A Place of Refuge. Janet Lee Barton

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СКАЧАТЬ sleepy again,” Kathleen said as Mrs. Heaton plumped her pillow once more.

      “I’m afraid I tired you out with all my talking earlier, dear.”

      “Oh, no. I’m sure it’s the medicine.”

      “Could be. But the doctor said rest was the best for you right now. You let yourself sleep whenever you can. I’ll go let Luke know how you are doing today.”

      “Luke?”

      “Luke Patterson. He helped me get you upstairs last night. He’s the young man who came to your defense that day in the park last summer.”

      Memories crept in. Of strong arms picking her up and holding her close, of not wanting to let go of his hand. They came to her now, as did that day in the park when the handsome man had tried to help her and Colleen. They were one and the same? “He lives here?”

      “Yes, he does. And I know he was quite worried about you last night. You wouldn’t let go of his hand for the longest time. I must let him know you are on the mend. I’ll be back with some lunch a little later. You get some rest now.” Mrs. Heaton slipped out the bedroom door.

      Kathleen leaned back against the pillows and released a pent-up breath. The hammering she had felt no longer pounded in her head, but in her chest. Luke Patterson. The man who’d become her hero in one brief encounter and whom she’d dreamed about several times since then had a name. And he lived here.

      Kathleen’s memories were so jumbled in with her dreams and nightmares of the night before, she wasn’t sure what was real and what wasn’t. But evidently, hearing that deep, husky voice she’d become familiar with in her dreams and the comforting feeling of being lifted and carried gently in a pair of strong arms hadn’t been a dream at all.

      * * *

      “Man in the hall,” Mrs. Heaton called as she led Luke up the stairs. She’d finally given in to his wish to see how Kathleen was doing for himself, although it’d taken a lot of persuasion to get her to agree.

      Luke heard several doors slam as they reached the landing and he was sure the women weren’t thrilled with his invasion into their domain. He looked straight ahead as he followed Mrs. Heaton to the room she’d given Miss O’Bryan.

      He waited as his landlady knocked on the door. “Kathleen, dear, it’s Mrs. Heaton. May I come in? I’ve brought you supper.”

      “Yes, ma’am. Of course you may,” Kathleen answered.

      Luke opened the door for his landlady and stood to the side while she entered. She turned to him. “You stay right here until I see if she’s up to seeing you.”

      “Yes, ma’am.” Luke hoped that she was, for he wouldn’t barge in on his own, but he felt the need to see her, to hear her voice, to make sure she was all right.

      It was but a few minutes before Mrs. Heaton returned. “You may see Miss O’Bryan, but not for long. She’s still recovering, you know.”

      Luke nodded and entered the room with Mrs. Heaton right behind him as decorum demanded. Kathleen was propped up against a pile of pillows, covers pulled up to her neck. As he got closer he could see the bruising was still evident, maybe even worse than the night before, but her coloring seemed much better.

      “This is Luke Patterson, Kathleen. He’s not let me rest until I finally said he could come see for himself that you are improving. He’s the young man we talked about earlier.”

      “Yes, I remember.”

      She looked up at him and for a moment Luke felt he might drown in the deep ocean blue-green of her eyes.

      “Thank you so much for coming to my aid that day in the park and again last night.”

      “You’re more than welcome, Miss O’Bryan. You look... I...” Luke was at a loss for words. He couldn’t say she looked wonderful, for she still looked battered and bruised. “Ah, better.”

      “It’s all right, Mr. Patterson. I know how I look. But rest assured, I’ll recover and be the stronger for it all.”

      The lilting sound of her Irish accent made him smile. “I can see that by the glint in your eyes and I’m glad for your attitude. You were brought to the right place. Mrs. Heaton is going to take good care of you.”

      “She already has been,” Miss O’Bryan said.

      Luke nodded. “I can see that. I’m sure she’ll have you joining us for dinner in no time.”

      “That’s what Mrs. Heaton keeps telling me.”

      “You’ll find that she is rarely wrong. I look forward to seeing you downstairs soon.”

      “Thank you.”

      “She’ll be joining us soon,” Mrs. Heaton said with a smile. “But it’s time for you to go, Luke. The girls will be wanting to go down to dinner soon.”

      “Yes, ma’am.” Luke smiled at Miss O’Bryan and gave a little nod. “Good night.”

      “Good night. Thank you for checking on me.”

      “You’re welcome. Hopefully, you’ll feel even better tomorrow.” He turned to Mrs. Heaton. “Thank you for letting me see for myself that she is on the mend.”

      “You’re welcome, Luke. Please tell the other men dinner will be served soon.”

      “Yes, ma’am.” He resisted the urge to look at Kathleen once more and headed out the door, releasing a sigh as he headed down the stairs. She was going to be all right. And he was going to see she stayed that way.

      Chapter Two

      Kathleen leaned a little closer to the mirror. After almost a week her bruises were fading, but not fast enough. Mrs. Heaton had assured her that she only looked as if she’d been sick recently, but was on the mend. Kathleen hoped she was right because she’d agreed to have dinner downstairs with the other boarders tonight. If she was going to stay here, she figured she might as well get to know them.

      She picked up the letter from her sister that’d been delivered the day before. While it did give her comfort to have word from Colleen, her heart twisted at the realization that she didn’t know when she would be seeing her sister or her nephews again.

      Kathleen sighed and reread the words once more.

      Dear Kathleen,

      Mrs. Driscoll has told me that you are healing and in the safest place you could be in this city. It relieves my heart to know that. I don’t want you to worry about the boys and me. We are all right. Clancy knows how upset I am about what he did to you and is trying to make it up to me. He’s found a job, but he is insistent that you not come back and I feel you are better off away from here. We can keep in touch through Mrs. Walsh. Just use her address next door and she’ll get your letter to me. I’ll send mine through her, too.

      The boys and I miss you, but one day we’ll find a way to get together again, even if just for a short while. Until then, take care of yourself and know that I love you.

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