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going to make things harder on her old man since he ’ s the one gotta find her a husband; and the boss man figured he be doing her daddy a favor by taking her off his hands. No, sir! It ain ’ t go nna be easy for Miss Weatherman now. The last woman that rejected the boss man had her reputation torn all to bits. He takes rejection personal-like. ”
    “ So it would seem. Still, if this girl ’ s such a looker, why hasn ’ t her father been able to find her a husband before now? Attractive looks go a long way in negating strange behavior, after all. Unless there is something seriously mentally wrong with her. ” Matthew rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
    “ Since I don ’ t know and can ’ t tell you nothing more, would you mind leaving me be and find the nearest watering hole to drown yourself in? ”
    Matthew laughed and slapped Adam on the shoulder, “ Sure thing, and thanks for the information. ”
    “ No problem. ”
    Matthew stopped by his bunk and pulled some fresh clothes out of his duffel bag, and then headed toward the river for a much-needed bath.
    As he walked along the overgrown path, his mind tried to conjure a picture of the woman with the gumption to reject the p owerful Clifford Stanharbor. Adam had said she was a looker, but beyond that, he knew nothing else but what his mind fabricated.
    So intent was he on attempting to draw a mental picture of the lady in question that he did not readily see the obstruction blocking his path until he nearly ran headlong into it.

CHAPTER SIX
    Matthew came to a dead stop and then retreated a few steps, eyeing Elizabeth as if she was a rattler. What in hell is she doing out here? He thought in exasperation.
    “ Miss Elizabeth, ” he tipped his hat politely then made to sidle past her. He may have made it if the path wasn ’ t so narrow and Elizabeth seemed determined to occupy the entire breadth.
    “ Matt, ” she said and stepped into his way again.
    “ The name ’ s Matthew, ” he corrected. “ Since I ’ m in your father ’ s employ, calling me anything but Matthew is not proper. Even that is stretching the bounds of propriety. Best to call me Mr. Daragh. ” He made to move around her, but she blocked his departure again, grinning widely.
    “ I like Matt, ” she whispered. “ Do you mind if I call you Matt? ”
    “ Yes, I do ! ” Matthew ’ s repl y was deliberately sharp. He didn ’ t care if he sound ed rude; because he wasn ’ t about to willingly give the little thirteen-year-old flirt an inch with which to grab hold. “ Matthew ’ s my given name and I prefer that you not hack it in half, especially since we ’ re not well acquainted. ”
    “ Well, perhaps we can remedy that. The well-acquainted part, I mean, ” she said, moving to stand a little closer.
    Matthew stiffened. Damn! He ’ d given her that inch after all and she was going to hold on to it and hack away until it was half an inch and then . . . he couldn ’ t let her get that close – m entally, verbally, or physically. Still, he had to tread cautiously. The last child he ’ d rejected outright had her father fire him.
    “ I don ’ t think that would be a good idea, Miss Elizabeth, ” he hedged.
    “ Why? ”
    “ Well, for many reasons , but the two that pop into my head right now is your age and that you ’ re the boss ’ s daughter. Those are mighty powerful incentives to not be standing here alone with you, so I ’ m going to head on to the river and wash up. ”
    “ My birthday ’ s tomorrow, ” Elizabeth blurted out, moving again between him and the river. “ A re you coming to my party? ”
    “ No, ” Matthew said between clenched teeth. Damn! She ’ d be fourteen tomorrow – the ac cursed age. Old enough to marry, but not smart enough to know what to do with a man even if he came with detailed instructions. Some men liked that naive innocence, liked to be an instructor. Not him. When his blood started boiling, he wanted a woman who could ride that