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of clothing down the utility hall to the curving stairs that lead to the second level.
    She stepped inside the room Dora had assigned her and walked to the big armoire that stood against one wall. The house was amazing, still retaining its 19 th century flavor with the field stone fireplaces and the oak floors. The plumbing had been updated and modernized, as had the kitchen and at some recent point, they had added a big swimming pool out back. But she had no bathing suit. If she wanted to go swimming she would have to do it in her underwear. And that wasn’t an option as far as Lily was concerned.
    She had been advised that she was welcome to use all the amenities, like the pool, and the sauna and weight room that had been added in an airy structure a few yards beyond the pool, but those were things she’d never had any need for. She certainly wouldn’t be using them now. This was simply a short stopover on her way to freedom. The fact that she was here…safe for the time being…was enough.
    Dora had told her that supper would be at precisely 7:00 p.m.. She didn’t have a watch, so she glanced up at the fancy antique gold clock sitting on the oak mantle. It was half past three, and she had a couple hours to waste, so she dressed in one of her pairs of jeans and a T-shirt, then quietly slipped downstairs and out the front door to walk for awhile.
    The sun on her face and the sweet smell of warm, freshly turned earth led her down the white fenced lane between orchards, and when she found a gravel lane that branched off to the west, she followed it, until a wide cattle guard stopped her progress. Beyond the cattle guard lay a grouping of outbuildings and barns, with more white painted fencing. Probably paddocks. She saw barbed wire fencing that stretched as far as she could see into the distance, and as she stood in silent contemplation, a man in a pickup truck came up behind her, and lightly tooted his horn. She stepped quickly to the side as he slowed and leaned out his window, grinning down at her.
    “You lost, ma’am?” He touched the brim of his battered hat as his dark gaze slid down over her worn jeans and faded T shirt.
    Shading her eyes with one hand, she shook her head. “Nope…just exploring. I should get back up to the house.”
    “Hold up and I’ll swing around past the gate and I’ll drive you back.”
    Lily smiled back at the handsome older man and shook her head again. “I'm enjoying my walk. Thanks anyway.”
    She headed back along the gravel road, and when she glanced over her shoulder, he was leaning out the window, watching her. “You sure?” he grinned.
    “I’m sure.” She waved a hand as she walked a bit faster. She didn’t think he would have tried to hurt her, but she wasn’t about to climb into another truck with another stranger. Call it paranoia…she called it caution. She'd been pretty reckless climbing into a truck with Flint and Curley, and she wasn't about to do something that dumb again.
    She’d walked for about ten minutes when she heard another truck coming up behind her. When the gleaming black vehicle came abreast of her, and she looked up at the driver, she did her best to hide her relief.
     
    “Did you hire Dora some help, boss?” Fred asked as he eased over to one side of the narrow road to the barns.
    “Why?” Flint asked as he pulled the ranch truck to a stop facing the other way.
    “Just passed a bitty little thing standin' by the cattle guard. I offered her a ride back to the house, but she said she liked walkin’.”
    Flint shook his head. “Sounds like my guest is exploring. I better go round her up before she gets lost.”
    “Guest, huh?” Fred grinned.
    “A very special guest. No one’s to give her any kind of shit…let the others know.” He pulled back onto the lane and headed back toward the house, ignoring Fred’s chuckle. Knowing his hired hand, he figured that everyone on the spread would know about his “guest” within a couple of