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Page 46

| row, without wasting thought on yesteryears! |

| "Ashton, how on earth did you find enough men to ride with us, to join us on our sheep station?" she marveled. "So many single men are still looking for their fortunes in gold. Lordy, I daresay the wages we'll be able to pay them may not be enough to clothe them adequately, much less have any left over for a man's sort of entertainment." |

| "Most of the men who have signed up with us are those who have been rich for one day, poor the next," Ashton said, weaving an arm around Sasha's waist, ushering her from the room. "They saw the follies in that sort of life and are ready to enjoy the pleasures of the life of the outback." |

| He gave her an uneasy look, one that he hoped she would not recognize. In truth, most of the men joining him and Sasha on this adventure were reformed convicts and bushrangersfriends of Ashton's past. He fervently hoped they were reformed in all ways, including their behavior toward ladies. |

| "You said that Crispin and Rufus have gone ahead," Sasha said, walking beside Ashton down the steep flight of stairs outside the building, to the wooden sidewalk. "Why would they? How will we ever find them if they aren't aware of where we are going to claim our squatter's rights? Where are the sheep? Have they been purchased?" |

| "We've a meeting place planned," Ashton said, setting Lightning to the ground, then whistling to her as the pup started to dash across the thoroughfare in front of a horseman. "That's all that I can say about it. I guess you're just going to have to trust that I know what I'm doing." |

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