Deeply Devoted by Maggie Brendan Read Free Book Online Page B

of delight, then kissed her mouth softly, lingering a moment. She could feel the tenseness of his body against hers and his strong arms encircling her waist as he nearly lifted her off the floor to kiss her again and again. Someone rapped loudly on the door and they sprang apart, forgetting for a moment they were married.
    Catharine looked at Peter and he nodded, still holding one arm about her waist. “Come on in,” she said.
    Greta and Anna stood at the doorway taking in the two lovebirds and the nicely furnished bedroom. Greta cleared her throat. “We didn’t mean to interrupt but wanted to ask about supper.” Both of them were wide-eyed at the embarrassed couple.
    Catharine knew her freckled face and neck were flushed, but she had nothing to be embarrassed about. Peter was her husband now. She wished she could wipe those grins off her sisters’ faces.
    “It’s no matter. I believe there’s ham to make sandwiches and we can have fruit to go along with that. I’ve never had a cook. Between the four of us, we should be able to handle the cooking.” Peter let go of Catharine’s waist and turned to her. “We could fix a bite to eat now. What do you say, ladies?”
    Catharine was afraid of that very thing . . . no servants. Her father, who had been a wealthy shipping magnate, had a cook and a housemaid, so she knew very little of running a household. But she was determined to learn. She did not want to disappoint him.
    “I’ll be glad to help, Peter.” Anna smiled at him, and her sisters laughed out loud.
    “ Ach! I do know how to make a sandwich!” Anna said.
    “Uh . . . until something distracts you and you forget what you’re doing.” Greta chuckled.
    Catharine took her sister’s arm affectionately. “She’s teasing you, Anna. Come with me and we’ll show her.” They started down the stairs, and Peter and Greta followed. Catharine swore she heard Greta say she wanted to learn to cook. Unbelievable. She’d never shown the first bit of interest in that sort of thing. Well, looks like it’ll be a much-needed necessity for all of us, or Peter may send us all packing back to Holland. One place she did not want to return to—at least not now.

     
    Supper was whipped up with little problem as Peter gave instructions about the kitchen, telling them where staples were stored and how to work the stove. The kitchen boasted a porcelain sink with a pump for running water from the outdoor well. Peter was very patient and allowed Anna to butter thick slices of bread while he sliced the ham. Greta set the table as Catharine made tea then quartered apples to go with the sandwiches. They had a cozy supper, followed by hot tea with sugar cookies Peter had made for dessert, impressing them with his culinary skills. How like a family they already seemed to be with their lighthearted bantering and talk of the Olsens’ homeland and Wyoming, Catharine thought. Soon dusk crept into the kitchen and Peter left to feed and water the livestock.
    “I won’t be long,” he whispered to Catharine out of earshot from her two sisters. “Why don’t you go on upstairs and get comfortable?” She could feel his warm breath tickling her ear. His cerulean eyes lingered on hers, then he slipped out into the dusk, the screen door squeaking behind him.
    Catharine was pleased that her sisters shooed her out of the kitchen. They promised they’d clean up the supper dishes, telling her this was her wedding night, after all. She slipped up the stairs, and by the time the sky was dark, she had bathed and changed into a fine lawn gown trimmed in delicate lace at the throat and sleeves, with blue ribbon that Greta and Anna had insisted on buying for her before they left their homeland. She looked at her reflection in the mirror, and with a resigned sigh she crawled beneath the covers. She was indeed more tired than she first thought as she lay there thinking about Peter. Though she tried to wait for his return, she drifted off to