The Blue Mountain Review Issue 1

sister’s panic, approached and made the introductions, “Mark Pembley, this is my sister, Elizabeth Curtis, but everyone calls her Bessie. Bessie, Mark; Mark, Bessie.”

Bessie extended her hand, which could have been swallowed whole by Mark’s hand if it was a mouth. Although his handshake was gentle, she could feel the roughness of it, which surprised her.

She had judged him by how he dressed—very elegant, polished, without a speck of dirt on him—and thought his hands would be soft, but they weren’t. Staring him in the eye, she wondered about his profession, but didn’t say anything. As she didn’t know people as well as she did animals, she couldn’t read his expression well, only that there was something like a wild stallion prepared to burst forth from his level gaze. How long could this be held back? Why did he restrain it in the first place?

“I’m sure you have to be getting on your way. Father is probably timing you,” Rachel stated.

Mark released Bessie’s hand, and she stared away from him, back to her sister. They left the room and wandered back to the counter, where Ronny was staring at the candy. Rachel retrieved a piece of pepperment from the glass jar, and was happy to find out that the striped sweet was still Ronny’s favorite. Watching him lick away at the red and white, Bessie tried to make the right decision about Rachel’s return and Mark’s presence, while the phrase “a wolf in sheep’s clothing” fluttered around in her mind.

Before she could open her mouth to say anything, Rachel, who had been watching her younger sister, said, “I’m guessing father’ll need to hear the truth about me, so you don’t feel it too heavily on your conscience. Tell him the truth. Tell him I’m in charge of the merchantile store. Let’s see what Bible verse he’ll turn to and calm down reading this time, after he babbles about how wicked I am.”

Bessie nodded absently, which prompted Rachel to hug her again, and whisper into her younger sister’s hair, “I know you have a million questions about what I’ve been up to. I’ll give you some answers, I promise . . . just not today. Come back tomorrow, if you can, ok? I’ve missed you.”

After Rachel gave Bessie a final squeeze, Bessie led her brother back outside—only to find Mark standing beside the buggy, with the reins of his eighteen-hand black stallion strapped to the back.

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