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Startled, Anna quickly put the cup back down in front of Kathleen. The woman took pity on her and covered her shaky hand with her own. “That’s perfectly all right, Anna.”
Her eyes met his sister’s understanding look.
“A refill would be lovely, thank you.”
“When a lady leaves a spoon in an empty teacup,” Prescott offered to explain. “It is a quiet request to replenish her cup.”
Anna nodded, bowing her head at the same time before turning to make her exit, however, Wade’s angry retort stopped her. “For god’s sake, girl, don’t bow. We’re not royalty.”
“Wade,” Kathleen scolded. “There’s no reason to be so harsh, and stop referring to her as girl. She has a name.”
For response, he grabbed his mug of coffee and took a huge gulp.
Her attention back to Anna, she said, “It certainly is not necessary for you to bow to either my brothers or myself, however, it would be informative for you to know that it is proper to bow to society who rank higher than yourself.”
Wade growled something and Anna glanced at him, but his attention was intent on the contents of his mug. So instead she offered Kathleen another nod, then hastily exited the dining room. It disturbed her having Wade’s sudden antagonism toward her.
After just returning with the teapot, the chimes from the front door sounded.
Prescott looked surprised. “Who would that be at this hour?”
She wondered if it was her place to go and answer it, but this was resolved when Wade scraped back his chair and got to his feet. “I think I have a fairly good idea.”
After filling Kathleen and Prescott’s teacups, she made her way back to the kitchen to finally sit down and have her own supper. Filling her plate and plucking a warm biscuit from a platter fresh from the oven, she pulled out a kitchen chair and sat down. It was then that she heard the voice of the constable in the other room.
“Evening, Mr. Haddock, Mrs. Rideout. I’m sorry to have interrupted your dinner, however there is business I must see to here at the Circle H.”
“That’s quite all right. We’ve just finished.” She heard Kathleen respond. “I hope it isn’t anything too serious?”
“That’s where I was hoping Mr. Haddock would be able to assist.”
“What is it you want?” Wade answered, sounding annoyed.
“Perhaps we could speak alone, away from the presence of your sister.”
“What you have to say to my brothers, can be said in front of me.” She sounded firm and not anything like the soft spoken person Anna had gotten to know.
“Very well,” the constable responded. “I understand there was an incident here last night.”
“What happens on my property is no concern to you.” Wade’s controlled voice sounded very close to the entrance to the kitchen.
“The law says opposite.” From the tone of the constable’s voice, he wasn’t going to let Wade rid of him so quickly as he had done on his last visit.
“No one’s been seriously hurt and I’ve dealt with the matter.”
“Yes, I’m sure you have.” The lawman’s voice sounded closer. “However, Chuck Rhodes has said some unbelievable things and I thought I would come up here and check them out myself. You know, ease his mind and all.”
There was silence, then Wade replied, “I think the word you used was unbelievable. The man is unbalanced and has been shooting off insane accusations all day, I wouldn’t put any weight to them.”
“Normally I wouldn’t,” the constable agreed. “However, he did mention one thing that did raise my suspicion.”
Again a small silence, then Wade asked, “What would that be?”
“He claimed you threatened him and told him if he ever came back to the Circle H, you would tear him apart.” Then paused to add for effect. “Like a beast.”
“The old man has gotten crazier over the last few years.” Prescott spoke up in an attempt to oust the constable’s suspicion. “This last act was enough, and both Wade and I agreed the old man should be released from his duties.”
“And, exactly, what act are you referring to?”
