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Page 295

| unpleasant. She sniffed at her clothes and realized that she was smelling herself. The journey had been hot and tiring. A bathLord, how she needed a bath! Then she could crawl into bed with Ashton and get the sleep that she so badly needed. Who knew what horrors would be awaiting them tomorrow? |

| "What will go wrong next?" she whispered to herself, moving back to her feet. She went around the cabin gathering up a clean, fresh-smelling dress, a towel, a fragrant piece of soap, and soft slippers to take the place of the stiff boots that she had worn for what seemed weeks. |

| "The drought," she fussed. "We are surely in for a drought. Will it wipe out what is left? If so, what then shall we do?" |

| She took the time to unbraid her hair, then left the cabin and walked toward the river. She did not look over her shoulder at the activity at the sheep station. She did not want to know how many sheep had died, or how many vegetables had been destroyed in the garden. Something told her that Ashton had been right to find solace in the bottle of whiskey. Perhaps tomorrow she might join him if things did not improve! |

| Moving through thick, tangled brush, Sasha finally saw the shine of the river just ahead. And in the fast-falling dusk, she saw something else. Bianca. She was sitting beside the river seemingly lost in thought. Her back to Sasha, she did not hear her approach. And when Sasha came up behind her, Bianca bolted to her feet, paling with fright. |

| "It's only me, Bianca," Sasha said, dropping her clothes and bathing paraphernalia to go to her to |

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