Free Tara's Gold by Lisa Harris

you know where he lives?”
    Mr. Carpenter’s eyes twinkled. “It’s not far from here, if you’d like to stop by, though the man isn’t extremely friendly.”
    “It’s worth a try, if you don’t mind.”
    With Mr. Carpenter’s entertaining spin on stories from his past, it didn’t take long before they reached the farmhouse that, at one time, must have been lovely. Wind, rain, and neglect, though, seemed to have worn away most of the character of the saltbox house. She wasn’t even sure anyone still lived there.
    Mr. Carpenter stopped the wagon in front of the house and called out, but his voice was quickly carried off by the wind.
    Tara strained to look through the small glass panes in the front of the house, wondering if she should get down from the wagon and knock on the front door. “It looks empty to me.”
    The golden ball of the sun rose toward its zenith behind the farmhouse, leaving behind a trail of white light that pierced through the cloudy sky. The silhouette of a man on horseback appeared from the east and made its way toward the wagon.
    She sat up straight and tried to block the sun with her hand so she could see the rider. “Is that him?”
    “Could be, but I’m not sure. As I recall, Mr. Martin’s rather small in stature.”
    Tall figure, broad shoulders, black Stetson. . . Tara’s eyes widened as the figure came into view. Surely it wasn’t Mr. Jefferson himself. She felt a blush cover her cheeks. She’d spent far too much time daydreaming about a man she knew nothing about, and now her heart raced at the mere thought of him.
    The man on horseback bridged the gap between them, and a few moments later, she knew it was him.
    “That’s him,” she whispered, grasping the seat to steady herself.
    Mr. Carpenter gave her a sideways glance. “Who?”
    “The man who rescued me at the station.”
    ❧
    Aaron felt a surge of unwelcome anticipation run through him as he approached the wagon near the farmhouse. It couldn’t be her. . .but it was.
    He dismounted from his horse and tipped his hat. “I see we meet again.”
    Clear blue eyes stared back at him, and he wondered if she felt the same unexplained emotions he was experiencing. Today she wore a yellow dress and a straw hat that looked striking on her, but he couldn’t remove his gaze from her face. Fair skin, rosy cheeks with perhaps a hint of a blush, long dark lashes. . .
    She pressed her gloved fingers to her lips before responding. “We. . .Mr. Carpenter and I were just out for a morning ride.”
    Remembering his manners, Aaron turned and nodded at the older gentleman. “It’s nice to see you again, sir. This young lady and I have met twice in rather unusual circumstances yet have never been properly introduced.”
    “And I am afraid that I have the advantage.” She closed her parasol and set it in her lap, while he waited for her response with great interest. “Mrs. Meddler from the hotel told me your name when I left your hat.”
    She smiled at him, and he feared his heart might burst from his chest.
    He cleared his throat. “Which, by the way, was very kind of you. I’m glad to see, as well, that you are all right after that frightening incident in town yesterday. I apologize for not returning to find you, but I needed to help the sheriff—”
    “Please don’t worry about me.” She shook her head. “I was a bit shaken after the episode, naturally, but I have recovered completely from the incident.”
    “I am very glad to hear that.”
    Mr. Carpenter coughed beside her. “No wonder the two of you have never introduced yourselves. How could you when you spend your entire time exchanging such sugary pleasantries?”
    Aaron caught the surprised look on her face before turning to Mr. Carpenter. A look that no doubt mirrored his own. Surely his attraction toward the woman wasn’t that apparent.
    Mr. Carpenter gave them both a toothless grin. “Mr. Jefferson, I’d like to introduce you to my cousin’s granddaughter,