Grace slipped on her warm coat although the day was warming. She wasn’t sure how long she’d have to walk and if she’d spend the night in the open. Just before leaving the shack, she walked back in and grabbed the extra wool blanket. She’d need it if she had to sleep on the ground or to wrap her feet.
Taking a deep breath, Grace tried to remember exactly what Wade told her about where she was. He said to ride north when they left the ranch. That meant the ranch must be somewhere south of her location. The rising sun was in the eastern sky, and Grace knew she needed to keep the sun to her left as she began her trek out of the valley.
Grace estimated she and Wade were on horseback for approximately two hours. She wasn’t sure how fast Willow traveled, but she knew Wade pushed them to gallop quite a distance to leave the ranch behind them as quickly as possible. He never allowed the horses to slow to a walk and that meant she was quite a distance from home. Home. What a lovely word. That gave her more determination to walk and continue. She was headed home.
As Grace began the slow climb out of the valley, Clay rode toward the trees in the distance. Clay asked God again for guidance and strength to find Grace. For a moment, he thought again about hanging Wade by his heels in the barn until he told him where Grace was but asked God to forgive his cruel thoughts. Maybe grandpa was right, and Wade’s threats were all talk.
As Clay rode south away from the ranch, Grace trudged up the hill heading south toward the ranch. Each step they took brought Grace closer to home and Clay further from his wife. Wade continued to snore on the parlor floor until Cora entered the room and kicked his boot to wake him.
“What? Leave me alone,” Wade grumbled.
“Get up off the floor and do your chores,” Cora said. “The sun’s up.”
Wade sat up and rubbed his face. “I’m going to own this place soon, and I don’t need to do chores. As soon as the old man signs it over to me, you’ll be out of a job. I’m going to bed,” he snapped and pushed his way off the floor. Cora heard him stumble to his room and slam the door.
Shaking her head as she walked into the kitchen to prepare breakfast she prayed that Clay found Grace before Wade could force Hutch to sign the ranch over to him. She added extra prayers for Grace’s safety.
Before the coffee was boiling, Grandpa Hutchison meandered into the kitchen rubbing sleep from his eyes. “Did I hear Wade shouting a while ago?”
“Yes,” Cora answered as she sliced bacon and placed the slices in a skillet. “I found him passed out on the parlor floor. He has a bruise on his face. I’m not sure if he was in a fight at the saloon or if he met Clay when he arrived home last night. Wade thinks he’ll own the place soon and doesn’t need to do chores. He told me I’ll soon be out of a job and home and then went to bed.”
Grandpa rubbed the stubble on his chin. “I expected the lawyer to come out yesterday but come to think about it when I was in the mercantile I think O’Malley said the lawyer was in Cheyenne working on something. If he’s not in town, that should give Clay enough time to find Grace.”
“Let’s pray he finds her soon. How did you sleep? Did your cough or that pain in your chest keep you awake?” Cora asked and looked grandpa directly in the eye.
“I slept fine. No cough, no pain. I think the stress I felt about Wade’s statements caused my cough to act up and it usually hurts my chest. I’m better. No cause to be concerned,” Grandpa insisted.
“You better be, or I’ll send one of the hands into town to fetch the doctor.” Cora placed a cup of coffee on the table and smiled at the kindly elderly man.
“Yes, ma’am,” he mumbled as he sipped his coffee.
Elizabeth rushed into the kitchen apologizing for sleeping late and not helping with breakfast. “Don’t worry your heart, dear, you didn’t sleep much last night. Sit down and eat and I’ll let you do the dishes.”
A knock at the back door broke their conversation. Elizabeth opened the door to find Mason Callen standing there. For a moment before he could say a word, he was lost in the blue eyes that mesmerized him on the stage ride from Cheyenne. That, of course, was before she married Wade and he silently chastised himself for his attraction to another man’s wife.
“Good morning, Miss Elizabeth,” Mason greeted her. “Are Clay or Grandpa Hutch around?”
“Yes, please come in.” she held the door opened wide, and Mason entered and took off his hat. He greeted Cora and grandpa Hutch before taking the offered chair at the table and a cup of coffee.
“What brings you out here so early, Mason?” Grandpa asked.
“One of Pa’s ranch hands heard a rumor at the saloon last night that Grace is missing, and Wade might know where she is, but won’t tell. Lucinda was overheard saying she was going to be the lady of Hutchison ranch soon. I came to see if there’s any truth to it,” Mason answered.
Grandpa explained the events of the previous day and Mason whistled. “I didn’t think even Wade could be responsible for something that devious. If Clay needs help searching, Pa’s hands will help as will I.”
Mason sipped the coffee and added, “Do you know where Clay headed this morning? I’d ride out and meet him.”
Grandpa shrugged, “I don’t know. He was gone before any of us woke.”
