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loves her. If David proposed marriage to me in the manner you did to Gillian, I would not be planning to wed him. You have insulted Gillian."
    "I did no such thing!" he quickly denied, and then he looked at me in consternation, "Did I, Gillian?" he wanted to know.
    "I know it was not intentional, Robert, but it was certainly not the stuff that proposals are made of."
    His face turned red, but he clearly wasn't through with me. "What of your safety?"
    "I guess it will be up to me to make sure I stay safe," I replied. But, that was before a man and woman showed up at Robert's door a few days later claiming I belonged to them!
     
    * * *
     
    "Oh, Gillian, there is a man and woman in the parlor, claiming that you are his wife and her sister. They are demanding that Robert turn you over immediately."
    "What?" I was shocked, to say the least. "That is not true. They must have me confused with someone else."
    "The woman says that you were abducted from their wagon in Saint Joe, and she is wringing her hands and crying. The man is quite belligerent."
    "We shall see about this," I declared. "Do you think that Ursula would loan me some clothing suitable for a servant?" Nellie looked at me and then giggled as she realized what I planned to do.
    It was just a few minutes later when I approached the parlor carrying a tray laden with coffee and cakes. I carried it into the room and sat the tray on a side table, and then served the cakes while my supposed husband and sister looked right at me. Robert met my gaze but he gave nothing away.
    "I am tired of waiting. I demand to be shown to my wife!"
    "Yes, Carson is quite right! We need to see Shirley immediately so that we can get back to the wagon train before it pulls out." I handed the woman a cup and saucer, and she looked at me in annoyance.
    "What makes you so certain that the woman I found is your sister, Miss Griffin?" Robert asked.
    "It has to be Shirley. You are the only one who has reported finding a female."
    "And you say that Shirley is to inherit her father's estate?" he questioned.
    "Yes. My stepfather passed away recently, and now that Shirley is so wealthy, she just has to be able to enjoy the fortune he has left her. He treated her so poorly, and now it simply wouldn't be fair if…"
    "I think you mean that it wouldn't be fair if you couldn't get your hands on Shirley's inheritance," Robert stated matter-of-factly.
    "I am sure you know that we are willing to offer a substantial reward," Carson Smith said slyly.
    "How much?" Robert demanded.
    "Ten thousand." The man didn't bat an eye.
    "I want double that amount."
    "Very well. Cut the crap and get the girl down here. I'll see you get the money this afternoon."
    "Don't you want to make sure the woman is Shirley?" Robert asked.
    "I think we both know that she is Shirley."
    "I think you both should be arrested and thrown in jail." I finally decided to speak up.
    "Shut your insolent mouth!" Miss Griffin snapped at me.
    "That is a fine way to speak to your sister, Miss Griffin," Robert stated.
    "Robert, I have never seen either of these two fools before," I assured him.
    "Don't be ridiculous, Shirley! Why, I only saw that deplorable dress and it never occurred to me that he would make a servant of you!"
    "Get out of my home," Robert said, getting to his feet. "I wouldn't send any defenseless woman with the two of you."
    "You cannot keep my wife from me."
    "I am not your wife," Gillian said quietly, and then watched as Robert showed them to the door. She could hear their threats to return with the law, and she knew they were just stupid enough and mean enough to try something like that. She had no proof that she was who she claimed to be.
    A few minutes later Robert returned. "I have sent for Judge Hendricks, Gillian. Go and find Nellie and ask to borrow a dress to be married in."
    "What? I told you this would not work," I insisted.
    "Those two will return, Gillian, and they will each lie and claim you are Shirley. The law will take