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Now there's a lovely sweet young thing," said the bartender, staring at Maeve

"I couldn't agree more," said Pitt

Then she alking with the Van Fleets to a table, where they all sat down and ordered from a waiter Maeve was no sooner settled in her chair when randfather, came up and asked her to dance She politely turned down every request He was aave up andboyishly rejected The Van Fleets excused themselves to dance while they waited for the first course Maeve sat alone

"She's choosy, that one," observed the bartender

"Tilass on the bar

He walked directly across the dance floor through the swaying couples without stepping left or right A portly nized as a senator froainst hiave hi stare that cut him off

Maeve was people watching out of sheer boredo purposefully in her direction At first she paid hier anted to dance with her In another tiht have been flattered by the attention, but her mind enty thousand kilometers away Only when the intruder approached her table, placed his hands on the blue tablecloth and leaned toward her did she recognize him Maeve's face lit with inexpressible joy

"Oh, Dirk, I thought I'd never see you again," she gasped breathlessly

"I caoodbye when A1 and I abruptly left the Ice Hunter"

She was both surprised and pleased at his behavior She thought he held no affection for her Noritten in his eyes "You couldn't have kno much I needed you," she said, her voice barely audible above the music

He came around the table and sat beside her "I kno," he said solemnly

Her face turned to avoid his gaze "You could not begin to understand the scrape I'm in"

Pitt took Maeve's hand in his It was the first time he had deliberately touched her "I had a nice little chat with Boudicca," he said with a slight sardonic grin "She told "

Her poise and grace seemed to crumble "You? Boudicca? How is that possible?"

He stood and gently pulled her from her chair "Why don't we dance, and I'll tell you all about it later"