One Heart to Win by Johanna Lindsey Read Free Book Online Page A

small. Look over there, there’s only one general store on the street and, by the looks of it, only one street!”
    Tiffany finally turned around and looked at the town of Nashart, Montana. Anna had exaggerated. Several streets led off the wide main one, though they appeared to be mostly residential. And the one main street, which was lined with stores and businesses, was at least long. The town had obviously doubled in size since the time Rose had lived there, no doubt due to the arrival of the railroad.
    “Well, that’s a surprise,” Tiffany said. “Nashart is bigger than I expected based on my mother’s description of it. We can’t even see to the end of the street. There could be all sorts of other stores down there—oh, my, they have a theater!” Tiffany said excitedly when she saw it. “And a restaurant next to it!”
    Anna wasn’t impressed. “One is open, the other is closed according to the sign on the door, so don’t get your hopes up, Miss Tiffany, in that regard. Actors live in cities. They only travel to a small town for a few performances and then move on to the next small town.”
    “Yes, but we still might get lucky and see a troupe pass through in the two months we’ll be here. Now, since it looks like Nashart does have a hotel, I’ll get us a room while you find some dye. If the general store doesn’t have any, you can try the barbershop.”
    “If they have one,” Anna grumbled. “You know you will bestuck with dyed hair for many months to come, and you will look silly with hair that is two different colors until your hair grows out—or you cut it all off.”
    Tiffany was horrified at the notion of cutting her hair and threw up her hands in defeat on that score. “I concede. I’ll wrap it in a scarf or hide it some other way. We’ll think of something.”
    Anna shook her head. “You’re not considering all the consequences of this deception. Your father will be pleased to have you show up at his door early, surprising him. He will not be pleased when you show up at his door deceiving him. And what reason will you give him when you’re done with the charade and admit who you are?”
    “The truth. I’ll try to present it without rancor, but I will tell him the truth. I’ve been harboring too much resentment not to.”
    “Fair enough. Just remember you said without rancor. I suppose you want me to remain in town while you carry out this trickery?”
    “Why?”
    “Because housekeepers don’t travel with personal maids,” Anna replied.
    Tiffany frowned. “That won’t do.”
    “It would for one day. I won’t agree to more than that because anything longer and it becomes a deception rather than a surprise.”
    Having won, Tiffany couldn’t keep the grin off her face. One day was long enough for her to find out how she would respond when she first clapped eyes on Franklin Warren.

Chapter Seven

    “T HAT ’ S GOT TO BE her,” Cole told his older brother, John.
    “Like hell,” John blustered. “She’s dressed far too fancy.”
    “She’s an Easterner. Did you think she’d show up in calico?”
    “Too pretty, too,” John mumbled. “You want to take the chance of bringing home the wrong gal?”
    Cole chuckled, pointing out, “We’re not going to just grab her and run, so maybe you should just let me do the talking. Better yet, why don’t you go borrow us a wagon while I sweet-talk the lady. Damned inconvenient time for our good one to break down when we got more’n one thing to pick up that came in on the train today.”
    “No.”
    Cole sighed at that adamant response. “Can you be reasonable for once ? You’re too intimidating when you get in a surly mood, and you’re never diplomatic. First sign of opposition and you start throwing punches! What are you so all-fired grumpy about today anyway?”
    “Pa might think this is hilarious, I sure as hell don’t,” John said.
    Neither did Cole, and he was the one who’d been shot at recently. Roy Warren swore he