Snowbound in Montana Read Online Free Page B

forest.
    Every now and then, Marshall circled back to the end of the pack and checked on everyone’s progress. Eliza marvelled at how smoothly he was able to change direction, and how far he managed to travel with each of his glides.
    “You’re doing well,” he said, before giving her a slight modification.
    “Thanks,” she replied, but he was already gone, back to the front of the pack, guiding them past a few signposts and keeping them on the right trail.
    Soon, Eliza was having so much fun she forgot to be nervous. The fresh snow made everything so beautiful. The trees looked as if they’d been topped with thick vanilla frosting and the fat, lacy flakes tickled her nose as they fell. The one time she fell, when her ski snagged on a pine cone that dropped from a tree into one of the tracks, her inelegant tumble was so cushioned by the thick banks of snow that it didn’t even hurt.
    Even so, Marshall glided back to check on her, holding out his hand to help her up. “You okay?”
    “Just embarrassed.”
    “Don’t be. We all fall sometimes.”
    She was disappointed when the lodge came back into view. How could eight-miles have gone by so quickly?
    Sydney, however, mustn’t have been having much fun, because she muttered, “Thank God this is finally over.” Her husband, Jason, looked at her anxiously, but didn’t say anything. Sydney couldn’t seem to get out of her skis fast enough, and was soon walking rapidly toward the lodge. Her husband thanked Marshall, then quickly followed.
    “We sure earned our dinner tonight,” Buck said good-humouredly, not seeming to have noticed the exchange between the Kellys. He clasped Marshall on the back. “You know what you’re doing, that’s pretty obvious. How long have you been skiing?”
    “Since I was a kid. I used to be on the Junior ski team.”
    He said this modestly, as if it wasn’t a big deal, but Buck whistled. “Is that right. Did you make it to the Olympics?”
    “Never had the chance to try. I was injured when I was seventeen. That was end of competing for me.”
    “Too bad,” Buck said. “You’ll have to tell me and the wife the whole story later. Right now, I better get showered and see what those girls of ours are up to.” He gave the Eliza a wave, then took off for the lodge.
    Eliza realized Marshall had removed his skis as well, and was waiting for her. She couldn’t help grinning. “That was so much fun. I wish we didn’t have to go in.”
    “You’re really talented,” Marshall said. “And I’m not just saying that. Trust me. But as much as I’d like to keep skiing, as well, we’d better get inside. This storm is going to get worse before it gets better, and it isn’t much fun skiing in a white-out.”
    She looked from the pretty, fat flakes falling gracefully around them, to the grey sky. “How long is it expected to snow?”
    “Last I checked it was supposed to end by morning.”
    But she could tell he had his doubts.
    By evening the snow was falling so thickly, Eliza couldn’t see two feet out the windows. The wind had picked up as well, and was rattling the windows, making the old wood lodge groan. Now, Eliza was happy to sit with the other guests around the large stone fireplace. Most of them were reading. The teenaged girls had found a pool table in the games room. The young boy, Kevin, kept alternating between hanging out with the girls, and coming back to report to his parents.
    “They won’t let me play. They say I’m bothering them.”
    “Why don’t you play one of your video games?” his mother, Tina Ritchie, asked.
    “I’m bored. I want to do something. There’s a ping pong table. Will you play with me?”
    “I’m reading. Ask your father.”
    But his father was reading too. In the end, it was Marshall who agreed to play with the little boy. Eliza wondered if he got paid extra for entertaining the younger charges.
    By ten o’clock, it felt like midnight. Eliza yawned, then said a general good-night and