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She lay relaxed in the afterglow, purring as his body covered hers He nudged in slowly, the invasion satisfyingly hard and thick Braced above her on his elbows, he held inside her withoutdown into hers She felt how taut and heavy his body was, how ready he was for co his breath whenever her inner ain," he eventually whispered, his eyes brilliant in the heightened color of his face

"I love you," she said, and pulled his head down to hers She felt his deep shudder as the release was pulled fro forward in abandoned waves

Although the subject of Pandora’s board gaht, she knew that Gabriel wouldn’t stand in the hen she finally decided to resume her work He wouldn’t like her outside interests, would no doubt air his opinions about theradually come to understand that the more he accepted her freedom, the easier it was for her to be close to him

They were both aware that sheher affection But she would never use his love as a whip hand over his head Theirnot perfect, not always graceful, but they would find their way together

Gabriel slept in her bed that night, and awakened the nexther back, his long legs drawn up beneath hers, an arhtly in enjoyhened texture of his jaw, and felt his lips press against her fingers

"How do you feel?" he asked, his voice muffled

"Quite well" Her adventurous hand crept doard, insinuating between their bodies until she had gripped the hard length of hiainst her palm "But just to be sureyou should take my te to the side of the bed "Don’t start that again, vixen We have things to do today"

"Oh, that’s right" She watched as he went to don a jacquard robe "I’ll be exceedingly busy First I’ll eat toast and then I’ to look at the wall for a while After that, just for some variety, I’ll probably lie back on pillows and stare at the ceiling--"

"What would you say to receiving a visitor?"

"Who?"

"Mr Ransom, the detective He’s wanted to question you ever since you returned froh"

"Oh" Pandora hadthe detective would ask her about her visit to the printer’s works, as well as the night she was stabbed, and she wasn’t exactly eager to relive either of thosethat justice was served--and secure her own safety in the bargain--it would be hile Besides, it would be so to do "Tell him to visit at his convenience," she said "My schedule is quite flexible, other than e, which cannot be interrupted for any reason"

Chapter 24

Pandora i man with an air of quiet reserve and a sense of humor that was rarely per hint of boyishness about hi to do with the way he spoke, his middle-class accent carefully beveled and measured, like a serious schoolboy Or perhaps it was the way his straight dark hair kept falling over his forehead

"I’m from the secret service bureau," Ransom explained, as he sat in the parlor with Pandora and Gabriel "We’re part of the detective departence related to political matters and answer directly to the Home Office instead of the division superintendent" He hesitated, considering his words "I’m not here in an official capacity In fact, I would prefer to keep this visit confidential My superiors would be displeased, to put it mildly, if they kneas here However, the lack of interest in Lady St Vincent’s attack, as well as Mrs O’Cairre’s death, has beenre"

"Mrs O’Cairre’s death?" Pandora repeated, a sting of shock racing through her "When did that happen? How?"

"A week ago" Ransolanced from her to Gabriel "You weren’t told?"

Gabriel shook his head

"Suicide, they claimed," Ransom said, with a twist of his mouth "The coroner sent for a physician to perform an autopsy, but somehow the body was interred before it could be done Now the coroner refuses to order it to be disinterred That means no inquest The depart" He surveyed theht it was indifference or sheer incompetence, but now I believe it’s more sinister than that Secret Service has deliberately overlooked and destroyed evidence, and their interrogation of Mrs O’Cairre was a useless ned to the interrogation and told them about Lady St Vincent’s visit to the printer’s works I also made certain they knew about the man she saw in the warehouse They never asked Mrs O’Cairre even one question about him"

"My as nearly murdered in front of the Haymarket, and they can’t be bothered?" Gabriel asked with incredulous fury "By God, I’ll go to Scotland Yard and stir up a hornet’s nest"