Free Always by Delynn Royer Page B

both their fingers, but by then she didn’t mind so much anymore. She’d done it! And she hadn’t even flinched!
    “There,” Ross said after a long, properly respectful moment. “Now your blood runs in my veins and my blood runs in yours. Thus we are joined forever.”
    When Emily raised her gaze to Ross’s face, she saw that all signs of tomfoolery were gone. She had never seen him so serious. Their eyes held for a breathtaking moment before he continued, lowering his voice. “I’ll never betray you, Emily. From this moment on, you’re my blood sister and I’m your blood brother. I’ll stand by you and I’ll never lie to you. Forever and always. Now you say it, Em.”
    Emily knew then that Ross Gallagher was not pulling her leg. He meant it. She nodded slowly, solemnly. “I promise,” she whispered. “Always.”
    *
     
    1865
    Emily’s attention caught on something shiny and silver lying on a nearby table. As she moved closer, she saw it was a string of metal bells. Door bells. For as long as she could remember, those bells had hung from the front door of her father’s shop, jangling noisily to announce arrivals and departures.
    She picked them up, blew off a thin layer of dust, and gave them a gentle shake. The tinkling music seemed unfamiliar and oddly out of place in the quiet, and she frowned.
    Ever since arriving home, she had assumed she would return to Baltimore. But why? What was she so afraid of? Memories? Wagging tongues? People?
    It was true that her life in Baltimore was adequate. She enjoyed the lively company of her maiden aunt Essie, but both of them had always known what Emily was really doing there. She was hiding. And what kind of life was that?
    Her real life was here. Here with her mother and her sister and a niece she had never had the chance to know. She would stay. She would stay for as long as it took to face down her past, and when that was done—
    In her mind, a stern voice interceded. Hold those wild horses, Emily Elizabeth. Take it one step at a time. Her father’s words.
    Crossing to the front of the shop, Emily stood on tiptoe to hang the string of silver bells from their hook on the door. When she was done, she brushed off her hands and appraised her work. A business had died here, but in her heart she knew that a new business could also be born here.
    “There has to be a way,” she said aloud.
    But she was visited by no epiphany, no sudden flash of divine inspiration. One step at a time , she reminded herself. First, she would find a way to make this her home again.
     

Chapter Six
     
    Ross followed Billy O’Leary into the dining room of the Blue Swan Hotel. Ross had been coming here for breakfast and dinner all week, ever since he’d heard that Emily Winters was still in town.
    Billy scanned the crowded dining room for an empty table. “There’s one.”
    Ross noted that the table Billy had chosen was one of Emily’s stations. “Lead the way, Big Bill.”
    It wasn’t all due to altruism that Ross had invited his burly companion to share a midday meal. Although the man was now employed as a pressman at the Herald , Billy had formerly worked for the Gazette . Ross knew that Emily had always liked the gregarious Irishman. It would be impossible for her to continue to ignore Ross if Billy shared his table.
    When the kitchen door swung open, Emily emerged carrying a water pitcher. As if by some sixth sense, her harried gaze immediately shifted to clash with Ross’s. Then she looked to Billy, and Ross knew just by the apprehensive tightening of her mouth that his idea of inviting Billy along had been a good one.
    The jovial Irishman waved as she wove a circuitous path around tables and gesturing patrons. “Well-and-a-day! There she be! Me sweet mavourneen , Em-il-ee!” Billy’s booming voice reverberated throughout the dining room, turning more than a few heads.
    Emily’s already flushed cheeks were set to blazing as she hustled to get to them. “Hello, Billy,”