Harlot at the Homestead Read Online Free PDF Page B

again. I believed I’d never see her and I just wanted to hold her.”
    “I understand that, Kenan, I really do.” Matthew squeezed his shoulder. “Did you manage to find out what happened to her? Where she’s been all this time? She was in a bit of a mess last night.” He looked down and scuffed the toe of his brown boot against the floor.
    Kenan frowned. His empty stomach churned as the sense of calm he’d felt on knowing Catherine was really alive evaporated at Matthew’s words. Matthew was right to question him. Last night, he hadn’t found out where Catherine had been for the past two years. He’d become too emotional then got carried away on a wave of passion and need. He sighed.
    “It’s obvious she’s been through something but when I asked her about it last night I got mad and she just clammed right up. It’s gonna be hard to get her talking.”
    “Well, why don’t you two take off somewhere today—get away from here and take her somewhere you used to go.”
    Kenan chewed his lower lip. It was a good idea. They wouldn’t get much privacy if they stayed round the homestead and he couldn’t leave things to simmer. Something was wrong and he had to know what it was, even if he didn’t like it. The truth could be real tough on a man and he knew that if his suspicions about Catherine being with another man were right, it was going to tear him apart. But he had to know. Ignorance was worse. After all, hadn’t he been ignorant of the fact that she’d actually been alive all this time? If he’d known she was still living he’d have continued hunting high and low for her. But he’d eventually given in and believed her uncle’s tale.
    Her uncle. He clenched his hands into fists. That man had allowed him to think that Catherine was dead, raped and scalped, buried in an unmarked grave or eaten by wild animals as her flesh had rotted quickly under the Montana sky. He had to get out to the old man’s farm and speak to him, give him a piece of his mind, so that the old goat didn’t think he’d gotten away with his deception.
    “I’ll get right on it, Matthew. Thanks!” Kenan smiled and ruffled his brother’s hair then dodged out of reach. It was an old trick he used to remind his brothers that he was the eldest and could still show them a thing or two. Matthew laughed as he turned back to his horse, seemingly unaware that despite Kenan’s jokey demeanor, his gut was churning and he was torn between dread and excitement at what the day held in store.
    * * * *
    Catherine held out her arms to Kenan and allowed him to lift her into the saddle then she swung her left leg over the horse. Matthew had been kind enough to let her take his mare so that she could ride out with Kenan. He’d told her that they were going out to check the surrounding land for possible expansion of their homestead but she knew better. The quick smile that had passed between Kenan and Matthew had told her enough. This trip was about her and Kenan having time alone.
    Her stomach flipped. She wanted to be with him, more than she had ever wanted anything, but it also made her nervous. Last night had been wonderful but it had been a time for need and comfort. They had lost themselves in waves of passion and desire and become like wild animals intent upon reaching physical fulfilment. Today would be about honesty and confession and that concerned her. In Kenan’s arms in the barn, she’d been able to pretend that all was well, to forget, even, what had been. But she knew Kenan and his solid belief in being forthright and just. His integrity held him firm like a solid stone pillar and it would crumble for no man or woman. There would be no more pleasure without pain.
    She squinted against the bright sunlight and looked over at the house. Rosie stood in the window, her kind face pale and drawn. Catherine loved Kenan’s twin dearly but she knew that Rosie’s loyalty would always be first and foremost with Kenan. That was how it should