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Page 198

| Sasha's breath was taken away when the hawker lifted the old tarpaulin covering and began bringing out openwork stockings, ribbons, and shawls for her close scrutiny. |

| "Now those are items most ladies are interested in," the hawker said smoothly. When Sasha only looked and didn't offer to buy any of the finery, the hawker placed them back in the wagon. |

| He pointed to a mouth organ, but reached for a pen knife, its handle made of pearl. He handed it toward Sasha. "Most men entertain thoughts of owning one of these handy gadgets," he said. |

| Sasha was taken quickly with an idea. If she could purchase this lovely pen knife for Ashton, perhaps he would accept it as a peace offering! |

| "Take it," the Syrian urged. "Run your hands over the smoothness of the pearl handle. It'll seduce you into buyin' it for your mister, it will." |

| Her pulse racing, Sasha took the knife and did as the hawker suggested. As she ran her fingers over the pearl handle, another thought seized her. The scar on Ashton's face! It had surely been inflicted by a knife of some sort. What if it had been a pen knife? Surely he would detest such a gift! |

| Quickly she handed the knife back to the hawker. "No," she said, "I don't think that will do." |

| The hawker frowned at her with his dark eyes, then turned and placed the pen knife with the other items. |

| Sasha's attention was drawn away from the man and his wares by the sound of an approaching horse and buggy. Her heart grew cold when she recognized Stanford Sidwell as the driver. He had said |

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