back porch, while she just smiled at the woman politely.
"You added a desk, since the last time I was here," Catherine said, edging closer to Matthew.
"Yes," he said, "for Bethany. She needed her own space." But he was still grinning and Bethany believed Nat's story about the woman standing in front of her.
"Matthew has been wonderful during this very stressful time for me," she told Catherine.
"Oh, yes," Catherine replied, "I can see the stress lines on your face."
Bethany was speechless at that, and had no idea how to respond.
Matthew saved her. "Let's have some tea, Catherine. Then we can talk about the Breast Cancer Fund contribution."
"Oh, yes," she said, "so important. Don't forget your mammogram, dear. Although there probably wouldn't be much-"
"This way, Catherine," he interrupted, leading her back towards the living room.
Bethany finished up some of the key accounts while Matthew kept the woman company, and she heard her finally leave with the slam of the front door.
"What a relief that is," Matthew said, as he walked into the den with Mutty. "How are you doing?"
She filled him in, told him about the various accounts and they decided to wait until everything was done to contact the authorities.
But then, after a brief pause in their conversation, she was surprised to hear him say, "I'm not sure I want to prosecute anyone on this."
"Why not?" she asked.
"They teach forgiveness in The Bible. If I prosecute, I'd be going against everything I stand for. I want to be a compassionate person, not a condemning one."
"I guess I can understand that," she replied slowly. "Maybe a repayment schedule. Although it is a sizeable amount."
He just shrugged his shoulders. "Let me think on it. And I'll talk to the pastor about it also."
He walked up to her desk, resting his hand on the edge. "Let's go out back. We'll borrow aprons from Sarah."
She was curious now. "What for?"
But he just grinned. "You'll see. We'll have some fun then you can go home. I know you're anxious to see Jacob. But, you need to have some fun along the way."
They walked to the kitchen, borrowed the aprons and went to the large dirt portion of the back yard by his horse paddock, with Mutty in the lead.
"What is this?" she said, looking at the waist high round contraption.
Reaching for the stool, he sat and said "A pottery maker."
"Oh, a pottery wheel."
"Yes, lucky for us it's automatic. I don't think I could pump the thing."
She smiled. "Here it is, the clay, I assume," she said handing him the large bucket of brick colored material.
He felt it and said, "All right, so just plop some clay over here, right in the middle of the flat part."
She did as he requested.
"Okay, now you start it. What do we want? A vase?"
"Hmmm, that seems too difficult."
"Nothing is too difficult for us," he said with a confidence she just wasn't feeling as she studied the thing dubiously.
"Here you go," she said as she shaped it, "this could be a little pot. We'd better start small here, until we know how to do it."
His hands came over hers, trying to help shape it, and she laughed at the sensation.
"Are we ready?" he asked enthusiastically.
"Okay, now," she said, as she flipped the switch. But, she hadn't noticed the thing was on 'high' setting by mistake, on a different switch, and mud flew in every direction, as she tried to back out of the way and shrieked with laughter, while Mutty barked and shook himself.
Matthew grinned after she shut it off quickly, and said, "Try again. Low, this time." He wiped his forehead with his sleeve.
So she turned it on low, which she thought was much more manageable. His hands were missing spots, which she told him, as she guided his grip on the thing.
Laughing again, she said, "It's not looking good."
"Define good," he countered, "so show me." And his hands came over hers, holding them against the muddy creation. Now she realized she loved the feel of his hands, and she took a quick breath.
"Now that's good,"
"You added a desk, since the last time I was here," Catherine said, edging closer to Matthew.
"Yes," he said, "for Bethany. She needed her own space." But he was still grinning and Bethany believed Nat's story about the woman standing in front of her.
"Matthew has been wonderful during this very stressful time for me," she told Catherine.
"Oh, yes," Catherine replied, "I can see the stress lines on your face."
Bethany was speechless at that, and had no idea how to respond.
Matthew saved her. "Let's have some tea, Catherine. Then we can talk about the Breast Cancer Fund contribution."
"Oh, yes," she said, "so important. Don't forget your mammogram, dear. Although there probably wouldn't be much-"
"This way, Catherine," he interrupted, leading her back towards the living room.
Bethany finished up some of the key accounts while Matthew kept the woman company, and she heard her finally leave with the slam of the front door.
"What a relief that is," Matthew said, as he walked into the den with Mutty. "How are you doing?"
She filled him in, told him about the various accounts and they decided to wait until everything was done to contact the authorities.
But then, after a brief pause in their conversation, she was surprised to hear him say, "I'm not sure I want to prosecute anyone on this."
"Why not?" she asked.
"They teach forgiveness in The Bible. If I prosecute, I'd be going against everything I stand for. I want to be a compassionate person, not a condemning one."
"I guess I can understand that," she replied slowly. "Maybe a repayment schedule. Although it is a sizeable amount."
He just shrugged his shoulders. "Let me think on it. And I'll talk to the pastor about it also."
He walked up to her desk, resting his hand on the edge. "Let's go out back. We'll borrow aprons from Sarah."
She was curious now. "What for?"
But he just grinned. "You'll see. We'll have some fun then you can go home. I know you're anxious to see Jacob. But, you need to have some fun along the way."
They walked to the kitchen, borrowed the aprons and went to the large dirt portion of the back yard by his horse paddock, with Mutty in the lead.
"What is this?" she said, looking at the waist high round contraption.
Reaching for the stool, he sat and said "A pottery maker."
"Oh, a pottery wheel."
"Yes, lucky for us it's automatic. I don't think I could pump the thing."
She smiled. "Here it is, the clay, I assume," she said handing him the large bucket of brick colored material.
He felt it and said, "All right, so just plop some clay over here, right in the middle of the flat part."
She did as he requested.
"Okay, now you start it. What do we want? A vase?"
"Hmmm, that seems too difficult."
"Nothing is too difficult for us," he said with a confidence she just wasn't feeling as she studied the thing dubiously.
"Here you go," she said as she shaped it, "this could be a little pot. We'd better start small here, until we know how to do it."
His hands came over hers, trying to help shape it, and she laughed at the sensation.
"Are we ready?" he asked enthusiastically.
"Okay, now," she said, as she flipped the switch. But, she hadn't noticed the thing was on 'high' setting by mistake, on a different switch, and mud flew in every direction, as she tried to back out of the way and shrieked with laughter, while Mutty barked and shook himself.
Matthew grinned after she shut it off quickly, and said, "Try again. Low, this time." He wiped his forehead with his sleeve.
So she turned it on low, which she thought was much more manageable. His hands were missing spots, which she told him, as she guided his grip on the thing.
Laughing again, she said, "It's not looking good."
"Define good," he countered, "so show me." And his hands came over hers, holding them against the muddy creation. Now she realized she loved the feel of his hands, and she took a quick breath.
"Now that's good,"
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