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A flicker of hope lit her eyes. “But he still agreed.”
“I’m very obstinate. That’s the one thing about being the only female sibling. No matter what I wanted, I always got my way.”
Anna tempted a smile but said, “If he cared, why wouldn’t he have told me?”
Kathleen’s brows lifted. “He has. You just haven’t been listening.”
This time Anna frowned hard. She had been listening, and watching, but Wade most definitely did not give her any signals. If anything, it was the complete opposite. An image of him withdrawing anytime they may have gotten too affectionate, came to mind. She hated telling his sister that she was wrong about her own brother, but in this case Anna felt she was right.
“Kathleen, I think Wade might have feelings for me as a little sister. But I’m not young enough not to know the difference.”
She smiled suddenly and got to her feet. “Trust me, Anna, as a little sister speaking, that is not sisterly love.”
Anna frowned again and reminded his sister, “He’s sending me away.”
Kathleen shook her head. “Change of plans. It’s time someone shook up that brother of mine’s life. It’s far too routine. He needs a little jolt back to reality. And we’re just the women to do it.”
The frown between Anna’s brows deepened. Kathleen may be willing to play with fire where Wade was concerned, but Anna was not. “I don’t know. Wade knows what he wants in life, and I’m not included.”
Kathleen reached for her arm and pulled her to her feet. “Sometimes Wade is too bright for his own good. What he has needed in the past twenty-four years is a good wake-up call. He has carried the burden of responsibility for so many people on his shoulders far too long. It’s about time he learns he doesn’t need to carry it alone. Some of us will do it for him. Now, come on. Tomorrow is going to be a big day. We need to start planning.”
Alarm filled Anna’s eyes, but she allowed the woman to drag her off to the reading room where she proceeded to sit down at the desk with pen and paper. As the woman spoke, Anna couldn’t help but feel intensely worried. If Wade had felt anything before, he certainly wouldn’t after tomorrow.
* * *
At the breakfast table the following morning, Wade avoided eye contact with Anna as she served him and his sibling’s breakfast. He felt horrible about sending her away and had contemplated several times telling his sister he had changed his mind. But he couldn’t let his own feelings jeopardize Anna’s chance at happiness.
“Wade, would you mind going into Lantern this morning?” Kathleen asked across the table. “Anna requires a veil for the road to keep the dust off her face. She may borrow my hat, but unfortunately I only have the one veil.”
He didn’t like the idea of him being gone for several hours’ right before she left. Wade would have wanted to spend the time with Anna instead. He frowned and pushed his plate aside untouched. He was suddenly not very hungry. “I’ll bring her along and she can pick out which one she prefers.”
“Don’t be ridiculous.” Kathleen brushed his offer aside. “They are all the same. Besides, I want her to stay and help me pack.”
His eyes locked on his coffee mug. “Fine.”
“Good, that’s settled.” She got up and headed for the kitchen.
Wade sat there stiffly and only realized then that Prescott sat quietly across from him watching. He looked up and noticed an odd look cross his features. “Well?”
“I hear Anna’s leaving.”
Wade silently cursed his brother, he hated being reminded. “Kathleen made a valid point. She can offer so much more than I—the Circle H can.”
Prescott did not reply immediately, then said, “It did all right for the three of us.”
His eyes shot up and narrowed in on his brother. The man was far too smart. He also had a bad habit of looking at things too deeply. Wade envied him at that moment, because he would have given anything to understand these turmoil emotions he had been feeling ever since her arrival.
After breakfast, he saddled up Sty and headed into Lantern. A part of him wanted to glance back and see if she was watching from the porch, but he refused to allow himself to look. Instead he rode hard through the valley until eventually he pulled his horse in front of the general store. Dismounting, he walked briskly into the shop and spotted Marion at the same time she spotted him.
“Well, hello there lover.” She said in her usual seductive manner.
Wade tilted his cowboy hat at her. “Afternoon, Ms. Walsh.”
Her brows shot up. “My, how formal.”
He simply gave her a polite nod in response.
“Heard about that boy of yours. Turned out to actually be a girl.” She smirked suddenly. “Bet you feel like the biggest fool.”
