Cooper's Wife. Jillian Hart

to see a spindly brown-haired girl, maybe nine, maybe ten years old, leaning against the threshold, hugging a bundle in her skinny arms. Mud spattered the hem of her dress, crooked above scabbed knees.

      The girl dragged her feet forward nearly lost behind the ball of what looked like an old sheet. “Papa said to bring this. On account of your little girl gettin’ hurt.”

      Anna’s heart twisted. She accepted the offered bundle. “Who is your papa?”

      “The sheriff.”

      “I met him just yesterday.” Anna began working the knot in the sheet. “He brought me your storybook so I could read to Mandy.”

      Katie’s dark gaze slid to the bed then flicked back nervously. “Did you know it’s all my fault?”

      “What is?” The knot came loose. “The book really helped. Thank you for loaning it to me.”

      “It’s my fault she’s hurt.” Big tears began pooling, but they didn’t fall. That stubborn chin jutted upward. “I didn’t think anyone would get hurt.”

      “The stage accident isn’t your fault.”

      What a thoughtful, sensitive child. This was the sheriff’s daughter. Cooper’s daughter. The Katie mentioned in those wonderful letters. Letters that fed her hopes and dreams for Mandy’s future. How Anna wished she could reach out and comfort the girl with a touch, maybe a hug. Heaven knows she looked as if she could use a woman’s care. Maybe a mother’s love.

      “Why, you brought Mandy some clothes.” Anna unfolded an adorable pink gingham frock with a little sunbonnet to match. Starched clean drawers, a pretty flowered nightgown and cap, a little sweater with embroidered strawberries to go with a strawberry print dress.

      “We don’t want your little hurt girl to go naked when she wakes up.” That lower lip trembled. “Is she gonna die?”

      “Don’t you worry. Mandy is going to be just fine.” Anna carefully folded the beautiful clothes, throat aching. It was hard not to reach out and comfort Katie, who looked as if she needed it so desperately. “Tell your papa thank you for the clothes.”

      “I will.” The girl kicked the toe of her shoe against the floor. “My name’s Katie. Maybe you know me.”

      “I sure do.” Anna set the clothes and sheet aside. “Your father wrote all about you and Maisie.”

      “That’s why you’re here, right?” Katie tilted her head, scattering dark wisps that had escaped her twin braids. “Can I ask you somethin’?”

      Anna took one look into those curious dark eyes just like Cooper’s, carefully hiding so many emotions. The idea of a new stepmother must be worrisome for a child. That she could understand. Anna rose, held out her hand. “I’ll answer any questions you want. Let’s go out into the hallway so we don’t wake Mandy.”

      “I know you already met Papa.” The girl hurried out of the room. “Do you think he’s handsome?”

      “Who wouldn’t?” Anna took one look at the girl and shook her head. And that made her a little dizzy, so she leaned against the wall to rest a bit.

      “Maisie needs a new mother, you know, because she ain’t rugged like me.”

      “Maisie is your little sister,” Anna remembered.

      “Yep. Papa hasn’t married anyone since our mama left. So that’s why I did it. I used my own money I earned looking for gold dust with Davy Muldune for the advertisement—”

      “Advertisement?” Her brain felt a little fuzzy. Really, she needed to sit down before the doctor caught her swaying in the corridor.

      “You’re awful pretty,” Katie added in a rush. “And you got a little girl, too. I seen her in that bed. She sorta matches us.”

      “Katie, I—”

      “That’s why I had you come, and not just for Maisie. My poor lonely papa needs a wife.”

      “Poor lonely papa?” a man’s voice boomed.

      Head spinning, Anna looked up into a lean, handsome face. His gaze, dark as midnight, sparkled with what could only be humor. Her pulse thudded in her ears. She felt hot, then cold all over.

      He must have known since last night who she was, that she was the woman he’d proposed to just last month. And yet he’d waited to talk to her about it. Maybe out of respect for Mandy’s condition.

      Her head spun. Her knees wobbled. Cooper’s iron hard arms encircled her, held her tight against his chest. She tried to tell him she was fine.

      But the world faded, and all went black.

      

      She opened her eyes and saw him, Cooper, sitting at her bedside, a dark shank of hair falling over his forehead. His dark gaze brushed hers, bold as a touch.

      “You gave us a scare for a minute there.”

      Anna tried to sit up, but the blood rushed from her head. She landed back on the pillow.

      “Don’t worry. The doc’s with your girl. I made him promise to stay with her until you were awake.” Cooper unfolded his hard-muscled body from the chair and crossed the room. Anna heard the scrape of porcelain and the tinkle and splash of pouring water. “I also made Katie stay and read aloud to your daughter, since at first I thought she was the cause of all this.”

      “The cause?”

      He handed her a tin mug with a half grin, lopsided and attractive. “I thought she’d shocked you with her outrageous propositions and that’s why you fainted.”

      “Propositions?” She nearly spilled the water.

      Cooper’s bigger fingers wrapped around hers. His skin’s heat scorched her and sent sparkling little frissons dancing up her arm.

      “She does this to every woman she comes across. Tries to charm them first into going out to dinner with me. And then into marrying me, that little scamp.”

      The rim of the cup brushed her bottom lip. His hand still guided hers. The cool water washed into her mouth, but she hardly noticed it. Cooper—he seemed to fill her senses—the whiskered days’ growth along his jaw, the scent of leather and pine, the rumbling richness of his voice. He was all she saw, all she felt rushing through her heated body.

      “Katie?” The cool water hadn’t washed away the confused fog in her mind.

      “Then the doc discovered the gunshot wound in your upper arm. You should have told someone before this. You’re going to be all right, but the doc had to give you a few stitches.”

      She closed her eyes. “I didn’t mean to faint.”

      “You were thinking of your daughter, not yourself.” When she looked up at him, she saw approval lining his face, and he nodded once.

      “Mandy—”

      “Lie back. She’s fine.” Cooper stepped away, but his warmth, his presence remained. She thought of all the trouble she was in and knew it was wrong to lean on him.

      “Katie just wants a mother, but she shouldn’t have bothered you with your daughter hurt.” Cooper’s dark eyes shone with sadness. “I just hope you can find a way to forgive her.”

      Confusion rang in Anna’s mind. What did she need to forgive? Katie only wanted to meet the woman her father planned to manry.

      Or did he? Cooper Braddock was not acting as if he’d proposed to her. Polite, helpful, concerned. But not personal. It was as if he didn’t know who she was. He hadn’t even mentioned their future. And now he was walking away, as if they were perfect strangers.

      “Maybe we could talk about the letters now.” Anna struggled to sit up. She’d been wrong to postpone discussing it.

      Cooper