Tried and True (Wild at Heart Book #1) by Mary Connealy

larger than most of the mountain ponies Aaron had seen. The cowpoke galloped straight for the jail, and Aaron knew it was either someone with need of the marshal or maybe a member of the Wilde family.
    He jogged across the dusty street of Aspen Ridge just as the cowpoke swung off his horse. Every move was unusually skillful, and Aaron knew he was looking at a frontiersman who would make it in the West.
    The cowpoke lashed his reins to the hitching post, and as he strode up the two steps to the wooden walk that fronted the jail, Aaron called out, “The marshal isn’t in.”
    The newcomer turned to face him, and Aaron saw a more finely made version of Cudgel Wilde. This youth had none of Cudgel’s bitterness and grief carved into his face.
    “I heard Kylie Wilde is in custody.” The youngster’s voice was unusual. Aaron would remember it. “She’s my sister. I’m Bailey Wilde.”
    Aaron stepped up beside Bailey and gestured toward the door. “Yep, she’s locked up tight. More for her own good than for breaking the law, although she resisted my arrest of her.”
    Bailey grabbed the doorknob and wrenched it open.
    Kylie stood, both hands gripping the cell door. “Bailey, you came.”
    “When have I ever not come to take care of you?”
    Kylie smiled. Bailey smiled back. A smile that lit up an otherwise unremarkable face.
    Aaron shook his head. “Oh, good grief. You’re a girl, too.”
    Bailey whirled to face Aaron, but her eyes went past him. Aaron glanced back; there was no one there. He moved to close the door, knowing Bailey didn’t want the whole town to know.
    Before she could say anything, Aaron said, “I’m changing your paper work, as well.”
    With narrowed eyes, Bailey replied, “That’s so unjust, I’m surprised you can speak those words to me without shame.”
    “It’s the law, Miss Wilde.”
    “Shhh . . . don’t call me that.”
    “It’s your name.”
    “My name is Bailey Wilde.” She jerked off her gloves, and Aaron saw her fine-boned hands. Much like Kylie had kept her gloves on when she was disguised, Bailey did too. Their hands gave them away. And now that he knew she was a woman, Bailey’s face was really quite pretty.
    “I enlisted in the Union Army as Bailey Wilde. I served four years as Bailey Wilde. I did the work and earned the pay and served the United States of America honorably as Bailey Wilde.” Bailey jammed her fists on her hips. “What’s more, I don’t need that exemption. I plan to stay out here for good, so putting in five years isn’t a problem for me like it is for Kylie. But it’s still unjust. I’ve got my honorable discharge papers, and I used them to get my exemption. No one ever asked if I was a woman, not once the whole time I served.”
    Aaron felt his shoulders slump under Bailey’s logic. “I can’t change the law, Miss . . . Bailey. It’s illegal, though, for a woman to enlist in the Army.”
    “I never told a single lie. No one asked if I was a man.”
    “Just because the question wasn’t asked doesn’t mean it’s not a written down, fully legal act of Congress that the Army only allows men to serve.”
    “I don’t want that exemption because I need it.” Bailey slammed her right fist into her left hand. “I earned it. It’s right I should be given it. And because I served four years, I’m almost done. I would own my homestead free and clear in just a couple more months.”
    Aaron studied her face. “I have no idea how anyone could’ve thought you were a man for more than ten minutes.”
    “No one’s ever had much trouble believing it. You’d believe it too if you hadn’t caught on to Kylie.”
    “I doubt it. Give up, Bailey. I won’t be a party to fraud.”
    Bailey stared at him. He could see the wheels turning in her head. He thought he might be dealing with a very bright young woman, and he braced himself to stand up to her next argument. It wasn’t that easy, because she made a lot of sense. Denying her those years