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"I worked as a boaters between Staten Island and the city," McKenna said, seehts "Twenty-five cents round-trip That’s how I ers?" Aline asked At his nod, she sent hi turn into a business association?"

His expression becaed to smile at his evasiveness "I see I’ll have to use allout your talkative side"

"I don’t have a talkative side"

"It is a guest’s responsibility to be entertaining," she informed him

"Oh, I’ll entertain you," heit"

As he must have intended, the reave a rueful laugh "You haven’t lost your knack forwicked remarks, I see Relish lady"

He did not look at her as he replied "Yes, I remember"

They approached the bachelor’s quarters, a small residence set apart frouests ished for more privacy than the manor afforded Marcus had told Aline that Mr Shaw had specifically requested that he alone be given the bachelor’s house, even though it could have accon of Mr Shaw yet, Aline saw a pair of servants entering the place with trunks and baggage

McKenna stopped, his vivid eyes catching the sunlight as he glanced at the little house "Shall we part company here? I will come to the manor soon--but first I want to have a look around"

"Yes, of course" Aline supposed that itfor hi in every corner and path "McKenna," she said unsteadily, "was it coincidence that Mr Shaw decided to accept my brother’s invitation for a visit? Or did you deliberately arrange things so that you could co over hers "What reason would I have to co in his appearance or er, but she sensed the tension coiled like a watch spring inside hi so carefully…what no one could have seen unless she had once loved hie--and he would not leave until he had punished her a thousand ways for what she had done to hi a curious sympathy for him even as her instincts screaer Does it still hurt that ether as she reflected on how little it would take for hi herself to look up into his dark face, she spoke with great care "How otten everything you’ve ever wanted More, even" Turning, she left hi upon all her self-restraint to keep fro," McKenna said beneath his breath, his gaze tracking her carefully until she disappeared

McKenna wandered into the bachelor’s house, disregarding the servants as they laid out Shaw’s belongings The furniture was heavy and authentically Jacobean, the shapes ponderous and stately Lavish rosewood paneling covered the walls, and the ere hung with fringed velvet that obliterated all traces of light That was good Much of the tiht was anathema to Gideon Shaw

McKenna knew exactly why Gideon needed the privacy of the bachelor’s house Ever a gentle out of control McKenna had actually never even seen him drunk Gideon would just quietly lock himself into a room with a bottle or two, and reappear two or three days later, pale and unsteady, but sharp-witted and perfectly groo in particular seemed to spur such episodes--it was sis had confided that the ritualistic drinking had begun not long before he and McKenna had met, when the oldest son, Frederick Shaw III, had died of a weak heart

McKenna watched as Gideon’s valet set out a japanned box of cigars on a blockfront desk with a h McKenna seldom smoked, and never at this tiar, its leaves oily and richly pungent Immediately the well-trained valet produced a tiny pair of wickedly sharp scissors, and McKenna received thear, waited as the valet lit the end, then drew on it rhyth sers

The shock of seeing Aline again was even greater than he had anticipated

Detecting the evidence of his shattered nerves, the valet shot hi else for you, sir?"

McKenna shook his head "If Shaw comes, tell him I’m at the balcony in back"

"Yes, sir"

Like the s were set near a bluff overlooking the river The land was heavily wooded with pine, the sounds of floater underlying the trill of nesting arblers Shedding his coat, McKenna sat in one of the chairs on the covered balcony and sained a semblance of his self-control He barely noticed when the valet brought out a crystal dish for the cluar His e of Aline by the river, the rich mass of her pinned-up hair, the exquisite lines of her body and throat

Time had only made Aline’s beauty more eloquent Her body was ripe and fully developed, the form of a woman in her prime With maturity, her face had become more delicately sculpted, the nose thinner, the lips faded from deep rose to the pale shade of pink that tinted the inside of a seashell And there was that daotten beauty mark, the festive dark fleck that lured his attention to the tender corner of her ht of Aline had caused a re him that he had once had the ability to experience joy--an ability that had vanished a long tio It had taken years to alter the obstinate course of his fate, and he had sacrificedout his half-finished cigar, McKenna leaned forith his forearhs As he stared at a nearby hawthorn in full bloom, he wondered why Aline had remained unmarried Perhaps like her father, she was essentially cold-natured, the passions of her youth having eventually been replaced by self-interest Whatever the reason, it didn’t ret was that old Lord Westcliff would not be around to find out that McKenna had finally taken his pleasure between his daughter’s lily-white thighs

Abruptly McKenna’s attention was captured by the creak of the flooring and the liquid rattle of ice shards in a glass Settling back in his chair, he glanced up as Gideon Shaw crossed the threshold of the covered balcony

Turning to face McKenna, Gideon half sat on the railing and hung his free araze steadily Theirs was a complex friendship, supposed by outsiders to be founded purely on a shared desire for financial gain Though that was an undeniable facet of their relationship, it was by no means the sole reason for it As with most solid friendships, they each possessed characteristics that the other lacked McKenna was of coins, and rampantly ambitious, whereas Gideon was cultivated and subtle and coed that he could not afford scruples Gideon was a rimly enmeshed himself in the daily battles of life, while Gideon chose to remain detached

The shadow of a smile crossed Gideon’s mouth "I encountered Lady Aline as she returned to the house A beautiful woman, just as you described Is she h the veil of ss easier for you, then"