On the Mountain

by Peggy Ann Craig

  The sun had still not risen by the time Joe opened the corral gates where the ranch hands had gathered all the cattle being taken to the Kamloops market. The animals kicked the ground and caused sheets of dust to fly in the air as they scattered out of the holding pen. Wade and Joe took the point lead while Prescott, Neil and Frank took the swing. The rest of the men took the drag while the chuck wagon carrying the kitchen as well as Anna and Kim towed along last.

  They covered endless miles of countryside and rode across rolling hills and sagebrush. By the lunch hour the horses were in need of a well-deserved break. They broke camp at a site that had a corral already set up and waiting. Kim and Anna began lunch while the wranglers herded the animals and allowed the cows to mother their young calves.

  “Mm-mm—good,” Joe took a bowl of stew from Anna’s hands and inhaled the delicious aroma. “Ain’t nothing taste better on a man’s tongue than a good cooked meal.”

  “‘Cept, of course, your little filly back home.” Neil chuckled as he spooned food into his mouth.

  Wade’s hand froze in the process of releasing Sty’s girth.

  “Ya watch your mouth when talking ‘bout my gal,” Joe warned, poking a fork in the younger rancher’s face, but his eyes had a glint in them.

  “What’s this?” Prescott took a seat with a bowl of food in his hands. “Have you got yourself a new love, Joe?”

  The lead hand made a face at Prescott. “Nah, too early to say.”

  Wade made his way to the table where Kim and Anna were serving lunch. He looked at her face, but she refused to raise her chin.

  “She’s a pretty little thing, though,” Joe said, as he took his bowl to a log to have a seat. “Tall with just the right amount of flesh on her hips where a man can get a real good hold.”

  Prescott cleared his throat and Wade’s jaw clenched.

  “Not to mention a nice set of bosoms.”

  Wade slammed his bowl down on the table and the contents went flying. He hadn’t meant to bring it down so hard. Joe was going into a territory not meant for the ears of a woman, he needed some form of distraction. Anna looked upset as she grabbed a cloth and tried to mop up his mess. He watched her, feeling his annoyance grow. She shouldn’t be there.

  The cloth she was wiping with came to an abrupt halt directly in front of him and he looked down at her wondering what now. She was looking at the front of his pants and Wade leaned over to see what had caught her attention. A portion of stew had splattered across the zipper area in the crotch of his pants. He leaned over to get a better look and must have startled Anna for she stood up abruptly and hit her head hard on the bottom of his chin.

  “Jesus,” he yelped and staggered backward.

  “Wade.” Prescott quietly scolded him again. But he only shot his brother an angry glare. Then he noticed Anna touching the top of her head and realized that she too had gotten hurt in the collision and felt suddenly guilty. Her eyes were pleading as she stared up at him. Wade felt a tug of annoyance. It was apparent she still feared him and his anger. Judging by his behavior just now though, he figured he probably wasn’t helping the matter.

  “Are you all right?” he quietly asked and she gave a vague nod but still looked very troubled. “So am I.”

  She lowered her lids and turned away and tried to find something to keep herself busy. He sighed. “Look, sometimes I react before I think.”

  She gave another small nod and gathered up the supplies for cleaning the dishes. He leaned forward and in hushed tones, said for her ears only, “I’m sorry.”

  She stopped what she was doing and her eyes shot to his face. There was no doubt to the look of surprise. He couldn’t help himself. He grinned, then reached out to touch the top of her head. “Are you sure you’re all right?”

  Anna gave a slow nod, but did not take her eyes away from his face. Some unknown spark lit her eyes and Wade felt a corresponding response. He frowned, puzzled by the feeling then noticed her eyes had drifted down to his mouth. He abruptly stepped away.

  “I’ll take a refill.” He held out his bowl and she took it from him, her fingers brushing his as she did. Wade felt a tingling sensation where she had touched his hand and drew it away quickly to rub the back of his palm against his pant leg.

  He took the meal and went to find a place to eat. He had better watch himself. He feared he had been sending her the wrong messages. Twice he had noticed her looking at his lips and he knew exactly what she was thinking. That just wasn’t going to happen. Not with her, not with anyone.

  He looked up and over to where she was cleaning up the cooking gear. No matter what she had been through, she was still very much an innocent. She was far too vulnerable and easily wounded. And the last thing he wanted to do, was hurt Anna.

  * * *

  Anna hated herself. How many times did she have to make herself look like a fool before it sank into her thick head that he was not interested? And, like Wade, she would react before thinking. But when he was that close and she could literally inhale the tangy aroma of his body, she found herself doing things her conscience told her to stay away from thinking or doing. She just couldn’t stop herself from fantasizing what it would be like to kiss Wade Haddock.

  Without it looking too obvious, she slid a look over at him and watched as he ate her stew in silence. He didn’t even look at her, a sure sign that she was far from his mind. What thoughts he did form, were not in Anna’s favor. She gave a sad little sigh and turned away. From the conversation she overheard him having with Prescott, he was beginning to think of sending her away. She couldn’t remember the exact wording, but he was obviously frustrated with the length of time it was taking her to heal from the events on the mountain. Maybe he was right. Maybe it was time she thought about moving on. However, the same persisting question continued to nag her. Where would she go?

  Admittedly, it made her very sad at the thought of ever having to leave Wade. Her heart ached just thinking about it, but she couldn’t stay where she was not welcome or wanted. Those particular words she did recall him saying to Joe. He did not want her coming on this cattle drive. It had hurt when he made his feelings regarding that very obvious. The time they spent on the homestead over the long winter now seemed like a distant memory. A sweet and precious memory that she would never forget.

  They got back on the trail an hour later and Anna tried not to let her thoughts stray into bleak territory. She had to accept that her only place in the world would be as someone’s servant. Not their wife. Wade wanted neither.

  They rode all afternoon until they broke for camp at supper time. While the men herded the cattle, Kim and Anna began dinner. Everyone was tired from the cowboys down to the calves by the time the men piled into camp weary and exhausted. When they started to select areas around camp for their bedrolls, Wade wordlessly reached into the chuck wagon for Anna's and placed it between himself and Prescott. She looked away and wished instead that she could have slept next to Kim near the wagon.

  However, the night was warm and sleep beckoned, luring Anna into a deep and soundless slumber. At least on this trail, she did not have to worry about Chuck Rhodes and since only Wade and Prescott knew of her female identity, she knew she had nothing to fear.

  For the next five days and four nights, they rode in a southern direction, stopping and making camp at locations set up for that exact purpose. Each night, Wade performed the same task of placing her bedroll between the Haddock men and each night she slept peacefully and awoke fresh and full of energy. She did notice Wade appeared to be getting grumpier day after day. He looked tired and she wondered if perhaps being out on the trail was beginning to get to him after all these years. He snapped at her easily and she soon began to avoid him as much as possible, but she was at least glad to see he was cranky with everyone and not just her.

  By the sixth day they pulled into the town of Kamloops looking tired and dusty from nearly a week on the trails. As Wade and Prescott only needed a handful of wranglers at the tr
ading stocks, she and Kim went to the livery to unharness the horses from the chuckwagon, and settle them in for the night. It was while she was unloading the wagon that she noticed a sign in the window of an establishment across the street. It was asking for hired help.

  Finishing what she was doing, she parted company with Kim Whong with a smile and a nod and headed over to inquire about the posting. She knew the other ranch hands would be finding other sources of dinner tonight and forms of entertainment. She didn’t doubt that included Wade. With determination, she forced the image of a saloon girl caped across his lap from her mind as well as the growing anger that very thought produced from sprouting any further. Instead she headed across the street. The building was a saloon, but far smaller than the one in Lantern and the only person inside was the proprietor as he came out from a back room with a bucket of clean liquor glasses.

  “Well, good evening,” he smiled over at her and put his load down. “How can I help you?”

  She pointed to the sign in the window.

  “You’ve come for the job?” He looked surprised, but slightly relieved and when she nodded, he said, “What I’m looking for is another set of hands to serve customer drinks as well as clean dishes and keep the place tidy. Think you can handle that?”

  She nodded and he frowned.

  “Don’t you talk?”

  Worried it may influence her chances of getting the job, she shook her head nevertheless.

  “Is that right?” His brows rose but he turned away. “No matter. Not much need for it here.”

  She released a sigh of relief.

  “Well, if you want, you got the job,” he told her, to Anna’s surprise. “Be honest with you, not many applied. Had a few girls inquire about it, but it’s a boy I’m looking for. You’ll have to receive inventory and some of it requires heavy lifting, what with all the bottles of liquor.”

  Anna felt a tug of guilt at her deception but refused to acknowledge it. She had to survive and whatever the means, she would.

  “You kinda small for a boy. You sure you can lift them yourself?”

  She nodded and prayed he did not change his mind. Thankfully, he nodded in agreement. “All right then. The pay is fairly minimal, but you get a room upstairs and meals are free. My wife serves supper at seven every night. You late, you miss dinner.”

  Again she nodded.

  “The name’s Ralph Ashcroft.” He turned his head to study her. “You got a name?”

  Anna nodded.

  “You know how to write it?” When she nodded again, he pointed to the chalk board against the back wall. “Go ahead then.”

  Anna hesitated, then stepped up and wrote very carefully. When she finished, she put the chalk down and moved away for him to read. “Wade is it? All right then, Wade, room number upstairs is three, if you want to go on up and settle in. Looks like you could do for a good cleaning.”

  He eyed her dusty attire and nodded to a small staircase tucked against the far wall. “There’s some water and soap for cleaning up. If you want to bring those clothing down, the wife can give them a washing. Are you hungry?”

  She was and nodded vaguely.

  “Right then, wife will make you up something for that belly of yours.” He frowned when he eyed her small frame again. “Certainly looks like you could use it.”

  Anna smiled her gratitude before he decided he was suddenly tired of her company and ushered her toward the staircase, “Off you go then, but mind you be ready to start work tonight at five o’clock sharp. Best you know right up front I don’t tolerate lateness.”

  She nodded, then turned away smiling proudly to herself as she headed for the back stairs yet feeling slightly sheepish for using Wade’s name. However, it was the only name she knew how to write and since she realized she wouldn’t be able to get work without an identity, she felt she had no other choice. Besides, he would be only too happy as he no longer had to concern himself with Anna. Kamloops was miles away from the Circle H. She felt a slight damper in her happiness and quickly ignored it. This was for the best.

  * * *

  “Where the hell is Anna?” Wade growled under his breath as he searched for the second time in the livery. Most of the ranch hands had already unsaddled their horses, fed them and had them settled for the night when he finally returned from the stock exchange.

  Prescott looked up from brushing his horse and frowned at Wade. “I don’t know. Perhaps she already went up to the saloon.”

  Wade gave his brother a look that sincerely doubted as much then spotted Kim Whong placing some kitchen supplies in a cold box. “Kim?”

  The Chinese man looked up from his task as Wade approached.

  “Where did An—the boy go after you got back from the trail?”

  He shrugged his shoulders in an exaggerated manner and spoke some words in Chinese that made absolutely no sense to Wade. He sighed and walked away. Hell, this was the last thing he needed. It seemed he lost her more times than not whenever they went into town. In the future, he made a mental note to keep Anna planted firmly on the ranch.

  He left the livery and headed for the dance hall and saloon. Maybe Prescott was right. Maybe one of the ranch hands had brought her up there. The town was large and the building was at the far end, but Wade made good time with his long strides. The place was much bigger than the saloon in Lantern. It was buzzing with activity as he entered and he thought that if she were in there, he probably wouldn’t be able to spot her out of the crowd.

  Two long bars ran down the center and a stage with dancing ladies rounded off the back of the dance hall. The top floor was visible as its railings ran the entire length of the establishment along all four walls. He gave both floors a sweep and spotted no one remarkably close to looking like Anna. A frown tugged on his brow and he felt the first trigger of apprehension.

  Running a hand along the back of his neck, he fought the feeling of unbelievable tiredness. He hadn’t been sleeping much for the past four nights. Most of it he had laid wide awake next to her. Truthfully, his only thought was to ensure her safety and if he was asleep he couldn’t do that. However, as he sat there watching her sleeping so peacefully and looking so innocent something strange began to affect him. He knew it was dangerous and he really should have turned around and gone to sleep, but to his dismay all he could do was sit and watch. Then look what happened. The minute he took his eyes off her, she was gone. He cursed and searched some more.

  “Looking for me, handsome?”

  A seductive voice spoke to him from behind and Wade turned to see a beautiful woman with long and shiny blond curls standing directly behind him. She wore a low cleavage dress and reeked of cheap perfume.

  “If things were going my way, I probably would be.” He admitted and allowed his eyes to drop to the half exposed breasts. A male response stirred in his pants reminding him how long it was since he last lay in bed with a woman. An image of Anna lying next to him as she slept came to mind and Wade angrily brushed it aside. “I’m looking for a boy.”

  The woman’s brows shot high. “Kinky. But not necessarily unheard of. We get all sorts of type in here.”

  Wade didn’t have the patience for this and sighed heavily. “He’s small, about this height, with dark hair and brown eyes. Have you seen him?”

  She shook her head. “No, but if you want I’ll keep my eye open and when he comes in I’ll be sure to book the three of us a room.”

  “I’d appreciate it if you just watched for him.” Purposely ignoring her comment regarding a threesome.

  Thankfully, he spotted Joe and excused himself from the woman to head over in that direction. “Have you seen the boy?”

  A saloon woman was hanging all over him and he barely acknowledged Wade, but he did offer him a funny grin as the woman licked him in an unusual spot. “Nope, can’t say that I have.”

  He eyed his foreman and wondered what his new lady friend would think if she saw him now, but somehow, Wade seriously doubted the man cared less. �
�Do me a favor. Find the other men and ask them if he came in with any of them.”

  Joe gave him a look from under his brow that said he wasn’t too pleased with the task, but pushed himself off his stool nevertheless. “Come on sugar, you can keep me company.”

  As he watched him leave, Wade placed his hands on his hips and took another look around the saloon. Nothing. His annoyance was beginning turn in to panic. Where the hell was she?

  Chapter 17

  Anna looked outside the tavern’s entrance and noticed it was completely pitch black outside. Only a handful of customers had come in and none of them were Wade. She sighed with disappointment and turned back to the dishes she was collecting from an empty table. Not that she expected him to come looking for her, but she had certainly hoped he would. It had been several hours now since their arrival in Kamloops and she had thought at the least he would wonder where she had gone to. If anything, Anna felt guilty that she hadn’t let him know where she was and that she would not be returning to the Circle H.

  She brought her bucket of dishes into the back room where Ralph’s wife was busy cleaning dishes. The couple were nice to Anna. In particular, Mrs. Ashcroft. While Anna’s clothing were being washed and dried she had provided her with a clean set of clothing that once belonged to their son who had long grown and moved on. Anna felt less guilty knowing the clothes were no longer being used. When she spoke her voice was cheerful and made Anna feel that much more welcome. Her cooking was hearty and filled her empty insides up quickly so that by five o’clock Anna was ready to work for Mr. Ashcroft.

  Admittedly, she was worn out from being out on the trail all day long and craved a soft and comfortable bed to rest her head. However, she had to start to think of survival. There was no time for rest and relaxation for Anna.