Wanted(17)

“Your time, of course.” After treating Katie to a particularly pointed glare, her mother turned on her heel and headed downstairs.

Katie had no choice but to follow. Her steps sounded louder than usual as they clopped on the wooden stairs, the noise jarring the relative peace of the inn.

After a burst of guests, their inn was remarkably quiet. Just the other day, Henry had announced that there’d been a curious drop in reservations for the next two weeks. The news was unusual, but not unwelcome, at least to her brother.

Katie knew Henry would rather work on projects in the workshop or fuss over Anna. He might call it “tutoring,” but he was as besotted as any man in love and didn’t try hard to hide it.

After entering the hearth room in silence, Irene Brenneman sat on the couch next to her husband. Roman had followed. Now he was there, too, sprawled out on the braided rug and chewing on a knotted piece of rope Henry had fashioned for him.

After gently scratching Roman’s ears, Katie moved to sit across from her parents. Her heart was beating so loud, Katie was sure her parents could hear it.

Without fanfare, her mother said, “Your father and I’ve been talking about Jonathan and his offer for you.”

“Oh.” Katie swallowed with relief. Oh, for a moment she’d been sure they were going to question her about the letter.

Her father’s lips twitched. “That is not the response I had imagined you would have.”

Katie thought quickly. “I don’t have any response prepared. I assumed a decision had been made.”

“It had not.” After glancing her father’s way, her mother replied. “After Winnie came by and we had that discussion, your father and I did some more thinking. In a nutshell, Katie, we have reconsidered.”

Their decision caught her off guard. “I’m surprised. I didn’t think you wanted me to be at the Lundy home.”

“In truth, we do not.”

“Then why are you allowing me to go? What has changed your mind?”

With a weary expression, her father pulled out his knife and picked up the latest cane he was working on, obviously needing something to occupy his hands. After carefully lifting off a layer of birch, he met her eyes. “While it is true we did not want you to live at the Lundys’, we decided that perhaps we were not right in withholding this opportunity because of our reasons.”

“I’m not sure what reasons you mean.”

Her mother sighed. “Daughter, simply put, we know you have particular feelings for Jonathan. We do not want to see you get hurt.” Her mother’s eyes turned worried as she continued. “Jonathan may not ever care about you the way you might wish. He might not ever want to marry again.”

It was mortifying to know that her feelings for Jonathan were so obvious. “I know that.”

“And you are fine with that? In two months’ time, you could return here without a hint of a future with Jonathan.”

That was most likely true. But no matter what, Katie couldn’t deny that she wanted to be near him. She also wanted him to get a chance to see her in a whole new way: as Katie; as a capable, considerate woman, not just as Henry’s little sister. “I’m fine with the risk. No matter what, I think it will be an adventure for me.”

Her father scowled. “A mighty strange adventure, I think.”

“In many ways, you are still an impulsive girl, Katie,” her mother said slowly. “I had hoped that in time you would have learned to curb it.”

“I have.”

“Have you? Truly?” Her father glided the knife over the wood with ease. Under his hand, a smooth sphere was taking shape. “We know you did some things of which you might not feel proud. Back when you were younger.”

The world felt like it was spinning too fast. Was this about the letter, after all?

Had Henry already somehow read her letter? Had he also blabbed to Anna and her parents about the contents? “Those times are behind me.”

“Time can not always be forgotten, Katie. It passes, but our deeds stay with us. Mark us. For good or bad, our past transgressions and deeds make us who we are—even when we do things just to see what they are like. Even when we do things without meaning to hurt ourselves or other people.”

Her father’s words were true. She did feel marked and jaded. “I have tried to continue on the best that I could. I think I have been successful.”

“We know that.”

“Do you?” Thinking about how time and again she’d been asked to tutor Anna, Katie blurted, “You have asked my help for Anna. I have tried my best to teach her much about our life. You seem to trust me to teach her well. But when it comes to trusting me to make good decisions, you act as if I am too young. I am not too young.”