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Several blocks down the street, he came to one of the feooden sidewalks His footsteps were heavy with fatigue, his spurs rattling with each leaden stride Although his body was bone-weary, his eyes never ceased their restless scanning of the streets But they paid little attention to the store buildings he passed, except to note custo in or out

“Benteen?” a female voice called out to him, uncertain

He stopped, half-turning to glance behind hih his system as he saw Lorna poised in the doorway of the milliner’s shop The hesitancy left her expression and a slide across the sidewalk to hi any sound at all A blue ribbon swept the length of her long dark hair away from her face and left it to cascade in soft curls down her back She was like spring, fresh and innocent in her long dress of white cotton with small blue flowers

The top of her head barely reached his shoulder Her brown eyes sparkled with the pleasure of seeing hi to him

His eyes drank in the essence of her like a thirstyshe was Not so little, perhaps, Be

nteen corrected as his gaze noticed her firown that covered her all the way to her neck

“Where have you been?” she asked as she scanned his haggard and disreputable appearance “I was beginning to worry about you The others cao Where have you been all this time?”

A surging warh features Benteen stroked her s to do more than just touch her “You sound just like a wife already,” he teased softly He was conscious of his trail grime and unshaven face The public street didn’tany easier

His re her excited shyness At ti contradiction There was a Madonna-like quality to her features, yet her brown eyes could be bold and spirited, revealing an intelligence that she usually concealed in a wohter as a young girl, and other times, very calm and self-confident At theto be a wife; but she was seventeen, soon to be eighteen, definitely a e

She slanted him a look, a sauciness behind her proper air “If I were your wife, Chase Benteen Calder, I’d take after you with a rolling pin for being away so long without writing le word”

He chuckled softly at the threat, not believing she was capable of anything that remotely resembled violence His features were so solidly coe in his expression was always co He looked over at the shop she’d coeneral store—Pearce’s E your father’s money on another hat?”

“No I’ to spend your lanced toward the door, where a rather plain brown-haired girl was standing “You reether,” she reirlfriend to come forward “Her mother owns the millinery shop”

The girl approached thehtly breathless voice

“Benteen,” he corrected, and wondered what the two girls had in co Ladies “How are you, Sue Ellen?”

“Fine, thank you,” sheher mouth