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Maybe it’s just as well that I got it over with quickly and left Theo to deal with it on his own By the tiain, Theo will have had time to come up with sos he uses to shield himself He’s more vulnerable than he lets on

What will Paul say when I break the news? Although I know him more intiine his reaction But of course I have to tell him My Paul ithin Lieutenant Markov, a part of hihness?" my driver says "Are you well?"

Only then do I realize I’ve started crying into my handkerchief I just shake my head Let the chauffeurback into the Suite I within the walls of a gilded fortress In some ways, I’m locked in, but at least the rest of the world is locked out tonightor so I think, before I see the potted orchids on the desk next to a sards

I rip open the envelope When I pull out the thin yellow paper inside, I realize it’s a telegram, the first real one I’ve ever seen Each word is written in flat block capitals Yet before I read anything else, I see the name of the sender: WYATT CONLEY, NEW YORK CITY

He’s a millionaire inventor in this diuerite has never had the slightest contact with So I know the sender isn’t this universe’s Conley, and the rand duchess It’s for me

YOU FOUND A LOOPHOLE IN MY RULES -(STOP)- VERY CLEVER -(STOP)- DON’T TRY MY PATIENCE -(STOP)- COME TO MEETING AT THE HOME OFFICE WITHIN 48 HOURS AND THE FINAL SPLINTER WILL BE RESTORED TO YOU -(STOP)- DELAY ANY FURTHER AND WE WILL RENEGOTIATE TERMS LESS IN YOUR FAVOR -(STOP)- BETTER TO WORK FOR ME THAN AGAINST ME MARGUERITE REMEMBER THAT -(STOP)- GOOD WORK SO FAR -(STOP)-

The last sentence sickens ain I don’t know Maybe both

It doesn’t matter whether I feel ready I have to save Paul, and that o this moment, if I didn’t feel like I should speak to Theo one ain We need to present a united front--and right this second, if I leaped out of this dimension I’m not sure Theo would follow

No, of course he would He’d do it for Paul

After I clilass-shaded lamp beside rand duchess’s sketch pad and open it Drawn on the top page is the portrait I couldn’t look at before: Lieutenant Markov Paul The man who made me fall in love

She’s etched him in the softest, most precise lines Only hinted at color Yet she has captured so in him that blazes with life

I know the expression on his face; I even knohere he’s standing, fro of Paul leading her to the Easter Roos The portrait of ently into old , yet uncertain Just like this Like ain, this ti at attention besidehis broad shoulders and narroaist, the scale revealing how tall and powerfully built he is

Was