reputation ruined by scandal.“

„Lady?“ The prince’s soft voice stung like a velvet lash. „A

bloodthirsty viper at fifteen who has developed into an

accomplished harlot at the ripe age of nineteen years? She

would laugh at a threat such as that.“

„Why don’t you let my man approach her and – “

„No!“ Savron met his gaze with sudden fierceness. „Do

nothing else. Your firm has blundered this business from start

to finish. I’ll handle the affair myself from now on.“

„But if you’ll give us the opportunity to – “

Savron made a slicing movement with the edge of his hand.

„No, it’s finished. Good day, Mr. Bentsen.“

At that moment Nicholas Savron was more imperial tsar

than landed prince, and Bentsen found himself bowing as he

backed away. „Good day, your highness, I’m sorry we – “ He

stopped. What the hell was he doing? He was an American,

dammit, and he didn’t bow to anyone. He straightened and

jammed on his hat. „We’ll expect your payment for services

rendered.“ He turned and walked away, his back straight and

the faintest hint of a swagger in his gait.

Marinov gave a low whistle. „I do believe you’ve been

subjected to lese-majeste, Nicky.“

„So it appears.“ A sudden reckless smile banished the

sternness from Nicholas’s expression. „These Americans have

no respect for a fellow’s consequence. Give a man a taste of

equality and he tries to march like a king over the face of the

earth.“

Marinov s expression sobered. „You’re safe enough here,

but a remark like that will get you sent into exile once we’re

home again. God knows I may have complained about this

heat, but I won’t promise to follow you to Siberia if the tsar

decides to curb that wild tongue of yours.“

Nicholas’s smile deepened. „It might be worth it. Siberia

could be a welcome change. St. Petersburg has been abysmally

boring of late. I used to be able to bear it when I knew I could

go back to the Kuban, but not…“He trailed off, his dark eyes

gazing brood-ingly down at the waters below him. „Maybe I’ll

pay a visit to court when this is all over.“

„Good God, why?“ Marinov asked, startled. „You hate life

at court.“

„I don’t know. It’s as good a place as any other in which to

be bored. Perhaps…“He shrugged impatiently. „But that’s in

the future. Now we have to find Dominic Delaney.“

„You think he’s to blame for Andre’s death?“

„Who knows?“ Nicholas said wearily. „But I’m here to find

out and I won’t go home until I do.“ His hand clenched

violently on the wooden rail. „Why the hell did he go to a

primitive place like Hell’s Bluff? What a fool he was.“

„But you loved him,“ Marinov said quietly.

„He was my cousin,“ Nicholas was silent a moment.

„Damn, he was as clumsy as a big puppy and I can’t remember

how many scrapes I had to get him out of, but he had a good

heart. He didn’t deserve to be hanged in a land so far from

home.“

„I take it we go to this St. Louis to question the young

woman? She doesn’t sound as if she would willingly tell you

anything.“ Valentin’s eyes twinkled. „Except the same advice

she gave Mr. Bentsen’s agent.“

„She’ll tell me.“ Nicholas turned away from the rail.

„Come along. Let’s go find Robert and inform him that he’s

going to get the opportunity to beat the Robert E. Lee’s record

to St. Louis. You recall how enthusiastic he was in the telling

of that tale. How long did he say it took? Four days?“

„A little less, I think.“ Valentin fell into step with him. „Our

celebration is over, I assume.“

„Why? I’m sure we’ll need amusement on the trip. We’ll

ask our guests to go along.“ Nicholas’s ebony eyes were

suddenly gleaming. „Don’t you think that’s a fine idea?“

„Lee Bassinger too?“

„You object? He’s not exactly charming, but he may

improve upon acquaintance.“

„You know damn well he’s a dangerous man. He’s a

vicious bastard, and he didn’t like losing this pleasure barge to

you. It was the pride of his fleet of river-boats.“

„All the more reason to invite him. It will make the journey

more interesting.“

Valentin slowly shook his head, but said nothing. There

was no use remonstrating with Nicholas when he was in such a

mood. The streak of wildness that had always been a part of

him had been growing steadily of late, and arguing only

triggered more extravagant behavior. „You realize the journey

could all be for nothing? What if Delaney’s niece refuses to

tell you where her uncle has gone?“

„There are always ways of handling vipers.“ Nicholas

suddenly threw back his head and laughed. He clapped

Valentin on the shoulder. „Stop frowning, my friend. She’s

young, a schoolgirl. It will take no time at all to get the

information from her. Silver Delaney will pose no problem for

me.“

2

Where in hell had the blasted girl gone?

Luke Carey carefully moved from the shadows of the high

stone wall to a beech tree closer to the three-story building that

housed Mrs. Alford’s Select Academy for Young Ladies, his

gaze searching the darkness.

She had to be somewhere on the grounds. He had caught a

fleeting glimpse of the Delaney girl as she had slipped from

the sill of her third-floor chamber to the branch of an oak tree

and begun her usual agile descent to the garden below. Then,

somehow, he had lost sight of her after she had reached the

ground. One moment she had been there, and the next she had

faded into the shadows. Maybe he should –

A strong arm encircled him from the rear and jerked his

neck back sharply. The sharp point of a dagger pricked his

throat.

„Don’t move!“ The voice behind him was low and fierce.

„Or I’ll slice your gullet like a chicken for Sunday dinner.“

Carey froze, his heart pounding so hard he could almost

hear it in the darkness. „I’m not moving,“ he said hoarsely. He

swallowed. „Will you shift that knife an inch or so? I’m scared

to breathe.“

„Soon.“ The knife remained pressed against the hollow of

his throat. „When you tell me what I want to know.“

It was the Delaney girl, he realized with amazement.

Though the tone was fierce, her voice held the same

melodious, bell-like womanliness as that of the schoolgirl who

had damned him to perdition three weeks ago in Mrs. Alford’s

prim parlor.

He found himself unconsciously relaxing. „Now, Miss

Delaney, you’re being a little hasty. You don’t want to – “ A

fresh ripple of fear surged through him as the dagger drew

blood.

„How do you know what I want to do? You know nothing

about me except what you’ve discovered by spying on me. Did

you think I didn’t realize you were following me?“ Her tone

was edged with scorn. „An elephant couldn’t have been more

clumsy about hiding his sign. You wouldn’t last two days on

the trail. The only reason I put up with it was to see how long

you’d keep at it when you saw I wouldn’t lead you to

Dominic.“

Carey muttered a low curse beneath his breath. „You could

have stopped me at any time. It’s your uncle we want. We have

no interest in your activities.“

„But I’m interested in yours. Who is this client who wants

so much to learn Dominic’s whereabouts?“

Carey nervously licked his lips. „I told you the day we met

in the parlor that I don’t know.“

„Charles Durbin?“

Carey started to shake his head and then stopped. Lord,

he’d be spitting himself on that damn little dagger in another