Saturday's Child by Dallas Schulze Read Free Book Online Page A

seeking to distract him. "Quentin Sterling himself. You remember I told you that he was staying with his parents. Today is the first day I've seen him."
    "Did he see you?"
    "Certainly. I haven't become invisible, you know."
    "I want you to stay away from him, Katie."
    "Don't be foolish, Colin. I'm not likely to see much of him. Not unless he decides to take up mending."
    "I mean it, Katie." Colin ignored her attempt to lighten the conversation, his eyes worried. "I've asked about him."
    "You've done what?" She turned to look at him, surprised and a trifle angry. "Why on earth would you make inquiries about him?"
    "Because I can see that you're interested in him." He held up one hand to still her protest. "Don't tell me you're not, and I'm not saying that I blame you. But I don't want to see you hurt. He used to be a regular at the Rearing Stallion, though he's not been there for several years. Word has it that he was quite a drinker and a heavy gambler. It wouldn't do to fall for a man like that, Katie, no matter who his family is."
    "Colin McBride, do you think I don't have the sense I was born with? I'm not a fool, though you seem to think I am. I know there could be nothing between a man like Quentin Sterling and a woman like me."
    She turned away to hide the pain her words brought. It wasn't that she didn't know it was true but it hurt to say it out loud.
    "I didn't mean to upset you." Colin put his hands on her shoulders. "I just don't want to see you hurt. You're a fine girl and you're going to meet a fine man one of these days, a man who'll cherish you and care for you the way you deserve."
    "I'm not going to be hurt." She leaned against him for a moment. "I know that nothing can come of it. But is it so bad to dream? Just a little?"
    Colin's hands tightened on her shoulders, her wistful tone going through him like a knife. "There's nothing wrong with dreaming, Katie. Just don't forget that you have to wake up."
    "I swear those stairs get steeper every day." Katie looked up as the words preceded their speaker.
    Edith pushed open the door with her elbow, her eyes on the tray she carried.
    "I've told you that I'll come down to get my meals. Mrs. Dixon isn't likely to approve of you bringing them to me up here." Katie set aside the chemise she'd been embroidering and quickly cleared a place for Edith to put the tray. The scent of hot soup and warm rolls drifted upward, causing her stomach to rumble. She'd been so absorbed in her work that she hadn't realized how hungry she was until the food was before her.
    "What Mrs. Dixon doesn't know won't hurt her," Edith said pragmatically. "Besides, Mrs. Sterling wouldn't want you to waste time coming down the stairs when you could be sewing."
    "Well, I thank you for it. I'd not realized how late it was getting."
    "Did you talk to Mrs. Sterling about getting an hour off tomorrow?"
    "I did, but I'm not sure I should have. There's so much to be done."
    "It's my birthday, Katie. It would be a crime not to celebrate it. And you promised me you'd come to Henri's with me."
    "I don't think it's a good idea."
    "You're just scared," Edith told her. "It will be fun, you'll see. Henri's is supposed to be the most elegant restaurant, and I had my cousin make the reservations for us. We'll dress in our very finest and go and pretend we're rich."
    Katie shook her head but she didn't argue any further. In the short time she'd known Edith Mitchell, she'd learned that arguing did one very little good at all. Edith was the only girl in a family of five boys. This had had two effects. One was that she had learned to fight for what she wanted. The other was that she'd never quite grasped a woman's place in the world.
    "Why don't you get Johnny to take you?" Katie asked in a last ditch attempt to get out of going.
    "Johnny Kincaid is perfectly content to eat in the kitchen. He'd have no interest in a place like Henri's."
    "Quarreled again, have you?" Katie guessed shrewdly.
    "Not exactly but he's not