Part 35 (2/2)

”Is anyone here yet?”

”Quite a few people. Harry is doing the greetings. I didn't think you'd want to come down alone.”

”I'm not sure I want to come down at all.”

”You have to,” Claire said. ”Don't you think it's time we all told the truth?”

Katherine let out a small sigh of resignation. It was long past time, but she hadn't imagined herself to be the one telling the truth. That role was supposed to be played by her father, a man still to be named.

”What about Zach?” She couldn't stop the question from crossing her lips. ”Is he downstairs?”

Claire shook her head. ”I'm sorry, Katherine. I don't know if Zach will come. I called him. I urged him not to take out his anger on you, but you know Zach. He's very stubborn, very proud. I wish there was a way to make everyone happy. I never meant for us to hurt Zach.”

”But you did,” Katherine said gently. ”You and Harry hurt him just like you hurt my mother, and all because of bloodlines and birthrights. I don't understand why love and loyalty aren't the most important things.”

Claire looked into her eyes with a curious smile. ”Don't you, Katherine? Isn't that why you came here? To find your own blood?”

Katherine felt like the truth had just hit her in the face. She'd thought she'd faced all the lies, but she hadn't, because there had still been one she'd been telling herself-that she was different, that she'd never act like the Stantons, when everything she'd done since she first found the chest was exactly what the Stantons would have done.

She sank down on the edge of the bed, feeling suddenly weak and betrayed by her own thoughts. ”My G.o.d. You're right. I'm as bad as you are. These past few days I've been thinking about staying here, about being part of your family, part of the business. But I can't do that to Zach. He was here for you all these years, Claire. He may not have your blood. But he has your heart. I won't steal that away from him.”

Claire turned pale. ”What are you saying? You can't leave, Katherine.”

”I have to. I told Zach I wasn't going to give up on him, that I'd fight for him. But what I really need to fight for is this farm, because that's what he loves. Not me.”

”I don't think that's true. And even if it is, Harry won't agree to your plan.”

”Yes, he will,” Katherine said confidently. ”Because you'll convince him that the only way you'll ever have a relations.h.i.+p with me is if he leaves the farm to Zach. Once Zach is settled in, I can come and visit. Or you can come and visit me. That's the only way it can work. We both know that.”

Claire didn't answer for a long moment, and Katherine held her breath, hoping, praying that Claire would rise to the occasion, that this one time she'd stand up to Harry, stand up for Katherine and stand up for Zach.

”All right,” Claire said. ”I'll do it. For you and for Zach. But mostly for Margaret. Because I didn't do what was right then and I have to do what is right now.”

”Yes, you do. And so do I.” Katherine stood. ”I think I'm ready to go down now. By the way, is J.T. coming?”

Claire walked with her to the door. ”Yes. Mary Jo said he's well enough to come for a few minutes.”

”And Jimmy Callaway?” Katherine couldn't help running down the list in her head. She still wanted to find her father. She couldn't help it.

”Yes.”

”Justin Blakemore?”

Claire nodded again. ”But I wouldn't expect anyone to step forward tonight, Katherine.”

”I'm sure they all know by now that I'm Margaret's daughter.”

”I'm sure they do.”

”Maybe no one wants to acknowledge me as his daughter,” Katherine said, trying not to sound like it bothered her, but coming off hopelessly needy.

”I don't think you're the reason for the silence. But some of your suspects have a lot to lose.”

”Maybe too much to lose.” Katherine drew in a deep breath and opened the door to her future.

The party had grown since Claire had come upstairs. As they descended the long winding staircase leading into the formal entry, Katherine could see nothing but a sea of people dressed in their finest clothes, shoes s.h.i.+ned, jewelry glittering, voices raised with laughter and excitement.

As soon as someone saw Claire, the chatter began to hush and the eyes turned to them, fifty curious, speculative eyes.

Katherine searched the crowd for a familiar face and saw a few. The Callaways, Jimmy and Leeanne, were present. Justin Blakemore stood next to a woman she a.s.sumed to be his wife. And Mary Jo and J.T. were seated on a bench in the foyer.

Claire paused on the third step from the bottom. ”Since you're all here, and we have your attention,” she said with a little laugh, ”there's something I'd like to say.”

She motioned for Harry to join them on the steps. After a brief hesitation, he did so. Claire took Harry's hand and Katherine's hand, uniting them as a family for the very first time. ”Tonight is a celebration.”

Before she could say anything further, the front door opened. The crowd turned as one to the two men who walked through the front door.

Katherine's stomach did a flip-flop. Zach, dressed in a black suit, his dark hair slicked back, his dark eyes beautiful, compelling, somber, stood next to Sam Jamison, who looked awkward and uncomfortable in his party clothes. Neither man was smiling and neither one looked happy with the attention they were receiving.

”I'm glad you're both here,” Claire said from the stairway. ”Zach, Sam, I'm about to make an announcement.”

Katherine couldn't take her eyes off Zach. The crowd of people between them blurred into the background. She could only see him, and he could only see her. Their gaze connected, caught, held. She couldn't read anything in his eyes, no emotion whatsoever; whatever he was feeling was locked away deep inside his heart.

Zach had always thought he needed the Stantons to be somebody, but seeing him now standing there proud and strong, Katherine knew he didn't need anybody. He was his own man, a good man, an honorable man-the man she loved and the man she couldn't have.

She wanted to go to him, to beg for one last chance, but Claire had a hold of her hand and had begun to speak.

”Some of you know Katherine,” she said. ”But for those of you who don't, we have some happy news to share.” Claire sent Katherine an encouraging smile. ”We've recently discovered that Katherine is Margaret's daughter-our granddaughter-and we are very, very happy to have her here in Paradise. We hope you'll all welcome her to the town just as we have welcomed her into our family.”

The crowd burst into murmurs of surprise and more speculation. Then one man's voice came out of the crowd, one man who drew everyone's attention to him-Jackson Tyler.

Katherine darted a quick look at Zach and saw that he'd gone completely still. Then she looked back at Jackson, who was smiling up at them with pure wickedness.

”Aren't you going to tell them who Katherine's father is?” Jackson asked.

Murmurs of ”What is he doing here?” ran through the room.

After what seemed like an eternity, someone moved. Zach.

He walked over to Jackson and stepped in front of him, cutting him off from the rest of the party. It was then that Katherine realized Zach was much bigger than his father. Jackson had always seemed so tall, so undefeatable in Zach's mind.

Zach said something to Jackson, something quiet and forceful.

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