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Thorn threw open the door to his cabin. He gasped, as though he could not breathe. |
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He barely noticed as Holly came running from the inn's kitchen. ''Is she all right?" |
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"II think so." He shoved his fingers through his hair. "She tried to talk to me, and now she's asleep." |
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"I will check on her." The tow-haired woman edged past Thorn into his house. |
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He leaned against the cool stone wall, attempting to compose himself. Mariah's wounds were bad. She had lost much blood, and she was very weak. |
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He slammed the heel of his hand against the stones, allowing the pain to wash over him. That was pain he could understand, not this gnawing at his heart. |
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It was guilt again, of course. He had once more allowed a woman to suffer for his ineptitude. |
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He did not care for her. He did not dare. |
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But he still wished for her to live. |
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Holly, René and he had cleaned her wounds and bandaged them. Now it was up to Mariah to heal. |
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