Character Spotlight: Rachel Anne

At five years old, Rachel Anne has already learned that the safest place in the world is beside her mother—and that a certain U.S. Marshal who calls her "Pumpkin" might be a close second.

With her rich auburn curls, small stature, and ever-present rag doll, Dolly, Rachel Anne is an energetic, curious little girl who has a remarkable ability to say exactly what she is thinking. Her priorities are refreshingly simple: cookies, bacon, peach pie, being allowed to help, and knowing where her mother is at all times.

She is also far more observant than the adults around her sometimes realize.

Rachel Anne knows when her mother is frightened. She knows when adults are arguing even when they pretend they're not. And when she finally reaches the Lazy L, she knows something important almost immediately:

She feels safe there.

She takes to her grandmother with surprising ease, happily accepting the promise of sandwiches and peach pie. She takes to Josh even faster. He may be a stranger to her at first, but his patience, protectiveness, and willingness to treat her like a young lady rather than simply a child quickly win her trust.

That doesn't mean she's always agreeable. Rachel Anne has inherited a stubborn streak from somewhere—although Josh has already figured out exactly where.

When he hurts her feelings, she tells him. When she doesn't want supper, she says so. And when she's frightened, she doesn't pretend otherwise.

She simply climbs into someone's lap, hugs Dolly a little tighter, and tells the truth.

Because Rachel Anne may be small.

But she's nobody's fool.