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"The brig Roanoke out of Virginia," he said, nodding at the model "Her keel was laid in 1728, and she went on the rocks off Nova Scotia in 1743 My father built the o"

"You went to all this trouble just to get me alone?" she said dazedly

"That's obvious, isn't it?"

She stared at him He met her eyes steadily and she blushed

"You see," he went on, "I wanted to have a little informal chat, just the two of us, without interference or interruption from the hassles of my office"

The room reeled about her "Youyou just want to talk?"

He looked at her curiously for a an to chuckle "You flatter ram It was never my intent to seduce you I fear erated"

"But at the party-"

"I think I understand" He took her by the hand and led her to a chair "When I whispered, 'I must meet you alone,' you took it as a proposition froive me, that was not my intent"

Dana sighed "I wondered what a man who could have any one of a hundred ers could possibly see in a drab, ist"

"You don't do yourself justice," he said, suddenly serious "You are really quite lovely"

Again she found herself blushing "No man has made a pass at me in years"

"Perhaps it is because most honorable men do not make passes at married women"

"I'd like to think so"

He pulled up a chair and sat opposite her She sat priether, hands in lap The question, when it caht her totally unprepared