Chapter Two

      Eliza placed a finger against the throbbing pulse in her neck and felt the color drain from her face. Her stomach did a flopping thing, and her hands shook. For the second time today, she felt as if she were going to be sick. Her mind frantically worked to make sense of his words. If he wasn’t Mr. Miles Thatcher, then who was he?

      It abruptly dawned on her that she’d dragged a complete stranger into Mrs. Hattie’s boardinghouse.

      Her gaze moved to his boots and pant legs. A dark stain ran down his limbs, and liquid pooled at his feet. “I am so sorry. You must think me a complete fool.” She picked up the teapot and saw a crack across the bottom. “Oh, I’ve ruined Mrs. Hattie’s teapot, your boots and pants. What more can I ruin today?”

      Hattie hurried from the kitchen, carrying a dishcloth. “Are you all right?” she asked Eliza. Her eyes swept the room and landed on Jackson and the pool of tea he now stood in.

      Tears sprung to Eliza’s eyes. “I’m fine, but I’ve made quite a mess of things.” A sob tore from her lips as she covered her face to hide her shame.

      His clear deep voice echoed the statement she’d said to him earlier. “It’s not that bad, Mrs. Kelly.” When she uncovered her face, he continued. “I can take the pot to the nearest blacksmith and he’ll fix it up. Boots can be wiped off and pants washed, so see? No harm done.”

      Hattie patted her shoulder. “He’s right. I have another teakettle and we can clean up this spill in no time.”

      No harm done? Who was he kidding? She’d dragged him from the train station and rambled on about being a mail-order bride. And to make matters worse, she had no idea where the real Mr. Thatcher was or what he looked like.

      She studied the man before her. How could she have mistaken him for a scholar? He was big, taller than her by at least a foot. Large sinewy hands and brawny arms marked him as a man who was used to physical labor. Guarded cobalt-blue eyes stared back at her. Fresh flames of heat licked up her neck and into her cheeks.

      Eliza jumped to her feet. “I have to find the real Mr. Thatcher. I’m so sorry to have caused this inconvenience, Mr. Hart. If you will excuse me.” Hoping she hadn’t sounded as breathless as he made her feel, she hurried from the room and scooped her hat from the kitchen table. She took a couple of deep breaths before returning to the main room.

      Eliza didn’t want to face Jackson Hart again but knew she’d have to go back through the main sitting room to exit the house. She exhaled and slowly walked back the way she’d come.

      Hattie was wiping up the mess, and Jackson Hart still stood where he’d been a few moments ago. A bewildered expression rested on his handsome face. He held his hat in his hands and stared down at the mess she’d made.

      She hurried across the room and yanked the door open to escape. Her shoes pounded the wooden sidewalk. It wasn’t until she was halfway to the train station that Eliza and her heartbeat slowed down.

      Eliza stopped and tried to picture the train station as it had appeared when she’d dragged Mr. Hart away. She closed her eyes and focused, recreating the memory in her mind. Jackson Hart had been standing beside the platform with a pained expression on his face. She’d thought he looked lost. Her gaze had scanned the train yard. Seeing no other passengers emerge from the train, she’d assumed he was Miles Thatcher.

      She sighed and opened her eyes. Maybe Mr. Thatcher had changed his mind and hadn’t come. Or maybe she hadn’t waited long enough for him to have exited from the train. What if he was lost and searching for her? He could be anywhere, she thought.

      “He’s probably long gone by now.”

      Eliza jumped at the sound of Jackson’s voice so close to her elbow. How long had he been standing behind her? Taking a deep breath to calm her nerves, she turned to face him.

      “You’re probably right.” The cracked teakettle dangled from his hand, and she reached for it. “I’ll take that to the blacksmith. I’m the one who broke it. I should be the one to get it fixed.”

      He shook his head. “I’ll take it—I have business there, anyway.”

      Nerves prickled up her arms and into her hairline. She felt as nervous as a fly trapped in a spider’s web. Only she’d created this web. No, on second thought, Hannah had. The first chance she got, Eliza intended to write her friend and tell her what a mess she’d gotten her into.

      Eliza nodded and turned away from him. She decided to return to the boardinghouse. “I can’t believe the day I’ve had,” she grumbled under her breath.

      “Me, either,” Jackson agreed as he turned to walk toward Main Street.

      Eliza watched him leave and for a brief moment wondered what it would have been like to get to know Jackson. His wide shoulders swayed as he walked away. He was a handsome man, but handsome or not, Eliza knew he wasn’t for her. No man was. She shook the sad thought off and hurried back to the boardinghouse, praying tomorrow would be a better day.

      * * *

      The next morning, Eliza smoothed the quilt over her legs. She wasn’t ready to get up and face the world this morning. She’d not seen Mr. Hart any more the day before, and she felt grateful.

      How could Hannah have done such a thing as to order her a mail-order groom? It dawned on Eliza that she’d never shared her deepest secret with her friend. Hannah had no idea that Eliza was barren and could never marry a man who wanted children. Mr. Thatcher’s

      letter had been clear that he wanted not one, but a houseful.

      Eliza sighed and got up. As she dressed, she thought of Jackson Hart and wondered what had happened to him. Had he returned and collected his bag or was he staying on at the boardinghouse? She hadn’t dared ask Mrs. Hattie the night before.

      Heat filled her face once more as she reviewed the events of the previous day. She’d hurried back to the boardinghouse, pleaded a headache and gone to her room early. Her stomach growled, reminding her that she’d skipped dinner.

      The grandfather clock ticked off the hour downstairs. She counted along with it and when the chiming stopped Eliza grabbed her bag and began stuffing clothes inside. She was late. Seth Billings, her friend Rebecca’s husband, would be waiting for her, and he’d said he wanted an early start back to Cottonwood Springs.

      She looked around the room to make sure she wasn’t leaving anything behind and then hurried to the kitchen. U.S. Marshal Seth Billings, Jackson Hart and Mrs. Hattie sat at the table drinking coffee.

      Aware of their gazes upon her, Eliza focused on Seth. “I am so sorry, Seth, I overslept.” Eliza held