The Heart of a Soiled Dove Read Online Free PDF Page B

day long. She sighed, wondering how Donovan would react had he ridden up to the scene before her – although she’d no clue what started their play this time. Emmy had filled a wooden bucket from the water trough and chased Christopher down, drenching him. He wiped his face off with his bandana and challenged her with a hot look.
    “No! I apologize… I didn’t mean to….” She screamed in laughter and ran fast away. Catching her, Christopher spun her around and she became locked in his arms.
    “Everyone – get back to work!” Aurora suddenly blurted.
    Everyone moved back to the chores but a fear settled and trickled all throughout her. She couldn’t block out human nature. It was not following them, it was here. Always was and always will be. What could they do aside from isolating themselves like nuns? It sounded good to her, but one look at Emmy and the passion in her eyes for Christopher, made her realize it could not be tamped down for long. That girl had a wild streak in her and Aurora prayed with all of her heart that He would protect her. She eyed Carrie Anne and the way Roman helped her with things she didn’t need help with at all. Maybe if she just got the girls off and married she’d not have to worry. She would, of course, and could live here all by herself and would count it lucky to be an old maid. With her mind made up, Aurora got back to working the leather before the sun set in the clear blue and beautiful Montana sky.

    Each day after for the next week had been the same – hard work, play, hard work and play. So it was with a heavy heart that Aurora, Emmy and Carrie Anne bid their company good-bye. Each man accepted generous pay and loaded up their saddlebags. If Aurora was not mistaken, Roman and Luke seemed as disappointed as she.
    Jed, Victor and Christopher looked ready to be on the trail – true cowboys they were. Aurora – clearly standing as chaperone – watched unabashedly as Roman took Carrie Anne’s hand. She shied away from his intense scrutiny. But the poor man kept on. “I think I’ve come to like you, Carrie Anne. Maybe you’ll think of me while I’m gone?”
    She blushed ten shades before looking at him. Aurora was hoping she didn’t bolt like a deer. Two words left her lips barely above a whisper. “I might.”
    He released her then. “Good enough for me. I’ll be back before long. We’ll see how much you’ve been thinking of me then.”
    She looked terrified that he was going to kiss her and squeezed shut her eyes.
    Aurora tapped her. “It’s safe. You can open your eyes.”
    She released her eyes open and saw that Roman was mounting his horse. He said his goodbye and winked at her.
    He tipped his dusty hat to Aurora. “It’s been our pleasure working for you.”
    “I can’t thank you enough for the transformation of this place. Take care of yourselves now.”
    Before Aurora addressed the interaction between Roman and Carrie Anne, the girl had gone into the house.
    “She’s a peculiar little thing,” Emmy said.
    “Roman seems to like peculiar.” They giggled and went into the coolness of the finished house.
    “How long does it take for a cattle drive?” Emmy asked.
    Aurora shrugged her shoulders. Carrie Anne joined them and said dreamily, “I hope not long.”
    “Aurora?”
    “Yes, Emmy?”
    “When am I going to begin to earn my keep?”
    “What do you mean? We’re all working our hands to the bone to build this home. No one’s earning her keep, it’s just living.”
    “I can’t live off you the rest of my days.”
    “I don’t understand. There’s no need for us to do anything else. We’re family. We don’t live off of each other,” Aurora answered, wondering where this was going. Emmy became unreasonably agitated.
    “We can’t do nothing forever.”
    “What did you have in mind?”
    Carrie Anne raised her brows with curiosity, and if Aurora saw correctly, she looked like she was going to cry. Aurora needed to calm Emmy down. She was