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“ Adam . Do you really think it’s smart to get so familiar with the man so soon? I thought you were all het up about behaving properly and so forth. That’s what that etiquette book of yours is for, isn’t it? So why in the devil would you—”
    â€œHe asked me to call him Adam. It’s only polite to comply.”
    Mose gave her a chary look. Stubbornly he lifted his chin. “I notice you didn’t tell him to call you Savannah. ”
    â€œWell…” That was a privilege Savannah intended to save until she trusted Adam fully. But she didn’t want to admit as much, especially to an already skeptical Mose. She shook her head. “Honestly. Were you eavesdropping on us the entire time?”
    Her friend had the good grace to appear embarrassed. “This is a mighty small station. A man can’t help but overhear.”
    â€œWell, try a little harder not to, would you, please?”
    â€œHumph. Not while you’re busy making eyes at that man,I won’t. I practically raised you. I won’t shirk my duties now.”
    â€œI know. You never would.” Overcome with fondness for him, Savannah smiled. She squeezed Mose’s shoulder, remembering all the times he’d told her funny stories, found her places to sleep backstage, brought her hot meals when her parents forgot….
    If not for Mose, she would have had a sorely neglectful childhood. Gruff as a bear and just as strong, he had made her feel protected and cherished. He’d had no patience for Ruby and Jim Reed’s ambitions—or their shared fondness for liquor. These days, Mose was older and a little frailer than he’d been as a stagehand for hire, but he was still beyond lovable to her.
    â€œThat’s why I’m going to ask you again.” Mose leveled her with a serious expression. “Are you sure about this marriage scheme of yours? You’re not hitched yet, you know. It’s not too late to go on to San Francisco.”
    â€œI’m not going to San Francisco!”
    â€œAll right, all right. You don’t have to get testy.”
    â€œI’m sorry, Mose. It’s just that I’m done with performing. Beyond done with it. It was never right for me. I just didn’t know any better. Being on stage was all I ever had.”
    â€œYou were powerfully good at making a crowd happy.”
    At his loyal declaration, Savannah smiled. She had earned her share of applause over the years. “What I want now is to make a husband happy. That’s all. I’ve been dreaming of having a regular, ordinary life for so long. I tried to grab hold of it in Ledgerville, but that didn’t pan out. Now I have a new plan, and I’m certain it will work, as long as I’m patient.”
    Mose looked away, clearly longing to argue with her…but unwilling to do so. Savannah knew he was entertaining the same unhappy memories she was. They’d had thisconversation before—before one enterprising gossip had tacked up that incriminating newspaper story for all to see. Before the rumors had flown around Ledgerville in a matter of days. Before the townspeople there had shunned her. Before the sheriff had confronted her.
    Before her fair-weather friends had suggested she leave Ledgerville on the first train out and never come back.
    Even Alistair Norwood, the young telegraphy operator who’d taught her all she knew about operating the equipment, had been unable to stick by her. Usually so willing to buck the system, Alistair had turned unexpectedly cold when faced with her past.
    Until the scandal had turned up in Ledgerville, Savannah had actually believed that her family’s story—and the notoriety it had engendered—would not follow her west. She’d truly thought that the newspaper coverage had been confined to the New York City tabloids. Those dirty papers had found the news of a husband-and-wife theatrical team who’d swindled the