ye felt their painted eyes following her, judging the outsider in their midst. The air was th

unded a corner, a figu

small diamond stud glinting in her nose. Her face was set in

sked, crossing her arms and looking Faye up and down as i

shrank back, her ey

an help you with?" Faye

My cousin Catherine is too nice. She let someo

"A little advice. Know your place. Don't get any ideas about wh

nd a small, genuine s

off guard. It made her

d softly, then shook her head

hed. "What's that

es turning cold, "that when you really want to sol

e closed the distance between

tumbling backwar

n flinched, squeezing her e

, tucking a loose strand behind her ear. The touch was

to intimidate me again," she whispered, her voice a thread of

back. Her face was once again

hammering against her ribs. For the first time

e terrified maid. "We don't wan

ded numbly a

door was ajar. An imposing old man sat be

and scholarly, was Donovan Sinclair. Juli

e her a warm, welcoming smile, but his eye

s gaze sharp and piercing.

rtless authority of a man who

d into the

," she sa

dened, but it neve