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She smiled a little. “I had a wonderful father and an even more wonderful grandmother. She taught me all I know about cooking and cleaning. Mother taught me nothing. I’ve been cooking for my family since I was ten.”
“I can’t believe I trusted her even for a moment. I’m so sorry, Heather. I know you, and I know you aren’t a terrible person. I should have listened to you and believed everything you said to me.”
Heather stopped walking and turned to him. “My feelings were very hurt. I thought she’d managed to ruin everything we’ve built here in just a day. But now that she’s shown her true colors, it’s much easier to believe me.” She shook her head. “I wish you’d believed me when she first arrived, instead of falling for her act. If you don’t trust your wife, how can you have a good marriage?”
“I know I should have believed you. But she did put on a good act…”
“She’s good at pretending to be something she’s not. Remember, she fooled me for more than nine years with her invalid act.”
He cupped her face in his hands, staring down at her. “I hope you can forgive me. I shouldn’t have questioned you for even a minute.” He closed his eyes for a moment, and then blurted out the feelings he’d had for her since the first day they’d met. “I love you, Heather.”
At his words, tears began to flow freely down her cheeks. “I love you too. I have since I first arrived, and you couldn’t talk to me because your mother had too much to say.”
“Maybe we shouldn’t have either of our mothers living with us. They could get a house together, and my mother could take care of your mother.” He grinned at her, and she laughed softly.
“We can’t get rid of your mother! She’s teaching me so many things! I learned to knit just last week.”
“Mother loves teaching you,” he said. “She’s really happy you came here and not someone else. Or she was until your mother came, but I’m sure she’s back to loving you like her own.”
“I probably should have told her all about my mother when I first arrived in Clover Creek. I just didn’t want her to think less of me.”
Patrick nodded. “I think you’ve grown in both of our eyes now. I don’t know how or why I ever doubted you. Will you forgive me?”
“Of course I will. If you get rid of my mother soon.”
“Let’s go up and talk to her right now. I would love to be able to drive into Clover Creek and leave her there.”
“Nothing would make me happier.”
Hand-in-hand, they walked back to the house, passing his mother in the parlor and went straight up the stairs. As they approached the room where her mother was, Heather straightened her spine.
Once in the room, the two of them looked down at her mother, who looked perfectly healthy. “Mother, I gave you my location so you would no longer worry about me, and we could correspond. It was not an invitation to come here and pretend to be ill again. I’m not spending the rest of my life taking care of you. I’m married now. My duty is to my husband. I would greatly appreciate it if you would get out of that bed and get yourself downstairs. Patrick is ready to take you back to the boarding house in town.”
Her mother stared at her for a moment before pouting. “But Heather, I am truly ill. I ache everywhere.”
“You ache because it’s been over ten years since you’ve done any real work. It’s normal, and it’s called working. Now, please get out of this bed, before I have Patrick throw you over his shoulder and carry you downstairs and deposit you in the back of the wagon.”
“You wouldn’t!” Mother said, looking very offended at the prospect.
Patrick leaned over and grabbed his mother-in-law by the waist and threw her over his shoulder. “Would you get the door for me, love?”
Heather hurried and opened the bedroom door, and then she rushed down the stairs so she could open the front door. Sally barely looked up from the booties she was knitting. She did call out, “Goodbye, Caroline!”
Dumping Heather’s mother into the back of the wagon he’d hitched before supper, he looked at his wife. “Would you like to ride along with me?”
“Certainly. That would be lovely.”
Once she was in the wagon seat with him, he smiled at her. “I’m glad you’re going for a ride with me.”
The kicking and screaming from the back of the wagon had reached a volume that was truly offensive. “Mother, you need to be quiet. You don’t want the whole town to know what a terrible person you are, do you?”
Her mother quieted after that, but nothing else was said. When they were in front of the boarding house, Patrick asked, “Do I need to carry you inside? Or do you think you can find some dignity and make it in on your own. I truly don’t mind either way.”
Caroline huffed, but she got out of the back of the wagon and walked toward the boarding house with her head held high.
When she was just about to reach the door, Heather shouted, “Oh, Mother?”
When her mother turned to look at her, she had an expression on her face that told Heather she thought all was well between them.
