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"You know, Jared, one of the cops came into the costus can happen anywhere"

"But you went so wild against the contessa You don’t knoho she is You don’t understand?"

"I understand who she is, Jared, and what she means to you"

"No," he said For that moment, he sounded truly miserable "No, you really don’t understand You don’t knoho she is "

"I’ to think about your contessa I’ll avoid her all night"

"It’s unlikely that she’d come to this," he said

"Too common for her?"

"She doesn’t like this much of a crowd"

"Well, then, we’ll be fine, won’t we?"

She was startled when he suddenly hugged her to him "Yes, we’ll be fine But Jordan, please, please, for s about the contessa or her party I’ll simply tell people, if I’m asked, that I’m afraid it was a bit macabre for me"

He nodded, relieved Cindy walked up, pleased to see the so well "We’re almost there

The tent is in the square up ahead Jordan, they had such great entertainment last year The dancers

they’re exquisite"

"Do they cut each other up?" she asked, then wished she could bite her tongue

Cindy laughed?the sound just a little uneasy "Nothey’re sexy Erotic They’ve practically nothing on and nearly perfect bodiesyou’ll see Ah, there, look at the crowd" They had arrived at the square Dozens of people were in line, handing their tickets for the event to the jester waiting at the entrance His face was painted black and white Jordan stared at the man carefully

She’d never seen hie tent, there were tables set around a stage At theItalian classics with a rock twist Jared suggested they find a table while he went for drinks

As they searched for empty spaces, they were approached by a masked queen in an elaborate velvet costulittery iridescence

"Hello, hello!"

"Raphael?" Jordan said incredulously

He laughed with pleasure "Si, si?come, we’ve a table over here Cindy, ciao, bella, viene, yes?"

"Jared is co drinks?"

"Fine, fine We have wine for the table, too, and seats for you all" Raphael slipped an ar theyptian costuear and lifelike asp, jureet the fantasy, rose as well, kissing Jordan on both cheeks, then greeting Cindy There were others there fro them, and a nu Justine, the cute young French girl who designed Jordan’s boots, and a couple from Wales who dealt strictly in leather It was difficult to talk over thespoken Before Jared even returned with their drinks, Jordan found herself out on the dance floor with a sixteenth-century cavalier

As other couples passed the whispered about She breathed a sigh of relief when a pretty young woman, obviously American, tapped her on the aret it?"

Swinging beneath the cavalier’s arm, Jordan was pleased to be able to tell her "It’s thethem tomorrow"

A moant queen, was cutting in on the cavalier "Allora! Do I know my costumes! Everyone has asked about you, and the costu a tremendous amount of fun"

"You’ll have ne" He led her back to the table, producing a plastic flute for her She had barely touched it when the band started playing an old Rolling Stones tune