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away from my father, and now the whole town will know why. I kept it hidden so well for so long.” She felt as if the weight of the world rested on her shoulders. “I just can’t hide it anymore. I refuse to.” Taking a deep breath, she swallowed hard, fighting off the anxiety.
    “We suspected as much,” Dottie said quietly.
    “You did?” Surprise rippled through Chloe. “You never said anything! You never did anything to help!” Anger ripped through Chloe and she pulled her hand abruptly away. How could Dottie never have helped her and Daisy!
    “Randy and I thought Reese was taking care of you.” Dottie studied her hands, toying with the edges of her frayed apron. “Mind you, it wasn’t ’til your dear mama died that we realized what was happening. You all hid it so well.” She sighed. “When we found out… Well, Reese decided he’d marry you, take you away from your father. And Daisy of course ran off with our Ronnie.”
    But Chloe had been left alone with her father after Daisy ran away, enduring all the abuse the bastard could dish out on a daily basis. When she’d reached her limit, she had escaped, too.
    “I was all alone, Mrs. Lloyd. Day after day at that awful farm, I feared for my life. Reese did help me, but you and Mr. Lloyd could have, too.”
    “If you had stayed in Broken Bow, married Reese, you’d have been happy, Chloe. He would have protected you.”
    “How could he? The man, my father, is a monster. No woman is safe around him. Reese couldn’t be with me all the time. He had a farm to run. I had to get away from my father, or I was sure he would eventually kill me, just like Mama. Now I realize he would have raped me, too.” Chloe started crying, the familiar fear and uncertainty making her feel panicky.
    “Reese would have seen to your safety. He’s a good man. He would have cared for you.” Dottie put a hand on Chloe’s shoulder.
    A deep, dark, brooding, awkward silence hung between them as Chloe rocked Bobby to sleep.
    “I’d like to get changed before supper.” Chloe needed some time alone to think about what Dottie said, and the outlandish but exceedingly tempting offer Reese had made to her. She stood, cradling the sleeping Bobby in her arms.
    “I cleaned up Reese’s old room for you; thought you’d be most comfortable in there.” Dottie unfolded her body and joined Chloe by the door. “Randy moved Bobby’s crib in there. I figured he’d be most comfortable with you. Last night was a long one. Poor boy wouldn’t settle for nothing.”
    “It’s another change in the little guy’s life,” Chloe said. “He’ll get settled soon.” And I’ll be gone and not have to worry about it. She frowned at that thought. Had she become so selfish?
    Troubled, she walked ahead of Dottie, through the kitchen and up the back staircase. Memories—all of them good and happy—flooded through Chloe as she walked through the house in which Reese had grown into a man. Afternoons spent playing games of cards and checkers. The days they’d spent planning their future together. Laughter. Whenever she was in this house, everything seemed normal. And safe. There was no fear with this family, no locks on the doors.
    When they reached Reese’s room, Chloe set Bobby down in the little crib and covered him with a light blanket. He immediately snuggled into the pillow and relaxed.
    “You rest a bit, Chloe,” Dottie said from the door. “We’ll eat in a coupla hours.”
    Dottie closed the door behind her, leaving Chloe alone in Reece’s bedroom, the place where he and she first made love on her eighteenth birthday. The place where they’d begun to plan their future. She took a deep breath and sat on the edge of the bed to remove her shoes.

Chapter Four
     
    Sleep took a long time to come to Reese that night. He’d sat on his porch, rocking and smoking until well after ten, wondering if she would come. In equal measure, he hoped for and feared her arrival. If they made love, what