"There's a trick to dealing with Kenner, you know," he pointed out.

Laurel frowned. "Yes, well, I don't think I'm going to grow a penis anytime soon."

Danjermond laughed, delighted with her plain talk. People never expected her to speak her mind, assuming that because she was petite and pretty, she was automatically shy and retiring. She had used that erroneous assumption to her advantage more than once.

"Heaven forbid!" He lifted a hand and cupped her chin, his thumb stroking along her jaw, sending a jolt of awareness through her. Sexuality, sensuality, hummed in the air around him as if he had suddenly turned up the power on his magnetism. "You're delicate, lovely, exquisite just as you are, Laurel. Bright, forthright, brimming with integrity."

" Kenner thinks I'm a troublemaker." She backed away from him and turned to look out at the street.

"I'll speak with him."

"No. I fight my own battles, thank you."

"Yes, you do, Laurel. That's a matter of record." His gaze turned speculative. The breeze died. "The battle you fought in Scott County -should you have won?"

Laurel had to brace herself against the barrage of feelings his blunt question brought on. Yes, she should have won-for the children, for the name of right. But she hadn't been strong enough, and in the end evil had won out.

"They were guilty," she said, and without another glance at Stephen Danjermond, she headed down the steps.