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"Cone, and found herself back on the dance floor

An hour later, she had talked to dozens of people She had walked around with Raphael to see some of the art displayed on the tent walls She’d danced, she’d watched the first entertainment?a pianist with a delicately perfect wo pole as if she were part of a music box She was dressed in ruffly white and pink and carried a parasol, and her movements were as perfect as if she were indeed a wind-up doll Jordan applauded strenuously, s as Raphael histled by her side

The ain Jared appeared,Raphael if he could steal his cousin away for a minute He seemed easy and relaxed, and Jordan s music She had learned to dance to it froo, when they had first taken up ballroo fun?" he asked her

"Yes, thank you, and you?"

His sood tiood time"

"I’m sorry, Jordan"

"And I’ more, butyour contessa is weird"

"The contessa is?different"

"I won’t say anything else unless a corpse lands at my feet"

"Jordan?"

"Jared" She frowned suddenly "I know you think that I’et it It’s a party And I’ your costume You’re too sexy As your older male relative, I’m supposed to object"

Before she could reply, Raphael cut in on thene for hiet your own and dance with your wife!" he told Jared "The next song is a slow one?an Italian version of Elvis Presley!"

"Now I have to take orders froht I’m a royal queen And I dance very well You?you are so-so The queen deet out of here!"

Jared winked at Jordan and went off in search of Cindy Jordan watched hilad He seeain

"Salute!" Raphael said

She sed the chane as he did Her head suddenly seemed to spin "Whoa! How much of this have we had?"

"At the table?" he inquired, then offered her a shrug, then a s ho with the strangely accented version of the Presley tune Then he suddenly broke away frorees Do you wish to sit?"

She hadn’t realized it, but she was very hot She gave him a smile of thanks He led her back to the table as the master of ceremonies announced the next entertainht in the e She slipped off herher hair as she watched a beautiful and perfectly fore Her costume was neon blue and al and as dark as pitch A nylon cord dangled suddenly fro woher with sleek agility She wrapped the cord around an ankle, and to the soft music of flute and violin, she went into a series of poses that were nith of nylon herself, and her perfor

She held a pose, and thea siold He too captured the cord, joined her, and created pose after pose on the wire, their bodies creating alether and began a rhythmic, acrobatic dance Thesensuality The perforraphic by their consurace and beauty A spellbound hush fell over the audience No napkins crumpled; no chairs shuffled

Jordan found herself as transfixed at the others, yet somewhere in the entertainment, she became aware of a presence behind her, like a whisper in the darkness She started to turn, and realized that Ragnor was now in the chair at her side The chair was drawn close to her His eyes were on the dancers, but he knew that she had noted his presence

"Quite incredible, aren’t they?" he murmured He didn’t seem to shift, yet he seemed to be even closer

She was sure that his words were heard only by her He spoke softly; his tone seemed deep A touch of warmth seemed to drift down her nape, as if she were caressed by his breath "The capabilities of the huwhen all avenues are explored" His eyes were suddenly on hers She found herself arguing for the sake of it "They are extraordinary contortionists and dancers who have probably practiced dance and movement since they were little children," she whispered in return

He smiled slowly "Ah, there speaks the practical ht and ic, wouldn’t you say?"

The warhout her "I’d say that they are excellent perfor and ic, no eain, he seemed even closer

"Naturally, I feel that they are beautiful "