The Rancher's Christmas Proposal. Sherri Shackelford

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СКАЧАТЬ chilled, Tessa ducked her head. “Have you considered placing an advertisement? An older woman, perhaps a widow, would not attract gossip.”

      There was a hopeful gleam in his eyes that had her wary. For a moment the idea of living in the wilds had struck her as the perfect solution. Before she’d realized the impossibility of such a plan. Despite having been raised by an unconventional parent, she understood propriety all too well. While she wasn’t particularly vain, she was too young and too unattached for the role of housekeeper. Which made losing her job at the Harvey House all the more catastrophic. There were few opportunities for single ladies. She’d seen the life of a saloon girl firsthand living with Emmett, and while she understood desperation, she’d do anything to avoid that fate.

      Shane collapsed back in his chair and raked his hands through his hair. “Abby had certain...wishes.” A shadow passed over his face. “I’ve backed myself into a corner. With winter coming, I’m running out of time. An advertisement could take weeks. I’d have to wait on the post. Then the applicants must be carefully scrutinized. We live in tight quarters on the ranch.”

      Tessa stared at the spoon clutched between her fingers. “I should never have interfered in something that was none of my concern. I’ve had a lot on my mind recently.”

      “You’re afraid of someone, aren’t you?”

      Her head snapped up. “Why would you say that?”

      Her acting skills had obviously rusted.

      “A few things. Like the way you sat so you could keep an eye on the door. And before, at the train station, you were as jumpy as an outlaw in a room full of deputies. Are you a runaway heiress or something?”

      Tessa fiddled with the lace at her collar. “Nothing so romantic, I’m afraid.”

      Clearing her throat, she glanced away. The outlaw-and-deputies analogy had struck a little too close to home.

      “If someone is bothering you,” he said, “perhaps I can help.”

      “We’re quite a pair, aren’t we?” Though she hadn’t expected an instant shower of riches, she’d thought living a moral life might result in a bit more reward and a bit less trouble. Carefully choosing her next words, she said, “I’ve attracted the attention of a somewhat shady character.”

      That wasn’t too far from the truth. Nor was it a lie. Dead Eye Dan was definitely a shady character.

      Shane’s eyes widened. “Who is this person?”

      “He, uh...he came into the Harvey House where I work. Worked. He’s been asking about me.” Which was also the truth. Maybe not the entire truth, but a good portion of it. “I have reason to believe he’s an outlaw.”

      A really, really good reason.

      She imagined Dead Eye Dan trolling through town with the daguerreotype picture of her that he’d flashed at the Harvey House. The picture he’d obviously stolen from her father. She’d seen such events play out before with startling predictability. As long as the outlaw concocted a believable tale, each person she’d met this morning would proudly declare her whereabouts. People enjoyed feeling helpful. Meaning the more time she spent with Mr. McCoy, the more she put him and his family in danger as well.

      Shane offered Owen another bite and caught her gaze. “Outlaws dine at the Harvey House?”

      “Everyone dines at the Harvey House. We have the best prices and our service is impeccable.”

      “I don’t doubt it.” He paused. “You don’t happen to know this fellow’s name?”

      Skirting the truth had the unfortunate side effect of leaving too many openings for pointed questions. Tessa considered making a run for the door, then discarded the idea. She’d only attract more attention. And, really, what harm was in a name?

      “He’s called Dead Eye Dan Fulton.”

      Shane scoffed, “That is the worst outlaw name I’ve ever heard.”

      “Not very clever, I know.” Tessa laughed in spite of herself. “He has a meandering eye. It’s terribly difficult to carry on a conversation with him because you never can tell which eye is looking at you... I’m rambling again.”

      “I’m curious.” Shane removed the flour sacking from around Owen’s neck and wiped his chocolate-covered fingers. “Why don’t you simply turn him over to the sheriff?”

      “Staying out of his way seemed the best solution. I wouldn’t want to anger him.”

      Or his brothers. She couldn’t very well tell Shane about the rest of the Fultons either. Just like she couldn’t tell him that if she turned in Dead Eye, the outlaw would guess her involvement in a heartbeat.

      The Fultons might not be the smartest men, but they weren’t the dumbest either. “As you can probably imagine, one does not rebuke the advances of an outlaw without consequence.”

      “I see your point.” Shane tipped the glass bowl and scooped out another bite. “Then you’ve decided to abscond like a thief in the night.”

      Tessa sighed. There it was again, that unfortunate reference to thievery. “Despite what the poets say, absence does not make the heart grow fonder. He’ll forget about me soon enough once I’m out of his sight.”

      She hoped.

      The door opened and she leaped halfway out of her chair then sat back down with a thud. The elderly couple who’d admired the children earlier were leaving. No need for panic.

      “Sorry,” she said. “Thought I saw someone I knew.”

      To her immense relief, Shane appeared unfazed by her weak excuse. “You’ve had a rough go of it, haven’t you?”

      A sharp pain throbbed in her temple. She wasn’t lying, though, not exactly. She was withholding certain facts for his protection. Men like Mr. McCoy didn’t understand men like Dead Eye.

      Despite the bolstering thought, or maybe because of it, she averted her gaze before biting the inside of her cheek.

      Emmett had been certain she’d fail on her own, certain she’d come crawling back, begging for his help. He could have at least had the courtesy to be available for the begging-and-crawling portion when the time arrived. “I’m starting on a new adventure. It’s very exciting.”

      Exciting in the sort of way a catastrophic train wreck was exciting, but rousing all the same.

      A shadow passed before the window, and she shrank back, dipping her head and covering her face. Everyone simply assumed they were a loving family enjoying the afternoon, and she’d relaxed into the illusion. She’d taken for granted the respectability of traveling with Emmett. Alone, she attracted all sorts of unwanted stares and attention.

      Bolstering her courage, she stood. She’d made her choice, and she had no one to blame but herself if the going was difficult. Her heart heavy, she reached out and brushed the backs of her knuckles along the cushion of Alyce’s cheek, then ruffled Owen’s hair.

      The twins had devoured what ice cream hadn’t melted and claimed their spoons. They СКАЧАТЬ