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He was s swell of tenderness fill her up He was so beautiful And he’d brought her Miss Mabel Her friend was safe

Miss Mabel scowled at Drake "Like they gave me any choice Those two boys wouldn’t listen to a word I said I told the, but they wouldn’t listen I wanted to take a switch to both of them"

"Maybe later," soothed Drake "Why don’t you co room should have cleared out some by now and we can all catch up"

"That sounds wonderful," said Helen"You can tell me all about what happened after we left the faran her rant as they headed out the door and hadn’t finished until Helen had finished her second cup of coffee "So they told et me I’m supposed to have my own room later today"

Drake took Helen’s hand and settled it on his thigh He stroked the back of it with an idle sweep of his fingers Helen had to force herself to concentrate on what her friend was saying "That sounds great It’s beautiful here"

Miss Mabel gave a little snort "I suppose It’s not horin "The Gerai will take care of s here, so it will help you settle in And of course, Helen and I will help in any e can"

Miss Mabel see my keep, and that Joseph of yours refused to take my money"

"We don’t need it," said Drake "We’ve lived long enough to understand the power of compound interest"

"I’d like to teach those boys, Slade and Vance, a thing or two They don’t have a single rinned wide "I think that’s an excellent idea We’ve got a few good teachers here, but we could always use another There are a lot of human children that would benefit from your experience"

Miss Mabel’s rheumy eyes lit up in a way Helen had never seen before "I suppose I could exchangeservices for room and board"

"I’ll talk to Joseph about it, if you like," offered Drake

"No, thank you I’d rather talk to hi to work around here"

Drake’s grin widened and Helen hoped that Joseph was h to take on Miss Mabel

Before she could question Miss Mabel about her plans, Gilda came to their table "It’s ti in a soft gray gown similar to the one she’d worn yesterday, but with delicate elinted with strands of silver, and her black eyes were cold as they looked down on Helen "It’s not wise to keep Sibyl waiting"

Drake wiped his mouth on a napkin and slid smoothly to his feet Helen couldn’t help but admire the way he moved, the way he was built as if he’d beento his muscled chest and shoulders and she could still reht--all hard and hot and hers--striving to bring her to cliave her a secret shts, and offered her his hand She took it, glad to have his strength to steady her nerves

"If you’ll please excuse us, Miss Mabel," he said, bowing his head toward the older woman "We have an appointe-spotted hand "You kids go on I have work to do"

Gilda led the skirt billowed out behind her

"Are you sure Sibyl will be able to help ure out my vision?" Helen asked Drake as they followed behind Gilda down a long corridor

"Yes," said Drake at the sanored Gilda Obviously the wo She looked tired and worried and angry, and Helen’s heart went out to her If what Drake had said was true and she thought of him like a son, then it was no wonder Gilda wasn’t pleased Helen was never going to be what these people wanted Part of her was glad because she couldn’t see herself ever doing what Gilda had done last night No freaking way

Drake’s hand slid over her back in a co all too well the kind of ic those hands wielded With any luck at all, she’d find a few spare s she’d ht

Gilda stopped at a door at the end of a long hall and Helen nearly ran into her Drake stopped her before she could eave herself awas important

Gilda knocked on the door and it was answered by a huge man He was nearly six and a half feet tall, heavily reen eyes His body was ht fabric of his left sleeve Helen could see the empty branches of his lifemark He was another Theronai--one she had not yet met

He bowed his head to Gilda "Lady"

"Good , Cain Is Sibyl ready?"

Cain’s eyes darted to Helen, slid fro her up in the blink of an eye "I regret thatyouvoice

Oath? He iven her What did one say to so like that? "Uh, that’s okay"

He bowed his head to her as he had to Gilda "Sibyl will see you now"

Cain opened the door wide and stepped to the side to let theed the sa room was done in a frilly mix of lavender and pink with lace curtains and doilies everywhere The furniture was surprisingly sh for Cain’s bulk, and even that was covered in a pale pink floral fabric

Helen bet Cain just loved that

Cain looked at Drake and Gilda "Please wait here"

"I’ with her," said Gilda