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fa9433e
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I have another problem." Caleb's grin was at once endearing and obnoxious. "You're naked in my bed, and you don't own a stitch of clothing in the world," he agreed. "You needn't look so pleased about it!" Lily snapped, drawing up her knees and wrapping her arms around them. She was very careful not to let the covers slip away from her breasts. "Not only that," Caleb went on, as though she hadn't spoken, "but the whole fort is talking about ..
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Linda Lael Miller |
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4778b67
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Hello, Major," Lily said, and she went right on scrubbing. Caleb approached. "Put down those long Johns and look at me, Lily. I've got something to give you." She glared resentfully at his perfectly pressed coat, thinking of his plans to escort Sandra back to Tylerville. "Who washed your clothes?" she demanded. "Your competition," he answered easily. "After all, if I brought my laundry to you, it would be like paying you, wouldn't it? And I..
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Linda Lael Miller |
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d86922f
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Lily, if you don't stop that washing and look at me, I swear I'll throw you over my shoulder and carry you inside like a sack of grain." Because"
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Linda Lael Miller |
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faf26c4
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Couldn't you stay?" she whispered. "Couldn't someone else go on that cattle drive?" He shook his head, then bent to kiss her lightly on the mouth. "Be ready," he told her, when it was over, "because when I get home, I plan to take you wherever I find you." With that, he gave Emma a little pat on the bottom, put his hat on, and went whistling down the walk to the gate. Emma"
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Linda Lael Miller |
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aef79f0
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You're so much smarter than I am, Caleb. So much stronger and so much more persuasive. If I married you, I wouldn't be myself for very long. I'd soon become the person you want me to be." He sat back in his chair, his arms folded across his chest. "I wouldn't change you for the world," he protested quietly. "Yes, you would," Lily insisted. "You'd make me into a china doll, overseeing tea parties and embroidering samplers and gazing at you i..
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Linda Lael Miller |
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980a78d
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If you permit such a barbarous thing to happen, Caleb Halliday, I vow that I'll never speak to you again." He pushed back his chair, and Lily's hand in the process, to stand. "If you have your way, we'll be apart soon anyway. What do I have to lose?" "Your honor," Lily argued. He crossed the room to take his campaign hat from one of the pegs beside the kitchen door. "When it comes to letting another man lay his hands on you, I have no honor..
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Linda Lael Miller |
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d3827ca
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When it comes to letting another man lay his hands on you, I have no honor," he said bluntly. She"
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Linda Lael Miller |
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ceef948
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Well, I won't be here when you get back." He grinned at her, but there was no fondness in the expression, no light in his eyes. "You won't get far, will you?" he asked, and Lily saw mockery in the curve of his lips and the set of his shoulders. "I'll wager you don't want to face even Gertrude without my wedding band on your finger." He"
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Linda Lael Miller |
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3959825
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He ached, not just to have her beneath him, but to have her beside him. He wanted to tell her why he needed to go home and face Joss, why he was tired of the army, why he wanted sons and daughters. He wanted her to hold him in her arms and tell him that everything would be all right, that they would work out all their differences and learn to live together in peace. It
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Linda Lael Miller |
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382e3ea
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Wilbur looked patently horrified. "Surely you wouldn't consider living on Suds Row," he said. Then he lowered his voice. "If the major won't marry you, I will." Lily was now exasperated as well as winded. "Of course I don't mean to live on the Row," she answered, ignoring Wilbur's whispered offer to make an honest woman of her."
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Linda Lael Miller |
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c05dd84
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There's no telling what the major'll have to say when he hears about this, though." "Nothing," Lily said confidently. "Caleb's under Colonel Tibbet's command, same as you are." "He's going to tan your hide, that's what he's going to do," Velvet fretted, fidgeting at Lily's side. "He wouldn't dare." Wilbur cleared his throat. "Don't be too sure of it. The major isn't afraid of anybody or anything. He probably wouldn't think twice about wallo..
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Linda Lael Miller |
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04eaee4
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If I were you," she countered, "I'd get the major's weddin' ring on my finger, and his baby in my belly, and I'd forget this whole stupid idea of homesteadin'!" Insulted,"
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Linda Lael Miller |
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d441205
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What is it?" he asked quietly, his eyes full of concern. "What have you been doing that's so terrible?" A great shudder of anguish moved through Velvet. Once he learned the truth Hank would never forgive her, but there had been enough running away, and she couldn't bring herself to lie. Not to this man. She accepted the handkerchief he offered and dried her face. "Things was hard after Pa and Eldon died," she managed to say, mopping at her ..
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Linda Lael Miller |
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64751ae
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If you want to play this game, then so be it," he snapped. "We'll play settler until you finally learn what a miserable, hardscrabble life it really is!" He'd swept his hat off his head, and when he slapped it against his thigh, dust flew. "You mean you're going to marry me?" Lily dared to ask, coughing. "Hell, no!" Caleb retorted in a raspy whisper. "I wouldn't marry a stubborn, sneaky little chit like you for anything!" Lily might have sl..
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Linda Lael Miller |
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6f7d4b3
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As he passed the tool wagon Wilbur had brought out that morning from Fort Deveraux he snatched up a pick. "Caleb!" Lily cried, terrified that he meant to destroy her cabin. But he went around the cabin to the land behind it and plunged the pick into the ground with a mighty swing. "Right here!" he bellowed, no longer caring, evidently, that some of his troops were there to witness his fit of temper. "I'm building my house right here!" Lily ..
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Linda Lael Miller |
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e3deaee
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Steven's patience had been taxed to the limits. He'd never in his life laid a hand on a female in anger, but he was sorely tempted to haul this one off to the woodshed and blister her backside.
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Linda Lael Miller |
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989f202
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Caleb's eyes shifted to something in the corner and went narrow, and a dangerous calm replaced his outrage. "My shotgun," he said disbelievingly. "Isn't that my shotgun?" "I only borrowed it," Lily said, squaring her shoulders. "You shouldn't make such an issue of a little thing like that." "Have you fired it?" Lily thought of the large round bruise on her stomach where the butt of the weapon had struck her when she pulled the trigger. She ..
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Linda Lael Miller |
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91259db
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Caleb pushed back his chair and fetched his hat from the bed, but not before he put his hand on the mattress and pressed to make the bedsprings squeak. The sound was so loud that Lily cringed, knowing what Wilbur and his men would think. "Caleb, stop!" she cried angrily. Caleb only grinned at her and repeated the process, once, then again, then again and again. "Damn you," Lily whispered, "stop it." He paused, watching the color climb her f..
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Linda Lael Miller |
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7cc219b
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She yanked open the door, and her smile faded. The same Indian who had wanted to trade two horses for her was standing on the apple crate that served as a front step, his black hair dripping with water, his calico shirt so wet that his copper skin showed through in places. "No house!" he said. Lily was paralyzed for a moment. Here it was, she thought, the moment she'd been warned about. She was going to be scalped, or ravaged, or carried of..
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Linda Lael Miller |
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ad138b2
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When she arrived at her tiny house smoke was curling from the chimney and the windows glowed golden. Lily went up and stood in the empty flower bed to peer in through the glass, and she was incensed to see Caleb sitting at the table, smoking a pipe as if he owned the place. She shoved open the door and stormed inside to demand, "What are you doing here, Caleb Halliday?" He gave her a distant, noncommittal glance. "You were almost out of fir..
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Linda Lael Miller |
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c8aa01a
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She was standing there, naked as a Greek statue, when the door suddenly opened and a gust of cool night air raised goosebumps all over her body. "I forgot my hat," Caleb announced flatly, but his amber eyes burned as they moved over Lily's naked form. She covered both breasts with her arms and lifted one thigh in an attempt to hide herself. She was so angry that for a long moment she just stood there, staring and shivering. Then she snapped..
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Linda Lael Miller |
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89270fc
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I've been wanting to do this for a long time," he said in a dangerous drawl, "and you just gave me the excuse I needed." "What--what are you talking about?" Lily demanded, stepping backwards. A drop of rainwater from the leaky roof landed with a disconcerting ker-plop on the top of her head. Caleb was unbuttoning his cuffs, rolling up his sleeves. "I'm talking," he replied evenly, "about raising blisters on your sweet little backside." Lily..
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Linda Lael Miller |
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63b997d
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Lily pulled the quilt over her and rolled to one side so that her back was to him. Now that her passion had been appeased, her pride was back in force, and it was painfully bruised. She heard the clank of metal against metal, then felt a cold rush of air as Caleb opened the back door and went out. She knew he'd gone to the pump for more water. Lily didn't move until much later, when he crossed the room to swat her lightly on her quilt-cover..
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Linda Lael Miller |
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aeab04c
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Lily didn't move until much later, when he crossed the room to swat her lightly on her quilt-covered bottom. "Your bath water is hot again," he said quietly. "Lock the door when I go." Lily turned to look up at him. "Caleb--" He laid an index finger to her lips to silence her. "There's been enough nonsense," he told her matter-of-factly. "I'll be away for a day or so. When I get back I want to find you living in my house, where you belong."..
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Linda Lael Miller |
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1a54c10
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Caleb resisted an urge to go back to Fort Deveraux, snatch Lily up, and take her with him to Spokane. If she was at his side, no one would hurt her--he'd see to that.
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Linda Lael Miller |
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331071c
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Watch out for her, Caleb. If the men of Fort Deveraux have the wrong idea about Lily, so do the women--and they'll tear her apart if they get the chance." Caleb frowned. "What are you saying?" "It isn't just those bawds down on Suds Row that Lily has to look out for. Did it escape your notice that the 'good' women at my party snubbed her in that ever-so-gracious way they have? They don't like her, Caleb, and they won't miss an opportunity t..
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Linda Lael Miller |
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d793d6d
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Lily pretended he hadn't spoken--that he wasn't even there, for that matter--but the moment the door closed behind him Velvet burst out in uproarious laughter. "If this don't beat anything I've ever seen!" she cried between yelps of mirth. Lily relived the incident in her mind and reddened accordingly. "He wouldn't really have struck me," she insisted. "He wouldn't have dared." Velvet's guffaws became giggles. "His hand was about this far f..
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Linda Lael Miller |
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cbfabdd
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Even though Caleb had known in the core of his being that Lily would not be waiting in his house when he returned from Spokane, he was disappointed not to find her there. As he walked through the dusty rooms where the furniture looked misshapen under coverings of cloth he imagined the changes Lily's presence would have wrought in the place. It was cold and dank in that house, but Lily would have had fires burning on both the hearths and in ..
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Linda Lael Miller |
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3cd661f
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His eyes met hers, and he smiled shyly. "I guess you know I'd do just about anything for you, Miss Lily. Even farming, if it came to that." There was a rider coming over the rise, and Lily knew in an instant that it was Caleb. Given his direction, he'd been to Tylerville. She wanted to share that farm with just one man, and he was riding arrogantly across the creek at that moment. "Thank you, Wilbur," she said gently. "But I'm not the right..
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Linda Lael Miller |
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8ce7034
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I suppose you're wondering where I've been," Caleb said, sounding damnably pleased with himself as he climbed down from the gelding's back. "I wasn't wondering any such thing." Lily's arms were folded, and her chin was thrust out. She couldn't help noticing that Caleb wasn't wearing his uniform--he had on dark trousers and a cotton shirt. On his head in place of the tasseled campaign hat was a slouchy leather one. Although he wasn't wearing..
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Linda Lael Miller |
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2ffb00f
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Was there something you wanted?" she asked, shading her eyes from the bright sunshine. Matthews was taller than Lily by about six inches, and his blue eyes swept over her in a way that could only be called suggestive. "I reckon I want what the major was havin' yesterday when the bedsprings was creakin' fit to wake the dead," he told her. Lily retreated a step, cheeks flaming. She clasped the hoe handle in white-knuckled fingers. The affront..
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Linda Lael Miller |
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e50ab89
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All of a sudden the burlap bag in her hands started to squawk and bulge wildly. "What is this?" Caleb's good humor was apparently restored. "It's a chicken, sodbuster. After you chop off his head, gut him, and pluck out all his feathers, he'll fry up real nice." Lily felt her lunch boil up into her throat. She'd fed plenty of chickens in her time, and certainly fried a few, but Rupert had usually been the one to kill them. "He looks delicio..
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Linda Lael Miller |
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c62ec4b
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Your bath is ready, sodbuster." Lily stood. "I'm not going to bathe in the open," she said. "All right, then," Caleb answered, pulling his shirt from his trousers, "I will. No sense letting all this nice hot water go to waste." Lily might have loved Caleb Halliday, but she begrudged him that clean, steaming bath water in the worst way. "Don't you dare step into that tub," she said, marching over to where he stood. "It's mine." Caleb smiled ..
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Linda Lael Miller |
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769e49f
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Caleb swore under his breath and got to his feet. He had so much to say to Lily, and presents to give her, and here she'd taken off on some wild goose chase. She really meant to move to that damned farm, the stubborn little chit.
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Linda Lael Miller |
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b475242
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The miles between Tylerville and Spokane passed quickly, and the growing city was visible in the distance when suddenly there were shouts and the stagecoach came to a sudden stop. Lily heard Sam Hargrave swear up in the box of the coach, and for one terrible moment she thought they'd been set upon by bandits. She was completely shocked when Caleb wrenched open the stage door. "You've changed your mind," Bianca said softly. Lily's gaze shift..
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Linda Lael Miller |
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81d46e9
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Lily remembered Sandra saying that Caleb's mind couldn't be changed by a blast of dynamite once he'd made it up on a subject, and she had a hunch both women were right. Caleb was the most hardheaded man on earth.
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Linda Lael Miller |
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6ec59c9
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He must love you," Bianca went on brokenly, "if he'd follow you all this way." Lily shook her head. She couldn't bear for Bianca's words to be true, or for them to be a lie. She wished she'd never met Caleb Halliday, never danced with him, never eaten his chocolates and appeased his needs. "He's just angry because I didn't obey his orders," she said finally. "My guess is that he'll ride back to Fort Deveraux and forget all about me." Bianca..
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Linda Lael Miller |
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55975d1
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Just a damn minute," Caleb barked, bringing her up short with a quick grasp on her elbow. "Where do you think you're going?" "To my brother's home," Lily replied, her chin high. "Kindly unhand me, Major. If you don't, I'll scream." Reluctantly Caleb let go of Lily's arm. He swept his hat off his head and then put it back on again in a single furious motion. "I want to know what you're doing here," he hissed, keeping up with Lily's short str..
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Linda Lael Miller |
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2dfb3b2
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Just a damn minute," Caleb barked, bringing her up short with a quick grasp on her elbow. "Where do you think you're going?" "To my brother's home," Lily replied, her chin high. "Kindly unhand me, Major. If you don't, I'll scream." Reluctantly Caleb let go of Lily's arm. He swept his hat off his head and then put it back on again in a single furious motion. "I want to know what you're doing here," he hissed, keeping up with Lily's short str..
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Linda Lael Miller |
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73307dd
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Caleb touched the brim of his hat and nodded an acknowledgment to Rupert, then spoke to Lily in the clipped, authoritative tone she'd heard him use with his soldiers. "We'll leave for the fort tomorrow," he announced. "You may do whatever you please, Major," Lily responded coldly, "but I'm staying here. I have business to attend to." "Shall I explain to your brother why I have a claim on you?" Caleb asked, his tone a mockery of indulgence. ..
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Linda Lael Miller |
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43c20b1
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So," he said, putting an arm around her shoulders and escorting her toward his small wooden house, "you've finally come to your senses and decided to settle down and make a real life for yourself. The major seems like a fine man to me." Lily wondered if Rupert had overlooked the fact that she and Caleb hated each other. "He's a pompous, overbearing, bullying ass," she replied. Rupert grinned. "Just what you need," he retorted. As"
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Linda Lael Miller |
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fd7149c
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As luck would have it, Caleb appeared at supper that night. His uniform had been shaken out and pressed, and his butterscotch hair gleamed with cleanliness. He brought Cuban cigars for Rupert and a delicate china figurine for Lily. She looked at him in bewilderment, and he smiled at her as though there had been no disagreement at the front gate only a few hours earlier.
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Linda Lael Miller |
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42c9b46
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I want to marry your sister," he announced after he and Rupert had consumed the better part of a chicken, along with mashed potatoes, gravy, and corn, at the simple table in Rupert's kitchen. Lily had no illusions that Caleb meant what he said. It was just that even he wouldn't have the gall to stand there flat-footed and tell Rupert he wanted to keep his sister as a mistress. He and Rupert each took a cigar and lit up. "Don't I have anythi..
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Linda Lael Miller |
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fc58820
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I want to marry your sister," he announced after he and Rupert had consumed the better part of a chicken, along with mashed potatoes, gravy, and corn, at the simple table in Rupert's kitchen. Lily had no illusions that Caleb meant what he said. It was just that even he wouldn't have the gall to stand there flat-footed and tell Rupert he wanted to keep his sister as a mistress. He and Rupert each took a cigar and lit up. "Don't I have anythi..
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Linda Lael Miller |