Free The Loyal Heart by Shelley Shepard Gray Page A

in. And with that came pain for Phillip and the helpless knowledge for the rest of them that they could do nothing of worth for him.
    His death had upset them all. Even the guards stood in silence while Robert and the rest of Phillip’s comrades buried him. Their pickaxes and shovels had clanged against the frozen ground. Jarring their muscles and helping to take the sting off tears.
    They’d all been hurting about the injustice of it all, and none more than he. Because he had been so full of himself. Instead of agreeing that Phillip had been blessed, Robert had thrown it in his face.
    And Phillip had no doubt died thinking Robert hadn’t believed in him.
    “When I heard you were being so kind to Mrs. Markham, I wanted to touch base with you,” Kern explained. “If you hear that she’s had another threat or if she confides that anything else worrisome has happened to her, will you tell me?”
    Robert wasn’t following. It was a lawman’s job to help, not stand back in the shadows and wait. “Why haven’t you asked her yourself?”
    “Because I let her down before,” he explained. “She doesn’t trust me.”
    “Why not?”
    “I told you. I denied her request for help. I didn’t investigate the letter.”
    “She may not trust you, but she doesn’t know me.”
    “Then get to know her.” Kern’s cheeks flushed. “After all, she’s a beautiful woman. A beautiful woman in need of a man to care for her. A woman like that shouldn’t be living alone. It ain’t right.”
    “And you’d like to be the man to offer her companionship?” Robert made sure he infused his words with a healthy amount of sarcasm.
    The sheriff drew himself up to his impressive height. “Suppose I did. Do you have a problem with that?”
    Robert knew he shouldn’t. From what he’d learned so far, Kern was truly concerned about Miranda. He cared enough about her to approach Robert and make his concerns clear.
    And hadn’t that been what Devin had asked him to do? Yes, he was supposed to discover why Phillip’s widow was having such a difficult time. But he was also supposed to try to help her, to perhaps be her friend. She was lonely. A good, caring man who would happily face the gossips and the naysayers was a blessing. Someone worth holding on to.
    But though all those reasons made sense, Robert couldn’t do it. At least, not yet. “I know nothing about you.”
    Kern’s eyes narrowed. “I didn’t realize my background or interest was any of your business.”
    “I’ve made it my business.”
    “I don’t know why. I was under the impression that you didn’t know Mrs. Markham before you came here.”
    Robert’s earlier doubts about Kern were becoming stronger. The man spoke in circles. “I’m starting to think I might know Miranda Markham better than most,” he stated with a new edge in his voice.
    “Is that right? Even though you’ve only just arrived on Galveston Island?”
    “I have learned she is a gently bred lady who has already had her fair share of pain . . . and that she is in dire need of a protector.”
    “That occurred to me as well, Lieutenant. That is exactly why I asked you to talk with me,” he continued, his expression hard. “Therefore, sir, if you know something about her to help me in my goal, I respectfully ask you to share. I don’t cotton with cowardly fools who prey on the weakness and fears of women.”
    “On that, we are in agreement.”
    Kern nodded. “Good to know. Now that we have that settled, if you learn of even a hint of who was behind the letter she received and who started the rumors about Phillip Markham, I hope you’ll share that information with me as well.”
    “Nothing would make me happier than to give you that name.”
    “I’d be obliged.” Slowly, he added, “Finally, like I was saying, I have an interest in Mrs. Markham that is aboveboard and completely respectful. I hope you do not intend to stand in my way.”
    “I don’t intend to, but like I said earlier,