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'They coet into your blankets during the night You have to search the ground before you get up But there's no need to be afraid I'm used to them'

'Are they poisonous?'

'Very,' he said bluntly

She raised her head, shuddering, but laughed helplessly 'Oh, you're so damned honest! Why couldn't you lie to me?'

He pushed the hood back froold which framed her white face 'I'll lie to you if you want me to, Miss Brinton…'

A sloar in the shelter of his arms, relaxed to the point of physical collapse, aware in every nerve of the hardness of his body against hers, the h these last hours of hard riding across difficult terrain yet left him still unwearied at the end Her own physical exhaustion, coupled with the recent shock and the insidious warht and his closeness, made her head swim

She looked up into the enigmatic dark face, her smile wry 'You'll lie anyway, no doubt After all, what do I know about you? I don't even know your name I only know you're sorateful, but it was you who put er in the first place'

'My dear Miss Brinton,' he ly

'Don't keep calling me that!'

'What shall I call you?' he asked at once 'Marie…' He said the na on it in a musical voice which sent shivers down her spine

'If you wish,' she shrugged with a pretence of indifference 'What shall I call you?'

He looked into her eyes thoughtfully 'The Arabs call me Khalid'

Her curiosity was aroused 'What do other people call you? Or wouldn't it be polite to ask?'

He grinned 'The desert Bedouin have a saying… a woue or with her eyes… It fits you well, Marie'

'If I had anything else to stab with I would use it,' she said tauntingly