“If you can read, you don't ever have to be lonely.”

“Honesty is all I've got," she said finally, speaking in a low voice. "I don't have family. I don't have beauty, or a man. I don't have money, and I sure as hell don't have a future. All I've got to prop up my pride is my word." Her chin rose. "When Jenny Jones says something, you can bet your last peso that it's true.”

“I've always known what you were thinking. You're squeezing thatmarble in your pocket and you're thinking your cattle wouldn't be at risk if itweren't for Louise. And maybe you're right. But take a hard look, son. Whenyou see that woman working up a sweat pitching hay like a hired hand …you're looking at character."And if we ever have another family dinner that goes like the last one did,you pay attention. I have an idea that your Louise doesn't sit still for toomany insults, and I imagine she could cut someone down to size in aboutthree sentences if she wanted to. But she sat silent while Philadelphiaridiculed and belittled her. Louise did this out of respect for you and thisfamily. That is also character."Maybe you really believe Wally is living your life. If so, then you haven'tbeen honest with yourself. And you haven't taken a good hard look at thelife you have. Mark my words, Max. Someday you're going to hold thatmarble, and it won't be a symbol of all you lost. That marble will be the goldyou went to Piney Creek to find. It will be the most precious thing you own.I say this because I didn't raise any stupid sons.”

“You are so beautiful,” he breathed. Standing over her, rampant in the moonlight, he gazed down at her body. “You are as lovely and as perfect as I imagined you would be.”Afraid to believe, afraid to trust, she dared a look at him and felt her heart wrench when she read his expression and understood that she truly was whole and beautiful in his eyes. She was a magnificent to him as he was to her.”

“How many times must I tell all of you! Sky, ground, or target. Damn it, you don't point a gun at another person unless you are prepared to kill that person." He scowled at Ona. "A careless accident could cost one of you a husband. I've told you from the beginning. The Oregon men won't accept a crippled wife. They insist on brides who are healthy and whole.”

“He molded her body to his and another gasp tore at her throat. She had never expected to be held in a man’s arms again. Hadn’t dared to hope that she would ever stand chest to chest, hip to hip with a man who desired her. She had truly believed lovemaking was a pleasure she would never again experience in her lifetime. That was her choice and destiny.His hands moved from her waist to her face, and he kissed the tears shining on her cheeks and eyelids. “I love you,” he whispered. “I have loved you from the moment I saw you.”

“Listen. Just because we got a mutual hankering, doesn't mean we have to act on it. Aside from the hankering, there isn't much about you that I like. So far, you've been a pain in the behind. And I might as well tell you, I've followed through on one hankering and getting shot was more of an enjoyable experience. I didn't like it.”