Murdoch left soon after breakfast, to go to town and wait for the stage that Katherine was to arrive on.
Maria had left preparations for a simple, cold lunch, and was leaving to go help her married daughter with her new baby.
"Puedes manejar?" Maria was asking Teresa.
"Yes. We'll be alright," Teresa said. "Charlie can help me. Can't you, Charlie?"
Charlie nodded, as she was nibbling on a fresh doughnut.
"Yes, you help," Maria said to Charlie, in English.
Charlie nodded, again.
Once Maria had gone, Teresa put Charlie to work dusting in the great room, and in Murdoch's study.
Charlie set off obediently with her dust cloth in hand, but only after saying, "You go to way too much trouble whenever Katherine
comes here," to Teresa.
"She's a guest, Charlie," Teresa said. "And, guests should be treated with courtesy. It's not that much trouble to heat
up some ham, and do a little dusting."
"I know, but-" Charlie began, but then paused. "I just don't want her to think-" Again, she paused, and this time she didn't
start talking again. She just gave Teresa a beseeching sort of a look.
"You don't want her to think that she's an exactly welcome sort of a guest," Teresa stated, correctly guessing at Charlie's
unspoken meaning.
"Well-what's so bad about that?" Charlie countered. "She's not, is she? I mean-nobody really wants her to come and visit here,
do they? I know I don't, and Johnny doesn't like her. I know he calls her 'the dragon lady'. I've heard him before, when he didn't know
I was listening in. And Scott doesn't, either, even though he doesn't say so. And Murdoch's just being polite, because she's a guest, like you said."
Charlie lifted her shoulders in a shrug. "So-that leaves you-and I know you don't like her, either. That's all that I mean."
Teresa was trying to appear stern, Charlie could tell. "I don't especially like her, Charlie. You're right. And you're probably right about
Murdoch and Scott, too. But, the fact remains that Murdoch wants any guest in this house to be treated with a certain amount of
courtesy, and hospitality. And Scott expects you to behave. You know that. I don't think you want to disregard either of those things, do
you?"
Charlie shook her head slightly.
"Murdoch and Scott both do a lot for you," Teresa said, still sounding firm, yet softer. "And, they don't really ask a whole lot in return,
do they?"
Charlie felt her face flush hot, ashamed. "No," she admitted.
"Scott's already told you. It's one afternoon. Then she'll go back to Stockton, until the next time she decides to visit. You can manage yourself,
and be polite. Can't you?"
"Yes. I can," Charlie said, still feeling shamed.
Teresa reached out and cupped Charlie's chin in her hand. "I know you will," she said, gently now. "Now go do the dusting, will you, please?"
Charlie nodded, and looked into the older girl's face.
"Sorry, Teresa," she said.
"You don't have to tell me sorry," Teresa said, and reached out to pull Charlie in for a tight hug, and then put her hands on Charlie's shoulders,
looking down into her face. "But, I will say this. You'd better hope that none of the Lancer men find out you were eavesdropping to know what Johnny said about Katherine. That would get you a peck of trouble."
"You aren't gonna tell?" Charlie asked, feeling confident that she already knew her secret was safe with Teresa.
"No, silly goose, I'm not. Go and do the dusting."
L
Charlie was upstairs changing out of her overalls, when she heard the buggy wheels crunching up the lane to the house. She went to look out
the window, pulling the curtain back just a bit, so that she wouldn't be seen, standing there in her chemise and bloomers.
And, there Katherine was. Bright in her dress of vivid red. Charlie would have bet her allowance that it was silk material.
Murdoch was handing Katherine down from the buggy, offering his hand for support. Katherine had her sight set on the house, seemingly
taking it all in.
Charlie sighed, and dropped the curtain corner. "She's seen it before," Charlie muttered to herself. "Acts like she's seein' it for the first
time." She went to her tall dresser and opened the doors, surveying the dresses that hung there. She sighed again, and took out a dress
reluctantly. Considering it, a blue dress, with ruffles of lace at the edge of the sleeves, and beads on the collar, Charlie rolled her eyes, and hung it back up again.
"Too fancy," she said, aloud. Instead, she chose a pale yellow dress, with less adornment. One of her school dresses.
She washed her hands and face in the bowl of water on the small table, and dried them, before pulling on the yellow dress, stockings and her shoes. She had to leave the bottom two buttons of the dress undone, unable to reach and used to Teresa's help for such. Then she swiftly began to brush out her snarled hair, the brush pulling awfully.
There was a light tap on her door then, and Charlie said, "Come in."
The door opened and Scott stepped just inside. "Katherine's here," he said.
"Yes, I saw," Charlie said. "I'm just brushing my hair."
Scott came into the room a bit further. "You look nice," he said.
"Thank you. I can't do my two bottom buttons," Charlie said. "Can you help?"
Scott walked to where she stood, in front of her dressing mirror. He moved her hair from atop the buttons on the back of her dress,
and finished doing them up.
"There you go," he said.
"Thank you," Charlie said, again. She began brushing at her curls. "I just gotta finish brushing." She winced at a painful snarl. "Ow, oh."
"Want help with that too?" Scott asked, looking a bit amused.
"Yes, please," Charlie said, handing off the hairbrush to him. Scott twirled his index finger in a signal for her to turn around.
When she had her back to him, and he'd begun to work the brush thru her hair, Charlie looked at him in the reflection of the mirror.
"How is Katherine?" she asked.
"She seems well," Scott said.
Charlie studied his expression in the mirror., and was quiet for a few moments. "It's just an afternoon," she said, to him, and to herself.
Scott finished brushing and smoothed her hair down with his hand, and then looked at her in the mirror. "That's right. Just an afternoon," he said,
and smiled at her.
L
She and Scott walked down the stairs and to Murdoch's study together. For a reason Charlie didn't understand, she felt a flicker
of nervousness before entering the room. Katherine was seated on one of the sofas, while Murdoch sat in the large chair opposite her.
Teresa was sitting on the other end of the sofa, pouring coffee from a pot into one of the china cups that Maria cared for so carefully.
She was offering it to Katherine, who took it when her gaze fell on Charlie.
"Here she is," Murdoch said, with a smile at Charlie.
"Hello, Charlotte," Katherine said.
Still holding Scott's hand, Charlie said, "Hello."
"You've grown," Katherine said, sounding surprised.
"She's growing like a weed," Murdoch said.
"Yes." Katherine stood. "You must have grown an inch, at the very least."
Not knowing what to really say, Charlie didn't answer. She looked up towards Scott, still feeling that nervousness about
Katherine.
"Before we know it, Charlie's going to be as tall as Teresa," Scott said, and squeezed Charlie's hand.
"I imagine so," Katherine said. "I've brought you something, Charlotte. Will you come and sit beside me?"
Charlie swept her eyes up to Scott again, just for a moment, and then she went to sit where between Teresa and Katherine.
Katherine reached to her other side and produced a package wrapped in plain brown paper. She handed it to Charlie.
"I hope you like it," Katherine said.
A present? She couldn't remember Katherine ever giving her a present before. Well, of course on Christmas or on her birthday, she had
given lacy dresses or frilly undergarments, or piano music, but never a 'just because' gift. And this one wasn't clothing, Charlie was sure of that,
because it was solid. It felt like a book.
She tore the paper and saw that it was a copy of Ivanhoe. The first book that Scott had chosen when they'd begun their reading time
together, months ago, when she'd first come to Lancer to stay. It was from this that she'd chosen the name of Gurth for her horse. This book
was on Murdoch's shelf right now, on the row of books that Charlie put the ones that she and Scott had completed, so as to keep progress.
Still, Charlie knew her manners. She knew was was expected of her. It would be impolite to say she'd already read the book, and so instead
she said simply, "Thank you."
"I thought you were of an age to begin reading books that aren't so childish," Katherine went on, obviously feeling pleased with herself.
Charlie would have liked to point out that she hadn't been reading 'childish' books for quite some time. She would have liked to have told
Katherine all of the classic books that she'd already finished, but, again, she knew she shouldn't. Couldn't.
So-instead, she said, "Thank you," yet again.
"You are welcome," Katherine said, and took a sip of the coffee she had in the china cup.
"Tell me about school," Katherine instructed.
So, Charlie told her briefly about the new teacher they had now, not mentioning the previous disastrous Miss Hummel.
Charlie had begun to lower her reservations a bit. Maybe, just maybe, Katherine was going to be pleasant enough this time. Not criticize or
insult...
Then Katherine addressed herself to Scott. "I gather that you're still feeling confident in this country school you have here in your town? You
believe that the education received here can be worthy?"
Charlie felt her pique take hold, but looked to Scott to see what he would respond.
"I do," Scott said, simply.
"The opportunities for advancement would seem to be less here, than in a larger school somewhere," Katherine continued.
"The school here is fine," Charlie defended, before she could stop herself. "There's not one thing wrong with it-"
Teresa pressed a warning hand onto Charlie's knee.
"Charlie," Scott said, quietly, and Charlie looked to where Scott was half-sitting, half-leaning, on the edge of Murdoch's large desk. That was all his
said, but it was enough.
Charlie flushed hot, but pressed her lips together tightly.
"We're satisfied with the school here," Scott said to Katherine. "Charlie's progressing well."
"Well," Katherine said, but then dropped that topic, going on to talk of other things. Questions about the ranch. Number of cattle, and such
as that. She sounded interested, but Charlie doubted that she was, really. In her opinion, Katherine was being her "social" self, the face she
put on at parties and other social events, where she pretended to be interested in whatever the other person was saying, but really, she was
only pretending...
"Charlie," Teresa said, nudging Charlie's knee to get her attention, and Charlie realized that someone had asked her something, but she'd been so
involved in her own thoughts she hadn't realized.
"Yes?" Charlie asked, not sure who to answer.
"I was asking you about if you've been going to any social events," Katherine was saying.
For a moment, Charlie was nonplussed. What Katherine considered socially acceptable events-well.
"We attend church regularly," Teresa said, helping Charlie out. "And Charlie's been invited to friend's houses."
"I see," Katherine said, sounding as though she found church and meals with friends lacking somehow. "Well, that's fine."
"Charlie's helped with hostessing when we've had some gatherings here," Murdoch spoke up. "She's been a very large help to us."
Charlie smiled at Murdoch, as Katherine said, now sounding approving. "That's good."
"I'm surprised you managed to intice her into helping play hostess," Katherine said. "Charlie, you never wanted to do that when you
were with me."
Without thinking first, Charlie said, "It's not the same at all."
"Oh?" Katherine asked, raising an eyebrow. Charlie met her eyes, and knew that Katherine was going to press the issue, and try to
make herself look better.
"I certainly gave you every opportunity," Katherine began, but Scott intervened before it could go further.
"Charlie, why don't you show Katherine some of your essays that you've written?" Scott suggested.
"Oh," Charlie said. "Alright." She didn't think Katherine would be particularly interested in any of the school essays, but it was better
than talking about those miserable evenings with crowds of company at Katherine's house.
She went to Murdoch's desk, where she retrieved a couple of her papers, and brought them to Katherine.
"I'll get our lunch on the table," Teresa said, standing. "Do you want to help me, Charlie? I could sure use your help."
Charlie looked at Teresa gratefully. "Yes, I'll help," she said.
She was glad to escape to the kitchen with Teresa. For the first time in the last hour, she felt as though she could take a deep
breath.
"What do you want me to do?" she asked Teresa.
"Just get out the plates. I've got everything nearly done. I just thought you might want to have a bit of a breather," Teresa said.
Impulsively, gratefully, Charlie wrapped her arms around Teresa's waist, and hugged the older girl hard.
"It's alright, Charlie," Teresa said, squeezing Charlie in return and with understanding. "You're doing fine."
"You think so?"
"I do," Teresa affirmed.
"I guess I said too much-about the school," Charlie said, going to take down the plates from the cabinet, and thinking of how Scott had
uttered the quiet correction.
"Don't fret about it," Teresa advised.
They set the table, and carried in the ham which had been heating in the oven, and basket of rolls, with the cut-up fruit salad.
"Do you want to tell them we're ready to eat?" Teresa asked.
Charlie said okay, and went to the door of the library. She relayed that lunch was ready, and Katherine stood, walking with Murdoch
to the dining room table. Scott walked with Charlie, and when she looked up at him, he smiled at her.
"Where's Johnny?" Charlie asked Scott, though softly.
"Off somewhere looking for a Mustang that he spotted a few days ago."
"Oh," Charlie said. And, then, under her breath, she said, "Lucky."
Lancer