Mountain's Captive Read Online Free PDF Page B

how best to answer. Biting her lips, she started to panic. How was it that everyone seemed to know her business already? She had only been in the diner for twenty minutes. Then, as she spied the woman who had been shopping with Gladys in the General Store, she grimaced in disdain.
    “Are you?” An older gentleman at the counter joined the inquiry.
    “Yes. But, it’s a mistake—a clerical error.” Chloe tried to remain calm. She felt like she was on the witness stand. “I am here to clear it up.”
    “So, what you mean to say is that you found out he lives out here in the boonies and you want no part of it.” The waitress laughed heartily. A few of the other’s joined her. “I can’t say that I blame you.”
    “No, I didn’t mean that at all. Your town is l-lovely,” Chloe stuttered.
    “How do you like that?” The older man again.
    Everyone chuckled as Chloe turned red with embarrassment. She wished she were let in on the joke, though she got the feeling she was somehow the punch line.
    “Leave her alone, Clyde,” the waitress scolded before turning back to her interrogation. “Now, Everest is a cute one. Could it be that you’re here to convince him back to wherever it is you’re from? Not that he will go, mind you. Where are you from?”
    “New York,” Chloe answered weakly, feeling as if she had no choice. She took a sip of coffee wondering what the waitress’ standard for cute was—a man with most of his teeth? She gulped as the bucked tooth lad leered a little too approvingly at her.
    Dear God , she thought. Please tell me I didn’t sleep with something like that!
    “See, I told you. She doesn’t want to be moved out here. She’s used to that city living. What I wouldn’t give to go to New York.” The waitress gave a dreamy sigh. “Do you get to shop on Fifth Avenue?”
    “Now you’ve done it.” Clyde, the man at the counter, laughed as he lit his cigarette. “Betsy will be asking to go with you before you know it, mark my word.”
    “Shut up, Clyde!” Betsy, the waitress, yelled.
    The diner broke up in laughter as Betsy ran into the waitress station with an audible sob.
    “Now you all leave that poor child alone. Shame on you!”
    Chloe turned grateful eyes to Gladys who had just walked in. Her stern voice instantly drew respect from the gathered customers. She pointed her finger at Clyde and shot him a scolding look of disapproval.
    “Last time you made her mad, Clyde Walton, I had to cover her shift for three days.”
    Clyde nodded his head as he gave her a defiant look. But, instead of answering, he turned back to his coffee and said nothing.
    Gladys moved to join Chloe at her table. She sat down in the booth across from her without waiting to be invited. “Don’t you mind them, none. They don’t have anything better to do.”
    “Thank you,” Chloe mumbled. She didn’t know why the woman was joining her, not that she minded terribly. Chloe coughed as the smell of the smoke coming from the man at the counter drifted over.
    “Not at all.” Gladys smiled kindly as she began rearranging the condiments on the booth’s table. “You’d see that they really mean well, if you’d get to know them.”
    Chloe groaned inwardly. “I am sure you’re right. But there has been a terrible mistake. Our marriage isn’t real. I don’t want this to become inconvenient for him after I am gone. I shouldn’t have said anything.”
    “Don’t you worry about Everest. He’s known these people his entire life. He won’t have any problems with them.” Gladys winked as Betsy brought a plate of food to the table. “Glad to see you didn’t have the meat loaf. Well, I’ll leave you be. Grandpa should be ready to go as soon as you are done.”
    “And just what is wrong with my meat loaf?” Betsy asked in a huff.
    “Nothing, dear,” Gladys chuckled in merriment as she stood up.
    “Yeah, except you’re supposed to kill the animal before you cook it.” Clyde coughed, happy to have his