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“Better you don’t know”

“I hope you knohat you’re getting into,” Hal said “Angela’s a murderous bitch, Mr Thorne, the sort would kill anyone to save her own skin You need to find her and deal with her, before she deals with you”

“Don’t worry, I can handle her”

“Can you?” He shook his head

Sebastian got to his feet “One last thing, Hal How did Jed know that I was co up here? Who told him?”

Hal shook his head “Jed doesn’t mention any na secrets, you’d better look to your friends and acquaintances, Mr Thorne Angela has spies everywhere…and they’ll be more afraid of her than of you”

Francesca paused, resting her hand on the stair rail It had been a sih the front door, but she wasn’t at all sure about continuing on up the stairs That here the voices were co from, and her plan had been to burst in and discover what Sebastian was up to

“Private business,” he’d said, but what could he possibly have to say to Hal the blacksht hi of curiosity He wouldn’t appreciate her breaking in on them, but it was her adventure

Feeling her way in the darkness, Francescaout fro, and as she drew closer it helped her to see her way So sound below her in the shadows, and she came down on the next step ave a loud creak Francesca held her breath, listening, but the voices in the upstairs room continued without pause, while downstairs there was only silence Probably ht with a shudder

Go hoated her, but it didn’t see as fast as she could in the opposite direction froood sense had little to do with it

“…has friends in high places,” Hal the blackshtly muffled by the closed door “You’d be surprised, Mr Thorne, what sort of thing soreat men fancy And once she has ’eo”

“She blackmails them?” Sebastian sounded cool and collected, but Francesca heard his suppressed excitement

“Aye”

She? Who was she? Francesca put her eye to a knot in the wood She saw a candle on a table, flickering and s, but other than that only shadows

“You said her husband was dead, Hal Is there anyone else?” Sebastian’s voice went on