The Visions of Ransom Lake Read Online Free PDF Page A

what it was, but for a few moments Vaden felt truly uneasy in his presence. She inwardly told herself it was, as always, her dramatic imagination and returned her attention to the conversation at hand.
    “ How I’d like to know what’s in that man’s mind,” Sable Clayton muttered. “What made him take to the hills like he did?”
    “ My guess is tragedy. Pain of some kind,” Myra answered. “A man just doesn’t live like that without somethin’ sending him to it.”
    Vaden set the items she had gathered on the counter and turned to find a hush had fallen over the room. All eyes, including Jerome’s, were turned toward the front entrance to the store. As Vaden herself looked up, her heart began to pound madly with excitement. There in the doorway stood none other than the mysterious Ransom Lake. He nodded slightly in greeting to the onlookers.
    Amazingly, Myra found her composure at once. “Mr. Lake! What can I help ya with today?” Vaden knew by the crimson color rising to the face of each and every person in the mercantile, they all were wondering how much of their gossip Ransom Lake heard before they noticed he had entered the building.
    The hermit seemed to sense the discomfort in the room and simply mumbled, “Boots,” in a lowered voice.
    Vaden’s eyes fell to the well-worn boots the man wore. She blushed a deeper cherry hue when she looked up to find him staring defiantly at her.
    “ Well, of course, Ransom,” Myra said. “I’m certain you’ve got a busy day ahead, so I’ll just bring out a few pair for ya to look at.” She went to a far corner of the room and began rummaging through a variety of footwear.
    Vaden could not help but stare at the man. He stood no more than six feet from her, his eyes all the more disturbing. She noticed his long black hair was slightly graying at the temples, and for some odd reason, it appealed to her. It seemed to deepen the mystery prevailing in the very air around him.
    “ We hear you’re planning to winter on your farm in town, Ransom,” Jerome stated bluntly.
    The hermit nodded.
    “ It’ll be good to have ya here,” Jerome added. “It’s always helpful to have another man around when a hand is needed with winterin’ cattle and such.”
    “ That’s a wonderful piece of property you’ve got out there, Mr. Lake,” Mrs. Clayton remarked.
    “ Thank ya, ma’am,” the man mumbled.
    “ Will any of these do, Ransom?” Myra asked, holding up a pair of large boots in each hand.
    Ransom Lake’s brow puckered in a thoughtful frown of consideration. “Do ya have any higher up?” he asked. “To just below my knee maybe?”
    Vaden was thrilled by something about his voice. Something tantalizing. It was quite deep, and he seemed to mumble his words more than speak them. It was unusually masculine somehow, even if most folks may have considered it impolite. She could only continue to stare at the man, for he was incredibly intriguing! As she had noticed before, the sleeves to his shirt had been torn away at the shoulder seams, and his massively muscled and sun-bronzed arms were no less than astounding, impressive. She had never seen the like! Of course, most men wore sleeves, so their arms weren’t publicly displayed as a rule. But she was positive most men’s arms hidden beneath proper sleeving were not of the size and perfect formation this man’s were. Glancing quickly at Jerome Clayton’s sleeves, she was only more convinced of this fact. Ransom Lake was also taller than she had been able to surmise before, and his shoulders were definitely a pair of the broadest she’d ever seen.
    “ Oh, dear. I’m not sure, Ransom,” Myra mumbled. “Why don’t ya go ahead and try a pair of these on and I’ll have Vaden take a look.” Myra handed the pairs of boots she held to the man. He set them down on the floor, removing his own worn ones there in the middle of the store. “Vaden, would you please…” Myra began. “Vaden!” Vaden tore her curious