Chapter 3

Katelyn chewed her bottom lip as she watched the porters sorting through the trunks and luggage from the train. This little white lie of hers was spinning way out of control. There had to be a way of salvaging this without upsetting her mother. And Mr. Barkley hadn't said anything yet, but she was sure she would lose her job over this. She understood how he felt because she had felt the same way when the nurse had congratulated her on her marriage. How could she have let Jenny talk her into this? It was suppose to be so simple, but it was far from simple now.

She saw her mother's trunk and started to reach for it, but a hand stopped her.

"Let me get that for you," the deep voice said, sending tingling sensations all through Katelyn's body. She looked up into Jarrod Barkley's smiling face, loving the even row of white teeth that shown through.

"Thank you," she managed, feeling humiliation wash through her.

"You're welcome. Any others?" he asked.

Katelyn shook her head. They were standing alone, her mother having gone to sit in the hired carriage to wait for them.

"Mr. Barkley, I'm so sorry for this...misunderstanding."

"You really should call me Jarrod. Especially since we are married." He smiled at her and she couldn't believe how calm he seemed.

"I can explain."

He made a tsking noise. "A wife shouldn't keep secrets from her husband."

Katelyn stared at him. How could he tease her at a time like this?

"Please let me explain."

Jarrod smiled again and said, "I look forward to your explanation, but right now I think we should get your mother home. She's looking tired."

Katelyn continued to stare at him. He had come and taken charge of the situation with ease just as he had done when the cat scratched her.

"So you're not going to say anything to my mother?"

Gazing into her upturned face, he winked at her. "Your secret is safe with me."

"Thank you, Mr. Barkley. I promise to come up with something to get you out of this."

As he bent down to pick up the small trunk, she thought she heard him say, "No rush," but she couldn't be sure.

"Which carriage is yours, kitten?" he asked and she whipped her head around to stare at him.

Kitten?!

"I thought you had to go to the...office. Let us drop you off." There. That would get him out of this mess. She breathed a sigh of relief.

"Oh, no. Work can wait until later. Family is more important you know, darling," he said giving her one of his most charming smiles.

Darling?! Katelyn was having a hard time figuring out why he was willing to play along. She found herself getting lost in his deep blue eyes...

"Excuse me, dear. I know you're just as surprised to see your husband as I am, but you can stare at him at home. His arms are going to fall off if he holds that trunk any longer!" Katelyn's mom said. She had come to see what was taking so long.

"Oh, yeah. Uh..let's go." She shook her head and walked toward the waiting carriage. The driver took the trunk from Jarrod and placed it with the other luggage. Jarrod helped Carol in and then reached for Katelyn's hand. She allowed him to help her into the carriage and then he joined them.

"Are we still going to Baker Street?" the driver asked, having recognized Jarrod and knowing he lived on Nob Hill.

Katelyn's eyes widened as Jarrod said yes and off they went.

"You saved my life you know," Carol said to Jarrod.

"Oh, how so?" he asked.

"Cutting the engagement short and rushing the wedding. The doctors didn't give me much hope. I wish I had been there. But you know that. Kate said it was your idea to marry before she came to visit me in Denver. I felt so at ease knowing she had a nice man to look after her. Then I thought about the grandchildren I might never see and that pulled me through. I would like to order at least a half dozen, please."

"Mother!" Katelyn said, feeling the color rise in her cheeks.

"Well, you have talked about children, haven't you? I want to be a doting grandmother and I can't do that unless I have grandchildren."

"We are going to wait a while," Katelyn said through gritted teeth.

"Since the wedding was so hurried, we thought we should wait a while before having children. I travel back and forth between Stockton and San Francisco a lot right now anyway. I don't want Kate to go through her confinement all by herself," Jarrod said, looking at his "wife". Katelyn noticed he called her "Kate" and she felt her heart quicken at the nickname.

"Well, I think you should settle down in one place now. Choose either Stockton or San Francisco, but you should stop all of the traveling-"

"Mother, please," Katelyn said, exasperated. She rubbed her forehead feeling a headache coming on. What in the world had she done?