Yesterday, 1859

Lissie Bickershaw stepped out of her room at the Crocker Inn, her heart fluttering with excitement in her chest. She clutched her beaded reticule close, her fingers restlessly testing the weight at the bottom. A smile tugged the corners of her lips upward when she felt them…the jewels she’d sewn into the small bag before leaving home. She fully intended to share them with her new husband, Felix Bickershaw, though her own father had beseeched her not to. She was only waiting for the perfect moment to do it. A moment when they were comfortably ensconced in their new home.

She placed a hand on her roiling stomach, pushing back a slight queasiness she told herself was just nerves. Once they were in their beautiful new home, she would give him the bounty she carried with her. Something that she hoped would make her devastatingly handsome husband cherish her above all things.

A door down the hallway opened and Lissie turned her gaze hopefully in that direction. A heavily painted saloon girl stepped out of the room, tugging the frilly bodice of her scandalous dress higher on her breasts. The woman eyed Lissie and then swung her gaze toward the stairway just past where Lissie waited, two lines furrowing the painted surface between her eyes.

Lissie recognized the problem. In order for the strumpet to get to the stairs, she would have to brush past Lissie, a high born lady.

But Lissie was a country miss, not used to high falutin’ ways, so she smiled at the girl and stepped back until her heels touched the door behind her. “Go on past. I’m just waiting for my husband, Mr. Bickershaw, to fetch me for supper.”

The woman averted her gaze and, clutching the frilled hem of her horrible dress, moved quickly past. Her hand brushed up against Lissie’s skirts as she went and she stopped, her painted lips opening in a gasp.

“I swan, I never meant to touch your dress, Lady. It were purely a mistake.”

Lissie shook her head. “Pay no never mind.” She offered the girl—standing close to her Lissie saw that she was very young—a smile and reached out to touch her pale arm. “You’ve done no harm.”

The girl’s eyes widened at the kindness and she chewed her painted lip with surprisingly good teeth. “It’s a likely dress for sure, Lady.”

Lissie’s smile widened with pleasure. She grasped the skirt of her new dress and pulled it away in a play curtsy. “Thank ye kindly, miss.”

The girl giggled, shaking her head.

“Have you seen him? My husband?” Lissie asked the girl softly.

“I couldn’t tell ya, Lady.” The girl pointed toward the door she just exited. “I’ve been with the one who’s like a book. He’s a grum one, that’s certain. But he’s free with the shiners for all that.” She shrugged and, tossing Lissie a shy smile, turned away and headed toward the stairs.

Lissie was left standing there feeling uncomfortable. Before going down to drink with the men in the bar, Felix had promised he’d be up for her on the hour. She’d hurried with her toilette to ensure she wasn’t late. But, though she was certain she was right on schedule, Felix wasn’t there.

She glanced toward her closed door, considering ducking back inside until he arrived.

A door opened down the way and Lissie turned, her eyes widening and her hand flying to cover her mouth. A pair of dark eyes, filled with a venom that made Lissie’s blood run cold, rooted her to the spot.

“What are you clutching so close in that reticule, Mrs. Bickershaw? Hand it over and let me give it a look.”