Kate lay on her bed, her mind racing with possible scenarios about who the woman was. The hidden wife, secret girlfriend, jilted mistress—she couldn't decide, and none of the choices did anything toward making her feel any better.
She had things to do, and lying on her bed getting depressed didn't help at all. Kate went into the bathroom, washed her face, and glanced in the mirror at her red-rimmed eyes. She looked terrible, and she knew it. Pulling her hair back into a rough ponytail, she walked out to the kitchen.
"Feeling better now that you've had time to gather your wits?" Tilly asked from the stove.
"No, but what's the point anyway?" Kate wiped her hand over her eyes. She jammed her battered hat on her head and went out to the sheds to work until Tilly dished up dinner. Later, sitting at the table, she ate her food and tasting nothing while she brooded about Magnus.
The shrill ringing of the phone made her cringe, and she closed her eyes as the noise vibrated through her ears. Tilly got up to answer it and beckoned for Kate, holding the receiver out to her. Shaking her head, Kate turned away and listened to Tilly make her excuses.
"You have to talk to him sometime, Katie girl," she said when she returned to the table.
"No, I don't. He got what he wanted and so did I." She pushed her plate away, the thought of food making her feel physically ill. "I'm going for a walk."
Kate walked in the dark of the evening, alternating cursing and crying until exhausted, she headed for her bed. She hugged her pillow and fell into a restless sleep.
In the morning she crawled from her bed feeling worse than she had the night before.
"Didn't you sleep last night?" Tilly asked as soon as Kate walked into the kitchen for her breakfast. "You look like something the cat dragged in this morning. Are you sure you're not coming down with something?"
"I'll be fine." Kate rubbed her eyes with the heel of her hands. "If this is what falling in love does to you, you can keep it. I'd rather be a spinster the rest of my life."
She put her arms on the table and lay her head down, weary before the day started. Tilly stroked her hair and gently nudged her to sit up, putting breakfast in front of her. "Eat this, and you'll feel better. You have a lot to do today to get the cattle ready for branding, don't you?"
"Yeah, yeah, don't nag me." Kate looked at her plate and began forking bacon into her mouth. She took her time playing with the food on her plate, dreading facing the boys today. They always knew when something was wrong with her. They had worked here since she was a little girl, and there wasn't much she could hide from them.
She slipped her boots on and fixed her hat firmly on her head, then headed to the stables to get her mare. Kate kicked dust as she went across the drive. She tried to level her breathing and let go of yesterday's discovery and would give anything to have been wrong, On the same token she was glad that she knew now that he had someone else. It was going to be a hard day, and she would get through it. Kate wasn't the only person in the world who had sucked at love, but she was the only one she cared about.
By the time she came in that night she was hot, sweaty, filthy, and very tired. After she stabled her horse, she made her way to the house intent on walking straight into the shower and soaking away her aches and pains before crawling into her bed.
"Magnus called again," Tilly said as Kate pulled her boots off at the door.
"So?"
"He said if you don't call him back, he will expect to see you for dinner tonight, and if you don't come over, he will come and get you."
Kate stood and stared at her with her mouth open. "You have to be kidding, right?"
"No, just passing on the message. You do with it what you want. You always do." Tilly went about her business in the kitchen.
"Doesn't the guy have any principles?" Kate cried. "He has a wife and child, and he still wants me to come on over for a bit on the side? He's just plain disgusting."
"How do you know that?" Tilly looked over her shoulder at her. "Has he told you who she was, no. You've just presumed to put her with him. Maybe you should go over and see who she is; it might put your mind at ease once and for all." She went back to scrubbing furiously at the potatoes in the sink.
"Hey, why are you getting shitty with me? I haven't done anything wrong," Kate grumbled, her temper starting to simmer.
"Haven't you? Think about it. You've jumped to conclusions same as you always do without even giving him the benefit of the doubt. You are quite prepared to throw away what you might have together because you're too stubborn to sort it out with him. This is just so typical of you."
Kate stood at the door, ready to fly at Tilly, but respect for the women who had helped raise held her back. "I don't always jump to conclusions." Even to her own ears the words lacked conviction.
"You do and you know it. Now I suggest you have a shower, make yourself look decent, and go and have dinner with him. He just might surprise you."
Kate walked uncertainly to her bedroom. She didn't know what to do. She wanted to see him but dreaded hearing who the woman and child were. If they
