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bed. Fortunately, it was at the far side of the room. But with the two of them in it, the house suddenly seemed quite small. |
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"Now," he said, "I wish to know what is troubling you. Is it merely that your flirtation with the soldiers will soon be ended? Perhaps you should return to Pittsborough, where men from the fort can play your games any time." He ended with soft fury in his tone. |
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That made her cringe. She'd wanted him to show some emotion; now he hadanger. With her. And she wasn't sure why. |
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All she wanted was . . . what? She didn't know now. To be able to prevent the incidents yet to come in the screenplay? If the script were to come true, she would wander away from here like Matilda. Then she'd be kidnapped by Indians. |
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She'd had a taste of that already, with that Nahtana. She wanted no more. |
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Later, Thorn would die at the hands of a young man named Billy. Will. The soldier who had just enjoyed Thorn's hospitality. |
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Anguish rounding her shoulders, she stared as he sat beside her. The lantern hung on the wall behind him, so he was backlighted, and the crevasses below his cheekbones were dark shadows. His uneven chestnut hair formed a regal mane about his head and thick neck. She wanted to see his mouth, to see if it smiled at her or was in its usual grim, straight line. She wanted to see his eyes, too, to try to read behind them to his thoughts. |
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"I understand," she said in a monotone, "that people in the wilderness are allowed to keep their own secrets." |
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"Strangers may," he agreed. "But you are my employee. You make an impression on all of my guests. I am entitled to know about you." |
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She smiled bitterly. "Maybe you are, at that. But you'd think me crazy if I told you." |
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"Do you think I believe you to be totally rational now?" |
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Shaking her head, she stood and paced the room, listening to her boots echo along the wood floor. Her arms were crossed, as though she hugged herself. "All right, I'll tell you. But you have to promise you'll let me stay here." |
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