My Heart Will Find Yours Read Free Page B

grabbed his shirtfront in her fist. “You’ll never believe me. I can’t believe it myself.” She dropped her head to his chest and moaned. “Oh God, I want to go home.”
    He eased an arm around her waist. “It’s okay, Pearl, we’ll straighten everything out.” Tears gathered in his eyes as he held her close and patted her back. He so wanted this woman to be his wife, but he just wasn’t sure.
    Royce turned the horse and walked it back toward the jail. He needed to know if she was his wife before he took her home for Garrett to see. Except for an occasional sniff, accompanied by a shudder, she remained quiet.
    When he lifted her off the horse in front of the jail, she balked and tried to pull away from him. Dammit, he’d had enough of this. He tossed her over his shoulder and walked into the jail with her pounding on his back. The minute he sat her feet on the ground, she took his arm and the next thing he knew he was on his back in the floor. He rolled and reached for her foot but missed. Pete caught her at the door.
    Royce scrambled to his feet. “Put her in a cell.”
    Pete gaped at him.
    “You heard me, put her in number one.” His deputy didn’t look happy but did what he’d been told.
    The carpetbag the woman had been carrying sat on his desk. He opened it and pulled out a packet. It was addressed to Tom Syler, one of Waco’s many lawyers. Pete came out of the holding area and locked the door. Royce tossed him the packet. “Take these down to Tom, will you? Tell him if he needs to talk to me, I’ll be here a couple more hours.”
    “Sure thing, Marshal, but I’m here to tell you right now I don’t appreciate the way you’re treating your wife. It’s disgraceful.”
    Royce ignored the comment, and Pete stormed out of his office. He continued to search in the carpetbag and pulled out two dresses he recognized. They were Pearl’s, as were the shoes and nightgown. The gown still carried her sweet lilac scent. At the very bottom, he found the tintype of them on their wedding day.
    He sank heavily into the swivel desk chair. If this woman wasn’t his wife, how had she gotten hold of these items? She could’ve killed her and was now trying to pawn herself off as Pearl. Well, dressed as she was, she sure as hell wasn’t getting off to a good start.
    With a sigh, he stuffed the items back in the bag, everything except for the tintype. He slipped it in his shirt pocket. For several years now he’d feared in his soul Pearl was dead, but had never given up hope. And now, here was this woman who looked almost like her twin. People changed over time, he knew that, but... Could he have forgotten the color of her eyes, the tilt of her nose, the shape of her face? He didn’t think so.
    The tintype was a good likeness but didn’t reveal her facial characteristics or the color of her eyes and hair. If only she’d been smiling, but her face was as sober as his own. Too bad Pearl didn’t have a mole or birthmark for identification. He studied the tintype again hoping for something to erase his doubt.
    By God, he wanted some answers. He opened the steel door to the holding area and went inside. She jumped up off the cot and stared up at him belligerently. His heart thumped with emotion at the tears pooled in her eyes. He wanted to open the door, take her in his arms, and comfort her. And hell yes, he wanted to kiss those sweet lips, run his fingers through that thick mane of hair, and become reacquainted with her beautiful body.
    He pulled the chair from the corner in front of her cell and sat down. “Who are you? Why are you carrying my wife’s things?”
    She lifted her chin. Her eyes drilled his. “I’m Texanna Keith. The carpetbag, clothes, and picture belong to your wife Pearlina Baines Dyson Thompson who is ninety-four-years-old. I call her Miss Pearl. She lives next door to me in San Antonio. I’ve spent a lot of time at her house learning to paint. I love her dearly.”
    He snorted and shook his