Page 58 of On the Mountain

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.”

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