On the Mountain (21 page)

“Where’s Stanford?”

She pointed down the boardwalk in the opposite direction.

“Did he speak to you?”

She shook her head.

“He didn’t touch you, did he?”  He knew he was looking angry, but he didn’t care at this point.  The constable was becoming a burden he could live without.

She shook her head. 

He sighed and ran a hand through his hair.  She stood there looking up at him with such trust and Wade suddenly felt inadequate.  He looked away and thought to ask, “Did you get my sister’s supplies?”

She indicated that she hadn’t.  He nodded, then pulled her toward the wagon, hastily hoisting her up before joining her on the bench.  With the reins he steered Sty away from his post and turned him instead toward the store.  As they drew closer, the lawman exited the store.  Next to him, he sensed Anna go tense.

The constable raised his hand and grasped Sty’s halter as Wade drew him to a halt in front of the mercantile.  “Afternoon, Haddock.”

“Stanford.”

The constable’s intense stare was on the girl.  “Your boy there was in quite the rush to get out of the saloon.”

Wade didn’t respond immediately, leaping off the wagon and waited for Anna to follow suit.  She was slower than he would have liked.

“Don’t believe that’s a crime.”

“No need to get defensive.”  The lawman stated, holding up gloved hands in mock protest.  “It wasn’t an accusation, I was simply making an observation.”

As soon as she was within reach, Wade grabbed her arm and propelled her toward the store, his only reply to the constable was a tip of his hat in farewell.

“Hurry up and get Kathleen’s items.”  He shoved his hands deep inside the pockets of his winter coat, then turned to look out the window to watch the lawman leaning against a pillar supporting the second floor.  Something about him put Wade on guard.  He didn’t like him or his unorthodox manner in which he handled his business.  He had only been constable of Lantern for the past two years and up to that point Wade had no qualms with the man.  Granted, he hadn’t much dealings with the law.  Matters at the Circle H generally were not in the corrupt nature.  The ranch was usually a quiet and monotonous place.  Until Anna’s arrival.

His eyes shifted from the constable to the girl as she moved quickly picking out the items from Kathleen’s list.  She didn’t like the lawman much, either. There was something about him that frightened her.  Perhaps it was his way of interrogating.  Even if one wasn’t guilty of a crime, he certainly made you feel like you were.

Pushing away from the window, Wade sighed and decided he didn’t care what the reason for their distrust in the constable.  All he knew for certain was that it was best to keep the two of them as far apart as possible.

Chapter 14

Anna gathered the items off the list as swiftly as she could, however was on her guard to the constable’s presence waiting patiently outside the shop.  There was something in the way he looked at her.  A trickle of fear toyed with her conscience that perhaps he knew of her true identity.  From that first meeting, she felt his beady stare looking straight through her.

She gathered a stack of paper and envelopes from an art display shelf, and paused when something caught her eye.  The stationary was next to a tree-like display, which held beautifully painted images on cards with lettering spelling out words she had yet to learn.  It wasn’t the words that caught her attention, it was the images.  They were spectacular oil paintings of the countryside throughout the seasons.  One in particular caught her attention.

It was a realistic image of a mountain at sunrise as the morning’s pink glow covered the western peak.  A wintry haze hovered gently over its summit.  Beneath, a sheet of undisturbed snow, spotted occasionally with a few sprouts of greenery, cloaked the still earth.  It reminded her of the glacier peaks that sat north of Mount Louis.  Many mornings she would rise early just to walk the two mile hike east of the village to the clearing that overlooked the northern range just so that she could watch that first glimpse of the sun as it slowly touched the face of the mountain.

Tucking the card under the bundle of paper Kathleen requested, she made her way to the storekeeper.

“All set, young man?”  The man’s plump cheeks shined as he smiled down at her.

“Put it all on my account, Phil.”  Wade told him.

“Of course.”

Anna liked the ways his eyes squinted when he smiled.  She smiled in return.

Wade moved back to the window and Anna slid the card out from under the paper and placed it on the counter top.  From her pocket she removed a few coins that she had been saving from the small earnings she received while working at the ranch.

“Did you want that on the Circle H’s account?” the storekeeper asked, but she shook her head and slid the coins toward him.

He nodded and deposited the change into the cash register.

Anna slid the card into the waistline of her pants, pulling out the tails of her shirt in order to conceal it.

“Just about ready?”  Wade returned to her side and lifted the crate the storekeeper had stored Kathleen’s items within.

Anna followed Wade dutifully out of the shop.  Outside, the constable was still leaning against the same post and simply slid a look over at them beneath the brim of his hat.  As they secured Kathleen’s belongings and climbed back on the wagon, his hard gaze remained.  Wade exchanged no other words with him, polite or not, and Anna was only too happy.  The constable made her uneasy.  As they drew away, however, she couldn’t help but steal a look at his watchful gaze.  As if expecting it, he raised a hand and pointed a gloved finger at her.

Anna quickly looked away.  A small shiver shook her body and Wade looked over.  Reaching out he laid the wool blanket over her lap and she thanked him with her eyes before drawing it closer.   There was much more to block than just the chilly temperature.

They rode silently through the Durand Pass and Anna noticed how bare and naked the woods looked.  Soon the snow would come and the earth would be covered in a soft white blanket similar to the one found on the card she purchased.  Winter was always a time of both joy and fear.  No other season on the mountain was more beautiful or more dangerous.

Looking high up, she eyed the slope where towering pine trees once concealed a small village of families.  This time of year, all winter preparations were completed and the small community settled in for the long and leisurely months ahead.  One of Anna’s favorite past-time was storytelling.  Her father was wonderful at relaying tales passed down from generation to generation, or, one of Anna’s favorite, created his own. 

She and her siblings would huddle under the cover of a large woolen blanket as he told them of the conquests of great men in history, or the adventures of early explorers.  With dreamy eyes, she listened to the tales of great love and great tragedies and wondered, if ever, her heart would yearn for another as in those stories.

Her eyes naturally shifted to the man at her side.  He was big and powerful and emitted authority to all those around him.  If ever a hero there was, he was the perfect embodiment.  She studied his features, always believing he was not a very attractive man.  However, upon closer examination, she thought otherwise.  Starting with those magnificent eyes that were a combination of the sky above, and the sparkling lakes lying at the foot of the mountain below.  His hair was unruly and worn far too long, but it was thick and dark and Anna’s fingers tingled at the thought of touching it.

A full and burly beard covered half his face, disguising the majority of his facial features.  It occurred to her then that she really had no idea what he looked like, and could hardly wait for spring when he would eventually shave it off.  Somehow, she knew, what was hiding beneath would be remarkable.  He turned suddenly and caught her studying him.  Anna blushed before looking away.  Not a word was said and the ride continued all the way back to the ranch in silence. 

When they returned to the barn, Anna helped to unfasten Sty from the wagon and groom him down for the night.  While Wade gave his horse a long and relaxing brush down, Anna went and filled a bucket with grain for Sty’s feed bucket and then topped up his water.  They worked silently together in the barn and when finished, walked back to the house side by side, stopping only briefly to pick up the crate full of Kathleen's supplies. A sense of contentment overcame Anna.

The house was full of commotion unlike most nights, with Kathleen’s children running about and their laughter filling the home.  She noticed him make a face and knew he preferred the solitary and quietness of his life, but endured his sister’s brood because of his love for her.  Anna unbuttoned her coat and began to shrug out of it when she felt hands on her shoulders.  Surprised, she looked over her shoulder and discovered Wade had automatically went to help remove her jacket.  Their eyes met and his hands dropped, as if remembering who she was.

“There you two are.”  Kathleen came to greet them with a bright smile, which disappeared upon seeing her brother.  “Wade, you promised a cut and trim.”

He raised his hand to the object of his sister’s disapproval and rubbed his beard.  “I must have forgotten.”

“You won’t look very proper at the Christmas ball.”  She pointed out to him, which he only shrugged.  Not easily dissuaded, she turned to Anna.  “Have you ever shaved a man before?”

Anna’s eyes grew round, however, it was Wade that barked his protest.  “Now wait just one second.  This is my face and if I don’t wish to shave this grizzly beard, than it stays.”

“For heaven’s sakes, Wade.”  Kathleen sounded annoyed.  “It’s only hair.  It will grow back.  Anna, would you kindly do the honors?”

His sister turned and walked away with her crate of supplies before Anna could object.  She had only ever shaved her father once, when he had injured his arm in a hunting accident.  Her mother, who was in the last trimester of her pregnancy was bedridden and unable to help.  Anna frowned, and felt a sickening ache in the pit of her stomach.  Up until then, she had been able to remember her family fondly.  Somehow, that memory brought an overwhelming sense of sadness.

“Hell, I’d forgotten how bossy she can be,” he mumbled, then turned to look down at Anna.  He noticed she appeared ashen. 

“No need to look so ill,” he commented, then threw over his shoulder as he left, “If you bleed me, I’ll dock it from your pay.”

It was way past the dinner hour and she learned that Kathleen had prepared supper for Prescott and her clan.  Slipping past the kitchen, she went into her room and slid the card beneath her mattress, then went out the back door to the ice box to fetch a loaf of bread and some cold roast beef.  She was in the process of placing his meal on a plate to take out to the dining room, when he entered the kitchen and put the kettle on for coffee.  Anna hesitated, then went to move toward the exit to take his dinner out to the dining room.

“I’ll eat in here.”

Surprised, but nodding vaguely, she put the plate on the kitchen table, then turned away having to hold off eating her own meal until he was finished.  She headed for the cook’s room.

“Get your supper and join me.”  He staggered her by saying, then proceeded to pull two mugs out of a cupboard.  “You’re probably as hungry as I am.”

She nodded, realizing she hadn’t eaten anything since Elizabeth fed her earlier in the day.  She couldn’t recall Wade eating at all, but there was probably a good chance he ate at the saloon while she was visiting Prescott’s lady friend.  After all, Marion had been expecting him.  A sour taste filled her mouth.

“Now, what’s wrong?”

Her chin snapped up, not realizing her emotions were clearly reflected on her face.  Either Wade had an uncanny ability to read her feelings or she had a horrible ability at hiding them.  She shook her head and busied herself making a second plate of food.  Her thoughts were far too easily distracted and she didn’t want to think about what happened up on that second floor in the saloon this afternoon.  At the time she had been so preoccupied with fear, she had completely forgotten where he was.  Now that they were home and her nerves had finally calmed, she was reminded of such hateful thoughts.

Placing her plate down on the table harder than she meant to, she attempted to make light of it by ignoring it.  Wade raised a brow but didn’t comment.  Instead, he ate with relish and murmured his delight in the food.  It lifted her spirits some knowing he enjoyed her cooking.

“Have you ever shaved anyone before?”

The question caught her unaware and she had to bring her wayward thoughts back around.  She offered a single nod as he reached over and filled her mug with coffee.

“Good,” he said.  “I could probably do it myself, but I don’t have as steady a hand as Carl.  Kathleen wouldn’t be too pleased if I showed up at her fancy party with cuts all over my face.”

She nodded, starting to worry.  In actual fact, she had only shaved a man once.  Though she left no cuts, she couldn’t guarantee that for Wade. 

He finished the last of his food and sat back to relax in his chair.  Lifting his mug to his lips, he studied Anna from over its rim.

“You’re going to need a cut soon as well, if you plan on keeping up this charade.”

Her hand automatically lifted to her hair.  She actually hadn’t seen a reflection of herself since that day at the barber shop, but she could feel the hair growing over her ears.  Instinctively, she tucked a strand behind one ear.

“See.”  He gestured to the troublesome lock.  “Acts like that are very telling.  You’ll have to watch yourself.  A boy wouldn’t worry about a little strand of hair in his way.”

She frowned and pushed her food around on her plate, suddenly not very hungry.

“As a matter-of-fact, I often wonder how I myself had missed signs that now appear so obvious.”

Her frown deepened and she worried openly what signals she sent that indicated her sex.

“There,” he said.  “That’s another clue.”

This time she looked across the table at him perplexed, and he suddenly broke out into a smile.  “Your eyes are very telling, Anna.  If you wanted, you couldn’t keep the truth from being revealed.  You wear your feelings openly.  A man isn’t as emotional.  A boy, perhaps, and my own explanation as to your peculiar personality.”

She lowered her lids.  She didn’t think peculiar was in any shape or form a compliment.

He got up and put his mug on the counter then came back toward the table.  “If you’re just about finished you can follow me.”

Puzzled, she looked up into his face.

He rubbed his beard and reminded Anna of her task.  Her insides felt horrible at the prospect.  If she had her voice, she would object.  As it was, he was already leaving the kitchen and expecting her to follow.  Putting her empty plate into the large kitchen sink, she hurried after him and found him headed upstairs toward the room that contained the bath.  Her footsteps faltered, but she tried to be brave.  It wasn’t like she was expected to take a bath, and she certainly didn’t need that contraption he called a shower to run while she shaved him.

Inside the room he had already placed a chair next to the single table.  Sitting on the table was a shaving kit in a wooden box beside a bowl of warm water and two crisp white towels.  Lying next to them, folded within itself and disguising a very sharp blade was a long black razor.

Anna swallowed the growing lump in her throat as she watched Wade get comfortable in the chair.  She wanted to please him so greatly, but at the same time she feared what her inexperienced hand and the razor-sharp weapon could do.  Knowing he had the ability to read her eyes, she kept her face downcast and tried to remember the procedure the barber took when shaving her hairless skin.

Taking out the shaving brush and shaving cream she turned to look down at Wade’s upturned face.  He closed his eyes and rested the back of his head on the chair.  With as much feigned confidence as she could muster, she applied the cream abundantly over his beard.  Her fingers brushed his skin several times, causing her to flinch.  It was the first time she had ever gotten this close to actually intimately touch him.  It almost felt as if she was caressing his face and blushed from the thought.  The tips of her fingers tingled and she would have given anything to allow them to accidentally slip lower and run between the strands of his thick hair.