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Page 344
Ainsley had stood by him in their village in England, had told him many a time that Thorn was not responsible for the death of his oldest brother and his bride. It had not been his fault that the wheel of the carriage in which they rode was loose, even if he had been the one to grease it last. While Ainsley watched.
Nor was it truly his fault that the lad BillyWill now-had been stolen, Ainsley had maintained staunchly. There had been others on patrol that day, Ainsley among them. But Thorn had been the one assigned to the berry pickers.
Where had Ainsley been that day? Thorn could not recall.
Thorn had not caused Billy's mother, Mary Porter, to kill herself, Ainsley had reassured him. But she had died.
And Ainsley certainly had wished for this duel.
Thorn had trusted Ainsley more than anyone else in his lifeuntil Mariah. But he had been a fool in many things.
In this, too?
Thorn's groan must have sounded aloud, for Mariah knelt beside him and grasped his shoulder.
"How is he?" she asked. Her beautiful green eyes were turned anxiously on him, and anguish was written on her face. For him. For his pain.
But he did not wish her pity.
"I do not yet know." His tone was abrupt, and he saw hurt where before he had seen compassion. "See to Will."
The young man sat erect in the mud nearby, rubbing his head where it had been struck, but he was clearly all right. Mariah did not move. "He could have killed you," she said.
"Or you." He paused. "I trust you did not rely on my saving you."
"You pigheadednever mind. This isn't the time to tell you again what I think of your darned claims of unreliability. I did have a moment, though, when you walked away . . . "
"As well you should have. He could have shot you then." Thorn didn't believe Ainsley would have. But he had thought he knew Ainsley. If Thorn's judgment had been errant and Mariah had been killed . . . He winced at the very thought, just as Ainsley moaned. "You must leave here, Mariah. Leave this town."

 
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