Page 2 (1/2)

Aaron scrubbed his face with both hands Curse hiht of her, he’d been utterly ss, and by God, Diana Highas just soperfect In any other village, ht sit on these barstools and debate which woman deserved the honor of in and end over a single sip of ale Diana Highwood took the honors, without question She had the face of an angel Delicate and beautiful

But though her fair looks ht his eye, other qualities had snared his heart

It had all started the night they’d spent struggling to save Finn Bright’s life The youth had lost his foot in an explosion, and he’d been brought to the forge for surgery Miss Highasn’t a healer or a nurse, but she’d insisted on staying to help Bringing water,the sweat of deliriuht Aaron had learned the truth of Diana Highwood That her delicacy was only skin deep--but the beauty went all the way through

The longer she lived in this village, the more he found in her to admire She wasn’t only beautiful; she was brave as well Then deterent, charitable By now, she was so after she left, he’d be co every woman he ever met to her

And they’d all fall short

He stretched his hand, regarding it in the diht The pad of his thumb still burned where he’d brushed a lock of hair froainst the cool tankard, but it still throbbed, hot and achy

Daet away from him, and now she was deep under his skin In his blood, it seemed

"She’s not for you," Fosbury said

"I know it I knoell" And if he’d been harboring any other thoughts, her frantic escape today would have driven thee"

"I know that, too It’s justso long as she’s living here, I can’t seem to take an interest in anyone else"

Fosbury leaned close over the counter and lowered his voice "The answer could be right under your nose You don’t have to look far"

The tavern keeper tilted his head in the direction of the serving girl, who’d e to wipe the tables clean She cast a friendly s with a nod

When she was out of earshot, Aaron muttered, "You want ood wife Hardworking, clever with surown up well, too" Fosbury rapped the countertop with his knuckles, then drifted away "Think about it"

Under the guise of stretching his neck, Aaron had another look at the girl

He thought about it

Fosbury was right Pauline Sihts on She was one of his kind Working class, the daughter of a farmer As Fosbury said, she was quick with her hands and her wits She’d be a help to any es, but nothing some care and time wouldn’t smooth

As he watched, she tipped over a decorative plate, h they were only four years apart in age, and even though she’d long grown into a woman--a pretty one, at that--Aaron couldn’t look at Pauline Sirown up a year behind his own sister

That was the problee this small Every available woman felt like a sister to him Or maybe it was his own circu-brother role

When his father had died ten years ago, slumped over the anvil from a heart attack, it didn’t matter that Aaron was barely seventeen He’d needed to becoe, working hard to support his mother and sisters

When Spindle Cove beca ladies, so overrunbut it suited Aaron fine By then, both his sisters had married, and they and hisladies around He mended their locks and buckles; they purchased the silver and copper trinkets hea flock of little sisters to replace the ones he so sorely hwood

He’d never felt brotherly toward her

He drained his ale It wasn’t strong enough "Pauline?"

She looked up fro a table clean "Yes, Mr Dawes? Anythin’ else you need?"

"Bring me a whiskey, will you?"

CHAPTER 2

As was their habit, all the ladies residing in the Queen’s Ruby roo fire kept the chill at bay

Even now, hours after leaving the forge, Diana was still out-of-sorts The bit of needlework she’d been working on wouldn’t coht, and she’d lost patience with it

She’d lost patience with herself

She’d spent the better part of two years girlishly infatuated with Aaron Dawes, all the while trusting nothing could come of it He’d mended every scrap ofher nothing but neighborly patience

Until today Today, he’d shown her so much more

And she’d panicked and fled Not even politely, but as if he were an ogre She was certain he’d been wounded by her hasty retreat

Now she’d have to avoid hie How unbearably aard

She gave up on stitching and cast a glance out theThrough the dark and wet, she saw a fareen

He ht