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Walker, perhaps you should accompany them after all." |
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Mariah ignored the pang of hurt that shot through her. Even after last nightespecially after last nighthe wanted her gone. "I'm just trying to" |
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"Hey, Thorn!" A man's shout came from the common room. Mariah counted the settlers who'd dined last night. All were there in the kitchen. Thorn and René, too. Had another guest arrived for breakfast? It seemed early, but maybe someone had camped close by. |
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"Innkeeper!" came another shout, followed by laughter more derisive than merry. The settlers scrambled from the door to make room for a group of red-coated soldiers. The large kitchen seemed suddenly tiny as the would-be homesteaders took positions at one end, staring suspiciously. At a nod from the soldiers' apparent leader, the other ten roamed about, tricornered hats in their hands. Their demeanor was decisively nonchalant as they tossed snide smiles at the settlers. |
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Thorn remained motionless in the center of the room, his stony expression unwavering, his arms calmly at his sides. "What brings you here, Corporal Maitland?" he addressed the thin, arrogant soldier who appeared to be in charge. |
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"Orders, Captain Thorn. Oh, that's right. Mister Thorn." He spoke the word mister as though it were the ugliest epithet in the English language, and Mariah noticed Thorn's fingers curl ever so slightly, as though he prepared to make a fist. |
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"And what orders might those be?" Thorn's voice tightened almost imperceptibly, and Mariah admired him for his outward calm. "Finding a new pet for Captain Edmonstone? I smell skunk around here. Perhaps that would be fitting for Fort Pitt's commanding officer." |
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Maitland took an angry step toward Thorn, then stopped. "You have nearly guessed our mission. There have been threats by angry Indians, and to prevent another uprising like Pontiac's we are to rid the wilderness of a certain species of skunk that smells of breaking the Indian treaties." He glared in the direction of the settlers, then abruptly strode toward |
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