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  After that, she’d hoped Hoyt wouldn’t marry again. But Hoyt hadn’t been able to resist the young woman who’d been helping take care of his boys. Krystal appealed to Hoyt’s need to protect a woman in trouble. He would have continued to try to save Krystal if Laura hadn’t helped him by getting rid of her for good.

  From a safe distance, she had watched him raise the boys alone, all six of them, and build an empire. She’d been proud of him, had actually loved him more.

  Then Emma had come along.

  Laura shook her head. Just the thought made her hands ball into fists, her jaw tightening, her heart on fire.

  Hoyt was in love. Or so he thought. She knew the power of love, but it was a weak emotion compared to hate. Hate, now there was something with substance, something you could feel deep in your bone marrow, something to live for.

  Laura lived now for only one thing. To see Emma Chisholm dead and gone. But this time she thought Hoyt might have to go, as well. Maybe his sons and their fiancées too. Maybe it was time to finally end this pain once and for all. If only Hoyt had loved her and only her.

  As she parked her car and got out, it looked as if they were having a party, but she knew Emma made a big deal out of suppers at the ranch. Everyone was here. Perfect.

  She stood for a moment, looking at the huge house all ablaze with lights, remembering when it had been hers and Hoyt’s.

  Then she made her way up to the front door and rang the doorbell. It would be her house again in a few moments, she thought with a crooked smile.

  When the doorbell rang, everyone turned in surprise toward the front door.

  “Are you expecting someone?” Emma asked her husband.

  Hoyt shook his head. “Unless it’s the live-in housekeeper. She wasn’t supposed to be here until tomorrow though. I’ll go see.”

  Emma asked her future daughters-in-law to serve dessert and went into the living room. Hoyt was already at the door, opening it as the bell rang again.

  Standing back, Emma waited. She wondered what this woman Hoyt had hired to babysit her would be like. Dreaded, was more like it. Older, he’d said. Experienced, he’d said.

  Emma feared she would be dull as dirt, when what she needed was to kick up her heels after everything she’d been through since marrying Hoyt.

  But she wasn’t going to complain. If the woman wasn’t any fun, then Emma would find a way to sneak away from her.

  Bracing herself, Emma watched Hoyt open the door. He hadn’t turned on the porch light so she couldn’t see the woman standing on their doorstep clearly.

  “Come on in, Cynthia,” Hoyt said. “We expected you tomorrow, but tonight is fine. You’re just in time for dessert.”

  “Call me Mrs. Crowley,” the woman said in a low hoarse voice. She spoke strangely as if out of one side of her mouth. Had the woman had a stroke?

  And as she stepped into the light, Emma saw that her face was badly scarred on one side as if she’d been burned in a fire.

  “Whatever you prefer,” Hoyt said and turned to see Emma standing at some distance behind him. “Mrs. Crowley, I’d like you to meet my wife, Emma.”

  The woman looked up then and Emma felt a chill race through her. One of the woman’s eyes was a dark brown. The other one on the side that had been burned was completely white and sightless.

  “I know I don’t look like much,” the woman said in her hoarse voice. “But I’m a hard worker.”

  “I’m sure you are,” Emma said stepping to her to take her hand. “Welcome to Chisholm ranch.”

  The woman’s grip was strong. “Thank you, Mrs. Chisholm.”

  She hated that the woman was hard to look at because of her injury, but she knew over time, they would all adapt to it, just as Cynthia Crowley had herself.

  “Please call me Emma,” she said warmly.

  “Don’t you worry, Emma. I am much stronger than I look. Before long, I promise you’ll be surprised at what I’m capable of doing.”

  * * * * *

  ISBN: 9781459223431

  Copyright © 2012 by Barbara Heinlein

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  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental. This edition published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.

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  Table of Contents

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Epilogue

  Table of Contents

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Epilogue