She had to get away from him!She whirled and ran down the hill. The cold wind struck her cheeks, but shebarely felt it.
She didn't stop until shereached the cottage. She slammed the door, bolted it, ran across the room, andflung herself on the bed.
She was icy cold, shakinguncontrollably.
"Jane."
She tensed, her gaze on thelocked door.
"I'll come back tomorrowfor your answer," Ruel said. "I'm slipping the contract and Medford'ssurvey report under the door. You'll have plenty of time before tomorrow toexamine them both."
"I don't want to seethem."
"But you'll still look atthem. You'll think of Li Sung and Patrick. You'll remember how hard it is for awoman to make a place in this world." Two folded documents slitheredserpentlike beneath the door. "I'll see you tomorrow, Jane."
She didn't hear the departingfootsteps, but she knew he was gone.
She should be relieved, butshe was not. It was as if he were in the room with her, looking at her,touching her.
It's not finished yet.
It was true. No matter how shehad lied to herself, she had never been able to fight what she felt for Ruel.It had always been there in the background, like a melody with the verse leftunsung.
Let it stay unfinished. Shedidn't want it to start again. She had struggled for three years to banish thelove she had felt for Ruel. She could not imagine anything more terrible thancaring for a man who wanted only to hurt her. The idea made her so frightened,she felt sick to her stomach.
But she couldn't tear her gazefrom the two packets of papers on the floor.
Kartauk sat on the flagstones,his eyes closed, leaning back against the stone wall of the stable.
"You're notworking?" Ruel strolled across the courtyard toward Kartauk. "I don'tbelieve I've ever seen you so relaxed."
"I just finished firing astatue in the furnace. It's cooling down." Kartauk opened his eyes."Margaret tells me I'm to go to Cinnidar. How very kind of you to inviteme."
"I was going to getaround to it. I've been busy. I need you, Kartauk."
"The entire world needsme."
"They need your work. Ineed your knowledge of Abdar. There's a good possibility he'll appear on thehorizon and I'll need your help."
"I've spent three yearsavoiding Abdar and you wish me to place myself in a position where he cannothelp but notice me?"
"You're not a retiringgentleman. Wouldn't you like to be permanently free of Abdar?"
"Permanently? Just how doyou intend to 'permanently' remove a man in his position?"
"Cinnidar is mine. Forall intents and purposes I'm the maharajah of Cinnidar. If Abdar makes anattempt to take it, I'd be within my rights to treat him like any otherinvader." He smiled grimly. "I have no compunction about making surehe won't get the opportunity to do it twice."
"In which case I can sithere and let you get rid of him for me while I tend to my own concerns."
"True, but his defeatwill be swifter and more certain if I have an ally who knows the nature of thebeast."
"Beast?" Kartauksavored the word. "He is one, you know. A total monster." He shookhis head. "I do not think it wise for me to go."
"Why not?"
"Many reasons."
"You can have your ownstudio in the palace."
