There is more between us than that.“

„I suppose you’re right. But don’t be so – “ He broke off

and turned to go. „It’s no use talking to you any more than it is

to Nicky. I’ll be back for you at eight.“ He looked over his

shoulder. „Wear the gown. Silver. Nick was adamant about his

wishes on that score. He said he was weary of gazing at a

frumpy schoolgirl at his table; he prefers you to look more

womanly.“

The anger Silver was feeling suddenly flamed higher. The

damnable arrogance of the man! „Oh, does he?“

Valentin sighed. „Hellfire! I knew…“ He was still shaking

his head as the door closed behind him.

Silver’s gaze swung from the door to the gleaming heap of

yellow satin on the bench. She was tempted to send word to

Nicholas that she would not only not wear the gown, she

would not join them for dinner. Yet she knew she couldn’t do

that if her attempt to escape was to be successful. She must be

out of this cabin and on deck early this evening when the Rose

veered toward shore.

She walked quickly to the window to look at the western

bank. Surely it was already a little closer. Robert was

beginning to change course to avoid the sandbars downriver.

Excitement and anticipation warred with the anger surging

through her. Soon she would no longer be a helpless prisoner.

She turned and glared fiercely at the gown again. She

would not give Nicholas the satisfaction of meekly obeying his

orders. This was the last time he would see her, and she was

determined that their final encounter wouldn’t be one he

would remember with triumph.

But Nicholas was no fool and there was no way that she

could think to do both. She quickly thought through the

possibilities but came up with no answer. Surely there must be

some weakness she could play on. Possessiveness? Valentin

had said Nicholas was very possessive of her and she had

noticed signs of that quality in him herself. Perhaps there

would be some way to use that fault to accomplish her own

ends.

Her gaze shifted abstractedly from the gown on the bench

to the bed. There had to be something… She froze, her eyes

widening, and then threw back her head and began to laugh in

sheer delight.

That was it! She had it!

Valentin looked at her warily. „You won’t need that cloak.

The saloon is quite comfortable tonight.“

„I felt chilled.“ Silver drew her dark blue cloak still closer

about her. „I’m ready to go.“

„Does the gown fit? Mikhail said you sent for a needle and

thread.“

„It does now.“ She held out her foot to reveal the dainty

yellow slippers with matching ribbons crisscrossing at the

ankle. „And the shoes fit well too.“

„I see that they do.“ Valentin opened the door and then

hesitated. Silver was glowing, blazing with vitality and an

excitement that made him vaguely apprehensive. „I’m glad

you took my advice.“

Silver sailed through the doorway, smiling sweetly at him

as she passed. „I think you’ll agree that I’ve tried very hard to

obey Nicholas’s command. May I have your arm?“ Her gaze

went to the far end of the saloon. The scene was much the

same as last night: Nicholas at the head of the table, the

musicians, the hovering servants, and chatting guests. She

glanced at Valentin as she slipped her arm through his and

started the long promenade to the far end of the saloon. „Do

you suppose he’ll seat me next to Mr. Bassinger again?“

„It’s not likely,“ Valentin said dryly.

„Then why don’t you take me to the head of the table at

once so that Nicholas can make his decision about which of

these gracious individuals he wishes me to get to know this

evening?“ Silver asked softly. „It will save time.“

Valentin looked at her suspiciously. „Silver – “

„Hush, Valentin.“ Silver didn’t look at him, her gaze on

Nicholas. He had just caught sight of her and he straightened

in his chair, his gaze raking over her slim form completely

enveloped in the blue cloak. „It’s too late now anyway. Take

me to him.“

„What the devil are you up to?“ Valentin muttered.

She didn’t bother to answer. They were only a few yards

from Nicholas now and Valentin would find out soon enough.

She stopped beside Nicholas’s chair and curtsied deeply.

„Good evening, your highness.“

The chatter of the guests suddenly dwindled and then

ceased entirely as everyone’s attention became centered at the

head of the table.

Nicholas’s gaze flicked over her once again, a smile of

satisfaction touching his lips as he saw the yellow satin

slippers peeping from beneath the hem of her cloak. „Take off

your cloak, it’s quite warm in here. I want to see how you look

in something besides that uniform.“ He smiled lazily. „I

thought yellow would quite wonderfully complement your

hair.“

She smiled back at him. „I’ve always been fond of yellow.

We Indians adore bright colors, you know.“ She shook her

head sadly. „Unfortunately, the gown didn’t fit as well as I

would have liked.“

He stiffened. „You’re not wearing it?“

„No, but I’m sure you won’t be disappointed.“ She smiled

brilliantly as her hand reached for the button at her throat. „I

believe you told Valentin you wished me to look more

womanly.“ With one swift gesture she slipped the cloak from

her shoulders and let it fall to the floor. „Now, what could be

more womanly than the woman herself.“

„Oh, my God,“ Valentin murmured, closing his eyes. „It’s

the bed curtain.“ Then he yielded to temptation and looked

again.

The sheer white batiste had been fashioned into a simple

loose Grecian tunic, leaving one shoulder bare and falling

straight to the floor. Silver’s smooth golden skin, taut pink

nipples, all the secret places of her body, were only lightly

veiled and could be seen in all their ravishing loveliness. She

looked as wildly beautiful and shockingly desirable as a high

priestess in the temple of Aphrodite.

„Don’t just stand there. Put that goddamn cloak around

her!“ Nicholas’s harsh voice pulled Valentin’s gaze from Silver

to Nicholas’s face.

He inhaled sharply and hurriedly picked up Silver’s cloak

from the floor. Christ, he’d never seen Nicky look like that.

White-hot jealousy, anger, and desire blazed from him in

waves that were nearly tangible. „I’ll take her back to the

stateroom, Nicky.“ He took a step toward Silver, intending to

put the cloak around her.

She had no intention of letting him accomplish his aim. She

backed away from the table, her gaze still holding Nicholas’s

with defiance. „You don’t look pleased, Nicholas. Why is that?

I certainly don’t look like a frumpy schoolgirl.“

„Damn you,“ Nicholas said with soft violence. „Put that

cloak on!“

She shook her head, a reckless smile on her face as she

continued to back away. „I’m not uncomfortable like this. I’m

Apache, remember?“

Nicholas stood up so suddenly that his chair crashed to the

floor behind him. „Then, by God, you’d better learn to behave

like a white woman. I won’t have you stripping yourself for

every man to gape at like some – “ He broke off, his chest

rising and falling with the force of his breathing. „Put on that

cloak or I swear you’ll regret it, Silver.“

She laughed, the sound rising to ring around the white and

gold of the ceiling. „You cannot make me regret anything. You

are nothing to me, your highness.“

Then she was gone, flying down the length of the saloon