Page 18 of A Steadfast Heart
“Josephine McGraw!” Nick’s cheeks flushed, and his lips folded into a flat line.
Kaitlyn’s stomach tightened. Could there be truth to Mr. Quade’s story? Was Drew divorced, not widowed? She leaned against the sharp edge of the worktable to steady her weakened knees.
Nick sighed and put his knife down. “Tell you what, Tillie. Why don’t I teach you how to cut out biscuits. Jo can check on the chores in the barn.”
And wasn’t that just how her parents had treated Michael? Whatever it took to get him to quiet his current tantrum. Still, Kaitlyn needed answers, and she wasn’t likely to get them with the girls in the room. As soon as she found her footing, she’d be prepared for Jo’s stubbornness.
Jo threw the rolling pin into the mess of torn dough and ran out the back door.
Kaitlyn tweaked one of Tillie’s crooked pigtails. “Why don’t you go with her?”
Nick’s eyes squeezed shut, but he didn’t argue.
Tillie, her tears miraculously calmed, ran after her sister.
Nick picked up his knife and cut another slice of ham. “I wish I could tell you that was unusual, but so far, this has been a fairly typical morning. Still, if you can handle the butchering, I don’t guess a few dramatics will chase you away.”
“What chased the children’s mother away?”
“Amanda. Her name was Amanda.”
“And?”
He sighed. “Drew wouldn’t be happy to hear us discussing this.” Even his ears were red.
“I have a right to know if the man I’m about to marry is a widower, divorced, or even…” Her cheeks heated and her eyes dropped to the worktable. She gathered the biscuit dough into a ball and rolled it out.
Nick paused in his chopping and turned to face her. “No, Kaitlyn. He wouldn’t…I mean, it never crossed my mind that you’d think—” His Adam’s apple bobbed. “Let me start over, okay?”
Kaitlyn nodded.
“Amanda came from money. She couldn’t adjust to life here, or maybe she didn’t want to.” He chuckled. “I know she would never have pitched in like you did last night.”
Kaitlyn’s shoulders relaxed just a bit. She’d done something right, anyway.
Nick returned to slicing meat. “I guess I should be kinder. She stuck it out for almost four years. Then she ran off with one of the hands. Said it was a mistake for her to come west with Drew and she was going back to Boston. She took both girls, but David was out working with Drew. The train derailed. Amanda died.”
Kaitlyn shuddered. No wonder Drew didn’t want to talk about it. She swallowed hard. “The girls?”
“Cuts and bruises. Jo had a broken arm.”
“How old was she?”
“Five.”
Kaitlyn’s eyes squeezed shut. So young to have her world turned upside down.
Nick sighed. “Nothing’s been the same since.” He shook his head. “No, nothing’s been right since.”
Kaitlyn wandered to the window and pushed aside the curtain. The dirty glass felt cool beneath her fingers. Drew was hunched over a piece of farm equipment. Tillie stood next to him, watching. Jo had vanished, probably into the barn.
Amanda had told Drew he was a mistake. Had left with another man, fracturing this family. Kaitlyn’s heart ached. David had held back from her. Jo had pushed her away. Tillie had latched on to her, holding tight. All responses to the trauma of their mother dying.
Was she supposed to fix this? And if so, how?
* * *
Ouch!
