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Page 330

| he was avoiding telling her about his past relationship with Stanford Sidwell. Surely it was something quite intense for Stanford to take such elaborate steps to get back at Ashton. |

| Captain Kelton walked away from them and began shouting orders to his men. |

| Ashton turned to Sasha and held her gently by the shoulders. ''You return to the cabin until the boat is moving in the water again," he ordered flatly. |

| "But, Ashton, what if Stanford should return?" she argued. "I proved that I could help defend the boat the same as the men. I want to stay at the rail and keep watch and be prepared should they return." |

| Ashton sighed heavily. "Sasha, for once do as I say?" he said, his dark eyes boring down into hers. "There are enough men to see to things." He looked over his shoulder. "Anyhow, there isn't any sign of the scalawags anywhere. Once Stanford was wounded, he surely gave the command to return to his sheep station." His jaw tightened. "But if he knows what's good for him, he'll hightail it out of this part of the country while the gettin' is good. I won't stand by any longer and let him destroy our lives." |

| Sasha flung herself into Ashton's arms and hugged him. "Please be careful," she murmured. "Ashton York, I love you with all of my heart. I can't bear the thought of losing you." |

| "Sasha," Ashton said, weaving his fingers through her long and lustrous hair. "My sweet Sasha. Do you think I would let anything happen to me now that I've found someone like you to spend the rest of my life with?" |

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