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The grass grew tall and thick under the trees by the river Her long skirts swished noisily through it as Lornaout from the bank She had to hold them out of the hen she bent down to dip the pail into the clear running river A school of small fish darted like quicksilver out of the shallows into deeper water

She let the bucket sink below the surface, auto ater When she raised it, cold water sloshed over the sides, splashing on her skirt There was a warning crunch of footsteps on the gravel bar behind her Lorna turned sharply, spilling more water

“I didn’t ized

“I didn’t hear you, that’s all” She shrugged aside the brief moment of alarm

With typical boldness, his glance

wandered over her dress and the thick, concealing folds of its long skirt Lorna kneas re the way she had looked in pants

“I like the dress, but I was more aware that you were a woman in those pants,” he stated with utter frankness

“They were a necessity The cattle spooked atskirt,” Lorna explained because it seemed necessary that he understand she didn’t flaunt convention without reason

“Let me carry that bucket It’s too heavy for you,” he insisted, and reached to take it out of her hand

Lorna surrendered it to hih to carry it She had hauled a lot of water during those long entleman, and she liked the way he treated her like a lady

“Do you think you’re going to like it out here?” he asked “It’s going to take a lot of hard work”

“I know that” She walked to the bank and accepted the steadying support of his hand on her arrass

“It’s gonna be lonely for a pretty thing like you,” Bull stated

His remark was an instant reminder of the woman in the sod house Her chin was pushed forward in a silent determination that this country wouldn’t do that to her

“I’ll probably be too busy to notice that, Mr Giles,” Lorna insisted “As you said, it’s going to take a lot of hard work”