Loe raamatut: «The Sheriff's Christmas Twins»

To Teresa Bensch, sweet cousin and friend.

And to editor extraordinaire Emily Rodmell.

Your guidance makes all the difference.

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

Introduction

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

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty-One

Chapter Twenty-Two

Chapter Twenty-Three

Chapter Twenty-Four

Chapter Twenty-Five

Chapter Twenty-Six

Epilogue

Dear Reader

Extract

Copyright

Chapter One

December 1886

Gatlinburg, Tennessee

“We have a situation at the mercantile, Sheriff.”

Shane Timmons set the law journal aside and reached for his gun belt.

The banker held up his hand. “You won’t be needing that. This matter requires finesse, not force.”

“What’s happened?” His chair scraped across the uneven floor as he stood and picked up his Stetson. “Did Quinn catch a kid filching penny candy?”

“I suggest you come and see for yourself.”

Unaccustomed to seeing Claude Jenkins flustered, Shane’s curiosity grew as he shrugged on his coat and followed him outside into the crisp December day. Pedestrians intent on starting their holiday shopping early crowded the boardwalks. Those shopkeepers who hadn’t already decorated their storefronts were draping the windows and doors in ivy and holly garlands. On the opposite side of the street, they passed a vendor hawking roasted chestnuts, calling forth memories of bitter Norfolk, Virginia, winters and a young boy’s futile longing for a single bag of the toasty treat.

Shane tamped down the unpleasant memories and continued on to the mercantile. Half a dozen trunks were piled beside the entrance. Unease pulled his shoulder blades together as if connected by invisible string. His visitors weren’t due for three more days. He did a quick scan of the street, relieved there was no sign of the stagecoach.

Claude held the door and waited for him to enter first. The pungent stench of paint punched him in the chest. The stove-heated air was heavy and made his eyes water. Too many minutes in here and a person could get a headache. The proprietor, Quinn Darling, hadn’t mentioned plans to renovate. The first day of December and unofficial kickoff to the holiday fanfare was a terrible time to start.

His gaze swept the deserted sales counter and aisles before landing on a knot of men and women in the far corner.

“Why didn’t you watch where you were going? Where are your parents?”

“I—I’m terribly sorry, ma’am,” came the subdued reply. “My ma’s at the café. She gave me permission to come see the new merchandise.”

“This is what happens when children are allowed to roam through the town unsupervised.”

Shane rounded the aisle and wove his way through the customers, stopping short at the sight of statuesque, matronly Gertrude Messinger, a longtime Gatlinburg resident and wife of one of the gristmill owners, doused in green liquid. While her upper half remained untouched, her full skirts and boots were streaked with paint. Beside her, ashen and bug-eyed, stood thirteen-year-old Eliza Smith.

“Quinn Darling,” Gertrude’s voice boomed with outrage. “I expect you to assign the cost of a new dress to the Smiths’ account.”

At that, Eliza’s freckles stood out in stark contrast to her skin.

“One moment, if you will, Mr. Darling,” a third person chimed in. “The fault is mine, not Eliza’s.”

The voice put him in mind of snow angels and piano recitals and cookies swiped from silver platters. But it couldn’t belong to Allison Ashworth. She and her brother, George, wouldn’t arrive until Friday. Seventy-two more hours until his past collided with his present.

He wasn’t ready.

His old friend, George Ashworth, had written months ago expressing the wish to spend Christmas with him. He’d agreed, of course—it had been years since he’d seen George and longer still since he’d clapped eyes on Allison. As tempted as he’d been to deny the siblings, the memory of their father and his generosity had prevented him.

Edging two steps to his left, Shane gained a clear view of the unidentified female. His jaw sagged. Gertrude Messinger should consider herself fortunate because this woman had suffered the brunt of the mishap. The oily green mixture covered her from head to toe. Her face was a monochrome mask. Only her eyes—the color of emeralds and glittering with indignation—and lips were untouched.

Gertrude stared. “That girl was right beneath the ladder when it happened.”

She put a protective hand on Eliza’s shoulder. “That may be so, but I believe it was my foot that snagged the ladder and caused the can to tip over. I offer you my sincere apology. And of course, I’ll make reparations for the damage.”

“Your apology doesn’t change the fact I’m standing here dripping in paint!”

“See what I mean?” Claude leaned close to murmur in Shane’s ear.

As a lawman, his duties ranged from unpleasant to exasperating to downright perilous. This sort of dilemma was far from typical.

Quinn held his hands out in a placating gesture. “I regret this incident ever happened, ladies. It was my hired man who left the unopened can on the ladder unattended. I’ll pay for cleaning services, as well as provide enough store credit for replacement fabric and shoes, hats, ribbons. Whatever you need.”

The older woman glared down her patrician nose. “This dress is beyond saving. Besides, how am I to be expected to walk the streets looking like this?” Spotting Shane, she summoned him with an imperious flick of her fingers. “It’s about time you got here, Sheriff. I want this woman arrested.”

Eliza and the stranger gasped in unison. Moving closer to Quinn, Shane was careful to avoid the oozing globs on the gleaming floorboards. Belatedly removing his hat, he addressed Mrs. Messinger.

“And what, exactly, am I to charge her with?”

“Public mischief.”

The stranger ripped her gaze from Shane to gape at the older woman. “I am not a criminal.”

“Your clumsy disregard for your surroundings is a danger to others.”

“I believe that’s exaggerating things a bit, Mrs. Messinger,” Quinn intervened. To the other woman, he said, “What did you say your name was, ma’am?”

She shrunk back. Even with her features concealed, Shane sensed her distress. His senses sharpened. Years of dealing with those who disregarded the law had nourished his already suspicious nature. Was she hiding something?

A blob of paint dripped from her chin and splattered on the floor. “Introductions can wait, wouldn’t you agree? Do you have a place where I can clean up in private?”

“My wife’s seamstress shop is in the back. Nicole will provide you with something suitable to change into,” Quinn offered.

Her gaze slid to Shane and then darted to the side. Definitely suspicious. When she started to move away, he clamped a hand on her arm. “You’re not going anywhere until you state your name and business here.”

“I see you still enjoy being difficult, Shane Timmons,” she challenged, eliciting gasps from the spectators.

He released her at once. He should’ve heeded his initial response. Her voice had been familiar for a reason. The strands of her hair that weren’t coated in paint seemed to pulse with the sun’s rays. Those distinctive flaxen locks, combined with wide green eyes and crimson lips, reminded him of Christmases past. Bittersweet holidays with a temporary family that had magnified his outsider status.

“Allison. You’re early.”

A single, green-tinted eyebrow lifted. “After more than a decade apart, that’s the only thing you can think of to say?”

The tips of his ears burned. The crowd pressed closer, no doubt delighted by this unexpected turn of events. He hadn’t divulged much about his past. Wasn’t anything to boast about.

Wesley, one of the new shop assistants and most likely the reason for this debacle, appeared with a damp cloth. She thanked him with a graciousness that attested to her generosity of spirit, one of a dozen admirable traits he’d witnessed during his time at Ashworth House.

He was suddenly tongue-tied, as if he were fourteen again and being introduced to his new sister of sorts for the first time. David Ashworth had brought Shane to live with him and his children—sixteen-year-old George and twelve-year-old Allison—in their grand estate located on exclusive Peyton Avenue. While George had been cautiously welcoming, Allison had greeted him like a long-lost friend. He hadn’t known what to make of the effervescent, fair-haired dynamo. Still didn’t apparently.

“Um, welcome to Gatlinburg?”

* * *

This wasn’t how she’d envisioned her first encounter with Shane Timmons.

Allison was supposed to be showing her former infatuation how mature and sophisticated she’d become. Shane was supposed to take one look at her and regret all those times he’d dismissed her as unworthy of his friendship. Nothing in her imaginings had prepared her for this!

A rogue drop rolled to her eyebrow, and she hurriedly swiped at it, refusing to look down to inventory the damage to her person. She might be tempted to cry.

The distinguished, raven-haired store owner looked confused. “You know her?”

Another man peeked around Shane’s shoulder. “You’re the sheriff’s first visitor. Not a single soul has come to see him in all these years.”

A third person piped up. “How do you know each other?”

“Is she a special lady friend, Sheriff?”

The skin around his right eye twitched. It used to do that when he was annoyed.

“Go on about your business, folks,” he instructed without taking his eyes off her. “Nothing more to see here.”

Most everyone shuffled to various sections of the mercantile, only pretending to shop. Quinn led a protesting Mrs. Messinger to the shelves containing the fabric bolts and began pointing out selections. Eliza lingered.

“Th-thank you, Miss Ashworth.”

“You’ve nothing to thank me for, Eliza.” She smiled for the girl’s benefit. “Hopefully the next time we meet will be under better circumstances.”

Dipping her head, she rushed for the exit. Allison wished she could follow her. How ridiculous she must look! Beneath the paint, her cheeks burned with humiliation. At least that was hidden from his view.

“I wasn’t expecting you until Friday,” Shane accused in a strained voice. “Where’s George? Clarissa and the kids? I thought you were all set to travel together.”

After all this time, Allison had expected at the very least a polite welcome. Disappointment compounded her embarrassment. “Do you mind if we discuss this after I’ve cleaned up?” She indicated the damp cloth. “I’d like to get this off before it dries.”

Shane took hold of her arm again and, keeping a more-than-was-required amount of space between them, maneuvered her between the counters and into a darkened hallway.

Unable to deny herself the pleasure, she drank in his profile. The boyish appeal she remembered was a thing of the past. His features were lean and taut, his cheekbones more defined, his jaw a line of defiance. His piercing azure eyes emitted a subtle but very real warning—don’t come too close, don’t try to unearth buried secrets, don’t cross the line of separation he maintained between himself and the rest of the world. Framed by a light beard, even his mouth appeared hard. Sculpted and slightly fuller than many men’s, Shane’s was set in a perpetual frown.

He was the type of man who expected bad things to happen. Thanks to his poor excuse for a mother, he’d long ago lost the ability to look for good in the world. The hope she’d harbored that he had overcome his unfortunate beginnings flickered out.

At the end of the hallway, one door appeared to exit the building and another led to the seamstress shop. He rapped lightly before swinging it open. The woman who greeted them was everything Allison was not—statuesque, slender and in possession of the beauty that inspired men to pen sonnets. With inky black curls, flawless skin and unusual violet eyes, Nicole Darling must’ve had scads of men making fools of themselves in order to win her favor. Allison had long ago accepted that she didn’t have that effect. Most men liked her. The problem was they saw her as a chum, not a potential wife. The handful that had been interested in her romantically over the years hadn’t been able to measure up to the one who’d deemed her irrelevant.

Nicole’s sincere greeting faltered when her gaze encountered Allison. Her shock was quickly masked, but it made Allison dread peering into a mirror. Shane explained what had happened and left to fetch a wagon in which to load her trunks.

Contrary to her composed demeanor, Nicole turned out to be gracious and kind. She assisted Allison out of her ruined dress and located a cleaning solution that rid her skin of most of the paint. Washing her hair would have to wait until she reached the house Shane had arranged for her and her family to rent. Nicole riffled through the racks of clothing and found a plain black skirt and matching gray-and-black-striped blouse that a customer had decided against purchasing. The skirt was several inches too short and the blouse fit her like a circus tent. Fortunately, the cape Nicole lent her covered the ill-fitting clothes. Shane was pacing the hallway by the time she was presentable. Well, as presentable as she possibly could be.

His gaze swept her up and down, his thoughts a mystery. “The wagon’s this way.”

Instead of heading to the mercantile’s main entrance, he led her out the rear exit and down a steep flight of stairs. The deserted lane was edged by a wide, fast-moving river over mossy rocks of varying size. The opposite bank was a steep, tree-covered hill. Most of the trees were forlorn versions of themselves, their twisted branches bare, but plenty of pines and other evergreens were sprinkled throughout.

She surveyed the team of fine-looking horses hitched to the wagon. Their giant hooves stamped the winter-hardened earth and their breaths created white clouds. At the stairs’ base, she took a moment to inspect the shops’ rear facades and the livery beside the mercantile.

“Is this where the deliveries are made?”

He nodded and, giving her a boost onto the high seat, circled the horses and climbed up beside her. “I thought this route would be less of a hassle.”

“Meaning, you’d rather no one else see us together quite yet,” she retorted, old hurts rising to the surface.

He grimaced. “You’ve no idea what small towns are like. Every bit of news is blown out of proportion. I can guarantee half the town will have us engaged by nightfall.”

Engaged to Shane Timmons? A fluttering sensation flared in her middle, one she resolutely ignored. Once upon a time, she’d been enamored with this man and desperate for his approval—something he’d never offered.

“You wouldn’t have to dodge their questions if you’d simply told them about us.”

“I considered it.” With reins in hand, he called a sharp command and the conveyance jerked into motion. “My friends, the O’Malleys, know our history. I told them that I lived with you and George for a time.”

“Do they know why?”

His lips pursed. “Only that my mother couldn’t care for me.”

“You mean wouldn’t.”

His eyes turned stormy, and she regretted her words. She allowed herself to study his uncompromising jawline and the strong cords of his neck visible above his coat collar.

He turned his head slightly. “What?”

“Nothing. I’m simply adjusting to the fact that I’m actually here with you.”

A vein in his temple throbbed.

“Not here with you,” she amended. “Here in the same state. The same town, even. I wasn’t sure I’d ever see you again, to be honest. You weren’t planning to return to Virginia, were you?”

“There’s nothing for me there.”

Allison winced. One thing about Shane, he didn’t mince words to spare her feelings. “Your home is there.”

“Ashworth House was not my home.”

Because you wouldn’t let it be, she was tempted to retort.

She could still recall the moment her father had relayed the news that a young employee of his, an orphan in desperate need of assistance, was coming to live with them. While George had been resistant to the idea, Allison had seen an opportunity to help someone less fortunate. She’d been excited about having another sibling. Older and of a serious bent, George was no longer interested in her childish pursuits. But then Shane moved in and it soon became apparent that he didn’t trust either of them. What Allison had never been able to fathom was why Shane had tolerated George, who did little to encourage a relationship, and yet rebuffed her attempts at friendship.

During the five years that he lived with them, she’d tried to earn his confidence, a bit of her heart breaking with each fresh rejection. He hadn’t been unkind...just resolute in his indifference. Shane had tolerated her as if she were an annoying puppy begging for scraps of affection.

Shane hadn’t liked her. It appeared he still didn’t.

Ignoring the pinch of sadness, she resolved to make the best of her time in Tennessee. She was here for the month of December, the most exciting weeks of the entire year. She wasn’t about to let a surly lawman spoil her Christmas.