Noah was excited when he pulled into the town the next day. He hadn’t told her he was returning but after a fitful night of tossing and turning, he decided it was about time. He missed her too much. He’d been away from her longer than he’d been with her. He was determined to rectify that.
On his journey, he saw a spot just outside Burnt Branch that he found intriguing and wanted to check on later. He told himself he would bring Kitty back, and they would enjoy their reunion in a beautiful canyon that may or may not hold the secrets of Wyoming history.
The first place he went once he was back in town was the bookstore. If his luck were good, he would see Kitty there. If not, Sebastian might be able to tell him when she would be coming in.
He felt an instant sense of relief when he stepped into the castle-style building. It still smelled like books and paper and ink. There was an underlying scent as well that Noah was sure had to be Italian cooking. Sebastian’s living quarters were on the second floor of the “castle”, and that’s where he did all his cooking.
It made him a bit hungry.
He grinned at Sebastian, who came from amidst the aisles when he heard the bell over the door tinkle.
“Noah! My friend!” Sebastian gushed, throwing his arms up in the air. “How long it has been since I saw you last! Welcome! Welcome, my friend!”
“Thank you, Sebastian. It’s good to see you, too.” He held out his hand to shake, but Sebastian made a happy sound, dismissing his hand and grabbing him in a hug. He pounded Noah on the back just a little painfully, making Noah laugh.
“Good to see you, good to see you!” Sebastian repeated. He held Noah at arm’s length. “I didn’t think you were coming back, my friend,” he said dramatically, staring into Noah’s eyes.
“Why not?” Noah felt nervousness squirm through him.
“Well, because of Kitty, of course. Her goin’ and marryin’ that Lewis character.”
Noah was covered in fearful chills. “She already married him?” he asked, his voice higher pitched than usual.
Sebastian shook his head, much to Noah’s relief. “No, no,” the older man said. “Not yet. But everyone knows they are supposed to. I’ll tell you, neither one of them seems very happy about it. I don’t think I’ve ever seen them go anywhere together.”
Noah was reminded of the gambling hall and pushed the memory away. It didn’t make him feel good.
“And if they are out together, they sure don’t look happy to be together.” Sebastian shook his head. “My money says she’s already lost her heart to someone else and is gonna fight her father on this marriage.”
Noah nodded. “So you know her father is behind it? This isn’t her decision.”
“Oh, sure, yeah, we all know it.”
Noah lifted his eyebrows. “Everyone?”
Sebastian shrugged. “Everyone who’s paying attention.”
“Hasn’t anyone said anything to Mr. Daley?”
Sebastian’s thick brown eyebrows shot up. “And say what? What can we tell him that will change his mind? That he’s making his daughter unhappy? If he doesn’t already know that, then shame on him.”
“If he does know it, then shame on him,” Noah added. He shook his head. “Do you think she will be in today?”
Sebastian pulled out his pocket watch from the small pocket in his vest and pushed the button to open the top. “Yeah, I’d say she’s about due any minute now. How about you go on back with one of the books … you know, I think she left the book you both bought together here. Just in case you came back for it. Yes, I’m certain of it.”
Sebastian went around the desk near them and pulled open a drawer. He took the book from the drawer and brought it over to Noah. “Here it is. Go on back and sit in that chair and enjoy your book. I’ll tell her the book is waiting for her in the back. I won’t tell her you’re here. It will be a nice surprise.”
“All right. Thank you, Sebastian.”
“It’s my pleasure, Noah. I’m glad you’ve come home. You are wanted here.”
Noah nodded and turned to go down the aisles to the chair in the back corner. He thought about Sebastian saying Noah had “come home”. Was Burnt Branch supposed to be his home? He had to admit it felt right. But it wouldn’t be right without Kitty in his arms. It would only be painful if he had to watch her marry someone else.
He didn’t have time to sit in the chair. As soon as he got to it, he heard the bell tinkle above the door. His heart jumped into his throat. He strained his ears to hear her voice, to make sure it was her who had entered.
“Miss Kitty!” Sebastian said at the top of his lungs. “How wonderful to see you!”
When Kitty answered, Noah could hear the confused laughter in her voice and had to grin wide.
“Th … thank you, Sebastian. How are you feeling today?”
“I’m very well, thank you, very well, indeed. Your book is back there. Go on back and get it.”
“Um … all right. Thank you.”
Noah turned around and faced the aisles, unsure which one she would take to get to him. He saw a flash of green fabric and smiled when she emerged from between the shelves.
She stopped abruptly and stared at him. A second later, she was in his arms, giving him the warmest hug he’d ever felt in his life.
“You’ve come home!” she exclaimed. “Oh, Noah, you came home! You didn’t write and tell me, you cad!” She pulled back enough to swat at his arm playfully, laughing a little. She hugged him again and tighter than before. “I’m so glad to see you, though. I don’t care that you didn’t warn me.” She laughed again. “That must be why Sebastian was so loud when I came in.”
Noah laughed with her.
“He’s never loud like that!” Kitty continued.
“Kitty,” Noah took both her hands and looked in her eyes, “I found a place I want to take you. I don’t know if you’ve ever been there. It’s not real close by, but it’s close enough. I saw it when I was traveling back from Harbor Hills. Will you go with me?”
Kitty grinned from ear to ear. “I will. I would go anywhere with you, Noah.”
The words sounded so good in Noah’s ears. “All right. Come on. Let’s go.”
He grabbed the book on Egypt from the chair, never intending to leave it with Sebastian again. From now on, he would exchange the book directly with Kitty.
They left the shop together, with Sebastian beaming at them with a huge grin.
Thunder was standing right next to Lightning. The two horses seemed to be relating to each other, snorting and lifting their large heads repeatedly.
“I think they’re talking,” Kitty said as they got closer. “Look at how well they get along.”
“I’ll bet if we put them in a pasture together, they would play all day.”
“We’ll have to give that a try first chance we get.”
The two set off on horseback. They went directly out of town, neither of them paying any attention to other people who might see them. The canyon Noah wanted to take her to wasn’t even as far as he thought it was.
A stream ran straight down the middle of the canyon, making a picturesque scene. The foliage was light and scattered; the ground was firm in some places and sandy like a beach in others. They moved into the canyon so that the walls were on either side of them.
“This is stunning,” Kitty said, looking around with wide eyes. She was in awe of the beauty of nature. “I can’t believe I live this close to something this beautiful. It’s like the waterfall. But I knew about that all my life. I never knew about this.”
“I knew you’d be as fascinated with it as me,” Noah said. “I had to show it to you. There are drawings in here, just like at the waterfall. I’ll bet you I’m right.”
“Well, let’s go see!”
The two searched the small caves in the canyon until they found one that did indeed have drawings littering the walls. They depicted what looked like Indians hunting boar, deer, and bear.
“You think these might have been instructions for children?” Kitty asked. “Maybe this is a primitive version of a blackboard.”
Noah raised his eyebrows at her. “What a unique idea. I never thought of cave drawings as being tools used to teach those who needed to learn these things. I am impressed.”
Kitty grinned widely. “Stay with me. Maybe I’ll impress you some more.”