He was journeying by land, and the animals would be nothing but trouble on the long road home. He would be a fool to burden himself with two animals already considered useless. Yet Galen found himself immeasurably moved by Tess's plea. She was clearly a poignantly lonely child, and the wolfhounds were probably the only things she loved in this world. Yet she was being forced to beg him to rob her of them. Galen sighed in resignation. "Where are they now?"

Her face was suddenly luminous with hope. "You'll do it?"

He nodded reluctantly. "Though how I'll manage them on the journey back to Sedikhan, I have no idea. Said and I don't travel with the same pomp and fanfare as the nobles of your court."

She collapsed back against the cushions of the chair as the tension left her. "Thank God."

"I don't mean to be blasphemous, but shouldn't your thanks include me? I'm the one who's going to be severely inconvenienced for the next several weeks. "

"I do thank you." Her voice vibrated with passionate sincerity. "And I promise I'll find a way to repay you."

He looked at her quizzically. "Indeed? And just what would you do to express your gratitude?"

"Anything," she said simply. "Anything at all."

She meant it. He could almost feel the intensity of the emotion sweeping through the young girl. "Without reservations?" A curiously arrested expression crossed his face as a thought suddenly occurred to him. "Someday I may decide to take advantage of your generous offer." He came across the room and drew her to her feet. "But not now. Where is this secret passage?"

She gestured to a candelabra affixed to the wall a few feet away. "You turn the candelabra to the left."

Galen twisted the candelabra, and a recessed wooden panel swung open. "Back to your chamber now. I'll get dressed and go down to tell your kennel master to take the dogs to the woods beyond the castle and wait for Said and me."

"What if he won't do it?"

"He'll do it. Gold has a certain persuasive eloquence."

"You'll bribe him?"

"Your debt is increasing by leaps and bounds, isn't it?" He handed her the copper candle-holder and gave her a gentle push toward the waiting darkness of the passage. "You must remember how great your debt is when it comes time for me to collect."

"I will." She cast a quick glance over her shoulder. "They'll be safe? Truly?"

"Truly." He smiled. "You have my word."

The next instant she had disappeared into the darkness.

The panel swung shut, and Galen gazed thoughtfully at it, the curious smile still lingering on his lips.

It seemed fate had intervened on his behalf, and he would be a fool to refuse her gift. It would take patience, determination, and a certain amount of planning before he could accomplish his goal, but the unity of Sedikhan was all-important.

He turned on his heel and strode back toward the bedchamber. He would dress and tell Said they were leaving for Sedikhan at once.

No, not quite at once.

He must first seek out Sacha and sober him up enough to have a long talk with him.

Chapter 1

« ^ »

Port of Dinar, Tamrovia May 3, 1803

The longboat was only a few yards from the dock when Tess caught sight of Sacha's tall, graceful form. He was leaning indolently against a stack of wooden boxes.

Sacha hadn't changed a whit, Tess thought with relief. His auburn hair so like her own, blazed in the sunlight. As they drew close to shore, she saw that his slim, muscular body was garbed as it always had been, with faultless elegance. Today, he wore tight cream-colored buckskin trousers and a gold brocade coat. An intricately tied cravat complimented his pristine white shirt.

"Sacha!" Tess waved frantically, leaning perilously far over the side of the longboat. "Sacha, it is I!"

She heard the captain mutter something in the front of the boat, but she ignored him and continued waving. "Sacha!"

He straightened away from the boxes, and a grin lit his face.

"I warn you, if you fall into the sea, I'll let you drown," he called. "This is the first time I've worn this coat, and I like it over much."

"You look like a peacock," she called back. "In Paris they're dressing with far more simplicity."

"Brat. How would you know? You've been in a convent for six years."

"I have eyes." As the longboat drew up to the dock, she took the hand Sacha reached out to her and rose cautiously to her feet. "Besides, Pauline told me."

"Ah yes, how could I forget Pauline." Sacha's hands were on her small waist, lifting her onto the dock. He groaned and staggered back a step. "Merde, you weigh a ton. It must be all that learning and religion they've stuffed into you." His blue eyes gleamed with mischief as he looked her up and down. "Thank God it doesn't show, or you'd never get a husband."

Tess's happiness dimmed at his mention of marriage, then she firmly dismissed the thought. There could be no other reason for her father to send for her, but it was not her way to brood on storm clouds in the distance when the sun was shining and the world close at hand was beautiful.

"I don't weigh a ton." She had often wished she did weigh more. No matter how much she ate, she remained unimpressively tiny in height and far too slender. She scarcely came to the middle button on Sacha's fine linen shirt. She lifted her chin, a mock expression of hauteur on her face. "It's you who have grown weak and puny with dissipation and excess. I wonder my father even puts enough trust in you to escort me to Belajo."

His smile faded, and he glanced away from her. "I'd better get you to the inn. The carriage is around the corner."

"One moment." She turned to the captain, who was getting out of the longboat and held out her hand. "Good-bye, Captain. Thank you for being so kind to me. It's been a very interesting voyage. You must come to Belajo sometime soon."

The grizzled captain lifted her gloved hand to his lips. "It's been interesting for us also, Your Highness," he said dryly. "Still, I wouldn't mind sailing with you again." He paused. "In a year or two."

She nodded. "I understand." She turned back to Sacha and slipped her arm through his. "I'm ready now."

Sacha glanced curiously back over his shoulder at the captain as they strolled toward the street. "The captain doesn't appear too pleased with you. What did you do to the poor man?"

"Nothing." She noted his skeptical glance and said defensively, "Well, it was the first time I had been aboard a ship without someone peering over my shoulder and telling me what I must or must not do. When I sailed for France six years ago, Pauline was with me. She wouldn't allow me a proper exploration of the ship." Quartered in Paris after she had escorted her charge to France, Pauline had married a young baker when Tess had been in the convent of St. Marguerite only a few months. "Pauline failed to show up at the pier when this ship was about to sail, and the sisters didn't have time to make other arrangements for my chaperonage."

"And what portions of the ship did you explore?"

"Have you ever been in the crow's nest?"

"That little box on top of the mast? Good God, no. I have no head for heights."

"You can see forever," Tess said dreamily. "And the wind blows your hair, and the scent of the salt and the sea is like nothing I've ever smelled.”