The doorbell pealed， and<br > answer it. Philip poured a gen-<br >into a glass and topped it with<br >L couple of ice cubes and a slice of<br >anding her the glass. Business<br > trade? <br >v of the drink before answering.<br >aer slow to move， but I m doing<br >s. Furniture recycled from used<br >za demolition sites is a good seller.<br >igh as for antiques， so more people<br >abouts， eh? Chantelle says she s<br >lants than cut flowers these days.<br >~ou think? <br >mple of glasses down on the curved<br >llv. interested smile and said， Same<br >mile briefly and took a couple of<br >her nose in her #ass. Philip had<br >，: maybe it would calm her leaping<br >voice soohe behind her. A spot between her shoulder<br >blades，bared by the off-the-shoulder flame-red party<br >frock and the swept-up style she d imposed on her un-<br >ruly burnished-bronze hair， felt as though a fiery finger<br >had touched it.<br > Unconsciously standing taller， she turned slowly，<br >making sure her face revealed none of her feelings，<br > raying that her eyes， more grin than hazel when her<br >~naoYtious were disturbed， woula not I)etray net.<br > Sholto. She moved her lips in what she hoped was a<br > reasonable facsimile of a smile. I didn t expect to see you<br > here. <br > Nor I you: Close up he was as devastating as ever， but<br > her first impression had been wrong. There were subtle<br > changes--a fine crease between the black eyebrows， a few<br > more at the corners of the fathomless smait eyes， and his<br > mouth looked harder， without the.f.ain.t proof ~:<br > derness that had once been mapucat m tts xtml tt~.o.<br > light gleamed on his hair， and she realised with a pang<br > that a few strands here and there had turned grey.<br > You look older， she said involuntarily. He would be<br > thirty-ei t now<br > - gh ? "-~ to smile， he said， I am--five years<br > r~ot even uytu$ ~ " -o it <br > lder. So are you--but you oon t sn w ~<br > o You needn t flatter me， she said with a hint of<br > tartness.<br > I wasn t. His gaze moved over her in a chillingly<br > clinical way. You ve changed， but not aged. Hard to be-<br > lieve that you，re_what?--twenty-seven. <br > Thank you" Tara s voice was curt. She took another<br > sip of her drink. Are you in Auckland on business7 <br > He seemed to hesitate before saying， Not entirely， this<br > time. . ~ ~<br > warn a trine， me nsm.a m ttr~ _r~ _.， :~ o his warm<br > but not spilling. Sholto teacneu t，u~. o.~，.， closed<br > hand about her arm， steadying her.<br ><br >