Emma had slept peacefully her first night in Anita's boarding house. She'd had her own small room with a tiny brass bed, a wardrobe and her own wooden stand with a ceramic wash basin.

Never had Emma had such fineries or a room of her own.

"Did you sleep well?" Anita asked as Emma followed the scent of frying bacon and stepped into the kitchen.

"Yes, ma'am," Emma replied politely.

"Don't call her ma'am," a dark haired young girl currently eating at the table warned. "She hates it."

"It's true," Anita sighed. "I do."

Emma bowed her head, dropping her gaze to her feet. "I'm sorry."

"Well don't do that!" the girl at the table exclaimed. "Now I feel guilty for scolding her!"

Another young woman, probably just a few years older than Emma, stepped into the kitchen. "Lauren, stop torturing the new girl," she teased as she tossed back her blond hair.

Emma was struggling to breathe. She was completely overwhelmed and fighting the urge to turn and run. Anita's hand gently patted her arm. "Don't mind them, sweetheart. Ladies, this is Emma. She's just come from a bad situation and needs time to adjust before the two of you give her too much trouble."

Emma hated how weak that made her sound. She squared her shoulders and forced a smile, despite her shaking hands. "I'm okay, Miss Anita."

"Yeah." The dark-haired girl with freckles and green yes stood up. She couldn't have been more than twelve years old. "She's fine." The girl held out her hand and Emma made herself shake it. "My name's Lauren and the rude blond is Sally."

"Rude?" Sally laughed lightly. "Lauren wouldn't know manners if you smacked her with them."

Lauren scoffed. "I've gotten better!" She nudged Anita with her elbow. "Tell her I've gotten better!"

Ms. Anita's face revealed nothing but patience. "Of course you have. But, I must remind you that it's impolite to nudge."

Lauren's face burned bright red beneath her freckles. "Sorry, Ms. Anita."

Anita turned her smile toward Emma. "Eat some breakfast, Emma, and then the girls will take you to the dressmaker."

Emma's heart skipped with excitement. A dress? A dress all her own? A new dress? She frowned. "But... dresses cost money.. I don't have any."

She thought of the coins Liam had given to her. Would fifty cents buy a dress? Emma had no idea. She had never been shopping.

Lauren snorted with a smile. "You're a timid little bird, aren't you?"

"Leave her be," Sally scolded gently. She draped her arm across Emma's shoulders. "You can just buy things on Ms. Anita's credit and, once you've started earning money, you can pay her back."

Emma felt lost. She knew nothing of the world and had so much to learn.

"Don't worry, Emma," Anita comforted knowingly. "You're overwhelmed but we'll help you. You've got friends now."

After Emma got her fill of breakfast, she, Sally and Lauren left for the dressmakers.

"We're lucky the logging is doing so good," Sally noted as they walked down the rather crowded boardwalk. "And luckier that the mines are booming a bit further away. It means we still get travelers and revenue here in Spring Falls, without those uncivilized mining types and violence."

Emma simply nodded as Lauren and Sally continued talking about all the business and such that Spring Falls had to offer. She wished it was a little less! Maybe then she wouldn't fear becoming lost in the bustling crowd.

Or maybe the crowd was good—it would make it harder for her father to find her.

It hadn't been so crowded yesterday. Emma knew it was the warmer air bringing people out today. The sun was bright and it was at least fifteen degrees warmer than the day before.

When Emma stepped into the dressmakers shop, it took a few moments for her eyes to adjust to the change of light. When they did, her jaw dropped.

Never had Emma seen such beautiful dresses and fabrics! Most of these seemed fine enough for royalty themselves to wear. Emma ran her fingertips across a deep green silk gown and a sigh escaped her lips.

Sally was smiling. "That would be beautiful on you, Emma, but it costs three dollars."

Emma pulled away as if she'd been burned. She knew enough from her father's rantings about money to know that three dollars was a lot.

Lauren pointed toward the back of the store. "They have more practical dresses—cheaper ones too—back there."

Emma spared one last glance at the green gown with sequined neckline and fitted bodice, before following her companions.

"May I help you ladies?" a matronly woman with a handsome face and a severe bun asked curtly as she stepped in from the a door behind the counter.

Lauren elbowed Emma's stomach. "Mrs. Ryan doesn't like us, or any other girl that ever lives at the boarding house. She calls us Anita's riff raff and looks down her crooked nose at us."

"Could we go somewhere else to shop?" Emma asked, not at all comfortable with the haughty gaze Mrs. Ryan was studying them with.

"And give her the satisfaction?" Lauren winked. "No way."

Emma hid her smile behind her hand as Sally stepped toward the counter to address the woman. "We need to purchase a few things on Ms Anita's credit. Emma is new here and...."

Mrs. Ryan frowned as her dark eyes landed sharply on Emma. "You're Emma Hawke?"

"Yes ma'am," Emma replied, hoping Mrs. Ryan didn't know her name because of her father.

Mrs. Ryan sneered as she stared down her nose. "I was expecting someone a bit more special."

"What are you talking about?" Lauren spoke up.

Mrs. Ryan folded her hands in front of her. "When Liam McIntyre was here and paid money for her in advance I assumed she was something special."

Sally's eyes were wide as she turned toward Emma. "You know Liam?"

Emma felt heat rise on her cheeks. She shifted her feet and looked down at the floor. "Yes. He rescued me."

"Charity." Mrs. Ryan's voice dripped with venom. "I should have known."

"Why don't you eat dung?" Lauren spat, her tiny fists clenching.

"Get out of my store!" Mrs. Ryan commanded the girl.

Lauren snorted. "Gladly."

She stormed out the door and Mrs. Ryan returned her attention to a confused Emma. "Liam left enough money for one of my premade gingham dresses and enough fabric for three more—as well as underclothes. Please, do your shopping quickly. I don't like your kind in my store."

Sally rolled her eyes and led Emma to the premade dresses in her price range. "Four dresses?" Emma shook her head. "I've never even had one new dress..."

"Four is quite a few.... I only have two. Liam must truly care about you."

Emma's heart skipped and fluttered in her chest. Did he? Why else would he do something so kind for her?

"Why is Mrs. Ryan so angry?" Emma asked, changing the subject.

Sally made a face that had Emma laughing lightly. "Her daughter, Bethany, has been after Liam for years. She's desperate to marry him. He has made it clear he doesn't have any interest in her and Anita has made it clear that she doesn't approve of her either. Mrs. Ryan hates us because we're Anita's girls. Now she'll hate you twice as much because it looks like Liam has taken a liking to you."

Emma shook her head, ignoring the joy she felt at hearing Liam wasn't interested in Mrs. Ryan's daughter... Emma didn't even know the woman!

"No he hasn't.... He just feels sorry fer me, that's all."

Sally laughed and patted Emma's arm as if she were a child. "You have so much to learn about life and men."

Emma sighed. She couldn't argue that.

Sally's light laughter filled the shop. "We'll worry about that later. For now, a lesson on fashion."

Emma left the shop with a new dress wrapped in brown paper and enough fabric to make three more—if she learned how to sew. She supposed that was something else she'd need to have lessons in.

"Let's go to the mercantile. Ms. Anita wanted us to get a few things."

Emma followed Sally down the boardwalk. The noontime road was peaceful and fairly quiet save for the barking a several dogs and the laughter of children.

It was, that is, until Lauren came flying out of the mercantile with tears on her freckled cheeks. She whirled around and faced the mercantile with clenched fists. "Don't you shove me!" she hollered.

A boy, probably about the same age as Lauren, walked out snickering with two other boys flanking him. "Don't you step foot in my mercantile again," the boy shot back. "We don't need ugly critters in here."

Lauren snorted. "You better stay out yourself then! And that isn't your mercantile. I don't see your name on it anywhere!"

The boy stepped forward. "I'll knock your head clean off for speaking to me like that!" he exclaimed.

Emma had seen enough. She'd spent her whole life being bullied—she wouldn't see it done to Lauren.

Without thinking much, Emma stepped forward. "Boys! That's enough! You should be ashamed of yerselves fer treatin' a girl that way!"

The three boys shared a glance and then burst into laughter. "Did you hear her talk?" the ringleader demanded. "What's mountain trash doing dirtying up our town?"

Emma tried not to let the insults bother her. "Ya need to stop. Yer being rude and immature and it ain't nice."

"What's the matter, mountain hick? Are you gonna cry?" the boy demanding, taking a step toward her. "I'll hit you just the same as I was going to hit your ugly friend there."

Emma knew it was foolish to be so afraid of a child—but she was.

Images of her father's angry face, twisted and red with rage flashed through her mind. She saw his angry fists and felt the pain—saw her mother lying dead.

Sucking in gulps of air, Emma fought back tears as her entire body trembled and shook. The boys, bolstered by her fear, hurled more insults and stepped closer.

Emma was faintly aware of Lauren yelling for them to stop and she was faintly aware of Sally calling her name. The yelling was so loud.....

Then all of that disappeared when a large hand closed on her shoulder and a shadow loomed behind her. Emma nearly cried out when a deep, familiar voice rumbled, "Is there a problem here?"