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H E NEARLY CHOKED ON THE coffee; in fact, he did spit a mouthful across the room.

Kat stared at him with both alarm and a growing sense of anger.

“All right, all right, I understand that I have no title…that my home was less than elaborate!” she cried. “But…oh, Papa’s picture is in the paper today. It’s said that even the queen is anxious to look at his work. I will not be such an embarrassment, truly. And it need only be for the season! I only ask that you pretend. ”

How she wished he were dressed! With his dark hair and far too many muscles visible, he seemed more imposing than she had imagined. And she was flushed and shaking, remembering last night, unable to believe herself that she had come here like this, and yet…

“Let me see if I really heard you correctly,” he said. “You want me to pretend that we’re engaged, so that you can go on a very long trip to pine after a man you can’t have?”

“You have no intention of marrying anyone, anyway!” she said.

He leaned toward her. She nearly jumped back. “How do you know that?”

She waved a hand in the air. “Your affairs are notorious!”

“Perhaps I’ve changed.”

She shook her head. He was making this very hard on her!

“What makes you think that this will help you any? I dragged you from the man’s embrace when I wasn’t your so-called intended!” His voice was like a growl. She was beginning to regret coming. He was just going to make her feel more and more like a fool. With ever less dignity.

“I’m not going to flirt with anyone,” she said. “Or even try to influence David in any way.”

“You’re lying.”

“No.”

“Then why must you go?” he demanded.

She swallowed hard, certain that he was going to mock her yet again.

“I seriously think that his life is in danger.”

Hunter groaned, rising. She did back away then. He stared at her, dark hair awry, his strong features set in a mask, like that of a bronze statue.

“Please, I don’t understand why you won’t believe me!” she cried.

He strode across the room, planting himself in front of the fireplace. She flushed again, wondering why her mind was wandering from the seriousness of her intent to the muscled outline of his body.

“Please!” she whispered.

He turned. “Miss Adair, this is the largest pile of manure I believe I have ever heard.”

She forced her eyes to remain level with his. She tried hard to still the trembling that had seized her.

“But it’s the truth.”

He shook his head, staring at her. “And what? If there were really someone out there intent on killing David, just what do you think you could do?”

“I saved his life once.”

“We’re going to the desert. Not the water.”

“Please. I…I swear I would make it up to you.”

“How?” he demanded.

“I…I will be the best assistant you have ever had.”

“Assistants are easy enough to come by.”

She gritted her teeth. “I will listen to your every word, be at your beck and call. I will put pillows beneath your feet, fetch your drinks…cook, clean, anything!”

“You’ve yet to know the meaning of ‘anything,’” he informed her harshly.

She flushed to the roots. “Sir Hunter—”

“If I agree to this insanity,” he said, setting his cup on the mantel and moving before her, then making her most uneasy as he walked a slow circle around her, “and we are still on an enormous ‘if’! If I agree to it, and you so much as go near the man, I’ll drag you away by your hair. You’ll rue the day you persuaded me to let you come.”

She forced herself to remain very still. “That’s cruel, but understandable.”

“I am a man of many sins, and I assure you, pride is high among them,” he told her.

“I’ve noticed,” she said softly.

“And then again…how will it look if I find someone alluring along the way?”

“I’d simply look the other way,” she said.

“What if I were to fall in love?”

“Then you would have to cast me aside.”

“Oh, that would be a drama you would love, eh?”

“No!” Kat cried. “I’m just saying that…”

She broke off. He had returned to the mantel for his cup, and now thrust it toward her. “Coffee,” he said simply.

She stared at him hatefully for a moment, then retrieved the cup to pour more coffee into it and hand it back to him.

“Ah, look at you! You’ll do anything, eh? So far, we’ve only made it to coffee, and I can see you’re ready to thrust a knife in my back.”

“You are deliberately trying to irritate me,” she accused him.

He took her by the chin, dark eyes, lips so close that she felt herself start to shake again, remembering.

“It will get much, much worse!” he warned.

“Then…you’ll do it?”

He groaned again, deep and long. Then he waved a hand in the air.

“Get out.”

“But, Hunter…Sir Hunter…”

“Out!”

“But—”

“Yes, yes, damn you! I’ll do it.” He spun around and looked at her. “I’ll give you a performance this very evening that you will not believe. But you will, I swear, pay for it!”

“Thank you,” she managed.

“Out!”

“I’m leaving!”

And she did. She ran out of the room as quickly as she could manage, nearly slamming into Emma in her haste. Of course, the housekeeping had been waiting just outside the door. She grasped Kat’s arm, drawing her farther down the hall.

“He’ll do it?” she said excitedly.

“Yes.”

“I told you!”

“But he’s so angry!” Kat said with a shiver.

“He’ll calm down.” Emma clasped her hands together happily. “Oh, this will be such fun! But everything must be done quickly, as well.”

“Wait, wait, Emma! There’s nothing to be done. It is a farce, a charade, nothing more.”

“Good heavens, dear girl, don’t you see? It must be a good charade. If Sir Hunter has agreed, he will know that my words are true.”

“Emma!” Kat caught the woman’s hands and stared into her eyes. “It’s not real!”

“Miss Katherine, I helped you get in there and make it happen. Now you must humor me a bit, and also, believe this—if there is not some to-do about it, it won’t be believed. Now, you go home and make the announcement to your father and sister. Trust me. Sir Hunter will be down shortly, and you will see. Oh, dear. There’s today…tomorrow, and then it is time to sail. This will be wonderful!”

“Emma!” Kat tried to warn again.

“Go on, go on, now. I’ve a lot to do to plan the party by tonight.”

“Party!”

“Naturally. Oh, a small one, in the best of taste. Go on! You must get busy, too!”

The entire idea had been insane. She hadn’t formed it in her mind when she had come; she had simply hoped that Hunter, being Hunter, and ever willing to watch her make a fool of herself, would have an idea.

But Emma had come up with this, assuring her that Sir Hunter may as well have a fiancée. He was, after all, ever being sought, and ever eluding those who would seek to claim his name. Now that it was done—and it had been such a rash ploy!—it seemed more insane than ever.

She was going to have to lie to her father. That was going to be very hard. Not so much now—she would make the announcement and sail away, and he would be happy and working, and delighted that she had done so well—but later…

When the engagement was broken.

“Go home! And be convincing!” Emma said. “Ethan will see that you get there safely.”

“Emma, it is broad daylight. I will be all right.”

“Sir Hunter would never send his intended out on an omnibus, dear, not when his carriage was waiting.”

And so Ethan took her home, and somehow it seemed, he, too, was aware of the charade, because he was grinning from ear to ear.

When he helped her from the carriage, he said, “May, I, miss, give you my congratulations?”

She let out a sigh, shaking her head.

“Ethan!”

“Go in, miss. I’ll come for you later.”

When she went into the house, it was quiet. She thought perhaps that Eliza was still sleeping, but she knew that her father would be in the attic where the glass sheets on the eastward slant of the roof afforded him light.

And he was there, as she had expected, serious as he studied one of his ships at sea, weighing color and scheme.

He looked up as she came in, arching a brow. “Kat, what is it? You look so worried. Is something wrong?”

Oh, something was very, very wrong. She shook her head.

“My child, what is it that you can’t speak to your father?” he asked gruffly, setting down his palette and coming to her.

“Papa, I need your blessing!” she said in a rush.

He frowned deeply. “For…?”

“I’m to become engaged.”

“A man comes to a father when he would take a bride,” her father said sternly.

She winced, having forgotten that he would feel this way. She opened her mouth, trying to think of the right thing to say.

“Indeed, he should!” she heard, and swirling around, she saw that Hunter was there, in the doorway of her father’s workroom.

He was dressed in a handsome gray suit and crimson waistcoast, clean-shaven and smelling of soap and leather. His eyes dusted over hers, then focused on her father.

“Kat is a bit anxious. She loves you so. I have come to ask for your daughter’s hand in marriage, Mr. Adair.”

William’s brows hiked as his jaw dropped. He stared for what seemed like eons.

Then his jaw snapped shut, and he grinned. “Well, well,” he said to Hunter.

“She has enamored my heart and senses since I pulled her from the sea,” Hunter said.

William was quiet again, then he started to laugh. He picked Kat up, holding her high above him, laughing. He lowered her, hugged her fiercely, set her down. Then he strode to Hunter and shook his hand. “Good heavens, yes, yes, yes! When Kat first walked in the room, I thought it was one of those boys…but, ah, yes. You and she. A perfect match. I saw it in my soul, but by God, it was never my place to speak, and if a parent were to point out such a perfect match to a child, well…daughters do not care to feel that they are being forced. After all, it is a new age.” He was still pumping Hunter’s hand. “This is quick, yes…but, you will have a voyage and more to know each other well before the marriage takes place.”

He stopped shaking Hunter’s hand at last, but only to pick Kat up again. Then he let out a bellow that brought Eliza, in a robe, and Maggie, covered in flour, up to the garret. “They’re engaged!” William cried, hugging Eliza. “They’re engaged.”

“Engaged!” Eliza gasped, looking at them both.

“Lord above us!” Maggie breathed. “Ah, Kat, and would your sainted mother be glad and a-blessing you this day!”

Kat’s cheeks burned. This, she knew, was the greatest guilt she had ever felt.

Eliza hugged her, and their eyes met, and Kat knew that her sister was well aware of the lie, and yet, apparently, understood it. Then Eliza gave Hunter a sisterly kiss. Maggie hugged Kat as boisterously as her father had done, though without the lift off the floor, hesitated in front of Hunter, then hugged him, as well.

When he was released at last, Hunter strode to Kat, taking her hand. “My dear,” he said, and she was certain that only she caught the terribly droll note in his voice, “if you will be so kind as to wear this ring…”

She looked down at the item he slipped onto her finger, a gold ring with a yellow stone that shimmered in the light.

He stepped away from her, addressing her father. “I am loathe to run off, Mr. Adair, after dropping such a stunning announcement, but I believe I rather surprised myself in all the haste of this! I must be about… Please, all of you, Emma would like a small celebration at my town house tonight.” He turned to Maggie, offering her a gallant little bow. “Miss Maggie, if you would be so good as to assist Emma, we’d both be most grateful!”

Maggie clapped her hands together, staring at him with wonder. “My dearest sir! With all the pleasure in the world. She need have no fear, I will follow her every dictate!”

“Good, then all is settled!”

He started out, then stopped, swinging back around, catching Kat’s eye. “Good Lord! My beloved, in all the hurry, I forget the cause of all my joy!” He strode back to her. Then, as her father had, he picked her up and held her above him for a moment. Then he brought her slowly to the floor, letting her slide against the length of him. They, were, of course, both fully clad. And yet, as she slid down that length, she was vividly reminded of all that she had witnessed that morning. When she was solidly on her own feet again, he dipped his head to hers.

It was not a kiss such as the one they had shared the evening before. This one was light and tender, a lover’s kiss, a promise. One that was entirely proper before a soon-to-be father-in-law. “Until tonight…”

The sensual rasp he could apparently set to his voice at will still caused tremors within her. When he walked away, she could still feel his touch.

And the mockery in his words.

“O H !” E LIZA CRIED IN HIS WAKE . “Oh!” She spun on her sister, cheeks flushed. “Oh, but, Kat, he is so sumptuous! So—”

Her words froze in her throat. “Um…so decent and kind,” she said quietly.

“Sumptuous!” William roared. “Maggie, a wedding! There’s to be a wedding!” And music or no, he grabbed Maggie’s hands and began a jig about the attic.

L ORD A VERY CAME STRIDING into the pseudo great hall of his town house where Hunter awaited him by the fire. He looked grave, and as he came forward, he was shaking his head. “I’ve heard! It seems every servant in the city is speaking of nothing else. Hunter, my boy! I have forced this on you!”

Hunter shook his head. “No, Lord Avery, and I am here because I was quite afraid you would think that the case. Perhaps you caused a quickening in my plan, but that is all.”

“But, Hunter! You can’t mean to marry! Why, the finest mothers in the land have cast their daughters before you, women of independent wealth and means have made it quite clear that they’d be delighted to bear your name. Sir, you have escaped matrimony these many years, and it was surely your intent!”

“Ah, but what man would escape forever, Lord Avery?”

“But, Hunter…”

“Lord Avery, yesterday you but pointed out to me the very assets Kat possesses that first stole my heart. She is a beauty beyond compare, but she is also courageous and bright, vivid, eager, young…tender, caring, loving. Dear friend, what was there not for me to fall in love with?”

“Oh!”

They both looked up, startled. Margaret was at the top of the stair, looking down, and of course, she had heard all.

She came sailing down the stairs and flew into Hunter’s arms, hugging him, then kissing both cheeks. “Oh, forgive me, I’m so happy! Hunter, such beautiful words. Had you ever said such things about me, I’d have swooned at your feet!”

He laughed, gently setting her away, trying very hard not to grit his teeth.

This was definitely a lot of work to maintain a good secretary. Yet the lies fell from his lips so easily! Because, of course, they were all true, he thought bitterly. She had inflamed his senses from the start, and even as she firmly set him from her, she had beguiled him further. So careless was she! And, yet, perhaps, after these many years during which he had kept his distance, broken a heart here or there, it was perhaps only what he deserved. Had he known then…

“Lady Margaret, you are a golden angel, pure in heart and kindness and beauty, and some fellow out there will surely worship at your feet. In fact, I believe there are several.”

Lord Avery let out a peculiar sound. “Yes, and she had best choose soon!”

“Had I even imagined that Sir Hunter’s heart might be won, I’d have vied for it myself!” she said, smiling. “Oh, Hunter, seriously, I am thrilled for you both. We must throw a party, hastily, Father, since we’re to leave—”

“There is a small get-together tonight, just our households, a few friends, at my town house,” Hunter said, anxious to be on his way. “You’ll come, please, say around eight?”

“Of course!” Margaret said.

“Indeed, Sir Hunter,” Lord Avery said, staring at him anew. And obviously, now, believing the charade.

As he turned to leave, David Turnberry walked into the hall. The young man stopped short, seeing Hunter, and Hunter stopped, as well. “Good day, sir,” David said.

“David,” Hunter acknowledged.

Margaret floated across the floor, grasping David’s hand. “David! He’s to be married! Hunter is to be married.”

David stared at him. “To…to…?”

“Silly goose!” Margaret laughed. “To his mermaid, Miss Adair!”

The color drained from the young man’s face.

“David, you must congratulate Sir Hunter!” Margaret chided, obviously not noticing his sudden pallor.

Stiffly, David extended a hand. His Adam’s apple bobbed. “Congratulations,” he said.

“And we shall have a lovely party at his home tonight,” Margaret said. “I must find something to wear!” She kissed Hunter’s cheek and fled.

Lord Avery remained by the fire.

David spoke very softly. “I…don’t believe…it can’t be.”

“Believe,” Hunter said simply. He leaned close to David’s ear and lowered his voice. “Touch her again, and I will break every bone in your body. I pray that I am understood.”

With that, he walked around David and exited the house.

T HE DOOR TO K AT ’ S ROOM burst open.

Isabella. She should have expected as much.

“Come in, please, do,” Kat said.

The woman surveyed her coolly. “I don’t believe it. Not for a minute. What is this new game you’re playing?”

“There is no game,” Kat lied boldly. “I am to be married.”

She walked around to the wardrobe where Kat was busy trying to ascertain just which pieces of her clothing might in any way be utile for a trip into the desert. “You can lie to others, Katherine Adair, but I know the truth about you.”

“And what truth would that be?”

“You covet another man.”

Kat gave her attention to her clothing, picking up a cotton blouse here, a linen skirt there. “Well, Lady Daws, I am going to marry Sir Hunter MacDonald.”

“I don’t believe that you—even you, with your clever wiles—could have snared such a man as Sir Hunter!”

“Oh?” Kat turned to her, loathing her yet somehow afraid and unsure of the reason. “Why is that? Did you try for him yourself and fail?”

She was certain that the woman barely restrained herself from slapping her. Isabella’s eyes were so cold, her mouth grim. Kat had never felt hatred so tangibly before.

“Do you mind?” she said. “I need to be packed.”

“I will tell him the truth, girl. Mark my words. I will tell him the truth.”

Kat couldn’t help it; she started to laugh. “Tell him anything you please.”

“You know, I warned you. You will pay for this.”

“What are you talking about?”

“You cannot live this kind of lie and not pay, my dear. And you shall.”

With that, Lady Daws spun around and departed.

Kat stared after her. “Well! You’re not invited to my party!” she said softly. But then she bit her lower lip. The woman would be there. She would be there on her father’s arm.

Kat sat on the foot of her bed, suddenly very scared. She’d be leaving her father to this woman.

The door burst open again. She started to jump up, ready to defend herself, as if there was a danger of being physically attacked.

But it was Eliza. “What’s the matter?” she cried, seeing Kat’s fear.

Kat shook her head, then ran to her sister and hugged her. “I can’t do it! I can’t go, Eliza, and leave father with her!”

“You can go because I am here!” Eliza said firmly.

“That is asking too much of you.”

They sat together, holding each other. Eliza smoothed Kat’s hair. “One day, you will be there when I need you. Now, I am here because you need me. Because Papa needs me. And we will be fine.”

“She knows!” Kat said, shivering.

“She knows what?”

“That…”

“That it’s a sham?”

Kat nodded.

“She can’t really know anything, can she? I can promise you this, Hunter will never tell her the truth!”

And that was true, Kat thought. The only person who could really betray her would not do so.

She felt the ring on her finger. Eliza had told her that it was a yellow diamond, exceptionally beautiful, very rare with that depth of color.

Once again, another reason to be grateful to Hunter. No matter how he chose to make her pay.

The ring suddenly seemed to burn her finger. And suddenly, she felt as if she was burning all over.

She disentangled herself from her sister and forced a smile. “Well…if you need me when I am away, you must get word to me!”

Little good it would do; she would be so, so far away!

“A N ENGAGEMENT PARTY ! You!” It was Camille who spoke, but both she and Brian were staring at him incredulously. Then Camille smiled slowly. “It’s Miss Adair. It must be.”

“It is.”

“You’re daft, man!” Brian exploded. “Sorry, but you’ve known the girl but a week.”

Hunter laughed. “The two of you are going to preach to me?” he queried.

“Of course not,” Camille said.

“Wouldn’t think of it, old chap,” Brian said. But they were both still staring at him. Brian cleared his throat. “Well, we should do a dinner or something, shouldn’t we, Camille? There’s not much time, but we could get something together at the castle for tomorrow night, perhaps.”

“It’s not necessary—there is a party at my town house tonight,” Hunter said wearily.

“Then we must do something aboard ship,” Camille said.

“Ah, there, a lovely idea! Or a party along the Italian shore! There will be lovely, balmy nights,” Brian said.

“Again, it’s not necessary.”

“Well, we’ll argue about this later,” Brian said. “Camille, I have searched every file cabinet in the storage room and cannot find the map you’re missing. I’ll try the storage rooms.”

“Which map?” Hunter asked.

“I had it on the floor the other day. We were both working with it, do you remember? Reading some of the papyri we had, and calculating. In fact, I had it out when I first met your lovely fiancée.”

“Have you gone through my desk?” Hunter asked.

“I’d not have done such a thing.”

“I’ll look,” Hunter said.

“I’m heading down,” Brian said. “I think we’ve about finished…ah, and there’s a good thing! We can quite enjoy the evening without worry.” Brian winked at his wife. “I’m off.”

As Brian headed downstairs, Camille followed Hunter into his office. “What kind of a game are you playing, Hunter?”

He groaned, sitting. Then he looked at her. “Would you be asking this because you played a few games of your own?”

“They were not of my making,” she reminded him.

Head down, Hunter tapped a pencil on his desk, then looked up again at Camille, a woman he knew to be a true friend and confidante. “She believes that David Turnberry’s life is in danger.”

“And you don’t?”

“I think he is spoiled and rich. He fell off a boat. He learned that it gained him concern. He claimed yesterday that he crashed into the door and hurt his head. Kat is convinced that he was attacked.”

“Here, in the museum?” Camille asked, surprised.

He nodded grimly, then shook his head. “Lord Avery is afraid of her—afraid that she will lure the entire collection of Margaret’s suitors from her side. Margaret, of course, is not so silly. I don’t know, Camille. It seemed the right thing to do.”

“Ah.”

“You’re not commenting.”

“What would you have me say?”

“Something! That it’s a wretched ruse, that we’ll only hurt others…I don’t know.”

She smiled strangely. “Just take care that it’s not yourself who’s hurt. And, of course, if I didn’t love you dearly, my friend, I would not be concerned, I would merely consider it your just due.”

“Thank you. Have I really been such a roué, then?”

She laughed. “Just elusive.” Her expression grew serious. “Hunter, about these disappearances, do you think that there is something going on?”

He took her hand gently. “Camille, we have all been looking forward to this expedition. It’s never wise to forget to look over one’s shoulder, but…nothing of great value has been taken. And we’re leaving. If there is some foul plan afoot, we’ll not be here. We’ll be far away.”

She stood and started to walk away, then hesitated. “Hunter.”

“Yes?”

“What if whatever danger, real or imagined, follows us aboard the ship?” She sounded seriously worried, enough so that he felt a little chill of unease himself.

He smiled. “We will hunt down the culprit, skin him alive, and that will be that!”

“Ah, how assuring!” she said, and smiling, left him at last.

K AT DIDN ’ T THINK THAT SHE had ever been so nervous in her life.

They were to arrive early, she being the guest of honor, but from the time they stepped into the house, she could not sit still. And neither Emma nor Maggie would allow her to help in any way. Emma had brought in extra maids and servers for the day, and, of course, Ethan was there to see to whatever else might be needed.

Hunter was not even there when they first arrived.

“Kat, have some champagne,” Emma advised.

“No!” she protested.

Lady Daws, of course, was there. “A sudden aversion to champagne, Kat? I’ve heard that it can get one into trouble,” the woman said, eyes wide and innocent, even touched by concern. But, of course, William Adair was there, as well.

“Emma, I believe I would like some champagne,” Kat said.

She nearly broke the stem of the delicate goblet in which it was served. But the champagne did indeed ease her nerves.

Emma asked Maggie to take over for a few minutes, then caught Kat’s arm, urging her to follow. They ran upstairs. They went to the blue room, where she had first stayed. There were flowers in vases, brushes and combs, little touches that made it more personal. “It is yours, Kat, whenever you choose to be here, whenever you may choose to escape from downstairs.”

“Thank you, Emma,” she murmured. “But—”

“Sir Hunter said that it should be so,” Emma stated firmly. “I must get back down. Take your time.”

Kat lingered, but not long. Her father and sister were there, after all. She did not wish to desert them.

Then Hunter arrived. He greeted her father now as William, and kissed her sister with all affection. He pecked the cheek of Lady Daws.

The first of the guests to arrive were Lord and Lady Carlyle, announced by Ethan. Camille, in deep-mauve party attire, was beautiful, and yet, it was her smile that was most dazzling. Their arrival set Lady Daws on her best behavior, and she laughed with others and appeared quite human. Brian spoke with her father about the painting he had acquired, and Lady Daws held William’s arm as if he were her own creation.

A few others from the Egyptology Department arrived, and then Lord Avery’s household, the gentleman himself, Margaret and David. Soon after, Davis’s cohorts were at the door—Robert Stewart, Allan Beckensdale and Alfred Daws.

As Alfred entered the room, Isabella stiffened. Kat could not help but watch the two. Catching his stepmother’s eye at one point, Alfred acknowledged her, inclining his head. She returned the gesture, then gave her avid attention to William and Brian Stirling again.

At one point, Kat saw Alfred and Hunter talking. Alfred was a tall young man, but Hunter still towered over him. Hunter’s words were low, but she had the feeling that they were tense. Alfred flushed and looked away, again catching the eye of his stepmother, who arched her chin and seemed quite pleased that he might be suffering in some way.

“A toast?” Kat turned. David was by her side. He had a fresh glass of champagne for her.

“Thank you, but I don’t believe I shall have any more champagne.”

“But you must!” he protested, and it seemed that he had been imbibing freely already. “You’ve become engaged. Who would have imagined?” He thrust the flute into her hand.

“The world is strange,” she said simply. He was hurt, she knew. And yet she felt angry. “He wishes to marry me,” she couldn’t help but say, even if it was a lie.

His cheeks darkened. “His parents are long gone, and he has been off in the world on his own many years,” he said, defending himself.

“Of course.” Despite her words to the contrary, she took a sip of the champagne. Lady Margaret was watching them, she realized.

As was Isabella Daws.

She felt that she and David were standing too close. She backed up, nearly stepping on someone’s feet—those of Alfred Daws, as it happened. She nearly lost her balance. “Whoa!” the young lord said, and rescued the champagne flute from her hand as David reached out to steady her. She quickly regained her balance and composure, thanking them both. “Your champagne,” Alfred said.

“Thank you.” She stepped back cleanly then. It might all be a charade to Hunter, but he was deadly serious when it came to David’s keeping his distance from her.

And Hunter, too, was watching.

Margaret saved her, sailing in among them. “What fun! Honestly, Kat, this is just wonderful. I mean, of course, you’ll still help Hunter, and you must have your art lessons, but we’ll be more like a family now.”

In other words, Kat wouldn’t be a slightly elevated servant.

“Thank you, Margaret.”

Margaret gave her a hug, and it seemed very warm and real. And once again, her champagne flute was nearly lost. Someone saved it, and it was back in her hands.

There was a delicate touch at the nape of her neck, sending frissons of heat shooting along her spine. Hunter was at her side. “Shall we eat, my dear?”

“Indeed, yes, I’m sure everyone is quite starving,” she murmured. They were being watched, of course. He made a point of offering her a smile, catching the underside of her chin with his knuckle and raising her face to his. He smoothed back a strand of her hair with his free hand and placed a tender kiss on her lips.

She thought she heard a choking sound.

David.

The kiss seemed to linger a bit too long. He raised his face just slightly, his eyes touching hers. Only she could really see his eyes, both the challenge and amusement that burned within them.

“Dinner,” she said, the word rather choked out.

“Oh, yes. Dinner,” he said huskily. “I had quite forgotten.”

Lord Avery cleared his throat. Hunter stepped away.

They were soon arranged around the table. Luckily, she was at one end, Hunter at the other. Alfred was to her side, while Lady Daws was seated down by Hunter.

Conversation began with current politics, then a champagne toast to the queen. It veered to the coming expedition, then a champagne toast to their voyage. Next, a toast was made to Eliza’s fashion-design prowess, and then to Margaret’s beauty. William’s work was toasted. Then Brian Stirling rose to toast the newly engaged couple. “To Katherine Adair, far than a simple mortal beauty, to catch not just the heart but the hand of a man such as Hunter, and to Hunter himself, a lucky man in many ways, it’s been said, but never so much as now! To long life, a successful marriage, a dozen children, and the best I could ever wish any man, the happiness I have found myself!”

“Santé!” William said, raising his glass, and the toast went round.

Once again, Kat realized, her head was swimming. Champagne, she decided, was an evil brew, sent to torment the senses rather than elate them. She was tired, not seeing clearly, and the night seemed endless. She had to keep smiling and chatting. She was quite afraid that she was going to pass out. At last, she was seriously so reeling that she escaped to the kitchen.

“Why, you’re flushed!” Maggie said.

“Too warm,” Emma agreed.

“We’ll get you upstairs immediately.”

They did so, bringing her up the servants’ stairway. It had been impossible for Eliza not to have noted her disappearance, and she soon followed and was instantly concerned. Kat realized then that she was quite ill. Once they had gotten her dress over her shoulders, she tore into the bathroom, finding the commode in just the nick of time.

She was aware of the excited conversation as both Maggie and Emma rushed to help her. She closed the bathroom door, begging privacy. Agony ripped through her. She was violently sick once again, and then again. And when she was done, she nearly fainted. She wore a corset, and it was far too tight, and she couldn’t find the strings.

“Kat!” It was Eliza at the door now. “You must let me in!”

She could barely reach the doorknob. Eliza rushed in, got a cloth, cooled her face and helped her rise.

“The stays!” Kat managed.

Eliza eased them. There was a robe on the back of the door, and she slipped it around her sister’s shoulders, her eyes wide with concern. “Is it the excitement? The champagne? You’re never sick!”

“Never,” Kat agreed.

She was shaking, chilled, trembling again. But vomiting had been good. The agonizing pain was gone. She felt as weak as a kitten. “Come…let’s get you into bed,” Eliza said.

“Here?”

“Well, you are engaged to him now. This is your room now. And Emma is certainly proper!”

Kat let her sister get the door open and help her over to the bed. Maggie and Eliza were there, drawing down the sheets, drawing them up once again. Maggie worked the pins from her hair. “We’ll not have them sticking into your pate, adding to your misery!” she vowed.

“I’m better…much, much better,” Kat assured them. She tried to sit up but hadn’t the strength.

“Tea!” Emma said. “I must make some tea.”

And so she rushed away to do so. Kat closed her eyes. She opened them again. Her father was there, and his eyes were dark with worry. “I’m okay, Papa!” she assured him, and tried to smile. “Too many toasts!”

“Ah, darlin’!” he said, gently holding her.

Kat heard someone whispering, “She’ll have to stay.”

Then Emma was back with the tea. Eliza supported her, and she drank it, and the world seemed so much better. She closed her eyes. Drifted…

She dreamed of a rocking sensation, as if she were already at sea. Great waves swept by. They became sand. She was looking out over the desert. As she looked, a great black wing seemed to cover the sun, and the darkness boded a terrible evil. She fought it, trying to awaken….

She was awake. The room was very dim, and there was someone here with her. A figure, dark, and somehow menacing, staring at her.

She jerked up, crying out.

The figure disappeared. There were footsteps, running down the hallway. Emma burst in. She was in a nightgown now. She rushed to Kat and sat on the side of the bed. Kat almost smiled, the woman looked so funny in her nightcap. “What is it?”

Nothing, Kat realized. She had been dreaming, imagining giant wings, and she had dreamed a shadow. “I’m so sorry I woke you! I was dreaming.”

Emma looked at her anxiously, smoothing her hair. “You’re truly cool now, my dear. And not at all clammy. Do you feel better?”

“Much,” Kat assured her. “The guests are all gone now, I imagine?”

Emma nodded. “Your father knew that you must stay here. Hunter insisted on the doctor coming, and he did, but you were sleeping quite peacefully by then. He believed it must have been the champagne and the excitement, and he said that he doubted you’d been eating nearly enough lately. So…apparently, he was right. You’re much better.”

“I never get sick!” Kat said.

Emma smiled. Obviously that wasn’t quite true.

“Shall I make you something? Some tea, a bit of toast?”

Kat shook her head. “No…thank you. I’ll just…sleep. I think that’s what I need.”

Emma left her. Kat plumped her pillow and closed her eyes. Again, she drifted. This time, she did not dream. When she awoke again, it was because soft light, barely more than darkness, was seeping in through the curtains.

Again, she knew there was a presence in the room. But this time, it was not malignant. She felt a touch, fingers on her cheek, catching the hair that had fallen over her face. Very, very gently moving it back.

Fingers, like a breath of air, on her head, and then again, testing the temperature of her cheek.

A knuckle, ever so light, like angel’s wings, against her face.

She breathed, and she knew the scent. Hunter.

After a moment, he was gone. She slept very deeply again. When she awoke, Emma was there to ask if she wanted to try to come down, or if her father and sister should come up. It was nearly night again.

Her last night in England.

Tomorrow, they sailed.