Free In a Cowboy’s Arms by Janette Kenny Page B

pronounced.
    To her surprise, Dade Logan had come along with Doc, following on horseback. Dade didn’t look to be in good temper. Still, just the sight of his broad shoulders and handsome face sent a delicious shiver rippling through her.
    She didn’t want to be attracted to him, especially while she was pretending to be his sister. But try as she might, she couldn’t stop it either.
    Yes, she had to be careful around him, for at times she was certain he could see right to her soul. He’d surely see the lie if he looked too deeply.
    “How is everyone?” Doc asked her.
    Maggie tore her gaze from Dade’s probing one and smiled at Doc. “Fine. The babies are growing like weeds.”
    She stepped back to admit the doc. Dade stayed outside by the buggy, staring at her.
    “I didn’t expect you to drive out with Doc,” she said, planting a welcoming smile on her face like she supposed his sister would do.
    He didn’t return the gesture. In fact, his expression hardened.
    “I need a word with you,” he said.
    She didn’t like that grave tone at all. Something was wrong, and that something must concern her.
    “Of course. We’ll talk when we get back to town.”
    “This needs to be settled now.”
    Settled? She didn’t like the sound of that at all. She was tempted to put him off, to make an excuse and avoid the confrontation she sensed was coming.
    But there was something in his eyes that stilled her. Some desperation that she understood all too well.
    “Very well,” she said, damning the fact that her voice cracked. “What is so important that you couldn’t wait until I returned to town?”
    He stared at her so long that a fine sheen of sweat slicked her skin. Then his gaze shifted to her throat, and his mouth pulled into a grim line.
    She’d been the subject of dismissing or derisive looks all her life. But she’d never had anyone look at her with such open hostility before.
    “That broach was my ma’s,” he said.
    She nodded agreement, then what he’d said slammed into her. He’d said his mother. Not theirs.
His.
    He knew the truth. She was almost relieved that she wouldn’t have to continue this charade. Almost.
    “I’ve always loved it,” she said, and lifted trembling fingers to the only thing that did matter to her.
    “Is that why you stole it, Maggie?”
    Her mouth went dry, and her heart sank to her toes, but there was no sense denying the truth when he knew her name.
    “I didn’t steal it. Daisy lost it.”
    “Likely story.” Before she could think of a pithy reply, he asked, “How did you know Daisy?”
    She hadn’t prepared herself to explain this part of her past, not that she needed to rehearse it. Those days in the foundling home had been hard. But they were also one of the best memories she’d had because she’d bonded with Daisy.
    “Well?” he asked when she got lost in memories.
    “Daisy and I became friends in the foundling home when she became too sick to travel on the orphan train.”
    Maggie had vowed never to get close to anyone after the first family who’d adopted her brought her back. They blamed her for their daughter Becka’s death, and Maggie blamed herself as well. That was a heartache she never wanted to relive again.
    But something about Daisy had called to her. An aching loneliness that she understood all too well.
    “How long were you there?” he asked.
    “Close to two months,” she said, though it had seemed longer.
    His narrowed eyes told her that he didn’t believe her. “Two months, yet Daisy never told you she had a brother?”
    She sighed, realizing she should have expected this question. “Daisy suffered a mishap shortly before arriving at the foundling home.”
    “What kind of mishap?”
    “I was told she took a bad fall off the wagon.” Maggie could remember the large bump on the girl’s head that took a week to go down. “The doctor who came to treat her said her memory had been damaged.”
    “Convenient that she couldn’t remember