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She knew then, in her gut, that she would have had a fight on her hands if she'd chosen the other option

Chapter Five

Ehts to keep her company when Maria came back into the house

The housekeeper seemed to take one look at her and moved swiftly to the stove to put the kettle on to boil

Emma turned and ether in her lap

Maria moved to stand in front of her "Was it bad?"

Emma didn't kno to answer that question and bit her lip

"Did they argue?" the housekeeper asked

"Yes"

"Over you?"

"Yes The sheriff wanted o back to town and Luke refused"

The toman studied each other in silence for a ured as much Luke won't let you leave I've seen the way he looks at you"

"Ho does he look at me?"

"Like you're the last piece of chocolate cake and he's not about to share"

Emma absorbed that response as a thrill of exciteh her "Do you think so?"

"I've known hi time, and I've seen that look in his eyes before Never about a wo in his onna keep him from it"

"It's so hard to believe I mean, look at hiain "And I'm so--"

"You're so what?" Maria questioned in a sharp voice

Emma shook her head as she realized there was no way to explain what she was feeling Luke was handsome, ruthless, and from the looks of the house and the ranch around it, rich to boot She had nothing She was an orphan with a limp, she had no family or money to speak of, and her looks were as drab as clotted creae"

"Average?" Maria exclaie about you"

Emma was surprised by that heartfelt response "What do you mean?"

"You're sweet and kind and gentle A man could do much worse"

"But I' habits--"

"You're not plain, E for co face, you're form is nicely rounded, and if you take the time to look closer, you'll see that Luke can't keep his eyes off you I tell you, I had to slip from the house I was so afraid of ould transpire with the sheriff"

"You kneanted me to stay?"

"Now, there's no need for secrets between us We're the only to me you didn't?"

Emma tried to forlad she'd found a friend in Maria, but she didn't know if she was ready to tell the other wo in her heart quite so soon "I suppose I can't read hiruff and has a coarse exterior, and he hasn't been ungenerous I can see now, after the sheriff's visit, that he wants me here"

"Yes, well, I could tell it the second I saw him in the same room with you You need to make up your mind as to what you want, because he's not a man to beat around the bush, and I can't protect you fro I or anyone else can say will stop hi what he wants The only one who could possibly stop him would be you So you need to make up your mind"

A few hours later, E rooht to her froave her soers if not her mind

She took quick strokes with the needle, back and forth, as she embroidered a rosette onto the lace collar of one of her blouses She often added embellishs, and usually the only way she could afford them was to sew them herself

She sat for a few hours and pondered her predicaan to fall and she realized Luke would be in for supper soon