didnât use an agency when you got married the first time?â âHell, no.â His mouth curved faintly. âI was an islander. I knew how to take care of myself. Iâd been running a successful company since I was twenty-four. I could find jelly-ice in the heart of the jungle. I was rich and getting richer. I figured I could choose my own wife without any help from the experts.â âWhat happened?â Lucas looked away for a brief moment. When his eyes methers again they were unreadable. âThe same thing the experts say usually happens when people choose their own spouses. I screwed up big time.â âThat is so sad. Were you very much in love?â âSure.â Lucas gave her a laconic look. âPeople who run off to get married always think theyâre in love, donât they? Why else would they run off?â âI donât know.â Amaryllis looked down at her hands. âMy parents ran off together shortly after I was born. But they didnât get married. They couldnât. My father already had a wife.â Understanding lit Lucasâs eyes. âI see.â âThey were both killed in a storm on the way to the Western Islands. I was with my aunt at the time. Everyone thinks my parents intended to start over under a new name and send for me when they found work.â âIâm sorry.â Lucas hesitated. âSo you were left⦠alone?â She smiled wanly. âYou may as well use the right word. I was illegitimate. One of the things that attracted me to Gifford was that he didnât seem to care about the fact that I was a bastard. Some people do, you know.â âYeah. I know.â âBut to answer your question, no, I wasnât alone. My motherâs people took me in.â âYour aunt and uncle?â âYes. And the rest of the Larks, too. They were all kind and loving. I couldnât have asked for a better family.â âWhat about your fatherâs people?â Amaryllis poured herself another cup of coff-tea. âThey prefer to pretend that I donât exist.â âFigures.â A short silence descended. It lasted just long enough for Amaryllis to again regret having invited Lucas in for coff-tea. What on St. Helens had gotten into her, she wondered. She had just told a virtual stranger some of her most deeply held secrets. Not all of them, but more than enough. She had turned into a blathering idiot. And all because sheâd felt sorry for a client. It was time she went back to behaving in a more professional manner. She glanced pointedly at the clock. âItâs getting late.â âSo it is.â Lucas got to his feet with a surprising show of reluctance. âIâll be on my way. Thanks for the coff-tea.â âYouâre welcome.â He smiled wryly. âAnd the sympathy.â Amaryllis softened. âI know it must have been a difficult evening for you.â âIâve had worse.â He scooped his jacket off the stool and started for the door. Amaryllis trailed after him. âLucas, thereâs something I wanted to ask you.â He turned around with unexpected swiftness. âYeah?â âThat other talent you detected tonight,â she began slowly. Something that could have been disappointment flashed in his eyes. The next instant it was gone. âWhat about him?â âWhen I sensed him through you, I realized that he was very powerful. But I couldnât identify the type of talent he was focusing. Iâve never come in contact with any psychic energy of that nature. It was very subtle but very strong.â âHe was good,â Lucas agreed without much interest. âWell, youâre the great detector,â she challenged. âCould you tell what sort of psychic power the person was focusing?â Lucas looked amused. âYou didnât realize who the talent