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He sruous co long, shapely legs 'The idea has a certain appeal,' he s you could do forvery much '

Clare went frouests she had fended off had never resorted to such explicit suggestion She looked anywhere but into the now laughing dark eyes

'Cal My motives are… were…' he corrected himself with a wrung out, so I asked Grace to put soether for us' He looked ruefully down at the laden trolley 'She toldto sneak out to 'that artsy-tartsy French joint' This spread is her idea of rubbing it in' He began to lift silver lids 'We have crab timbales, cold babaco soup, venison, strawberry and cucumber salad, and little fruit tarts hipped cream'

'I think I'net towards the delicious fragrancesabove the warmed salvers David had included a bottle of wine, and even two candlesticks, which he placed on the small table in the corner of the room, where she and Tim ate on the infrequent occasions that Clare cooked for thee in her kitchenette She fetched cutlery and napkins from the dresser drahile David dished up Far froht conversation, they were both so absorbed in the food that they hardly spoke until they had finished the main course

'Feeling better?' David asked, his face half shadowed in the soft light

'Yes, thank you,' said Clare meekly as she enjoyed the rich, full flavour of the Australian red wine he had chosen She finished her glass and held it out for some more

'Are you sure? On top of the night you've had, it ht just finish you off'

Clare had never pouted in her life, but she did so now She felt full of war that she wanted to sustain for as long as possible 'I'm not a child, David I can hold my liquor'

'I'll drink to that,' he said drily, and poured her half a glass before finishing off the bottle himself 'Why don't we sit by the fire to eat these tarts?'

Although the lodge was centrally heated, all the suites and public rooht during the winter, not only to conserve the heat draw-off from the bore, but to provide the atender

'I couldn't eat another thing, but you go ahead,' said Clare, taking her half-glass of wine and sinking on to the wide, thick sheepskin which covered the floor in front of the stone fireplace She wouldn't have bothered lighting it herself, but Shari had co that since Clare was probably going to have a late night ht find the fire companionable Actually, she had Too restless and anxious to read, she had found sitting down staring into the fla

David put three or four of the small tarts on a plate and joined her He ate two and then licked his fingers Clare smiled

'What's funny?'

'Magic fingers' She reminded him of the phrase he had used to Tim

'And so they are Would you like a personal demonstration?' He swivelled around until their faces were level, lying on his side, his body propped on his elbow as she leant back on her hands He, too, had changed since their earlier encounter He had on a black V-necked cashmere sweater that looked even softer than the sheepskin beneath her pal ripple of muscle and a thick rey