Free Kate's Song by Jennifer Beckstrand Page B

but sincere gratitude in return. One elderly woman told Kate her singing took the pain away and asked her to hurry back. Was this how she should be using her talents?
    No matter what Aaron or Ada or anyone else believed about her motives, she yearned to know the mind of Heavenly Father concerning her life. When she peeled away the layers of her choices, His will lay at the heart of it all. She would do anything God asked of her. That intense yearning was the reason Nathaniel said she would surely get an answer. “‘If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not, and it shall be given him,’” he had repeated to her on more than one occasion.
    Running her hand over a charming pink-and-purple quilt on one of the tables, Kate decided it would be the perfect pattern. Not too difficult but quite beautiful. She lifted it from the pile and found a place to sit on a small wooden chair tucked between two rows of plump quilts. The pattern was a series of butterflies cleverly sewn from a combination of squares and triangles. Kate smiled. She could stitch straight lines with proficiency. Matching corners was another story, but Anna could see to those details.
    “Titus put my sewing machine into good shape again. Gute thing, because the girls need new school dresses for the fall.”
    Two ladies—Kate couldn’t tell whom—wandered down the row behind her. She listened to their friendly chatter as she drew the butterfly pattern into her notebook. She didn’t really pay attention to what they said until she heard her name.
    “Our church is at Weavers’, Lord willing. They have a nice big room for it.”
    “Weavers’? Have you seen Kate Weaver since her return? They say she had a time of it in Milwaukee. Someone beat her up.”
    Kate held her breath and clutched her hands together to keep from trembling.
    “Oh, Lisa, she looked something terrible. And she is such a pretty girl too. Her dat was fit to be tied.”
    “Seeing as how he probably bears the guilt of it. He should have put his foot down when she wanted to go off to that academy,” said Lisa. “My Adam never would have stood for it.”
    “What choice did Solomon have? He could not very well lock her in the house if she set her heart on going. Oh, look at this one. A double wedding ring.”
    Kate slunk down in her chair for fear of being seen.
    “That girl always had a rebellious spirit, Diann. Even in primary school I could see it—wanted to show off her talent and put herself above others simply because she could sing. Too vain for her own good.”
    Kate bit her lip as a growing ache throbbed in her chest.
    “She was proud of her talent.” A quilt swished close to Kate’s head. “But is there one among us who has not been guilty of pride? Kate is young. She will learn.”
    “I reckon she learned plenty at that academy,” Lisa said. “Ada told me she came back worldly and headstrong.” She lowered her voice. “Her dat must stiffen his spine and do what needs to be done to rein her in.”
    “Poor Emma, to have such a daughter.”
    “Miriam says the girl loves the world too much to be content with the Plain life. It is better that she leave us than stay and influence the young people.”
    Kate realized whom she was overhearing. Miriam was Nathaniel King’s mother, and Lisa Fisher was Miriam’s sister.
    “But has anyone tried to help her? Bring her back to the love of Christ?” Diann said.
    “It would do no good to try,” Lisa said. “She has already dug her hole deep enough. Unfortunately, my nephew has caught her eye, but we pray that will come to nothing. All Miriam can hope is that Kate will stay away from him.”
    Kate held her breath as she heard the two women move away. She had to flee before the sob that wanted to escape her lips gave her away. She slung the butterfly quilt over the chair and bolted for the door, making sure to keep her head low so that no one would catch a glimpse of her