Katie: Bride of Virginia (American Mail-Order Brides 10) (12 page)

“They told me I was to do good. And I recommended she get busy helping others. After the tea with the ladies from church, we're going to send cookies to the orphanage. I want your mother to realize how blessed she is to still be living and that your father lives on through her.”

Daniel swallowed, overcome that this little sprite of a woman had helped his mother. He felt like kicking himself because he'd never thought of her feeling guilty for the death of his father. The accident had been while he was away at college.

His father's death had devastated him and his mother, but he'd never realized she hadn't gotten over the tragedy of that terrible day.

He reached down and covered her mouth with his, kissing her with all the pent up passion that had built the last few weeks for this woman. Watching her standing on that platform he'd made the decision to marry her and it'd been the best decision he'd ever made.

She broke away from his kiss and smiled at him that sly grin that he adored.

“Thank you, Katie,” he said.

“For what?”

“For coming into our family. For marrying me,” he said, feeling his chest tighten with an emotion he'd only felt once before. The urge to carry her up the stairs and into their bedroom overwhelmed him, but he had to take his time.

Standing she held out her hand. “We should go to bed,” she whispered. “I'm cold and want my husband to warm me like only he can.”

Warmth spread through Daniel like a raging fire.

Daniel knew he was being given a second chance and he intended to use this opportunity to make his wife realize just how much he craved her touch. If she wasn't smiling in the morning, then he needed to give up. But he had no doubts that tonight, he would make certain she experienced pleasure.

Chapter Nine

A
t breakfast, the next morning, Katie smiled at her husband, who sat at the head of the table. Last night had been absolutely incredible. For the first time in her life, she felt like a desirable woman all because her husband had showed her how good it could be between the two of them.

Gazing at him this morning, her heart swelled with an emotion that could only be love. She loved this man who had been so eager that first night that he'd forgotten to take his time.

After they'd made love the first time last night, they'd cuddled and laughed about how uncomfortable that first night had been. They hadn't known each other and the experience had been clumsy and awkward.

But now, now she could hardly sit beside her man without wanting him to touch her in some small way. And she couldn't wait for tonight when they'd be alone and once again she'd find herself wrapped in his embrace.

Daniel said very little this morning, but he kept staring at her, a big smile across his handsome face. One that she wanted to trace with her fingertip.

His mother gazed at her and then at him. “You guys rest well last night?”

“Great,” Daniel said gazing at Katie.

If the man didn't stop looking at her like that, his mother was going to know what they were thinking. A blush rose in her cheeks and she quickly looked away, but she couldn't stop gazing at her man.

“Wonderful,” Katie said smiling at her husband. “What do you have planned for today in the vineyard?”

“I'm going to repair more of the damage to the vines from the cattle and then we're going to build racks for the new barrels I'm expecting. What about you?”

“I was going to have your mother help me. I thought we could bake some cookies. Later we might put them in tins and take them to town and give them to shut-ins. Plus the ladies from church are coming for tea tomorrow, so it will be good to have fresh cookies for them.”

It would be hard to work today without dreaming of being with Daniel again. She wanted to spend time with her husband, her lover and no one else.

His mother looked at Daniel a questioning look in her eyes. “You seem happy, son.”

Katie almost giggled out loud and Daniel shot her a laughing glance.

“I am. Why wouldn't I be, Mother. I have a beautiful wife who pleases me very much, the vineyard is doing well, and things seem to finally be going my way.”

She nodded. “It seems that way, son.”

Katie stared across the table at her husband and knew in that moment, she'd fallen in love with this handsome man. Tears pricked her eyelids and she quickly swallowed trying to hold back the flood of emotion.

Coming to Charlottesville, she'd been afraid, but at this moment, even with the question of doubt hanging over Daniel's head, she knew she loved Daniel O'Malley. Sometime during the last six weeks she'd fallen in love with this man.

Early on they'd both made mistakes in the relationship but still his words filled her with warmth and made her realize, he was a good man and she loved him. For Christmas, she wished she could clear his name somehow, but if that wasn't possible, she would do everything she could to help him with the vineyard.

She'd lost her family at such a young age, and now, she had a husband and a mother once again. The season would be perfect if they were to learn they were going to have a child.

Tonight she'd tell him she loved him.

#

After Daniel left for the vineyard, her mother-in-law and she started on the cookies. Katie mixed the dough and Betty rolled her chair to the table and cut the flattened dough using the cookie cutters Katie had found in the kitchen.

“My son seems very happy with you,” she said, not looking up at Katie.

“Good, he makes me happy,” Katie said, her thoughts drifting to last night. Her husband had more than made up for her disappointing wedding night. “I wonder about him and Eloise. Why wasn't she happy here?”

“She wanted Daniel to sell the vineyard and go to work for her father. Her daddy was wealthy and she expected Daniel to give her a big fancy house with servants. She didn't help my son. Not like you.”

“Did they fight?”

“She liked to scream at Daniel, but he would go outside until she was ready to talk.” Betty leaned back in her wheelchair and gazed at the cookie cutouts. “I haven't done this since Daniel was a little boy. It's kind of fun, but tiring.”

“Did the law think Daniel killed Eloise?” Katie asked.

His mother stiffened. “Yes, but they couldn't prove it. There was not enough evidence to convict him. Don't ever believe it if someone tells you Daniel killed her. I don't know what happened to Eloise that night, but she was cheating on my son. I saw her.”

How hard for her prideful man to learn from his mother that his wife had a lover. And she was dead.

Katie sighed and continued to roll out the dough. “Who was she cheating with? It would seem that would be who the sheriff should have gone after, not Daniel.”

“The sheriff thought I was protecting my son.” The older woman shook her head. “I don't know who she was with that night, but I've always suspected our foreman.”

“Jack? No,” Katie said. “He's married.”

A shiver passed through her. Maybe the foreman was a really nice guy, but something about him scared her.

“Doesn't matter to some men,” Betty said, shaking her head. “I've never liked that man since that day.”

“Well, I can't say I've been impressed with him. First the way he came into the house when Daniel was gone. The way he wasn't here when the cattle came through the fence into the vineyard. Daniel says he knows wine, but he doesn't know how to run a vineyard.”

Betty laughed and Katie turned toward her. “What's so funny?”

“You, my dear. You're very protective of my son. It's one of the things I like about you,” she said.

“Well, of course, I am, he's my husband,” Katie said. “There's something you said to me, when I first arrived that disturbed me.”

“I've said a lot of bad things since you arrived.”

“Yes, but this one was about cheating. You said I would cheat on Daniel. I want you to understand, I will
never
do that to my husband.”

Betty reached out and grabbed her hand. “I know, dear. I believe you.”

Katie squeezed her hand back. “Good. Daniel doesn't deserve to be treated that way.”

“Thank you. No, he doesn't.” The older woman sighed. “I will rest while you bake the cookies and then I'll help you decorate them.”

“Good idea. I'll put the next batch in the oven. You go.”

The thump, thump, thump of her wheels rolling down the hall left Katie alone in the kitchen. Hurriedly, she washed the dishes, hoping to finish before the first tray of cookies came out of the oven.

A loud knock on the door drew her attention. When she reached the door, she glanced out the window and saw Frank's carriage sitting outside. She opened the door. “Good morning, Frank. Is Daniel expecting you?”

“Katie, can I come in. I need to speak with you.”

“Of course,” she said, opening the door. “I'll send for Daniel.”

He halted her arm. “No, don't.”

“I only want to speak with you.”

A trickle of alarm spiraled down her spine. Daniel had asked her not to let any men come into the house and to always let him know, but this was his friend. There was an urgency in his voice that she responded to.

“Of course, please have a seat,” she said, sinking in the chair opposite Frank.

“I know you think it's probably strange that I drove out here to talk to you, but I learned some new information late yesterday and it kept me awake all night. Finally, I decided I had to come warn you.”

Katie stared at her husband's business partner, unease gripping her stomach. “What did you learn, Frank?”

“Last night I saw Eloise's father for the first time since the funeral. He told me that when Eloise died, Daniel inherited money her grandmother left her.” Frank sighed and took Katie's hands in his, staring into her eyes. “The vineyard was out of money. He had no money left.”

Nausea rose in Katie, her stomach clenching with the need to lose the contents of her stomach. Why hadn't Daniel told her about Eloise. They had yet to have a discussion about his wife, where he told his side of the story. And she desperately needed to hear from her husband.

Pulling her hands from his, she stood and began to walk around the room. “So you think he killed her for her money?”

Frank rose and came to her side. “What else? He loves this vineyard. It's been his dream since he learned about Thomas Jefferson's attempt to make wine at his beloved Monticello. Daniel needed that money to help him hang onto his dream.”

For a moment, Katie felt skeptical. This didn't make sense. The man she'd fallen in love with would never be this diabolical. He wouldn't kill his wife to take her inheritance. “So why would he bring you in as a partner if he already had the funds?”

Frank laughed. “It's brilliant. Because this way the town didn't know he needed her money. How would it appear to people if they learned, his wife died of exposure, his vineyard was broke, but now suddenly he received an influx of cash from his dead wife's estate?” He paused, nodding his head. “Don't you see it's all coming together. Daniel killed Eloise to save the vineyard.”

Katie frowned. What he was saying made logical sense, but her heart refused to believe what he was divulging. Her body and soul didn't believe Daniel could hurt anyone in order to save his vineyard.

“For your safety, you should come with me,” Frank said pacing the floor. “At least until the sheriff investigates and we learn the truth, you'll be safe.”

There was no way she was leaving with Frank. Daniel would never forgive her, if she went with him and she wasn't convinced Frank's story was real. Her instincts were telling her Daniel was innocent and she didn't know what Frank was doing, but this couldn't be good.

“No. I don't believe Daniel killed Eloise. It may appear from what you're saying that he did, but in my heart, I know he wouldn't harm her. He told me he loved her and I believe him.”

“Please come with me. You're in danger. I'm trying to save your life.”

Something wasn't right. Her husband was not a killer. Images of the factory fire and how they'd all run for their lives to escape the flames came to mind. Bob Brown was a killer. He'd deliberately set the place on fire while his workers were inside. Daniel was not a cruel man like Mr. Brown. Daniel did not kill Eloise.

“I appreciate you driving out here to express your concerns, but I'm not worried.”

Frank's emerald eyes flashed with anger. “When he hurts you, I'm not responsible.”

“You're right. You're not.”

She walked to the door. “Thanks for coming by, Frank.”

The man huffed out the door while she watched him leave. Was she crazy for not going with him? Only time would tell.

#

Later that evening, Daniel watched his wife who sat on the loveseat, working on a piece of needlepoint. He loved to gaze at her as she concentrated on her pulling the needle and thread through the canvas.

His life was so much better this last month since she'd come into his house and made it into a home. Even his mother was happier and seemed to be getting around better. And her disposition was such an improvement.

But who could remain unhappy around his smiling, warm wife. The room brightened when she stepped in with her smile and laughter. She was like a breath of fresh air and sunshine swirling through the room, leaving it a better place.

No, he hadn't ordered a mail-order bride, but thank God, Frank had seen his need and placed the ad that brought Katie to him.

She glanced at him. Tonight, he could sense something was bothering her and whatever it was, he wanted to fix it and bring back the bubbly girl that made him smile.

“What?” she asked, staring at him.

“I'm just enjoying watching you,” he said. And he was. Quickly he'd learned that Katie was excellent with needlepoint, sewing, and decorating cookies. She would be an excellent mother to his children and in so many ways he'd been blessed with her arrival.

Her eyes looked away and he knew she was troubled. “What's wrong?”

Putting the canvas down, she gazed at him, her emerald eyes darkening. “When are you going to tell me about Eloise? I haven't heard your side, but everyone has given me their version of how she died. People have told me you killed her. And when you won't talk about that night, I begin to have doubts. You should trust me enough to talk to me about what happened, and you don't.”