Elizabeth’s brows furrowed. She did? Katherine? But she didn’t recall that as so! At a complete loss for words, she followed the woman inside, and was led into a large foyer. From it, two pillared doorways led, one right, one left, and a double stairwell curved upward from its center, joining above them to form a loft of sorts. Beyond the stairwell, there was what appeared to be a small parlor.
The woman stopped at the foot of the right stairwell, calling upward, her voice shrill but warm, “Katie, dear... please come down!” She then turned to Elizabeth.
Elizabeth merely stared, her thoughts whirling. Folding her hands in front of her nervously, she smiled, and the woman tittered happily, coming forward to take and pat her hand once more.
“I should tell you that that child upstairs has wanted to know, every single day since your telegram came, just when it was that you were arriving. She just couldn’t wait!” And then, with a catch to her voice, she added, “You’ll have your hands full with that one, I fear.” Her eyes sad, she averted her gaze. “Katie!” she called again, glancing upward uncomfortably.
Elizabeth looked about anxiously, silently cursing Cutter for leaving her alone. He was sure to come down the trellis and find her gone. And then what? Surely he would realize that she was inside? He would knock, wouldn’t he? He wouldn’t just leave her? She grimaced at the thought. With the mood he was in lately, she wouldn’t put it past him. Her gaze was drawn helplessly to the stairwell. What on earth could he be doing up there for so long? she wondered peevishly.
“You’re so quiet,” the woman marveled, watching her. “Your sister was so chatty—bless her soul—like her daughter, I’m afraid.”
Elizabeth remained speechless, nodding mutely, remembering that her sister had, in fact, been very talkative as a child.
“Goodness!” the woman said suddenly, frowning as though recalling something at last and chiding herself for not remembering sooner. “How remiss of me.” She left Elizabeth abruptly and went to the door, snatching it open.
Peering out over her shoulder, Elizabeth searched for a glimpse of Cutter. Finding none, she frowned.
The woman turned to Elizabeth, nonplussed. “Well, now, I thought there were two horses out there. Where’s your husband?” she asked with genuine puzzlement.
Elizabeth’s brows lifted in surprise. “H-Husband?” she repeated stupidly. “Oh, yes! My husband!” Looking about uneasily, she wished Cutter a dozen ways to perdition. “Well!” she began, her mind racing wildly. Impulsively she extended her hand. “I—I am Elizabeth B-B—McKenzie,” she amended quickly. She nodded uncomfortably, having no idea what else to say.
The woman appeared amused, her smile enduring. “Yes,” she said, her eyes alight with kindness. “Yes, I know. And I am Mimi,” she returned, proffering her own hand in welcome. Elizabeth grasped her fingers, shaking them absently, all the while heaping blasphemies on Cutter’s head. She gritted her teeth.
Mimi continued to smile benignly. “He did come with you, didn’t he?”
Elizabeth smiled back, though she felt like crying and screaming. “Oh, yes,” she conceded nodding absently. Miss Mimi began to nod, as well, her brows lifting. She waited patiently for an answer Elizabeth didn’t have, and Elizabeth despised Cutter in that moment. Elizabeth continued to nod, her mind racing.
“Your husband?” Miss Mimi prompted.
“Oh! Well, you see,” Elizabeth continued uneasily, “he’s... he... well, you see, he—”
“I saved him! I saved him, Miss Mimi!” Katie’s voice called out above them.
Both Elizabeth’s and Miss Mimi’s gazes were drawn up at once—Miss Mimi’s to find Katie bouncing with glee on a dark stranger’s shoulders, her hand tucked neatly under his chin, throttling him.
It was another moment before Elizabeth could actually see the faces, and it felt as though her eyes crossed before they focused. “Cutter!” she gasped with horror.
“I saved him!” Katie exclaimed happily, hugging Cutter’s neck.
Miss Mimi gasped in surprise, her gaze skidding back to Elizabeth’s, her expression clearly shocked and a little distrustful.
Recovering quickly, Elizabeth offered a meek smile of apology, a warm stain rising high upon her cheeks. “Uhhh... m-my—” she tried not to think of the lie as she spoke the word, and closed her eyes briefly “—h-husband,” she stammered, nodding grimly as she opened her eyes. “He’s... he’s... well... he’s already in... inside,” she said as brightly as she could. Still, Miss Mimi said nothing. “As... as you can see.” Elizabeth’s face burned, but she managed to meet Cutter’s dark eyes, and he reassured her with nothing more than a wink.
And then her gaze was drawn upward, to the child sitting wide-eyed on his shoulders. The child stared back, releasing Cutter’s chin in surprise.
To Elizabeth’s shock, Katie’s eyes were as dark as... as Cutter’s. They were eyes that could seize you, reach into your soul. Eyes that were sad and gleeful, all at once... eyes that, aside from their difference in color, were so familiar, it made her heart ache. “K-Katie?” she choked out.
Miss Mimi stood by in silence, watching the scene unfold, her demands for an explanation cast aside as Katie squirmed excitedly, trying to find a way down from Cutter’s broad shoulders.
Obligingly Cutter swung her down, holding her upright when her feet wouldn’t quite work, and still the child gaped at Elizabeth. “We’ve gotten to be pals,” Cutter assured them both, winking at Elizabeth.
Her heart skipping beats, Elizabeth dropped to her knees at once, opening her arms in welcome, but Katie stood transfixed. At last, after an excruciating moment, Katie took a step forward, and when Elizabeth thought she would rush into her arms, she dashed past her, leaving Elizabeth kneeling empty-handed. Her eyes closed and she swallowed convulsively as she listened to the child’s feet racing away. It was to be expected, she told herself. Katie didn’t know her, after all. She opened her eyes to meet Cutter’s.
There was strength in his gaze, and she drew from it.
Miss Mimi. There were tears in her eyes, and the tip of her nose was growing pink.
Suddenly she was aware that those same little feet raced back toward her, skidding to a halt in front of her. And before Elizabeth could speak, a small picture frame was thrust before her, so close that the three figures depicted were no more than a dark blur. Reaching for it, she drew it away from her face to see it better, then close again, unable to focus at the distance she had held it. She held her breath as the shapes began to take form.
