“I want to take care of you, Kate. What nearly happened today, plus the fiasco with Eric Wilson, should tell you something.”
She stared at him, feeling lost and disoriented. “There are women in this community, women my age, who already have children.” Even as she spoke, she knew she wasn’t making sense.
Luke blinked in confusion. “You want children? Great, so do I. In fact, I’m hoping we’ll have several.”
“That’s not what I meant,” Kate said, exasperated. She tried again. “These women don’t live with a guardian.” Was that clearer? she wondered.
“Of course they don’t—they’re married,” Luke countered sharply.
Kate shut her eyes. “Don’t you understand? I’m old enough to be on my own. I don’t need someone to protect me.”
“We’re not discussing your age.”
“You don’t love me,” she blurted. “You feel sorry for me, that’s all. You think because Clay’s married to Rorie and…and Dad married Dorothea that I don’t have anyone. But I do! There’s Linda and lots of other friends. I’ve got a good life. I don’t need to get married.”
Luke sprang from the chair and walked to the sink, pressing both hands against the edge, hunching his shoulders, his back toward her. He said nothing for several minutes and when he finally spoke, his voice was cool, detached. “All I can say is that you must feel a lot more strongly about this than I realized. Apparently you’re willing to risk your life to get away from me.”
“I didn’t go to town knowing I was in any danger,” she objected, but he didn’t seem to hear.
“Then leave, Kate. I won’t try to keep you any longer, despite the fact that I love you and want to marry you. If you want your independence so badly, then take it.”
“Luke, please, you don’t love me—not the way you should.”
“Oh, and what do you know about that? Obviously nothing.”
“I know you keep saying you want to take care of me.”
“That’s so wrong?”
“Yes! A woman needs more. She needs to be an equal. She—”
“My love and my life are all I’ve got to offer you, Kate,” he broke in. “It’s a take-it-or-leave-it proposition.”
“That’s not fair,” she said. “You make it sound as though I’m going to live my life alone if I don’t marry you within the next ten minutes.”
Slowly he turned to face her. His eyes were piercing and as dark as she’d ever seen them. “Fine. You’ve made your choice. I’m not going to stand here arguing with you. It’s over, Kate. This is the last time we’ll talk about marriage.”
She tried to say something, but couldn’t think coherently. Even if she’d been able to work out her thoughts and give them voice, she doubted Luke was in any mood to listen. He avoided looking at her as he stalked out of the house.
A fire was blazing in the fireplace and Kate stretched out on the nearby sofa, intending to mull over Luke’s words. But her eyes felt as heavy as her heart, and almost as soon as she laid her head on the pillow, she was asleep.
Someone working in the kitchen stirred Kate to wakefulness, and when she glanced at her watch she was shocked to see that she’d slept for almost two hours.
Her heart soared when she thought it must be Luke. He’d been so angry with her earlier, although she supposed his anxiety about finding her in the snowstorm explained his attitude. She hoped they could clear the air.
But it wasn’t Luke. Instead, Rorie peered into the living room, her eyes concerned.
“I hope you don’t mind. Luke let me in.”
“You’re always welcome here, Rorie, you know that.”
“Bill Schmidt called with an incredible story about you being lost in the storm. I could hardly believe it. Clay drove me over as soon as he could, but to be honest I don’t know who was worse off—you or Luke.”
At the mention of his name, Kate lowered her gaze to the multicolored quilt spread across her lap. Idly she smoothed the wrinkles, trying not to think about Luke.
“How are you feeling?”
“I’m okay. I just have a headache.”
“A bad one from the look of you. I’ve never seen you this pale.”
Kate’s hands twisted the edge of the homemade quilt. “Luke was furious with me for going into town—I found an apartment, Rorie. He said it was over between us.” She began to cry. “He said he’d be glad when I was gone and that he’d…never bother me again.” By the time Kate had finished, her voice was reduced to a hoarse whisper.