Page 94 (1/1)

Chapter One

Landing, Kansas—1878

Justin Kincaid was back

Between the rustling petticoats of the ladies looking at the current issue of Godey's and the rattling of nails being weighed on their scale in the back coeneral store The nearby far supplies, mentioned the news to one another The old-timers said it couldn't be the sa after what had happened to him The newer settlers wanted to knohat exactly this Justin Kincaid was supposed to have done Vague talk about boyhood pranks and no one's ever having seen his fatherThe town needed a sheriff, they said If this Kincaid fellow could protect them and keep peace, they didn't much care about his past

The wo by the bolts of fabric and the new shipment of fashion books, whispered that he'd been as handsome as sin

"And sinher head as she walked away froroup of women toward the front of the store and her small table and dresser that served as the United States Post Office She maneuvered her considerable bulk around the furniture and plopped down in her chair

Megan looked up fro shipment from the East had arrived

Spring was always a busy time Settlers and farmers came into town more often They needed seed and new tools, clothes and whatever supplies they'd run out of during the cold Kansas winter

"Who's h she knew the answer Like everyone else, she wanted to talk about Justin Had he really come back? Did he re silly Of course he reotten the way they'd parted seven years ago? Megan drew in a deep breath Who could have known he would come back?

Mrs Dobson stopped counting her sed at the bodice of her jet black gown Ten years after Far Frole, clear down to her shoes, she wore black Privately, Megan thought it was because the buxo red hair, knew she looked especially striking in that color

"Those woroup clustered at the far counter "They're jawing on about Justin Kincaid Saying he's handsome Wefl, the boy was always ht to be, but he was always trouble, too That kind never wants for female attention"

Megan set down the papers she'd been exa and smoothed her suddenly daed"

Widow Dobson turned in her chair Her bright green eyes narrowed as she looked across the dresser, pinning Megan with her stare "You weren't one of those harebrained misses eet on that Kincaid boy, were you?"

Megan raised her chin and h sounded confident, even to her own ears "Did you ever once seeat my house?"

The older woan You alere the right kind of girl Respectable" She turned to her sta him Hard not to And

he wasn't all bad I' to be trouble You mark my words"

Megan gathered her papers together and escaped to the back of the store Behind the calico curtain was a short hallway To the left was the large rooht, a tiny cubbyhole that served as her office She closed the door behind her and leaned against the desk

Like the rest of the store, this s in its proper place Even as she struggled to still her pounding heart, Megan placed the inventory papers in the right pile on her desk, and slipped around her chair to the little table in the corner After pouring some water from the pitcher into the basin, she rolled up her cuffs and washed her face

It didn't help The oval mirror above the basin showed her that the flush she'd felt on her cheeks was still visible Her eyes glowed, although whether from panic or excitement, she couldn't say Her er to her lips but couldn't still the tre