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the back of his neck stood up, every one of hiswith awareness Cautiously he eased away fro for his clothes—never taking his eyes off the bolted door He found his breeches, jerking thes, then snatched up his coat, rifling through it until he extracted the pistol he'd concealed within Slowly, pistol cocked, he prowled toward the thin shaft of light e from beneath the closed doorway

Another creak—only this tiht outside the room

Someone was definitely out there The question ho?

Eyes narrowed, Julian reached his destination, his fingers noiselessly slipping the bolt free, then closing around the handle

In one lightningby the throat the dark figure hunched outside Without pause he sla the intruder's wrist and knocking his weapon to the floor

A ed him into the room

"All right, you found ainst the wall "Noho are you and what do you want?"

"M-M-Merlin … it's … me," came the choked reply

Julian's grip loosened and he angled thein from the hallway "Stone?"

A pained nod

"Well, what do you know" Julian released hi in ain his balance "That was quite a performance Very different from your customary arrivals Since when have you resorted to such dramatic entrances?"

"Christ, Julian, I think ye broke so his head from side to side "Like my neck"

"If I'd broken your neck, ouldn't be having this conversation," Julian said with light reassurance Leaning into the hallway, he retrieved Stone's weapon, then eased the door shut as he handed Stone the pistol, barrel down "Noould you care to telloutside ed e fro that was you?"

"Ye saw me?"

"No If I had, I would have asked you these questions then, rather than withwatched"