The Sheriff’s Second Chance

Sheriff Justice Gareau can make outlaws quake in their boots...yet coming face-to-face with Evangeline Benoit once again takes away all his composure. She broke their engagement, and his heart, to marry a wealthy older man. Despite his reluctance, Justice can’t avoid the widowed single mother of two when they’re collaborating on a Christmas village for the town’s children.

The loving boy Evangeline once knew has become an unyielding lawman. Forced to flee New Orleans over false allegations, Evie doubts Justice will take her side when the past follows her to Colorado. Especially when he and her troublesome son butt heads. But perhaps the spirit of Christmas will soften his heart and give them a second chance at love.

“Was the village Susanna’s idea?”

Now bent over his work, Justice shrugged. “It was a group plan.” The hint of red coloring his ears betrayed him.

“It was your idea.”

He shrugged again, this time adding a little smile as though pleased she’d uncovered the truth.

“How clever, Justice. And so thoughtful to do something like this for the children.” Especially since you have none of your own. The thought made her heart ache. Despite her wretched marriage, the Lord had blessed her with two precious children.

“It’s not something I came up with on my own.” He cleared his throat. “I saw villages like this one in Germany the Christmas I spent in Europe.” A frown replaced his smile, and he hunched over the bench as though finished with the conversation.

She longed to touch his shoulder, to give it a reassuring squeeze as she did Gerard’s or Isabelle’s when they needed encouragement. But this was no child, however boyish his eagerness to please the children of Esperanza. This was the man who could arrest her and send her back to her debtors.

Dear Reader,

Thank you for choosing Cowboy Lawman’s Christmas Reunion, the sixth book in my Four Stones Ranch series. I hope you enjoyed the love story of my hero, Justice Gareau, and my heroine, Evangeline Benoit. These two sweethearts waited for a long time for their happily-ever-after.

My series setting is the beautiful San Luis Valley of Colorado, where I lived for many years before moving to Florida thirty-seven years ago. While I’ve forgotten many things about the Valley, as we call it, my research sources include a helpful book by lifelong Valley resident Emma M. Riggenbach, A Bridge to Yesterday (High Valley Press 1982), in which she writes about Monte Vista, Colorado, the inspiration for my series.

If you enjoyed Justice and Evangeline’s story, be on the lookout for more stories set in my fictional town of Esperanza. Can you guess who my next hero or heroine will be? Who would you like to see have his or her own happily-ever-after?

I love to hear from my readers. If you have a comment, contact me at:

http://blog.Louisemgouge.com (You can also sign up for my occasional newsletter there.)

https://www.Facebook.com/AuthorLouiseMGouge/

Twitter: @Louisemgouge

Blessings,

Louise M. Gouge

Florida author LOUISE M. GOUGE writes historical fiction for Harlequin’s Love Inspired Historical line. She received the prestigious Inspirational Readers’ Choice Award in 2005 and placed in 2011 and 2015; she also placed in the Laurel Wreath contest in 2012. When she isn’t writing, she and her husband, David, enjoy visiting historical sites and museums. Please visit her website at blog.louisemgouge.com.

Cowboy Lawman’s Christmas Reunion

Louise M. Gouge

www.millsandboon.co.uk

And be ye kind one to another,

tenderhearted, forgiving one another,

even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.

—Ephesians 4:32

This book series is dedicated to the intrepid pioneers who settled the San Luis Valley of Colorado in the mid- to late 1800s. They could not have found a more beautiful place to make their homes than in this vast 7,500-foot-high valley situated between the majestic Sangre de Cristo and San Juan mountain ranges.

Thanks go to my beloved husband of fifty-three years, David Gouge, for his loving support as I pursue my dream of writing love stories to honor the Lord Jesus Christ. I would also like to thank my editor extraordinaire, Shana Asaro, who always makes my stories better.

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

Introduction

Dear Reader

About the Author

Title Page

Bible Verse

Dedication

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Extract

Copyright

Chapter One

Friday, October 14, 1887

Esperanza, Colorado

Sheriff Justice Gareau ducked around the corner of the Esperanza train depot, hoping he hadn’t been spotted by the woman who’d stepped off the train. He felt downright foolish. Usually people hid from him if they’d done something wrong, and he sure hadn’t done anything wrong. No, it was that woman who’d done wrong by him and ruined his life. Well, ruined was perhaps too harsh a word, because he had a pretty good life these days. But she’d sure broken his heart. A heart he was determined never to give to a woman ever again.

What was Evangeline Benoit doing in this remote Colorado town anyway? And why did her sudden appearance turn him into a bumbling chump? Because once, long ago back in New Orleans, she’d been his childhood sweetheart and, eventually, his fiancée. Only she’d broken their engagement to marry a wealthy older man the very day Justice needed her most.

He wondered if she’d come looking for him. Perhaps Lucius Benoit wasn’t supporting her in the style she’d chosen over what Justice could have given her as the son of a bankrupt businessman.

“Howdy, Sheriff.” Charlie Williams, the telegraph operator, walked toward him, carrying some of his wife Pam’s wild gooseberry pie. Pam ran the Williams’s Café, where Justice ate most of his meals, unless somebody took pity on his bachelor status and invited him to dinner. How he kept from getting fat and lazy on her fine cooking was a mystery to him. “You waiting for me?”

“Nope. Just holding up this wall.” Justice leaned one hand against the yellow clapboard siding and gave Charlie a practiced easy grin, one he’d learned from his mentor in the Texas Rangers, where he’d served for four years before coming to Colorado. “Seemed a little wobbly after all that wind yesterday.”

Charlie chuckled. “You let me know if you need anything.” He entered the building and closed the door.

Justice pulled his tan Stetson lower over his eyes and stuck his head around the corner to see which direction Mrs. Benoit—he couldn’t allow himself to call her Evangeline, since she was another man’s wife—had gone. To his disappointment, or so he told himself, she still stood on the platform and was now enfolded in the arms of Mrs. Susanna Northam.

“Hey, Sheriff.” Nate Northam clapped Justice on the shoulder, nearly startling him out of his wits. “What’re you doing? Holding up that wall?”

Once again, Justice managed an indifferent shrug. “Just meeting the morning train, as usual.” Which didn’t make sense even to him, seeing as how he was hiding around the corner from said train.

Not fooled at all, Nate laughed, and his green eyes lit up with humor. As the eldest son of town founder Colonel Frank Northam, he ran Four Stones Ranch with his brother Rand, while their youngest brother, Bartholomew, owned the law office next to the jailhouse.

“Come meet my wife’s cousin.” Nate took hold of Justice’s arm, as only a close friend would do to a lawman, and urged him forward.

Susanna’s cousin. Justice’s feet refused to move toward her, while his mind raced wildly in the other direction. In all of the Lord’s beautiful creation, couldn’t He have sent Justice some other place than one where he’d eventually be forced to meet up with Evangeline...Mrs. Benoit?

“Now, come on, before Susanna scolds me for being late.” Nate gave Justice a little shove. “Besides, you know my sweet wife will be trying to find a husband for her widowed cousin, so you may as well be first in line so you can beat out all the cowboys in these parts.”

“Uh, no.” Justice dug the heels of his boots into the boardwalk and tried to twist away. “I’m not planning to get married anytime soon.” So Evangeline was a widow. What happened to the wily old rascal who’d turned her head and stolen her heart with his riches?

Nate laughed again. “That’s what we all said, all of us used-to-be confirmed bachelors.” Somehow he managed to force Justice’s feet forward. “Come on. Let’s get this over with. I’ll try to make it as painless as possible for you.”

No matter what Nate said, seeing Evangeline again could only bring pain. He had no choice though, what with a man nearly as tall and every bit as brawny as he pushing him toward his doom. He tugged his hat down farther in the futile hope she wouldn’t recognize him. After all, eleven years was a long time. He’d added a few inches in height and considerably more in shoulder width. Maybe—

“We’re here, Susanna.” Releasing Justice, Nate bent down to give his pretty little wife a peck on the cheek before turning to Evangeline. “And you must be our cousin from New Orleans.” Yankee though he was, he bowed over her offered hand with the grace of a Southern gentleman. “We’re mighty pleased to have you come to stay with us.”

“Thank you, Nathaniel.” Her musical voice generated bittersweet memories for Justice.

While the others traded the usual pleasantries, Justice peeked out from under the brim of his hat. Up close like this, she appeared much more womanly than the seventeen-year-old girl who’d jilted him, but every bit as beautiful, maybe even more so. Her blond hair, swept up in a fancy do and topped with a stylish brown hat, still looked like spun honey. Her once bright blue eyes, however, wore a tired look that bespoke more than travel weariness. Behind her, a flaxen-haired girl and a sandy-haired boy watched her anxiously. Her children? Only one way to find out. Justice nudged Nate, who grinned, obviously misunderstanding his intent. He was concerned about an old friend, nothing more.

“Cousin Evangeline, I’d like to present Sheriff Justice Gareau, one of our town’s most eligible bachelors.”

“Nate!” Susanna smacked his arm and laughed. “For shame. If you’re trying to help me with my matchmaking, at least be a little subtler.”

While she spoke, Evangeline’s ivory complexion grew even paler, those blue eyes widened and, before Justice could catch her, she dropped in a heap on the wooden platform.

* * *

Even in her hazy awareness, Evangeline understood at last why she’d come to Esperanza. The Lord hadn’t sent her to Susanna to escape justice, but to encounter Justice. But how had he known where she was? How had he arrived here before her? What irony. Her creditors had sent the only man she’d ever loved to arrest her. And from the stern look she’d seen on his face before she fainted, he felt no pity for her, despite his youthful declarations of love. She couldn’t blame him. Papa had forbidden her to see him, had broken their engagement himself so she’d had no chance to explain herself to Justice. Nor had Justice come to rescue her, despite her plea through his father, proving his love for her had turned cold. Ah, yes, my dear. The opposite of love is not hate, but indifference. Or so Lucius had often told her as he’d traipsed off to enjoy his many vices.

The sound of sobbing reached her ears. Her poor children. Evangeline forced herself to awaken even as heat flooded her face. She’d fainted few times in her life and then only because Lucius had... She would not think about those frightening times. Lucius was gone forever, and now she must face the cruel future he’d laid out before her. At least her children would have a home with their cousin after Justice arrested her.

“Evie. Evie, dear.” Susanna’s plaintive voice cut through Evangeline’s muddled musings. “Oh, Nate, do something.”

But it was Justice who scooped her up from the wooden platform. For the few brief moments he carried her, she could rest her head against his broad, solid chest, her cheek touching the tin star that proclaimed him a lawman, and pretend their lives had turned out the way they’d dreamed of when they were young.

She opened her eyes to a shaded room inside the train depot, where Justice set her down on a bench and sat beside her, one arm still supporting her. She blinked to clear away the last of her fogginess. A telegraph operator sat by his machine, his kindly old face filled with concern. Susanna held on to Evangeline’s children. All three bore frightened expressions, with Isabelle and Susanna sharing their family resemblance and Gerard wearing his father’s anxious scowl.

“You see, children, Mama’s going to be all right.” Susanna released them and sat beside Evangeline, touching her forehead and then gripping her hand. “No fever, thank the Lord. I’m sure you’re exhausted from your travels, but Nate went for the doctor just the same.”

“Thank you.” Evangeline continued to lean against Justice, unwilling to end her fantasy.

He still hadn’t spoken, but she could feel his heartbeat, its rapid pace saying volumes. So he was not without some feeling for her.

She looked up into that beloved face. The years had been good to him, for he was even more handsome, more manly, than he’d once been. As she regarded him, the concern written there quickly disappeared, replaced by a hard facade. Yes, he was indeed going to arrest her.

“Hello, Justice.” She moved away from him.

He touched the brim of his hat, a surprising courtesy toward someone he must consider a criminal. “Mrs. Benoit.”

She managed a wobbly smile. “So formal.”

“What on earth?” Susanna practically bounced where she sat, not the ladylike behavior they’d learned as girls. “Do you mean to tell me you two know each other?” She laughed. “No wonder you fainted, Evie. You must be shocked to see someone you know way out here in Colorado.” She stared meaningfully into Evangeline’s eyes.

Dear Susanna. She’d understood Evangeline’s desperate letter asking for a secret place to rear her children. As girls meeting each summer for family holidays, they’d devised a code to say more than plain words. What she hadn’t told her cousin was that her desperation stemmed from Lucius’s impossible debts to his cousin, Hugo Giles, which she must repay, and the debts he claimed she owed to several New Orleans merchants. And then there were Hugo’s other, more unthinkable threats. Her flight from him might have been enough for Susanna, or at least Nathaniel, to withhold their generous invitation to live at their ranch. She’d tell them, of course, when the time was right and it wouldn’t sound like a plea for money.

“Well.” Susanna, always so cheerful, now looked at Justice. “Sheriff, you simply must come with us to the hotel for dinner so you and Evie can get reacquainted.”

“Uh, I have some paperwork—”

“Nonsense. You have to eat.” While Susanna continued reasoning with him, a wild sense of relief flooded Evangeline and almost brought on another, much different sort of fainting spell.

Meeting him at the train had only been a coincidence. Justice didn’t mean to arrest her after all. Perhaps he didn’t even know about her flight from Hugo.

He moved a few inches from her, his face a study in misery. “Susanna’s not going to let up until I say yes. Do you mind if I join you?”

“Not at all.” She copied Susanna’s bright tone as much as her fatigue permitted. “That is, if you’ll agree to address me as Evangeline, as you once did.” He’d always claimed it was the most beautiful name he’d ever heard.

The ripple of his clenched jaw both thrilled and worried her. “I’ll join you if you insist.”

“Well...” Evangeline must set him free, since he didn’t want her company.

“Of course we insist.” Susanna stood. “Now, let’s leave so Charlie can go back to work.” She gave the telegraph operator a friendly wave. “Come along, children.” She reached out to Isabelle and Gerard, both of whom pulled back. “Aren’t you hungry?”

“Mama?” Isabelle sent Evangeline a questioning look.

Gerard merely scowled, nothing new for him. He’d been unreceptive to every suggestion she’d made since his father died, despite Lucius never giving either child a modicum of affection.

“Yes, of course.” Evangeline stood, swaying slightly before she regained her balance, and gripped each child by the hand. “Come along. I’m sure you’re as hungry as I am.” She smiled over her shoulder at Justice, whose face once again became a granite facade.

If he wasn’t here to arrest her, couldn’t he at least return a smile for old times’ sake?

What a foolish question. She must expect nothing from a man who’d refused to rescue her from a forced marriage to a man whom he knew to be cruel.

* * *

Justice trailed after the ladies and children as they made their way down the boardwalk toward the hotel. If it wouldn’t look like cowardice, he’d quietly change his course and return to his office. Or slip into Williams’s Café, a step ahead on the right. Too late. He’d already passed the door. Besides, a quick glance through the window showed all the café tables were occupied, and he didn’t see anyone he’d want to eat with in his current mood.

He glanced up at Evangeline’s back. She’d actually had the nerve to smile at him, although it had seemed sad rather than flirtatious. If she’d played the coquette, he’d have left right away, and none of Susanna’s cajoling would have stopped him. On the other hand, as much as he wanted to remain indifferent to Evangeline, he worried about her fainting. Susanna was right. Evangeline must be exhausted from her travels. She’d probably fainted in relief over arriving safely to her cousin’s care.

No, not true. She’d been all smiles and enthusiasm when greeting Susanna and Nate by the train. It was when she’d seen Justice that she’d wilted like a cactus flower in hot summer wind.

Admit it, Gareau. It felt good to hold her in your arms.

No, he must not allow such thoughts. While he couldn’t deny enjoying her feminine closeness and the scent of gardenias wafting from her hair, memories of eleven years of slowly receding pain shocked him back to reality. Just when he’d begun to consider looking for a wife, even praying the Lord would send him a companion to share his lonely evenings, Evangeline came along to remind him that giving a woman his heart brought nothing but misery. If he married, it would be merely for companionship, not for some foolish interest in love. Loving a woman only brought pain.

Nate and Doc Henshaw met them at the corner of Main Street and the southbound highway, and across the street from the Esperanza Arms. After introductions, they trooped into the hotel lobby, where Doc sat Evangeline down to check her pulse and heart.

“Because of the high altitude here in the San Luis Valley, many folks suffer lightheadedness for a while when they first arrive.” Doc tucked his stethoscope back into his black leather satchel. “Come see me if it persists beyond a few weeks. In the meantime, don’t rush into too much activity.” He eyed the two children. “You youngsters help your mother, understand?”

“Yes, sir.” The little girl, Isabelle, nodded solemnly and moved nearer Evangeline, putting a protective hand on her shoulder.

The boy, Gerard, scowled and shifted his eyes around like a cornered cougar. Justice’s lawman senses went on alert. Something wasn’t right with the boy, probably because he looked like his father, that scoundrel Lucius Benoit, who’d embezzled Justice’s father’s money and stolen Evangeline’s heart with his wealth. Justice would try to be fair, but the boy needed to be watched.

After pronouncing Evangeline well, Doc made his exit.

“Come on, now.” Susanna herded everyone toward the large hotel dining room. “Let’s eat. That should make Evie feel better.”

As elegantly appointed as the best New Orleans hotels Justice recalled from his youth, the Esperanza Arms boasted a talented French chef and an expert English pastry maker. He rarely ate here because he preferred the homier cooking at Williams’s Café. Still, it wasn’t good for a sheriff to show favoritism, so he made occasional visits, more to chat with the owners, Garrick and Rosamond Wakefield, than for the food. Rosamond was Nate Northam’s sister, and their whole clan had done much to build this community without trying to control the citizens, one reason Justice accepted the post of sheriff. True to his name, if there was anything he couldn’t tolerate, it was injustice, sleazy politics and men trying to control other men. Reminded of his past with Evangeline, he added something else to his list: people who didn’t keep their promises.

Seated at either end of the long table as though hosting one of their formal dinner parties, Nate and Susanna oversaw the ordering and serving of dinner. Justice sat beside the boy and across from Evangeline and her daughter. From there he could observe the others, a habit he’d picked up in the Texas Rangers. A lawman learned a lot about folks by watching and listening. Yet, as much as he tried to remain indifferent, when Susanna questioned her cousin about various topics, he listened even more intently. Maybe he was trying to recapture memories of their happy childhood in New Orleans, when their fathers had been partners in a coffee import business, along with Lucius Benoit. More likely, against all that made sense in his lawman’s mind, he wanted to know what Evangeline had been doing these past eleven years and what had happened to her scoundrel husband, who’d stolen her heart all those years ago or, more likely, bought it with his money.

* * *

“Oh, it’s not terribly interesting.” Evangeline gave Susanna a meaningful look, praying she’d understand. When her cousin returned a blank stare, Evangeline tilted her head toward Isabelle, then Gerard and blinked her right eye and then her left, their signal for “later.”

“Oh.” Susanna sat back. “Well, honey, please let me say how sorry I am for your loss. As my daddy can tell you, widowhood is so difficult, especially when you’ve had a good marriage.” She gave a sad smile to each of the children. “I’m sure you miss your papa.”

While seven-year-old Isabelle stared down at her plate and pushed the food around with her fork, Gerard snorted before shoveling a large bite of potatoes into his mouth. Evangeline glared at him across the table until she noticed how intently Justice was watching her.

“Manners, Gerard.” She spoke sweetly but gave her son a tight smile.

Gerard scowled at her. Justice appeared about to correct the boy, but Nate beat him to it.

“Son, your mother reminded you about your manners. You say ‘yes, ma’am’ and do what she says.”

As she’d feared, Gerard slammed down his fork and sat back, arms folded over his slender chest. “Make me.” Although he was only ten years old, his growl sounded horribly similar to Lucius’s when he’d been angry, which was often.

Nate questioned Evangeline with one raised eyebrow, perhaps asking permission to correct her son, but Justice took action. He leaned his considerable height over Gerard and gave him a menacing look that made Evangeline shudder. Any criminal would tremble at that look.

“Son, your mother reminded you about your manners.” He repeated Nate’s words in a cool tone. “You say ‘yes, ma’am’ and do what she says.” He spared Evangeline a glance before going on. “In this town, we don’t tolerate recalcitrant conduct among our young folks. Believe me, you don’t want to know how we deal with any boy who disrupts the peace around here.”

Gerard blinked a few times, and his jaw dropped. He glanced at Justice then at Nate, looking trapped. Evangeline could almost laugh at Justice’s choice of a grown-up word like recalcitrant if her son’s recent behavior weren’t one of her biggest heartaches.

“What do you say?” Justice moved an inch closer to Gerard.

Eyes wide, her son stared up at him. “Yes, ma’am.”

“Say it to your mother.”

Gerard gulped and looked at Evangeline. “Yes, ma’am.”

“Good.” Justice sat back and cut into his thick, juicy steak as though nothing had happened.

Nate and Susanna also resumed eating and chatting. But Evangeline saw the rebellion, perhaps even hatred, returning to Gerard’s eyes as he glared at Justice. She could never figure out what was behind those angry eyes, and her son certainly never told her what he was thinking.

“Evie, I’m so thrilled to have you here.” Susanna appeared determined to keep the conversation pleasant. “Once you settle in, I’m going to put you to work on my latest project for the community.”

For the first time since seeing Justice at the train depot, Evangeline felt a spark of hope. “Well, aren’t you the clever one. Do tell, what is your project?”

Susanna smiled at Nate. “We’ve recently finished building a lending library. That is, we constructed the building and the shelves, and we already have several boxes of books donated. What with harvest and roundup and all going on in the fall, nobody’s had time to organize them.” She gave Evangeline a sly smile. “You can be our librarian. What do you think?”

Her pulse racing, Evangeline considered the possibilities. She and Susanna both loved books and had spent many a summer day reading together. Yet she’d been forced to sneak away from New Orleans, not able to keep a single book from Lucius’s vast library he’d inherited from his father but never used. As she tried to visualize working in the Esperanza library, another thought leaped to mind.

“What will I do with the children?” Isabelle would be a big help in the library, but Gerard might prove an insurmountable problem.

“Why, school, of course,” Susanna said. “We have an excellent grammar school. Over the weekend, we’ll let them catch their breath from their long trip, but we’ll enroll them on Monday.”

“Yes, of course.” Evangeline hadn’t thought that far ahead. Escape had been her sole focus when she’d fled her home city.

“And of course you’ll receive a salary.” Susanna gave her a smug smile, pleased with her own plan.

Evangeline was pleased with it, too. Now she wouldn’t have to burden her cousin financially. And what a lovely way to spend her days, far better than anything she could hope for. “Then I would be delighted to accept the post.”

At the other end of the table, Justice and Nate spoke quietly, their faces serious. Were they talking about her? No, she mustn’t assume she was the topic of private conversations, as often was the case among her supposed friends back home. Once Lucius went broke and fell from society’s good opinion and then died at the hands of a fellow gambler, once their lavish home and furnishings—including his books—went on the auction block, everyone had turned away from her. No one believed her innocent or unaware of Lucius’s shady business dealings. No one believed she hadn’t run up those debts with various merchants. When at last the house had been sold and she and the children moved into a tiny shack, where creditors came to hound her for the staggering debts, society entirely cut her off. Those who knew nothing of her husband’s gambling and licentious lifestyle assumed she’d spent her husband into poverty and ruin.

“You’ll have to excuse me.” Justice stood, his sudden movement and awe-inspiring height startling Evangeline from her musings. “My paperwork won’t finish itself.”

“Sit down, Justice.” Susanna waved him down. “I’m not finished.”

A pained look on his face, he obeyed her. “Yes, ma’am. How can I help you?”

Instead of answering, Susanna looked at her husband. “Nate, I’m sure these little ones would like to visit our town’s ice-cream parlor. Why don’t you take them down the street?”

Nate chuckled. “Yes, ma’am.” His knowing smile indicated he understood why his wife made the request.

Once he and the children left—even Gerard couldn’t resist ice cream—Susanna gleefully began her explanation. “Evie, Justice has been working on a special project.”

Justice shook his head and exhaled through pursed lips. “Susanna—”

“Now, Justice, you can’t build that entire Christmas village all by yourself. Evie is a brilliant artist. She can help you.”

Evangeline stared at her cousin. “What on earth are you talking about?” The last thing she wanted was to work with Justice. “What Christmas village?”

Susanna appeared more than pleased with herself. “Every year we have a big Christmas pageant at the church, with a party for the children afterward. Every child receives a toy, usually a carved soldier or doll, which our talented cowboys make. This year, we’re adding another special gift for the whole community, but especially the children. Justice is making a miniature village with a church, houses, trees and all sorts of things.” She shot Justice a smile, which he did not return. “Because there’s so much traffic at the jailhouse, he can’t work on it there because it’s supposed to be a surprise for everyone. That’s why he’s working on it in the library’s locked back room, where no one can see it.” She sat back, grinning. “So that’s settled. You’ll work on it together.”

Her heart dropping, Evangeline could only stare at Justice to see his reaction. He looked trapped, the same way she felt.

Once again, he stood. “You ladies will have to excuse me. I still need to—”

“Yes, of course.” Susanna gave him a gracious nod. “Don’t forget we’re expecting you for Sunday dinner.”

“Thank you, ma’am.” He gave her another pained look and nod of resignation, and then bowed to Evangeline. “Ma’am.”

While his unsmiling face sent her heart plunging, the woman within couldn’t keep from admiring his masculine form as he strode from the dining room. Why? From everything she’d seen so far, he wasn’t the least bit happy she would be living in his town. And he certainly wasn’t any more pleased than she was to have Susanna manipulate them into working together on the Christmas village.

Which shouldn’t bother her as much as it did. After all, she’d come here to save her children from the shame and poverty, or even worse, brought on by their father’s evil deeds. To save herself from a lifetime of repaying close to four thousand dollars to an unscrupulous man whose only claim to the money came from beating and probably cheating Lucius at card games, and whose only evidence was his bank’s IOUs supposedly signed in her husband’s shaky hand. Hugo hounded her for the money, which threw her life into torment. But when he threatened to have her declared incompetent so he could take guardianship of her children, she knew she must escape.

Justice didn’t need to know those details of her life. Having an occupation, she could hold her head up in this town. Perhaps by working on the Christmas surprise, she would gain a measure of respect she’d lost long ago back home. And eventually, she’d gather the courage to tell Susanna and Nate everything.

* * *

Justice shuffled the papers on his desk, trying to find some task to add credence to his claim of needing to work. In truth, he had little work to do in Esperanza, which was exactly the way he liked it. He’d joined the Texas Rangers nine years ago to protect innocent folks and imprison lawbreakers. Seeing what wicked men had done to his father, sanctioned all the way by unscrupulous lawmen and politicians, he’d vowed to punish evildoers wherever the Lord sent him.

After four years with the Rangers, he’d felt the Lord call him farther west, and he’d spent a couple of years in Creede, a town way up in the San Juan Mountains near the headwaters of the Rio Grande. The Lord had blessed that time above all expectations, but Justice got restless again. Then his former mentor in the Rangers put him in contact with the owner of the Esperanza Bank, Nolan Means, who needed a bodyguard due to threats from vengeful outlaws. Once the gang was taken down, Justice accepted the post of deputy with the former sheriff, Abel Lawson. Lawson retired shortly thereafter, and the town hired Justice as their sheriff.

Justice was honored by the town’s trust and prayed he’d never do anything to let them down. His goal in life was to develop the reputation of being a no-nonsense lawman whom outlaws feared so much they’d never come near Esperanza. So far, so good. A few suspicious-looking sorts sometimes drifted through town on their travels to the silver and gold mines up near Creede, but he always encouraged them not to linger. While one or two offered resistance, a quick display of his two handiest weapons, his lariat and his Colt .45 Peacemaker, soon sent them on their way.

People seemed to appreciate his approach and supported his methods, and in turn he respected them. Among other sensible laws, the town charter stated anyone setting up a business or even buying property for a home must sign a temperance pledge. No alcohol was permitted in the town limits other than Doc’s medicinal alcohol—a law that kept out the drunks and the troubles they brought.

The only trouble in town, if one could call it that, was a few unruly schoolboys, most of whom straightened up after he gave them a good talking to. He still had his eye on a few of those lads.

Lord, please don’t let Evangeline’s boy get involved with Deely Pine and Cart Fendel. Those two would steer Gerard onto a worse path than he was already headed for with his sullen, rebellious attitude. Justice would try not to think too harshly of the boy. He’d lost his father, a bitter situation Justice understood all too well. And if his mother sought a home with relatives, she probably didn’t have much money, if any. Justice might have to—

Whoa! No use riding down that trail. Unless Gerard did something destructive to someone’s property, Justice wasn’t about to involve himself with Evangeline’s son. Closely resembling his father, he reminded Justice too much of his own past griefs. Let Nate handle the boy out at Four Stones Ranch. Justice needed to stay as far as possible from anything to do with Evangeline and her youngsters.

The plan wouldn’t be easy to follow, thanks to Susanna Northam. Justice was more than content to work on the Christmas village by himself. While on his Grand Tour of Europe, he’d seen many such displays in Germany, had seen how they delighted the children of the towns he visited. Now building one himself, he found the project filled a hunger in him, a longing to do something for Esperanza’s children, since he had none of his own and probably never would have. As she’d said, the back room of the library was the only place in town where he could keep his work hidden from prying eyes. True, he did sometimes wonder if he’d finish in time for the Christmas Eve pageant and party, so a little help would be appreciated. But with the town so quiet, he had little else to do. He couldn’t have known Susanna would hire Evangeline to work in the library and then suggest he needed her help. What a nightmare. He liked Susanna, but sometimes she could be meddlesome when she got a bee in her bonnet. Thanks to her, he’d have to see Evangeline every day whether he wanted to or not.

Irritated with his own thoughts, not at all pleased at being reminded of the most painful events of his life, Justice snatched up a pile of wanted posters from his desk and started thumbing through them for about the fifth time.

“Howdy, boss.” Sean O’Shea, Justice’s deputy, entered the office and whipped off his hat, hung it on a peg by the door, then ruffled a hand through his fiery red hair. “Say, I thought you said you’d never take up old Sheriff Lawson’s habit.” He nodded toward the posters. “You said reading those more than once was a waste of time. Haven’t you read ’em at least three times already?”

“Mind your own business.” Justice’s tone came out much harsher than he intended.

Sean held up his hands in surrender. “Yes, boss.”

“And don’t call me boss.”

Sean snorted out a laugh and sat at his smaller desk across the room. “Must be a woman,” he muttered.

Which almost earned him getting lassoed and dragged across the room.

Except he was absolutely right.

Chapter Two

After supper at Susanna’s house, Evangeline and her cousin settled the children into bed in the rooms they’d share with the three Northam children. At nine years old, Lizzie displayed her mother’s gift for hospitality, welcoming Isabelle as the younger sister she’d always wanted. Gerard actually behaved himself with six-year-old Natty, otherwise known as Nathaniel Junior, and two-year-old Frankie. Gerard probably behaved because the smaller boys looked up to him. Once they all fell asleep, Evangeline and Susanna joined Nate in their lovely parlor.

The moment she sat in the pink-flowered brocade chair Susanna indicated, emotion overtook her, and she burst into tears, as much to her own surprise as to her hosts’. Susanna rushed to her, knelt and pulled her into a comforting embrace.

“There, there, Evie, don’t cry. You’re here now, and everything’s going to be all right.”

Evangeline shook her head. “N-no it won’t be.”

“Nonsense. You’re just tired—”

“Sweetheart,” Nate said patiently, “let her speak. I’d imagine she has a lot to tell us.”

“Oh. Oh, yes, of course.” Susanna stood and drew Evangeline over to the settee where they could link arms. Her warm contact brought much-welcomed comfort. “All right, honey, you talk. I promise not to interrupt.” She sent Nate a sweet smile.

Envying their beautiful marriage, Evangeline shed a few more tears before dabbing her cheeks with the handkerchief her cousin offered. “Where to begin?”

“Well, I’ve been wanting to know...” Susanna sent Nate a sheepish grin. “I promised not to interrupt, but this is important. You could have knocked me over with a feather when you and our Justice Gareau recognized each other, so now I have to know. Is he the secret beau you used to talk about when we were girls? Wouldn’t that be romantic? And here you’ll be working with him on the Christmas village.”

“That was a long time ago and a world away.” Evangeline dried a few more tears. Dear Susanna. She was not only her cousin but the dearest, truest friend she’d ever had. Kindness personified. Would she still love Evangeline once she knew the truth about her flight from New Orleans?

With many pauses to control her emotions, she managed to tell her story, or at least as much as she could bring herself to say. Above all, she didn’t want to sound as though she were begging for pity or help.

“I’m sure you remember our last summer together,” she told Susanna. “The year we both turned seventeen.” She added the detail for Nate’s benefit. “Mama died shortly after we went home to New Orleans.” She wouldn’t add that Mama had discovered Papa’s shady business dealings and had become sick with shame, dying soon afterward.

“Papa arranged my marriage to Lucius Benoit, an older man who’d recently become his business partner.” Papa hadn’t given her any choice in the matter. Still, she wouldn’t recount how much she’d loved Justice and how her father’s cruel intervention had nearly destroyed her.

“Gerard was born the first year, and Isabelle three years later. After that, Lucius became involved in his work, as men do, so we rarely saw him.” She wouldn’t speak of Lucius’s brutality. Near the end, before he was shot, he admitted he’d married her for Papa’s money. But Papa had no money. He’d arranged the marriage thinking Lucius’s supposed fortune would pull their business out of debt. What a bitter irony for both men. And she’d been the pawn in the middle. While Lucius made her pay for it, shame over his beatings kept her silent about them.

“When he died—” she wouldn’t tell them how he’d met his end “—he left a few debts, which I plan to pay back over time.”

“How much debt?” Nate leaned toward her, perhaps to offer help. She couldn’t let him.

“Oh, not much in the grand scheme of things.” She waved a hand dismissively to deflect further questions. After all, it was her business, and hers alone, how much she owed Lucius’s cousin, Hugo. The other supposed debts from various merchants hadn’t been hers at all, but Hugo claimed they were, claimed he possessed notes she’d signed for gowns and hats and shoes. She couldn’t fight against such false charges when no one believed her. If Justice learned she’d fled her supposed creditors, he would surely arrest her.

Nate sat back, his forehead furrowed. “Last winter was pretty harsh, and we lost a lot of cattle, but we expect this year’s herd to put us on the road to financial recovery. If you need help, we might be able to work something out.”

“You’re very kind, but you really needn’t bother. Now with my job at the library—” she squeezed Susanna’s hand in gratitude “—I’ll start putting away money. And the children can work as they get older.” She managed a teasing smile. “Maybe you could teach Gerard to be a cowboy.”

Nate winced and studied his hands. “Maybe I could. We’ll see.”

Evangeline dabbed her damp cheeks again. “Please promise me you won’t tell anyone about this, especially Justice.”

While Susanna gave her an enthusiastic nod, Nate ran a hand down his cheek.

“I don’t know.” His eyes revealed his disapproval. “Since you haven’t done anything wrong, I don’t suppose Justice needs to know, at least not right now. But you should probably tell him someday for the sake of your old friendship.”

“I’m sure you’re right.” Evangeline wouldn’t correct him about not having done anything wrong, or he might change his mind. As difficult as her past had been, her only goal now was to rear her precious children in safety and security. Once they were grown and on their own, she’d return to New Orleans and find some way to repay Hugo what she owed him. Whatever she found to do, it could never be as bad as what he’d demanded of her. As for those merchants and the notes she supposedly signed, it was a problem she had no idea how to solve.

* * *

In his small apartment over the jailhouse, Justice lay on his bed fully dressed because it was his night to be on alert for any mischief in town. Esperanza never had such troubles, but Justice and his deputy still traded off nights to keep watch. Sean was probably sawing logs in his rented room over at Starlings. As for Justice, he couldn’t sleep for thinking about Evangeline. Her beautiful face, which wily Susanna had arranged for him to observe over dinner, bore a haunted look. Was it grief over that scoundrel Benoit? Justice wondered how the man had died, and whether it was his death that had put a burr under the saddle of his sullen boy.

Justice was nineteen when his own father died. A godly, honest man, Father had been ruined by the shady dealings of his business partners, Evangeline’s father and Lucius Benoit, who’d put all the blame for the business’s losses on Benjamin Gareau to save their own necks. Having just returned from Europe, Justice had been too young, too inexperienced, too grief-stricken to investigate the particulars. The same day Father died, the day Justice needed Evangeline’s support more than ever, she’d refused to see him, instead choosing to marry Benoit.

If he could have spoken to her back then, he would have promised he’d work hard to prepare a comfortable life for the two of them, but she didn’t care enough even to bid him adieu. With Mother already long in her grave, he hadn’t seen any reason to stay in New Orleans, so he’d sold the house and furnishings his father left him to pay off his debts, then lit out for Texas. After trying his hand as a cowboy and doing many foolish things in bad company, he’d signed on with the Texas Rangers. Jubal Tucker became his mentor and put him on a straight path and brought him back to the Lord.

He knew the Almighty had brought him to Esperanza, but why had He brought Evangeline here, too? Was this a test of some sort? Was he supposed to—

Gunshots and wild hollering erupted in the street below, followed immediately by the sound of shattering glass. Justice sprang from his bed and raced to the window. Across the street and down a half block, men on horseback were shooting up Mrs. Winsted’s mercantile. Justice grabbed his guns and raced down the back stairs and through the jailhouse in time to see the gang ride off toward the west. No use chasing them. By the time he woke Sean and they saddled their horses, the varmints would be miles away in who knew what direction. He’d try to track them in the morning.

As Justice strode down the street to make sure Mrs. Winsted and her family were safe in their apartment over the store, he decided this was the worst day he’d endured since leaving New Orleans. Not only had Evangeline disrupted his life, but for the first time in his tenure as sheriff, outlaws had shot up a good citizen’s business. What else could go wrong?

Oh. Right. Tomorrow was his birthday. Having his past come back and smack him in the face wasn’t the way he’d planned to celebrate.

* * *

A slender beam of light shone through the window to brighten a patch of wall in Lizzie’s bedroom, waking Evangeline. Despite bawling cattle outside and frigid temperatures seeping into the room, she’d slept hard and awoke rested and full of hope about beginning her new life. Even her dreams of Justice frowning at her from his physical and moral height couldn’t subdue her excitement over her new job, because she’d also dreamed of the Christmas village and already had some ideas for how to decorate it. She looked forward to seeing its size and learning how she could help complete it. What fun that would be.

She rose from the cot and dressed quietly so Isabelle and Lizzie, both still blissfully asleep in the four-poster bed, wouldn’t waken. She found Susanna in the kitchen. The aromas of coffee, bacon and freshly baked bread roused her appetite. “Mmm, smells wonderful.”

“Thank you.” Susanna gave her a quick peck on the cheek before turning back to the sizzling bacon in the cast-iron skillet. “Pour yourself a cup of coffee and have a seat. Nate should be back from his chores in a minute, and we can eat in peace before the children need tending. We let them sleep late on Saturdays.”

Evangeline did as she was told. From her vantage point at the round kitchen table, she watched in awe as her cousin bustled about the room with the grace of a ballet dancer and the energy of a whirlwind. Having never learned to cook, in fact, having spent little time in her own kitchen except to hand weekly menus to the cook, she couldn’t imagine how Susanna knew what to do. Yet the moment Nate entered the back door, his face and hands still damp from washing up on the back porch, everything was in place for him to sit down to breakfast.

After greetings and prayers, they began to eat while Nate told Susanna about his plans for the day. “I still have some work to do at the big house before I head up in the hills on Monday to join Rand, so I’ll be around another day or two. I don’t mind showing Gerard what we do around here while you ladies go to town.”

Evangeline’s face must have shown her alarm because Susanna patted her hand. “Don’t you worry about a thing, Evie. Nate knows how to wrangle little cowboys.”

“He’ll be fine.” Nate grinned, and his green eyes twinkled. “We’re not breaking broncos or doing any other dangerous work. Does he know how to ride?”

“Forgive me.” Evangeline laughed softly. “I’ll try not to be overprotective. Yes, he rides.” A bitter memory came to mind. “He had his own pony until...” When Lucius died and Evangeline learned about his staggering debts, everything had to be sold, including the pony.

“That’s a good start.” Nate appeared finished with the conversation and his breakfast. He stood and kissed Susanna. “Bring him out to the barn after he eats. I’ll get the buggy ready for you.” He strode from the room, whistling slightly off key.

Susanna watched him leave and exhaled a sweet sigh, clearly still in love with her kind, handsome husband. “Well, let’s get the children up and fed.” She stood and put feet to her words.

Following her, Evangeline felt a bitter pang. Susanna assumed she’d had a happy marriage, too, but that was far from true.

Evangeline didn’t have time to ponder the matter. Awake and full of energy, five children demanded attention and food. After tending their needs, she and Susanna delivered Gerard to Nate and boarded the buggy with the other four. The instant friendship sprouting between Isabelle and Lizzie reminded Evangeline of her own closeness to Susanna when they were growing up. At least her daughter found a reason to be happy with the changes in her young life. Maybe Gerard would enjoy the challenges of learning about ranching.

Susanna drove the horse down a nearby lane leading to a house similar to her own. After introducing Evangeline to her sister-in-law Marybeth, a pretty Irish girl who’d married Rand, one of Nate’s brothers, Susanna instructed her three children to mind their aunt.

“I’ll bring you some penny candy, but if you haven’t behaved, you won’t get any.”

All four, including Isabelle, nodded solemnly. “Yes, ma’am.”

Evangeline smiled at her daughter, who never needed such a warning. The child strove to please almost to the point of perfectionism.

“I’m sure they’ll do fine.” Marybeth handed Susanna a shopping list. “Be sure to get the oatmeal. It’s about the only thing I can eat these days.” She patted her slightly rounded belly. “You’d think I’d be past this morning sickness by now. With Randy and Beth Anne, I felt better at four months.” She gazed fondly at her own two offspring, who appeared to be about five and three years old.

“Oh, dear,” Susanna said. “Shall I get something from Doc for you?”

“No, thanks. I’ll be fine. You girls go have fun.”

With her blessing and the children’s enthusiastic farewell waves, Evangeline and Susanna were on their way. Evangeline hadn’t noticed even a hint of envy in Marybeth’s behavior over not going into town with them. Her own so-called friends in New Orleans had been far more exclusive regarding friendships. If Susanna’s other acquaintances in Esperanza were as generous, perhaps this was a place where she could truly rest her heart instead of fighting on every side simply for survival. Keeping Justice from learning about her past as they worked side by side and providing for her children were enough to contend with.

The mid-October breeze cut through Evangeline’s cloak, and she shivered. Her wardrobe and those of her children would never be sufficient in this cold climate. But Evangeline’s rapidly dwindling money wouldn’t be enough to buy material to make winter clothes. When she’d fled New Orleans, with its warmer weather, suitable clothing for Colorado winters had been the last thing on her mind.

As though hearing her thoughts and perhaps noticing her shiver, Susanna leaned into Evangeline’s arm. “It’s a good thing we’re about the same size. I have some warmer clothes you can wear until we can make some for you.”

“That would be lovely.” Evangeline enjoyed sewing and always preferred to make her own clothes. Her society acquaintances scoffed at her refusal to patronize the fashionable modistes in New Orleans, but even they admitted she was every bit as talented as those seamstresses trained in Paris.

“We can get some fabric today and get started. Won’t that be fun? I have a Singer, so it should go pretty fast. Just think. Sewing together as we used to.” Susanna giggled, which warmed Evangeline’s heart and reminded her of their merry girlhood adventures. “I’m sure Mrs. Winsted still has plenty of wool, heavy muslin and denim left, and she’ll be receiving new shipments by train until the Pass closes.”

“That sounds wonderful.” Evangeline didn’t know how she’d pay for the fabric, but perhaps Mrs. Winsted would give her a line of credit. She could pay her later from her earnings at the library.

They arrived in Esperanza shortly before nine o’clock along with many other people. Buggies, wagons, horses and pedestrians seemed to be streaming into town from all directions.

“It certainly is busy.” Evangeline scanned the various businesses. “What’s happening?”

“Ranchers and farmers come to town on Saturdays to do their shopping. And many people are stocking up for winter.” Susanna reined the buggy horse to a stop in front of a store with a large sign on the roof reading Winsted’s Mercantile. “Oh, my. Whatever happened here?”

Broken glass lay on the boardwalk in front of the door and was strewn over items displayed in the shattered window.

Susanna stepped down from the buggy and tied the horse to a hitching rail. “Come on, Evie. We need to help Mrs. Winsted clean this up.”

Evangeline followed her, carefully stepping over the shards. Inside the store, she stopped short. Near the counter, Justice stood talking to a woman perhaps in her late fifties, who wrung her hands. Every nuance of his posture and expression bespoke kindness and sympathy for the weeping woman. This was the Justice she recalled from long ago.

“We followed their tracks south beyond Cat Creek, but they mingled with too many others for us to sort them out.” He set a hand on the woman’s shoulder. “Don’t worry, ma’am. We’ll find the men who did this, and before I ship them off to Canon City Penitentiary—” his voice took on a hard edge “—I’ll make them repay every penny it costs to replace your window and any ruined merchandise.”

While the woman gave him a grateful smile, Evangeline’s heart froze. No, this was not the young man she’d grown up with. True to his name, Justice would see punishment meted out to the vandals. He’d become an unbending lawman and would show her no pity if he learned about her flight from her debts, both real and false.

“Mrs. Winsted.” Susanna hurried over to embrace the lady. “Let us help you clean up this mess.” She beckoned to Evangeline. “This is my cousin I told you about. You give us a broom and a dustpan, and we’ll make things right as rain in a jiffy.” She looked up over her shoulder at Justice. “Hello, Justice. Are you going to help out or just make promises?”

He scowled at her and slid a brief glance in Evangeline’s direction, never actually focusing on her face. “Well, of course, I’m going to help, Susanna.” He pulled a pair of leather gloves from his belt and donned them. “You going to run this cleanup, or shall I?”

If Evangeline weren’t so nervous in his presence, she would laugh. Despite her diminutive size, Susanna had always been bossy and obviously hadn’t changed.

“Why, I am, of course.” She led Mrs. Winsted to a chair. “Now you sit here and catch your breath, honey, and we’ll take care of everything. Evie, honey, fetch us some of those work gloves.” She pointed to a shelf. “We’ll have Homer Bean—he’s the store clerk—put them on my tab when he gets here. Now, you two get busy.” She waved Evangeline and Justice to work.

“Guess we’d better do what she says.” Justice’s bemused expression didn’t look entirely sheriff-like.

“I guess so.” Evangeline’s heart ached to enjoy working beside him, but how could she, when by simply doing his job, he might bring an end to everything she held dear?

* * *

When Evangeline sashayed into the mercantile, Justice’s heart kicked up something fierce, and he almost walked out of the store. If not for poor Mrs. Winsted’s dire circumstances, he’d leave bossy Susanna Northam and her cousin to restore order. But after her challenge, he couldn’t shirk his duty. Besides, he might find some clues as to the identity of the vandals among rifle slugs found at the scene.

“Y’all be careful not to get cut.” Susanna took a broom and began sweeping at the front door. “The glass seems to be sprayed mostly in that direction.” She pointed toward the right side of the store where material, guns, lamps and other wares were displayed. “If we can make a path to the cash register, folks can still buy what they need. Good thing all the food is on this side.” She nodded toward the shelves behind the counter.

She continued a running commentary about what she was doing and what sorry souls those vandals were and a host of other chatter. Preferring quiet, Justice wished she’d hush up and work quietly like Evangeline. Then he saw Mrs. Winsted stand and give herself a shake.

“You’re right, Susanna. This isn’t the worst thing ever to happen to me.” The woman brushed away tears, grabbed a pair of gloves and joined the cleanup. “Thank you.”

Justice cast a questioning glance at Evangeline, who was smiling at her cousin. What had he missed?

“She’s amazing,” she whispered. “I would have sat beside Mrs. Winsted and cried with her.” She carefully picked up shards of glass from a bolt of material and dropped them into a china bowl.

Her smile did something odd to Justice’s insides. She was still as beautiful as the young girl he’d fallen in love with. Even more beautiful now that she was a woman. To cover his admiration, he shrugged and went back to work. Women sure did communicate differently than men did.

He heard a soft intake of breath and jerked his attention back to Evangeline, an odd little fear crowding into him. “Did you cut yourself?”

“No.” She stared at him, wide-eyed. “I just remembered. Today’s your birthday.”

He scowled. “I suppose so. I don’t really pay much attention anymore.” And yet his chest expanded with foolish pleasure because she recalled it. To deflect her regard before she could say more and have the others notice, he added, “I seem to recall it’s also your anniversary. Same day you got married back in ’76?”

She winced. More than winced. More like cowered. Here she was trying to be nice, and he’d reminded her of Lucius’s death. “I’m sorry for your loss. I’m sure you miss your husband.”

Now she actually shuddered. Justice supposed a year wasn’t long enough to grieve such a significant loss. After all these years, he still grieved for his parents. If he were honest with himself, he still grieved over losing Evangeline’s love.

Nonsense. All water under the bridge.

“Please accept my belated condolences for your father’s death.” She gazed at him, her blue eyes glistening. “I didn’t know he’d died until—”

“Thanks.” He cut her off, not wanting to hear her platitudes, even if they were accompanied by tears. Instead, he bent to lift a broken kerosene lamp with a delicate flowered glass shade. “Shame about this.”

She stood silent for a moment. “Yes. A shame.” Then she went back to work.

One by one, people began to enter the business, including Homer Bean, the clerk, and most dug in right away to help. Despite the busyness, Susanna managed to introduce Evangeline to everyone, all of whom welcomed her. Despite much conversation, in about an hour, they’d cleaned up the store, and Mrs. Winsted had assessed the damages to her inventory.

“They didn’t steal anything,” she told Justice. “But some items are beyond repair.”

“You make me a list and include the cost of each one. I’ll make sure you’re compensated.” Justice pocketed the slugs he’d found and fetched his hat from the front counter. “Thanks for your help, folks.” He raised his voice so all the helpers could hear him. “If you hear anything that can help me catch the culprits, let me know. I’ll arrange a reward.”

He donned his hat and strode out the door. As usual, the good people of Esperanza had come together to help one of their own. Then why did he feel downright depressed?

Easy question to answer. The woman who’d abandoned him at the moment of his greatest grief was casually weaving her way into the fabric of his town, and he couldn’t do anything to stop her.

* * *

“So you’re going to be our librarian.” Mrs. Winsted seemed nicely recovered from shock over her disaster. “Let me show you what we’ve been doing up to now.” She led Evangeline to the back of the store, where numerous books rested on several shelves. “Keeping track of these has been both a privilege and a bother, too often the latter. I don’t have time to chase people down when books are due back for the next person who wants to read them.”

“Are you sure you don’t mind my taking the books?” The last thing Evangeline wanted was to have one more person in Esperanza who held something against her. The hour working side by side with Justice nearly undid her.

“Not at all. It’s a relief.” Mrs. Winsted tilted her head toward the nearby barred window behind which were mail slots. “In addition to running my store, I’m also the postmistress, so I have plenty to do.”

“Why, yes. You were the one who knew Susanna’s maiden name and passed my letter along to her.”

“That’s right.” The lady appeared pleased to have her clever work remembered. “She was delighted to hear from you.”

They each spoke of their mutual affection for Susanna and for her father, who now lived in a small town in the southern part of the San Luis Valley with his second wife. Evangeline remembered Edward MacAndrews as a kind, loving father and uncle. What she didn’t tell Mrs. Winsted was how differently Edward Junior turned out. Once he found out his widowed father married a Mexican lady, he told all of their relatives Susanna and their father died on their trip west. When Evangeline realized she needed to flee New Orleans, she wrote to Edward in Georgia for help. He forbade her to come to Marietta but said she might find Susanna in Esperanza, Colorado. Shocked at his rejection but overjoyed to learn Susanna was alive after all, Evangeline had written to her. She’d posted the letter in a small town outside of New Orleans to throw Hugo off in case he tried to track her. But with his equally dishonest friends hiding behind every bush, she couldn’t be sure her ruse was successful.

“I’d best get back to work.” Mrs. Winsted stepped toward the counter where her clerk was busily serving customers. “Thank you for your help, everyone.”

“We were glad to do it.” Susanna approached from the other direction, her arms loaded with bolts of fabric. “Mrs. Winsted, I’ll take these. Evie and I have a lot of sewing to do.”

“But, my dear, some of them are damaged.” The storekeeper fingered the torn material. “Let me cut off the ruined parts.”

“Nonsense.” Susanna tugged the bolts away from her. “We can use all of it, even the small pieces. Lizzie and Isabelle can make clothes for their dolls, and we can make ragdolls for children coming to the Christmas party.” She winked at Evangeline, sending a private signal regarding other possible uses for the fabric. “Are you ready to see the library?”

“Yes, indeed. Mrs. Winsted, if it’s all right with you, I’ll come in on Monday and move these books to their new home.”

With all in agreement, Susanna completed her purchases, and the clerk loaded them into the back of the buggy.

Across the street and down several doors from the mercantile sat the sheriff’s office, which included the jail. As Susanna drove the buggy past it, Evangeline saw Justice through the large front window, seated at a desk and bent over his work. An involuntary shudder rippled through her.

Susanna gave her a curious glance, but nodded toward the next building, a pink stone edifice with two stories. “That’s the bank. The library’s around the corner.”

They passed a charming stone fountain in the middle of the intersection. Despite last night’s freezing temperatures, artesian water streamed from a stone pitcher held by a sculpture of a fair lady in pioneer dress.

“Here we are.” Susanna drove up to another pink stone building, this one narrow and deep, with a single story and a sign boasting Library in bold letters on the front of the flat roof.

Evangeline stepped down from the buggy and followed Susanna inside. The front room, about the size of her large front parlor back in New Orleans, was dimly lit by the two windows on either side of the front door. A wood stove stood sentinel in one back corner, with a small stack of wood beside it. A desk and chair sat near the front window, and five tables with four chairs each were placed in random fashion about the room. Wooden boxes of books were stacked in front of the shelves built into three of the room’s walls.

“The books were donated by various folks in and around town,” Susanna said. “Not many are new, but they’re in good condition.”

Evangeline gazed around at the site of her new occupation, and the depression she’d felt since seeing Justice lifted. She couldn’t wait to get her hands on those books. Perusing the titles, she pulled a copy of Pride and Prejudice from one box.

“Remember those summer nights when we stayed up late reading this to each other?” What romantic girls they’d been. At least Susanna had found her Mr. Darcy.

“I do.” Susanna smiled like a proud mother. “Isn’t this a lovely room? The men managed to get the walls painted and the shelves stained before roundup began, but we ladies have been busy with putting up our gardens, so we haven’t had time to make curtains for the windows.” She tapped one cheek thoughtfully. “I planned to sew them, but since you and I need to make clothes and you’ll also be working here, I should hire Mrs. Starling. She’s a sweet widow lady with four children, so it’s good to send work her way when we can.”

Evangeline gave her cousin a wry smile. “You’re good at helping widows.”

Susanna blinked, then hurried over to give Evangeline a hug. “Oh, my dear, I’m so sorry. I’m sure you miss Lucius terribly.” She waited expectantly for an answer.

The urge to tell the truth about her horrible marriage nearly overwhelmed Evangeline. But she merely sighed wistfully, hoping Susanna would take it for agreement.

“Well.” Quickly changing her mood, Susanna released her and posted fists on her hips. “There’s a great deal to be done here, but for now, I think we should return home and start our sewing.”

Soon on their way, they fell into the girlish chatter of their childhood. Only this time, instead of romantic dreams, they shared the joys and difficulties of motherhood.

The sound of hoofbeats rapidly approaching from behind put a stop to their conversation. While Susanna reined the buggy closer to the side of the road, Evangeline looked over her shoulder.

Justice. Was he pursuing them? His tall, dapple-gray horse moved nearer, but at least he was now cantering rather than galloping as though chasing a criminal.

He pulled up beside them and slowed to match the moderate trot of the buggy horse. “Good morning, ladies.” He tipped his hat.

“Hey, there, Sheriff.” Susanna smiled brightly at him. “Didn’t we see you a while ago? Don’t tell me you just happened to be out for a ride.” She turned to wink at Evangeline. “Why, I do believe you’re following us.”

Heat rushed to Evangeline’s face. She should have warned her cousin not to try matchmaking her with the sheriff.

“Not at all, ma’am.” Justice still hadn’t looked directly at Evangeline. “I’m headed out to the various ranches down this way to see if I can find out who shot up the mercantile.”

“Oh, yes. Of course.” Susanna laughed as though she didn’t believe him. “Well, carry on, then. And if you’re hungry in an hour or so, stop by our place for dinner.”

“Thank you, ma’am. I’ll see what happens.” He touched the brim of his hat. “Ladies.” He kicked his horse into a gallop and soon became a speck in the distance.

Evangeline exhaled so forcefully, she nearly tumbled from the buggy in relief.

Misunderstanding, Susanna laughed. “Oh, my dear, do I have plans for you.”

* * *

Justice’s stomach was already growling because he’d missed breakfast, so the mention of dinner ignited his appetite. But the last thing he planned to do was accept Susanna’s invitation, especially after seeing the look of horror on Evangeline’s face. His presence must be distasteful to her. Too bad, since they’d have to work together starting on Monday. She might even have to put up with him for a few minutes when he stopped by Nate’s house to ask about his temporary cowhands. He’d stop there last, and maybe they’d be finished eating. But otherwise, he’d stay as far away from her as possible.

He checked at the first ranch and learned from George Eberly that all of his seasonal cowhands were reliable men not given to troublemaking. Less than a mile down the road, he came to the main property of Four Stones Ranch. Foreman Seamus O’Brien, who’d been shot by outlaws a few years before and never recovered enough to participate in the roundups, told Justice he’d have to check with Nate to be sure about a few of the new men.

This warranted a quick change of plans. If he hurried, Justice could ride to the smaller house and speak to Nate before the ladies reached home. As tempted as he was to bypass the place, he needed to do his duty. He spurred Thunder to a gallop and raced over the fields instead of wasting time by going back to the main road. He rode into the small barnyard behind the house and heard unmistakable sounds of a ruckus coming from inside the barn.

He dismounted and unbuttoned the strap securing his gun to its holster. Edging up to the partially open door, he peered in. Dismayed but not surprised, he saw Nate hauling Gerard over his shoulder toward a stall, where he set the struggling, hollering boy down with a thump.

Towering over the youngster, Nate fisted his hands at his waist. “Now you stay in here and don’t move.”

The boy crossed his arms over his small chest and said, “Make me,” as he had at the restaurant the day before.

“Need some help?” Justice stepped inside and towered over Gerard from the other side. Poor Evangeline, having to deal with a son who seemed determined to cause trouble. The boy needed a man’s strong hand to guide him.

“Hello, Sheriff.” Nate used his title, probably to intimidate Gerard.

While it wasn’t the way Justice preferred to interact with children, in this case it was probably best.

“Howdy, Nate.”

“Tell me, Sheriff, how do you deal with a boy who chases milk cows out of their stalls and shoots barn cats with a slingshot?” As he talked to Justice, he watched Gerard, whose eyes darted from one man to the other and back again. Still, his defiant expression remained unchanged.

“Well, Nate.” Justice scratched the back of his head, causing his Stetson to tilt forward. “My father used to tan my hide when I did anything that rotten.” It happened only once, which was enough for Justice to mend his ways. But then, his godly father had been easy to obey. Lucius might not have disciplined his son.

“Sounds like a good idea to me.” Nate reached out, but Gerard ducked into a corner of the stall.

Justice managed to grab his shoulder. “You ever had your hide tanned, son?”

“I’m not your son,” the boy screamed while trying to twist away.

“What’s going on here?” Evangeline stood in the barn doorway, her face pale.

Gerard broke away, rushed to her and threw his arms around her waist. “Mother, save me. They’re gonna kill me.”

She hugged him close and glared at Justice, then Nate. “I’ll repeat myself. What is going on here?”

To her credit, while Nate described the boy’s mischief, her face went from angry defender to embarrassed parent.

“If those cows get scared,” Nate said, “they’ll stop giving milk, which puts us all in a bad spot. And we need those barn cats to keep down the mice population because mice eat the grain that the cows need to eat.”

“I see.” She brushed a hand down her son’s face. “Now that you understand, will you promise not to do those things again?”

“Yes, ma’am,” Gerard said in a sing-song voice. He turned to face Nate and Justice and gave them a triumphant smirk. “May I go play now?”

“Not right now. First we’ll eat, and then we’ll go over to Marybeth’s to see the new foal. You’d like that, wouldn’t you?”

A tiny hint of vulnerability streaked across Gerard’s face. “Yes, ma’am.” Something akin to eagerness colored his words.

“If you’ll excuse us, gentlemen?” Evangeline ushered her son from the barn.

Nate exhaled a long breath and eyed Justice. “Don’t know what I’m going to do with that boy. I have to leave on Monday, and if he’s going to cause trouble for Susanna—”

Before he could stop himself, Justice blurted out, “Don’t worry. I’ll keep an eye on him.”

“Thanks, Justice. That relieves my mind considerably.”

And yet the idea of riding herd on a recalcitrant brat, especially Lucius Benoit’s lookalike son, did anything but relieve Justice’s mind.

Chapter Three

Evangeline studied her image in Susanna’s long mirror and brushed a whisk broom down the length of her bombazine gown to smooth out wrinkles and remove lint. Although black wasn’t her best color, she should have worn mourning while traveling instead of the light brown suit. Then perhaps Susanna wouldn’t be trying to play matchmaker, a useless endeavor, especially with Justice. After one bad marriage, Evangeline would never again put herself under the power of a man. However, with all of the children around, she hadn’t spoken to her cousin about the matter. To keep others from getting such ideas, she’d have to wear black whenever she went to town, both for church like today and for her work in the library.

Yesterday’s incident in the barn was alarming, especially when she saw how angry Nate was at Gerard for his mischief, even to the point of threatening her son. Justice stood there adding his official presence, which made matters worse. Later, Susanna explained to Evangeline how important this time of year was for the whole ranch because their livelihood depended on getting the cattle safely down from the mountain and to the trains. Before leaving, Nate needed to be sure his home was secure, not endangered by a boy who didn’t understand ranch life. Evangeline could accept that. She only hoped Gerard did, too.

She joined Susanna in the kitchen and donned the offered white apron.

“Will you beat the eggs, Evie?” Susanna stood at the blazing cast-iron stove and used a fork to turn bacon in her skillet. “The biscuits will be done soon.”

Evangeline looked around for the implements to do as she asked. All she located was a basket of dirty eggs on the work counter.

Susanna must have noticed her mild revulsion. “Wipe them off with a damp cloth.” She jutted her chin toward the sink where dishwater sat in a tin pan. “Then break them into a bowl and beat them with a fork.” Another jut of her chin pointed to a crockery bowl on a shelf.

“Very well.” Evangeline squeezed out a thin cloth and proceeded to clean the newly gathered eggs, trying to hide her disgust. A glance at Susanna revealed she was trying to hide a grin. Very well, indeed. If her cousin, who’d also been raised with cooks and servants, could overcome her squeamishness about henhouse soil, so could Evangeline.

After breaking the cleaned eggs into the bowl and removing the bothersome bits of shells, she took a fork and stirred them. While some yolks broke, the yellow refused to blend with the whites.

“Harder,” Susanna encouraged.

Evangeline obeyed with enthusiasm, causing yellow slime to splash on the hand holding the bowl. With her cousin still chuckling under her breath, she figured out how to modify the action, and soon the eggs were a consistent creamy yellow. “There.”

“Good.” Susanna carried a plateful of cooked bacon to the table, where Lizzie was showing Isabelle how to set around the silverware and plates.

Feeling a bit more confident, Evangeline took the bowl to the stove and started to pour the eggs into the pan on top of the bacon grease.

“Wait.” Susanna rushed to her side. “We have to drain it first.”

Evangeline managed to pull the bowl upright before much of the liquid eggs slid into the sizzling pan. Susanna dumped the greasy, unappetizing mess into a bucket beside the sink.

“Never mind, honey. The pigs will be thrilled to have such a treat.” She returned the hot skillet to the stove and finished cooking the scrambled eggs to perfection.

Soon the family had gathered around the table. After Nate offered a prayer, the food was served, and everyone seemed eager to clean their plates. Even Gerard appeared to be in a good mood. He winked at his male cousins and closed his eyes in bliss as he ate his raspberry preserve–covered biscuits, causing Natty and Frankie to giggle...and copy him. Evangeline’s heart lifted at this glimpse of the boy he used to be. Perhaps things would improve now.

Yesterday, after unpacking their purchases and eating dinner, Susanna had driven Evangeline and her son over to Marybeth’s to fetch the other children. As expected, Gerard was smitten with the two-day-old foal and stayed out of trouble the rest of the day. Even Nate was impressed. If only Justice could see Gerard at such times, he wouldn’t be so hard on him.

Why did she care what Justice thought? Yes, he was the sheriff and had the power to arrest her if he ever learned why she’d fled New Orleans. But he couldn’t arrest an energetic boy simply for being mischievous. Could he?

After breakfast, they all climbed into a surrey and drove to the church in town. Evangeline greeted some of the people she’d already met and was introduced to even more, including the charming pastor, Reverend Thomas. His Virginia accent differed from Susanna’s Georgia drawl and Evangeline’s broader Cajun intonations, but there was no mistaking his southern origins. She also met the rest of the vast Northam family, including Colonel and Mrs. Northam, their youngest son, Bartholomew, nicknamed Tolley, and Tolley’s wife, Laurie.

Having played hostess for her father and husband, Evangeline put her keen memory skills to use and filed away something unique about each person so she could remember their names in the future.

“Justice.” Susanna stood in the aisle by the pew and waved to him as he entered the church. “I saved you a spot.” She indicated the space beside Evangeline.

If Evangeline weren’t in church, she’d be tempted to smack her cousin’s arm...hard. As it was, she saw Justice wince and look around like a scared mouse trying to escape a cat. The crowded sanctuary offered few remaining seats, so he had no choice but to obey the summons.

Justice brushed against Evangeline’s shoulder and skirt as he sat. “Morning, Mrs. Benoit.” His deep, rich voice caused a pleasant shiver to roll down her neck and arm. She eased the effects of her involuntary reaction by noting he’d lost some of his Cajun inflections in the past eleven years. She doubted he’d deliberately changed his speech to fit in. Justice was never one to follow the crowd.

“Good morning, Sheriff Gareau.” She was rescued from having to make further conversation when the pastor took his place at the front of the congregation and announced the first hymn.

Sneaky Susanna had arranged for them to share a hymnal, but it wasn’t entirely unpleasant. Justice’s baritone voice had always been strong and sure, unlike poor Nate’s. Even standing down the row from him, she could hear his off-key voice and she gave a quick shake of her head. At the end of the verse Evangeline glanced up when she heard Justice clear his throat, in time to see him smother an amused smile. She couldn’t keep from responding with one of her own.

Dismissing such foolishness, she sang the alto line in the second stanza of “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God,” and a tiny thrill wove its way through her heart. So often while growing up, they’d stood side by side in the church where their families had worshipped and harmonized as they now did, enjoying hymns of praise to the loving God they both believed in. The God Who dwelt among His children in this humble community church as surely as He did in the grand New Orleans cathedral. If only she could erase the past eleven years...

No. That would mean she wouldn’t have her two precious children, whom she loved more than words could say. She must protect them at any cost, must protect all three of them from the strong, imposing lawman beside her, whose manly, orange-scented cologne made it difficult to concentrate on anything other than him.

Forcing such foolishness from her mind, she bowed her head and prayed, as she always did in church, for God to speak to her today. Then she settled back to enjoy the rest of the service.

After announcements, the offering and another hymn, Reverend Thomas began his sermon with Romans 13:8. “Paul tells us we should ‘Owe no man anything...’”

Stuck on those words, Evangeline didn’t hear the rest of the verse. Owe no man anything? And yet she owed thousands of dollars. Her guilt, compounded by the presence of the man beside her, routed out every good feeling she’d experienced that morning.

* * *

Justice always enjoyed the services in this homey little church, but today, Susanna’s matchmaking caused him a great deal of discomfort. He couldn’t avoid Evangeline’s scent of gardenias, a fragrance he recalled from his early teen years when he’d plucked the snowy-white blossoms from his mother’s bushes for the beautiful young girl he loved. When the two of them sang the familiar hymns, they fell into the natural harmonies they’d enjoyed so many years ago. Even their silent communication over poor Nate’s legendary tone-deafness tugged on his heartstrings because he remembered the harmless laughter they’d shared as children over the foibles of being human. They’d never been cruel, only good-humored toward others, as youngsters tended to be when the future seemed bright and certain before them. Over the years, Justice often wondered how differently things might have turned out if he hadn’t gone on his Grand Tour. Would his father have died so young after being swindled out of his money? Would Mr. LaPierre have given Justice permission to marry Evangeline instead of granting that privilege to Lucius Benoit? He’d never know.

The minister read from Romans 13:8, and Justice listened carefully, as his godly father taught him. “‘Owe no man anything, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.’” Father also taught him never to contradict the Word of God. But it was difficult with Evangeline seated next to him. How could he love her? Yes, he knew the verse referred to Christian love, not the romantic sort. And he knew the law to be fulfilled referred to the commandment Christ called the second most important, to love one’s neighbor as oneself. Yet he would have a hard time being around Evangeline and loving her in Christ without thinking of the love they’d promised to one another so long ago. Thus, he should stay as far away from her as possible. Not easy when he’d be working on the Christmas village in the library’s back room. And then he’d promised Nate to keep watch over Gerard. There was no way he could win in this situation.

After the final hymn, he nodded to his seatmates and strode up the aisle, ignoring Susanna’s call. She’d trapped him for the church service, but he wasn’t about to get invited to dinner and have to spend Sunday afternoon in the same house as Evangeline.

He snagged his hat and winter jacket from the cloakroom and shook hands with the preacher before exiting into the churchyard. Nate’s brother Tolley and his wife, Laurie, were walking toward their home three blocks away, so he caught up with them. Tolley carried their one-year-old son on his hip, and Laurie grasped his other arm.

“Nice day.” Feeling more than a little foolish, Justice fell into step beside them.

“Yes, it is.” Tolley looked at him expectantly.

Laurie, being the more perceptive of the two, elbowed her husband. “Sheriff, won’t you come for dinner? We’re having our usual pot roast and sure would enjoy your company.”

“Sheriff.” Susanna bustled after them, waving her hand in the air.

“Thank you, Laurie. I’d be pleased to accept.” Relieved to have successfully escaped Susanna, Justice inhaled a deep breath of the fresh autumn air. Safe. At least for today.

“Sheriff, are you going deaf?” Susanna caught up with them and took a moment to chuck her young nephew under the chin. “Hello, sugar.” She turned her attention back to Justice. “Don’t you recall my inviting you to Sunday dinner?”

“Did you?” Justice recalled it well. He also recalled not exactly accepting. “I’m sorry, but Laurie here has invited me, too.”

Susanna gave her sister-in-law one of those looks women gave each other when they were put out. “Laurie, surely you knew I wanted him at my house today.”

“Oh, dear.” Laurie batted her dark red eyelashes. “Well...” She looked up at Justice.

“Tell you what,” Tolley broke in. “He can eat with us today, and next week he can join all of us for our monthly gathering at the big house.”

“That might work.” Though he wanted to shake Tolley’s hand in gratitude, Justice instead tipped his hat to Susanna. He’d probably be forced to attend next week, but at least he’d be among a larger group where he might be able to avoid Evangeline. “Thank you for thinking of me,” he said to Susanna. “We poor bachelors depend on the kindness of our married friends to keep us fed.”

She crossed her arms and tapped one foot on the hard-packed dirt road. “Very well. Next week, then. And I can count on you to keep an eye on Evangeline as she begins work at the library tomorrow?” Her expression held that private meaning she was so good at. Only a few people knew about the Christmas village, and this younger Northam couple was not among them.

“Yes, ma’am.” He was sunk as surely as if he’d stepped into quicksand. He’d never be able to escape Susanna Northam’s matchmaking. And now he couldn’t avoid Evangeline, the woman who’d irreparably broken his heart and made him determined never to give it to another.

* * *

Early Monday morning, the little family waved goodbye to Nate as he rode off toward the hills to the south. While Wes, the trusted cowhand he’d left behind to tend chores, hitched up the buggy, Susanna and Evangeline prepared the children for school.

“Are you sure you don’t want me to drive you into town?” Susanna finished washing the last breakfast dish and handed it to Lizzie to dry.

“I’d much rather you spend the time cutting out the children’s new clothes so I can help you sew them this evening.” Evangeline tugged on her leather driving gloves. After dropping off the children at school, she would be starting her first day as the town’s new librarian.

“I’m sure you’ll be glad to see a certain sheriff again.” Susanna still hadn’t let up on her matchmaking. She sniffed dramatically. “Your lovely gardenia perfume is sure to attract his attention. Why, it must have cost you a small fortune. Well worth it, I’d say.”

“You know better than that. Don’t you remember when our mothers taught us to make our own perfume one summer? It’s much less expensive.” She ignored her cousin’s suggestion about wearing the perfume for Justice’s sake. It was the fragrance she always wore, a reminder of the better parts of her old life, nothing more.

Their dinner pails packed with sandwiches and apples, the children donned their jackets and climbed into the buggy, all except two-year-old Frankie, who cried over being left behind with his mother.

The breeze blew brisk and chilly, but the sky was a rich blue shade. Evangeline gazed west across the San Luis Valley at the San Juan Mountains, then east to the Sangre de Cristo Range. If not for her fears of being dragged back to New Orleans, she could relax and enjoy this beautiful country.

“Let’s sing.” Isabelle didn’t wait for agreement, but broke into “Boys and girls all sing this song, Hoo-rah, Hoo-rah. Girls grow pretty and boys grow strong. Oh, hoo-rah ray. Goin’ to eat my peas, Goin’ to eat my ham. Gonna eat biscuits with butter and jam. Oh, hoo-rah ray.”

The others joined in, and Gerard and Natty tried to out “hoo-rah” each other in the silly folk song. They fell into giggles, bringing joy to Evangeline’s heart. By the time they reached the one-story clapboard schoolhouse in town, they were making up their own verses, most of them nonsense.

She tied the lead rope to the hitching post and escorted the children inside. The school had three classes, two grades in each one. Natty and Isabelle scampered off to the first and second grade room, and Lizzie to her third and fourth grade room. Evangeline was left to escort Gerard to join the fifth and sixth graders. She recognized the teacher, Miss Prinn, from church, and the sturdy middle-aged woman welcomed Gerard.

“You may sit here.” She indicated an empty seat in the second row.

All happy songs forgotten, Gerard looked around furtively, as though searching for a way to escape. The other children eyed him with friendly curiosity.

“He will be fine, Mrs. Benoit.” Miss Prinn gave Evangeline a severe look, dismissing her.

“Yes, of course.”

With a library to organize, she subdued her maternal worries and drove to the mercantile. There, Mrs. Winsted helped her load four wooden boxes of books into the buggy.

“I’d send Homer over to help you, but he’s unloading a new shipment of merchandise.” The woman brushed gray hairs back from her face. “Can you manage?”

“Yes, thank you.” At the least, she could carry a few books into the library at a time.

The short trip down the street and around the corner onto Center Avenue brought her to the library. Seeing the sign brought an unexpected thrill to her heart. She’d already planned how to organize the books.

After unlocking the door, she went to fetch the first box of books. She tried to lift it, but it proved too heavy. The wind whipped her lightweight skirt and petticoats around, adding a struggle for modesty to her concerns. Her black straw hat chose that moment to fly away, headed straight for the fountain.

“Oh, bother.” Planning to give chase, she misjudged how far she’d slid the box off the back of the buggy and it teetered, spilling books onto the ground. Some fell open, and their pages fluttered wildly in the wind. She gasped. What a horrible way to begin her new job. Kneeling to check for damage, she shook grit from the precious tomes.

“Ma’am, I believe this is yours.” Justice stood tall above her and handed her the wayward hat.

Her heart seemed to stop beating. Yet still she lived. “Thank you.” She clutched the hat in one hand and continued picking up books with the other.

“Let me help you.” He didn’t wait for an answer but knelt and joined her efforts. “You go on inside. I’ll bring them in.”

“Well—”

Again, he didn’t wait for her, but stood and grasped her elbow, then gently pulled her to her feet. “Permit me to assist you, Mrs. Benoit.” His formal address and tone did little to comfort her, and he looked down at her with a courteous but uninterested expression.

“Thank you.” She grabbed her small dinner hamper and a pail of cleaning supplies and hurried inside the building. After setting the basket on her desk, she rubbed her arm where he’d touched her. Such a firm grip. And yet, what should have been a reassuring gesture only made her nervous. Surely no criminal could escape his grasp.

As she propped the door open so he could enter at will, she noticed how easily he lifted the first heavy box and gave herself permission to admire his strength. After all, she supposed a sheriff should be strong.

Such admiring ruminations would not get her work done, so she turned her attention to the shelves. If she organized the books as planned, they’d fill less than a fourth of the dark-stained pine planks. Too bad she must keep her location a secret or she might consider writing to potential benefactors for donations. In the meantime, she already knew she wanted her desk closer to the window so she could catch all possible daylight.

She shoved the heavy oak desk, or rather, shoved at it. The beautifully carved monstrosity refused to budge.

“I’ll do that as soon as I bring in the last box.” Justice set his load down and returned to the buggy for another.

The final remnants of the happy energy that had infused her earlier disappeared. She’d be foolish to turn down his help, but from his frown, she could see he disliked this forced contact as much as she did. Of course he would be a gentleman and help her. Yet his distant, austere demeanor was very different from the laughing, fun-loving manner of the young man with whom she’d grown up.

“That does it.” He set the last box on a table beside the others and removed his hat and jacket. “I’ll send Adam Starling over to take your horse and buggy to the livery stable. Can’t have the little mare standing outside the library all day.”

“Oh. Of course.” Evangeline never considered such a thing. Servants had always taken care of the horses and conveyances for her. Then, after losing everything, she’d walked wherever she needed to go.

“Where do you want the desk?” Justice glanced about the room.

“About two feet from the front window.”

“You sure?”

Suddenly annoyed by this uncomfortable meeting, she snapped, “If you don’t approve, put it wherever you think is best.” Shame filled her. She had no reason to be snippy, especially since he was being helpful.

He huffed out a sigh. “As the winter wears on, it gets mighty cold sitting so close to a window. You’d be better off doing your work closer to the stove.”

“Oh—”

“Here.” He took her by the hand. “Step over to the window and feel the glass.”

His gentle touch sent shivers up her arm and down her back. He didn’t seem to notice her response, but tugged her to the window and placed her hand on the glass. Even through her gloves, she could feel the cold.

“Oh, my. Not the best place to sit.”

“Yep.” He dropped her hand as though he realized how tightly he’d been holding it. Or maybe that he’d been holding it at all.

She decided to rescue them both. “Well, then, I’ll take your advice. Can you move the desk by yourself? Or will you need help?”

He cast an amused glance her way. Then, with the strength of the biblical Samson, he easily shoved the heavy desk across the wooden floor without so much as taking an extra breath. “This all right?”

“Fine.” Did her voice actually squeak? Oh, my. Justice might not have required a deep breath after moving the desk, but she needed one after being so close to his imposing presence.

He gazed down at her for a moment, and she stared up at him, unmoving.

“Where do you want the tables?” An odd softness flickered in his eyes.

“Um, well.” She broke the visual contact and stared blindly around the room. “They’re fine.”

“Fine,” he repeated. Even so, he began to move the tables and chairs into a more sensible configuration. “What do you think?”

“Fine.” She couldn’t think of a different word. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” He gave a firm nod before glancing at the door in the back wall. “You want to see the village?”

“Oh, yes.” How could she be standing here talking with Justice Gareau as though eleven years didn’t stand between this moment and all the good times they’d enjoyed so long ago?

Justice broke the mood by stepping over to the back door and pulling a key from his pocket. “We have to keep it locked so the youngsters won’t get nosy.”

“That makes sense.” She followed him into the dark chamber.

After he lit the kerosene lantern on a table, the room filled with light, revealing a rough but exquisite array of four-by-five-inch buildings. Although unpainted, each had a clear identity. A church, numerous houses, a livery stable and more. He’d carved people, horses, trees, all with remarkable detail.

“They’re beautiful, Justice.” Again she looked up into his once-beloved face. “You’re truly a gifted wood carver. I know the children will love their little village. I’ll be happy to help in any way you need.”

His eyes displayed a pleased expression. “I’ve been thinking about it. Could you paint everything?”

“I’d love to.”

“Good.” He ushered her toward the door. “I have some rounds to do this morning. I usually work on the village in the afternoon while my deputy is on duty at the office.”

“Oh. Very well. But first, please sit down and have some coffee.” Other than her sandwich, she had only Susanna’s cookies and some cold coffee to offer, but her Southern manners demanded some form of gratitude for his help.

He grimaced and huffed out a sigh of obvious resignation. He sat at the table across from her desk.

They partook of the refreshments in silence until Evangeline’s sense of etiquette took over. One simply did not sit quietly under these circumstances. She considered several topics of conversation. As unwise as it might be, she could think only of one.

“I’ve often wondered about your Grand Tour. Did you enjoy it?”

His deeply tanned face turned pale around the edges, and his lips formed a grim line.

Oh, yes, indeed. That was the wrong question to ask.

* * *

Stricken more than he wanted to admit, Justice could only stare at Evangeline, dumbfounded. Why would she ask about an event of so long ago, a trip he could barely remember because of the horrible home situation to which he returned? From the way her dark blond eyelashes fluttered, he could see she regretted asking about it.

“I’m so sorry.” Her blue eyes filled with tears. “I shouldn’t have—”

He waved a hand dismissively. “I suppose if we’re going to live in the same community, we should address the past and, well, get past it.”

She nodded and gave him a wobbly smile. “I suppose.”

He swiped a hand down one cheek before remembering the informal gesture wasn’t appropriate for a gentleman visiting with a lady. But then, so many of the elegant manners he’d been taught by his gentlemanly father had gone by the wayside as he’d adapted to the less formal West.

“Paris was beautiful. Rome was educational. Venice was breathtaking. London interesting, especially St. Paul’s Cathedral and Westminster Abbey.” In his own ears, he sounded like an uninspired tour guide, but she nodded politely as he spoke. Manners dictated it was his turn to try a polite inquiry. “Did you go to Europe after your marriage?” Somehow he managed not to choke on the words.

“N-no.” She looked away, perhaps to hide the odd hurt in her eyes.

He should press her for details. Should ask why Lucius Benoit hadn’t taken his beautiful young bride abroad to show her off. Instead, he cleared his throat. “I’d better go. I’m late to finish my rounds.” He stood and picked up his hat and jacket.

“Yes, of course.” She rose gracefully from her chair. “Thank you so much for your help.”

She reached out to him, and he took her small hand in his larger one. Against all that was sane, he bent to brush a well-mannered kiss across her fingers. A tremor shot from his lips to his neck and down his back. Then he caught a whiff of her expensive gardenia perfume, saw her exquisitely styled widow’s weeds and recalled she’d chosen to become a wealthy man’s wife so she could have a lifetime of such luxuries. The memory cut like a knife through his chest. By the time he straightened, he’d managed to paste on his no-nonsense lawman face.

“I’ll be back later to work on the village.” He donned his hat and walked toward the door on wooden legs. Despite her betrayal, this woman still had a strong effect on him.

“Thank you.” She closed the door behind him.

As he strode toward Main Street, a glance over his shoulder revealed she continued to watch him through one of the front windows. Oddly, it pleased him. He’d have to get over it, and fast.

Chapter Four

When Justice glanced back at her, Evangeline resisted the urge to step away from the window. She’d been caught, plain and simple. But then, he’d looked back and seemed to smile, so she’d caught him, too. Maybe it wasn’t a smile, but a grimace over her ill-advised question about his European travels. Or maybe, like her, he was discombobulated over their strange situation. Did he also wonder why the Lord brought them together in this remote town? Instinctively, she lifted a hand to wave at him, but he’d already resumed his purposeful stride toward Main Street. Soon he was around the corner and out of sight.

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