Chapter 6

It was only after six in the morning, but the little town that surrounded the ranch was already up and sinning.

Nickolas stood next to the chestnut stallion, Florence, on a hill overlooking the ranch below.

It had been a long night outside, and he was tired. After seeing that the guests were fed and enjoying themselves, he had taken the horse to his place of solitude.

The place was on the hill above the ranch. When he needed to think, he came up here and sat against the weathered oak tree that had seen too many suns and rains.

Last night, he had done the same thing. There was nothing like sleeping under the canopy of the stars to think; after what happened with the stables burning down, he had a lot of thinking to do.

The fire in itself hadn’t made him suspicious; it was only later, when he was walking around the barn, that he noticed the hose that was supposed to be used in an emergency had been cut off.

When he enquired from one of his men, Jason. The young man said that the hose and the extinguishers had been in top condition only about a week ago, but during the fire, they had either been missing or damaged to the point of being useless.

And as for the situation with Grace, that one had almost solved itself. He could see her softening last night under his gaze, but knowing her, she would be too stubborn to acknowledge her feelings even to herself.

Nickolas looked from vintage point down at the ranch and its vast surrounding fields that could make any man dream dreams.

From the ranch house, the barns and staples, the pond that faced the grove of trees, to the corral were the horses where looking out. He couldn't find one single place where a stranger would hide if he had come only to destroy his equipment.

After a while of looking and nothing jumping at him, he concluded that he would not be reporting the fire until he had enough evidence as to what had caused it.

He descended the vintage point with Florence trailing behind him, he was no closer to the truth as he had been when he ascended up last night to clear his mind.

“Hold it, boy” he said to the horse as his foot stepped on shaky ground that threatened to topple him over.

When he had reached a levelled ground, he got on the saddle again and led the horse home.

He took a different route and came up behind the corral. Got off from his horse and walked the rest of the way to the ranch, leaving the Florence in the corral.

As he passed by the burnt staples, something caught his eye and he stopped to take a closer look at the burnt ashes.

Inside the stable, there were parts were the fire had not spread to and there were parts where the fire had started but didn’t spread any further, but looking at it in broad daylight, it was clear to Nickolas that the fire has been started in different places. There was one side however where most of the hay had been stored that the fire had gone out of control and almost consumed the entire structure.

He moved away from the stables and walked towards the house, whistling a soft tune. When he reached the ranch house, it was time for breakfast and guests where up and having their morning coffee but he couldn't see Grace anywhere.

He went to the front where Lilith was already seated and sorting out the lists of different activities that the guests where going to engage in for the day.

“Moring.” He said, his voice hoarse and Lilith almost dropped the papers, blushing furiously.

“Mr Smith…I didn’t hear you come in.” she said picking up the papers from the desk.

“Did Mrs ...” he cleared his throat, “Did Mrs Anderson come down yet?” he asked and Lilith looked puzzled for a minute before she shook her head.

“She hasn’t come down for breakfast but last night food was taken to her room.” She lowered her voice to a whisper.

“Do you think she is not feeling well because of what happened with Mr Anderson?”

The staff were not used to gossiping or speaking in a casual manner with Nickolas about anything. but, it seemed like Owen had opened a loophole with the drama he caused.

“I try to stay away from the guests personal lives and I suggest you do the same.” He said, leaving an icy chill that froze whatever idea Lilith might have had about Grace.

As he mounted the stairs to his suite he thought of what Lilith had said about Grace being upset, she was upset, there was no doubt about that but he didn’t believe she was upset because of what Owen did.

Grace was upset because she knew the truth about him and didn't want to accept it.

When he reached the landing, the atmosphere at the top was quiet and he debated with himself between going to his suit and giving her some peace to simmer down, but had that not been what he had done last night?

He had spent the past three years dreaming about this, them reuniting after so long and now that she was here, right under his nose, he couldn’t wait anymore.

He knocked gently on her door and waited.

There was no answer. He knocked again and listened. Nothing indicated that there was anyone in the suit, he turned the handle and pushed, the door was unlocked.

The coolness of the room greeted him at the door and his heart lunched into his throat when he looked at the empty bed that showed that no one had slept on it.

In two strides he was at the bathroom door and peeked inside. It was empty, Grace was gone.

He stood at the centre of the room and looked around. The room hadn’t been disturbed and it looked like she had just stepped out but he knew from the staff that she hadn’t stepped out.

He went to the closet, all her clothes where there, intact. His heart raced and he went out the room and down the stairs.

This time Lilith heard him coming down the stairs and she stood ready for him. From the look on his face she knew something was wrong.

“Did Mrs Anderson leave the ranch?” He asked, almost breathless.

“No sir, she’s been in her room since last night.” Lilith said, afraid to ask more questions.

“She’s not there, the bed looks like it hasn’t been slept on but her stuff is all in there.”

Nickolas thought he was losing his mind. Nothing made sense, one minute she had been at the ranch and the next, she seemed to have vanished into thin air.