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“I’ll have your plates out in aaway He, too, earing a unifor white apron

“Is Mr Ryan the cook?”

“Yes,” Seth answered “Keeping the unit fed is his job”

The words see, but it was beyond her to understand exactly what Thea teapot and two plates of food—stew, not beans—in front of them

The tea was refreshing, but it didn’t help as much as she’d hoped Perhaps because the roo alone with Seth would be better

They, too, ate in silence, and though he didn’t gobble his food, Seth was done long before she was At which point he pushed away from the table “I have work to see to I assume you can find your way back to the cabin”

After patting her lips, she laid her napkin on the table “I’m finished, too May I walk out with you?”

He eyed her slowly, then gave a slight shrug “If you want”

She wanted, all right The eyes staring their way had burned holes in the back of her dress It was to be expected, her showing up out of the blue like this, yet she couldn’t help but wish things were different That animosity didn’t ooze off of Seth

Mr Ryan , no?”

“Oh, yes,” she assured him “The steas delicious And the tea wonderful Thank you, Mr Ryan”

The lanced toward Seth

“I’ll talk to you later, Sergeant,” Seth said