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Page 168

| to discover that someone else was bathing in the river. |

| "A woman?" she whispered, staring down at the dark-skinned figure. Only her face was exposed above the water, her magnificently long hair drifting in the water behind her. When the woman looked up at her, her dark eyes revealed the shock of seeing Sasha suddenly there, and Sasha immediately recognized her. And it was obvious that the woman had recognized her as well. |

| "Bianca?" Sasha said, walking on to the riverbank. |

| "Sasha?" Bianca said, staring disbelievingly up at her. "I know you from York's Pub. Why are you here?" |

| Sasha blushed, not wanting to reveal to Bianca how she knew herthe prostitute everyone had talked about in Melbourne, the half-breed prostitute who knew well the art of pleasing a man! |

| "I have recently moved to the outback," Sasha said. She motioned with a hand toward the sheep station. "I live just through those trees." She paused, absently dropping her hand to her side. "And you, Bianca? What are you doing in these parts?" |

| Bianca smoothed her hands through her hair, drawing it back from her face. She looked nervously up at Sasha, recalling Stanford's threat and instructions. "I, too, live close by," she said, her voice drawn. She motioned with a hand toward the other side of the river. "Through those trees. I come with my husband to a sheep station. He is the sheepherder." |

| Sasha's lips parted with surprise for more than |

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