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The lead hand hesitated, but complied. “He’s gone mad. Attacked the old man, he did and nearly killed him.”
Wade’s eyes shot toward Chuck Rhodes lying unconscious and injured on the floor. The frown between his brows deepened before looking back at Anna. “Are you sure the boy did this?”
Joe nodded and looked down at her. “Saw it myself. Would have killed him if I hadn’t stopped him.”
That was when the shakes started. At the realization of what she had done. There was no excuse for taking the life of another human.
Wade turned his attention back to the rest of the men. “Get the old man onto a wagon and take him into town to Dr. Patterson’s. Do it quietly and don’t draw attention.”
The two ranch hands closest to Chuck Rhodes nodded and together lifted the old man and carried him out of the bunkhouse. Wade turned and snatched a wool blanket from the closest bunk and wrapped it around Anna’s shoulders.
“Joe, I want to keep this incident strictly kept within the bunkhouse.”
He nodded. “Sure boss. Don’t know what the old man could have done to set the boy off.”
Wade took Anna by the arm and drew her out of the bunkhouse. “I’ll look after it.”
He didn’t say anything as he led her up the hill toward the homestead. Inside, Prescott was up and obviously waiting for word. He wore a fancy robe which Anna had never seen anything of its kind in the area. She looked around for their sister, but there was no one else about.
“How’s Chuck?” Prescott immediately asked as they entered the house.
“I’ve sent him into town. I’ll send a ranch hand out tomorrow to see how he fared the night.” Wade did not let go of her arm. Instead he led her toward the fireplace and placed her in the same oversized lounge chair he had sat her in the night he and his wranglers came back from the mountain. The night he had told Anna her family was gone.
Anna’s throat swelled up and she thought perhaps she would cry, but her eyes remained dry. Wade went over to the cabinet that housed the alcoholic drinks and poured three glasses. Prescott took the chair opposite Anna and looked deeply into her eyes.
“What happened Peter?”
She was startled to see compassion and understanding in his eyes. Anna had practically killed a man and Prescott appeared more concerned for her than the old man.
“Was it a nightmare?”
Anna looked away. Truth was, the whole incident was one awful nightmare. Though a memory had flickered across her mind, it had vanished just as swiftly. The same memory that had come to her as she lashed violently out at Chuck Rhodes.
Wade appeared and handed Prescott a drink, then Anna. She looked at the toxic liquid and thought about drinking the entire contents in one swift gulp. Maybe it would knock her unconscious. Anything to take herself away from this
horrible night.
Wade took a chair next to Prescott and leaned as far forward as possible, his elbows resting on his knees. “We won’t be able to keep this quiet for long. Stanford will get wind of it and be up here to drag your neck off to the nearest noose. That’s if old Chuck Rhodes doesn’t survive the night.”
Anna’s eyes watered.
“I’m not trying to scare you kid, it’s just a matter- of-fact.” She could feel his eyes watching her. “Unless, of course, you were defending yourself.”
Her eyes rose to his face and Wade looked surprised. “The old man tried to harm you?”
Anna hesitated. If she disclosed the truth, then her identity would also be revealed.
“What did Chuck exactly do?” Wade’s voice had a sharp edge to it and Anna became frightened.
She sat silently in her seat and didn’t look at either brother. One of them moved and it was Wade that came to kneel in front of her, his hands gripping either side of her chair.
“It’s all right, boy. I made you a promise once and I intend to keep it. I won’t let anyone hurt you.”
Her eyes stared into his blue depths and saw something she didn’t think she ought to see. Trust. He trusted her.
“Did the old man attempt to harm you?”
Anna hesitated and then nodded.
