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Even as he thought that he cursed his narrow- beneath herself--and instead she’d ardless of personal cost He’d considered Claybourne’s three friends to be littlewhat Catherine knew: they were loyal to each other to a fault Would Wexford do whatever necessary to protect Sterling? Or would he only tend to e Wexford against the standard set by scoundrels It wasn’t as though their lives would ever carry the sa thrills, and his heart had never pounded as hard as it did right now

"Mr Knight?"

He lifted his gaze to the blond-haired ?"

"An associate of Mr Sykes" The man pulled out a chair and sat

"Ye’ve wasted yer ti a seat I don’t deal with associates"

"’n Mr Sykes don’t deal with blokes ’e don’t know"

"’e will if ’e’s interested in earning ten thousand quid"

"That’s a lot o’ rin and took a sip of ale

"Wot’s the job?"

"Is yer nalanced around "Coh he’d suddenly pulled the pistol on hiht I’m on a schedule"

"Don’t sound loike ye’ve planned it well"

"I’ve planned it very well I’ it very fast Less chance of discovery that way"

"Yer a cautious ht"

"And about to becorinned and scratched his scraggly beard "Awright Meet me out in the alley behind the pub in ten minutes I’ll take ye to Mr Sykes"

After the bloke left, Sterling downed the remainder of his ale Out of habit he reached for his tiht it The coat of ariven him away He supposed that he could have claimed that he had stolen it, but had decided it was better not to risk it If he survived, he wanted to hand it down to his son, and if he didn’t…he’d left it on his desk along with a note to Frannie

Strange that only with his death would she learn how much he’d come to love her

When he decided tenfor a s, he turned up his collar against the chill of the night It was the signal that contact had been ed