Ruse Read online

  “I absolutely do not want to go through with this.”

  Vera’s eyes widened.

  “But I must,” Katherine assured Vera before she got too attached to the idea that the plan had changed. “But only for Miranda’s sake. I never would have thought up such a scheme myself.”

  “I doubt you would have. You have a bright mind but not a scheming one. If Miranda had only used her brains for good and not for mischief, we would all be happier.”

  “True. But Miranda doesn’t mean any harm. I know she doesn’t. She’s just the playful type.”

  “You’re too forgiving.”

  “Maybe I am. But I’d rather be known as too forgiving than too judgmental.”

  “So there’s no way I can talk you out of this wild idea.”

  Katherine shook her head.

  Vera put up both hands in surrender. “Oh, all right. I can see there’s no drumming any sense into that hard head of yours. But I want you to know that the only reason I’m going along with this is because I know the concert will delight Alice and her husband.”

  “You’re a good sister to Alice. And a wonderful friend to me.”

  “I can only hope my gesture of friendship won’t be the ruination of you.” Vera pointed her forefinger at Katherine. “You are taking a mighty big chance of making a fool of yourself in front of everybody we care about. I know you have no idea how to play the harp. Does your family even own one?”

  “Uh, that’s another thing. I was hoping you could loan me yours so I can practice at home. I’ll borrow the one in the music closet at church to use that night. I’ll only need yours until Otis goes home.” She crossed her arms. “I know that fine instrument has been sitting idle ever since you went to Baltimore.”

  Vera set her gaze toward the parlor even though the harp wasn’t visible from the kitchen. “I admit I haven’t plucked the first note on it since I got back. Mrs. Alden preferred the pianoforte. For once, I was glad I had suffered through lessons with Mr. Montgomery all those years.”

  Katherine remembered the stern teacher and concurred with Vera’s sentiment. “I imagine Mrs. Alden misses you.”

  “I’m not so sure. I think she’s happy with her new daughter-in-law.”

  “Well, you have much better things to do than to be a companion for an elderly woman and her grumpy son.”

  A wry grin crossed Vera’s lips. “I imagine Raleigh is much less grumpy now that he’s found love.”

  “Hmm. Maybe so.” Katherine realized that Vera had adroitly led her onto another topical terrain. If she didn’t recover, she’d leave without the treasured instrument. “So you’ll let me take the harp? I promise to take the best care of it in the world.”

  “Oh, all right. But you must promise to return it as soon as Otis goes home.”

  “Of course.” Katherine rose from her seat and embraced her friend.

  ❧

  “Won’t you have another slice of peach preserve pie, Otis?” Looking pleased, Mother sliced her knife through a thick slab of iced dough and cut into the meats of soft fruit baked to a deep orange hue.

  Otis patted his stomach. “Oh, I don’t know, Mrs. Jones. I already ate one mighty big slice. And your fried chicken and mashed potatoes were simply splendid. I don’t believe I’ve ever tasted such marvelous yeast rolls since the days I was a boy eating Sunday dinner at my dear grandmother’s.” He looked skyward and lowered his voice to a somber tone. “May the Lord in heaven rest her sweet soul.”

  Mother straightened her lips into a respectful contour for a moment, then turned the corners of her mouth upward. “So you must have another roll in memory of your grandmother.”

  “I think I’ll take the pie instead.” He offered his dessert plate. “Thank you mightily.”

  Katherine suppressed a smile. Since his arrival, Otis had ingratiated himself to her mother by complimenting her appearance, housekeeping, and cooking. He had made friends with her father by fishing with him and helping tend to the livestock. And he still looked quite stylish and smart while doing so. She had expected him to wear his best clothes at first but to relax later in the visit. Yet to her surprise, Otis didn’t seem to own any clothing that wasn’t the latest fashion. Even his everyday clothing looked as though it had been sewn by an expert tailor using the finest fabrics. She marveled at his style.

  Nevertheless, Katherine could see through Otis’s affected appearance and flattery even if her mother could not. She realized he was trying to impress her by gaining her parents’ approval. Judging from Mother’s eager motion in placing another large slab of pie on his plate, Otis’s plan could be labeled a success.

  Father didn’t smile as he stirred three teaspoons of sugar and a generous stream of cream into a cup of rich black coffee. “Didn’t Christopher perform well in church last night?”

  “Christopher?” His name slid onto Katherine’s lips more easily than she meant. Otis peered at her from the corner of his eye. “Yes. He always sings well. Don’t you think so, Otis?” She sent him a smile she knew to be too bright.

  “I hadn’t heard him sing before last night, but I’ll take your word for it.”

  Katherine twisted her lips. Otis had perfected the art of withholding compliments from Christopher.

  “Yes, Christopher always sings for us at the midweek service. We missed him while he was away studying at college. He’s a fine boy,” Father added.

  Katherine tried not to cringe. She knew this was her father’s way of advising her not to make a decision too quickly. She felt heat rise as a flush of embarrassment covered her. She looked at Otis. If Father’s observations perturbed him, he didn’t show it. Perhaps his preoccupation with flattering Mother covered his vexation.

  Relieved that Father’s remark hadn’t started an unfortunate strain of discussion, Katherine picked at her sliver of pie and occupied her mind with other thoughts.

  ❧

  Immediately after Sunday school, Katherine rose from her seat. Miranda had been eyeing her all through the lesson, and Katherine wanted to make her escape before her friend could snag her. No doubt Miranda wanted to involve her in yet another scheme to fool Otis. Katherine’s plan almost worked, but Miranda caught up to her before Katherine could avoid her without being rude.

  “How is it going with Otis?” The man in question had carried a discussion on a minute theological point past the class hour and, just out of earshot, was making a brilliant argument before a rapt circle of their peers.

  Miranda ogled him dreamily. “He certainly is dashing, isn’t he?”

  Katherine glanced at him. “I suppose, in his way.”

  “And smart.” She stole another glance at the former sailor, then turned back to Katherine. “You don’t seem impressed.”

  Katherine deliberately kept her eyes from focusing on Otis and held her voice to a near whisper. She motioned for Miranda to join her in walking to the sanctuary. “He’s nice enough. He even brought me a beautiful collie.”

  Miranda took in a breath and kept pace. “He did? How marvelous.”

  “Yes, he is a gentleman. But. . .” Katherine didn’t want to tell Miranda that her war hero couldn’t hold a candle to Christopher.

  “But what?”

  “Never mind. What did you need to tell me?”

  “How did it go with the harp?”

  “Vera agreed to help.”

  “I knew she’d come through.” A mischievous light glowed in Miranda’s eyes and just as quickly dissipated. “But now we have another problem. Remember, he thinks you’re an expert horsewoman.”

  “Oh, no. I forgot all about that.” Katherine groaned. She looked her friend in the eye. “Miranda, this has gotten out of hand. I think we have to put a stop to it and confess all to Otis.”

  “No! Please don’t!” She ground her heel in the floor.

  “Then what am I to do?” Katherine peered at the front of the sanctuary and noticed that Otis had moved away from their friends and now occupied himself by conversing with her
parents since they had already taken their seats in a pew. Christopher, donned in a rich blue robe, had already positioned himself on the third row of the choir loft.

  “That’s what I wanted to talk to you about. I have a plan.”

  Katherine clutched her Bible. “I’m afraid to ask.”

  “Don’t worry. My idea is brilliant. If I may say so, you and I could be mistaken for sisters from a distance. So I have a simple plan. Next Thursday, when are your parents sure to be in the house—or at least nowhere near the stables?”

  Katherine thought. “A little before lunch, I suppose.”

  “Good. I’d like to come to the barns then. If you could dress in your riding habit, I’ll do the same, and we’ll look very much alike. At that point, all I have to do is take Ash out and jump a few hurdles. After that, I’ll disappear into the barn. Then you come out, pretending you’re the one who performed the jumps.”

  “I don’t know. I don’t think I like such an idea.”

  “Oh, please? For me? I promise you I’ll never ask another thing of you in my entire life!”

  Katherine sent her a reluctant nod and then hurried to sit beside Otis in the pew. Miranda strode to her place in the front row of the choir loft. They had just seated themselves when the pianist struck the first note of “Amazing Grace.”

  Katherine tried to concentrate on the sermon and sing with focus, but her mind was elsewhere during most of the service. As the benediction was said, she resolved to make amends by paying full attention the next week and at the Wednesday evening prayer service.

  To Katherine’s surprise, after worship Christopher caught up with her on their way out of church.

  She stopped by an aromatic rose bush near one of the front stained-glass windows and eyed his Sunday suit. Though not as fine as Otis’s, the cut flattered his muscular, trim, and tall form. “You slipped out of your choir robe fast enough.”

  “I hurried on purpose, I must confess. I have to talk to you.”

  Katherine looked toward the dispersing crowd of women dressed in colorful Sunday dresses and men in their best suits. Her parents were still lingering with a few of the other congregants. From all appearances, Otis didn’t mind chatting with one of the engaged women from their Sunday school class. Katherine wouldn’t be missed, at least not for a few moments. She turned her full attention to Christopher. “All right. What is it?”

  His stare brooked no room for play. “I saw you talking to Miranda.”

  “So? Miranda’s my friend.”

  “I know you both too well. Katherine, I wish you wouldn’t go through with her ridiculous plan.”

  “I know it seems ridiculous to you, and maybe it is. But haven’t you ever done anything ridiculous for a friend?”

  Christopher thought for a moment. “Maybe when I was a boy but not recently. No doubt, I’m not as sentimental as you are about your friends.”

  “Perhaps not.”

  “Being a loyal friend is an admirable quality.” He smiled and touched her arm briefly. The unexpected contact sent a pleasant shiver though her. “I just don’t want to see you suffer for your sacrifice in giving in to Miranda’s misguided plans.”

  “Miranda doesn’t mean any harm. I’m sure all will be well.”

  “I wouldn’t be so quick to caution you if I thought following through with her scheme would be good for all concerned. But in my view, the whole idea is pointless. As much as it pains me to say it, anyone can see that Otis fits right in with you and your relations. I don’t care what Miranda says. I don’t think you have to prove anything to him.”

  “Maybe you’re right, but I promised Miranda I’d go along with her. And even if I have to suffer a little, I wouldn’t be a good Christian witness if I went back on my word.” Her resolve wasn’t inwardly as strong as she made herself appear, but she didn’t want Christopher to see her waver. With a deliberate turn, she set her gaze toward her family and felt thankful when Mother motioned for her to join them. “I’ve got to go. See you soon.” She rushed toward Mother and relative safety.

  ❧

  Christopher watched Katherine depart. He wanted to hasten to her, to make her see reason, but he remained frozen in place. He was left so irritated by the exchange that he couldn’t bring himself to move. During church, he had been even more vexed to see Katherine sitting by Otis. No matter what Christopher did, it seemed he couldn’t win.

  Grandpa tapped him on the shoulder. “There you are, boy. We’ve been looking for you.”

  “Sorry, Grandpa. I had to talk to Katherine.”

  Grandpa rubbed his chin, touching a bit of gray stubble that he had missed in his efforts to shave that morning. “Yep, that Katherine girl is a mighty fine young woman. Too bad she’s let herself get carried away by that Otis feller. He’s a fancy dresser, all right. Too fancy. Anybody can see he don’t belong in these parts.”

  “That’s what I’ve been thinking.”

  “Yep. I been watchin’ him. He talks a fine streak. Flatters every woman around. Every man too, for that matter. Even had some kind words for me this morning. But I don’t know. He seems just a little too slick. Yep, a little too slick. He reminds me of Homer James. He almost got ahold of your grandma, you know. But she saw through him. With a little nudge from me.” When Grandpa winked, Christopher noticed that the sharp blue color of his eyes hadn’t diminished since Christopher was a boy.

  “But how can I help Katherine see?”

  Grandpa watched the Joneses and Otis board their buggy. “I don’t reckon I know right off the top of my head, Son. But the good Lord in His wisdom will show you how. Just you watch.”

  “Watching is pretty hard, Grandpa.”

  “Sure it is. Just be careful you don’t watch too long or hard, lest you wait too long to take whatever action needs takin’.”

  “I’ll try not to.” Still, as Christopher and Grandpa walked toward the Bagleys’ buggy, another thought occurred to the younger man. An even worse thought.

  What if the tricks end up leading Katherine straight into Otis’s waiting arms?

  Six

  Your Wish Book order arrived!” Mother’s voice, traveling from the kitchen to Katherine’s room early that morning, carried a mixture of anticipation and curiosity.

  Katherine set her boar bristle hairbrush on her oak vanity and rushed down to the kitchen. Since she hadn’t taken time to secure her hair into a chignon, loose locks flew outward as she hurried. She couldn’t let Otis see her open the box or even let him see the package. What if he guessed she had ordered sheet music? And what if he asked her to play the song for him, then and there? He was the persistent type, just liable to make such a request. If he did, he’d find out all too quickly that she couldn’t play a note on the harp.

  How she wished she had the courage to tell Miranda they had to call the whole thing off! She remembered the times she had tried, to no avail. Miranda would only succeed in crying and making her feel terrible.

  “That’s a mighty flat box,” Mother noted as Katherine reached for it.

  She nodded and departed before Mother could stop her or ask questions.

  As soon as she returned to her bedroom, she unwrapped the package. The paper smelled crisp and new. The sweet smell of fresh ink greeted her nostrils. She studied the picture on the cover. A beautiful blond woman was pictured, with cheeks as red as apples and a subdued-looking mouth that appeared ready to burst into song. Katherine opened the music and stared at the notes.

  “Hmm. Not too much of a challenge. At least not for someone as experienced at the harp as Vera. I’ll bet if I go over to the house now, she’d play it for me.” Since she’d completed her before-breakfast chores, Katherine knew she could slip out for a few moments without too much chastisement from Mother.

  Turning to the round vanity mirror, she looked at her reflection and deemed the results of her toilette acceptable. With a quick motion, she pinned her chignon into place and set off down the steps to leave for her friend’s house.

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nbsp; “Good morning, Katherine.” Otis had already sat down at the table, waiting for Mother to serve him a helping of scrambled eggs and bacon.

  “Good morning, Otis. And a fine day it is, too. If you’ll be so kind as to excuse me, I have an errand to run. I must see Vera.”

  Mother lifted her spoon and shook it at Katherine. “At this hour?”

  “She’s an early bird. No doubt she rose hours ago,” Katherine assured as she bounded through the back door.

  “But Katherine, you must have a bit of breakfast.”

  “I will, later. I promise.” Katherine rushed to set her bicycle upright, placed the sheet music in the basket, and headed off for Vera’s.

  On the way, her growling stomach objected to the fact that she had left without a bit of her mother’s scrambled eggs. But her task was too important to allow her to stop for sustenance.

  The aroma of spicy pork sausage cooking on the stove tempted her palate as she skipped up the stairs to the kitchen of the Sharpes’ farm.

  Vera’s slackened jaw and widened eyes revealed her surprise. “Uh, good morning, Katherine. You’re making the rounds mighty early.”

  Alice scooped up a sausage patty as she and Katherine exchanged pleasantries. Expectant motherhood agreed with Alice, who was an older version of fair-haired Vera.

  Vera nodded toward the package Katherine held. “What have you got there?”

  “The sheet music, silly. Just like I told you.”

  Vera didn’t crack a smile. “Oh. Well, maybe we can take a look at it after breakfast. Will you have some sausage and eggs?”

  Katherine sat down at the table. “Why, how kind of you. You know, I am a bit hungry, so I do believe I will accept your offer.”

  As they ate and chatted, Katherine hardly tasted the sausage and eggs. After the meal, Katherine asked Vera if she would play the song.

  “My, but judging from your excitement, this must be the most exciting song ever,” Alice observed. “Mind if I listen with you?”

  “Of course not,” Katherine said.

  Vera escorted them into the parlor, where the lap harp awaited. Vera studied the music for a moment, nodded her head, and began to play.