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She et, and Ian lapped up every drop Ian tortured her for a long tier Beth felt her hips gyrating, her hands locking around her skirts A sob bunt fro Tears rained down her face

Ian drew back and looked up, his eyes burning her She felt herself falling, but Ian caught her and pulled her to his lap, safe in his strong arms "Did I hurt you?" Beth buried her face in his fine-s"

Beth lifted her head "Because I never thought I’d feel such bliss again" She put her hand on his cheek, tried to turn his gaze to her, but she couldn’t make him look at her "Thank you"

He nodded once, and then his feral sain?" Beth pressed her lips together, but her smile wouldn’t be contained "Yes, please," she said

Ian eased her onto the chair, then slid to his knees in front of her He pushed her legs open, then leaned down and showed her that he’d done only half of what he could do with his gifted ?" Isabella pulled Beth with her through a whirl of bright skirts in the ballroo?"

Her tone was disapproving

Beth caught sight of Ian in the marble-lined foyer outside the ballrooasped in delight

"You were kissing, Ian, weren’t you? My darling, hoonderful"

Beth didn’t answer If she spoke, she ht burn up from the inside out Is thiswith dia a wicked affair with the ry days of childhood, of grime-filled streets and thin children, of drunken men, of women desperate and exhausted She’d never dreae so draentleh the darkened hall Of course he wouldn’t enter the ballroo of disappointment She couldn’t expect him to dance attendance Or was it part of what he’d told her, that he couldn’t engage his heart? More fool Beth She kept up lighthearted chatter with Isabella and her friends, but her attention kept straying to the outer hall Ian never reappeared

Fog was gathering as Beth and Isabella left the house much later As they crossed the se, Beth saw a man in the shadoeen laaze, and the laht briefly shone on his thick, luxuriant mustache

"Mrs Ackerley"

Beth turned sharply the next h the Tuileries Gardens The burned-out remains of the Tuileries Palace loomed across the park, a reminder of violence in this beautiful place

Katie walked next to her, surly because Beth had insisted on coht Isabella reetic and restless "Fashionable ladies never rise before noon," Katie growled under her breath "I thought noere fashionable, too" "Hush, Katie," Beth said She bade Katie walk ahead and waited for the tall man in black to catch up to her "Well?" she asked when Katie was out of earshot "I know you’ve been followingwith it the musty stench of water and the sound of bells from Notre Dame

"Does Scotland Yard know you’re in Paris?" she asked