Free Saturday's Child by Dallas Schulze Page A

to tell him of Ann's wedding. Winter still held the ranch in its grip and he'd not been home in nearly three years.
    Within him there'd grown a need to find someone to share his life with, someone to celebrate the new calves in spring and curse the early frost in autumn.
    Someone who could make his simple house into a home. A woman who could work beside him.
    But his grandfather had been right when he said that this was the wrong place to find such a woman. Why hadn't it occurred to him that a woman of his own class would never consent to live in the kind of primitive surroundings he could offer?
    "Are you thinking of your ranch?" Katie's quiet question made him realize how long he'd been standing there, wrapped in thought.
    He turned, smiling in apology. "I do believe I've spent too much time alone. I've forgotten my manners. Yes, I was thinking of my ranch."
    "You've not said much about it. Is Wyoming a pretty land?"
    "Pretty? No, I don't think you'd call it that. Wild, exciting, stunning perhaps but not pretty. It's too big, too raw for that."
    "And you love it for its wildness."
    "Yes. I suppose I do. There's something exciting about a land that won't ever be tamed. It's a constant challenge."
    "It seems to me that land is the one constant thing. The one thing you can depend on to always be there. A place you can sink roots and grow." She leaned her head back against the chair, her hands idle in her lap, her eye dreamy. Looking at her, Quentin noticed her pallor for the first time. There were dark circles under her eyes.
    "You look as if you've not slept."
    Katie shrugged, uncomfortable beneath his concerned regard. "I'll sleep tomorrow. There's still much to be done."
    "And I'm keeping you from it."
    "That's not what I meant."
    "But it's the truth. I'll leave you and let you finish your work. I suppose I can find somewhere else to hide from the turmoil. I thank you for the moment's respite you've provided."
    Walking down the narrow flight of stairs, Quentin found himself wondering just what had possessed him to seek out Katie McBride. Certainly, if any of his family should discover it, they'd think he'd gone quite mad. Stepping into the second floor hall, he nearly bumped into Edith, who was carrying a tray full of used dishes.
    "Mr. Sterling, sir." Edith bobbed an awkward curtsy. Since their luncheon together, she'd not known quite how to treat him.
    "Edith. Just the person I was looking for. I'd like you to have cook make up a tray—just some soup and bread. Oh, and one of the cherry tarts we had at lunch. If she argues, tell her it's for me."
    "Yes, sir. Do you want it brought to your room?"
    "Take it up to Katie. I don't think she's bothered to eat today."
    "No, she hasn't. I was going to take her something just as soon as I could."
    "Well, do it now and tell anyone who argues that it's on my orders. After all, we both know how important lunch can be." Edith smiled at the reminder of their small adventure.
    "Yes, sir. That we do. I'll take a tray up to her right away."
    Quentin watched her hurry off before starting toward his grandfather's room. But he'd gone only a step when he heard a most unwelcome voice.
    "You're wise to keep the girl's strength up, cousin."
    Stiffening, Quentin turned to look at his cousin who slithered out of the reading alcove that had concealed him.
    "Joseph."
    "Quentin." Joseph mocked his cousin's cold greeting. "I doubt that Aunt Sylvie would approve, you know. Not in her own household. She's one to think that that sort of thing should be handled outside the hallowed doors of domestic bliss."
    "I'm afraid I haven't the least idea what you're talking about." Quentin brushed a piece of lint off the sleeve of his pale gray jacket.
    "There's no use pretending with me, cousin. I saw that girl get out of your carriage last week and you've just come from visiting her. Rather handy, her having a room all to herself like that. Tell me, is she as fiery as that hair promises?"
    The look in Quentin's