Taking the Reins Read Free

Katherine hissed. She refused to be told what was fitting and what was not. Why should she be bound by some silly rules made up in a country half the world away? Everything was different here. This land was huge and wild and free. She would not be a prisoner, confined to this one patch of land.
    There was no answering anger from Father. Far from it. Instead of glowering at her, he seemed to shrink into himself. His chin sank even lower over his plate. Katherine closed her eyes, took a slow, deep breath, and let her anger fall away.
    â€œFather,” she said calmly, “I have travelled all the way up to the Thompson River with...” She stopped and took a quick sip of tea to cover her blunder. A shiver ran through her. She had almost said, With William’s help, and only just caught herself in time. She must be more careful.
    Katherine held her teacup with fingers daintily clasping the handle, exactly as Mother had taught her, and completed her sentence, “...without any problem. So I think I am capable of riding into Hope by myself.”
    â€œWe could go together,” George offered. “I’ll take the wagon for supplies.”
    â€œOh. Yes, of course,” Katherine said, grateful for George’s unexpected compromise.
    Mother pushed her cup and saucer away. “Did no one hear me? No one is going into town.” She placed both hands on the table, pushed herself heavily to her feet, and stumbled toward the open door.
    Katherine and George stared across the table at each other. Again they both turned to Father, but he only gazed gloomily into his teacup as if unaware of all that was going on around him. Sister and brother stood and followed their mother outside.
    They found her seated on the top step. Elbows resting on her knees, she cupped her chin in both hands and gazed up at the mountain that loomed above their farm. Twilight shadows turned its topmost peak to gold and accentuated every crevice in the naked rock.
    Katherine settled beside her mother. Something was troubling her. Something beyond the loss of Susan and the worry over Father. Katherine could see that now.
    They stayed for a few minutes that way, sitting side by side, absolutely still, with George hovering behind them near the door. No one spoke until finally Katherine broke the silence. “Why don’t you want us to go into town, Mother? Don’t you trust us?” Another thought occurred to her. “Or are you ashamed of the way I look, with my short hair and sun-browned face?”
    Mother’s forehead sank to her knees, pressed against her two hands that rested there. “I only wish it were that simple,” she whispered.
    Katherine leaned closer. “Then what?”
    â€œWe have no money.” Mother’s voice was muffled by her full cotton skirt.
    â€œWhat? None?”
    â€œVery little,” she said. “Barely enough for a sack of flour. What with the medicines I needed for your father, and the money he gave to George...” Her voice faded away.
    After a moment, Mother spoke again, so quietly Katherine strained to hear. “I’m afraid your father has never been good with money. And of course our journey from England cost more than planned, due to our prolonged stay in San Francisco when...” Her voice collapsed altogether.
    Katherine knew what Mother couldn’t say. When we all took ill, Susan worst of all.

    That night Katherine lay on her simple bed, so tired her entire body ached. She snuggled under the warm blanket and closed her eyes. She would sleep well.
    No money.
    Her eyes popped open.
    They faced a long winter with not enough food and little money. Nothing to buy essential supplies. Fear crept into her belly. Katherine had never been poor, never been forced to go hungry, and the thought of it terrified her.
    Would they have had enough if Father hadn’t been hurt? Possibly. And that made it all her fault. If only she had called Father that morning, or