Page 12 of The Heart’s Charge

“Twins,” Kate murmured, confirming his theory. “Priscilla and Aquila.”

Priscilla took her brother’s hand and led him into the room, though she gave Mark a wide berth and planted herself squarely behind Kate.

“The baby’s sleeping,” Kate said as she turned to face the twins, who couldn’t be more than three years old. She bent down to let the little ones see the baby, and the sunlight from the window transformed her honey-blond hair to a vibrant reddish-gold. He’d forgotten that bit of magic. The way her ordinary veneer slipped every now and then to reveal a glimpse of the truly extraordinary treasure within. How had no other man noticed and snatched her up?

Or maybe his proposal wasn’t the only one she had turned down. Somehow that idea didn’t offer the comfort it should have. He didn’t like the idea of another man courting her, even if his suit proved unsuccessful. Which made him a rather selfish blackguard, not wanting her to find happiness with someone else just because she’d been unwilling to find it with him.

Quill made a grab for little Sarah’s nose, and Kate straightened, pulling the baby out of the toddler’s reach.

Not wanting to be left out, Ted tugged on Kate’s skirt. “We gonna keep her?”

Kate smiled. “She’ll live here at Harmony House when she gets bigger, but she’s too little right now. Miss Eliza is going to take her to a home where there are other babies so she can eat and grow. After a few months, we’ll fetch her back, and she can stay with us.”

Mark pushed to his feet, in awe of the way Kate interacted with the children. So patient. So nurturing. A natural mother.

These could have been their children, had she accepted his proposal all those years ago. Although they’d both barely been more than children themselves at the time. He’d been eighteen. Kate sixteen. How green he’d been. How cocky yet utterly ignorant. He’d thought himself a grown man, believed he could support a wife and family. Maybe he could have, to some extent, either with his music or by working in his father’s buggy whip factory. But he’d known so little of the world back then. He’d known so little of himself. The military exposed a fellow’s weaknesses. Made him face them and either grow stronger or run home a failure. He’d become a better man, a stronger man for the path he’d taken. Yet seeing Kate again stirred old feelings that opened doors to questions about the life he could have had if her answer had been different.

Best to keep those doors closed, though. One busted heart was plenty. Mark tore his gaze away from Kate and focused on the kids. As nostalgic as it was to see her again, he’d be wise to learn from the past instead of dooming himself to repeat it.

“Did her mommy and daddy die like mine did?” Ted asked the heart-wrenching question with such matter-of-fact bluntness, it took Mark aback. The boy lifted up on tiptoes and reached for the baby, his fingers making it as far as Kate’s elbow.

Kate rubbed the boy’s head. “Her daddy died, but her mama is still alive. She’s just not able to take care of Sarah right now.”

“Or doesn’t want to,” Ruby said in a quiet voice that resonated with personal pain.

Before one of the adults could respond, Abner set the drawer-turned-baby-bed on the sofa and planted fists on hips. “It don’t matter if our folks didn’t want us, Ruby. Miss Katherine wants us. Miss Eliza too. So no poutin’.” Having said his piece, he dropped his hands from his hips and picked up the drawer. “Now, let’s get our new little sister taken care of before she wakes up and starts cryin’ again.”

Abner eyed each of his siblings, then turned and marched out of the room. Like troopers following their commanding officer, all four of the remaining kids fell into step behind him. Ruby with her lopsided gait and slightly abashed countenance, Ted with his jumping enthusiasm, and the twins with their waddling toddle and determination not to be left behind.

Kate met Mark’s gaze, a smile quirking the corners of her mouth. “And now you know who’s really in charge of Harmony House.”

She tacked herself onto the end of the train and followed the children out the door, but Mark wasn’t fooled. Abner’s confidence stemmed from his faith in Kate. She and Miss Southerland had created a place where discarded children felt not only safe, but wanted and loved.

Perhaps she really was where she needed to be. A humbling thought, seeing as how she hadn’t required his assistance in the slightest to get here. He’d fancied himself her rescuer all those years ago, but she hadn’t needed his rescue. She’d managed that maneuver all on her own.

Katherine bit the inside of her cheek as she exited the house, leaving Mark behind. Again. Oh, she knew he was still there. She could feel him following her, but her heart already ached at the thought of sending him away a second time. How would she manage it? Sending him away the first time had shattered her heart. It had taken years to fit the pieces back together and get the mechanism working again. She’d thought herself healed, but Mark waltzing back into her life unannounced had magnified the cracks and fissures, making them impossible to ignore.

Why, Lord? Must I really do this again? Send him away when my heart yearns for him to stay?

Maybe God was testing her faith—testing her dedication to her calling. The children had to come first. Her desires came second. Mark was simply her Isaac. The human love she must sacrifice upon the altar in order to stay true to divine love.

Katherine lifted her chin. She’d done it before. She could do it again. It wasn’t as if they’d truly gotten reacquainted or anything. They’d spent less than an hour in each other’s company. They were still strangers. Strangers with a common past, perhaps, but strangers nonetheless. People changed a lot in ten years. Heaven knew she had changed. There was no telling what a decade of waging war had done to Mark. His gentle musician’s soul had probably been hardened into something unrecognizable.

Then again, he’d seemed plenty gentle cradling baby Sarah in his big warrior arms.

Doing her best to banish that heart-softening picture, Katherine focused her attention instead on Eliza and Mr. Brooks. They seemed to be arguing about something. Not that their voices were raised, but Eliza had that annoyed expression on her face that only appeared when someone attempted to derail her plans. The fact that the quiet Mr. Brooks had elicited such a response from the strong-willed Eliza was unexpected. And exceedingly interesting.

“Here’s your baby bed,” Abner announced as they came alongside the wagon.

Eliza, still exuding an aura of miffed-ness, turned to face the approaching children. “Thank you, Abner. This looks splendid. However, I might not need it after all.” Her gaze found Katherine. “Mr. Brooks has taken it upon himself to play escort and drive me to Georgia’s home.”

And she was going to let him? Katherine bit back a smile. She couldn’t wait to hear the story of how Mr. Brooks convinced Eliza to capitulate. For there had to be a story. Eliza Southerland wasn’t one to surrender easily.

“Well, Sarah just drifted off to sleep, so she might be content to ride in the bed.” Katherine looked down at the peaceful babe in her arms. “Though she is awfully sweet to hold.”

“Yes, well, I better take her.” Eliza came around to stand in front of Katherine and held out her arms, her militant bearing softening as her gaze fell upon Sarah. Her voice lowered to a murmur. “The child needs to nurse, the sooner the better.”

Katherine nodded. “Of course.” She started to hand off the baby, but a shadow fell over them.