“He levered his body to take a seat, started, and blurted, "Jumping Jehoshaphat! Will you look at that?""That's Hairy," Miriam said, dismissing further questions with a wave of her hand and taking a seat.”

“As Miriam took her seat, Willow suddenly became conscious of the impropriety of her intimate position under Rider's arm. She straightened and would have slid to the opposite side of the swing, but he stubbornly tightened his arm around her. She tried her best to elbow his ribs, but her arm was trapped between their bodies."Do sit still, Willow." Miriam sighed. "It's not ladylike to squirm so. I'm not going to reprimand you for Mr. Sinclair's public mauling."Rider tossed the dragon lady a disgruntled scowl but nonetheless allowed Willow to sit up straight and put a few inches between them. Not to be totally thwarted, however, he grapped her hand and held it in his lap.”

“What are you doing here?" he questioned, noting her harried appearance. Wild strands of chestnut hair had escaped her sever chignon and her blue dress was gray with dust."What am I doing here? The question is, what are you doing here? And where's Willow? Was that her room you just came from?"Before he could answer, Miriam's eyes suddenly widened. "Good God, what is that?" She pointed at the grinning deer's head."That's just Hairy," Rider returned impatiently, "and,yes,that was Willow's room.”

“I just helped with a birthing."Amber flames lit his angry dark eyes. "Women have no business doing that kind of work. It's not decent!"Thoroughly provoked by his unreasonable attitude, Willow completely forgot Miriam's presence. "Well, that's a lamebrain thing to say, considering it's us females who do the birthing. All men do is prime their-""Willow!" Miriam interjected. "That is quite enough!" Seemingly disgusted with both of them, Miriam waved Rider off dismissively. "Mr. Sinclair, you've seen for yourself she's quite all right so I suggest you take yourself elsewear.""Fine! It's a little too whiffy around here for me anyway." He jerked Sultan around and rode off in a monstrous huff.Willow was pricked by his disdain more than she cared to admit. "Did you hear what he said? He said I stink! You'd think I'd just climbed out of a pig sty! Hell, how would he know if I stink? He wasn't even close enough to sniff me."Miriam exhaled a deep sigh and wrinkled her nose. "Well, believe me, I'm close enough!"Miriam bristled but then recognized the teasing twinkle in Miriam's soft hazel eyes and broke into a grin."It'll never do to stick you in a tub," the landlady observed. "I'd kill myself, filling and dumping it before we got you clean. Stay here and don't move. I'll be right back." Miriam returned, loaded down with towels, soap, and clean clothes. "Lead the way to that swimming hole you were telling me about."The two women silently traipsed down the narrow path to the river, Willow brooding over Rider's sarcasm and Miriam wondering if Willow's clothes could be laundered or if she should just burn them.”

“When she finally opened them and took in the sight of the two men, a burble of silvery laughter spilled from her dusty lips. "You-you look like bandito snowmen from hell," she choked mirthfully. "And very old ones at that!"Rider yanked his bandanna from his face, and she laughed even harder at his two-toned complexion.Winking at Juan, Rider commented, "This is the thanks we get for coming to her rescue."Juan chuckled. "Si, I think she deserves to have to gaze at herself in the mirror. She looks the bruja pequena, hey, compadre?""Little witch!" Willow blustered."Well,none of you are sitting on the furniture until you've cleaned up," Miriam interjected sternly.Willow hurried to the sitting-room window, gasping at the sight of swirling, brownish-gray dirt and debris. "We might as well break out a deck of cards and take a seat on the floor because I think it's going to be awhile before we can get to the water pump and wash ourselves."As if to confirm her words, a loud boom of thunder reverberated above the house. Seconds later, rain pelted the windowpane, and a jagged spear of lightning knifed through the riotus gloom. Willow automatically jumped back from the window, surprised when she stumbled over Rider's toes. He steadied her and she gave an embarrassed smile. "Sorry. I know darn well that lightning can't get to me in here, but it never fails to make me blink and jump."Rider grinned down at her. "It's a natural reaction.If I'd been paying attention to the sky instead of you, I'd have jumped,too."Willow flushed and glanced at Miriam, hoping her friend hadn't heard his candid remark. To her dismay, Miriam winked and smiled knowingly.”

“If you aren't in love, Willow Vaughn, then my name isn't Miriam Brigham."Willow started out of her daydreaming and glanced up from the laundry tub. Miriam stood before her with her fists planted on her hips. "Now, Miriam, I-""No sense denying it, young lady. You've got that dreamy dazed glow about you. Rider Sinclair isn't much better, the way he hangs around you,like a bee drawn to honey. He's always holding your hand or throwing his arm around you when he thinks I'm not looking.""Well,even if I were in love, it wouldn't change anything. I still don't want another man to look after, and I don't need one looking out for me either. I can take care of myself!""Course, you can!" Miriam agreed, picking the last sheet out of the rinse water and wringing it out. "Most women can. Look at me, I run a boarding house and support myself just fine. But let me tell you something. That lonely bed of mine is mighty cold on winter nights, even here in the territory."Willow blushed and concentrated on her hands where they rested on the edge of the tub."Willow," Miriam continued, "you've been managing your pa just fine since he got home. A husband isn't any more difficult to manage than a father, unless, of course, you're married to a no-good lout."Willow dried her hands on the wide white apron around her middle. "But, Miriam, if I don't marry, then I don't have to bother finagling a man to my way of doing things. Staying single makes a hell of a lot more sense!""Watch the cursing, young lady."Miriam slung the sheet over the line and returned to help Willow with the wash tub. They each grapped a handle and carried it a few feet before setting it down to rest their arms a moment."Willow, use your noggin, will you? Part of the fun of being a woman is wrapping some big, handsome hunk of a man around your little finger. You do have to use your good sense, though, and realize when you're wrong and he's right. Of course"-Miriam chuckled-"that won't be too often."And you have to be careful not to hurt a man's feelings overly much. Men are funny creatures. They seldom let their emotions show because they think it isn't manly. But you can tell when they're upset.They start pouting like a little boy.I've always thought that was rather curious.”

“Miriam lifted her eyes from her sewing and found a glint of masculine lust in Owen's green eyes. Putting her sewing aside, she smiled nervously and got to her feet. "I...If you don't mind, I'll bid you good night, Mr. Vaughn."He nodded, not caring to stand. His smile was so youthful in its rakishness that Miriam began to wonder if he'd read her mind. "A gentleman stands when a lady gets up to leave the room, Mr. Vaughn," she snapped, more disgusted with herself than with his lack of manners.Owen shrugged but stood all the same. "Sweet dreams, Miriam," he taunted, deliberately taking the liberty of using her first name.Miriam grasped the hem of the little basque jacket she wore over her fashionable two-piece dress of red bombazine, and gave it an indignant tug. "Good night, Mr. Vaughn."”