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parents vanished. Whatever they had done to him aside, they had loved their daughter dearly. She was their greatest treasure. Hard to blame them for it; harder now that they were gone.
    The venom had died but not the bitterness. It was hard to keep it buried where it belonged. “I guess that had to be hard for you.”
    A single nod, nothing more.
    His feelings aside, he knew it had to have been an unbearable loss for her. She had loved her parents deeply, which was one reason why he’d made the decision he did five years ago and why they stood together now as strangers. The only decision he could have made.
    Despite her condition, she looked well. Very well. Soft lamplight glowed from the wide windows, gilding her in light. Snow had gathered like tiny pieces of grace on her hood. She looked beautiful, more lovely than ever. Vibrant and womanly in a way he’d never seen her before.
    She’s happy, he realized with a punch that knocked the air from his lungs and every last speck of regret from his heart. He’d done the right thing in leaving. Her father, rest his soul, had been right.
    He didn’t like what that decision had done to him, but he’d learned a hard lesson from it. Be wary of the woman you give your heart to.
    He took a moment to capture one last look of her, happy and lovely and matured into a sweetheart of a woman. Knowing this only made him feel colder. Glad for her, but cold in the way of the blizzard baring its teeth.
    â€œWon’t you come in? You must be half frozen.” Concern was there on her face for the stranger she thought he was. “Come in and warm up. We have beef soup and hot tea.”
    â€œCan’t. My horse is standing in this cold.”
    â€œYou could put him in our stable.”
    â€œNo.” Would she still ask him in if she knew who he was? What did she think about the man who’d broken his promise to elope with her? Did she even remember him?
    Probably not. The bitterness in him won out, but it wasn’t only bitterness he felt. That old tenderness, a hint of it, remained. No longer a romantic tenderness; that had been surely destroyed, but his feeling of goodwill surprised him once more.
    He lifted her free hand, small and disguised by her woolen glove. He knew by memory, still, the shape of her hand from all the times he’d held it in his own. It was with well wishes for her future that he pressed a gentleman’s kiss to the back of her hand.
    â€œNow that I’ve got you and your aunt home safe and sound, I’ve done my good deed for the day.”
    â€œOnly one good deed per day?” She withdrew onto the brick walk. “You remind me of an old beau of mine.”
    â€œPardon me, but he couldn’t have been the brightest fellow. I can’t imagine any man passing you by.”
    â€œI must be mistaken, then.” She shook her head. Why had she been so sure? But as she swiped the snow out of her eyes, she realized he hadn’t answered her question. “How long have you lived in Angel County?”
    â€œI, uh, just moved back to the area. Haven’t been here long.”
    So, it was as she thought. The voice she remembered had been an eighteen year-old’s voice, manly, yes, but still partly boyish, too, not in full maturity. This man’s voice was deeper and confident and wholly masculine, but still, it was Thad’s.
    â€œMiss, you take care of yourself. No more riding behind runaway horses.”
    â€œI think my uncle will see to that.”
    â€œWhere is your husband? Shouldn’t he be the one seeing to your safety?”
    â€œMy husband? No. I’ve never married.” Was he moving away? The wind was gathering speed so she couldn’t hear him move. “The blizzard is growing worse. You can’t go out in that.”
    â€œDon’t worry your pretty head about me, Noelle.”
    Noelle. The way his baritone warmed like wild honey around her name made her