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  The ghost of a smile flitted across his face. “Somehow, I don’t think she’d appreciate hearing you say that.”

  “Probably not. She seems awfully sensitive about it for some reason.” Alexis lifted a shoulder delicately. “Anyway, she always spends a day or two with the children and me when she can get away.”

  Ox raised an eyebrow. “You have children?” Funny his grandfather forgot to mention that. Probably because he knew how much Ox disliked the little beasts.

  “No,” she said with a smile. “My father has three children from his second marriage. Even though they’re much younger, we’re all very close. They always spend the summer with me, and Angel comes to visit when she can.”

  Ox took another surreptitious look around, trying to locate a spittoon. Surely there’s one someplace. This is the West, for God’s sake. “Angel loves children.”

  Alexis gave him a startled look. “What makes you think so?”

  “Just the way she acts.” He smiled tenderly as he remembered the first time he saw Angel with Becky Ellinson’s baby. There was an almost ethereal quality about her as she cooed to the infant in her arms. She’d fairly glowed, and Ox had felt the most peculiar tightening in his chest. “She has a goddaughter she dotes on.”

  “Oh, yes. Alaina, isn’t it? Angel has mentioned her a few times. Tell me, Mr. Treenery, how do you like children?”

  “Wrapped up in twine and tied to a tree,” he answered promptly. It was the sort of nonsense he and Angel shared when their conversation became too serious.

  “Excuse me?” There was no mistaking the horror in her face.

  “It was just a joke,” he said, feeling rather foolish. No, this isn’t Angel, he thought. She wouldn’t have been able to keep a straight face. “Actually, I haven’t been around many. I was an only child.”

  “Your grandfather seems to think you’re quite anxious to have children of your own.”

  Ox frowned. “I see my grandfather’s been even more informative than usual.”

  “He was a most enlightening dinner companion.”

  “I’m sorry I missed it,” Ox said with heavy sarcasm. “I suppose you found him entertaining as well?”

  Alexis looked away. “He’s…uh...he’s rather difficult to converse with.”

  “Only if you want to add something to the conversation.”

  “I’m sure he has your best interests at heart,” Alexis said uncertainly.

  “I think it’s fairly safe to say James Treenery is his main concern.”

  “Your mother seems quite close to him.”

  “He’s been very good to her since my father died.” And will continue to be as long as I do what he wants. Ox quickly surveyed the room again. If he didn’t find a place to get rid of the noxious fluid in his mouth soon, he was going to be in big trouble.

  Angel glanced around. “Goodness, Mr. Treenery. I’ve been monopolizing you. As the guest of honor, you should be meeting everyone. My stepmother will probably be quite put out with me for not bringing you to her sooner.” She rose.

  “Then by all means, let’s go find her,” Ox said as he got up. He caught a glimpse of his grandfather across the room. The man was fairly glowing with self-satisfaction. With a start, Ox realized he’d spent the better part of an hour with Alexis Smythe and hadn’t once been the obnoxious boor he’d intended to be. In fact, he’d apologized for the one off-color thing he’d said and was nearly strangling to keep from embarrassing himself in front of her. This wasn’t going at all as he’d planned.

  He glanced down at Alexis as she led him through the crowd. She just reminded him too much of Angel. When she’d first turned around, and he’d seen the face of his friend, his immediate reaction had been one of overwhelming joy. Then, when he thought his grandfather had somehow subverted her, the pain had been devastating in its intensity. Now, he found he simply couldn’t be rude to her twin.

  “You remember my stepmother, don’t you?” Alexis was saying to him.

  “Certainly. Mrs. Brady,” he said, smiling at the tall slender lady.

  “I’m sorry I’ve kept Mr. Treenery from the party for so long, Vanessa. I know you’ve been wanting to introduce him to everyone.”

  “I have?” She gave her stepdaughter a blank look.

  “Yes, dear. I’m sure Mrs. Coombs and her daughters are just dying to meet him.”

  Ox couldn’t see Alexis’s face, but he was certain her expression gave Vanessa Brady a very strong message. He was hard put not to laugh. If he hadn’t been convinced of her identity before, he was now. Whenever Angel tired of his company, she told him to go bother someone else for a while, or informed him she had better things to do than shoot the breeze with him all day. Her sister wasn’t quite so straightforward, it seemed.

  Vanessa Brady blinked a couple of times. “Oh, of course. I’m sure she was just asking when I was going to bring him around.” She looked at her stepdaughter uncertainly. “Were you planning to come with us?”

  “I’m afraid I have a bit of a headache. If you don’t mind, I think I’ll make an early night of it.”

  “I hope it’s nothing serious,” Ox said with a touch of cynicism. “It would certainly be too bad if one party wore you out.”

  “I’m sure I’ll be fine in the morning. It was just all the last minute switching we had to do at dinner and the uncertainty of whether all the guests would arrive. It tends to put one out of sorts.”

  Ox smiled. He’d just been put firmly in his place. Maybe Alexis was more like Angel than he thought. “I’m sure the culprits have been properly chastised.”

  “I certainly hope so. Good night, Mr. Treenery.”

  “Good night, Mrs. Smythe. It’s been a most entertaining evening.”

  “I’m glad you’ve enjoyed it. Oh, by the way,” she said as she started to leave, “the spittoon is over behind the door.”

  Ox grinned as he watched her walk away, and his last vestige of doubt disappeared. Angel would have let him swallow it.

  Angel’s thoughts were in a turmoil as she climbed the stairs to Alexis’s room. Ox Bruford was James Oxford Bruton Treenery the Third, the man her sister was to marry? Impossible! Alexis enjoyed the luxuries of her wealth as much as Ox relished his solitary, nomadic lifestyle. They’d be thoroughly miserable with each other.

  She remembered her last conversation with Ox. Was marrying a rich widow what he’d been talking about when he said he was thinking of giving up the freighting business and taking up a less strenuous career? If he was looking for a rich wife and Angel admitted who she was, Ox would insist on meeting the real Alexis, and they’d all be right back where they started. Unsure of his true motive, Angel had decided to play it out the way she and Alexis had planned.

  As if the plan weren’t difficult enough already. Without her cynical casino owner persona to protect her, how was she going to keep him at arm’s length when his very nearness sent her emotions into a spin? Playing cat and mouse with him was not what she had bargained for either. He knew her far too well. It wouldn’t take many exchanges like the last one to give her away. His remark about the twine and children had nearly been her undoing. Pretending to be aghast instead of laughing had been far from easy. Drat the man anyway.

  Martha met her at the door of Alexis’s bedroom. “Did Jamie Treenery ever arrive?”

  “Yes, and we’ve got trouble.”

  Though exhaustion dogged her steps, Angel resisted the temptation of going to bed and gave Martha a quick rundown of the evening instead. While she talked, she shed her ball gown and donned Alexis’s riding habit.

  Martha’s brow furrowed with concern as she watched Angel complete her preparations. “Are you sure you’re going to be all right? This town isn’t safe at night.”

  “Compared to South Pass City, Cheyenne is positively boring.” She slid her stiletto into the sheath strapped to her calf and dropped a derringer into the pocket of her cape. “Don’t worry, Martha, I know how to stay out of trouble. Besides, this is the only
time Alexis and I can meet. I’ll be back in an hour or so.”

  The trip out to the cabin took little time, and Alexis was soon welcoming her inside.

  “I see you’ve had a visitor,” Angel said, removing her cape.

  “How did you know that?”

  “You don’t smoke.” Angel nodded toward a cigar butt still smoldering in a dish by the fireplace. “Brandon?”

  Alexis blushed and nodded. “He was in town to get supplies.”

  “In town? He doesn’t live in Cheyenne?”

  “No. He has a ranch north of here.”

  “A cowboy? Good grief, how did you manage to meet him?”

  Alexis’s eyes flashed. “You don’t have to be such a snob, Angel. So what if Brandon works for his living? So do you, and nobody thinks any less of you for it.”

  It never ceased to amaze Angel how little her sister understood her life. Nobody thought less of her? Even the man she loved couldn’t see through her chosen profession to the woman inside. “I’m sorry, Alexis,” she said, rubbing her forehead. “I didn’t mean it to sound like that. It just doesn’t seem like the sort of man you’d be likely to run into. Why didn’t you tell him to stay so I could meet him?”

  “He had to get back,” Alexis said, avoiding her eyes. Angel couldn’t help wondering which one Alexis was ashamed of, her lover or her sister.

  “Maybe next time,” Angel said, plopping down on a chair.

  “Yes, maybe so.” Alexis poured a cup of coffee and handed it to Angel. “How did it go?” she asked as she sat down on the other chair.

  “You were right about his grandfather and his mother. I couldn’t stand him, and I loved her.” She took a sip of coffee. “James Oxford Bruton Treenery the Third is going to be more of a problem than we thought.”

  “Why? Is he pompous and overbearing like his grandfather?”

  Angel smiled. “No, in fact, we had a delightful conversation.”

  “Ugly then?”

  “Hardly. He has wavy brown hair, gorgeous green eyes and a set of shoulders that would make the girls back at school swoon.”

  “Then he’s stuck up.”

  “Hasn’t got a conceited bone in his body.”

  Alexis raised an eyebrow. “It sounds like you’re in love with him already. Is that what you’re worried about?”

  “The problem is I know him. More importantly, he knows me.”

  “Oh dear. How well?”

  Angel sighed. “Well enough. Do you remember me mentioning a man named Ox Bruford?”

  “The mule skinner?”

  “That’s him. I haven’t quite figured out what’s going on, but he’s definitely Treenery’s grandson.”

  “But this is wonderful, Angel! We’ll just tell him I don’t want to marry him and that will be that.”

  “I don’t think that’s going to work.”

  “Why not?”

  “I know Ox, and this isn’t at all like him. He’s in trouble somehow. If my suspicions are correct, there’s more at stake here than our little charade, and he won’t be easily dissuaded.” Angel closed her eyes and leaned her head against the chair back. “I’m afraid he’s marrying you for your money.”

  Chapter 6

  “Ahhh!” Martha screeched and jumped back as a very large, very ugly bug dropped onto the dressing table in front of her.

  Angel looked at it critically for a moment, then picked it up and popped it into her mouth.

  Martha recoiled. “Lord have mercy, girl, what are you doing?”

  “I know marzipan when I see it,” she said, chewing the sugary confection with obvious enjoyment. “All right, you may as well come out. We’re on to you.”

  The curtain next to the dressing table parted, and a little girl’s freckled face appeared. “Angel?”

  “Of course it’s Angel.” A dark-haired boy crawled out from under the bed. “Alexis would still be screaming her head off.”

  Angel glanced up at Martha. “So much for fooling my brother and sister.”

  “Humph. I might have known,” Martha said. “These two are both cut from the same bolt of cloth as you.”

  “Why thank you, Martha.”

  “I didn’t necessarily mean it as a compliment.”

  Angel just grinned as she rose from her seat and moved toward her half-siblings. “Let me look at you two. Heavens, Jared, you’re nearly as tall as I am!”

  He stood a little taller and puffed out his chest. “I turned twelve, you know.”

  “That’s right. Goodness, you’re growing up so fast; you’ll be a man before I know it. Come here, and let me give you a hug.”

  “Aw, Angel, that’s for little kids,” he said.

  “And big sisters. Don’t worry, Martha and Shannon won’t tell.” Angel gave him an enthusiastic embrace and smiled when he returned it wholeheartedly.

  “I don’t mind hugs.” Shannon stepped out from behind the curtain and made a face at her brother. “Jared wouldn’t either if it weren’t for that stupid Thomas next door. He says only sissies let girls hug them.”

  “He’s obviously misinformed,” Angel said, happily embracing her ten-year-old sister. “I do believe you get prettier every time I see you, Shannon. Alexis is going to have to step aside as the family beauty one of these days.”

  “I still have freckles, Angel.”

  “So did Alexis and I at your age. They’ll be nothing but a memory in a few years.” She cocked her head to one side. “Is this a new hairstyle I see?”

  Shannon looked doubtful. “Mama said I should try curls instead of braids.”

  “I think it’s very nice.”

  “It gets in the way,” Jared said with disgust. “Yesterday, she got it caught on a branch when she was climbing a tree. She screeched like a mountain lion ‘till I got her loose.”

  “Did not!” Shannon was indignant.

  “Maybe we can come up with something to keep it out of your way,” Angel said. “In the meantime, I don’t see any reason why you can’t go back to braids when you need to.”

  “She could stop climbing trees,” Martha pointed out. “Though I don’t suppose there’s much hope of that.”

  “Well, of course not. What an idea.” Angel dismissed the notion with a wave of her hand. “Life is too short to spend it earthbound.”

  “Does Father know you’re here?” Shannon asked.

  Angel avoided looking her in the eye. “Ah—well, no, not exactly.”

  “Don’t be a dunce, Shannon,” Jared said rolling his eyes. “She’s here to get rid of the bothersome beau.”

  Angel was startled. “The bothersome beau?”

  “You know, the man Father wants Alexis to marry. She said she’d die first, and Father said she was an unnatural daughter, and—”

  “I get the idea,” Angel put in hastily. “But what makes you think I could get rid of him?”

  “Alexis says you can do anything you set your mind to,” Shannon said. “It’s just a matter of getting you to set your mind to it. That’s why she wanted you to meet Tree...Tree...whatever his name is instead of her. Then she can marry Brandon.”

  Angel’s eyebrow rose another fraction of an inch. “Alexis told you all this?”

  “Not exactly.” Shannon and Jared exchanged a guilty glance. “We sort of overheard it.”

  Martha looked down her nose at them. “Overheard it, my eye. It was eavesdropping, plain and simple.”

  “It seems the two of you have picked up some bad habits.” Angel crossed her arms and tried to look severe. “I certainly hope I’m not going to have to worry about you two listening to every conversation I have.”

  Jared grinned. “Oh, no. We only listen to the interesting ones.”

  Angel laughed. “I guess that put me in my place.” Then she sobered. “The truth is, eavesdropping is very rude and inconsiderate. It’s also very embarrassing if you get caught.”

  “Besides, eavesdroppers never hear good of themselves,” Martha said primly.

  The two mis
creants tried to look repentant, though they weren’t very successful at it. “Does Mama know you and Alexis traded places?” Shannon asked after a moment.

  “No. Only you and Martha know. If Father finds out, it will all be for nothing.”

  “I guess he’d be pretty mad, wouldn’t he?” Jared said.

  “Furious.”

  Shannon and Jared looked at each other. “We won’t tell,” they said in unison, solemnly raising their right hands and looking expectantly at Angel.

  For the first time, Angel felt a sting of guilt. Shannon and Jared were offering to take the Brady oath, a tradition she and Alexis had started when they were children. Though it was a child’s game, she knew her brother and sister took it very seriously. They were essentially promising to keep her secret, even if it meant lying to their parents. “I don’t know if that’s necessary—”

  “Come on, Angel,” Jared said.

  She sighed. “All right, but it only means you don’t tell. I wouldn’t want you to lie for me.” She lifted her right hand and linked her little finger with theirs.

  “One for all and all for one, we Bradys stick together. Through blood and pain and tortured screams, this secret is ours forever,” they chanted. Then they all spit in their right palms and slapped them together high above their heads.

  “That ought to do it,” Martha said sarcastically.

  Jared looked pensive. “We better not tell Betsy. I don’t think she’d understand.”

  Angel shook her head. “No, I don’t imagine she would. She’s only four, after all. Where is she, by the way? You two aren’t supposed to be watching her, are you?”

  “No, she’s taking a nap.”

  “Is Alexis going to marry Brandon?” Shannon asked.

  Angel raised a brow. “She didn’t say. Have you met him?”

  Jared shrugged. “Once, but it was just to say hello. He promised we could come out to his ranch sometime, but she never took us.”

  There was a knock at the door, then it opened and Vanessa swept into the room. “Alexis...oh, what are you two doing in here?”

  “We were just chatting,” Angel said. “I haven’t seen them for so long.”

  Vanessa looked confused. “But you spent most of the day before yesterday with them.”