Forcing herself to breathe, Emily tried to think. Chase had the right to know she was the niece of a man who had caused him so much trouble. A man who everyone in Haywire probably hated. A man responsible for the sorry remains of the ghostlike ranch in front of her.

Would Chase still feel the same about her once the truth was known? The question felt like a rock in her heart, and a dark cloud of depression weighed down on her.

By the time she reached the outskirts of town, she knew what she had to do. In the secret recesses of her heart, she had always known.

Tonight, she would tell Chase who she was, who her uncle was. Why she blamed herself for some of the hardships caused by Fields & Fields.

She only hoped that the love she felt for Chase gave her the strength to do the right thing. He was a fair man—that was one of the things she loved about him. He would listen, but would he hold her blameless? Or would he turn against her as so many others had?

Was a love as new and untested as theirs strong enough to survive the uncertainties of the future? That was the question that hammered at Emily’s heart as she rode down Main Street.

The center of town buzzed with activity. Horse-drawn wagons were parked haphazardly, blocking traffic and soliciting curses from irate pedestrians.

Adding to the mayhem, snake-oil salesmen hawked their wares, while Mexican farmers and Indians worked side by side, joking among themselves as they unloaded fruits and vegetables.

A wagon piled high with blocks of compressed salt rolled to a stop in front of the Haywire Feed Shop.

Vying for what little space was left, Emily tethered her horse to a hitching post a good two blocks away from her destination. She hoped Kate was working at the candy shop that day. She could use a friend.

Just as she stepped up to the wooden sidewalk, she bumped into Mrs. Buttonwood. “How nice to see you,” Emily said, pleased to see a familiar face.

Mrs. Buttonwood looked startled. “Oh yes. Eh…nice to see you too.” She glanced around as if looking for a means of escape. “I’m sorry. No time to chat.” With that, she scurried away like a cat with a mouse.

Puzzled, Emily watched Mrs. Buttonwood vanish around a corner as if she were being chased. Hoping nothing was seriously wrong, Emily shook her head and started for the candy shop.

A boy dressed in knee pants and a flat hat yelled in a high-pitched voice, “Readallaboutit!” Since the boy looked no older than seven or eight, Emily stopped to purchase a paper.

“Why aren’t you in school?” she asked.

“Ain’t got time. Gotta sell these papers.”

Emily frowned. Massachusetts had a compulsory law requiring children to attend school. Apparently, the same was not true of Texas.

She paid the boy with an extra coin.

“Obliged, ma’am,” the boy said, pocketing the money. He then continued his spiel.