Whatever Tomorrow Brings (The Californians 1) by Lori Wick

her son, as Kaitlin followed her brother and sister. She had given up believing that she would ever see that special look on Rigg's face. She wondered if he, as yet, could define what he was so obviously feeling. May's eyes swung to the spot that Kaitlin had just vacated on the stairs. Rigg was a wonderful man and May, not knowing her, couldn't help but wonder if Kaitlin Donovan was worthy of him.

    Kate sank down into the bathtub with a heartfelt sigh. It didn't matter that it was Friday afternoon and not Saturday night; the water felt heavenly.
    Kaitlin sat up and looked around the room. It was just off the kitchen and below the back stairway. By the size it had obviously been a storeroom, but someone had ingeniously converted it into a bathing chamber. The tub that Kate sat in was against one wall and from where she was facing she could see the stove on which the water had been heated. A huge pot was still in the middle of it, steam rising from the hot water within. There was a commode and even a bench to sit on. Kate relaxed a little deeper into the water and decided it was the most wonderful room she'd been in.
    Coming downstairs from her bedroom, an hour later, Kaitlin was very self-conscious of her wet hair. But the only people in the kitchen were Sean, Marcail, May and a young man that Kate didn't remember seeing before, but thought he had to be Jeff's brother.
    "Feeling better?" May wanted to know.
    "Much. Thank you."
    "Sit down here and have some lunch. Nathan, this is Miss Donovan, your new teacher."
    "Hello."
    "Hello, Nathan." Kaitlin smiled kindly and watched as Nate blushed to the roots of his hair. She took pity on him and turned her attention to the plate that May had set in front of her. Kate made short work of a slice of beef, potatoes, sliced carrots and a large helping of applesauce.
    Marcail was sitting near her with a cookie in her hand and the other people in the room were talking about the farm. Kate, not wanting to embarrass her sister, spoke to her in soft Hawaiian.
    "How are you doing?"
    "I'm okay."
    "If you want, I can fix you a bath. Believe me, it felt wonderful."
    "That sounds nice." Tears came to the young girl's eyes. "Katie, I hate it when I get sick to my stomach."
    "I know you do." Kate reached a hand over and stroked her sister's hair. "But I think your way might be easier, you know, just to get sick and get it over with. I hold things inside and then they bother me a lot longer."
    Sean had heard part of the conversation and turned without thinking away from May and Nathan to ask his sister a question. The Taylors would have thought nothing of this at most times, but the Donovan children all continued to speak in a foreign tongue, completely forgetting they were not alone.
    "Katie, did you have a chance to get writing materials to write to Father?"
    "No. I've got to take care of that soon. Actually Sean, tomorrow is your first day at the mercantile, maybe you could just take our dollar and see what you could find. Maybe Mr. Riggs can show you what he's got. We could write tomorrow night and mail it before school Monday."
    "Okay. How are you doing Marc?"
    "I'm fine. I'm going to have a bath and change my dress."
    "You don't smell very good," Sean teased her with a smile. Marcail had just made a face at him when they became aware of their audience.
    "Mrs. Taylor," Kaitlin was red-faced and ashamed as she quickly changed to English. "You're going to think that we haven't any manners at all. Please forgive us."
    "You've done nothing that needs forgiving. I only hope if something is wrong you'll let me-help."-
    "I was just asking Marcail how she's doing and if she wanted to clean up."
    "We also need to write letters," Sean added, sensing a genuine offer of help from this woman.
    "No problem. Why don't you come with me, Marcail, and we'll see about your bath. And Nate can show you where you can write your letters."
    May certainly had a gift for hospitality. She was so matter-of-fact about