“You wanted to ask me to the dance?” she asked, recovering in record time. “And I’m supposed to be grateful?”

“No...yes,” he faltered, then ignored the question. “Why else would I drive into town on a Saturday?” Not giving her time to respond, he added, “Cal’s right. A woman’s nothing but trouble.”

Caroline’s heart sank. She would have enjoyed attending the biggest dance of the year with him. Instead, she’d ruined any chance she had of stepping onto the dance floor with Grady Weston.

“I told Savannah this wouldn’t work,” he said with the self-righteous attitude of a man who thinks he’s been right all along. “As far as I’m concerned, this is the last time I’m inviting you to any social function in this town. If you want a date you’re going to have to ask me.”

The insinuation that he was the only man who’d ask her out infuriated Caroline. “I don’t need you in order to get a date.”

“Oh sure, I suppose you’re interested in Richard, too.”

“Richard? What’s he got to do with anything?”

Grady opened and closed his jaw, but apparently decided against explaining. “Never mind. I’m out of here.”

Caroline stretched out her hand to stop him, but it was too late. Grady had already turned and was storming out of the post office, leaving the door to slam in his wake.

“My, oh my, what’s gotten into that young man?”

For the first time Caroline noticed Edwina and Lily Moorhouse standing in the post-office foyer. Both women continued to dress as if they still spent their days at the front of a classroom. Caroline couldn’t remember ever seeing either one in anything but well-pressed shirtwaist dresses. On Sunday mornings and at important social functions, they wore dainty hats with matching purses and spotless white gloves.

Lily, the younger and less talkative of the two, clutched her mail to her breast as if in mortal fear of having Grady rip it from her.

Edwina, who’d never had a problem sharing what was on her mind, was sputtering about “that young man.”

“I apologize, ladies,” Caroline said. “Grady and I were having a...difference of opinion.”

“So it seems.” Edwina pinched her lips together, clenching her purse tightly with both hands.

“Are you all right?” Lily asked.

Caroline shook her head, dismissing the older woman’s concern. But the encounter had left her more shaken than she cared to admit.

“You like him, don’t you?” Lily asked in a soft voice, and reached across the counter to pat Caroline’s hand.

Caroline nodded. Yes, she did like Grady—even if they didn’t get along—and it was well past time she admitted it. But then, her judgment in men wouldn’t exactly earn her any awards. Maggie’s father had left her pregnant, and every other romantic relationship in her adult life had ended badly. “I guess some women are better judges of character than me,” she said.

“Grady’s a fine young man,” Lily insisted, apparently over her shock.

“He’s got a heart of gold,” Edwina agreed. “But if you want my opinion, I think that young man’s constipated.”

“You think so, sister?” Lily frowned thoughtfully.

“Indeed I do. You be patient with him, Caroline, and he’ll come around. Mark my words.”

“I couldn’t agree with Edwina more,” Lily said, brightening somewhat. “There’s nothing wrong with that young man that a large bowl of stewed prunes wouldn’t cure.”

“Or Grandpa’s cordial.”

“Indeed!”

***

Ellie’s heart hammered in her ears as she stepped backward, slowly edging her way onto the path toward the truck. Richard was still nowhere to be seen.

Glen’s warnings about the ghost town echoed in her mind. Even Richard had advised her not to come. She’d been the one to insist on making the trip, certain that Glen, at least, was being overprotective.

What was worse—far worse—was this...sensation, this feeling. It was as though she was being watched. And judged. And...disliked. Her pulse still thundered in her head, gaining volume and intensity. Her feet dragged heavily as she walked. It almost felt as if someone had bound her arms and legs and was slowly tightening the rope, binding her.

All she could think about was escape. But she couldn’t leave, couldn’t just turn and run. Somehow, someway she had to find out what had happened to Richard. Although every dictate of her heart and mind urged her to get out of there, she couldn’t abandon him.

Besides, she hadn’t a clue how to find her way back to Promise. She’d have to search this place and—“Boo!”

Ellie screamed and leaped a good three feet off the ground. Richard threw back his head and laughed hilariously, as if her terror was the funniest thing he’d seen in years.

Furious, Ellie clenched her hands into fists and glared at him.

“Hey,” he said, continuing to chuckle, “you’re the one who claimed not to be afraid of ghosts.”

“Where’d you go?” she demanded, gripping his arm and clinging tightly. She was too frightened to stay angry for long.

“Hey,” he repeated softly, “you’re really scared, aren’t you?”

“You know I am!”

“Sweetheart, it was a joke.”

“A stupid one.”

“Okay, okay, it probably wasn’t the best thing to do, but you were so sure nothing was going to frighten you. Sorry,” he said with a casual shrug. “The real danger is letting your imagination run away with you.”

Her fingers tensed on his arms. “I don’t like this place.”

“I told you.” He sounded cool and unaffected.

“Don’t you feel it?” she asked, studying him.

“Feel what?”

“The...sense of oppression.”

He looked at her as if she needed a psychiatrist. “I don’t feel anything. Come on, let me show you around. Old as it is, there’s still lots to see.”

Even though she was curious, Ellie shook her head. “I think we should head back.”

“We just got here. Don’t you want to check out the mercantile? I actually found some bloated canned goods left on the shelf. Can you believe it? The cash register is there, too. I looked, but there wasn’t any money inside.”

Did he actually expect there to be cash for his taking? Ellie wondered.

“What happened to the church?” she asked, gesturing toward the small hill at the far end of the main street.

“I didn’t go in. Doesn’t interest me. Outside looks like it got hit by lightning.”

Ellie stared, fascinated despite her fears.

“Come on,” Richard urged again, “let’s explore.”

Ellie realized it wasn’t likely she’d come back for a second visit. “Okay, show me the mercantile,” she said, uncertain even now that it was a wise thing to do.

“Sure.” He took her hand and led her up the two steps to the raised wooden sidewalk. The old boards creaked with their weight, making an eerie inhuman sound. It looked as though the town had been fairly prosperous at one time. A hotel and saloon, a livery stable, a small corral. The sun-bleached planks of the boardwalk were bleached and splintered with age, and several sections had rotted through.

“Watch your step,” Richard said, and slipped his arm around her waist, holding her unnecessarily close.

“Maybe we should go to the hotel,” he whispered suggestively. “Find a room with a bed.”

“No, thanks,” she murmured.

“Hey, don’t be so quick to turn down a good thing. We could have a lot of fun together.”

“No, thanks,” she said again, her tone reinforcing the message.

“Pity. We could be good together.”

Ellie sincerely doubted that.

As Richard opened the door to the mercantile, the hinges squeaked loudly and Ellie shivered. The sensation persisted, the feeling that she was being watched.

The inside of the old store was like something out of a museum. The counter stretched the length of the room, with shelves built behind it. What Richard had said was true; there were several tin cans scattered about. The cans themselves were swollen, their labels faded.