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Page 428

| A fifth pup was born, and then a sixth, the last of the litter. Ashton and Sasha busied themselves carrying the pups into the house, and then Lightning. Sasha fixed a bed for Lightning in one of her wicker laundry baskets, then smiled down at the dingo as the pups were placed with her. One by one the pups began to snuggle up to their mother to nurse. Tears of joy at having Lightning home again flowed freely from Sasha's eyes, but too soon she was again swept up into remorse for having lost Tobias. |

| "I'm going to go up with you to see to Paulette, and then I must leave to go and search for Tobias," Ashton said, giving Lightning a last pat before rising. |

| Sasha smoothed a hand over one of the pups and over Lightning's smooth fur, then walked slowly with Ashton up the stairs. When they made a turn to go to Paulette's room, a noise from Tobias's room drew them quickly to a halt. |

| "That sounds like the rocking chair squeaking," Sasha whispered, peering intently at the closed door that led into Tobias's room. "Someone is in there rocking." |

| "It's probably the maid rocking Paulette," Ashton said, shrugging. "Let's go and see." |

| Walking lightly to the door, Sasha stood aside as Ashton turned the knob. When the door opened and Sasha could see who was sitting in the rocker in the faint light of a candle, she felt a dizziness claim her. Ashton gasped and grabbed for Sasha, steadying her. |

| "Bianca?" Sasha said, tears pooling in her eyes when she looked down and saw Tobias asleep in Bianca's arms. "Tobias?" |

| Ashton led Sasha on into the room. They stood |

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