"You're going to pay yourdebt and, if you don't, I'm going to make sure your Patrick suffers more thanIan before I kill him."
"You don't have tothreaten me," she said quietly. "I'm perfectly willing to go toGlenclaren. You had only to ask me."
"I have no intention ofasking you. I'm telling you what your first payment is going to be."
"First payment?"
"Did you think a fewyears of servitude was going to be your only punishment? Given the opportunityto consider the possibilities, I'm not so lacking in imagination I won't find abetter way to hurt you."
She was tempted to tell himshe was already hurting, but she knew he wouldn't believe her. She had neverseen such bitterness as she was now confronting. "You'll have to do as yousee fit. I'll do everything I can to help Ian." She reached up and rubbedher aching temple. The whole world seemed full of pain tonight. "But LiSung and Kartauk must come with me. It's dangerous for them to stay here."
"By all means, take yourlittle covey. Ian will need all the help he can get."
"And Patrick." Thewords came out of nowhere, startling her. She had thought she was done withPatrick, but the habit of years would not be broken in spite of her disgust andrevulsion. She could not leave him to face Ruel's deadly wrath.
His gaze narrowed on her face."I was thinking of taking dear Patrick with me to Cinnidar to assure yourcontinued support."
"He'd be in yourway," she said quickly.
"You think I might killhim." He was silent a moment. "Maybe you're right. If I startedthinking about Ian, I couldn't promise not to lose my temper and push thebastard into the canyon. Besides, I don't need a hostage. I'll be in touch withMaggie and I'll know if you're keeping your word."
"I'll keep my word."She added wearily, "And perhaps you'll change your mind in time."
"I won't change mymind." He turned and moved toward the door. "I told you I have a longmemory."
TheBonnie Ladysailedout of Narinth harbor three weeks later with Jane, Ian, Li Sung, Patrick, andKartauk on board.
Li Sung glanced back at Ruelstanding alone on the dock. "He's staring at you."
"Is he?" She knewvery well Ruel was staring at her but did not look back. She had made themistake of meeting his gaze a moment before as the ship had left the dock andhad felt bound, enchained. It was exactly how he meant her to feel. He wantedto remind her this parting was only temporary and that she would never be ableto escape him.
"He behaves verystrangely with you now. I don't suppose you'd like to tell me why he's—"
"No, I would not."While hiding in the inn in Narinth, he and Kartauk had not heard of the inquiryand she had no intention of enlightening him. He was already overprotective ofher and she knew very well how he would react to her shouldering Patrick'sblame.
Why didn't Ruel look away? Shecould feel his eyes on her. She straightened away from the rail. "Well, Ican't stay here any longer. I have to get back to Ian."
Li Sung shook his head."Kartauk is with him. He seems to be able to amuse him."
She had noticed that herselfand had blessed Kartauk during the two days they had spent at the inn prior totheir departure. Heaven knows, no one else had been able to raise lan'sspirits. "Where's Patrick?"
"Where he usually is,trying to crawl into his whiskey bottle. He's gotten worse since thewreck."
"Yes."
"I notice you do not tryto defend him any longer."
She could not seem to stopprotecting Patrick, but she would no longer lie to either herself or anyoneelse regarding his flaws. "No."
"Why not?"
"He has to shoulder hisown burdens. I have enough to worry about."
"Yet you're taking him toGlenclaren."
"He's not going toGlenclaren."
A flicker of surprise crossedLi Sung's face. "He told me he was going with us."
