looked up at her mother and began to realize that this thing, this cancer, was bigger than she had understood. “Mother, you are always my mother. I will live as you have taught me.”
“Yes.” Lillian paused. “Memories are death’s only love.” Lillian felt grief creeping over her and took a deep breath to calm down. She looked at her daughter and said softly, “There is also a bit of jealousy that I’m not proud of.” Lillian’s eyes started to glisten and her voice shook. “I don’t want to be replaced, Katherine. Not by a housemaid or any other person.”
William went to Lillian’s side. Looking straight into her eyes he said, “You cannot be replaced.”
Lillian closed her eyes. When she opened them Katherine was staring at her and Lillian could see her trying to grasp what she was facing. Lillian spoke slowly, “I don’t want you to take out your anger on your father. You have no idea how much I count on him and how much he helps me every single day. He has to deal with all of this from a family and a man’s standpoint.”
“Mother,” Katherine was pleading. “There’s nothing we can do? Nothing the doctor can do?”
“Nothing, my daughter. If I could change this, believe me, I would. But the Lord has set us on this path and we must follow.” Lillian wanted nothing more than to wail in disbelief and anger at the disease causing the hurt in this room and in her body, but her nature would not allow it. She would leave this world as she lived in it.
Katherine watched her father gently help her mother stand up. As she did, Lillian stroked William’s cheek lightly as she put her feet on the floor. Katherine now realized she had misjudged her father. With her fear and anger at bay, she gathered her strength, just as her mother always did.
Katherine walked over and put her arms around her mother. Lillian held her tight. “I’m counting on you,” she whispered in Katherine’s ear. “You are the joy of my life.” Lillian had expended all the energy she had left and needed support. William took her by the arm and headed her towards the door.
“Momma?” They stopped and looked back at Katherine, who said firmly, “There will be.”
Lillian and William looked at each other, confused. “There will be what, dear?” her mother asked quietly.
“There will be something to do. There will be a way to beat this cancer. That is what we can do. Find it.”
In the morning, Lillian was gone.
Chapter Three
STOLEN KISS
K atherine covered her mouth to muffle a grunt as Emma pulled her corset tighter. “I’m not sure I’m going to be able to breathe, Emma!”
“It have to be tight, Miss Katherine. That’s how it show your shape. Wish I was twenty-one agin, like you!”
“Emma, if you were, you’d have to be a spectacle like me tonight. Those men have one thought, and it isn’t originating in their brain.”
Emma buttoned the royal purple bodice and slid the sleeves just below the tip of the shoulder. “Now, Miss Katherine, you want to look good for Mr. Edward. He already be downstairs taking a drink wid your grandfather and looking very fine in his top hat and tails.”
“Dear Emma, I’m more concerned about looking good for you than for Edward!”
“Step here, Miss Katherine.” Emma pulled up the matching skirt with a crinoline hoop only in the rear. The bodice was attached to it by two buttons so it looked like a seamless gown. “Dis new flat front is good for your shape, too!”
“Is my hair still in place, Emma?”
“Yes, ma’am. Ya’ll be the belle of the ball.”
Katherine patted Emma on the cheek and headed for the staircase. She was not in a celebratory mood. Her grandfather, James Donovan, had insisted she attend the Summer Solstice Ball.
“Grandfather, you are training me to be a businesswoman, not a socialite,” she had complained when he insisted she go.
“There are those I want you to meet.” Katherine had no choice, so she sent Edward Stockton a note
“Yes.” Lillian paused. “Memories are death’s only love.” Lillian felt grief creeping over her and took a deep breath to calm down. She looked at her daughter and said softly, “There is also a bit of jealousy that I’m not proud of.” Lillian’s eyes started to glisten and her voice shook. “I don’t want to be replaced, Katherine. Not by a housemaid or any other person.”
William went to Lillian’s side. Looking straight into her eyes he said, “You cannot be replaced.”
Lillian closed her eyes. When she opened them Katherine was staring at her and Lillian could see her trying to grasp what she was facing. Lillian spoke slowly, “I don’t want you to take out your anger on your father. You have no idea how much I count on him and how much he helps me every single day. He has to deal with all of this from a family and a man’s standpoint.”
“Mother,” Katherine was pleading. “There’s nothing we can do? Nothing the doctor can do?”
“Nothing, my daughter. If I could change this, believe me, I would. But the Lord has set us on this path and we must follow.” Lillian wanted nothing more than to wail in disbelief and anger at the disease causing the hurt in this room and in her body, but her nature would not allow it. She would leave this world as she lived in it.
Katherine watched her father gently help her mother stand up. As she did, Lillian stroked William’s cheek lightly as she put her feet on the floor. Katherine now realized she had misjudged her father. With her fear and anger at bay, she gathered her strength, just as her mother always did.
Katherine walked over and put her arms around her mother. Lillian held her tight. “I’m counting on you,” she whispered in Katherine’s ear. “You are the joy of my life.” Lillian had expended all the energy she had left and needed support. William took her by the arm and headed her towards the door.
“Momma?” They stopped and looked back at Katherine, who said firmly, “There will be.”
Lillian and William looked at each other, confused. “There will be what, dear?” her mother asked quietly.
“There will be something to do. There will be a way to beat this cancer. That is what we can do. Find it.”
In the morning, Lillian was gone.
Chapter Three
STOLEN KISS
K atherine covered her mouth to muffle a grunt as Emma pulled her corset tighter. “I’m not sure I’m going to be able to breathe, Emma!”
“It have to be tight, Miss Katherine. That’s how it show your shape. Wish I was twenty-one agin, like you!”
“Emma, if you were, you’d have to be a spectacle like me tonight. Those men have one thought, and it isn’t originating in their brain.”
Emma buttoned the royal purple bodice and slid the sleeves just below the tip of the shoulder. “Now, Miss Katherine, you want to look good for Mr. Edward. He already be downstairs taking a drink wid your grandfather and looking very fine in his top hat and tails.”
“Dear Emma, I’m more concerned about looking good for you than for Edward!”
“Step here, Miss Katherine.” Emma pulled up the matching skirt with a crinoline hoop only in the rear. The bodice was attached to it by two buttons so it looked like a seamless gown. “Dis new flat front is good for your shape, too!”
“Is my hair still in place, Emma?”
“Yes, ma’am. Ya’ll be the belle of the ball.”
Katherine patted Emma on the cheek and headed for the staircase. She was not in a celebratory mood. Her grandfather, James Donovan, had insisted she attend the Summer Solstice Ball.
“Grandfather, you are training me to be a businesswoman, not a socialite,” she had complained when he insisted she go.
“There are those I want you to meet.” Katherine had no choice, so she sent Edward Stockton a note
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