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T he sound of Avery’s giggles drifted into Devlin’s dreams, making him smile as he awoke. He rolled over in the bed, dragging the light blanket with him. Sunlight warmed his face and he let out a contented sigh.

He opened his eyes slowly, his gaze falling on the lamp on the bedside table.

It wasn’t familiar. When did Hannah purchase a new one?

He reached out from beneath the blanket to trace the engraving on the bedside table.

This was new, too, but he liked it. He rolled onto his back, raising his head a bit from the pillow to look at the headboard of the bed he slept in.

Made of wood instead of brass, it wasn’t familiar either.

Had Hannah redecorated while he’d been chasing Big Bill Cassidy all across the New Mexican countryside?

He smiled. Yes, that was something she would do to let him know she was unhappy with him.

She didn’t like being left alone when he had to be away performing his marshal duties, although when they first met, she’d been thrilled he was a lawman.

That changed over the five years they were married.

Redecorating was better than her running to her mother, the esteemed and very demanding Frances Emerson Comstock, every time he had to go away.

He closed his eyes again, listening to the cheerful sound of Avery’s giggles, wishing Hannah would come back to bed?—

The memories came rushing back to him like a tidal wave—the events of the past, reigniting the pain and loss. Hannah. The woman he’d loved with an intensity that sometimes scared him was gone. And so was his son whom she had struggled so hard to bring into the world.

Fear seized him then, making every muscle in his body scream with the need to move. Panicked as well as disoriented, he whipped the light blanket off and scrambled out of bed, his feet hitting the hardwood floor.

Who was Avery laughing with? Had Frances found them? Had she come to take Avery away from him as she’d threatened too many times to count? He tried to calm himself, reasoning that if it was Frances, Avery would not be giggling. Frances would never have allowed that happy sound.

He pulled on his trousers, grabbed a pistol from the nearby gun belt, and rushed downstairs, his heart beating much too fast for so early in the morning.

He skidded to a stop in the kitchen doorway just as reality came back to him. Relief at the scene before him made his knees almost buckle and he moved the gun behind his back, not wishing to frighten anyone like he’d been frightened.

Tresia stood at the counter beside the sink, her backside swaying gently as she beat something in a bowl. Several thick strands of auburn hair escaped from the loose bun at the back of her head to fall about her shoulders.

He glanced to his right where Avery sat at the table, still in her nightgown, the doll Tresia had given her yesterday—the one she had insisted on sleeping with—clutched tightly in her arms. There was a big smile on her face, which grew wider when she turned toward him.

“Hi, Daddy!”

He found his voice, though he still felt off balance. His heart hadn’t found its normal rhythm yet and the abrupt loss of his panic made his body shake. He took a deep breath. “Good morning, sweet pea.”

Tresia turned away from the stove, those pretty pansy eyes of hers opened wide even as a blush reddened her cheeks at his attire—or lack thereof. She seemed to recover her surprise rather quickly, faster than he did. He took a step back—or at least tried to but she stopped him.

“Good morning, Marshal. Coffee’s ready.” She gestured to the coffeepot resting on a trivet on the table as if his near nakedness didn’t bother her.

Perhaps it didn’t. She had been married before, but in truth, it wasn’t appropriate.

She nodded toward the ice box. “I met Mr. Shaeffer as he was leaving your milk, cream, and butter this morning. I already put them away.” She smiled as she waved the whisk toward the bowl in her hand.

“Your eggs will be done shortly. I hope you like scrambled.”

“Eggs?” He repeated, rather stupidly. Was he losing what little remained of his mind? He didn’t recall having eggs in the house. Actually, he hadn’t remembered a lot of things when he woke up this morning.

“I stopped at Goldwater’s last night on my way home. You have eggs.” She nodded, her smile gentle and full of understanding. She then pointed toward the pantry with her chin. “I also picked up bread and a few other things.”

A little taken aback, he blinked before he finally found his wits. “Thank you, Mrs. Morgan.”

Her smile dimmed a little. “I thought we agreed that you would call me Tresia.”

“We did. My apologies. I’m a little?—”

“Surprised? Confused? Maybe even a little disoriented?”

He gave her a sheepish smile. She was right. He was that and more, waking up as he had in a strange room with unfamiliar surroundings, the sound of his daughter giggling, a sound he hadn’t heard in a while. “All of the above.”

She bit her lip, probably in an effort not to laugh. “Did you forget I’d be here?”

“I did.”

Avery scooted down from her chair and gently tugged on his hand. “Sit, Daddy.”

He glanced down at her little hand then at her face and finally, at his own bare chest. “I should make myself more presentable. Excuse me.” He made a hasty exit.

This morning wasn’t the first time he had awoken like that—disoriented and not quite knowing where he was or remembering Hannah was no longer with him.

He wished it would be the last. He went back upstairs, more slowly this time, in full control of his emotions, the fear that someone had been with Avery—perhaps to take her away—having dissipated.

It was one of his biggest worries—that Frances would, once again, try to make his life a living hell.

He had vowed he would never be caught off guard again.

He drew a deep breath and went about getting ready for the day. When he came back downstairs, shaven, cleaned up and dressed appropriately, his gun belt riding low on his hips, he was much calmer.

“I’m sorry,” he apologized as soon as he took his seat.

Tresia glanced at him as she moved around the table. “For what? You didn’t do anything wrong. Clearly you were startled.”

If she had seen the gun in his hand, she didn’t mention it. Nor did she seem disturbed—now—that he’d entered the kitchen shirtless, though at the time, her eyes had rounded in surprise, and a blush covered her smooth cheeks.

“I was.” He gave a short laugh then cleared his throat as his gaze roamed over her. “What are your plans for today?”

“Well, after your trunks arrive and we put your things away, I thought Avery and I would visit Lucy, then do a little more shopping.” She poured him a cup of coffee, then one for herself, gesturing toward the bowl of sugar and little pitcher filled with cream.

“Would you like anything special for dinner? We can stop by Mr. Crandall’s. He’s the butcher.”

“I can’t think of anything. Surprise me.”

“And what are you going to do? It’s your first official day on the job.

” She drew his attention back to her, her voice soft and filled with what sounded like compassion.

Not only was she forgiving, but sympathetic as well.

What Merrill and Rafael told him yesterday was true and he remained glad he’d hired her.

“I’m going to meet the rest of my deputies. I met Merrill Shotton and Rafael Zepeda yesterday and then I thought I’d start getting to know everyone in town.”

“Sounds like a good plan. Make sure you stop by Sweet Somethings if you have a sweet tooth. Polly bakes the most extraordinary confections.”

He speared a mound of scrambled eggs. “I had a piece of her strawberry rhubarb pie yesterday. It was very tasty.” He reached for one of the biscuits; it was still warm.

He split it open and smeared it with butter, then took a bite.

It was delicious. She could probably give Polly a run for her money in the baking department.

He finished eating and glanced up at the clock ticking merrily on the wall above the sink. “I should go. Thank you for breakfast.” He drank the rest of his coffee and rose from his seat. Turning toward Avery, he bent low, holding out his arms. “Come give me a kiss.”

Avery scooted off her chair and jumped into his open arms. She squealed when he lifted her high and giggled when he made raspberries on her cheek.

Her little arms wrapped around his neck, as if she’d never let go.

It filled his heart and made leaving for work a little more difficult, but he had no choice.

Well, he did. He didn’t need the money, having inherited a great deal when his mother and father had passed away within days of each other.

He could have retired when Hannah died, but that wasn’t his way.

Despite the danger, he loved what he did.

He gave Avery a quick kiss on the cheek and set her down. “You be good for Miss Tresia now, you hear?”

Avery gave a quick nod, the smile she’d been wearing disappearing.

Leaving her in the morning was the hardest part of his day, even harder than facing criminals who could kill him without a by-your-leave.

He left after giving Tresia an appreciative smile, grabbed his hat from the rack by the front door, and walked out the door though he didn’t go very far.

He stopped on the front porch and just stood there for a moment, filling his lungs with the cool morning air, before he walked down the steps and headed to work.