She could have bitten hertongue. "My mother."
"And she was awhore?"
"Yes, but Idon'twantto talk about it."
"Oh no, you're notclosing me out again. We've come too far for that. If I'd probed a littledeeper before, I wouldn't be in this predicament. Why does the idea of beinglike your mother frighten you?"
"Living like that... it'sa nightmare. She became a slave. I'llneverbe a slave. I'll never letanyone do that to me."
"If you have such arevulsion for whorehouses, why did you go to Zabrie's?" He smiled grimly."Since I know it was definitely not for the purpose I originally envisioned."
She looked down at the carpet."I had business with her."
"Railroad business?"
"No."
"Kartauk?"
Her head snapped up."What do you know about Kartauk?"
"More than I did an hourago. I know he's not your lover either."
"Of course he'snot." Her tone was abstracted as she stared warily at him. "Where didyou hear about him?"
"Abdar." As he sawher go rigid with shock, he added roughly, "Don't look at me like that. IfI was still a threat to you, do you think I'd be talking about Kartauk orAbdar? The game's changed, and I'll have to find some other way to get what Iwant."
"And what do youwant?"
"An audience with themaharajah and pressure brought to bear to influence him in the direction I wanthim to go." He paused. "That's what Abdar promised me in return forfinding and turning Kartauk over to him."
"And you were going to doit?" she whispered.
"I hadn't made a firmdecision. It was a possibility."
"You went to a great dealof trouble just for a possibility." She shook her head uncomprehendingly."How could you? He's a monster."
"I suspected as much, butthen, we've already discussed my lack of scruples. I don't believe we have toprobe any further into my iniquities."
Her shock was rapidly beingreplaced by anger. "And is that why you brought me here? Did Abdar tellyou to—"
"Don't be foolish. Abdarhas nothing to do with this."
She suddenly rememberedsomething. "Not even our meeting at Zabrie's? Was that man you killed inthe alley a part of your plan?"
"I hate to disappointyou, but I don't kill without good reason." He frowned. "His presencethere was none of my doing, but Pachtal's arrival was a little too convenientfor my taste. I've been wondering—where do you think you're going?"
"I'm leaving." Shethrew the wrap away and jerked on her damp shirt. "Providing you haven'tstationed Pachtal or one of his men outside to stop me."
"No Pachtal. NoAbdar," he said curtly. "That's over. I know I've hurt you, but tryto think reasonably."
She whirled on him. "Youhaven't hurt me. I don't let men like you and Abdar hurt me." She pulledon her trousers and snatched up her belt. "And reason dictates I'd be verystupid to trust you again."
"You never trusted me.You let me take you because it gave you pleasure, not because you had faith inmy honesty." He held up his hand as she started to speak. "And Inever expected anything else. You'd be a lunatic to trust me. Now that we'veestablished that truth, let's get on with the matter at hand. Abdar wantsKartauk. You don't want him to find him. I assume that means you also want himout of Kasanpore?"
She didn't answer.
He shrugged. "Very well,I'll get your Kartauk out of Kasanpore and find a place for him where he'll besafe from Abdar. Then we're quits, all debts paid."
