“Sure.”
Elizabeth broke into a wide smile. “Let me just go and get your rooms ready.”
After she left, the trio stood there silently until at last Wade darted a glance at his brother. Prescott gave him an odd look and he knew what question was going through his head. Trouble was, even Wade didn’t know the answer.
Shortly, Elizabeth returned and said, “I’ve set you both up in rooms across each other. There’s a warm bath waiting for you in your room, Anna.”
Wade swung his bedroll over his shoulder then glanced at the girl before directing his attention to their host. “She won’t be needing it.”
“Oh?” Elizabeth’s brows rose, surprised. “Wouldn’t she like to wash away the dust from the trail?”
“She has a fear of water.”
“Really?” She turned stunned eyes to the smaller woman. “How odd.”
He noticed Anna look away and knew she felt embarrassed. Taking her bedroll and tucking it under his arm, he cupped her elbow and led her to the staircase that went to the rooms above. There were only four doors on the second landing, and Elizabeth had left the ones open that Anna and himself were to occupy. Glancing inside he decided to take the one facing the street as it would be noisier. He slipped into her room for only a few moments to deposit her bedroll on the dresser then departed just as quickly.
“Sleep well and I’ll see you in the morning.”
She nodded before he crossed the hall to his own room. When he turned to shut the door, he noticed her still standing in the hall watching him. He frowned, and motioned to her room. “Go on, get to bed.”
This time she did slip into the room and quietly shut the door behind her. Wade waited until he heard the lock click into place before he shut his own door. He didn’t want to take any chances. The last time he wanted to see her tonight would be behind that locked door. The next when she opened it for him in the morning.
Taking off his hat, he dropped it on his dresser and went over to look out the window. He could see the saloon a few buildings down. Its lights were burning brightly and even with his window shut, he could hear the noise coming from its interior. He thought about Marion and considered going down for a quick visit. Contrary to what she told him on his last visit, he was certain he would be very welcome. Not too many customers pay as well as he did.
He sighed and began to unbutton his shirt. Far too many sleepless nights had left him exhausted. The comfort of bed beckoned. As he stripped then crawled under the covers, he did think that a warm, soft female body next to his wouldn’t have been so bad. The last conscious image he had before slipping into a deep sleep, was not that of a redheaded saloon woman, but of a dark-haired beauty with big brown eyes.
* * *
Anna sat next to Wade as they watched his ranch hands compete in the roping and steer wrestling competitions. Bleachers were set up along the corral and women carrying parasols and men in their Sunday best sat to watch the sport that would stir up the dirt and soil a few bottoms.
Prescott and Elizabeth sat next to them and Anna laughed to herself when it was discovered that Wade’s brother was such a fan of the annual event. “Come on, Neil, get that steer’s head down low.”
She looked up at him as he stood on his seat and shouted to the competitors. Anna smirked and looked away. She caught Wade’s gaze looking at her. He smiled suddenly and she easily returned it. Ever since they had come back from Kamloops, something had changed between them. She wasn’t certain what it was, but there definitely was a difference. For one thing, he never left her side. Admittedly, Anna quite liked it.
“Hey.” Someone to her right said. She turned and saw Joe beckoning for her. Anna frowned and went over.
“They’re getting set up for the bull ride,” he told her and Anna felt a chill run down her spine. She had completely forgotten about the bull. “You best get goin’ or ya will miss your name bein’ called. I already registered ya.”
Anna bit her bottom lip and went to turn to look over at Wade. Perhaps to mentally send a message of help, but Joe grabbed her by the shoulder and turned her in the opposite direction. “No need to worry ‘bout him. I’ll let him know you’re okay.”
That was just the problem, Anna thought. She didn’t think she would be okay if she climbed onto the back of that bull. “Come on now.”
She turned and headed in the direction he indicated. Wade called after them and Joe shouted back, “No need to worry boss. Got him good and safe. Be back shortly.”
He quickly grabbed her arm and dragged her toward the pen where the bulls were being held and pointed to a very large one in particular. “That’s the one ya going to ride, so if you need to whisper a few words with him or somethin’, ya best get at it. You’ll be up soon.”
Anna’s large round eyes shot to Joe in alarm. The bull was the biggest and scariest animal she had ever seen. Why in heavens would she consider whispering to it? However, the lead foreman had already gone and Anna was left all alone staring at the beast that would surely be her means to death.
She hadn’t been standing there long when a few wranglers roped the beast by the horns and dragged him off to the far side of the pen, where a gate opened to a holding pen just big enough for the animal alone. She grew nervous and looked around anxiously for Joe. A tall and thin cowboy from the far side announced, “Next up, Peter from the Circle H. Bull riding.”
Joe’s animated face lunged into view and Anna would have sighed with relief, but he grabbed her arm and propelled her toward the area where the cowboys had dragged the mean looking bull. A thick rope encircled its massive stomach, which only seemed to irritate the animal more. He snorted and pawed the ground and gave the fence closest to him a good lurch with his body. Anna instinctively took a few steps back. Panic began to swell in her throat, replacing her nervousness.
“Get on, climb on up that there rail.” Joe gestured toward the fence. “Best position to straddle the animal without gettin’ your legs broken.”
Good Lord, she felt her stomach begin to rumble and she feared she may bring it up all over the bull. She tried to make eye contact with him, but his black eyes only glared and shook in his head as he thrust about violently inside the pen. Cautiously, she stepped up onto the first fence rail and felt the animal’s body slam into the barrier, sending Anna flying backwards.
“Come on, get up kid.” Joe grabbed her under the armpits and hoisted her to her feet. “Otherwise they goin’ disqualify ya.”
Which didn’t sound like a bad idea to Anna. The men were able to calm the animal once again and this time Anna succeeded in reaching the top. She held on for dear life as she looked down at the bull and sent a silent prayer up above.
“What the hell!!”
She went flying off the fence once again, but this time not from the bull, but from a strong hand seized around her ankle. Anna’s eyes went wide as she realized she was airborne and would end up landing hard on her backside if a familiar pair of arms hadn’t caught her just before she hit the ground.
“What the hell did you think you’re about to do?”
So relieved to see him, Anna flung her arms around his neck and clung to him in a death grip. She felt Wade suck in a harsh breath and wondered if she clung to him too tightly.
“Anna.” He pleaded her name softly against her ear and she felt his hands as they tried to uncoil her grip around his neck.
“Hell, Haddock, he ain’t about to do anything he ain’t never done before.” Joe’s voice sounded distant, but she could feel Wade as his muscles tensed and knew he was about to get angry.
“Whose idea was this?” he snarled at his foreman.
“The kid agreed.”
Wade cursed and Joe quickly tried to explain. “Hell, there’s a lot of money layin’ on that kid’s ability to ride the bull. Ya seen him on Lucy. He’s a natural.”
“Christ, Joe, I ought to kick your hide far across the country.” He moved then, still carrying Anna in his arms.
“He was a sure bet. Would have made me a lot of money.”
Wade stopped to growl back at his lead hand, “You ever pull a stunt like this again, you can find yourself new work.”
She heard Joe muffle a curse of his own before Wade marched away from the corral and toward a secluded spot around a building furthest from the competitions. There he dropped her legs and reached up to unclamp her arms from around his neck. This time she relented and slid them back down to her side. She dropped her chin and waited for her own verbal lashing.
“Why the hell would you agree to ride a bull?”
She didn’t respond and he sighed with frustration. “I ought to whip your bottom for that stupid stunt. You could have gotten yourself killed.”
He was right and she knew it. She knew very well the consequences of climbing on the back of that animal. Yet, she was willing to take the chance. She just didn’t know why.
“This charade of yours is going to get you into far worse trouble than if you had remained a girl.” He placed his hands on his hips and took a deep and steady breath. “I fear I’m going to spend the rest of my life watching your backside.”
Anna’s brows dipped toward her nose, reminded of the nuisance she had become since entering his life. He tilted her chin up with one large finger, forcing her to look into his eyes. They were soft and gentle and had a small teasing light to them.
“If you took the effort to look into someone’s eyes, you’d be surprised what you can read there.” His blue eyes had the ability to make her feel as if she were being stroked like a kitten. “Come on, let’s go and enjoy the rest of the show.”
As he led her away and back toward the bleachers, unknown and unseen to both of them, the constable stood only a yard away.
Chapter 18
It was unusually hot that spring day a week after their return from the cattle drive. The sun was high and burning brightly in a cloudless sky. The air was thick with humidity and not a single breeze could be felt to help relieve the stickiness. It was Sunday morning and the wranglers had decided to head into Lantern where it was tradition for them to spend the holy day. Not in a Christian way, but rather to celebrate the day in their own manner. With drinking and ladies.
Prescott had joined the group as well as he intended to visit with Elizabeth and Wade had every intention of also going along. Anna was safely back at the ranch where no harm could come to her and he was free to fulfill his own earthly needs at the saloon. However, at the very last minute a nagging feeling he couldn’t explain had him deciding to stay behind.
He had allowed her to plant a huge vegetable garden at the back of the house, and it was there that she spent most of her days. That Sunday morning, was no exception and as the ranch hands rode off toward town, she was none the wiser that he had elected to stay behind. He decided to leave her be and went into the house to take a cold shower to cool off. Ten minutes later he was toweling himself dry and returned to his bedroom to change into something cool.
He had just walked by his window that overlooked the back of the house and the river and mountain beyond when something caught his attention. Stopping he looked closer and realized it was a naked woman standing ankle deep in the river. With a start, he realized it was Anna.
Proper upbringing demanded he immediately look away, but something much deeper had him standing there transfixed to the scene. It was a vision like none other he had ever seen before, and if ever an image needed to be painted, it was this one. The river lay quietly at her feet, not a trickle of movement and the warm sun twinkled and sparkled off its calm surface. Her naked form was exquisite. Smooth and ivory white where the heated sun had yet to touch. She walked slowly deeper into the water, her fingertips caressing the river’s surface as she did, and Wade felt his member jerk to life.
Cursing, he turned from the window. It took a few minutes, but he was able to get his body under control. Not that the image permanently stamped in his mind was any help. With forced grit, he turned from the celestial vision and walked away while a question entered his head. When had Anna lost her fear of water?
* * *
It began as a warm and beautiful day. Anna felt a sense of freedom for the first time since arriving at the Circle H. All the men had gone into town and if she did not allow her mind to think about Wade with the saloon woman, then her spirits would remain high all morning.
The air was hot and sticky and no wind could be felt. All around her the earth lay still and the calm waters of the river shimmered beneath the burning sun. Knowing all the men were gone, she slipped out of her clothing and stood naked in the river’s edge. It felt so cool and refreshing, and it had been far too long since Anna had enjoyed a dip in the water.
When she first showed up at the ranch, she refused to bathe for obvious reasons. There was the fear she would be caught and her female identity exposed. She learned early how to best bath herself with a bowl of warm water and soap. It had been the men who had presumed her dislike for baths was a result of a fear of water. Since it suited her needs, she went along. However, Anna loved the river and the surrounding lakes dotted along the foot of the mountain. She had learned to swim at an early age and became a fish in the warm seasons, hardly ever leaving the water.
Today, the water felt extra wonderful as she knelt down and emerged her body completely from the scorching sun. It lay calm around her and Anna formed a small game which tested her skill to move with little effort so as not to cause any ripples in the water. Rolling onto her back, she closed her eyes and enjoyed the warmth of the sun as it touched her body.
What happened next, Anna later would recall the events in painstakingly slow motion. Time seemed to hover in space and in that instant became her enemy. Nothing moved and an eerie hush fell over the valley. Then the silence was shattered when the water around her erupted and she felt her legs snatched in a vice-like grip. Her eyes flew open, but the hands dragged her through the water and Anna fell beneath the surface.
She gagged and spluttered swallowing mouthfuls of water and used her hands in a desperate effort to resurface. However, she was not long beneath when she was violently pulled from the river and tossed unmercifully onto the riverbank.
Anna coughed hard, still choking on water lodged in her throat. She heard men snickering nearby and raised her head to see her assailants. There were two men who looked unfamiliar to Anna, but she didn’t need to recognize them to know the evil that lurked in their eyes. She scrambled backwards trying desperately to get away.
“Hey, looks like we got ourselves a real treat here,” one of them said and a familiar chill rippled down her spine. It was the same voice she had heard in the saloon.
He loomed over her with his huge form and bared both yellow and crooked teeth as he sneered, “Kinda looks like a boy but female everywhere else.”
“Let me have a go at her.” The other man who stood further behind was unbuttoning his pants.
Anna’s fears intensified.
“Keep your dick in your pants,” the man leaning over her scoffed. “I dragged her out, I get first rights.”
He licked his lips and reached for his pants and Anna knew she had to escape. Fully naked, she scrambled up the muddy riverbank and just reached the grassy field between the river and the house when she felt a huge form hit her square in the back and knocking her back down to the ground. It was the body of the man who had every intention of raping her and Anna felt the terror in her veins resurge.
“Thought you could outrun me, eh?” He snickered and grabbed her around the waist and hoisted her up on her hands and knees. Anna heard the sound of his belt being undone and reignited her efforts to escape. She didn’t make any leeway, but she did force him to stop what he was doing to seize her thrashing body. Becoming hysterical, she kicked and punched and clawed at her attacker.
“You little bitch,” he howled when the fingers on one of her hands made contact with his skin. The next thing she felt was a brutal blow to the side of her head. Her head reeled in
pain. Stars danced across her vision.
“Move aside,” the second man ordered and Anna heard the click of a rifle. “Let me blow a hole clear through her skull.”
“Put that down, you fool.” The man pinning her body spun around to smack the rifle out of the other man’s hand. “Christ, you’ll have the entire ranch out here.”
Anna felt that small semblance of hope that they believed her not alone. With the man momentarily distracted, she turned and tried once again to run. However, he was too fast for her and he snared her calves in a steely grip, bringing her down hard on the ground. She felt blood spurt from her mouth and a piercing pain shoot throughout her jaw. Her body went limp and Anna knew it was over when he tossed her onto her back. The man grabbed her legs and forced them apart. Then in one swift move had his pants down and her body pinned beneath his much larger one.
“Hold still, you little bitch,” he growled into her ear. “You might have escaped us once up on that mountain, but you ain’t goin’ now.”
His words drew a horrified wheeze from Anna and in that moment she remembered. She had been in the woods when the most earsplitting scream filled the mountain. Terrified, she ran to the clearing and saw three men on horseback terrorizing the village. At the time, they were three strangers, but now a familiar feeling nudged her conscious for one man in particular. They began shooting their rifles and swinging some form of weapon Anna couldn’t make out. The woman were screaming and running and the men on horseback laughed as they plowed their weapons into yet another helpless victim. Anna could remember standing there transfixed with fear. One of the men leaped from his horse and grabbed the nearest woman by the hair, raped her then slaughtered her without mercy. He looked up to stare at Anna with the most evil set of eyes she had ever seen.
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