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Isabella laughed "This way, darling It’s a dead secret" She led the way through the shop to an unar smoke and perfuht as he let Beth precede him down the stairs The Parisian police were aware of this illegal ga den, but took ht they were getting aith so, excited like littering palace The rooth of several houses upstairs, and crystal chandeliersA rich red carpet covered the floor, and the walls were lined alnut

People hovered around tables, talking, laughing, shouting, groaning The click of dice, the slapping of cards, and the whir of a roulette wheel floated above it all Too many people pressed around Ian He didn’t like it They crushed him, stared at him, talked all at the sa He felt the need to flee winding like an insidious vine, and he looked around for the nearest retreat

"Ian?" Beth glanced up at hi to her Her curls on top of her head were level with his nose He could bury his face in her hair, kiss her He didn’t have to run

His hand tightened on hers "I don’t like crowds," he said

"I know Should we go?"

"Not yet," Isabella said She looked back at the eyes and stopped in front of a roulette table The wheel’s brass finial gleamed as it spun, the wooden slats of the base beautifully inlaid Piles of counters rested on nureen baize tabletop

Ian watched the ball whizzing around the wheel, in the opposite direction the wheel spun Roulette wheels were precisely balanced, floating on their bases, the nearest thing to a perpetual-motion machine Ian wanted to snatch up the ball and start the wheel again, to count how lide around the circumference before friction had its way

The wheel slowed Ian stared closely, predicting how many turns were left before the ball dropped Fifteen, he predicted, or twenty

The ball danced across the double row of slots before finally coe quinze" the partially dressed lady behind it announced Red fifteen

There were groans and sighs The croupier raked counters toward herself, and hands reached for winnings or left thehed "It’s banned in France, but you can find it if you knohere to look Saves the bother of traveling all the way to Monte Carlo Give e it toat Ian He nodded The tightness had eased from his throat, and he breathed more easily Isabella handed Beth markers, and Beth reached to put a stack on one of the numbers

"Not there," Ian said quickly

"Does it loved wrist as her hand stilled