Only For Love (A Novella)

Only For Love - Chapter Nine

"Papa!" 

Richard glanced towards the door as his children bounded into his room. They both climbed onto his bed, and sat on their knees, side by side, watching him tie his cravat. Each were dressed in new bright white clothes, "You two look very handsome." 

"You too, papa." Katherine said as Caleb stood and began jumping on the bed behind her. She climbed off the bed, and walked to her fathers side, her head barely coming to his waist, "You are getting married today." 

"Yes, I know, Kathy." 

"Papa?" 

He looked down into her big blue eyes, "Yes, Kathy." 

"Why is mama sad?" 

He knelt beside her, "Mama is sad?" 

Katherine nodded, "She is very pretty in her wedding dress, but she is crying." 

"Is she?" 

"Did you make her sad, papa?" 

He sighed, dropped his chin to his chest a moment before looking back to his daughter, "Yes, I think I did." 

"Papa," Katherine hiked her small fists on her hips, "nanny says if we do something that makes someone sad, we have to apologize." 

"I know, but I do not think that is going to help." He studied his daughter as she pouted. His precious little girl, who had perfected her speech because her brother could not. She forced herself to do better because her brother could not. 

Frank Young's parting words floated through is mind. What would he do? Would he allow Katherine to marry a man he knew would hurt her?

Tiny hands cupped his cheeks, "Papa, you are not listening to me." 

"Kathy, I fear that if I apologize to Clara, and I fix what I did wrong, she will leave us." 

"The last day we went to the lake, before the snow came, I wanted to take a turtle home, but mama would not let me." 

"No?" 

Katherine shook her head, "No, she said the turtle would be happier with his family in the lake. She asked me if I wanted the turtle to be sad." She frowned, "I don't want mama to be sad." 

Richard pulled his daughter close, "I do not either." 

Turning to her brother, Katherine called to him, and the two ran from the room. Richard straightened and studied himself in the mirror. What had he become?

Leaving his bedroom, he hurried down the stairs to the foyer, "Titus." He called as he reached the first floor. 

Suddenly, he was flat on his back, looking up at the big blacksmith, and rubbing his jaw, "I told you," the big man growled, "to let her leave, not to break her." 

Footmen ran forward to restrain the big man, but Richard waved a hand to keep them back. He struggled to his feet, and found himself on his back again. 

"Pa!" Sarah ran down the stairs, grabbing onto her father's arm as he tried to reach for Richard again, "No, stop." 

"Bastard deserves..." 

"Pa, this is not going to help Clara." Pulling her father towards the back of the house, Sarah continued to sooth him. 

With the help of two footmen, Richard got to his feet, "Titus," the butler appeared at his side, "I want a carriage at the front ready to ride to London." Without waiting for a response, he turned and ran up the stairs.

*****

"Dry those silly tears."

Clara sniffled, and wiped her tears on a kerchief, "I'm sorry, Grandmother Agatha. I cannot seem to stop"