“But where did you sleep?”
“In my seat. The conductors were very kind, too, and saw to it that I sat near other women or families.”
“How could they not be kind to such a charming young woman?” Molly exclaimed, glancing from Seth back to Kari. “Oh, my, it must have been such a shock for you to discover that my older brother is your father, but of course, I don’t know all the details. You must forgive us, Kari. Such startling news travels like lightning, it would anywhere.”
Kari smiled with understanding, imagining if the same news might have swept through Faribault—but then again, it surely must have already, since Caleb had sent a telegram and wired money to the bank for her family. How people must be chattering and they didn’t yet know the full story! Wondering what her sisters and brother must be thinking, she resolved to write them a long letter as soon as she got back to the ranch.
“Let’s bow our heads and give thanks, shall we?”
As Molly gave a simple prayer, Kari felt such a wave of longing for her own mother who had always said grace in their home. When she finished, Molly began to bustle again around the kitchen.
“Go on now, eat, while I make some tea.”
Kari didn’t need Molly’s urging, her stomach growling loud enough for Seth to laugh and reach for her hand to squeeze her fingers. Instead of sitting opposite her, he’d taken the seat right next to her, and Kari hadn’t missed the inquisitive glance Molly had shot at her son nor the lovely brow raising now at the two of them.
If Seth had noticed, he gave no indication of it as he made sure Kari’s plate was full before he dug with gusto into his own. He seemed as hungry as Kari, bringing to mind again the book she’d read about cowboys and how they looked forward to mealtimes out on the trail after a hard day’s work.
“Everything is so delicious, Mrs. Davis, thank you,” Kari murmured between bites of buttered cornbread that melted in her mouth.
“Call me Molly, please,” she insisted, finally sitting down to eat with them. “I hope Charles will be home soon so he can meet you. He’s out paying a visit outside of town on Mrs. Fletcher, her rheumatism acting up again, poor dear.”
As Kari and Seth ate in companionable silence, Seth’s mother chatted on between bites about her garden and the potluck supper coming up in a couple weeks at the church—until Seth pushed himself back from the table, a satisfied grin on his face.
“Best cook in Walker Creek, bar none. Do you have any room left for a piece of my mother’s apple cobbler, Kari?”
She shook her head, embarrassed really, that she’d eaten so much, but everything had tasted so good! He laughed, leaning toward her and using his knuckle to wipe what she imagined was a smudge of cream gravy from the corner of her mouth, which made Molly’s brow rise again, her expression very close to exasperation.
“All right, Seth, are you going to come out with it? Or do you intend to just leave me in suspense—”
“Kari and I are courting. I know it’s sudden and we just met yesterday, but she’s the one I’ve been waiting for and I told her so, too.”
Seth had blurted it out, he knew, glancing from Kari, whose pretty blush made his heart beat all the faster, to his mother, who sat there smiling as if she wasn’t surprised by his announcement at all. Yet just as suddenly her smile faded and she leaned back in her chair with a sigh.
“Oh, son, I’m amazed my hair hasn’t turned gray from the trials we’ve shared, but this time I think it’s going to happen. Caleb’s not going to be pleased.”
Knowing exactly what his mother was talking about, Seth glanced at Kari to see her brow knit with dismay and he reached out to squeeze her hand.
Her fingers felt cold as if she had suddenly remembered what he’d said yesterday about his uncle believing him part Comanche, and Uncle Caleb’s explosive outburst when they had arrived at the ranch. If she hadn’t sensed then the barely concealed tension between them, what his mother had just said must have revealed it.
“You’re the only one that can reason with him, Ma. He’s going to object and we both know why. I’m not good enough for his daughter, you can hear him now. You’ve seen time and again how ugly he can be when his temper flares up or somebody challenges him.”
Molly glanced wistfully out the kitchen window. “My brother’s not at all like the man who came home from the war filled with hopes and dreams in spite of the savagery he’d witnessed. Something had saved him…something pure and lovely and bright—”
“My mother, Lara.” Distressed more than she could say by the somber exchange between Molly and Seth, Kari had never experienced more emotional ups and downs in her life as since she’d arrived in Walker Creek. She wasn’t surprised when Molly nodded, Kari struck again by sadness at how so many lives had been affected by two lovers being forever torn apart.
“Would you tell me what she wrote in her letter?” Molly asked softly, reaching out to clasp Kari’s hand.
Her other hand still held by Seth, Kari recounted what her mother had poured out to Caleb, tears swimming in Molly’s eyes when Kari had finished. No one spoke for the longest moment until Molly seemed to swallow them back and lifted her chin, and then rose from her chair.
“You’d best head back to the ranch, Seth. When do you plan to tell Caleb that you and Kari are courting?”
“As soon as he comes home tonight, well, unless he’s drunk. Then I’ll have to wait until morning.”
“Wait until morning either way,” Molly gently bade him as he and Kari rose, too. “It will give me time to talk to your father and decide the best way to approach Caleb. We’ll drive out first thing.”
As Seth nodded, Kari extended her hand to his mother. “Thank you for the lovely lunch. I’m so glad to have met you.”
“And I, you,” Molly murmured, looping her arm through Kari’s and walking with her toward the front door. “I look forward to spending more time with you, Kari. Your mother must have been beautiful indeed, to have such a lovely daughter.”
