An Untamed Heart Read Online Free PDF Page B

nearly being run into by his younger sister. “Easy does it.”
    “Mor reminded me to not be late, and I almost am.” Katja tucked a wisp of hair back to be pinned in. Unruly hair after one had put her hair up was not to be tolerated.
    “Don’t worry. You look lovely, as always.”
    She tucked her arm around his. “Thank you. You always make me feel good. Shall we go down?”
    He leaned closer and whispered, “To the dungeon?”
    “I hope not. You had a meeting with Far today. How did he seem?”
    “Disappointed. I am not working up to my potential.”
    “Well, you aren’t.”
    “I know, but—”
    “But you’d rather be up in the mountains, or at least the hills, or horseback, or . . .”
    He patted her hand. “You know me well. If only sons were not the only ones expected to work in the family business. Amalia would rather be in the office than anywhere else. She was just born the wrong sex.”
    Katja nodded. “She thinks making money is the most exciting thing in the world. You should see the books she reads. And the newspapers. She squirrels them away as soon as Far is finished with them.”
    “She will do well heading up some charity and using herskills to bring money in for their ministries.” He turned to look at her as they descended the stairs. “And you, pet, what do you want to do?”
    “Go climb the mountains along with you.” She patted his arm, as if she were the older and wiser. “It’s a shame none of us can have what we want.”
    “At least you can still go riding with Tante.”
    Katja dropped her voice. “I rode astride one day. I may never go back to the sidesaddle—a horrid contraption made by men to restrict women. You can only half control your horse, and it’s easy to become unbalanced.”
    “You better not say that out loud.”
    “I know, but I can always say my mind to you.” They entered the dining room just as their father seated their mother. They’d missed the drawing room conversations, which didn’t bother either one of them.
    “Glad you could manage to get here reasonably on time.” RA waited until Nils seated his sister, then sat himself.
    Nils just nodded, shook out his napkin and laid it in his lap.
    “Shall we pray?”
    Bowing his head, he let the old words roll over him. “I Jesu navn, går vi til bords . . .” Together they said the amen, and the footman brought in the soup tureen.
    Nils kept one ear on the conversation, which was deemed proper for the dining room. Far asked each of the girls what had been the most important part of their day, and then looked to his son. “And you, Nils, what do you have to say?”
    I stayed awake during philosophy was probably not a good thing to say, nor was I was late to my first class . His father had probably already heard that anyway. “Did you read what the king had to say this morning in his address to the Parliament?”
    Since Norway was under the control of Sweden, the Swedish King Oscar II, no matter how highly respected he was worldwide, still managed to say things to offend RA, especially in regard to business measures.
    “Ja.”
    The one-word comment stated clearly his father’s opinion. While there was talk about Norway becoming independent, so far nothing was happening. When the question had been asked and answered, general conversation moved around the table. The parents had always encouraged their children to think for themselves and be able to converse intelligently, with much of the training accomplished at the dinner table. But when discussions became heated, Mor intervened with a look that took the place of many words.
    Nils contributed but didn’t bring up any new topics if the conversation lagged. His mind kept leaping forward to the forthcoming meeting. Would his father be willing to compromise? While he said that was an important business tactic, he often failed to use it with his family.
    When Mor rose to signal the end of the meal, the girls followed her to the drawing room, where