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Page 142

| in her had been repelled by the thought of more of the tough and sinewy kangaroo meat. On the journey from Melbourne kangaroo stew had been their main meal, and she had hoped never to have to eat it again. |

| "Was it worth it?" Ashton suddenly blurted out. |

| His sudden break into the silence took Sasha off guard. She looked with a start at him. "Was what worth it?" she asked, her eyes wide. |

| Ashton set his empty tin cup aside and moved closer to Sasha. "Were the waiting and the grueling days of travel worth it?" he asked, reaching to smooth her dark hair back from her shoulders so that it tumbled long and free down her back. "You aren't too disappointed?" |

| "Disappointed?" Sasha said, looking quickly away from him when she realized that the way he was looking at her was making her heart pound almost out of control. And he smelled so wonderful after his bath, fresh shave and change of clothes! "No. Not at all, Ashton." |

| "It is only the beginning, you know," Ashton said, reaching to take her hand, which she quickly took away from him. He frowned at her and his heart felt the sting of her rejection. "One day, Sasha, I promise you that you shall have a much nicer house, and we will bring plenty of bright, overstuffed furniture from Melbourne for your comfort." |

| He cleared his throat nervously. "You will have a room of your own, if at that time you still prefer it," he said. "It will be decorated in fine white lace, for that is how I see you, Sasha. A pretty thing who should always wear beautiful white lace." |

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