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Long strides quickly brought him into view, and the smile of welcoaze swept over the table, stopping icily on her

"What's this?" A victory celebration?" he accused

Alanna shook her head in disbelief This couldn't be the sa, or more accurately this noon

"I don't knohat you're talking about," she answered uncertainly

"Don't you?" Rolt jeered Alanna winced; until now thinking she had seen the last of his harsh mockery "Kurt didn't keep his appointment this afternoon"

She looked at him blankly "I don't understand"

"Really?" he retorted with conteard for her confused expression "He left ahe was unavoidably detained That was his exact phrase—unavoidably detained" His repetition of it reminded Alanna that Rolt had used the sa, the implication jolted her "It was a perfect twist of the knife by my brother, don't you think?"

"What are you saying?" Alanna breathed incredulously

"What's the matter?" His lip curled sardonically "Didn't you know that my little brother had already let the secret out? Were you hoping to let it slip tonight?"

"You don't knohat your talking about!"

"Don't I?" Rolt pivoted sideways as if he couldn't stand to look at her Just as abruptly, he glared at her "You had me fooled completely I never drea and meet Kurt this afternoon And you knew it, too"

"I didn't meet Kurt," Alanna protested

A dark brow arched arrogantly over indigo scorn of his gaze "Where were you this afternoon Alanna? I phone here and there wasn't any answer You weren't at your parents' either"

"I went into town—" she gestured wildly toward the bottle of chaht"

"By sheer coincidence, it happened to be that you were gone at the saht?" A ely in his jaw