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He pocketed a quill and a paperweight before shoving a chair out into the hall He didn't think she looked strong enough to break the chair, but if she so, the splintered ould be a dangerous weapon indeed

She blinked with interest when he returned

"If you want to sit down," he said curtly, "you can do it on the bed"

She cocked her head in an annoyingly friendly manner and sat on the bed Not that she had much choice--he'd bound her hands to the bedpost, after all

"Don't try to char cooperative," he warned "I know all about you"

She shrugged

Blake snorted with disgust and turned his back on her as he finished his inspection of the room Finally, when he was satisfied that the chamber would make an acceptable prison, he faced her, his hands planted firmly on his hips "If you have any ive the to have to search you"

She lurched backward in ed to offend her Either that or she was a prodigiously good actress

"Well, have you any weapons? I assure you that I will grow considerably less gentle if I discover that you have atte"

She shook her head frantically and strained against her bindings, as if trying to get as far away fro to enjoy this either," he muttered He tried not to feel like a conation He knew that woerous as men--seven years of work for the War Office had convinced hiotten used to this part of the job He'd been brought up to treat wo in his ainst her will

He cut one of her wrists free so that he could reh her pockets They held nothing of interest, save for about fifty pounds in notes and coin, which seemed like a paltry sum for a notorious spy He thenthe contents onto the bed Two beeswax candles--Lord only knehat she wanted those for, a silverbacked hairbrush, a ss that he could not bring himself to sully with his touch He supposed everyone deserved some measure of privacy, even treasonous spies

He picked up the Bible and flipped quickly through it, es Satisfied that the book contained nothing untoward, he tossed it back onto the bed, noting with interest that she flinched as he did so