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Robin nodded "Valentin is an old ally of mine"

"I am happy to hear it You see, because of their connections, my people would feel safer if ere to settle in his territory," Salva said "I have never met Jaus, however, and I am reluctant to approach him without someone he knoell to vouch for me and mine I would not trespass any further on your kindness,that responsibility and perfor the appropriate introductions between uarantee that Valentin will grant you permission to settle in his territory," Robin warned her "But I shall do an to thank him, but was interrupted by a knock on the door and the appearance of Locksley’s seneschal

"I beg your pardon, my lord, my lady" Will Scarlet bowed to theent ht’s business with the lanced at Salva

"The contessa is an old and trusted friend," Locksley said "You may speak in front of her"

"I went to the auction office as you directed, and obtained the inforo address that I verified with our friends in the north If it existed--which it does not--it would occupy the ed "So"

"I had thought so as well at first," Scarlet agreed, "but the driver’s license she provided was not registered with the Chicago department of transportation Also, her credit card was issued by a governo"

That got Locksley’s attention "What else?"

"I felt I should go to the gallery to question her eht of the show, but I intercepted one of the hu from the back door--a man named Dennis Under allery or any art dealer He is an electronics expert who specializes in covertdevices He said that he, the woents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation"

Oh, dear Salva suppressed a s the truth

"She is an FBI agent" Locksley appeared stunned

"Aye, my lord, and that is not all that the ent Renshaw came to Atlanta to work undercover as an art dealer and set up what they refer to as a ’sting operation’ The FBI wishes to identify and arrest those responsible for transporting to the States the stolen art recovered by the Kyn in France"

Robin said nothing for several moments "I am the one responsible for that"

"Yes,to the man Dennis, the FBI has been interested in your, ah, activities in the art world for soents have not yet identified you by name or appearance, and they have no witnesses, but they know a greatexploits They call you ’the Magician’ "

Salva chuckled "Most appropriate, s disappear"

"I do not believe that the feician are one and the same," the seneschal continued "If she did, she surely would have tried to arrest you last night But she and her cohorts are staging the gallery show specifically as a trap for you The Maiden’s Book of Hours is being used as the bait"

"How could she know that I wanted that manuscript?" Locksley demanded "For that matter, how did they know I live here, in Atlanta?"

Scarlet shrugged "I cannot say, ood" Robin began pacing up and down the length of the room "You are certain that she does not knoho I aiven that your activities date back several decades, the FBI believes you to be an elderly ent Renshaw did suspect, you appear too young and affluent to fit what Dennis called their ’profile’ "

"I cannot believe it" Robin shook his head slowly "First this arment, and now she means to entrap and ier, and the odd s about him He has been with her, while she deceived hiestion, my lord?" When Robin turned to her, she continued; "As I have told you, allery shoith you, and easily convince this mortal female to surrender therevenge for what she has taken fro fro material, my lord But your trust has obviously been violated, and by a woladly do much more harm to you You are a suzerain, she is but aour kind…" Delicately she trailed off

"No one need know anything about this," his seneschal said, frowning at Salva "I’m sure such an old and trusted friend as you, my lady, will keep my lord’s confidence"