Read Prairie Fire for Free Online Page B

better.”
    “But there’s no room for me in the O’Tooles’ soddy.”
    “Indeed there is. You’ll sleep beside me, so you will. We can move Colleen into Sheena’s bed for the time.”
    “I would never do that.”
    “You’ll do as I say!” Caitrin announced, standing and waving a dripping fork at her friend. “You’ll sleep in the soddy, Rosie Mills, and that’s all there is to it.”
    A look of concern crossed Rosie’s pretty face. “Caitrin? You’re shouting at me.” She paused a moment before crossing to the tub and draping an arm around the Irishwoman. “Oh, Caitie, I’m so sorry. I didn’t stop to think how you must feel about all this. Here I am rambling on and on about my own wedding and all my dreams, completely forgetting that not so long ago you were planning to marry your beloved John.”
    “Sean.”
    “That’s right, and the wedding would have taken place this autumn. But now you’re all alone. I never once gave a thought to the terrible pain in your heart. Can you forgive me?”
    Caitrin dropped the fork back into the tub and let out a breath. “Never mind about Sean O’Casey, Rosie. I hardly think of him more than four or five times a day anyhow, and then I realize there’s nothing I can do to change what has happened. Sean is married, and I live in Kansas. My love for him will never die, yet I know I must not look back. If I do, I’ll begin to wonder … to wonder …”
    When she couldn’t go on, Rosie spoke softly. “You’ll wonder how it would have been to marry the man you love. You’ll wonder about the children you might have borne. You’ll wonder about the happy years you might have spent in his arms.”
    Caitrin shook her head. No, she wanted to say. I’ll wonder why Sean didn’t come after me as Seth came after you. I’ll wonder why he didn’t stop me from leaving Ireland. Why he didn’t put his love for me above all else. Why he let me go.
    “I’m so sorry, Caitie,” Rosie whispered, holding her friend tight. “I’ll try my best not to jabber about Seth.”
    Caitrin squared her shoulders and tugged on the bow of Rosie’s yellow bonnet. “Never you mind, Miss Rose Mills and soon-to-be Mrs. Seth Hunter. You will talk about Seth as much as you like, and I shall enjoy hearing every word of it. If you’ll permit me, I’ll help you plan the finest and most elegant wedding Hope, Kansas, has ever seen.”
    Rosie beamed. “Hope has never seen a wedding. Ours will be the first.”
    “And the best.” Caitrin watched as young Erinn entered the mercantile carrying a heavy bucket of water. “We must order ribbon from Topeka, Rosie. What color would you like? I love purple, so I do, but I believe you have a special place in your heart for yellow.”
    “Yellow ribbons!” Rosie whirled away, her gingham skirt billowing around her ankles. “Yellow ribbons and sunflowers! Oh, I wish Hope had a real church. We could put ribbons everywhere, Caitie. I’m going to sew Seth a new shirt, did I tell you? And Chipper will have brand-new shoes and a new hat from Topeka. But what should I wear for the ceremony? I love my blue gingham dress, but maybe I should think about spending a little of the money I’ve saved from the mercantile and the bridge tolls. I really love that bolt of pale blue cotton with sprays of roses everywhere. You know the one I mean? There it is, Erinn; can you see it? Climb onto the ladder and take it down from the shelf for me, will you please? And what about that pink there with the tiny dots all over it? Do you like that one, Erinn? …”
    Caitrin sank back to the floor and the pile of dirty dishes. Father, I love Rosie, she prayed as she scrubbed. I love her so much, and Seth, too. Help me to share in their joy and not for one moment dwell on my own sorrow. I don’t want to grow into a bitter, angry woman eaten up by jealousy. And help me … please help me to put away all my memories of Sean.
    Oh, Sean. Caitrin’s thoughts drifted away from her