Charmed and Dangerous by Jane Ashford Page A

been in ten years of suppressing his hot temper. Laura Devane was impossible, he thought. She was going to get herself into serious trouble, and no doubt General Pryor would blame him for it. Why couldn’t she be like other females? he wondered fiercely. Any normal woman would have fled weeping back to England by this time. Instead, she flung his insults back in his face. She pushed him away, and then sat chattering to that popinjay Oliveri for twenty minutes, looking as if she was enjoying herself thoroughly.
    He had wanted her to let him be, a small, sane inner voice pointed out. He had wanted her gone. He had set out to frighten her off, not to have her hanging about, flirting with any man who presented himself. She was supposed to be on a boat for Dover by this time. He was supposed to be free, as he was thoroughly used to being.
    Gavin pushed aside a hanging branch with unnecessary force. He didn’t have time for this. He had far more important things to consider. He had had plans for this gathering, which so far had been thwarted. He slashed at a tendril of grapevine that was curling quite innocently at the edge of the path. He would find Sophie, he determined, and continue to explore her motives in detail. And he would do so in full view of Laura Devane, he concluded with savage satisfaction.

Six
    â€œAre you sure this is where you meant to go, miss?” asked the young maid Laura had brought with her on her errand.
    It was a larger question than she realized, Laura thought. What did she mean to accomplish by visiting Oliveri? “The map says this is the street,” she replied, looking from the city map she had procured to the seedy buildings on either side. A number of them were warehouses, and the pedestrians around them looked as if they spent their days hauling crates and boxes. She was very glad she had brought the maid, Laura thought. She rather wished she had added a couple of footmen. “Here is the number,” she added, matching the address on the card Oliveri had given her with that painted on one of the doorways.
    The young maid didn’t comment, but her expression was eloquent. Laura regretted her fears, but she had required a companion. She wasn’t so foolish as to visit Oliveri alone.
    But how foolish was she? she wondered as she pushed open the door and stepped into a small entryway. She wasn’t very experienced in this sort of game. Yet. But now that she had been pulled into it, she couldn’t resist playing a part. She had spent too many years making safe choices, hiding her abilities behind convention. More than likely she would do so again. But not today. She wanted to know how Oliveri had discovered her visit to George Tompkins.
    There was no sign of the building’s inhabitants, merely a twisting stairway that might once have been grand. Laura consulted the card again. “Third floor,” she said and started to climb, the maid trailing reluctantly after her.
    The stairway would have benefited from a coat of paint, but it wasn’t dirty. Their footsteps echoed. No sounds suggested the presence of tenants behind the closed doors they passed.
    â€œHere,” said Laura finally. She noticed with some relief that another copy of the card she held had been tacked to a door on the third-floor landing. She knocked on it.
    There was no response.
    â€œMaybe no one’s home,” said the maid hopefully.
    Laura knocked again.
    â€œA moment,” called a voice from within.
    Footsteps approached the other side of the door. It was flung open. Oliveri looked inquiring, then astonished. “Signorina Devane!”
    â€œHello,” said Laura.
    â€œBut…this is wonderful. Come in.”
    â€œYou invited me to see your work.”
    â€œOf course. I am honored.”
    He ushered them in, and Laura looked around with a good deal of curiosity. His quarters appeared to be one huge room with lines of windows on two sides. Screens partly hid a