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Page 255
to Holly to see her suddenly begin to cry. "You must stop that no matter what." The young woman swiped the back of her hand over her eyes.
Mariah recalled that Holly had been captured by Indians but had never really spoken of her experience. "Holly," she said gently, "it sometimes helps to speak of bad times."
The outside door opened and Thorn strode in. It was the first time Mariah had seen him since the night before, when ecstasy had turned so swiftly sour.
Even the sight of him now made her want to cry out in pain for what had been gained, then lost.
But the last thing she wanted was for him to know how affected she'd been.
Keeping her gaze determinedly on the dough in her hands, she asked, "Would you care for some tea, Mr. Thorn? We already have water on to boil." Her tone was steady, thank heavens.
"Not right now, thank you." He spoke in his normal, deep, gravelly voice with its appealing British accent. Not a trace of feeling in it. She watched him from the corner of her eye. Though he glanced at her, he quickly looked away. His strong, blunt chin remained raised, his face impassive.
Damn the man and his emotionless hide!
He walked through the kitchen and out the door to the common room. Only then did Mariah let out her breath in a loud whoosh. She hadn't even realized she'd been holding it.
She turned back to Holly, who was shaping her dough into a rectangular loaf. Tears still filled her eyes, but aside from her sniffling she'd stopped crying.
"Are you all right?" Mariah slipped an arm around Holly's shoulder. She felt like crying herself but was glad she bad Holly to worry about. "I'm sorry Thorn came in. I thought it better that I not call attention to you."
"You're right," Holly agreed, her voice choked. "I oughtn't have acted in such a way, but"
"Don't apologize." Mariah took Holly's loaf of bread and put it on one of the long-handled paddles propped beside the hearth. She slid it into the oven like a pro, then went to get

 
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