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Wade stood on the back porch of the homestead and looked down at the corral where Anna sat on Lucy’s bare back. Joe had tried many times to train the horse with a saddle, but the filly refused anything on her back other than the woman. It had been three weeks now since the incident down at the river. She had regained her voice, but Anna had become more withdrawn than ever before.
He didn’t doubt with her memory restored, she would be haunted daily by the events that happened up on the mountain. A stab of his own suffering ached deep inside, for he wished he could have done more to help her. Though he had killed the murderers who had done this to her and her family, the constable had been allowed to live.
After Frank had shouted down the rock wall to Wade, he had raced up the gorge to find the constable only shot in the leg. The man’s evil eyes had glared up at him and told him that Anna was nothing but trash. When Wade raised his rifle to blast a cavity into the side of the man’s head, Frank had shouted that two riders were approaching over the ridge. They turned out to be Prescott and the RCMP officer.
Wade aimed his hatred toward the lawman and realized that if he killed him, he would be no better than the constable. It was not revenge or prejudice or even hatred that slaughtered that village. It was pure evil. The same evil that tempted him now to end the lawman’s life. Slowly, he lowered his rifle and waited until the RCMP officer arrived to arrest him. Wade recounted the constable’s story to the officer, but didn’t need to as Stanford was only too obliging with the details.
Now, as he stood and watched sorrow dim the light from her eyes, he regretted not pulling that trigger.
“Wade?”
He turned around to see Kathleen approach. With effort, he offered her a smile. She came to him and slipped her arm through his and leaned out over the porch rail to look toward the mountains beyond. It was a beautiful day, but not nearly as hot as it had been in the past several weeks.
“I know you always thought otherwise, but I love this land as much as you.” He turned and offered her a raised brow. “I’m just not cut to live out here.”
He smiled then and turned his attention back to the corral.
“I was thinking of going back on the last stagecoach tomorrow evening,” she surprised him by saying.
Wade straightened and turned to look at her. “I always hate to see you go, but I understand. Your family, I’m sure, are missing you terribly.”
“And I them.”
He nodded, and for the first time understood. “I’ll have one of the ranch hands ride in and send word to the stagecoach.”
She nodded, then looked out to the corral as well. “I’m bringing Anna back with me.”
Wade couldn’t have been more stunned if she had punched him. “What?”
“I think it’s in her best interest.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. She doesn’t belong in the city.”
Kathleen sighed and told him, “She has nothing left here, Wade. Her family and community are gone.”
“What the hell are we?” He cursed, forgetting momentarily his manners around his sister. Automatically, he apologized, but then said, “You can’t take her from this. It’s her home.”
Kathleen gave him a sad look. “It’s your home. Not Anna’s.”
“I told her she could stay at the Circle H as long as she wanted.”
“As your servant?”
“Many woman do.” He pointed out.
“I want more for Anna. She’s been through so much and has been given a second chance. I want that chance being full of opportunity.”
He frowned heavily, and turned away from his sister. “She won’t be happy there.”
His sister shrugged and said, “She’s not happy here. At least in New Westminster she might find a nice young man. Someone to love and be loved in return.”
Wade’s brow drew together in anger. “What type of gentleman can she capture? She has no family, no status.”
“Wade, please. Try to understand.” Kathleen put her hand on his arm. “If she stays here, she will resort to the type of lifestyle she was brought up to expect. In New Westminster I can give her an opportunity to improve her life. I’m certain there are plenty of young gentleman who would be willing to take on such a beautiful bride.”
He raised his hand and rubbed the back of his neck. From his distance he could see the slump of her shoulders as she rode Lucy round and round the corral. There was so much despair and unhappiness in her brown eyes. Gone was the fear, but instead a sorrow replaced their depths. Wade wanted more than anything to help her, but he had failed her once and knew there was nothing left for him to do.
