A Place of Refuge. Janet Lee Barton

dear, don’t worry. It’s included in the rent.”

      “Yes, well, that’s something we haven’t talked about. I need to know what it is, please.”

      Mrs. Heaton quoted her a figure that seemed much too low. “Oh, Mrs. Heaton, that can’t be right. I was paying my sister more than that for living with her and Clancy. I insist on paying you the regular amount.”

      “That is what I’m charging you, Kathleen, dear. I didn’t start this boardinghouse to make money, but to help young women have a safe place to call home. And I set the rent accordingly.” With that Mrs. Heaton put up a hand as if to end the conversation.

      Kathleen didn’t know what to say next.

      Mrs. Heaton reached out and patted her on the hand. “If it makes you feel any better, there are those in need who spend a night or two here occasionally, just as you did that one time. I call them my temporaries and I don’t charge them at all for the time they spend with me.”

      “But, Mrs. Heaton, I’m not a temporary now and I don’t feel right paying so little, and then to have you feed me and do my laundry on top of it?” She shook her head.

      “Kathleen, food and laundry are part of the board you pay.”

      “But you’re barely charging enough for the room, Mrs. Heaton.”

      “Kathleen, this is my boardinghouse and I charge what I want. I want to help you, not make life harder for you. I know you worry about your sister and her boys. If you have enough left at the end of a week, send a bit to them.”

      “I don’t know how to thank you.”

      “Oh, child, it gives me comfort to know that I’m providing a safe home for you and the others. That is all the thanks I want.”

      Remembering what Elizabeth had told her about Mrs. Heaton’s daughter brought tears to her eyes and all Kathleen could do was hug the woman and hurry out of the room before she saw them.

      She’d no more than made it to the hallway before she ran into Luke. Or she would have if he hadn’t put out his hands to keep the near disaster from happening.

      “Whoa there—are you all right, Miss O’Bryan?”

      His hands were gentle on her arms but the moment she gasped, he immediately dropped them. “I’m sorry. I just didn’t want you to—”

      “I’m sorry. I wasn’t watching where I was going.” She brushed back the tears and looked up at him.

      “Are you hurting? What’s happened to make you cry?”

      She’d never met anyone who seemed to notice so much about her. “I’m not hurting. It’s just— Mrs. Heaton has been through so much heartache, and still she reaches out to others and—” She swallowed around the knot of tears and shook her head.

      “She does do that. And I’m very glad she reached out to you.” He pulled out a crisp white handkerchief and, knowing that the man intended no harm, Kathleen allowed him to dab at a lone tear that’d escaped and ran down her cheek.

      “So am I.” She was very thankful that she was here, thankful for Mrs. Heaton’s support and for this man who stood there trying to help now.

      He tucked his handkerchief in her hand. “You may keep it. If there is anything I can help you with, please don’t hesitate to ask.”

      “Thank you. I’ll wash it and get it back to you soon.”

      “There’s no hurry. I have a lot of them.”

      Kathleen wasn’t sure what to say next and was relieved when Luke spoke again.

      “Are you going to join the others in the parlor before dinner?”

      “Yes, but first I’m going to go up and freshen up.”

      “All right. I’ll see you later, then.”

      “Yes. I’d better hurry before Mrs. Heaton calls us down.” She hurried upstairs, aware of Luke’s gaze on her as she did. He seemed too good to be true. She’d never met a man like Luke Patterson. And she liked him a lot.

      But could she trust her instincts where he was concerned? That she didn’t know. She’d seen too many men, abusive men like her brother-in-law, who treated their women badly. She thought it almost impossible to trust any of them. Still, believing it impossible didn’t keep her from wishing it could be different.

      Chapter Four

      “Do you think that brother-in-law will come after Miss O’Bryan, Luke?” Michael Heaton asked. He’d asked for a few minutes with him while Sunday dinner was being put on the table and they’d gone to Mrs. Heaton’s study.

      “I don’t know. But you can be sure I’ll be on the lookout for him. I don’t think Kathleen’s sister will let him know where she is—she sent her here for her safety, after all.”

      Michael nodded. “I’m just concerned about Mother. And yet I’d never want to stop the good she does. But since I’ve moved out, I do worry about her. You can’t be here all the time, but knowing you are around most of the time—actually more than I was before I married—and trusting in the Lord to watch over Heaton House...well, it gives me peace.”

      “I’m glad to know that.”

      “But I do remember that man from the park last year. He’s a bad one.”

      “Yes, he is. I’m glad Kathleen—Miss O’Bryan got out of there. But I believe she worries a great deal about her sister and nephews.”

      “I’m sure she does. Has she heard anything from her sister?”

      Luke nodded. “They’re corresponding through a neighbor. Still, I think she worries about the time in between letters.”

      “That’s understandable,” Michael said. “You know, she’s quite pretty.”

      “Yes, she is.” In Luke’s opinion, pretty was an understatement. But then, Michael hadn’t seen her come downstairs dressed in a gold dinner dress the night before. She’d looked beautiful. Her hair had been done up in what looked like a cloud of fire and he’d had a hard time keeping his eyes off her all evening.

      She’d looked just as lovely today when she attended church with Mrs. Heaton, Luke and some of the other boarders. Michael and Violet were there when they arrived and Mrs. Heaton had introduced them to Kathleen before sliding into the pew to sit beside her daughter-in-law. She’d motioned for Kathleen to sit beside her and Luke had taken the seat on the other side of Kathleen. Ben, John and Julia slid in the pew behind them. Luke found he had to really concentrate to keep his mind on the sermon. It was from Romans 8, about how all things work together for the good of those who love God, those called according to His purpose. He sent up a prayer that all things were working for the good of Kathleen and her sister.

      “Luke?”

      “What?” Luke dragged his thoughts back to the present. “Did you say something?”

      Michael laughed. “You must have been lost in your thoughts.”

      “I’m sorry. Apparently I was. What were you saying?”

      “I said, one wonders why Miss O’Bryan isn’t married with a family of her own.”

      Luke had wondered the same thing. “Her brother-in-law isn’t the best example of a husband. Could be she doesn’t want one. And if she had any suitors, he probably kept them away. If she married, he couldn’t get part of her income to help out.”

      “True. I wonder what he’s going to do now.”

      “I don’t know. But it does weigh on my mind.”

      “Do you want me to assign a man to watch over Kathleen on her way back and forth to work?”