A Great Catch by Lorna Seilstad Page A

celebrated.
    “Oh, I see what you mean. I wouldn’t want to shoot him by accident.” She lowered the barrel of the gun and pointed it toward the floor. “Now that I can shoot, do you want to have a contest?”
    “Emily, you made one shot. It doesn’t make you a marksman.”
    “Markswoman.” Emily raised her gun again. “And I think I like shooting things.”
    He laughed. “Why doesn’t that surprise me?”

10
    “Stop right there, Katherine Graham!”
    Kate picked up her pace, but Ethel’s skirts continued to swish with tick-tock precision behind her.
    “Don’t you dare ignore me.”
    With a sigh, Kate stopped and turned. She spotted Millie trying to catch up. Kate released a slow breath with more patience than she felt. Sometimes her sisters tended to mind everyone’s business except their own. Holding out a wicker basket on the tip of her finger, she let it swing back and forth. “I’m not ignoring you, Ethel. If you two would like to join me in gathering flowers, then come right along. I want to get a bouquet before the rain comes in.”
    “Flowers for the table?” Panting, Millie waved a hand in front of her perspiration-dotted face. “What a wonderful idea.”
    “I thought so.” Kate continued down the path until she reached a thicket of wild rosebushes, their five-petaled pink blossoms winking at the sun.
    Ethel propped her hands on narrow hips. “Katherine, enough. I want to know if you are encouraging Emily’s carousing with that Stockton boy.”
    “She is not carousing.” Kate snipped a stem and tucked the bloom in her basket.
    “But you gave him permission to court her?”
    Kate glared at Millie, who shrugged. Only her youngest sister had been around when Carter spoke to her concerning Emily. She should have known she’d not keep the information to herself. “He asked if he could take her out for ice cream or supper, depending on when the opportunity to ask developed.”
    “And you agreed?” Ethel pursed her lips. “You, of all people, should know better.”
    “What I know is Carter has been kind to Emily.” Kate pointed the tip of her scissors at her sister. “And he’s expressed an interest in getting to know her better. Aren’t you the ones who want her to find a husband? I’d think you’d both be quite happy with this turn of events.”
    “But that boy’s father did everything in his power to destroy your security after Ethan died.”
    “You’re absolutely right. Angus Stockton was a ruthless businessman, but that does not mean his son is like him.”
    “And it doesn’t mean he’s not.”
    Millie held out a well-shaped bloom for Kate to snip. “Perhaps his plan was to finagle his way into our family.”
    “By deliberately knocking Emily down? Yes, that makes perfect sense.” She rolled her eyes, and her curt tone bespoke of the irritation grating on her. “I would certainly be more apt to let him see to my financial affairs because he injured my granddaughter. Listen to yourselves.”
    Ethel divided the bush with her hands and came face-to-face with Kate. “But he does have control of your finances now.”
    “He is overseeing them because I asked .” Kate straightened and thrust her scissors in the basket.
    Pinning her sisters in place with her gaze, she studied each of them. All their years together made them easy to read. Ethel, lips pulled in a thin line, had judged Carter, tried him, and found him guilty. Millie, worry creasing her brow, obviously feared Kate had made a grievous error in judgment.
    Kate sighed. She couldn’t convince them Carter Stockton was worthy of their trust. Only he could do that.
    She squared her shoulders. “As for Carter and Emily, I hope they have a good time.”
    “Oh, so do I.” Millie sighed wistfully. “He’s such a sweet boy.”
    Ethel sniffed. “But remember, dear sisters, the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.”

    By the time Emily had finished her pulled pork sandwich from one of the Midway’s lunch