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“It’s really quite sad, actually. Her never returning to her beloved homeland.”
She watched a sad little look cross his face and knew he had shared a special bond with his mother.
“Even after father’s death, she never went back. As per his wish, she buried him on the land he loved so dearly and refused to leave his grave. Kathleen and I were studying abroad at the ti
me, but we came home after we heard of his death. In some odd way, she had changed after that, I can’t really explain other than she was no longer filled with—passion.”
Anna felt a nagging but familiar tug.
“She never mentioned returning to England again.”
“Prescott.” Wade’s voice out of nowhere startled her. He had come back from his position at the front and was now riding alongside Anna. “Time to switch leads.”
“Right.” Prescott became all rancher suddenly and pulled his horse up to the front of the cavalcade. Anna felt a jolt of disappointment. She had wanted to hear more about their mother.
“I hope my brother hasn’t been boring you with our family history.”
Truthfully, she had found Prescott a terrible bore, that was until he started talking about Wade’s family.
“It hardly seems fair,” he said. “You know all about me, but I know nothing of you.”
A picture formed in her mind. She could see her mother and father as well as her siblings. Another face came to mind, but just as swiftly her memory shut down. Anna frowned hard.
“No matter, kid,” he said, obviously having witnessed the expression on her face. “I think I’m beginning to form a pretty good idea.”
He smiled gently across at her and Anna felt her heart melt. She wondered what was it about this man which made her react in a way she never had before. True, he possessed a magnificent set of blue eyes and a chest as broad and rugged as the mountainous terrain. But he was at least twenty years her senior, and different from any man she had ever met.
“Wade!” Prescott called from up front and they both turned their heads in unison to look. Joe had taken his position once again as second in command and, like Prescott, was looking ahead into a clearing.
Wade rode up ahead to investigate. The three men took their horses and rode over to what looked like a dog sleeping in the bushes. She watched the three men kneel on their haunches to get a better look at the animal. Without thought, Anna swung her leg over her horse and jumped down.
* * *
“Damn cougar.” Joe growled under his breath at the sight of the dead calf.
Wade glanced up at him and remembered what he had found in the holding pen in the village in the mountain. He hadn’t told anyone of his discovery. Not even Prescott.
“Certain?”
“Hell, ya.” He gestured toward the guts ripped out of the animal’s side, one of its forearms missing.
Wade rubbed his beard, then noticed someone approaching. He tilted his chin and saw the boy advance toward them. Frowning, he got to his feet. His movement caught the other two men’s attention who turned at the arrival of the boy.
“Peter, you ought to go back to your horse,” Prescott said. “We’ve got things covered up here.”
He ignored Prescott and continued to approach until the dead animal came into view. Wade thought he heard him gasp, but wasn’t entirely certain. Though it surely would have matched the expression on his face. He thought of sending him back, but found himself instead taking a step away and letting the boy kneel beside the animal. His small hand came out and stroked the calf’s head and Wade was suddenly reminded of the filly. It was becoming abundantly clear the kid had a soft spot for animals.
The boy drew his attention to something left of the dead corpse and Wade followed his gaze. He saw nothing but flattened grass. Then the boy got up and started to walk away, his eyes downcast as he appeared to study the earth. Again Wade frowned and found himself following. Joe and Prescott did the same.
“What’s he doing?” he asked Joe.
“Not sure.” Then at closer examination he said, “Looks like he’s tracking using imprints in the grass. An old Indian method used to hunt prey.”
Wade shot a startled look at his foreman. But it was Prescott who said, “What’s he tracking?”
The trio looked back as the boy proceeded further up the rocky terrain, stopping every so often to study the earth. Wade turned back to his ranch hands and motioned they remain where they were, then went after him. The boy had entered a wooded area where the earth rose high in rocky peaks and caverns. He had been following something only he could see when he stopped abruptly.
Coming up behind him, Wade looked over his shoulder into a small clearing surrounded by a wall of rock. In the center sat a coyote feasting on the limb of a cow. More precisely, a baby cow. Stunned, Wade turned and looked down at the kid with admiration.
