seemed to be doing everything he could to make her rebel against his dictates.

She yawned almost as widely as Kitty Cat had and blew out the lamp. Such questions were for tomorrow. Right now she only wanted to sleep and dream that she was once more in Wyatt's arms.

Rachel looked around the front room of the cottage. Not even a hint of a breeze teased the muslin curtains, and the flowers in the vase on the table were beginning to droop. She could sympathize with them. Even her best dress, which was a light green cotton, was too hot. She wished she could be with Kitty Cat and the other children who had gone to splash in the shallows of the fire pond not far from the common house. The pond, which was there to provide water in the case of a fire, was not very deep even in the middle, so it was perfect for the younger children.

The door opened. For the first time, she wished that the Community did not believe that anyone should feel free to walk in anywhere at any time. The door had a lock on it, left over from when these cottages had belonged to someone else. To use it would break one of Community's most basic tenets. They were all family and should treat each other with informality.

Mr. Foley smiled as he entered. Not a hint of perspiration marred his brow or dampened his collar. He looked as dapper as always.

She wanted to ask him how he managed to stay cool amid this heat. Instead she said, “Good evening, Mr. Foley.”

“It's a very good evening now, Miss Browning.” He smiled as he set his hat on the table.

She fought not to flinch at the motion that seemed too intimate. He already was acting as if he lived within these walls. Picking up his hat, she hung it on one of the pegs by the door. A foolish idea, she realized, when she turned to see him smiling broadly while he looked at his hat next to her bonnet.

“I made lemonade, if you'd like some,” Rachel said. Anything to keep herself from having to look directly at him. She could sense his gaze taking note of every motion she made. Mr. Foley always took in everything that was happening around him. That had never bothered her until this evening.

“Yes. In the parlor?”

“Yes.” She poured two glasses, dabbing a cloth at what her quaking hands had spilled.

As she carried the glasses into the parlor, the lemonade sloshed like the river in a squall. She handed Mr. Foley a glass and then realized it must be as sticky as her fingers. It was too late to clean them now, so she sat facing Mr. Foley.

Something flickered through his eyes, and she suspected he was irritated that she had not chosen to sit beside him on the sofa. She did not want to insult him. She simply wanted to avoid any suggestion that she wished to wed him.

Needing to say something to end the silence, Rachel asked, “Did you hear the news that the railroad has increased its orders for next month?”

“I didn't call to discuss River's Haven business.”

“No, but I thought you'd like to know.”

“Mr. Browning tells me that you're an excellent cook. He said that no one in River's Haven can make a better cake.”

She set her glass on the table and then wished she had continued to hold on to it. Now she wanted to wring her hands. Even more, she wanted to jump to her feet and run from the room. Hiding until Mr. Foley left was a tempting thought.

“Merrill has always had a sweet tooth,” she answered. “I believe he'd eat river mud if it was covered in chocolate.”

The front door opened, and laughter rushed into the room before Kitty Cat bounced in. Each footprint dampened the floor, and more water dripped from the little girl's hair. She ran to Rachel and grinned.

“It was such fun, Rachel.”

“I'm glad.”

“Miss Hanson let us splash as much as we wanted.”

She smiled. “So I see. Go in and get dried off.”

As the little girl ran back toward her bedroom, Rachel was not certain what expression she would discover on Mr. Foley's face. She was surprised when she saw no emotion on it. Was he too angry to let her see, or were his thoughts elsewhere?

“Forgive her interruption,” Rachel said. “She's been playing with the other children.”

“The ones here instead of the ones in Haven?”

Rachel raised her hands and shrugged, although her shoulders were stiff. “You must realize that Katherine is doing her best. Our ways aren't what she knew in New York City. There, she answered to no adult, and she depended completely on the other children.”

“You've given the Assembly of Elders that excuse before.”

“'Tis no excuse. It's the truth. She's becoming more comfortable here with each passing day.” She smiled. “As a child, she can't embrace the tenets of the Community with the ease of the adults who join.”

“She must learn.”

“She will. I appreciate your continuing interest in her.”

That answer widened his eyes, and she knew he was astonished at her apparent assumption that his comments suggested concern for Kitty Cat.

“I didn't call to discuss the child,” he said.

“I know.” The words tasted bitter on her lips.

“Your brother and Miss Page plan to marry as soon as possible, and he's very eager to have it be a double wedding.” He smiled. “As I am.”

“You've overwhelmed me.”

“Surely since your brother spoke to you of my intentions, you've given them thought.”

“Constantly.”
Save when I am in Wyatt's arms
, she added silently.

“Then you must have decided upon an answer.”

“Mr. Foley, may I be blunt?”

His smile faltered, but he said, “Of course.”

“I barely know you, other than the fine work you've done as a member of the Assembly of Elders. I can't make such an important decision without being sure it's the right one.”

“The Assembly of Elders would give their approval. I'm sure of that.”

She kept her own smile in place. Did he think her completely witless? There was no question of the Assembly of Elders approving Mr. Foley's request to marry. He was one of the Elders!

“You misunderstand me, Mr. Foley,” she said, trying to keep her voice from becoming taut with vexation. “I fear that I can't make such an important decision in the short time before my brother plans to marry Miss Page. After all, they've been courting for almost a month now.”

“Closer to three weeks.”

“But you're asking me to make up my mind after a single evening.” She came to her feet, and he stood quickly. “I can't do that, Mr. Foley. I'm sorry, but I don't think it would be for the best for any of us.”

“
Any
of us?”

“Katherine Mulligan must be considered as well. She's not yet seven years old.” Clasping her hands, she hoped he did not see how they tightened to bleach her knuckles as they did every time she thought of having Kitty Cat leave to go to live with the other children.

What she had believed, before Kitty Cat came into her life, to be a rational way to bring up the next generation of River's Haven's residents now seemed absurd. She and Kitty Cat needed each other. Kitty Cat depended on her to take care of her and help her learn what she needed to know. In return, the little girl had found her way into Rachel's heart.

As Wyatt was doing.

Was she as crazy as Merrill had called her? She must not think of Wyatt when Mr. Foley was standing in her parlor.

“Rachel?” called Kitty Cat from behind her.

She turned to see the little girl now wearing an unadorned nightgown that was soaked where her red hair fell down her back. Going to the child, she asked, “What are you doing up still?”