Chapter Five

Hannah stood on top of the ridge, surveying the countryside that unfolded in front of her as if she were the queen of the hill. Spread out before her was the splendor of the Adirondack Mountains. She tipped her head back to watch a pair of hawks. The magnificent birds spread their wings, letting the wind carry them soaring over the sloping ridge, high above the trees and rolling hills.

God, how she loved it here! She tossed her hat on the ground near her feet, shook out her hair and lifted her face to the warmth of the sun. The gentle breeze sifted through the strands of her hair, lifting them from her shoulders. For a brief moment she closed her eyes, becoming lost in the giddy feeling of being alone on the peaceful mountaintop.

Then she opened her eyes and looked down the rock ledge. Buried in the stone, glittering like jewels in the sunlight, were the garnets. She knelt, brushing her fingertips across the rough ruby-colored stone. She’d never allow Chase Malone and the damned mining company to tear the top off of this mountain—her mountain. She’d fight with every fiber of her being to keep it from happening.

She’d already seen what the sticks of dynamite could do to the land. She had ridden out to the McCleary mine early this morning. Once there, she’d witnessed firsthand the devastation of the mountain. Chase had been there, too. Hidden behind a boulder, she’d watched as he surveyed the work of his crew. He’d picked up a chunk of the dusty gray rock. She saw the way he touched the stone, coveting it. She imagined his delight at the progress the crew had made in such a short amount of time.

A sense of longing welled up inside her, the feeling so deep it frightened her. It was unbearable to think that in a few months’ time the whole face of McCleary’s mountain would be changed forever, to become another Maple Gorge. She sat down on the flat ledge.

Bringing her knees up to her chin, she folded her arms over them, resting her chin on her forearms. The heat from the afternoon sun warmed her back, bringing her little comfort. Slowly, one tear fell, then another and another. She did nothing to wipe them away letting them flow freely down her cheeks. The only other time in her life that she’d felt so helpless and miserable was after her parents’ death.

He found her like that.

She was unaware of his approach until a twig snapped under the weight of his foot. She turned her head to look back down the trail. He’d left his horse at the lower, backside of the ridge and walked up with a picnic basket in his hand. Mr. Malone paused mid-way up the trail his surprise at finding her in such a state was evident. After a few minutes he set the basket at the end of the trail and quietly joined her on the sun-warmed rock.

She faced forward, for she couldn’t bear to see the pity in his gray eyes.

“Go away! Please, go away!” She’d have liked to push Chase Malone over the edge of the mountain. It was his fault that she was feeling so desperate and alone. If he hadn’t come back to North Creek life would have plodded along as it always had.

“I’m so sorry,” he said.

Angry, she swiped her hand across her face. “This is all your fault, you know.”

“So I’m to blame for your crying?” A smile played around the corners of his mouth. She knew she was acting like a petulant child, but she didn’t care.

“No—I mean, yes!” She stood up abruptly, brushing the dust from the back of her jeans. “You, Mr. Malone, and that horrid mining company of yours are to blame for the ruin of McCleary’s land!” She turned to face him, her face flushed with rage. “And for what? You blew up the mountain for money? If it’s money you want, Mr. Malone, I’d gladly sell everything I own and pay you to stay off my mountain.”

“So you have many possessions, Hannah?” His dark eyebrows arched in challenge.

“What?”

“Because it is going to take a great deal of money to keep me away from here.” His voice was deadly serious as he watched the emotions on her face change from anger to disbelief.

Slowly, punctuating each word, she asked, “You just don’t understand, do you?” She balled her hands into fists and placed them on her hips as she awaited his answer.

But Chase did understand. And he understood all too well that from where he sat and Hannah stood, he was looking eye-level with body parts that no decent lady would leave exposed. The flare of her hips encased in the snug-fitting denim pants she chose to gallivant around in…her trim waistline alone could be a man’s undoing. He was certain his hands could easily span her middle. He would have liked to pull Hannah Jackson into his arms. He knew their bodies would be a perfect fit.

He looked at Hannah as if seeing her for the first time. She was a rare beauty. His eyes traveled slowly up her body. Taking note of her heaving bosom, his gaze left there to look at her face. Her full lips were pursed tightly together. He wanted to stand and kiss away all her animosity until she gave in to him.

He watched, fascinated, as the breeze blew tiny wisps of hair about her face. The sunlight spilled over her dark hair making it shine like onyx. Her eyes sparkled like sapphires. Chase had, unwittingly, stumbled upon his very own Adirondack jewel.

She gave his foot a swift kick. “Mr. Malone, are you going to answer my question?”

He pushed himself up from the ground. “I’d like you to make me understand how you feel.” In two steps he stood next to her.

She stared at the hills off in the distance. “Just look at all those trees. Have you ever seen so many trees?” Hannah asked in a quiet voice.

He took a good look off in the distance. “No. Where I come from, the only trees you find are in Central Park. However, they don’t come close to equaling these.”

“Did you know that there are so many lakes and ponds up here that nobody has ever been able to count them all?”

“No, I didn’t.” He watched her face become animated.

“I lived at the boarding school in Boston for four years, and in all that time I never stopped missing—no, yearning for—these mountains. They are a part of me, just as if they were my arms and legs. Some parts I know just as well as if they were an appendage of me.” She paused for a moment.

Chase watched as her eyes clouded over and she continued, “I guess you wouldn’t understand how that feels, would you, Mr. Malone?”

He didn’t have an answer for her. How could he begin to tell this woman that he’d never stayed in one place long enough to feel such an attachment. The only devotion he’d ever felt was to his aunt—she’d been dead for years now. Somehow he’d allowed his job to take over the place inside of him that should have belonged to a family.

“In the springtime the floors of these woods are covered with trillium and lady slippers. It’s so breathtakingly beautiful.”

He could almost feel her passion about this place. Almost, but not quite. He wasn’t a mountain man, and it would take a lot more than a few stolen moments of lecture on Hannah’s mountaintop to convince him that life began and ended here.

Hoping lunch would offer a welcome distraction, he said, “I almost forgot. Your grandmother sent me up here to deliver your lunch.”

“You were at the homestead?” She asked the question to his back. He was already heading over to the top of the trail.

Retrieving the wicker basket he came back to join her. “Yes, I stopped by at noontime. It seems your grandmother didn’t want you to be wandering about your mountain on an empty stomach. She sent me up here to find you and bring you some sustenance.”

The look on her face definitely made him nervous. She was smiling at him as if they were old friends. He knew when she reached for the basket and asked him to join her for lunch that he was in for trouble. The problem was he couldn’t tell which kind, good or bad.

It appeared her grandmother had thought of everything. Inside the basket were sandwiches, lemonade, a jar of pickled cucumbers and two pieces of cherry pie. Sitting under a grove of maple trees with Hannah Jackson a mere arm’s reach away, Chase had to admit he was feeling quite peaceful. He couldn’t remember the last time he felt so relaxed.

“So how are you enjoying my mountain now, Mr. Malone?” She wadded up the empty brown wrapper and tossed it in the bottom of the basket, then reached into the hamper and removed the pieces of pie. She handed Chase a generous portion and waited a moment for him to sample the dessert.

Swallowing a mouthful of the sweet cherry pie, he looked Hannah square in the eye, still not trusting this sudden change in her mood. “I suppose a person could get used to life in these woods.” Her smile widened at his response and then quickly he added, “After ten or twenty years.”

“Oh, you are impossible!” Hannah tossed her hair back over her shoulder in disgust. “It’s no use, you’ll never understand the charm of this area.”

“Hannah, you have to understand something about me. I’ve never lived anywhere except New York City. Coming up here to the Great Northern Wilderness, well, it would be like you going to another country. It would be no different if you came to live in the city.” He saw her jaw stiffen in resolve. “Think about it, Hannah. You would hate New York. You belong here, just as I don’t.”

“You hate it here?” Her eyes widened in disbelief.

“I didn’t say that.”

“You will never allow yourself to like the Adirondacks, because you are so dead set on destroying all of this.” Hannah’s hand swept out in front of her. “You and that miserable wretch of a man, Mr. Tyler. And that’s another thing that’s been bothering me. How come he keeps sending you up here to do his bidding? And don’t tell me the same thing I heard you say at the meeting.” Narrowing her eyes, she looked at him. “Is the man afraid that the poor mountain folks will run him out of town?”

He could see the afternoon going downhill at a rapid pace. He knew once Hannah started in this vein, there would be no stopping her. He would’ve left her there stewing on her mountain if Radley hadn’t ordered him to strike up some semblance of a relationship with her.

“I don’t think you need to be reminded that my job is to see to the garnet mines.”

“Mine, Mr. Malone, singular. Garnet mine. You will only have one of those, I can guarantee that.” She began to pack up the remainder of the uneaten food.

Before she could leave his side, Chase reached out and gently caught hold of her wrist. “Look at me, Hannah.” When he saw that he had her undivided attention he continued, “I would like for us to at least try to become friends. Do you think we could make the effort?”

Hannah searched his face, uncertain of the truthfulness of his request. She wanted to be friends with him, but she didn’t know if she could trust him. Her pulse quickened under his touch. The flesh of Chase’s hand felt hot against her cool skin. A new sensation, one that Hannah was unfamiliar with, slowly tingled up her arm, spreading through her like a smoldering ember. His touch was pure pleasure.

Struggling to keep her composure, she said, “Please, let go of me, Mr. Malone.” She was surprised at how calm her voice sounded even to her own ears, considering that her heart was beating at breakneck speed.

“Not until you agree to drop the Mr. Malone and call me Chase.” Gently he slid his fingers up and down the sensitive flesh on the underside of her wrist.

Hannah caught her lower lip between her teeth. She found herself trapped not only in his firm grasp, but in his irresistible gaze, as well. A million thoughts ran through her head at the same time, the foremost being that she liked the feel of his hand upon her skin.

“All right.”

“Say my name, Hannah.”

A shiver ran through her as his dark gaze settled on her mouth. She knew he was watching her, waiting for her lips to form his name.

“Chase.” The name came from her mouth so fast it sounded more like she’d sneezed it instead of said it.

Leaning closer to her, Chase grinned and cupped his hand behind his ear. “I’m sorry, what did you say?”

Firmer and louder Hannah pronounced his name. “Chase!”

True to his word, Chase released his hold on her.

The wind rustled through the tall pine trees. Both of them looked skyward as a lone hawk soared overhead, its shadow flickering over their bodies. After the hawk had gone, they turned to look at each other.

Hannah forced down the urge to squirm under Chase’s scrutiny of her. Her gaze unwavering, she continued to watch him, remembering the tenderness he’d shown Jack and Sara McCleary. Whether or not Chase would care to admit it, he’d allowed Hannah to glimpse that warm side of him. She’d seen the vulnerability that lay buried deep inside him when he mentioned being an only child raised by an aunt.

“Is your aunt still alive?” she wondered aloud.

Chase blinked in surprise. “Where did that question come from?”

“I was thinking about what you told me the other day. How you don’t have any brothers or sisters and you were raised by an aunt.” Hannah paused, hoping he would open up to her while at the same time wondering if he realized how much they shared in common.

He raked his hand through his thick hair. “My Aunt Penelope died six years ago.”

Pain for his loss tugged at her heart. Gently, Hannah laid her hand across his. “I’m so sorry.”

“Don’t look so sad. She lived a good life.” Chase laughed. “You might even say she lived a very social life.”

Hannah frowned at his comment. Desperately she hoped he wasn’t implying what Hannah was thinking—that she ran a house of ill repute.

Reading her thoughts, he smiled. “She was very eccentric. And a lot of fun to be with. My aunt Penelope had many parties. Gala affairs that lasted into the wee hours of the morning.”

“Were you allowed to attend all of these grand soirees?”

“Some. Usually I was allowed to have dinner in the kitchen with the cook and my nanny. Afterwards it was one dance with my aunt and then off to bed.” Chase grinned wickedly. “I used to sneak back around to the top of the stairs and watch the antics of my aunt’s friends.”

Hannah giggled. “It sounds like you led a very decadent childhood.”

“Perhaps a little, but it was much better than being placed in an orphanage.” Chase nibbled at a thin blade of grass that he’d picked.

She tried to picture how he must have looked like as a young boy. It certainly wasn’t hard to imagine him sneaking around his aunt’s home trying to catch a glimpse of her guests.

“What about you, Hannah? What was your childhood like?”

It had been a long time since she’d thought about the way her parents had died. And even longer still since she’d spoken of their tragic death. She wasn’t certain she could find the words to explain everything to Chase.

Hannah cleared her throat. “My parents died in an avalanche the spring I turned ten.”

“That must have been horrible for you.”

She barely heard his words. “I remember the sun was so warm that day. The sky was a vivid blue and the air still held just a tinge of the winter’s chill. My parents set off on a short hiking expedition.” Hannah turned to look at him. A sad smile tugged at her mouth. “My mother loved these mountains, too.”

“What were your parents’ names?”

“Annabelle and William. They were so in love.” With a quick shrug, she said, “It was fitting that they died together. I don’t think one could have survived without the other.”

It was the first time she’d made that observation about her parents to anyone. She didn’t know why she’d confessed her secret thoughts to Chase Malone. “I don’t know what I would have done if my grandparents hadn’t been there for me.”

Leaning back on one elbow, Chase watched more hawks fly overhead. “I hardly remember my parents,” he commented without remorse, simply stating a fact.

“How sad for you, Chase.”

He grinned at her. “But I had my Aunt Penelope!”

She couldn’t help but laugh with him. He did seem to have truly enjoyed being raised by an eccentric old woman.

“You were so good with Jack and Sara the other day. I find it hard to believe you weren’t raised with a whole passel of children.”

“Nope, just a lot of love.”

“Same here.”

She started to rise from their picnic spot, but was held back by his touch on her hand.

“You know something, Miss Jackson? It would appear that we have more in common than either of us thought.”

Removing her hand from his reach, she replied, “Perhaps we do share a common past.” Pausing for effect, Hannah raised an eyebrow and looked into his cool gray eyes. “Presently we are on opposite sides.”

Together they rose and he shot back at her, “Our differences of opinion will certainly make for an interesting friendship. Don’t you agree?”

Grabbing the handle of the wicker picnic basket, she chose not to respond to his comment. Noticing the angle of the sun she realized the afternoon had gotten away from them. “I should be getting back. I don’t want my grandmother to worry.”

Helping her with the basket, Chase smiled. “No, we can’t have that.”

He waited for Hannah to mount her horse and then handed the basket up to her. “I had a nice time today.”

“Me too.” She placed the basket in front of her and then took the reins from him.

“Do you want me to ride back with you?”

“No, I’ll be fine. Thanks for the offer, though.” She smiled at him, gave a quick tug on the reins and nudged Bonnie down the trail heading back to the homestead.