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Page 249

| ride away in the direction of the river," she said, glad that the rain and howling winds had slowed down somewhat. |

| Ashton's jaw tightened. "You went there after I told you not to?" he said, anger flaring in his eyes. |

| "You knew that I would," was all that Sasha could think to say. |

| "You're impossible, Sasha," Ashton grumbled. "I warned you of the dangers!" |

| "But, Ashton, if I hadn't been there, I wouldn't have seen Stanford's hired hands leaving his sheep station in the direction of ours," Sasha defended herself. "Why would they be riding toward our land if not to cause some sort of trouble?" She swallowed a lump in her throat at the mention of Rufussweet, gentle Rufus. "Could Stanford hate you so much that he would order that Rufus be killed?" |

| "Stanford Sidwell is capable of anything, especially vile acts against another human being," Ashton said, shaking his head. He looked in the distance where the rain had now stopped. "But I also have other enemies. Ajax. And . . . " |

| He did not voice his worries about Silas Howland possibly being behind Rufus's death. There had been no signs that Silas knew of his whereabouts. At least, not yet. . . . |

| He spun his horse around and began riding away. "Come with me, Crispin!" he shouted. "We'll go and see what Stanford has to say about this." He gave Sasha a harried look. "You stay home and out of trouble, Sasha. Damn it, you'd best listen to me this time!" |

| Sasha nodded. Dispirited, deeply saddened over Rufus's death, worried over Bianca's welfare, and |

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