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Page 365

| Ashton was cold inside as he watched his world going up in flames around him. Every last coin that he and Sasha had saved and spent on the sheep station was going up in smoke. His and Sasha's livelihood and future was turning to smoke! What were they to do? He did not like to think of having to return to Melbourne a loser. He did not want to put Sasha through the grind of eking out a living again as pub owners! |

| That was a laugh! Even that would not be available to him. He did not have the funds to buy back York's Pub. He was broke. He and his wife had nothing to fall back on. |

| Except . . . |

| Ashton's eyes lit up with a thoughta ray of hope that he had placed at the far recesses of his mind for the past several years. Perhaps this was the time to take advantage of the chest that he had vowed never to touch! The circumstances warranted that he forget his damn vows and stubborn pride and take what he had fought so hard to get from the damnable Superintendent Silas Howland. |

| Sasha peered up at Ashton, seeing a spark of life in his eyes which only a moment ago were dull and filled with the torment that only failure could cause. "Ashton, what is it?" she asked, touching his cheek gently. "What are you thinking about? You look as though you are no longer filled with despair. Why is that, Ashton? We have lost everything!" |

| Ashton drew her closer and hugged her. "Not everything," he said. "We have each other. And also . . ." |

| "Also what?" Sasha asked, her eyes wide. |

| "I'll explain later," Ashton said, his gaze moving |

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