Grace Livingston Hill 
Christmas Bride 

Now a wealthy man, Greg Sterling heads back east to make a name for himself. But on his first day home, he stumbles on a down-and-out young woman in desperate need of his help. Then just as quickly as she appeared, Margaret Mc Laren vanishes without a trace. As several days of searching come up empty-handed, old flame Alice Blair saunters into Gregs world, vying to win his heartand his pocketbook. But will her coquettishness keep Greg from finding his true love?