"And who, I ask again, isPachtal?"
"Pachtal serves PrinceAbdar." She went on quickly. "But you needn't worry about themaharajah becoming involved. Abdar doesn't want him to know about any of this."
"About what?" Ruelasked.
It had been only fair toassuage his concern, but he didn't have to know any more. She tossed back thecovers. "I have to get back to the bungalow. I need to be up atdawn."
"Your railroad can dowithout you for a day or two. You can use a little time to recuperate fromlosing all that blood."
"A day or two?" Shelooked at him as if he had gone mad. "The monsoons start in two weeks. Ican't afford to lose even an hour."
"Reilly can take over foryou. It's his railroad, isn't it?"
She didn't answer as shestruggled out of bed to her feet.
Dizziness. The room swungaround her.
"Dammit, what are youtrying to do to yourself?" Ruel took two steps, reached out, and grabbedher arms, steadying her. "Lie down."
"No, it's betternow." She spoke the truth. She still felt weak, but the room was no longerswaying. "I have to get—"
"Back to your blastedrailroad," he finished. "The hell you will."
"You shouldn't curse inthe presence of a lady," Ian said reprovingly. "But I admit thesentiment is valid. You should rest, lass."
"I'll be fine." Shebacked away from Ruel. "Thank you for your concern."
"Concern?" Ruelexploded in exasperation. "Why should I be concerned just because you werestupid enough to jump in front of a dagger meant for me?"
"It couldn't have beenmeant for you. It must have been a mistake." She shook her head. "Idon't understand. You're not involved in this."
"I appear to be very muchinvolved," he said grimly. "I owe you a debt, and I pay mydebts."
"You don't owe meanything."
A sudden smile lit his face,melting away the grimness as if it had never been. "I've heard the Chinesebelieve if you save a man's life, it belongs to you." His voice wasvelvet-deep, the tone wheedling. "Now, you can't just toss me away,lass."
Dear heaven, he was asbeautiful and seductive as the whistle of a train in the night traveling towondrous places. "Li Sung says that proverb is a fallacy made up by whitemen."
"And who is LiSung?"
"My friend."
"I prefer my own versionof the Oriental philosophy," he said, that radiant smile basking her oncemore. "Won't you do as I ask?"
He knew exactly what he wasdoing, she realized suddenly. He knew down to the last glowing ounce of thatstrong, beautiful body how to seduce and persuade and bend a woman to his wayof thinking and had probably learned it through a thousand encounters such asthe one that had taken place at Zabrie's.
"No." She felt aninstant of satisfaction as she saw the flicker of surprise on his face, but sheknew she hadn't the strength to argue with him any longer. She must put an endto this discussion. "Thank you for taking care of my arm. You needn'tworry anymore about this. I'm sure you won't get in trouble for—"
"Oh, no, you don't."Ruel moved in front of her, blocking her passage to the door. The grimness hadreturned to his expression. "Get back in that bed." When she didn'tmove but stood there looking at him, he said impatiently, "All right,blast it, I'll let you go slave on your wonderful railroad, but a few hoursrest won't hurt. Get some sleep and we'll be on our way at first light."
"We?"
"Your railroad's hirednearly everyone else in Kasanpore. Why not me? After tonight, I'd say you needsomeone to guard your back."
"I don't need anyone toprotect me. I can take care of myself."
"Then, at least, I canwatch over you and see you don't kill yourself with overwork."
