The Heart of a Soiled Dove Read Online Free PDF

“Who is it?”
    Victor answered for him. “It’s Donovan Ramsey.”
    Aurora looked at him with inquiry, wondering what he had to do with these men, and vice versa. “And?”
    “He’s our trail boss and owner of the Double R Ranch. Adjacent to yours.”
    Aurora stepped out to greet him. Then dawning revelation hit her. She’d not only taken his coveted, neighboring land away but unknowingly hired his very own men. This was no fault of her own – she couldn’t help it if no one communicated these things to her – and she would seek to right this misunderstanding. “Carrie Anne, please fetch Mr. Ramsey of the Double R Ranch some lemonade.”
    Aurora watched his precise movements. The way he sat astride confidently and with great intimidation. The closer he came upon them she noticed how his eyes darkened and narrowed upon the scene before him. How it must look, his men sitting idle, doing nothing but gawking at young girls, drinking dainty lemon water of all things. Aurora approached him. He did not even have the grace to get down in greeting.
    “Pleased to see you again, Mr. Ramsey.”
    He barely glanced at her. Instead he marked them all with a raking gaze. “This is what you all took leave for? To sit on your arses and drink tea all day?”
    Roman took on a tone meant to placate. “You know that ain’t true Donovan. We were taking five minutes of cooling off. It’s blazing hot out here.”
    Aurora snapped, wondering why they should defend anything. It was she who was paying them. “It’s lemonade, and here’s some for you if you’ve a care to get down off of your high… horse.”
    Victor smirked. Roman cast an amused sideways glance her way and Emmy – ever faithful to keep her in check – stepped nearer to her.
    “I don’t drink lemonade. And I am not dismounting.” Donovan spoke with heavy condemnation. He pinned his men with another hard stare. “How much longer am I to live without your presence?”
    “We’ll be finished in a week. I reckon we’ll be along when that time comes unless you need us sooner, Boss,” Luke answered.
    “I could’ve used you last week, you well know.”
    Roman interjected, “You gave us leave. You’ve plenty other hands until the drive starts. Besides, we couldn’t very well tell the Reverend no.”
    Donovan took a second and perused the length of Aurora, finally coming up to meet her eyes. She was miffed, and refused to cower as he expected her to. “I can see why you’d all prefer to stay here.”
    The icy tone of his voice cut her. He’d made her feel cheap, and it hit her where it hurt. Aurora was crushed. She’d wanted things to be different. Why did men have to assume the worst in women?
    She felt the comfort of Emmy’s hand gently resting on her shoulder. She inhaled a calming breath and said as evenly as possible, “These men are working here and I’m paying them to. Look around at what they’ve --”
    He turned the bridle of his horse and began to ride away from her. A fuming sensation took over until she boiled with indignation. She turned to the others, appalled. “Why did he even bother to come here? What an arrogant… mean….”
    “Shhh, now settle down,” Emmy said, her voice smooth and silky. “Don’t let the man rile you.”
    “He’ll always have the last word,” Roman said matter of fact.
    “He isn’t the consortin’ kind. Prefers hard work to play,” echoed Victor.
    Jed pushed himself from the fencepost. “Let’s get back to work. We’ve had enough idle time.”
    Aurora was shaking, not from Donovan’s powerful presence, but from his words. They still stung. What would it take to be free from her oppressive past? She couldn’t live without dealing with men – although after today, it seemed a most appealing thing to do. She wanted the safe company of someone like Reverend John. Five more weeks couldn’t get there any faster.
    She turned to see Emmy and Christopher teasing each other. They’d acted like children all