Page 375 of Conveniently Wed
She took in a cleansing breath. She could do this. She was a civilized young woman, no longer traipsing unchaperoned about the countryside nor needing his rescue—again.
He climbed the steps and made his way toward her. An irregular beat thumped inside her chest as he moved with sure steps, his head held high.
A wavy russet-brown curl fell across his brow when he removed his hat. The flattened hair sprang to life as hisfingers raked through the thickness. Peppered gray tinged his sideburns.
“Good afternoon, Miss Williams.” His eyes crinkled with friendly warmth.
She mumbled an obligatory hello and dropped her gaze to her lap.
“I’m here to have a conversation with your father and hope that my request will meet with your approval.”
Her head snapped up.
He flashed an easy smile.
Katie’s mouth went dry.
He slipped his hat back on and took a step back.
She gathered the strength to lift her head and meet his gaze.
His smile softened. “We’ll talk soon enough.” Light danced in the depths of his steel-gray eyes.
A prickle of awareness nipped at the back of her neck. “What do you want to talk to Pa about?” Katherine blurted out the words before her head had time to catch up to her mouth. “If it’s about the incident?—”
“Goodness no.” His face fell. Silence filled the air as he stared down at her.
Why was he looking at her like that? Like he expected her to know his mind.
She shifted in the rocking chair, then jumped to her feet to relieve the intensity. She brushed against him and took a quick step back. The rocker swayed, and she stumbled forward as it hit her in back of the legs. He reached out to steady her.
She breathed in a woodsy mixture of pine and leather. A tingling sensation worked its way up her arms as the warmth from his large but gentle hands penetrated the thin cotton sleeves of her well-worn dress.
Abruptly turning, she moved across the porch. “If you’ll excuse me, Mr. Richardson, I’ll fetch Pa, I mean Father, for you.”
After she informed her father of their visitor, Katie was thankful for the safety of the small cabin as she helped in the kitchen, away from his unsettling stare. What did he want? Her hands trembled as she peeled the potatoes for supper.
Ma fussed about as if the king had come for tea. She pulled out Aunt May’s best dishes, serving tray, and good cutlery. Her constant prattle set Katie’s nerves on edge.
“How embarrassing we don’t have tea. That blasted war is not over, even when it’s over.” Her grumbles grew louder. “When will we be able to get decent supplies again?”
Katie rolled her eyes. Why all the bother?
“Katie,” Ma said, “set the sassafras to steep on the stove. Amelia, fetch me a few springs of mint from the garden. May, do we have any of your tea biscuits left, or did the kids eat them all?”
Aunt May wrapped a gentle arm around Ma’s shoulder and smiled. “There’s a few left. If we don’t help ourselves, there will be enough for the menfolk to have one. Now, take a deep breath, Doris.”
Aunt May squeezed Ma’s shoulder, then moved to the counter. She lifted the checkered cloth that covered the few tea biscuits and placed the plate onto the tray. “Doris, why don’t you go sit with the men, and I’ll bring everything out when the tea is ready?”
“I won’t meddle in men talk, and they asked specifically that Katherine serve the tea.”
Aunt May swung around. Her eyes widened when Ma gave a slight nod.
Something was up, but what?
Ma turned to her. “Katherine, go use the mirror in Aunt May’s bedroom and tidy yourself up. And fix your bun, you look unkempt.”
“When have you ever cared what I?—?”
