Page 476 of Conveniently Wed
He sat up and pushed Emmaline so hard that she flew off the bed and landed in a heap on the floor. He rubbed his eyes, looking from Emmaline to Katherine.
Emmaline stood, draped in a white dressing gown. A shaft of moonlight revealed the very gown Ma had made for their wedding night.
Katie gasped. “You stole my clothes and perfume?”
“These are yours? He asked me to wear them.” She stared Katherine down without flinching. “Now, you can see with your own eyes what I tried to tell you earlier.”
“Out!” Josiah yelled the word with a booming voice and pointed toward the door, his eyes shooting flames at Emmaline.
The woman’s own eyes widened. She scurried to the door and slammed it shut behind her.
Josiah jumped out of the bed and turned his attention her way. “Katherine?—”
She held her hands up. “I can’t talk now. I can’t.” The shock made her voice jittery. She had to make sense of what just happened.
“I was asleep. I thought I was dreaming, and you came to me like you did long ago…”
She backed into her room and slammed the door. The turn of her lock clicked loudly in the dark. Bile rose up her throat, and she raced to the bowl sitting on the stand. She stood shaking, holding onto the edge of the basin as she worked to keep her insides from spewing. Tears slipped down her cheeks, and deep wracking sobs shuttered out of her.
He hammered on the door. “Please, Katherine, let me in. We need to talk.”
For long minutes he kept knocking and pleading, but she held herself steady. At last, the knocking finally subsided, and she stumbled to the bed. Maybe Josiah was right, but she needed time to process.
Her body curled to cradle the little one moving inside her. “It’s all right, wee one. Mama will take care of you. Even if it’s just you and me in this world, I’ll never leave you.” Tears spilled down her cheeks.
And I will never leave you.The still small voice of the Spirit washed peace over her.
God, tell me one thing. How can I have a mother so evil, a marriage so tortured, and still feel Your peace?
I am with you.
The tears diminished, and she stretched out on her back, rubbing the mound with gentle strokes. The one thing she did not question was the truth of these words. Godwaswith her.
Josiah hadn’t slept a wink since he woke to find that vile woman in his room. The bed felt defiled, and the first thing he did when morning finally came was rip the sheets off. Even though nothing had happened, the thought of her in his bed made his skin crawl. What would he say to Katherine? Would she believe his innocence? As if they didn’t have enough problems in their relationship already.
He found her that morning in the parlor with her knitting sprawled across her lap. His stomach twisted into a knot.
The blanket, which had a blue background and white birds decorating it, was almost done. She looked up from her work. “Good morning.” Her face wore a look of peacefulness, not at all what he expected considering the night before.
“Not so sure what’s good about it.” He plunked himself down on a chair across from her. “You have to believe me. At first, I thought I was dreaming, and you had joined me like…like you used to. Next thing I knew, I heard your voice from across the room.”
She set her needles down on her lap and looked at him, waiting.
“She was wearing your perfume and your gown.” He let out a curse. “She’s trying to destroy our marriage.”
“Do we have a marriage? Seems you’ve been talking to her about me?—”
“I most certainly have not.” What had that woman been saying? He tamped down his rage. Katie didn’t deserve to feel the brunt of it. “I’ve stayed as far away from her as I can. I haven’t trusted her from the day I met her. But she’s your mother. Who was I to deny your relationship?”
“I wish you’d told me you felt this strongly.”
“I hoped I was wrong. I’m so sorry about what happened. You’ve got to believe me. Last night, I thought it was you.” He raked a hand through his hair.
“I do believe you.”
He stood and paced. “Just like that, you believe me?” Maybe he shouldn’t question her, but how could she extend such grace?
“I had time to think and pray, and I believe you.”
