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She made her way down the stairs, then outside toward the path to town. Fear knotted her stomach but she ignored the sensation. She was tired of doing what everyone expected. Of being the fussy old maid. She was determined, for once, to give the good citizens of Landing something to talk about over their evening meal.
Chapter Twelve
J ustin stared out the hotel's front windows, then glanced back at the note in his hand. Megan had asked him to meet her here. He looked up at the clock above the great stone fireplace. She'd said to be here in an hour. She was ten minutes late.
Something was wrong. He could feel it in his gut. It was the same feeling that had caused him to push Sheriff Williams down suddenly when they'd walked into the bank during a holdup. His fast actions had saved the older man's life. He'd almost taken the bullet instead, but his aim had been better than the robbers. He would gladly do it a hundred times over for his friend. Williams had been the first and so far only person to believe in him.
He reminded himself Megan had believed, but he knew it was only while it had been easy to do so. If things got hard again, she would disappear as quickly as she had before.
So why did she want to meet with him? And why at his hotel? He returned his attention to the window and watched the people along the boardwalk. Her reasons had something to do with what had happened that afternoon. He shook his head, wishing his mother hadn't taught him to respect women. Or that Colleen could spend five minutes in male form. Then he could show her exactly what he thought of her and leave her as broken and bleeding on the outside as she'd left her sister on the inside.
He glanced back at the letter, as if the few scrawled words would give him answers to his questions. Had he said the right things to her at her store? Had he convinced Megan
that Colleen was lying about all of it? He wished he was one of those educated men with a couple of ten-dollar words to help her see the truth. He wished a lot of things.
The feeling in his gut got stronger. He looked up through the sparkling clean hotel window. Across the street a woman paused to check for wagons before stepping daintily out onto the road. She had to pick up her skirt to keep it from trailing in the dirt. The train was long, so she was exposing her entire foot and a bit of ankle. Another time he might have enjoyed the unexpected view. Today, he didn't even notice it. He was too busy staring at the woman's face and dress.
"Megan?"
Not only had growing up above the saloon with whores in the neighboring rooms given him an appreciation of fine lingerie, he recognized an expensive gown when he saw one. She would have looked at home at a fancy dress ball somewhere back East. Or maybe even in a French drawing room. But in Landing, Kansas, dressed as she was, she was as foreign as Napoleon brandy.
He wasn't the only one who noticed. Several people stopped and stared as she stepped onto the boardwalk, then i paused in front of the hotel. He walked around to the open front door and watched as she nodded graciously.
"Good afternoon, Mrs. Jones. Lovely day we're having/'
The other woman spoke, but he couldn't hear what she was saying. Megan's voice, however, rang out clear and strong. "My gown? It's beautiful, don't you think? Yes, all the way from Paris, France. It's a Worth gown. I bought it in St. Louis. If you'll excuse me, I have an appointment to see Sheriff Kincaid. In the hotel... What? Yes, we're meeting in the hotel. Just Sheriff Kincaid and I. Good day."
She came through the open door, smiling as if she'd just learned a wonderful secret.
"Justin, how good of you to be waiting for me down here. It wasn't necessary, though. I'm sure I could have found my way to your room."
"I don't know what kind of a game you're playing, but I won't be a part of it. We're not going to my hotel room and that's final."
"Oh, how disappointing." She pursed her lips into a pretty pout.
"Megan, what the hell is going on?"
"You haven't said anything about my dress. What do you think?"
She walked in a small circle in front of him, giving him a clear view from all angles. Megan had always been beautiful. Earlier that day he'd been telling the truth when he'd said she was the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen. With her heart-shaped face and large hazel eyes, she could capture any man's attention. Her womanly shape had been tempting him since she'd first started filling out. She was the kind of woman a man dreamed of being with. It didn't matter whether she was dressed in simple, worn calico or stunning silk. At least, that's what he told himself at first.
